5/12: Celtic Domination and More...

Greetings... To the top stories...

• Boston 120, Cleveland 86.... still makes me do a double-take... I watched the majority of this game on tiVo even after knowing the outcome (I watched the 4th quarter live, bleh) and I was in awe... All you will hear about all day is Lebron's lackluster performance... and he was, in fact, pretty dreadful by his standards to the point where he should NOT be let off the hook for it by any stretch... but Cleveland loses that game even if Lebron throws up a 29-9-7 instead of his 15-6-7... his supporting cast and coaching were flat-out awful as well... they still haven't figured out a way to effectively use Antawn Jamison, Mo Williams is a complete defensive liability in this series (to the point where I wouldn't play him in crunch time), and I've yet to hear a reasonable explanation for the burying of JJ Hickson.... Credit to Boston for sure... the entire Big four played above-average on the same night, and that was a throwback performance from Ray Allen, he was great... I'm not burying Cleveland because Boston is a semi-bad home team and it's not as if Lebron is incapable of throwing up a 38-12-11 in Game 6... but it was a bad moment for him to be sure... I do wish the media would chill out a bit on the Lebron-solo focus...
• The Griffey/sleep-gate is out of control now... players-only meetings... reported crying... and for what? The guy has a reported sleep issue.... so even if it was true... hey, why don't you wake him up?... This isn't a national story.. and it only is because he's named Ken Griffey Jr. and he's one of the 10 best baseball players ever (IMO)... move on
• I'd like to take this opportunity to bash Jeff Schultz and the rest of the Atlanta media (mostly) for their ridiculous/outlandish Hawks sentiments following the sweep... Mr. Schultz singularly put together one of the worst columns I've ever read in his "6 steps to fix the Hawks" column or whatever it was... I won't even link to it again (I did on twitter immediately following)... baseless/useless chatter that serves no purpose other than to mislead the fan base into thinking Chris Bosh or Dwyane Wade is likely coming... stop it... and please, for the love of anything holy... can these people check the salary cap before they print things?....

Baseball...

• Pitching Line of the Day - Johnny Cueto... CG, 1 H, 0 ER, 8 Ks... the former ballyhooed prospect put together a dominant performance for the Reds...
• Batting Line of the Day - Russ Branyan - 3-5, 2 HR, 3 RBI... hey, he'll hit .230 but he's got power
• The Braves won again... and got reasonable offense again... Eric Hinske continues to put together professional ABs, Heyward has unreal plate discipline, and they are doing this without Chipper Jones and with Brian McCann still scuffling a bit... and I don't even wanna talk about Nate McLouth/Melky Cabrera... but hey, Troy Glaus is alive...
• There are about 10 day baseball games today... that's awesome...

What to watch for...

• No basketball tonight... and alot this week... sigh
• Braves/Brewers 1:10 SportSouth... Lowe/Gallardo... Advantage Milwaukee pitching-wise as the Braves go for the sweep....
• Yankees/Tigers (2nd game of double-header) 7:00 ESPN... Hughes/Bonderman it looks like...

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5/11: Get Your Brooms Out...

Aloha.... It's been a long one...

• Magic 4, Hawks 0... I think everything has pretty much been said... disappointed by the effort to be sure... but Orlando just magnified every weakness the Hawks have, and yet Atlanta continued to plow on with those same weaknesses... an abundance of isolation plays, deep 2-point jumpshots, and the inability to defend point guards (to name a few things) contributed to the downfall... Rashard Lewis' +/- rating in the 4 games? How about +110.... in 4 games! I'd like to thank Josh Smith for his performance on the defensive end... a real stopper... It's an overly negative time... but I'll recognize that the thought of 53 wins 4 or 5 years ago would've been a pipe dream, and there's something to be said for that.... but alas, this is the ceiling of this current roster teamed with the current coach... if Joe Johnson's rate comes down? Bringing him back wouldn't be the worst thing... I like his game, and I feel like if there was a capable tactician on the sideline, the iso-Joe game would be far more covered up... but what I can't support is bringing back Mike Woodson to coach this roster... I just can't see it... anyway... it is what it is... looking forward to seeing what happens this summer... mostly with terror....
• The Lakers swept Utah as well.... less words here (lol)... too much size, too much Kobe.... done and done... Utah couldn't survive a subpar effort from Boozer and a non-world-beating effort from Deron Williams last night... it happens... Utah was competitive in the series, and really should've won Game 3... so the same sort of vitriol that the NBA community has for the Hawks rollover shouldn't apply here... it was an undermanned team facing a bad matchup...

