NHL STANLEY CUP -- GAME 7 BAYBEEEEE!

The NHL gets little notice from my blog.
But, the truth is, I enjoy the NHL more than I lead on.

In fact, I used to follow the NHL on a nightly basis and watch every televised game I had access to...up until a few years back.

The lockout of the NHL's 2004-2005 season turned me off to the sport in a bad way.
But, something of the old flame is stirring deep within me and I know what it is.....Game 7, Stanley Cup Fever!

I make no secret of my love for Football and Basketball and to a somewhat lesser extent Major League Baseball.
The World Series, The NBA Finals, The Super Bowl.
I love watching these.
But, nothing, and I mean nothing, in sports gets my juices flowing like a game 7 in the Stanley Cup Finals!

Boston vs Vancouver, tonight at 8PM ET on NBC, live from TD Garden in Boston.

If you have any affection for the majesty of athletics...strength, speed, physicality, and competition...you should take some time to watch.
You will learn what all hockey fans already know:

NOTHING compares to a game 7 in the NHL playoffs...especially in the final round.

All the beautiful people love hockey!

And the BC Mafia Godfather says, "Turn my headphones up, Foo!"

Lebron Lebron Lebron

The King without a Kingdom, Lebron James.

The people of Ohio hate him.
The people of Florida are disappointed in him.
And everywhere else, he's despised.

Not for a moment will I pretend he doesn't deserve any of the above.

I am not a Lebron hater.
I am a realist.

The "Championship Celebration" last summer announcing that Chris Bosh and Lebron were joining Dwayne Wade had little to do with anyone but James.
Would there have been anything more than the standard press conference with the Heat logo back-drop to announce Bosh's arrival or Wade staying put if Lebron had kept his talents in Cleveland? No.

It was all about Lebron.
It was then. It is now.

Problem is, he's yet to prove he's anything more than an athletic freak of nature.

Jordan, Kobe, Duncan...none of them ever had the supporting cast Lebron found beside him during these Finals.
Yet, right now, they each own multiple Finals rings.

When the lights shone brighter, their game shone bigger.

And I know, I know.
Some will say that Jordan, Kobe, and Duncan had their sidekicks like Robins to their Batman.
Had their Tonto's to their Lone Ranger...
Jordan had Pippen.
Kobe had Shaq or Gasol.
Duncan had Robinson and/or Manu.

I think the world of Robinson, Manu, Pippen, Gasol, and Shaq.
But, none of them are D-Wade. None of them even come close.

And when it all came down to it.
When it was Go-time.
When Lebron needed to put his balls to the wall.
When the King was supposed to put up or shut up.
When James was to belly up to the bar.
He became just another role player.
Lebron did not even play a "Robin" to Wade's "Batman"....even though the script had been written in reverse last summer.

And when some of the emotion had settled and the American Airlines Arena was silent, Lebron faced reporters and seemed content.
Content in knowing he was still a millionare.
Content in knowing most of the people in Ohio would never be as rich, famous, or gifted as he is.

When instead he should have been embarassed.
Embarrassed at scoring only 18 total points in the 6 fourth quarters of these NBA Finals.
Yes. That's an average of 3 points in the final period of each game.
You don't need your calculator to calculate that 18 points in 6 fourth quarters equals "SUCKS"...or maybe even "Sucks Squared".

Choker. Not a Gamer. Overrated.
Pick your adjective...they all apply right now.

And for those of you that defend him, what do you base your argument on?

James was supposed to be the Heat's Dirk Nowitzki.
And when Dwayne Wade realized Lebron had left his big-boy pants at some Ohio dry cleaners, Wade took over.
At that point, most of us watching thought, Lebron would then become the Heat's Jason Terry to compliment Wade.
WRONG.

In the end, he shrunk into hardly more than a bit player.

And what was his message after the game?
He seemed more interested in the fact that people in Ohio were going to have to face reality once the intoxication of Lebron's failure had worn out.

The problem with that is that Lebron's reality is far more heart-breaking, far more shameful, and far more unpleasant than anything Cav fans will have to face some day.

The King is not dead...he may have never lived in anything except the unrealistic expectations of overzealous fans in Cleveland and Miami.

Wade holds Lebron down while trainer checks if James truly left his cojones in Cleveland

BC for life Foo!

The Dallas Mavericks - NBA Champions?

Yes.
The Dallas Mavericks are NBA Champions.

With this NBA Finals win, so many demons were vanquished, shadows were cast aside, and backs relieved of their monkeys...feel free to add any other cliche in this space.

The fact is, this championship for the Mavs is exactly what a championship should mean to an organization.
The last few years had seen the Larry O'Brien trophy in the familiar confines of Los Angeles and Boston.
Today, it resides in halls of blue and silver to be gawked at by generations of Maverick fans...some who had given up the dream of ever seeing this day come and some who believed throughout.

Despite the title to my blog this morning, we can no longer question these Dallas Mavericks.

No longer is there the threat that a mettlesome owner whose mouth is bigger than his wallet (and he's got a huge wallet) would never stay out of the way long enough to let this team win it all.

No longer will the NBA masses believe Dirk Nowitzki is soft.

No longer can we question Jason Kidds ability to lead a team to the promised land.

No longer should Jason Terry be considered a player with more style than substance.

No longer are the Dallas Mavericks only the best regular season team in the NBA.

Mark Cuban was silent and classy throughout these playoffs.
Allowing his product to speak for itself, his team spoke volumes about how well Cuban and his staff put together all the right pieces.

Dirk Nowitzki had carried the "soft" label for too long.
He was never soft.
Like another 7-footer, David Robinson, Dirk was mislabeled a softee more for his lack of supporting cast than for his lack of heart and talent.
But now, like Robinson, Dirk is a champion...and the world should finally see appreciate him for what he is: One hell of a solid basketball player. The likes of which we may not see again. 7-footers just shouldn't shoot as good as Dirk does.

Jason Kidd had been to this mountain top before.
And he had been pushed off.
His appearance in past NBA Finals had been sour notes in his career.
This time, a much older and slower Kidd was again on that mountain top.
And no one  would push him off.
Age may have slowed his step, but it has brought him wisdom and improved his leadership skills.
Providing a unshakable presence in the locker room and on the court, Kidd was this team's rock.

Maligned for his mouth (2nd in size only to Cuban's), Jason Terry had often played less of a game than he talked.
His impression on games got smaller and smaller as the stakes got bigger.
That was then, this is now.
For solid stretches in the Finals, never more than the first half of game 6, Jason Terry put these Mavericks on his back and carried them through Nowitzki's shooting slumps.
There's no arguing this fact: Jason Terry did for Nowitzki what Lebron could not do for Dwayne Wade.
And you can't front on that.

No question about it.
These Mavericks are NBA Champions.

And this morning, people in Dallas, TX are pinching themselves silly in the hopes that this is not a dream.
Some of these fans had given up hope they'd see this day seasons ago.
Some of these fans had quit believing as recently as a few months ago.
Some may have given up after game 3.

