Today's Craziness in the MLB and NBA

Saturday, May 29, 2010 was by far one of the craziest days in professional baseball and basketball. Why? Well, let’s start off with the one highlight sports fans have probably seen over and over again: Kendry Morales celebrating his walk-off grand slam by jumping onto home plate and breaking his ankle. Watch the replay and it all seems as “happy-go-lucky” as can be for Morales, as he jumps into the air to celebrate the victory, surrounded by his fellow Angels and collapses to later find out he broke his ankle. What a bust, but definitely something many are still laughing about.

Just a few hours later, Roy Halladay pitched a perfect game for the Phillies, something that was done just 20 days before by A’s pitcher Dallas Braden. Nonetheless, Halladay earned the respect of many at the Sun Life Stadium as the Phillies went on to beat the Marlins 1-0 in front of a crowd of 25,086. A perfect game is always something to be celebrated, as there have only been a total of 20 in MLB history.

Let’s transition to basketball, shall we? NBA Finals, Game 6: Lakers at Suns. With a 12 point lead at the half, LA thought they had it all. And they were right. The Lakeshow went on to finish the series and beat Phoenix 111-103. LA was on it tonight. Hopefully they’ll keep this momentum for Thursday when Boston comes to town for Game 1 of the 2010 NBA Championship Series.



Highlights of the game included Kobe’s off-balanced, yet incredibly clutch jumper with under a minute to go, then looking eye to eye with the Suns bench and motioning the “ I fly like an airplane” with his arms as he heads to the Laker bench. Artest is also one to thank for the second game in a row.

Just as Morales made people laugh with his unexpected injury in his moment under the spotlight, so did the camera man under the basket at the final game of the Western Conference Finals. As the Suns airballed a jumper, an innocent camera man was stepped on the neck by a Phoenix player as he went for the rebound.

Craziness? I think so. If you ask me, today’s MLB and NBA Headlines might as well read, “Success and Injuries are Plentiful on a Sports Day Like Today”.

Laker Fans Expect Another Championship

Why is it that Laker fans always have the confidence to win? Is it because of all those Kobe last-second buzzer beaters? Is it Phil Jackson’s strategic plays at the tail end of a game? Or is it the fact that since we are in fact a “Championship Franchise”, that’s all the fans think of when it comes to the playoffs? Whatever the reason may be, it seems that Laker fans still see another championship in store, despite Thursday’s loss against the Thunder.

When interviewing a handful of LA fans at the Nokia Center this afternoon, it was apparent that there is no doubt on whether the Lakers are going to sweep the series. In fact, some fans feel the loss was done on purpose so that if need be, the Lakers will have another home court advantage in a crucial time like the playoffs. Still, a loss is a loss, and if that was in fact on purpose, the Lakers must pull through and beat Oklahoma City tonight so they don’t fall short when they come home for Game 5 on Tuesday at STAPLES.

California Love?

Born and raised in Southern California my whole life and being an avid sports fan in the great city of Los Angeles, I cant help but to appreciate the numerous franchises we have. I came to realize this week though the amount of multiple southern California sports team we have for each respective sports in the NBA, (Lakers, Clippers) MLB, (Dodgers, Angels) and the NHL (Kings, Ducks)

I understand that their is a great deal of rivalry between inner city teams which is great for our city and adds to the competitive nature. But along with the love, I sense their is a deal of "not wanting" the other to succeed. I attended a Ducks game the past week and when the scoreboard posted that the Kings had lost, the arena erupted into cheer. Especially with the Ducks clearly out of playoff contention and the Kings on the verge, I would be upset as a fan in that I would hope at least one SoCal team could represent us in the playoffs.

When asked the question whether I'm a Dodgers/Angels fan, I'll reply that I am loyal to my Bluecrew, but with the pattern of the Dodgers making early exits from the playoffs I need another hometown team to support in the post season. I'd rather see an LA team win over other cities such as Boston or New York any day!

In head to head match ups and rivalries that exist throughout the season, support your respective LA team to the fullest, but outside of that I challenge you to have the same enthusiasm for all our hometown teams.

If you don't want to do it for me, at least do it for one of the most influential fallen rappers of our time who said it best.... "California Love!"

I love March Madness. And yes, I'm a girl.

What better month for basketball than March, right?! Well, unless we’re talking about April and the start of NBA playoffs. But still, March has got to the best time of year for college basketball fans like myself. Turn on CBS in the first week of round one games and BAM! – there’s a game on TV. Not only is it convenient to have sports on demand pretty much whenever you wish, but the entertainment and suspense that comes along with it seems to be the best part of this “madness”.

Buzzer beaters and close games are two thrilling factors that keep this madness alive. Take the Vanderbilt and Murray State first round game for instance. Of course this wasn’t the only close game during the tourney, but it’s definitely one to remember for it’s climatic ending. Vanderbilt came into the tournament as a number 4 seed and was expected and favored to win over Murray State, a 13 seed, but with a last-second jumper, the Murray State Racers advanced to the second round with a win over their opponent.

