What’s Up Next Once The Season Is Over?

Well as the NBA’s showcase event is now in full swing. The WNBA season has started . And if you’re an avid WNBA fan then my condolences ! Now I’m not against female sports at all. Save that I’d be more inclined to watch women’s beach volleyball than I am to watch the women of the WNBA fashion themselves after their male counterparts.  

Derrick Rose of the University of Memphis is congratulated by NBA Commissioner David Stern having been taken as the number one pick overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 2008 NBA Draft. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Matt Charles …

What one would elicit as being as excitement to me with regard to watching the WNBA game is akin to either enduring Chinese water torture or watching paint dry. What’s being exhibited isn’t really athleticism to my mind. But then again it’s all in the eye of the beholder.

Rose seen here with Michael Beasly who’d been taken by the Miami Heat pose for the cameras at last seaon’s NBA Draft ceremony. picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Nick Laham …………

As we all know the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic are for all sense and purpose trying to evoke a great deal of pleasure for their fans and purists alike in the NBA Finals. That being said as the Finals progress it’s very hard to sit and watch the Lakers waylay the ambitions of the Orlando Magic. The Magic for their part continue to shoot themselves in the foot with their poor play and inept offensive presence. Never mind the fact that Dwight Howard is now to Superman what Clay Aiken is to the romantic ballad. Any semblance at this juncture may well be purely coincidental. Howard’s performances thus far even by his own lofty standards have been average at best. And average as we all know won’t cut it if the Magic are indeed to usurp and overcomethe Lakers in these NBA Finals.

Ricky Rubio (32) seen here playing for his Spanish league team DKV Joventut of the Spanish league. Rubio has drawn comparison to late Pete Maravich in terms of his play. And the highly regarded Spaniard is viewed as being a high draft lottery pick. picture appears courtesy of afp/reuters/

And now with the Magic being (0-2) in the best of these seven game series. It’s now hard to envisage how they’ll manage to turn things around. Given that their play in these first two games has been less than stellar. And with the ensuing three games to be played at the Magic’s homecourt of the Amway Arena in Orlando, Florida. It’s hoped that the team can avail themselves of the hometown crowd’s support in the hope that’ll be enough to provide them with an assist in evening the series. Anything less than that and they might as well fold up their tents and begin to reminisce on the season they had as a collective. The highs to an extent far outweighed the lows.

 

This Was The House That Shaq Built, Or Did He?

If, like me, you like to delve into a column and then try to analyze what it is that the columnist is trying to elicit as a response. Much less try to purvey to the reader. Then Yahoo Sport’s Adrian Wojnarowski’s piece within Yahoo Sports does make for some an interesting read. Shaq’s legacy binds the Magic, Lakers. And though it does make for a great read. But in no way does it really delve into the real underlying issues that took place with regard to Shaquille O’Neal‘s abrupt departure from Orlando to the sunnier climes and no doubt much more lugubrious surroundings of Los Angeles and Hollywood.

A young Shaquille O'Neal is seen here on the cover of Sports Illustrated. It has been said that an athlete's portrait on the venerable magazine often brings with it the 'kiss of death'.

For the then young budding superstar and the fact that in the 1995 NBA Finals he was made to look like the sorcerer’s apprentice . As he was being turned inside out by one of the truly great centers in the game in Hakeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets. It may well have suggested to him then that his ambitions layed elsewhere. The Magic’s roster other than Anfernee ‘Penny’ Hardaway wasn’t exactly built to withstand a bludgeoning behemoth such as the Houston Rockets. It was a very young team with nothing filled with nothing more than youthful exuberance and very little veteran experience to begin with.

Anfernee 'Penny' Hardaway seen here playing for the Magic against the Charlotte Hornets in an NBA league game. Hardaway was a teammate of Neal's and was part of the Magic roster that was swept by the Houston Rockets in the 1995 NBA Finals. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo / Art Ross .............

At the time John Gabriel as GM of the Magic along with team President Bob Vander Weide must’ve felt that they stood every chance of retaining the services of the big man. Only then to find out that O’Neal felt his future lay elsewhere. His agent at the time Leonard Armato knew that the Lakers desired his client. And overtures were being made to gauge the player’s interest in coming to Los Angeles.