No matter. Dallas Mavericks fans, all of them, should celebrate!
Even if some of you don't deserve to relish in this glory, your team deserves to here you roar.

Mark Cuban really let loose at the post-game celebration!

The Billycock is in full effect, Foo!

NBA Conference Finals -- What Did We Learn?

BC MAFIA Godfather back again -- going 2-0 in Conference Final predictions.
But while I picked the correct winners, I really didn't expect the Bulls and Thunder to go out like a bunch of softees............but, they did!
Are the Heat and Mavs really that good?
NBA fans should hope so. It would make for one FANtastic Finals series.

But before we go any further: Now that the Championship series is set...what did we learn from the Conference Finals?

Here are my top 5 lessons:

5. Jason Kidd is HUNGRY.
He's looking better than he did the last time he was in the NBA Finals (2003).
Kidd sees this for what it is, his last chance to be an NBA Champion.
This realization could make him the "X-factor" should the Mavs beat the Heat.
He's making smart decisions, showing great court vision, poised on defense, and hitting his open shots.
What more could one want from their point guard?

4. This Dallas Mavericks bench is deeeeeeeeeeeep.
What most observers suspected in the regular season has really shown itself to be true in the playoffs: The Mavs bench is the deepest in the league.
Lead by JJ Barea and Jason Terry, a Championship for Big D rests as much on the shoulders of the Mavs' bench as it does on Dirk's.

3. Oklahoma Thunder were not who we thought they were.
Giving the Mavs their props, one still has to recognize that Durant is not going to bring home the Championship trophy as OKC's sole offensive threat.
Kendrick Perkins was a solid pick-up and is complimented well by Serge Ibaka in the paint on defense.
But no one but Kevin Durant can reliably create his own shot against decent teams.
Sefolosha ain't gonna do it.....and don't even get me started on Westbrook.
Although they are young and athletic, OKC will not make it back to the Conference Finals despite the experience they gained this post season unless they fill one glaring need: A SOLID POINT GUARD who can create easy shots for others.

2. The Bulls were not who THEY thought they were.
Chicago was a team that presented itself as a hard-nosed tough-as-nails squad that would not be mishandled by any other team in the NBA.
Boozer & Noah gave the appearance of an intimidating presence in the paint.
But what we saw against Miami showed these Bulls are little more than grizzly bearded teddy bears.

1. Derrick Rose is human.
He had been unstoppable night after night after night.
Then Game 2 against Miami happened and he never recovered.
Some day he will look back at this post-season and realize he missed his only opportunity to be a Season MVP and a Finals MVP. What a shame.




In an unrelated story......

It's nice to see Shaq is back at the gym and working on his free throws

I kid because I love!

The BC has got it going on Foo!

New York Yankee Fans - I Did Not Know That About You

For all the stories about how fickle sports fans are in the Big Apple...
For all the stories about how impatient and unforgiving Yankee fans are...
The Jorge Posada incident this weekend, or rather the reaction to it, was a pleasant surprise.

Posada is having a terrible year at the plate for the New York Yankees.
A career .273 batter, he's at .165 this season.
And just when I figured New York fans and media were about to tear him into pieces, Posada made the bait all the more tantalizing to them: He asked to sit out of Saturday's game against rival #1, the Boston Red Sox.

So, Posada asks to sit out of a home game against the Yankees' hated rivals in the middle of a hitting slump (and in the middle of a Yankee losing streak) and what do we get from their fans....
Jeers? Obscenities? Shredding of his public persona with insulting signs in the stands?
Nope. We got NONE of the above. And that's as it should be...

Posada has been an excellent member of the New York community.
He's been a great role model for Major League Baseball as a whole.
And he has handled the New York spotlight better than most.

Let's face it, how many star players can suit up for the Yankees for SIXTEEN seasons and stay out of trouble with fans and/or the media as well as Jorge Posada has?
That's very tough to do....just ask A-Rod or any number of other star Yankees who have failed to keep a positive image in the middle of that media circus.

Sixteen years and so few steps backward for Posada.
He's earned more than a day off in the midst of a hitting slump.
Thankfully, Yankee fans seemed to recognize it.

Hats off to Yankee fans for supporting Posada upon his return to the field as a pinch-hitter on Sunday.
The support was deserved. The applause was classy.

J. Posada: Honorary member of the Billycock Mafia

BC Mafia's got it going on Foo!

NBA Playoffs - Conference Finals -- My Predictions

Yours truly, The Billycock Mafia Godfather, took a serious hit in Round 2 going 2-2 on my predictions.

Heat, Bulls, Thunder, and Mavs......welcome to the jungle, baybeeeeeee!

My Conference Champ predictions:

Western Conference Champs: The Dallas Mavs

Eastern Conference Champs: The Miami Heat

My pick in the East goes against my picks all post-season....but, I don't see the Bulls supporting cast helping D-Rose the way I had originally envisioned.

Bulls and Thunder......you may go.



The BC for life Foo!

NBA Playoffs -- Top 5 Things We learned In Round 2

The 2nd round is over....what did we learn?

Lesson #5:  Dirk Nowitzki is not soft
This guy may have deserved a reputation for being soft in the past.
But, no more!
He's got some solid help around him with Barea, Terry, and Kidd playing above expectations.
But, make no mistake: This team will only go as far as Dirk takes them.
And right now, it looks like he's prepared to take them all the way.

Lesson #4: Pau Gasol is soft.
Just reverse most of what I said about Dirk above.
This guy had a reputation for being soft when he was with Memphis.
Then he was gifted (not traded) to L.A. and all of sudden the dude is the "next Kareem"?
Uh....NO!
Paired with Kobe and a solid guard in Fisher, he played above his talent and heart last year.
This year, he played a little closer to what we saw in Memphis: Pretty good in the regular season...and then nothing.
Gasol is who we thought he was.

Lesson #3: D-Rose needs help.
I have been a fan of Rose's supporting cast all year long.
But, it's playoff time and some fellas need to step up.
Rose is carrying the Chicago Bulls as if he's got a bunch of nobodies on the court with him.
With names like Boozer, Noah, and Deng sharing the floor with him, Rose shouldn't be carrying so much of the load.
These boys better get in the game next series because there's one thing the Heat will do and that's contain Rose.
They won't stop him, but they will contain him.

Lesson #2: It's not better to burn out, than fade away.
Lakers and Celtics looked terrible in their Round 2 matchups.
Their opponents had something to prove. The Lakers and Celts didn't.
And from the opening tip, you could tell.
L.A. and Boston looked like teams satisfied with their past accomplishments, instead of looking like a team driven to repeat them.

Lesson #1: Mark Cuban can shut up when he wants to.
Mavs are winning and all of sudden all is right in Mark Cuban's world.
He's in love with the opponent. He's a fan of the officials. He's a dutiful NBA owner.
Are we to believe Cuban will remain quiet all through the playoffs should Dallas win in the Finals?
That would be amazing.
Mav-haters would see that as reason enough to hope Dirk raises the Larry O'Brien trophy in celebration this year.