This year, one of the biggest upsets was number 9 Northern Iowa beating Kansas, who was expected by many to go past the second round (I mean, come on, they’re Kansas and a #1 seed). This was the first time the Northern Iowa Panthers clinched a Sweet Sixteen spot and although they were knocked out in the regional semifinals by Michigan State, I think people will remember their incredible win over the favored Jayhawks.

This is the beauty of March Madness – a month of uplifting Division I college basketball that truly captures its audience. After all, anything can happen, and that’s exactly why people go MAD during the month of March.

Team Championship + MVP = The “Best” Player

Have you ever really argued about who the best player in the NBA is? We’re talking past or present here: Michael Jordan vs. Larry Bird, Bill Russell vs. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, or Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James. I’m sure you have. And if not, I’m sure you will.

But let’s get the facts straight. How do you even define what the “best” player is? Do we measure this by the number of MVPs he’s won or do we measure it by the number of team championships gained? This, ladies and gentlemen, is where it gets interesting.

To be honest, I think the “best” player has to have a combination of individual skill and talent as well as the ability to make his or her team better. Let’s look at Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who played college ball at UCLA, contributing in large part to the Bruins’ 88 win and 2 losses over the course of three national championship seasons.

Not only was he a standout in his college years, but Kareem continued to shine in the big leagues with his 20-year long career in the NBA. He currently holds the record for most team championships and MVP titles, with 6 a piece, denoting that yes, both accomplishments define who the best player really is. Next in line is Michael Jordan, with 6 championships and 5 MVPs, who many argue to be another one of the “best” players in NBA history.

This is a very debatable topic, one that sports fanatics like myself truly enjoy talking about. With Kobe and LeBron fans clashing views day in and day out, it’s obvious that the best player is, and will probably always be a personal opinion. But really, the best player can only REALLY be defined in time, once they’ve made a mark and some type of history. Right now, Kobe leads LeBron in championships with 4 (LeBron has yet to win one) but the two NBA All-Stars are tied with one MVP a piece. Again, these players are still young and in due time we shall see who the “better” player is.

In terms of actually defining what makes the “best” player, it’s definitely a combination of both individual skill and the ability to make a team better. Just look at Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He was a team player and an outstanding athlete – the 6 Championships and 6 MVPs prove it. If you don’t think he’s one of the best to play the game of hoops, you have a lot of schooling to do. When people hear his name, sports fans or not, they don’t even question who he is because he was THAT good. If you don’t believe me, just ask Coach John Wooden.

Bill Parcells helps Saints win the Super Bowl

Trailing Indianapolis 10-6 at halftime of Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday night, Saints head coach Sean Payton wanted to take control starting with a shift in momentum. So he called an onside kick. Kicker Thomas Morstead got the right bounce with his kick, and after it deflected off Indianapolis receiver Hank Baskett, New Orleans’ Chris Reis was on the bottom of the pile with the ball at the Saints’ 42. Six plays later New Orleans scored a touchdown for a 12-10 lead seizing momentum of the game, which they ultimately won 31-17.

As the refs made the call signaling that Reis had indeed come up with the loose ball I couldn’t help but think of how Payton became the type of coach to make such a bold move. The next thought that popped into my head was of another gutsy postseason call, one made by Bill Parcells in the 1990 NFC Championship game; a 30-yard run by Giants linebacker Gary Reasons on a fake punt against the two-time defending champion 49ers.

Reasons, the signal-caller on punt formation, took a direct snap in front of punter Sean Landeta and veered right. It was wide open for him. Moments before, Reasons was given the green light by Parcells, the Giants coach.

The daring move set up Bahr's fourth of five field goals, a 38-yarder with 5:47 remaining, and the Giants were down 13-12. They would go on to win 15-13 and win Super Bowl XXV against the Bills.

Parcells is known for taking risks in big games. In Super Bowl XXI against the Broncos, the Giants had fourth-and-1 from their own 46 on their first possession of the third quarter, trailing 10-9. Backup quarterback Jeff Rutledge moved up behind center and ran a sneak for two yards and the first down. Five plays later, Phil Simms threw a touchdown pass to Mark Bavaro and the Giants took the lead in route to a 39-20 victory.

It was Parcells, Dolphins Executive Vice President of Football Operations who hired Payton to his Dallas staff as assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach from 2003-05. Payton said he had a "number of conversations" with Parcells leading up to the Super Bowl. "You are going to have to have guts to win this game," Parcells told the Daily News Monday. "You can't coach scared in the big games. You've got to try to win."

Parcells has become a father figure to Payton whose own father passed away. After the game he received a phone call from Bill congratulating him on the big win. “He was proud” said Payton, “just proud.” "He taught me so much." "Just about people and about teaching and about evaluation and about preparation. I'm better having had a chance to work with him."

Payton became the third member of the legendary Parcells coaching tree to lead his team to a Super Bowl championship, joining Bill Belichick with the Patriots and Tom Coughlin with the Giants. All together they’ve won five of the last nine Super Bowl titles.


Written by Eric Doppelt

The Playing Field Is NOT Equal

First off, I’d like to note that I am not a feminist. However, I do believe in equality. Second, I think all sports fans can agree that men and women are viewed very differently in terms of their athletic abilities and can easily argue that the playing field is not as equal as we all would like to believe. No, I am not saying this because I am a girl. I am merely saying this because it is reality.

