Finally....

The Finals! It's been a long road and the NBA has their darling match up....yet again.

Let me first apologize for the tardiness of my update - I had one canned and ready to go 2 weeks ago, but the great google blogger messed up and I lost it. Anyway, excuses, excuses...

My thoughts on the upcoming Finals and just general NBA shenanigans...

• Let me just say....I'm worried about the Celtics. They finally meet a team who can match their size and length. And look, I love Gasol, love that he's a Laker, but I can't imagine what's going to happen this time around. Remember in '08? I bet he does. He needs to nut up like we haven't seen him do before. He was brutalized by Stoudemire in that last Suns game.
  
• Rondo will abuse Fisher - this will be a defense by committee with Bryant and Fisher sharing time.
  
• Bynum has to play - even if it's on limited time he needs to really, really step up when he's in there and limit easy shots in the paint. I imagine Perkins and Davis will do their best to put as much pressure (physical I mean) on him and that knee.
  
• I and many, MANY other talking heads, radio guys, writers, etc. mistakenly passed the proverbial "torch" to Lebron.....Lebron's at home and Kobe is doing what he did in a close out game on the road in Phoenix on Saturday night. Kobe is the best player in the NBA right now. Hands down.
  
• Alright, if I'm picking right now I HAVE to go with the Celtics in 6 based on what I believe in my heart. However, I think Ron Artest could be the difference between LA losing in 6 or winning in 7. Seriously, he was brought here to do the things that he's been doing - slowing down and containing elite scorers and stepping up offensively when no one else has. If he can pull a few of those plays/games out of his arse in this series.....he may just help eek out another title for the Lake show.
• By the way, I hope you all remember how I much I loved the Ariza for Artest deal and how I thought it would pay off....I took some heat on that, but please tell me who thinks Ariza could play Richardson or Durant like Ron-Ron did.
  
• I heard a rumor of backroom discussions between LA and Toronto about a sign-and-trade deal with Bosh for Bynum (and probably another player and/or draft pick). Put my name in the column that reads run don't walk to make this deal....if this is actually real....which it likely isn't. Just for a second though, think about this - Kobe, Fisher, Gasol, Bosh and Artest with Odom et al coming off the bench. Yeah, I'll take that.
  
• My thoughts on the summer free agency extravaganza: Lebron stays in Cleveland, especially if they can get a Stoudamire, Bosh, Johnson or Dirk type player; Wade goes to Chicago; Dirk goes to play with Lebron or stays in Dallas; Bosh in either Cleveland, LA or Chicago; No clue on Stoudamire...none at all.
  
• By the way, I think if Lebron leaves Cleveland, I see him going to Dallas to play with Dirk and that team. I really don't see him on either coast.
  

Other Random Thoughts from Around the Sports World...

• My gosh Lendale White - what in the world to you have to do to screw up the situation you found yourself in? A second chance with our old college coach.....sheesh, you must be one dumb, stubborn SOB. Good luck getting a job....
• Nice run while it lasted - Federer fails to make at least the semifinal in a grand slam for the first time since Wimbledon in '04. Think about that for a second....23 straight grand slam tournaments where he was either in the final 4 of final 2. That's crazy. The next highest was Ivan Lendl...WITH 10! Dare I say this is like Gretzky's points record? One that will never fall? Maybe.
• Put me down as one who doesn't see any conference realignment decisions coming this year.
  
• Here's a thought - how about not intentionally walking someone (I don't care who it is) to pitch to A-Rod. That's insane.
  
• What's the over/under for number of accusers who point the finger at Lance and call cheating before the tide starts to turn? 50? 100? What's the tipping point there? Not suggesting guilt or innocence, just curious as to if or when this happens.
  
• I'm trying real hard to get just a little jazzed about the World Cup and I think I've concluded that I'll watch some of the games, but I don't want any Sportscenter time or magazine articles covering it.
  
• Let me check....nope, still can't care about baseball just yet. Let's try again in a month.
  

Non-Sports thoughts for the Week...

• This is kind of sports related, but the idea being pitched/pursued about the Formula 1 track just south of the airport (or somewhere else around here) is interesting. Personally, I don't see this as having much of a shot of catching on down here. When was the last time there was a race (not biking/running) in this town? Or any sort? And this isn't Longhorn Speedway, this is a purpose-built track for races and it's going to be expensive. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong, but if I were betting I'd bet on it not working. Who could possibly think this will take off here much less invest tens of millions of dollars into it?
  
• The end of an era has come - 24 is over for good. And it's probably a good thing - this season went a bit overboard in some areas, but it was still pretty good. I hope I'm not messing anyone up here, but I was glad to see Jack not die. Beaten, battered and wanted by at least the US and Russians, he disappears. Kind of cool....kind of. Will be interested to see if they actually make a movie out of it as rumored.
  
• Great, long trip to Padre this past weekend - hadn't been there in years and forgot how great it is. Adventurous weekend to say the least (car troubles that needed 3 stops and a Wal Mart to rectify, sting ray attack, flight back to Austin for 24 hours, crazy dolphin ladies...and more), but had a blast. If you go soon, eat at Daddy's - we ate there like 3 out of 4 nights.
• Memo to that guy and girl from the Twilight movies - you know you're not real vampires, right? I mean, every time I see these two degenerates on a tv show or magazine cover at the store, it's like they really, truly think they are vampires. Are they paid to act and look like that at all times? My gosh.
  
• And another one from the files of the crap I see waiting in line at the grocery store....So is there a bookie taking bets on which Jon and Kate Plus Eight kid gets in some fairly serious trouble first? I'm not wishing for it by any means, but don't the odds say it's going to happen? I'm betting on one of those older twin girls.
  

That's what I got gang - enjoy the week.