Elsewhere...

• The AP "re-voting" for Defensive Rookie of the Year because of Brian Cushing's positive drug test is ridiculous... the award was given 4 months ago...
• Tiger Woods' swing coach Hank Haney steps down... there has been widespread bashing of him... and not just in recent days... even when Tiger was dominating pre-Thanksgiving, there were not-so-quiet whispers of his swing not being where it needs to be... interested to see what direction this goes in....

Baseball stuff....

• Pitching Line of the Day - Tommy Hanson... 8 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 8 Ks... nasty stuff
• Batting Line of the Day - Carlos Ruiz... the unheralded Philly catcher goes 4-5, HR, 2 RBI....
• The Braves got a win... and their first Grand Slam since 2008.... wow is that ridiculous... anyway, nice to see the bats, and they really can't afford to lose games that Hanson and Hudson pitch right now with Jurrjens' injury getting worse and the Kawakami/Lowe blackhole...

What to watch for...

• Celtics/Cavs... Game 5 8:00 TNT... pivotal for obvious reasons... I like Cleveland in the game... and interested to see what Mike Brown does on Rondo... it seems easy to put Lebron on him... but good luck handling Paul Pierce with Delonte West if Cleveland plays that small lineup...
• Braves/Brewers - 8:00 SportSouth... Hudson/Bush... another favorable pitching matchup for Atlanta... and Heyward should be in the lineup

5/7: Magic 2-0, Russell Cut, etc.

Greetings... Abbreviated version today...

• Orlando takes a 2-0 lead.... meh... an encouraging/competitive showing from the Hawks for 3 quarters... then Jameer Nelson hit the bank 3 at the buzzer of the 3rd, and suddenly it was a 19-point game... Jamal Crawford shot the Hawks out of it in the 4th along with some typical low basketball IQ play from Josh Smith, and the overall unimpressiveness (that's not even a word) of Marvin Williams... Dwight Howard was unstoppable pretty much every minute he was on the court (29 and 17), and I expect that to continue if and when he plays with this same aggression in Atlanta... Al Horford was the best player on the court for the Hawks... and that's 5 straight games where the best player wasn't Joe Johnson... 5-16 for 19 points isn't going to do it... it really isn't... and Vince Carter is showing him up to boot
• Jamarcus Russell cut by Oakland... it's almost sad... fastest demise I can remember from a non-Ryan Leaf QB taken this high... not surprised... but what do you even say? He'll get another shot because someone will work him out and see his arm... but I just don't see it... he weighs 290 pounds, had 1 decent college season, and isn't accurate...
• Lawrence Taylor... eh... I don't really have a comment... my only advice is not to convict people before they are convicted..
• The Braves situational hitting is pretty bad... back-to-back innings with guys on 3rd and less than 2 outs in the 8th and 9th... double plays both times... and the subsequent implosion by Moylan in the bottom half of the 9th.. you can't lose series to Washington...

What to watch for tonight...

• Cavs/Celtics - 7:00 ESPN... Please stop talking to me about Lebron's elbow... please
• Suns/Spurs - 9:30 ESPN... obvious must-win for San Antonio
• Braves/Phillies - 7:00 SportSouth... Lowe vs. Moyer in the battle of the ancient... and Jamie Moyer owns the Braves... count me excited...

5/6: Suns 2-0, Milton Bradley, etc.

Aloha...