No this is NOT Photoshop. He really did close his mouth for a moment.

Hear BC Mafia Get Wicked Foo!

Memphis and Oklahoma City...are FANtastic!

Watching the NBA's Western Conference playoff match-up between the OKC Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies I can not help but feel bad for the fans.
There is no better group of fans in the NBA than in those two arenas.
Why the basketball gods saw fit to match the two up now instead of the Western Conference Finals is beyond me.

All of the positives about Thunder fans apply to Grizz fans.
But, you can summarize them by simply stating they are FANtastic.

Do they care about basketball? I don't know.
Do they support the NBA in general? I don't care.
Do they live and die by their home team? Hell yes!

It's apparent that these fans would support their team whether they were in the NBA, NBDL, NHL, or even just playing checkers with the old guys at the park.
And I love them for that.

So how do fans from other NBA playoff teams stack up?
Glad you asked:

L.A. Lakers
Ho-hum. These fans are too busy trying to look good for fan cams to worry about the game.
They arrive late and leave early. There's just no time to sit for 4 quarters when you are late for your next boob job and/or your next spray-on tan session.

Dallas Mavericks
Think L.A. without the celebrities.
I always heard Dallas called the "Big D". I just always assumed the "D" was for Dallas.
I now realize the "D" stands for Douchebag.
Hardore Mav fans seem to stay home on game nights or are only allowed in the upper balconies.
The men and women court-side at Mav games seem to go to games only to have something to do until nightclubs in the metroplex really get thumping.

Atlanta Hawks
Great fans who show up ready to scream and cheer with all their might........for now.
Who can forget all of those empty seats before this playoff success.
This has been a young team in the process of rebuilding.
And even when the potential was clearly visible, no one came.
Now, you can't find an empty seat in the house.
But, no worries.
If you want to see the Hawks play live, just wait for a 2-3 game losing streak and there will be plenty of seating available thanks to their weak fans.
Look up "fair weather fans" in any dictionary and you will find these Hawks supporters.
Though occasionally you may find pictures of........

Miami Heat
Miami's fans are just like Atlanta Hawk fans...but with a Latin flare for fashion.
Where was the frenzied, passionate, hardcore Heat fan before last summer?
Let's be honest...The Heat's cheerleaders are worth the ticket price whether Lebron is in the game or not.
No excuses people. You should have been filling this arena in support of Wade (and those cheerleaders) long before last summer.

San Antonio Spurs
OK. So the Spurs won a few titles.
Get over yourselves already!
Spurs supporters at the game act like none of the games matter until the Western Conference Finals.
And even then the WCF is only the pre-season for the Championship round.
These Spur fans are BORING.
You'd better wake up people -- it's been four years since the boys in black made it to the Finals
One of you, the team or the fans, better wake up soon.
Learn something from Celtic fans. They've got the banners AND the spirit.

I wouldnt' care if Lebron retired tomorrow...I'd go to Heat games!

Respect The Billycock Foo!

Are These Your Father's Dallas Mavericks?

Known for choking in the playoffs and giving away a 2-0 lead in the Finals to the Miami Heat, the Dallas Mavericks are in a familiar, yet unfriendly, spot against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Nearly two months ago I asked the following two questions:

Are these the same Lakers we have come to know?
Are these the same Mavs we have seen fold?

This late in the season, this far into the playoffs....and still we don't know.
But, it sure looks like the answer to both questions will be a resounding "NO".

Mavs have earned the two wins in L.A. with clutch offense and solid defense.
Don't listen to the media reports that blame the losses only on how poorly L.A. is playing.
The wins in L.A. were more about how well Dallas played than they were about how bad L.A. looked.

Still, everyone not a Dallas Maverick fan should hope for a Game 3 win by L.A.

Why?
A game 3 win by L.A. and game 4 becomes must-see TV for the basketball universe.
And, if L.A. goes into game 4 only down 2-1, both of my questions above will be answered in those 48-minutes...Now that's excitement!

Artest don't know karate...but he does know karayzee!

BC Mafia -- In full effect, FOO!

NBA Playoffs - Round 2 Predictions

The Billycock Mafia Godfather went 5-3 on round one.
Apparently some teams didn't get the message.
Round 2 is upon us....and with it more predictions.

Here are your winners:

Western Conference
Oklahoma City Thunder
Los Angeles Lakers

Eastern Conference
Boston Celtics
Chicago Bulls

All other teams sleep with the fishes.



The BC Mafia rules Foo!

Heat vs Celtics -- War Of The Worlds!

At 3:30ET today, two worlds will go to war.
And the battles that make up this war should be brutal and beautiful.
The Miami Heat host the Boston Celtics with something to prove.
The Boston Celtics visit the Miami Heat with something to prove.

The Boston Celtics are from the world of past glory, bannered rafters, gritty physical play, and basketball royalty.
The Miami Heat are from the world of modern superheroes, trend-setting alliances, flashy athleticism, and media royalty.

Miami's big 3, Chris Bosh, Lebron James, and Dwayne Wade, were brought together as much by the beat-downs suffered at the hands of these Celtics as by anything else.
The Boston Celtics loathe the attention given to these Miami Heat despite the fact that the Boston Celtics are the reigning NBA Eastern Conference Champs.

The series is personal to both squads.

Now, the lines are drawn.
And the match-up that nearly every NBA fan has been waiting for will begin this afternoon.

And we few, we fortunate few, get to watch the two worlds collide!

The BC Mafia's got a brand new bag Foo!

NBA Playoffs - Top 5 Things We Learned From Round 1

With all but the Memphis vs San Antonio Round 1 match-ups settled and Round 2 set to begin on Sunday, I thought now was a good time to review what we've learned.

Lesson #5:
It's the same old lesson we learn every year but seem to forget over the course of another regular season. NEVER, NEVER underestimate a team's chances to win.
Memphis is giving the Spurs all they can handle, New Orleans put a little scare into the Lakers, and the Atlanta Hawks pulled off a mild upset in beating Orlando.
We see this every year. Yet somehow we overlook the lower seeds at the start of the playoffs.

Lesson #4:
The Celtics are only as old as they think they are.
Dispatching the upstart Knicks in only 4 games is no small feat.
We all figured there would be a sweep or two in the first round.
But, NO ONE would have guessed the Celtics were going to get one.

Lesson #3:
The future is now in Atlanta, Memphis, and Oklahoma City.
Some of these markets have not won in the playoffs for a while.

I swear I wasn't making fun of your fugly arm sleeves!

Others are experiencing it for the first time.
These crowds are louder and rowdier than the boring crowds who are spoiled by past playoff success.
And I love it!

Lesson #2:
Stan Van Gundy needs to ask brother Jeff for a letter of recommendation.
We've seen Stan pacing the sidelines for the last time.
Orlando needs a new coach.
Stan needs a new gig.

Lesson #1:
The Dallas Mavericks are for real.
Real enough to exercise some post-season demons? Yes.
Real enough to shed that "soft" tag? Yes.
Real enough to get past the Lakers? Yes.
Real enough to win it all?......
Who knows -- If they can get past the Lakers, anything is possible.



