Huh. I was sure wrong about Denver. Also the Giants.
Well, to be fair, the Giants just did their regular thing, it was Atlanta that I was wrong about. I forgot that they don’t win playoff games.
Two. 2.
WHO SCORES TWO POINTS IN A GAME? This isn’t baseball, Atlanta.
Aw Christ, Denver made it into the playoffs? The only good that will come of this is more Tebow jokes.
But lo – I’m not here to make fun of Tim Tebow. I am here to talk about the playoff picture in the AFC.
Can you believe it? It’s already time for the playoffs! This is the best time of year for fans and teams alike, a time when the best of the best rise to the top and show the US who is the best MLS club.
Yes, MLS, meaning Major League Soccer. You have to know that the USA has a soccer league. We share it with Canada, much like the Canadians share a hockey league with us? Come on, guys, the MLS has been in North America for 16 years now. You should try it, you’ll like it. Read more…
This is it.
After 9 months, hundreds of games, four postseason series, several season-ending injuries, questionable refereeing and bad blood, it’s all down to one game.
And oh, what a game it will be. Bruins vs Canucks. USA vs Canada. Thomas vs Luongo.
And it is Roberto Luongo, and only Roberto Luongo, who will tell the tale, at least in the minds of Canucks fans. It doesn’t matter that Vancouver’s defense has been laughably absent in Boston, their gusto apparently anal-cavity-searched at the border. It doesn’t matter that while Vancouver’s Aaron Rome took off Nathan Horton’s head and was slapped with a four game suspension, Johnny Boychuk was apparently able to snap Mason Raymond’s back in half and not even get a penalty. (Although, WTF?) It doesn’t matter that while Raymond lay immobile on the ice, Bruins fans were cheering. (Ugh.) It doesn’t matter that the Sedin twins have barely shown up the entire final round except to pratfall in front of the refs.
No, it all falls on Bobby Lou’s shoulders. Unfairly, it has to be said. He may have had a couple of spectacular meltdowns in this cup round, but a goaltender does not carry a team alone. On at least two of Luongo’s three epic netsaving failures last night, his own defense was caught flatfooted – when they weren’t completely absent. Add on the dismal fact that on four separate occasions in Game 6, the Canucks whiffed on an empty net behind Tim Thomas. These opportunities, if seized, would have led to them lifting the cup Monday night.
It’s utterly unfair, then, to hang Luongo out to dry, as if he alone bears the responsibility of carrying the entire Vancouver organization to Cup Glory. But somehow, perhaps, I wonder if hanging him out to dry is exactly what he needs. When he was pulled in Game 4, Vancouver fans cheered – and he came out with a flawless effort in Game 5, just as he did in games 1 and 2. Boston does not agree with Luongo – but Vancouver apparently does. Tim Thomas unfortunately has no geographical requirement to kick ass in this round, but he’s not infallible. He let two in last night, and it was only the Canucks’ bad luck that he didn’t let in more.
What will we see in Game 7? Look for Vancouver to try to get back to their fast, skilled game. Look for the Bruins to continue chipping, chipping, chipping constantly, particularly on the Sedin twins. Look for the refs to back completely off; they don’t want to take the blame in a game with so much on the line. Look for Luongo to have the game of his life – or to get pulled in the first. He only has two personas: on, or horribly off. We will find out shortly which one will show up for Game 7.
Roll on, Cup Final.
PS: Don’t call Canada Wednesday night. Let’s just say we’ll all be busy.
Despite being on the court for most of game 4 of the Mavericks/Heat Finals series, LeBron seemed content to watch Dwyane Wade and others produce all of the offense, even while they were clearly struggling. Lebron went 3 for 11 and finished with 8 points, seemingly passing up every opportunity to score. Even when being guarded by the 72 year old, 4′ 11″ Jason Kidd, LeBron refused to drive the ball to the rim. It was almost surreal.
Love him or hate him, I personally have never seen anyone able to take over a game on offense AND defense like LeBron. No pass is safe and no shot is safe when he decides he wants the ball. When he wants to, he can dominate a game like no other. Last night, I guess he didn’t want to.
I was one of the critics who was almoooost silenced while watching the Heat get it together and become the most dangerous team in the NBA. But when the arguably the most talented man who has ever stepped onto a court delivers 8 points in a losing Finals effort and is playing like a high school kid who has just been told his girlfriend is pregnant, it has to call into question whether or not he buckles when the pressure is the most intense.
In my opinion, he left Cleveland because of the pressure. Every year it was the same thing: “Why haven’t you won one LeBron? You can’t be the greatest until you win one.” So rather than building a team to lead, he went to be a role player on another team, and now he’s seemingly content to let Wade and Bosh do it all by themselves.
As we remember the greatest players in history, their ability was only part of the equation. Magic, Bird, Jordan… these guys weren’t just great basketball players, their hearts were enormous and they were fierce competitors. They were born leaders and inspired others to be great. Their presence made everyone better and it was their wills that lifted their teams to victory. Not just their play, but everything about them. They were in the game 1000%, especially in the Finals. Last night, LeBron was playing as if he had just finished watching the first episode of Lost.
First, let me apologize to Jason Kidd and ask him not to beat me up. Compared to LeBron, you are 4’11 and 72. Comparatively, I would be 4′ 7″ and 75 or something, and it’s not cool to beat up old people who are smaller than you. I’m not sure how it works if they’re bigger than you. I think then it’s okay.
The buzz around LeBron is warranted. He is just that awesome and why he’s constantly being compared to the greatest players in history. His talent as so immense that we expect him to be great and when he’s on, he’s unstoppable. But one has to question whether or not he has the heart of a champion. So far, he’s shown everything but.
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