pro sports - Musings on things going on in the world of sports

I just had a few musings in the world of pro sports for this post in my blog. The young man pictured above, one future billionaire LeBron James, is about to embark on another long 82 game NBA season. Lebron has publicly stated his unhappiness with Cleveland Cavaliers' management for their failure to improve the team.

As one recalls, the Cavaliers did reach the NBA finals last June based on the stellar efforts of young Mr. James in the Eastern Conference final series when he personally took out the favored Detroit Pistons in a Jordanesque manner, (particularly in game #5). However, when Cleveland faced a team that plays team basketball unlike any other on this planet, the San Antonio Spurs, (led by Mr. Fundamental Tim Duncan and quarterbacked at point guard by Tony, aka:Mr. Eva Longoria, Parker) it was crystal clear to viewers that the Cavaliers still had much to improvement to undergo with regards to upgrading their overall team talent before they would be able to claim an NBA championship. Indeed, the Cavaliers were rudely swept in four straight games by San Antonio.

Lebron might like his teammates - the Zydrunas Ilgauskas', Drew Goodens', Anderson Varejao's, and Donyell Marshalls' of the world as people. But, based on his recent outburst he can't be happy that these guys are on this year's roster. LeBron realizes that with the improvement of a few teams in the conference - in particular the Boston Celtics, the young and upcoming Chicago Bulls, and the still tough Detroit Pistons, the Cavaliers might not even go as deep into the playoffs next May and June, compared to last season. Management has obviously decided to stand pat and not make any attempt at improving the team by adding fresh talent. There is a theory amongst people who follow the history of the NBA and know the league. This theory is that it takes two elite superstar players to take one team to an NBA title. Last year's team featured the above mentioned Duncan and Tony Parker. A lot of people with basketball knowledge believe that Parker is now one of the 2-3 best point guards in the NBA, (along with Steve Nash and Jason Kidd), and that Duncan, even at age 30 might still be the best player in the league. To further support this theory, in past year's you had Shaq and Kobe with the 2000-2002 three-peat Lakers. The 1991-93, and 1996-98 Chicago Bulls had #23 MJ as well as Scottie Pippen. The Lakers of the 1980's had Magic Johnson, James Worthy, with Kareem in the middle. The Celtics of that same era had Bird, McHale, and Robert Parrish who people feel is the greatest frontline in NBA history. The 2007-2008 Cleveland Cavaliers have LeBron James, period. As the season is set to begin Lebron, a very engaging but intelligent individual, realizes that it will be extremely difficult for him to carry the Cavaliers on his back, as he does not have a quality player to serve as his sidekick, (a Tony Parker to his Tim Duncan or a Scottie Pippen to his MJ). Thus, the picture of Lebron, above, might be an accurate portrayal of his feelings as the season begins next week.

Boston Red Sox capture World Series game #1 in a rout!

I've come to like the Boston Red Sox. I cannot say that they are my favorite team. But, they were my late father's team for over 50 seasons. My Dad passed away in 1994 and the closest he ever saw the Red Sox win the World Series was in 1986, Game #6 when they came within one strike of winning it all. This was shortly before all chaos broke out and that lazy ground ball rolled through one Bill Buckner's legs. Followers of baseball say that with the Red Sox' World Series triumph three years ago when they swept past the St. Louis Cardinals, two things happened:

1). The curse of the Bambino officially came to an end. For 86 years, ever since the Red Sox' last World Series victory back in 1918, a hex had been placed on the team when their financially strapped owner Harry Frazee traded Babe Ruth to the NY Yankees before the 1920 season. After that trade, the Yankees became the Yankees. The Red Sox? Well, for the most part they were terrible year after year. And when they were good, and did make it to the World Series they always lost: In 1946, 1967, 1975, and 1986 all in game #7 losses some of them in painful ways. But, their victory in 2004 changed all that and the team no longer was cursed from the grave by the Babe.

2). Long suffering fans of the team who finally were able to see the Red Sox win during their lifetime realized that they could go to their graves with a smile on their faces. They were able to see the team claim a World Series win at some point in their lives. Indeed, shortly after the Series, the Red Sox fans were named Sports Illustrated prestigious "Sportsmen of the Year". I still have the issue and it featured one story on a senior citizen and her daughter who were lifelong Red Sox fans. The elder mother, who in 2004 was in her 80's told the story of taking her daughter on weekend family trips as far back as the 1940's and always listening to Red Sox' games on the car radio. Just like my Dad, this lady's all-time favorite player was #9 Ted Williams. The mother, whose husband had passed years before, realized a life-long dream when Boston won the 2004 Series. In mid 2005, the daughter, now being in her 60's herself, told Sports Illustrated in a letter that was published in one issue, the fact that her mother had passed away, and thanked the editors for featuring her mother in that story. Poignantly, the daughter stated that it was one of the treasured memories of her life that her mother was blessed to be on this Earth and fully cognizant of the fact that "her" Red Sox had achieved a championship during her lifetime. It has been stated that stories like this occurred many times throughout all of New England.

My feelings, thinking of my Dad, is that I am rooting for the Red Sox to win the World Series again this year. They got off to a fantastic start last night winning 13-1. But, all Red Sox fans throughout the six states that comprise New England know better than to start counting their chickens before they hatch. It was only one game. The Red Sox surely are not going to have 17 hits, 8 extra hits, and have 3 runs forced home due to base-loaded walks during each of the remaining games. The Colorado Rockies' pitchers will not be as bad as they were last evening. Unfortunately for Boston, their stud pitcher Josh Beckett cannot pitch game #2, 3, 4 . . . Beckett is having one of the greatest post-seasons in baseball history for a pitcher. He has been nearly unhittable in the four games that he has pitched winning them all. Statistically Becket has an era of around 1 per game, and has recorded 34 strikeouts to 2 walks; an unfathomable K's to BB ratio. Now, until probably game #5 when Beckett is set to pitch again, Boston's other starters - Curt Schilling, Dice-K Matsusaka, and probably Jon Lester will have to come through in order to position the team to win it all. Schilling is a big-game pitcher, but he is 40 year's old and not the Curt Schilling of 2001 or even 2004. Dice-K has shown definite vulnerability this post-season being battered around by Cleveland in game #3, and looking ineffective while managing to beat Anaheim in the opening round series. Boston will also be at a disadvantage in the middle three games out in Colorado as the designated hitter rule will not be in effect, (please do not start me on that asinine rule that has been in baseball since 1973 when the AL went to incorporating the DH into the lineups, but not the NL. STUPID!). The Red Sox might have to either sit Big Papi David Ortiz in those games, or weaken their defense by putting Ortiz at first base, moving Kevin Youkilis to third base, but taking out their team RBI leader for the season Mike Lowell and putting him on the bench. In any case because they will not observe the DH in Colorado as it is a NL city, one of the three is going to have to sit, and only appear as a pinch-hitter.

So, while the Red Sox as of this moment lead the World Series 1-0, only absolute silly fans of the team would predict that based on last night's debacle that it is over, and Boston has locked up its 2nd championship in four seasons. Too many Red Sox fans remember what life was like before 2004!

I welcome any comments to this post!