BC Mafia is off the chain Foo!

Thank you Tony Larussa

I've never been a big fan of MLB Coach Tony Larussa.
As manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, he's always come across as an ass to me.
His coaching style bucks the trends, but it's not trendy.
Unconventional methods make you a  maverick when successful....they make you a fool when unsuccessful.

But, despite my feeling for T-Laru, he did do one thing right.
He fathered a beautiful daughter, Bianca.

Bianca is apparently just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside....I mean, a girl that loves football is "beautiful" isn't she?

Muy Caliente!

Bianca will be a Raidorette as a cheerleader for the NFL's Oakland Raiders this upcoming season.
ANOTHER reason why we should all pray NFL games will be played next season!!




BC in the hizzzaaaaaaaaaaaayyy Foo!

NBA Playoffs - Round 1 Predictions

Historically, NBA Playoff Round 1 winners are usually easy to predict.
Not so this year boys and girls.
What does this mean? That means the real winners will be the fans.
Prepare for some FANTASTIC Round 1 games.

Still.....the show must go on. Here are your winners:

WESTERN CONFERENCE

San Antonio Spurs

Oklahoma City Thunder

Portland Trailblazers

Los Angeles Lakers

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Chicago Bulls

Orlando Magic

Boston Celtics

Miami Heat

So let it be written...........Let it be done!

Yes! The cheerleaders are up for the Playoffs!

The BC Don't Play Foo!

MY NBA Playoff Bracket

Read 'em and weep....or celebrate...whatever the mood calls for!

Plan your parade Chicago....the trophy is yours.


The BC Mafia is Sucker-Free Foo!

COCO LOCO!

Hell yes! I will admit...I'm old school.

So, when Coco Crisp went out sporting this 'fro under his lid, I was a proud and happy man.

Just like George Jefferson doing the funky chicken.
It may not look right...but it's still cool as hell!

You do your thing Coco.
So what if you look like Lt. Jackson Flap from the Beetle Bailey comics?
 Let the haters hate!

I love it!

The Billycock Mafia is d-d-d-dangerous Foo!

Josh Hamilton - Get Your Heart In the Game

Texas Ranger Josh Hamilton is out of the line-up for several weeks due to a shoulder injury sustained during a head-first dive at home-plate.
The injury occurred during a game with the Detroit Tigers wherein Josh was sent home after tagging up for a foul-ball pop-up.
Reports are that Josh was sent by Ranger third base coach, Dave Anderson and against Josh Hamilton's inner instinct.

Hamilton called the decision to send him "stupid".
He claims that while he tagged up at 3rd base, and Dave Anderson was yelling at him to go for home since no one was covering the plate, all he (Hamilton) was thinking was "I don’t want to do this, something is going to happen."

What?!
"I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS"?!!
"SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN"?!!

The absurdity of these thoughts lends insight as to why Josh Hamilton is so often injured.
In the heat of a game, most professional athletes are probably not thinking about injury.

Josh Hamilton's concentration needs to be better.
His fear of injury needs to be overcome.

L.A. Kings Right-Winger Justin Williams is currently injured with a dislocated shoulder because he got checked into the boards during a game against Calgary.
L.A. Lakers Center Andrew Bynum hyper-extended his knee when he stepped on another player's foot while running back on defense during last night's game against the San Antonio Spurs.

What do the Williams and Bynum injuries have to do with Josh Hamilton?
Nothing.  These situations are very different from Hamilton's.
And that's the problem.

If L.A. King's coach, Terry Murray, had been barking at Williams to chase the puck and center it for a scoring attempt right before the injury inducing body-check, I assure you that Justin Williams wouldn't blame his shoulder injury on the coach.
And rest assured that Justin Williams was NOT thinking "I don't want to do this. Something is going to happen" as he chased down the puck at center-ice.

When Laker Andrew Bynum was running back on defense last night, do you think he was thinking, "I don't want to do this. Something is going to happen"?
Of course not.
Nor will he blame Coach Phil Jackson for the injury...even though I'm sure Coach Jackson often preaches the importance of running back on defense to his players.

C'mon Josh, man-up.
It's OK to be injury-prone.
Professional sports is hard on a body.
But, it seems to me that your problem is with your head and your heart.

What's next?
Is Josh Hamilton going to refuse to step on a base for fear of twisting an ankle?

"Kids, A ball-point is sharp. I don't want to sign this. Something's going to happen."

Make Way For The BC Foo!

Madden 12 - Get Your Curse On!

Alright, assuming there is going to be an NFL season next fall --- here's a chance to effect the games as never before.

EA Sports is preparing to release MADDEN 12; The latest in it's line of hugely successful Madden NFL games for video game systems.
And they're letting you pick the cover.

Game/NFL fans can VOTE HERE to decide who should grace the Madden 12 cover.
Here's your chance to play a roll in how the 2011-2012 NFL Season will unfold.

You and I know the Madden Curse is alive and well.
So choose your cover wisely.
Who stands as the greatest threat to the success of your team next season?
Adrian Peterson? Michael Vick?
PUT 'EM ON THE BOX!

I'm not one to wish injuries on anyone.
But, we don't make up the mo-jo rules...should fate decide to sideline our pick for the Madden cover, who are we to stand in her way?

Hmmm........is it possible to request a re-vote?
Maybe it's not too late to put a picture of all NFL owners on the cover..........just sayin'...

Bow to the Billycock Foo!

Manny Ramirez -- The Love-Hate Relationship

Manny, Manny, Manny.
You could have been something more....and something far worse.

I loved to watch you at bat.
The way you swung, no pitch was safe.
Any pitch within reach of your bat was a perfect pitch to hit...and hit it you did.
555 home-runs, 1831 RBI's, and a .312 career batting average.
Yeah, I loved watching your at bats.

I hated watching your effort.
The way you sometimes ran at half-speed, either to chase down a ball or reach first base.
Every time you gave less than your all, your hitting ability seemed less important.
Less important to your team. Less important to your fans.
Yeah, I hated your occasional half-ass effort.

I loved that you were human.
The way you often treated baseball for what it was...a game.
No player brought the fans to the park in a more playfull mood than you did over the last several years.
And the time you planted a flag in the outfield after becoming a U.S. citizen is still one of my favorite baseball moments.
What's not to love about that?

I hated that you made such poor decisions.
You fought with team-mates, put yourself before the team, and lied about injuries.
And, you cheated.
You cheated yourself, your fans, your team-mates, and the game of baseball.
I will always hate that.

And now you're gone...and I don't know if I should love you or hate you for quitting baseball.

Did we really need pee in a cup to know this guy was on drugs?

The BC Mafia por vida!

San Antonio Spurs

I get a kick out of the ignorant people claiming the Spurs are "too old" to win.
I especially hear this when discussing the possible Western Conference Finals match-up between the two powerhouses in the West, the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs.