• Phoenix 110, SA 102... the Suns get a big win and a significant advantage in the series... Jared Dudley was the key to the game IMO... from the time he entered, Phoenix woke up and he provided that spark... they got efficiency from Nash, another great game from Grant Hill, and won the glass (49-37)... for the Spurs? They got better-than-average production from Richard Jefferson, but that couldn't quite offset getting beat up on the glass and a 2 for 8 performance from Manu... This series isn't over by any stretch... but that was a big one for Phoenix
• Milton Bradley dealing with "emotional stress".... he went to the Mariners and asked for help w/ personal issues... a huge step for a guy who is famously proud, and has blamed others for his issues previously... he's an overly talented guy who can't seem to get his head on straight... best of luck to him....

Baseball...

• Pitching Line of the Day - John Lackey (BOS) - 7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER... seems like he's gotten past the early-season trouble
• Batting Line of the Day - Miguel Cabrera (DET) - 3-3, 2 HR, 2 RBI... my preseason pick for the AL MVP has been fantastic... hitting .372 with 7 HR and 30 RBI so far...
• Big extra-inning for the Braves... Matt Diaz came up big and the offense actually carried the day for the first time in a while... picking up the previously dominant Tommy Hanson and Takashi Saito (who blew a 2-run 8th inning lead)...
• Which run differential will be larger for the season? Tampa Bay's current +75... or Pittsburgh's current -86? I think I'll take Pittsburgh...

What to watch for...

• Hawks/Magic - 8:00 ESPN - The whole world gets to tune in here... count me excited... except the opposite... it's the only game on the schedule... and an opportunity for the Hawks to show some heart... I have no idea what's going to happen....
• Braves/Nats - 7:00 SportSouth - Hudson/Olsen... Gotta win series'....

5/5: 114-71

This could get ugly...

• 114-71... That was an NBA playoff game final score last night... I'm not going to give you any numbers or stats.... just know this... the Hawks absolutely quit last night... Josh Smith quit, Joe Johnson quit, Jamal Crawford quit... as soon as Orlando made a run in the 2nd quarter it was "la-di-da" we'll just take jumpers and play Game 2... they quit on Mike Woodson... The list of guys who I actually think DIDN'T quit last night goes like this... Zaza Pachulia, Jeff Teague, and maybe Al Horford (maybe)... that's the list... and in case you were wondering, those aren't the guys that I need to win this series... I've never been more embarrassed to be a Hawks fan than I am today... not during the 13-69 season when the talent level was so bad that it was unwatchable, not during the entire Billy Knight era... never... and making it worse... Mike Woodson looked like a guy who wasn't fired up in the least post-game.. I need you to call people out Mike... you lost by 43 points... I thought you were inept before, and as far as I'm concerned, last night should've been the final nail in your coffin in Atlanta... goodbye... I know I'm not rational... but I am angry/embarrassed/fired up and it's not okay...
• Rant #2... This one is shorter... this Arizona immigration law is a joke... I know it's not sports... but with the Suns/Padres/D-Backs all being brought into it... I'll comment... Embarrassment seems to be a running term in this blog today... but it applies even deeper here... I'm embarrassed to live in a country where that law could actually pass... at what point as a Hispanic-American would I just be walking around the city carrying my immigration papers? Going to the bank? or a sporting event? or a movie? The profiling here is unbelievable/unethical, and I'm appalled.... and that's from a guy who doesn't usually get invested in things like this (at least in a public forum)

I guess I should discuss other sports...

• LA 111, Utah 103... It was hard to watch more basketball last night but I made it through... LA dominated inside, and Kobe was efficient... couple that with the worst performance of the playoffs from Deron Williams (4-16 shooting) and you get this result... bright spot for Utah? Paul Millsap continues to do work inside and LA hasn't quite found a way to slow his bullish physicality down there...
• Legendary broadcaster Ernie Harwell passes at 92... an absolute icon in Sports broadcasting, and a guy who will live on in clips/stories forever... RIP

Baseball...

