First, they make good...no make that great money. They think they are bullet proof, and most of us do at that age. It's a life of total pure D Glamour and we would probably kill to be in their place. Having said all this, they are dropping like flies.
I'm talking about pro football players. The ones who played at this level in the 60's, 70's and 80's are passing away too quickly. Jim Otto can barely get out of bed. Conrad Dobler needs his leg amputated. He had about 12 knee operations just on one knee and numerous knee replacements. One problem, his wife is a paraplegic, so he has to walk to take care of her. The list is long. And these are the guys who are alive. The list is just as tragic on the guys who have died before their time. ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease is rampant in this demographic group. The recent study shows that the jarring of the brain shakes loose the protein enzyme that causes this fatal disease. That's why in ex-NFL players the disease is hundreds of times more prevalent than it is in the general population.
Now we are hearing that their will be some hardball played between owners and players in the off season and the owners will get paid the TV revenue regardless if their is or is not a season. The tipping point they say may be an 18 game season.
Let's look at the current season. Philly's starting QB, Concussion first game. In fact their linebacker also had one and was allowed to wobble back onto the field. It was scary he was so out of it. Jason Whitten of the Cowboys had a concussion during week one and argued in vain to get back in while the team hid his helmet. Matthew Stafford of the Lions, the number one draft choice in 2009, made it exactly one game.
This is a totally violent game with players getting bigger and faster by the year. Watch any game and you will see a 300 pound defensive end chase down a fast fairly athletic quarterback who tries to scramble. My point is, the injuries in a 16 game season are dicey. I think we will lose even more players with 18 games. But, in the end, greed always wins out.
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If you get a chance, watch Russell Wilson of NC State. I stumbled on the last 2 of his games, and this kid is something else. He has a cannon for an arm and is fast enough to get out of trouble. And he is really accurate. He generally passes rather than runs, but is really fast. He is already playing pro baseball, but wants to play in the NFL. His only drawback is his size...five eleven. Check him out, you will like him. He will surely give NC State a chance at the championship game in the ACC.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
It Is In Full Swing Now
I will admit it. I like the pros in football more than college, but not that much more. College football during the regular season was relevant as opposed to the college roundballers. Due to no continuity because of one and out for the elite players, college basketball is meaningless during the regular season. Just the way it's structured.
Today we had another top team eliminated from the BCS championship...Texas. The top 4 rated Horns were destroyed by UCLA, a team that had troubles for most of the previous 3 games. Not so today. UCLA got thumped on the ground. Texas is playing a ton of freshmen and will get better as the season progresses. My problem with Texas is that with all the talent they get, why can't they run the ball. They have had one good running back in the last 10 years, Jamaal Charles. Remember, Vince Young and Colt Mccoy were not running backs.
When is Lou Holtz going to give it up on Notre Dame? Every game he shills this team and every game they get thumped. Stanford had them outclassed the minute they got off the bus. Notre Dame has had the same team for the last 17 years. Slow on defense and not quite enough tools on offense....and of course very over hyped. Is it just me or does Mark May make Lou Holtz look like a fool on every show on ESPN. He is the ultimate Golden Domer shill.
Down here in Houston we have a really crazy reality. There are probably as many or more Cowboy fans than there are Houston Texan Fans. I don't usually take sides on a jersey, but it would keep the volume of obnoxious on the low end if Dallas loses tomorrow. I have nothing against the Cowboys but their fans in Houston are the ultimate front runners. I mean, they don't tend to root for the other Dallas professional teams. I think with the injuries Houston could have it's hands full. It is very hard to win 3 in a row in the NFL and also hard for a pretty decent team to lose 3 in a row. Dallas is a pretty decent team.
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Here's What the Fans Say About the East West Media Bias:
Rick Wrote
Nice sports blog, Rick. You are absolutely right. Eastern media bias is a thorn in the side of anyone who lives in the West and follows sports coverage. Loved your examples, especially the USC-ND rivalry.