I even heard Jim Rome claim the Spurs are "too old" in support of his belief that the Lakers will be fine in the playoffs despite their current losing streak.
I was a little surprised by his ignorance on this point.

I know, I know. The playoffs haven't even started.
But these two teams just look to be on a collision course to meet in the postseason.
So, let's take a look at the age of each roster....You may be surprised.

The average age of players on the Laker's roster: 29.7 years old
Average age of players on the Spurs roster: 27.4 years old

That's right!
The Spurs are actually younger than the Lakers.
Let's look deeper...

Spurs starters average age - 32
Lakers starters average age - 30

That's only a 2 year difference. Surprised?
If so, then this will really knock you off your feet:
The Spurs starting line-up average above is taken using Antonio Mcdyess as a starter at 36 years old.
When the 21 year old Dujuan Blair starts for the Spurs (which he has done this year), the starter average age for S.A. becomes 29.

AGAIN, younger than the Lakers!

Let's look deeper, still...

Most of us agree that Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant are the MVP's for their team.
So let's look at the age-issue regarding each MVP.

Kobe is 2 years younger than Duncan overall.
But, Kobe has the wear-n-tear of having played one more season than Tim Duncan.
Kobe came in the league in '96. Duncan in '97.
So, despite being younger than Duncan, Kobe has more NBA mileage on his body.
Yet, surprisingly, no one ever calls Kobe "old".

It's a Clash of the Titan's, Hoops-style Foo!

Those are the FACTS.
Ultimately, age may not make the biggest difference.
Talent will play a big role in deciding the winner should the Lakers and Spurs meet.
And the topic of "talent" is a whole other blog.......



BillyCock Mafia is bad for yer health!

Steve Nash -- Baby Momma Drama?

Child-Please!
I'm not going to link to any of the bull-shit stories making their rounds about Nash, his ex, and Jason Richardson.

But, here's the story in a nutshell...all claims are ALLEGED:
1. Nash seperated from his wife a few months before she gave birth to a son in December amid rumors that his wife was cheating.
2. Nash filed for divorce from her the day after she gives birth.
3. Stories claim the baby is African-American...and this is why Nash filed for the divorce immediately after the birth date.
4. Furthermore, claims are that the baby was fathered by former Sun, Jason Richardson, and this is why Jason was traded to the Orlando Magic in December.

One problem with all this....the baby is not African-American in appearance.
Though the web is on fire about Nash's ex giving birth to a "black baby", it's all BULLSHIT.
There is no way to claim the baby is African-American based on his appearance.

Judge for yourself:

Nash's ex and 2 daughters proudly show off the new addition

Is allegation #1 above true? Possibly.
Is allegation #2 above true? Definitely.
What about allegations #3 and #4? Child-Please!

Regardless of what may have happened between the ex-Mrs. Nash and J-Richardson (if anything), do we have to drag the kids into this?

Something tells me Suns fans won't be hearing the Timex Social Club hit at any games in the near future.




BC Mafia for life Foo!

You Go, Girls!

Like in most situations in life, the guys messed up and the ladies had to come in and show everyone how it's done.

Beauty, Brains, & Basketball Skills -- The Killer B's

This year's NCAA basketball title games were no different.

I made no secret about how pissed and disappointed I was at the men's NCAA national title game played on Monday night.

Yet, there we found ourselves, 24hrs later, watching the women make it right.

Thankfully, we got a game worthy of our time.

When the final horn sounded, Texas A&M had beaten Notre Dame 76-70.
But the real winners were the fans.

A&M and Notre Dame gave fans a more potent offense and better team defense than we saw during the men's national title Butler/UConn game the previous evening.

Congrats to Texas A&M.
Their title is well earned.

And thanks to both A&M and Notre Dame for giving us the quality NCAA title game we so desperately needed after Monday night's men's debacle.



The Billycock Mafia -- Rockin' our peers and puttin' suckas in fear!

Houston -- We Had A Problem

How disappointed was I with the NCAA B-Ball national title game last night?

VERY!

What had been a sensational NCAA Tournament from the get-go went out with a whimper.
This is how we cap the March Madness frenzy? Please say it ain't so.

For those who watched the game (as I did), I am sorry and share in your sadness.

For those who didn't watch the game, let me illustrate what you missed.

Most hoop fans expected this:

What we got was this:

'nuff said........I'm too pissed to type.




Hate the player...Hate the game...Just don't hate on the Billycock Foo!

Shaq -- Remember When?

Remember when Shaq was the Man of Steel?
Remember when his size created a presence in the paint so dominating his lack of mobility was no detriment?
Remember when he commanded a double team...and even an occasional triple team?
Remember when he seemed more than human?
Remember when he was the diesel?
Remember when he was something the league had never imagined?

For those of us who remember...yesterday was a sad day.
Shaq returned to the court after months of sitting out injured.
His returned marked the return of hope for Boston fans.
But, then it happened.
The man once thought invincible injured his right calf after only 5 minutes of game time.

Shaq always wore the coolest pajamas

What's worse he hunched over and hardly made it off the court under his own power, then collapsed shortly before making it into the locker room.

Now he's out again.
And the NBA lost something big...literally and figuratively.

For those of us that grew up watching him play, the moment Shaq needed help off the court was as deflating as life's other realizations:

Remember when you learned there was no Santa?
Remember when you realized dad was mortal?
Remember when you knew your first love was over?

Yeah, it was that bad.

We may see Shaq on the court again.
Maybe this season. Maybe next season.
But, the player we will see will be Shaq the man.
Shaq the myth is dead...and Father Time is the killer.

R.I.P. - Thanks for the memories.



BC for life Foo!

Major League Baseball -- Opening Day!

Opening Day.

Catching a whiff of that favorite dish mom used to make when you were a kid.
The smell of granpa's pipe.
The aroma of freshly mowed grass.

Like those odors bring back a childhood memory.
The sound of those two words "Opening Day" do the same for me.

Baseball is a sport with a rich history and has held firm to many of it's old-fashioned ways.
Held so firmly, in fact, that many sports fans have moved on.
As our youth's attention spans get shorter and life moves quicker, the market grows smaller for MLB.
MLB, like the sport of baseball itself, is a relic of former times.

Today's MLB fans are a dying breed...dying of old age.

We should admire MLB for its uncompromising views on modern sports technology (they still refuse to use replay in the World Series) and it's gentlemanly mentality (there are many unwritten rules players must follow as a show of respect).

There's very little flash in the sport, which is probably why the young folks don't like it.
Today's youth want to see someone celebrate every achievement.
The NBA and NFL are far better suited for that.

But, c'mon.
These MLB guys are hitting a ball 3inches in diameter traveling at 95mph using a 42" piece of wood. What's not to like?

MLB baseball is closer than the NBA or NFL to what a sport should be.
The strategies are subtle. There is more team mentality. And coaches have a bigger effect on outcome.

There is a chess-match at play with every at-bat, every pitching change, and every pinch-hitter.
As a sports-fan, you have got love that.