Last week, I was walking to class and picked up a copy of our school newspaper, The Daily Bruin – a task I conduct on a daily basis – and immediately turned to the flipside to read the sports section (another task I conduct on a daily basis). After all, we do call it the backwards paper, because the average student here in Westwood turns to the sports section first (that’s kind of what you get for being the university with the most NCAA team championships – Hey, I’m not complaining).



Anyway, back to the point of this entry: The playing field is NOT equal. Why, you may ask? Well, the first and biggest article in the center of the sports section had the headline, “UCLA men's basketball fumbles with early advantage against Oregon” followed by the subtitle, “UCLA takes a 13-point lead against Oregon, only to drop the ball in lackluster play.” And to top it off, a giant 3 by 4 inch picture of Reeves Nelson getting double-teamed by defenders printed right at the top of the article. Disgusting, right?

Right. But what’s even more disgusting is that the article directly to the right of it, titled, “UCLA women's basketball team sinks Oregon Ducks, 104-80,” was a tiny 2-inch wide strip with a picture probably about the size of my thumb embedded within it. Now, I wouldn’t have a problem if the men’s article were about us winning. But losing?! Come on. Our women’s team scored 104 points, “the team’s highest point total since scoring the same number against Cal State Bakersfield on Dec. 3, 2009.” THAT is remarkable. Please tell me that accomplishment does not deserve center stage and the bigger picture on the cover of the sports page, because I would truly beg to differ.

This was Friday. Just a day later, I was walking out of Pauley Pavilion and passed Coach Rick Neuheisel on the way to my apartment. I overheard him ask one of his assistants, “Did the girls win? I believe they were playing Oregon State today.” Ladies and gentlemen, if our football coach cares enough about the women’s final score, I think our student body can care about it too – especially if we’re winning.

Saints May Have Blown Their Cover

When the Colts and Saints square off in Super Bowl XLIV down in south Florida don’t be surprised if the X-factor in this game is wearing a striped shirt. New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, speaking earlier this week on a Tennessee sports talk radio show, said the Saints will need to deliver some “remember me” shots on Peyton Manning, he didn’t stop there adding “you hope he doesn’t get back up and play again.”

You can bet on Feb 7^th the NFL will be on high alert for any late or illegal hits to the quarterbacks especially after some missed calls this post-season already, two of which had significant game changing implications.

Vice president of officiating Mike Pereira conceded that there should have been a 15-yard penalty on the third-quarter play where Vikings quarterback Brett Favre suffered a left ankle injury.

On that play, Saints defensive end Bobby McCray hit Favre in what Pereira called “pretty much a direct shot into the back of the legs.” The hit violated an NFL rule that prohibits low hits on quarterbacks. Had the penalty been called, Jonathan Vilma's interception would have been nullified and the Vikings would have re-gained possession with a first down at the Saints’ 19-yard line.

In the Wildcard round, facing third-and-6 on the first series of overtime, Cardinals cornerback Michael Adams blitzed Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and knocked the ball out. It bounced off Rodgers' foot and into the hands of linebacker Karlos Dansby, who ran for a touchdown to give Arizona a 51-45 victory. Adams grabbed Rodgers' face mask on the play, but officials didn't throw a flag. Had the call been made, the interception would have been negated by a 15-yard personal foul penalty that would have given the Packers possession and a first down.

With the biggest game of all looming and NFL poster boy Peyton Manning at the helm for the Colts, don’t be surprised if the league is very tight on hits to the QB and a couple of key drives are extended by the officials. Gregg Williams, in an attempt to fire up his defense, may have given the least sacked QB in the league an extra security blanket.

Written by Eric Doppelt

JW = JW

As I logged Jim Hill’s interview with “Mr. Clutch,” aka Jerry West, something inside me snapped – in a good way. I realized that Jerry West, retired professional basketball player, Head Coach, and former GM of the Los Angeles Lakers, is much like UCLA Head Basketball Coach Emeritus and arguably the “Greatest Coach of All Time,” John Wooden.

Not only do their initials read “JW,” but their views toward sports, and presumably life in general share very similar qualities. The one underlying theme that struck me was Jerry West’s immense use of the word, “passion” throughout his interview with Jim. In one of his answers he said that, “Life is not worth living if you don’t have passion.” And being the biggest John Wooden idol I am, I immediately thought of him and his view on the subject. As Coach Wooden says, “It isn't what you do, but how you do it,” referring to the passion and emotion a person must implement into his or her daily tasks.

West went on to say that he believes in two things: “goals and passion” and that not a single person can get anywhere in life without having some substantial goals as a stepping-stone. Sounds like Coach Wooden, whose most famous quote is about success and being the best you can be. The interview went on and discussed West’s biggest passion of helping others and his desire to give back to people who have helped him in his life. As he says himself, “…if I can help someone, I truly want to do that.” And as Coach Wooden says, “You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” These two men, although one 71 years of age and the other just one short of a century, can still agree on one thing: passion is key to life.


Written by Robin Randolph