Sports coverage of western teams is terrible here in Maine. The only way to get a PAC-10 score or highlight is via cable/satellite TV. With local network affiliates, you never see highlights or get coverage of any teams outside of New England unless they happen to play the Celtics, Red Sox, Patriots, or UMaine.
Mike Wrote
X-lent.
I remember....maybe when you were at Miami, and I was playing round ball on the ASU concrete with all the football players all day on Sunday - and many nights - listening to ASU games when I lived off of Mill Avenue down from the stadium in Tempe, watching Danny White or some player sit next to Coach Kush on his TV show talking about all the mistakes made in the game two nights ago. Well, it was all predictable - Woody Green would run touchdowns, the defense would crush the poor opponents, and we would have to suffer through Sunday's announcer call ASU "Arizona" if and when they rarely mentioned them........and wait until Monday to read the shortest, briefest mention of ASU's latest improbable win or score.
We would sit in the back yard, Bud can in hand, and wait for the fireworks on those Saturday nights. It seemed like we were always underdogs if you read the press or listened to the radio/TV experts. Thank God for the Arizona Republic. ASU in the WAC and what little notice they got reminds of Boise's situation.
It was amazing to watch whatever player sat next to Kush when he was asking questions. It was beyond respect what these guys had for him........it really was some kind of fear. It was an interesting time with Kush's aura and all that talent and speed on our team - OUR team, the one that didn't get any respect.
I hope on all those games where they killed a big 'un from the East or Midwest that someone got very, very rich in Las Vegas on us.
It really was quite a time for seven to eight years, and it was pure Phoenix, at least the Phoenix that I remember.
You know who sends shivers up my spine now watching and listening to this perfect example of excellence in taking cues on when to speak and when to cut away for a commercial, and all the while do it so smoothly that if you didn't know any better, you'd think he might know what he was talking about? It's that insipid, Brent Musberger. He HAS to have a great agent. God, was he terrible on that Boise game!?! Does stating the most obvious in a boring, ignorant fashion count for analysis now? He has turned into the 60's Chris Shenkel. They both belong on the old black and white Shell's Wonderful World of Golf.
Goldwater was right: they should cut off the east coast and let in fall into the ocean.
(Thank You Readers...Maybe the only 2 I have)
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I have lived in Phoenix, San Diego, Miami, San Antonio and Houston and spent tons of time in LA. Of all those towns, I would have to say Phoenix in the 70's was really the best in many ways. We only had the Suns and ASU football was the social event of the year. In fact, since teams would not invite ASU to play in Bowl games, we had to invent a Bowl. It was the Fiesta Bowl. Some of the teams that lost to ASU in the Fiesta Bowl include Nebraska, Florida State, Pitt with Tony Dorsett twice, and a Barry Switzer coached Oklahoma squad. This program is an accident waiting to happen if it ever gets aligned correctly. Biggest student body in the country, newest weight room and gorgeous stadium. It's hard to believe a school that was in the top 5 in sending players to the pros has fallen so far in recent times. Okay, enough for shilling the old days. The East Coast isn't that bad and once they move out west they usually see the errors of their ways. Like a guy recently said, "A 50 year old in New York looks 65 and a 50 year old in L.A. looks about 35. The lifestyle is just so much better."
Today we had another top team eliminated from the BCS championship...Texas. The top 4 rated Horns were destroyed by UCLA, a team that had troubles for most of the previous 3 games. Not so today. UCLA got thumped on the ground. Texas is playing a ton of freshmen and will get better as the season progresses. My problem with Texas is that with all the talent they get, why can't they run the ball. They have had one good running back in the last 10 years, Jamaal Charles. Remember, Vince Young and Colt Mccoy were not running backs.
When is Lou Holtz going to give it up on Notre Dame? Every game he shills this team and every game they get thumped. Stanford had them outclassed the minute they got off the bus. Notre Dame has had the same team for the last 17 years. Slow on defense and not quite enough tools on offense....and of course very over hyped. Is it just me or does Mark May make Lou Holtz look like a fool on every show on ESPN. He is the ultimate Golden Domer shill.