If your dad and/or grandpa are still around -- watch a game with them this opening weekend.
They''ll love you more for loving baseball.

Batter up!

 

Remember

BillyCock Mafia...Take that to the bank wich-ya' Foo!

Richard Jefferson -- Bust

The NBA's San Antonio Spurs may hold the best record in the league, but for how long?
Injuries kept their Big Three, Manu, Duncan, and Tony Parker out of Monday nights home game against the Portland Trailblazers.

Some would say Spurs' small forward Richard Jefferson was out of the game too.
Only, RJ wore a uni, ran up and down the court, and defended (kind of), and gave other occasional appearances of actually being in the line-up.

What I'm trying to say is, Jefferson sucked.
But, that's not news and it's not new to people following the Spurs this year.

On a night when the Spurs were in desperate need of some leadership, scoring, and athleticism because 4 of their 5 starters were on the bench (Antonio McDyess also sat out with back spasms) is it too much to expect your $8million+ man to do a little something to help the club --- scratch that, for $8mil+ he should be doing A LOT of something to help his shorthanded club.

RJ is 4th on the roster in earnings, but he's never earned it.
He was a huge disappointment to the Spurs last season and most team supporters excused Jefferson by noting that he was unfamiliar with the Spurs' system.
This year (his 2nd with the team) started out in a way that supported that theory.
His play was solid on both ends of the court and he looked more comfortable in those first two months than he did all of the season before.
But, by the end of December, that was all gone.
Since December, there has not been even an occasional game wherein he has shown the promise he showed at the beginning of the season.

Jefferson has not reached his career average of 16 points since February 4th in a game against the lowly Sacramento Kings.
And while he's above 40% for the season in 3point shooting, that percentage remains high only because of the many 1-for-1 nights he has from behind the 3point line.
Remove those 1-for-1 nights and his average is well below the 40% mark.

Which brings us to Monday night's game against Portland.
On a night when he had neither Manu or Parker taking shots away from him, and on a night when he had neither McDyess or Duncan clogging the paint, here is what the Spurs got from Jefferson:
2-for-5 from the field, 1-for-3  3 pointers, 2-4 free throws, 6 rebounds, 0 assists, 2 turnovers, and 7 points.

To put those stats into perspective.
Jefferson was matched point-for-point by his following teammates:

Undrafted guard Chris Quin, Fellow-forward Steve Novak, and guard/forward Danny Green....the same Danny Green that the Spurs waived last November then resigned earlier this month.

A few things stand out about all of the above players who matched or surpassed RJ's point total versus Portland.
1. Not one of them is a starter for the Spurs.
2. They all played fewer minutes than did RJ.
3. All of them are in their first season with the Spurs

Point #3 is really poignant -- Remember how much RJ sucked his first year?
Hell, Danny Green is in his first MONTH.

What should also be mentioned when reviewing the stats is that Jefferson only had 4 points until hitting a meaningless 3-pointer in the final minute and well after Portland had the game in hand. And up until that final minute, 2 of his 4 points were from free throws.
What's that mean? That means Richard Jefferson was only able to muster ONE bucket in the midst of a game that did not include the Spurs' Big Three players.

That production - and I use the term production very loosely here - is terrible considering he was on the court for over 25 minutes of game time.

Given the available players for Monday's game, the importance of the game (Lakers are catching up quick for first place in the West), and the expectations once held for RJ, by my math $8mil + 25minutes + 7points - 0 assists = BUST.

Whatever the Spurs' plans are for the post-season, Spurs fans better hope they don't include relying on RJ for anything outside of garbage time minutes...because garbage is all they are getting from him.






BC for life FOO!

VCU Wins - Everything Is Right With The World

Despite the news from Japan, the unrest in Libya, and our struggling American economy, I went to bed last night knowing everything was right with the world....all thanks to Virginia Commonwealth's win over Kansas in San Antonio, TX 71-61 yesterday.

Should yesterdays final score surprise anyone?
Should Kansas players and fans bow their heads in shame?
Of course, not.

Cypress Hill's B Real...Oh...
My bad, it's VCU Coach Shakur Smart

There is no shame for Kansas.
They are in good company amongst the teams shocked by VCU's coach Shakur Smart and his team.

VCU had already beaten teams from the PAC-10, Big East, Big 10, and the ACC before Sunday's game against Kansas.

On and on VCU has marched, gaining strength with every stunning upset.
And Kansas was just another step.

The VCU's unlikely success through this year's NCAA tournament is precisely why most college hoop fans love to watch the dance this time of year.
It's called March MADNESS for a reason.
There is also a reason it is not called March Just-What-You'd-Expectedness.
(Besides the fact that Just-What-You'd-Expectedness is not catchy enough for a good advertising campaign.)

Every year, college basketball has a Cinderella team making it at least to the Sweet 16.
And VCU fits that mold so perfectly.
They are the very definition of a Cinderella team.
Many TV sports talking-heads felt they didn't deserve a spot in the tournament.
And, once they had been selected to participate, most of them picked against them every step along the way to San Antonio.

Yet, look at them now.
On to Houston, Tx and The Final Four.

Big-ups to Coach Smart and his team of over-acheivers.
Thanks for keeping the spirit of the NCAA tournament alive and thanks for restoring my belief that all is right with the world.



Respect the BC Foo!

Cowboy's Dez Bryant - Past His Prime

Dez is not washed-up.
He's just getting started as a great NFL receiver.
But he is past his "Prime" -- as in Prime Time.

It's been widely reported that Dez was recently kicked out of an upscale Texas mall.
Your typical media personalities (not reporters, personalities) were reporting that Dez was forced out of the mall because his pants were sagging and/or that Dez had been arrested for the transgression.

The facts are these:
Dez was not wearing sagging pants, someone in his group was.
Dez was not arrested for the incident, he was simply escorted out and disallowed from re-visiting the mall for a few months.

Actual footage of the Dez Bryant incident...sort of.

What Dez Bryant has confessed to is using profanity towards mall security after one of them shoved him in the back as they left the building.

Now, Bryant's one-time mentor Deion "Prime Time" Sanders has spoken out against Dez for being dishonest and for needing help beyond what Deion can give him.
Sanders even went so far as to call Dez "ignorant".

My problem with this?
What Sanders claims Dez is guilty of is exactly what Deion was guilty of in his NFL "prime".
If anyone can help Dez, it should be Deion.
Deion Sanders was the poster boy of selfish behavior, materialism,  and media-whoring when he played in the NFL.

Yet, Deion states he will not attempt to mentor Dez any longer because Dez represents a risk to the youth in Deion's youth program.
What?
Wouldn't Sanders' support of Dez in these matters and eventual success in helping Dez become a better-grounded man be the best thing to show his youth program participants just what all is possible with positive thinking and positive living?

It's a shame. But, Deion is using his youth program as an excuse.

The truth is, Deion's not talking to Dez because Dez quit on his Under Armour deal last summer.