• Pitching Line of the Day - AJ Burnett... 7.1 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 8 K
• Batting Line of the Day - Ryan Sweeney - 3-4, HR, 5 RBI... it was a slow day
• The Braves go down on the road again... 9 straight road losses and 0-5 so far from Kenshin Kawakami... he hasn't been flat-out dreadful... but he hasn't been good, and that contract looks even worse than it did last year... while we're here, Livan Hernandez was VERY hittable last night... and they couldn't make him pay... I'd like to think the situational hitting will balance itself out (i.e. the Braves can't be this bad with 2 outs and/or with RISP)... but it hasn't happened yet
• I'll credit my friend Taylor with this one... but doesn't Nyjer Morgan portray a spitting image of Delino Deshields?

What to watch for...

• The first 1-game NBA night in a while... Spurs/Suns 9:00 TNT... At least it's the best series (IMO)... not a complete must-win for San Antonio, but they certainly need it... really interested to see what (if anything) Pop does to account for the Hill/Nash mismatch... start Parker? maybe...
• Braves/Nats - 7:00 SportSouth - Hanson vs. Atilano... best pitcher for the Braves trying to bust the road losing streak... I like our chances
• Cardinals/Phillies - 7:00 ESPN - Penny/Kendrick.. best 2 teams in the NL... and Brad Penny has been spectacular this year

5/4: Celtics Shocker, Del Negro, Etc.

Greetings... to the headlines..

• Celtics 104, Cavs 86 - Count me shocked by this one... Rajon Rondo was the best player on the floor last night... in a game that featured Lebron James on the other sideline... 13 points, 19 dimes, and he controlled the flow of the game throughout while holding his point guard counterpart Mo Williams to 1-9 shooting... dominant... Lebron was Lebron (24, 7 and 4) but not the force he's capable of... and even Sheed got in on the act for Boston scoring 17 points in 18 minutes on the day that Doc Rivers had openly discussed benching him for Shelden Williams... Would it shock me if Cleveland won in 5? Not at all (Boston isn't good at home, etc.)... but for one night, Boston is in this thing
• In what promises to be another classic series... Phoenix takes the 1-0 lead over the Spurs behind Steve Nash's ridiculous 33 and 10... startling efficiency (13 of 19 shooting) and really effortless control of the game... scary stuff from Nash... San Antonio needs more from George Hill, but I think the real key to last night (outside of Nash getting wherever he wanted)... Jason Richardson... another efficient 25+ point game from a guy who might be playing the best basketball of his career right now...
• Vinny Del Negro fired by Chicago.... about 3 months too late IMO... but at the same time they played hard for him down the stretch... in the end, he just seemed overmatched at times and Chicago's off-season free agent recruiting efforts could use a new face, especially after the Paxson/Del Negro fight scenario...

Baseball...

• Pitching Line of the Day - Ubaldo Jimenez... This guy has been lights-out... he's now 6-0 after going 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 13 Ks last night... (Runner-up? How bout Rich Harden's re-emergence with 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 9 K)
• Batting Line of the Day - Mike Lowell... he's still alive... 4-4, 4 RBI, 2 R
• Forgot to mention this yesterday... is anyone more unlucky than Zach Greinke? Guy throws a complete game, allows 1 earned run and loses 1-0... again... sub 3 ERA with under 1.00 WHIP... and he's 0-3 in 5 starts... that's unreal
• Early MVPs? Robinson Cano (.371, 9 HR) and Andre Ethier (.365, 9 HR, 26 RBI... and he's currently winning the NL Triple Crown)... yes it's May 4th

What to watch for...

• Hawks/Magic - 8:00 TNT - Game 1... and a big one... can the Hawks compete in Orlando? This would be the one to steal IMO... possibly rusty Magic team....
• Jazz/Lakers - 10:30 TNT - Game 2... Deron Williams needs to be 100% for Utah to have a chance...
• Braves/Nats - 7:00 SportSouth - Kawakami/Livan Hernandez... is Eric Gregg behind the plate? no? Okay, the Braves have a chance...

5/3: Hawks Move On, 2nd Round Preview, etc.

