NBA Finals 2011

So what some experts are calling potentially the most watched NBA Finals, starts tomorrow. Dallas Mavericks against the Miami Heat-again. This is a rematch of the NBA Finals of 2006 when the Miami Heat won in six games. Despite this, the question remains, who needs to win this more? The Miami Heat, with "the trio" that have been criticized at every turn or the Dallas Mavericks, who are seeking a first championship for Dirk, Jason Kidd, and owner Mark Cuban.

Miami Heat went into this season, being one of the most closest watched teams in the NBA in years. They acquired stars LeBron James and Chris Bosh, but also acquired role players such as Juwan Howard, Mike Miller, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Mike Bibby. Because of this, they gained many new fans to the NBA, but also became one of the more hated teams, as LeBron became a villain to many.

The last time they won a championship, the Heat also had a newer star player on the roster. Shaquille O'Neal's second year on the roster brought them a championship, but he too was surrounded with new role players like James Posey and Jason Williams. When Shaq arrived, he too predicted that his new team would win a championship with him. It took an extra season, but he was right. Can LeBron do it in his first season with the Heat?

The Mavs are still chasing that illusive first championship. Mark Cuban bought the Mavs and revamped the franchise. He turned a losing franchise, with sub par facilities and lackluster players into a franchise that consistently makes the playoffs, with the best facilities in the NBA, and future hall of fame players-Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd.

Yet with all the success the team has had, they've only went to the Finals once with Cuban as the owner and that was against the Miami Heat. This is their chance at revenge-well, sort of. Despite being not that long ago, only two players remain from that Dallas Mavericks team. Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry. Still, this team is looking to take out the Heat for their first rings.

This team acquired many former star veterans who are hanging on for that last chance at a ring. Jason Kidd rejoined the cast after unsuccessful bids at getting his rings with the Nets and Suns. Peja Stojakovic joins after a long success with the Kings. Although the Kings were never able to win a ring with now Heat player Bibby and now Mavericks player Peja leading the team. Shawn Marion also joins the team, joining former Suns teammate Kidd, in search of that elusive ring. Also they added twenty-eight year old, nine season veteran, Tyson Chandler to their team to get his first ring.

If the Mavs don't win this first championship, will they stay together? I believe the Heat will for the most part. The Mavs have veterans at the end of their rope though and if they don't pull it off this year, does that mean Mark Cuban will gut key parts of the team in favor of younger players? I believe the Mavs want it more and need it more, but the Heat would like to shed the negativity off after LeBron's "Decision." The Mavericks have been sitting for a week after a hot streak the week before where they looked extremely hungry. The Heat just finished their games off against the Bulls more recently, so not much a chance of rust, but they didn't show that hunger until the last game.

So who needs this more? The Mavs. Who wins this? In my prediction, it goes in six games again, but this time in the Mavs favor.

Stadium Food

Whatever the sport, the fan is always number one. They are the ones whom cheer for their teams. They are the ones whom pay for the tickets so their favorite team can afford better players. They are the ones whom become a "twelth man," "sixth man," and whatever else to the players on the field. The die-hards know everything there is about the team and the stadium. They visit multiple times during a year. So what is the best way to make these fans happy? Food.

Many stadiums have unique food they serve, unlike the other teams in their league. This gives local flavor to the team and the taste buds of the fans. Some teams have horrible food and have vendors outside that cook better than the cooks inside -the street vendors that make the sausage sandwiches outside of Staples Center in Los Angeles for one. Even if the food comes from a greasy looking cart, the food has great possibilities.

My first memorable food experience at a stadium was at Angels Stadium, chowing down on lasagnua from an Italian food booth. I loved that lasagnua and found myself sad when the food server was no longer there after the stadium was remodeled and fitted with national names like Panda Express, Ruby's and more. During my pre-teen years, it was probably my favorite Italian food in general and being at a baseball game made it extra special.

At Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, they serve a capicola and cheese sandwich made on Italian bread, and containing provolone cheese, cole slaw, french fries, and of course, the awesome meat calle capicola. It's a heart attack waiting to happen, but I would eat it in a second.

The peach cobbler, served at Atlanta Falcons games, has a reputation of being one of the best dessert items in football. Any why not? Georgia, the state known for their awesome peaches should be known for a dish using these same peaches.

Can a team be known for it's condiments? Yes. Cleveland stadium mustard is probably the best mustard served in the United States. It has flavor, a little bit of brown sugar mixed with a little spice. It's a perfect combined with a brat and beer.