The deal between Under Armour and Dez Bryant was put together by Deion Sanders, but fell apart after Dez decided to wear Nike shoes instead.
Somehow, Deion must have really stood to benefit from that deal.
In fact, according to Dez, Deion has not returned any message from him since that deal with Under Armour fell apart.

Sounds like someone was using Dez for personal gain to me.

No one but Deion will ever know what he missed out on when Dez walked away from Under Armour.
But, we all should admire Dez for walking when he did.
Bryant said he decided not wear Under Armour because the shoe's fit was not to his liking.
So he went with Nike instead.

I believe him. And here's why:
Dez walked away from a lot of money to wear Nike.
Nike does not endorse Dez and has no deal in the works.
So Dez Bryant simply wore Nike because it gave him the better fit, he didn't wear Nike for a better pay-day.

I don't think we could have expected the same sound judgment from Deion Sanders when he himself was in need of "help" and "ignorant" as an NFL superstar.
Deion would have limped his way through a full season wearing Speedo water shoes on the field if Speedo had forked over enough green.

So please Deion....give us a break already.
Dez Bryant is probably better off without you.
Any help he needs should be given by someone who actually cares about Dez.


The Billycock has spoken...Foo!

Beauty And The Beasts -- Sponsored By The NBA

Has there ever been a more polar opposite night in the NBA?
I doubt it.
First we got the beasts, then we got a real beauty.

The game between the Chicago Bulls and the Atlanta Hawks was almost as bad as the snoozer between the Portland Trailblazers and the Washington Wizards.

Both games were ugly.
Both were over by half-time.

As an indication of how bad these games were, yours truly -- the Godfather, even had a hard time watching the Bulls game despite my love of D-Rose's hoop skills.

Imagine my dismay when I realized the third and final game of the night was a match-up between the L.A. Lakers and the Phoenix Suns.
Uh-oh...I didn't think my heart could take another blow-out....I was sure I'd die of boredom.

L.A. is in a battle with Dallas for the #2 spot in the Western Conference and home-court advantage if the two should meet in the post-season.
The Suns had already beaten the Lakers in L.A. earlier this season.
There was no chance the Lakers would overlook them again.

What I expected was the basketball equivalent of a glass of warm milk chased with a double shot of NyQuil.
What I got was the most thrilling game of the season!

I don't know how the Sun's do it.
But, the Lakers can't seem to shake them when playing at home.
The Suns make the Lakers look very beatable.

What a game!

Lakers 139, Suns 137...in TRIPLE OT!

The 2 earlier games were the NBA's version of Patty and Selma Bouvier (look up the Bouviers if you don't know).
Suffice it to say both games were UGLY!

After all that earlier ugliness, it was very satisfying to watch the Lakers and Suns play a game that was the NBA's version of Jasmin Cadavid...very hot nice.

*Note: if you don't know who Jasmin Cadavid is, I highly recommend you forget the Bouviers and look up Jasmin instead. 
Here's a taste...

Daaaaayyyuuuuuumm Foo!

Glad you are still with me....I didn't expect you to come back from a Jasmin Cadavid gallery.

You now how good Jasmin looks.
So, if you didn't catch the Lakers/Suns game, you must be asking, "Was the game really that good?"
Answer: Yes! Yes it was.

The game (like Jasmin) was beautiful.
Both teams left it all on the court and it could not have come on a better night for the NBA.

The Phoenix Suns may not be the Suns of a few years ago.
Yet it will be a shame if they don't qualify for the playoffs.
Last night's match-up versus the Lakers only showed how much basketball fans stand to lose by not having Steve Nash in the postseason.

And the Lakers?
Well, Kobe looked real good...especially in the 3rd OT.
And the L.A. supporting cast looked good around him.
So, Coach Jackson and Laker fans should be happy.

But, the real winners were the viewers who weathered through two very ugly beasts earlier in the evening only to get one true beauty before bed.

Dallas Cowboy Has Gone MADD!

Dallas Cowboy tight end Jason Witten is MADD.
No, he's not pissed about looking like a sissie in the proposed Hilfiger-designed Dallas Cowboy uni.
He's MADD as in Mother's Against Drunk Drivers.

As if that's not cool enough...his MADD efforts are in conjunction with an appearance in an Archie comic book.
You remember Archie, don't you?
He's the high-school dude from the town Riverdale that hangs out with Jughead and the hotties Betty and Veronica.
Yes. That Archie.

Witten will appear before Archie and the other students at Riverdale High to talk about the dangers of drinking alcohol in Archie comic book No. 217
Yeah, the story is only about 8 pages long and yes, Witten didn't really show at the high school...remember it's a comic strip, everyone but Witten is a cartoon character, and Riverdale doesn't exist...but, this is still cool.

Nice work J-Witt........now about those ugly-ass uni's....

Caption from Archie No. 217

The BC Mafia Foo!

The Chicago Bulls Are For Real

Are the Chicago Bulls for real?
Despite a loss to the lowly Indiana Pacers this weekend, they have been having a hell of a stretch the past few weeks.

The Bulls are playing better than any contenders in the Eastern Conference.

That they are looking much better than Miami and Orlando is no surprise to me.
But that the Bulls are looking so much better than the Boston Celtics?
Now that is VERY surprising.

Here's why I pick the Bulls to win the East:

The BC Godfather in his D-Rose hoodie

1. My pick for NBA MVP: Derrick Rose
He should be MVP by a mile.
Who can guard him in a 7-game series? No one.
Teams will be forced to double team D-rose.
It's up to the his supporting cast to make or break the season for the Bulls.
Should the Bulls find themselves out of the play-offs, it will not be Rose's fault - I assure you.

2. Boozer is a solid big man.
Carlos Boozer can hold his own against any NBA Forward/Center.
Despite the ankle injury right now, he's listed as day-to-day...which means the ankle is not serious.
Boozer will be ready for the play-offs...and well-rested.
Bulls fans can expect nothing short of exceptional play from this guy nearly every night come playoff-time.

3. Loul Deng is averaging nearly 18 points a game this season.
He is an able-bodied forward and pretty darn good from beyond the 3-point line.
His contributions will increase as more teams focus on double teaming D-Rose in a play-off series.

4. And, my favorite Bull after D-Rose, Joakim Noah
Noah is the kind of player we all want on our team.
He provides the team with some toughness and compliments Boozer very well.
Joakim is averaging a double-double for the season and his style of play is well suited to the physical play we will see in the playoffs.

The Chicago Bulls may play in the weakest division in the NBA.
But do not be fooled...They are for real.
The team has the tools and the toughness to earn the Eastern Conference Championship.

Besides, anyone watching Eastern Conference B-Ball right now should have a hard time believing anyone in the East can beat the Bulls 4-out-of-7 games...especially if the Bulls have the home-court advantage.




Respect the Billycock Foo!

March Madness, NFL Style...

As NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell sends NFL players letters and the NFL player's union sends its  response , I wonder how in the world there will be any NFL football next season.

Some communication is better than no communication, but writing letters back and forth? Really?
I think Goodell's response to the union response will be something like this:

I want to negotiate and wondered if you would like to negotiate too.