Greetings... My apologies on the weekend hiatus... Here we go

• Hawks 95, Bucks 74.... One of the most underwhelming series victories imaginable to be honest.... but on the other hand, the opposite result would've caused mass hysteria... Game 7 is what this series should've looked like... the talent of the Hawks running on (mostly) all cylinders and Milwaukee looking undermanned... Al Horford was the best player on the court and only took 8 shots... Joe Johnson scored 8 points and the Hawks won by 21 points... I could go on for days
• Lakers hold serve... This could be a great series... An efficient (12-19) Kobe Bryant coupled with no answer for Pau Gasol gets LA the win... I tweeted this, but I am so unimpressed with Andrew Bynum every time I see him... maybe it's because of how he runs or the fact that he's more injury-prone than Greg Oden.... Deron Williams is going to do whatever he wants in this series... and I really like the wing tandem of Miles and Matthews... not that either of them are star players, just underappreciated guys who can play D and make shots
• A non-Tiger golf story? Yes... Rory McIlroy (one of the 2 best players under 21 in the world with Japan's Ishikawa) shoots a ridiculous 62 on Sunday to win at Quail Hollow... and when he beats Phil Mickelson in the process? He gets a mention...

A quick 2nd round NBA preview...

• Lakers/Jazz - Lakers in 7.... I got it on the record near tip-off on Twitter... I legitimately think the home team wins every game in the series... and after seeing Game 1, that's even more reaffirmed for me... I don't know that Utah has enough to steal one in LA, and it's as simple as that... p.s. Deron Williams may average 30 and 10 in the series
• Suns/Spurs - Spurs in 6... I'm not off the bandwagon yet... with a healthy Robin Lopez, I would pick Phoenix in 7... but Robin Lopez isn't healthy... and what I saw defensively from the Spurs in the Dallas series really impressed me... Parker is going 100% now, and Phoenix has no one to hide Nash on defensively... San Antonio takes either game 1 or 2 in Phoenix, wins both at home, Phoenix wins game 5, and the Spurs close it out at home...
• Cavs/Celtics - Cavs in 5.... Okay, I know Game 1 has been played... too much talent for Cleveland and I'm still really down on Boston... Rasheed is a trainwreck (to the point where Doc actually dropped a reference to giving SHELDEN WILLIAMS his minutes...) and they couldn't win even with Rondo playing his best possible game...
• Hawks/Magic - Magic in 5... before I get the angry messages, I would hate this result... but this isn't a wishful thinking prediction... Orlando is deeper, the Hawks have had (and continue to have) no answer for Dwight Howard on the block, Jameer is playing out of his mind, and Mike Bibby has to guard Jameer, Vince, or Rashard... good luck with that... Only way Atlanta can be competitive? Keep Dwight under wraps (something they've never been able to do) and move....the....ball.... the iso-Joe offense isn't going to win you anything... especially when Joe has been underwhelming... and I can't believe I'm going to say this... but Josh Smith is the key... check out his #'s in the wins against Milwaukee... and then look at the losses... when was efficient/effective (aka playing his game) the Hawks look much better on offense... when he's content to shoot bad jumpers and not use his developing skills as a high-post passer, the offense gets even more stagnant... I hope I'm wrong...

To Baseball....

• Pitching Line of the Night - Doug Fister... (again?!?).. 8 IP, 3 H, 0 ER.. it's Greg Maddux-lite apparently... and oh, Seattle didn't get him any runs... shocking (sorry Ryan)
• Batting Line of the Night - Hanley Ramirez - 3-5, 2 HR, 4 RBI... best shortstop in the game... top 5 player in the game...
• The Braves get a sweep... 21-4 total score in the series... Houston was just what the Doctor ordered... the pitching has been good all year... I'm asking for 4-5 runs per game... seems like a simple request, yes? More encouraging? The defense all weekend... Only 2 errors... I can handle that... oh yeah... and Troy Glaus woke up...
• San Diego is 16-9... I bet you can't name 3 hitters on that team... go ahead... try... don't cheat

What to watch for tonight...

• Celtics/Cavs Game 2 - TNT 8:00... Celtics in an almost must-win already here...
• Spurs/Suns Game 1 - TNT 10:30
• Angels/Red Sox - ESPN 7:00 - Joe Saunders vs. Clay Buchholz... if you don't like basketball and enjoy 4.5 hour marathon baseball games.... this is for you!