Who’s Minding The Store? Absolutely No One And The NCAA And NBA Don’t Really Care Or Gives A Damn For That Matter!

As we all know the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is basically the feeder system whereby the NBA in part derives the vast majority of its talent. And as we’re all too aware there’s also international players who enter the draft each year.

Commissioner David Stern of the NBA . Under his leadership the NBA has seen its revenues grow tenfold . picture appears courtesy of ap/Phil Mueller ....

And as long as those players meet the criteria they’re quite welcomed to be a part of the NBA Draft. Such has been the global presence of the game. That many of the players primarily in Europe , Far East Asia and to an exent Latin America look to ply their trade in the NBA. Whereupon if those players are successful they can be set for life in terms of untold wealth and fame.

When the league’s commissioner David Stern sought to introduce the age limit for players entering the league. There was a widespread outcry. As many felt that what was being proposed by Stern was unlawful and at the same time a restraint of trade. But somehow Stern was able to override whatever concerns and oppostion there was to his edict.

Myles Brand President of the NCAA . The National Collegiate Athletic Association oversees all of the college programs in terms of sports and its student athletes. What a lot of people are unaware however is that the organization is a also a registered charity and tax exempt body that has its own lobbyists working on Capitol Hill to ensure its right to exist as it now stands. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/Phil Russo ...

The rule concerning a player’s entrance into the draft. Is that they ought to be no younger than nineteen years of age and at least one year removed from having attended high school. So in effect the main purpose was to have a player at least have served or played one year in college. Well with a number of high schoolers now looking to forego college and go to Europe where they’re not bounded by those rules. It’s now making it very easy for many of those young players to look upon the NBA as something of a final stop off point once they refine their skills in Europe or elsewhere.

Nobody Bitches And Whines Like LeBron!

Well it’d appear not content with the fact that his team had just gone and loss the Eastern Conference Finals series. The Cleveland Cavaliers‘ LeBron James is quite content to show us also how immature he really is.

James gets ready to leave the court after his team's loss to the Orlando Magic in game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The players failed to address the press in the mandatory postgame interviews. And he chose not to congratulate his opponents on their win after the game. picture appears courtesy of nbae/getty images/ Gregory Shaw ..........

  

In succumbing to the Orlando Magic (4-2) in the best of seven game series and with the emphatic loss 103-90 loss in game 6. It’d suggest that LeBron isn’t quite as mature as he’d have us all believe. After the final buzzer went to signify the end of the game. The player left the court rather abruptly without even addressing the press or even congratulating his opponent on a thoroughly well deserved series’ victory.

Stan Van Gundy instructs his players during a timeout in game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals.picture appears courtesy of nbae/getty images/ Gregory Shaw........

And this is from a guy who’s looking to be viewed as the next major force within the game ? But then again what tries to convey in terms of a persona . And what is then placed out there for the public to see when faced with undue adversity. For much of the time are two completely different things. And for James this particular incident may not serve him well in the long run. Especially when it comes to the public’s perception of him and what he himself tries to convey.

The presentation is made after the Magic wins the Eastern Conference Finals. On hand to make the presentation is NBA great Oscar Robertson to the Magic

One might understand the player’s frustration at having lost the game and perhaps the series. Especially when one considers that in most people’s minds they were considered the prohibitive favorites to win the series outright. And for James, he and his teammates were seeking to stamp their authority for what had been quite simply an outstanding regular season.

 

It’s Now Or Never …… !

Tonight we’ll either see the Cleveland Cavaliers erase a 3-2 deficit . Or quite possibly we will see the Orlando Magic prevail and make their second appearance in the NBA Finals.

James makes his showman like entrance prior to game five of the Eastern Conference Finals played at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.The Cavaliers would go on to defeat the Orlando Magic and as we enter tonight's game six being played at the Amway Arena in Orlando. The Magic leads the series 3-2 in the best of seven games series.picture appears courtesy of getty images/ Gregory Shamus............

Such are the scenarios that are in place as the Eastern Conference Finals’ series makes it way to something of a culmination. Whoever wins out will have the undoubted pleasure of meeting the Los Angeles Lakers in the finals.