AT&T Ballpark in San Francisco has the reputation of being the best stadium food in sports, especially if you like garlic. They love spreading garlic butter on many of their sandwiches, have world famous garlic fries, straight from Gilroy, California, sourdough bread right from Boudin, and even some of the best hot dogs, soaked in beer.

Also, if you ever get a chance to go to a minor league baseball game, go. If not for the game, for the food. Most teams have unique dishes that will open your eyes. Even the television show Man Vs. Food did a whole show dedicated to minor league baseball game food.

Stadium eats are unique and part of the fun to a ballgame. People aren't usually satisfied with just the Crackerjacks and popcorn. Don't be afraid to try something new, especially a non-national named brand company. Local food is the flavor to every team.

Poker Is Not A Sport!

I'm going to start of by saying...POKER IS NOT A SPORT. It's a fun game, but does not deserve to be considered an Olympic sport. The thing is, the organizers of the Olympics disagree. They are favoring allowing Poker to become an Olympic sport. They are also considering bowling to become one too. How?

What's worse, is that they are getting rid of baseball and softball from the Olympics because they don't consider them sports. One Olympic organizer under the condition of anonymity said it's because he believes team sports shouldn't be allowed in the Olympics. Then get rid of soccer, basketball, and all the track and field sports where you pass a baton. You're reason isn't good enough. Baseball and softball should be in the Olympics and not poker and bowling.

If poker qualifies as a sport, why not chess or checkers? If bowling qualifies as a sport, why not curling? Oh wait, it is too. Stupid Winter Olympics. Why not dodgeball then? How about tetherball? These sports require just as much physical exertion as bowling, if not more. Why not ultimate style fighting then?

Even legendary poker player, Howard Lederer was quoted as saying, "I don't think poker is a sport. It's the greatest game in the world, but it is not a sport."

One argument being made against baseball is that it's an American sport. So any sport, game, or anything of the such, that is created in America, can't be a sport? Baseball is an amalgum of other various sports such as crickett and rounders, both British by nature. Basketball, in it's current state, is an American sport, despite various similar games existing beforehand.

Also, how can poker become a sport before American football? I know it's more based in America, but it's slightly moving into Europe now. Or how about a stock car style racing as an Olympic sport? That takes a little more endurance than even bowling. A five hundred mile race takes a lot of energy out of a driver, let alone their pit crew.

I just don't see poker being an Olympic sport. Neither do I see bowling as an Olympic sport. At least not before other sports being dropped such as baseball or softball, or other sports that aren't even being considered, like dodgeball or American football. Country of origin should have no basis, neither should team verses solo.

Harmon Killebrew

Today it was announced MLB legend and hall of famer, Harmon Killebrew has decided to stop receiving treatment for his esophageal cancer. His doctors have deemed it incurable and Killebrew will live out his last days in hospice care. For whatever reason, this news saddens me greatly.

Being a baseball fan since 1984, I have seen many legends pass on, including recently when my favorite all-time pitcher, Bob Feller passed on. There's just something about knowing the fight is over while the patient is still alive that makes it sad. Certain legends you can see becoming older and know they'll possibly pass on soon, but you don't know when exactly. They can pass today or fifteen years from now, just as anyone else in life does. In Killebrew's case though, he probably won't be fortunate enough to live much longer.

This is what makes me sad. The knowledge of a person's demise is imminent. Even though Killebrew isn't one of my favorite players ever, I still have a great respect for him. He played the game hard, tough, and is a great example of how a player should play. In respect of his career, the Twins hung Killebrew's old jersey in their dugout.

It's sad to see a legend pass on, but it's even more sad when you know the end is coming soon. I hope those players such as Joe Nathan, Jim Thome, and Justin Morneau, who say you were a mentor to them at some point of their career, can carry on the knowledge you passed on to them.

Win Like A Champion

Watching the Lakers play the Mavericks tonight in game four of the playoffs, it's clear that the Lakers are not the champions they claim to be. Part of being a champion is playing like a champion. Up until the moment another team wins the Championship, if you won the championship last year, you're still the champions. The Lakers are the reigning champions right now, despite being eliminated tonight.

Getting back to point, even though you have the title of champions, you need to play like one. There's a difference between playing tough such as the "Bad Boys" of the Detroit Pistons did with players like Bill Lambier and Dennis Rodman, but cheap shots don't mean you're playing tough.

What Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom did tonight, was flat out embarrassing. Especially Bynum's elbow into the chest of a defenseless JJ Barea. Barea was up in the air attempting a lay up, when a frustrated Bynum decided to stop him with an elbow, nearly ending Barea's season when Barea hit the floor hard.