Please circle yes or no.

And make sure teacher don't see you passing the letter back.

YES              NO

The scariest part in all of this is that players will become more and more publicly vocal on the matter.
Rich and pampered athletes who are used to getting things their way are bound to only weaken their position with every ignorant sound bite. (Charger Linebacker Kevin Burnett's recent act of vocal stupidity is a good example)

If I didn't love the game of football so much, this would actually be funny.

LAKERS & MAVS -- Where Excitement Happens

As we approach the NBA Playoffs, there is no more exciting a race than the race for the 2 slot in the Western Conference.
The Dallas Mavericks hold a .5 game lead over the Los Angeles Lakers.

If history is any indication, the Lakers will win the position.

No matter who has more road games left on their schedule (Dallas).
No matter who has more remaining games against +.500 teams (L.A.).

These are the only facts that matter:
1. The Lakers tend to stiffen their backs and rise to these occasions.
2. The Mavs tend to lower their heads and choke on these occasions.

Boston/Chicago/Miami
New York/Philadelphia
Denver/New Orleans/Portland/Memphis

All of these teams are caught up in races for playoff positions.
But, these two questions will make the Laker/Mavs race more interesting than any other over the next few weeks:

Are these the same Lakers we have come to know?
Are these the same Mavs we have seen fold?

No one knows.

At stake: Home-court advantage awaits the winner in round 2.

This should be good....VERY good.

Kidd reaches for Kobe's heart....Lord knows the Mav's could use it.

What you know about this? The BC Mafia Foo!

NHL File: Give Me A Break, Foo!

Hockey is a rough sport.
Hits can be vicious, players get hurt, and the speed at which plays are made is faster than nearly any other team sport.
The NHL, being hockey's major league, is filled with plays that are very vicious, violent, and quick.



Anyone who follows NHL hockey will agree that the hit by Boston Bruin defenseman Zdeno Chara on Montreal Canadiens winger Max Pacioretty is nowhere near as vicious a hit as we see on almost a nightly basis in the NHL.

The injury may be serious, but the hit was not flagrantly vicious.
There is nothing in the replay that shows any intent to injure beyond the usual intent found within an NHL body check into the boards.
An interference minor penalty was all that Chara's hit calls for.

Like in the NFL, perfectly legal hits result in injury all the time in the NHL.
And like in the NFL, perfectly legal NHL hits can be tremendously violent.

What makes this hit so extraordinary? NOTHING.

Now, police are probing into the matter as a criminal act.
Reports indicate the police probe is in response to a request by Quebec's director of criminal and penal prosecutions, Louis Dionne.

I don't know Louis Dionne -- but, I'm solid on the fact that Mr. Dionne is a Montreal Canadiens fan and just a little pissed about losing Pacioretty's services due to injury.

Thus, he wants a little payback by striking a little grief into the life of Chara and the Boston Bruins....all at the expense of valuable police time and expense.

GIVE ME A FRIGGIN' BREAK!

Chara may have still been upset with Pacioretty due to a post-game shoving match between the two last January.
The January shoving match was brought on by Pacioretty's need to celebrate a Candadiens' overtime goal by shoving Chara in the back well after play had stopped.
But, even this little history between Pacioretty and Chara was not enough to instigate a cheap-shot.
Chara has been in the NHL for over 10 years with no history of being in trouble with the NHL.
Past and present players (even some who dropped the gloves against Chara) have expressed their disagreement with those who feel Chara intended to hurt Pacioretty.

The province of Quebec has very low crime rates.
Combine this with a pissed off fan who happens to head a criminal investigation department for Quebec.
And this is the result.

Get well soon Max.
Good luck Zdeno.



Billycock Mafia for life Foo!

St. John vs Rutgers - 1.7 Seconds

St. John's win over Rutgers 65-63 last night was not a classic.
38 minutes of pretty good college hoops, 1 minute 59 seconds worth of excitement, and 1 second of infamy may make it newsworthy -- but it's not enough to make it as memorable as a true classic should be.



The final moments of this game were no different than the final moments of most organized basketball games:

1. The refs tried letting the players decide the game by calling fewer calls in the final minutes.
2. Physical play and intense competition ensued.
3. Some players and refs made good decisions, some players and refs made bad decisions.

Despite their best efforts, the officiating team of Jim Burr, Tim Higgins and Earl Walton wound up impacting the ending far more than any player did.
But, let's stop short of saying they "decided" the game.
The refs certainly impacted how the game ended, but it's very unlikely they decided who won....VERY unlikely.

While 1.7 seconds is a long time when inbounding the ball from about mid-court, Rutgers had not made many smart basketball decisions in the final minutes of the game and Rutgers Coach Mike Rice admitted as much in his post-game conference.

Thus, if given the opportunity, what would Rutgers have likely done with the final 1.7 seconds of the game?
Chances are, they would have failed to get a good shot off and lost the game by the exact same 65-63 score.

Still Rutgers fans and referee-haters are incensed by the officials having apparently gotten too caught up in the emotion of the final seconds to do their job properly.

We should forgive the officials.
Despite what many claim, officials are human.
The call they missed at the 1.7 second mark last night possibly (but  not likely) cost Rutgers a basket.
But that missed call didn't cost Rutgers any more points than any other call the refs missed in the previous 39+ minutes of the game.



You can't front on the BC Mafia, Foo!

Coach Jim Tressel - Liar Liar Pants On Fire

My response......

COACH...YOUR PANTS ARE ON FIRE!

If these emails are real, Coach T should be getting a lot worse than the 2-game suspension and a $250k slap-on-the-wrist he's already been given.




The BC gave you silk suits, Gucci handbags, and blue diamonds, FOO!

Barry Bonds -- Do You Smell Smoke?

The witch-hunt continues.
And, frankly, I'm sick of it.

Is Barry Bonds guilty of using steroids? Yes.
Did Barry Bonds lie about it? Yes.

Is his being found guilty worth the taxpayer expense? NO.

The court of public opinion has ruled on this case years ago.
There's no need to spend more tax money in the hopes of making his guilt "official".

Our legal courts have better, more important, cases to pursue.

Bonds shown in the Small, Medium, and Large variety-pack.

Find Bonds guilty of lying to a grand jury and what do we gain?
The public already finds him unappealing and Major League Baseball already stays away from him like Steve Bartman stays away from foul balls.

But, still, the courts persist.
They are building their bonfires in hopes of burning Bonds at the stake, not for the sake of justice or principle, but for noteriety.
The hounding of Barry Bonds over his lies to a grand jury is just another case of people trying to get famous through the use and misuse of already famous people.

No one needs an "official" verdict.
His guilt is already a fact in the eyes of most.
Ask anyone on the street and you will have a hard time finding anyone who will deny the following:
OJ Simpson is a murderer, Justin Bieber sucks, and Barry Bonds used steroids.

Baseball fans and the general public have nothing else to gain from the pursuit of Bonds and everything to gain from forgetting about him.
Let it go people...


BC Mafia up-in-here, up-in-here, FOO!