And for the Lakers this’ll be their thirtieth appearance in the game’s showpiece event. And as strange as it may seem these finals on appearance only may well be what the league has been harboring for. Inasmuch as last year’s finals proved to be something of a ratings’ bonanza. The likelihood of a Cavaliers’ Lakers’ matchup on paper alone makes it a dream scenario for the NBA. The game’s two most prized and talked about athletes in Kobe Bryant and LeBron James meeting each in these finals would create a buzz for the sport . And on the global stage it’d create the sheer pizzaz not seen since team USA’s appearance at the Beijing Olympics.

Howard reacts to the loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. picture appears courtesy of nbae/getty images/ Jesee D Garrabant ......

The Magic were quite possibly viewed as spoilers prior to the start of this series. But if anything it has Orlando who has made this series on appearance alone something well worth watching. OK one can surmise that James and his heroics have also made the series electrifying. But if anything it has been the Cavaliers in some ways who’ve proven to be something of a disappointment.

The Cavaliers are the same 66 win team that swept its way through the earliers rounds of the playoffs. But in the conference finals they’ve been but a shell of themselves. They are clearly not the team that ran amok in the regular season posting an incredible 39-2 home record.

Now inspite of this all we could well be on the verge of seeing the Cavaliers bow out of the postseason. But that’d be predicated upon the Magic playing at a high caliber. And after the game 5 defeat whereby they lost 112-102 in game that they had within their grasp. Only to see LeBron James play the sort game that tend to make postseason legends out of a player when they put on displays such as we’ve witnessed. As if the game three heroics weren’t enough as it was already.

If James is allowed to unleash such devastation once again . Then we could well be seeing the Magic being placed in the unenviable position of having to fight a resurgent Cavaliers’ team.
The premise here would be that all of the desires of the NBA’s hierarchy would be fulfilled . “Exit stage left the Magic should they fail.”

Squaring the series at three games apiece would leave us all looking to see the drama unfold in a tantalizing game seven with so much at stake. The Magic prevails and we’ll see them facing off against the much lauded Los Angeles Lakers for the Larry O’Brien trophy.

Kobe Bryant and Laker' coach Phil Jackson celebrate after the team's triumph in game six of the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets. In defeating the Nuggets the Lakers advances to the NBA Finals. picture appears courtesy of nbae/getty images/ Scott Richardson .....

A game seven drama would in many ways elicit the comeback made by the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees in the ALCS of 2003. As memorable as that series was and what culminated from it in the end. Were Cleveland to equal that particular feat then we may well be talking about having witnessed one of the great sporting comebacks in recent memory.

But in just merely discussing it . We can only surmise that whatever transpires tonight. One way or another both teams’ll have to step up to the plate. It’s going to be about all or nothing . Because at the end of it all neither team really wants to be on the outside looking in at the end of it all.

With so much stake it has to be now or never for both teams .

Dan’s Got To Do What Dan’s Got To Do

Well, considering the situation that befronts the Cleveland Cavaliers.  The question now has to be asked, “Is the franchise’s owner Dan Gilbert looking to line up all of his ducks in a row?” 

 

Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Gilbert is one of the founding partners of Rock Financial Inc. and Quicken Loans Inc. There are reports that he is going to sell part of the franchise to Chinese investors.

 

As the majority stakeholder in the entity that owns the Quicken Loans Arena and the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise.  The rumors and rumbling concerning Gilbert and the very fact that he’s prepared to sell a minority stake in the franchise to a Chinese investment group led by Jianjua (Kenny) Huang.

It’s rumored that Huang and his business partners were in town as guests of Gilbert, the successive business entrepreneur who created mortgage giant financial services company Quicken Loans Inc.  Albeit that the economy is in something of a mess primarily stemming for the mortgage crisis brought about by the egregious acts by not only the borrowers.  But also the predatory lending practices of many of the major financial institutions that led to gargantuan debacle.

We all know of AIGFP (American International Financial Products) and its parent company, AIG.  AIGFP, the subsidiary company behind the derivatives meltdown that has led to trillions of dollars being wiped off the major stock indices around the world.  Never mind the fact that for a number of employee and   the   public   that have seen their net worth diminish rather rapidly in a short space of time.