What's worse is that Bynum has no remorse. In a post game interview he said, "No, I'm not disappointed in myself. It is what it is."

Even worse, is the attitude of Bynum walking off the court after being ejected. He ripped off his jersey and strutted off like a street thug. I'm not a Kobe Bryant fan at all and I don't care for some of the temper tantrums Kobe has thrown in the past, but Kobe would have never have done what Bynum did. If Kobe were to be kicked out of a game, he would just walk quietly off the court, the way a champion should.

Yes, the Lakers were defeated tonight. Yes, they will not be this year's champions, but play like one, win or lose. If you lose, don't play like little kids who are sore losers. You're still the champion for about another month. What Bynum and Odom did, were an embarrassment not only to the Lakers and the Buss family, but to all people who are Lakers fans. Lakers fans deserve more from their players. Even Magic Johnson, after the game berated his beloved organization.

You know who played like champions today? The Mavericks. Despite all the classless play by the Lakers, not a single Maverick threw a punch back. That takes a lot of restraint.

Hall of Fame Voting

I believe professional sports in the United States should redo how they vote for their members of their respective hall of fames. I disagree with leaving the voting up to strictly writers. Players are the best to judge who are the best players. Coaches as well.

I think sports writers are biased. They'll play hometown favorites, vote against players that might have been jerks to them, or even vote against a type of player completely. One writer voting on the 2011 MLB Hall of Fame ballot said that he will never vote again for a hitter than has played later than 1980 because of the steroids scandal.

The best people to judge players are the ones that have played against them, but how do you decide which players will vote? I believe the main requirement should be that a player has played for ten years. This way, they would have played a variety of players in their sport and judge fairly whom were the best ones. The only exception could be a coach whom has coached for ten years or a combination of both playing and coaching at the big league level.

This system would assure players such as MLB's Craig Biggio gets in. Some players and coaches have called him one of the best second basemen to play in the last fifty years, yet there are writers willing to write him off because he wasn't a home run hitter. If he was, he would probably have been written off by that other writer (and others whom were less vocal) who won't vote for a hitter whom played 1980 and after. Biggio dominated for two decades, even playing catcher at the start of his career and centerfield when his team needed it. He takes bean balls, hits doubles, and was the man scoring runs when Jeff Bagwell, Lance Berkman, Derek Bell, and Ken Caminiti were driving him in.

The NBA's Dennis Rodman was a player that actually surprised me to be voted in. The press hated him, except for the occasional hometown writer, but players like Michael Jordan called him the best defensive player they've played with. Rodman didn't score points, but he rebounded, pounded other players, got in star players heads (see Karl Malone), and did all the other small things that a team needs to win a championship (five times in Rodman's case). Besides not scoring points, he was hated by many of the sports writers. For a player like Rodman to be voted in, surprises me and gives me hope that writers can get over personal biases.

I'm just not confident enough to leave the vote completely to the writers. MLB has a veteran commitee vote that is supposed to cover the players that the writers left off, but even then, I don't believe this is enough. They should get the first votes too. I believe this way, the best players will get voted in by the players that knew their abilities best.

Nicknames In Sports

Nicknames in sports don't seem like a big thing, but they actually are. I played under a coach that made it a point to nickname his players. I believe from a psychological standpoint, a nickname can be beneficial. It can give a player motivation, a self identity, and even a role on their team. A guy nicknamed iron man could believe he is a strong opponent against other teams.

Even at the beginning of professional American sports, players acquired nicknames. George Herman Ruth probably having the most famous nickname, Babe. So many other athletes have been known by their adopted names such as Air Jordan, Yogi Berra, Joltin Joe DiMaggio, LeBron King James, Ed Too Tall Jones, William The Refrigerator Perry, and many, many more.

Many are not only known by their nicknames, but they're nicknames are marketing tools as well. Imagine how different Bo Jackson's "Bo Knows..." campaign with Nike would have been if his nickname was Jack instead of Bo. Or how well would Shoeless Joe Jackson was only known as Joe? Would he still be known today? Would they still have included a fictionalized, ghostly version of him in the movie Field Of Dreams?

I like nicknames. They add character to a player, especially when they're positive. I've played alongside players with names like Bubblegum, Bird, Chutley, Juice, Cone Head, Doctor Seuss, and many more. Without them, players would just be known by their real names and Lawrence Berra just sounds boring compared to Yogi.