Down here in Houston we have a really crazy reality. There are probably as many or more Cowboy fans than there are Houston Texan Fans. I don't usually take sides on a jersey, but it would keep the volume of obnoxious on the low end if Dallas loses tomorrow. I have nothing against the Cowboys but their fans in Houston are the ultimate front runners. I mean, they don't tend to root for the other Dallas professional teams. I think with the injuries Houston could have it's hands full. It is very hard to win 3 in a row in the NFL and also hard for a pretty decent team to lose 3 in a row. Dallas is a pretty decent team.
*********************************************************************************
Here's What the Fans Say About the East West Media Bias:
Rick Wrote
Nice sports blog, Rick. You are absolutely right. Eastern media bias is a thorn in the side of anyone who lives in the West and follows sports coverage. Loved your examples, especially the USC-ND rivalry.
Sports coverage of western teams is terrible here in Maine. The only way to get a PAC-10 score or highlight is via cable/satellite TV. With local network affiliates, you never see highlights or get coverage of any teams outside of New England unless they happen to play the Celtics, Red Sox, Patriots, or UMaine.
Mike Wrote
X-lent.
I remember....maybe when you were at Miami, and I was playing round ball on the ASU concrete with all the football players all day on Sunday - and many nights - listening to ASU games when I lived off of Mill Avenue down from the stadium in Tempe, watching Danny White or some player sit next to Coach Kush on his TV show talking about all the mistakes made in the game two nights ago. Well, it was all predictable - Woody Green would run touchdowns, the defense would crush the poor opponents, and we would have to suffer through Sunday's announcer call ASU "Arizona" if and when they rarely mentioned them........and wait until Monday to read the shortest, briefest mention of ASU's latest improbable win or score.
We would sit in the back yard, Bud can in hand, and wait for the fireworks on those Saturday nights. It seemed like we were always underdogs if you read the press or listened to the radio/TV experts. Thank God for the Arizona Republic. ASU in the WAC and what little notice they got reminds of Boise's situation.
It was amazing to watch whatever player sat next to Kush when he was asking questions. It was beyond respect what these guys had for him........it really was some kind of fear. It was an interesting time with Kush's aura and all that talent and speed on our team - OUR team, the one that didn't get any respect.
I hope on all those games where they killed a big 'un from the East or Midwest that someone got very, very rich in Las Vegas on us.
It really was quite a time for seven to eight years, and it was pure Phoenix, at least the Phoenix that I remember.
You know who sends shivers up my spine now watching and listening to this perfect example of excellence in taking cues on when to speak and when to cut away for a commercial, and all the while do it so smoothly that if you didn't know any better, you'd think he might know what he was talking about? It's that insipid, Brent Musberger. He HAS to have a great agent. God, was he terrible on that Boise game!?! Does stating the most obvious in a boring, ignorant fashion count for analysis now? He has turned into the 60's Chris Shenkel. They both belong on the old black and white Shell's Wonderful World of Golf.
Goldwater was right: they should cut off the east coast and let in fall into the ocean.
(Thank You Readers...Maybe the only 2 I have)
***********************************************************************************
I have lived in Phoenix, San Diego, Miami, San Antonio and Houston and spent tons of time in LA. Of all those towns, I would have to say Phoenix in the 70's was really the best in many ways. We only had the Suns and ASU football was the social event of the year. In fact, since teams would not invite ASU to play in Bowl games, we had to invent a Bowl. It was the Fiesta Bowl. Some of the teams that lost to ASU in the Fiesta Bowl include Nebraska, Florida State, Pitt with Tony Dorsett twice, and a Barry Switzer coached Oklahoma squad. This program is an accident waiting to happen if it ever gets aligned correctly. Biggest student body in the country, newest weight room and gorgeous stadium. It's hard to believe a school that was in the top 5 in sending players to the pros has fallen so far in recent times. Okay, enough for shilling the old days. The East Coast isn't that bad and once they move out west they usually see the errors of their ways. Like a guy recently said, "A 50 year old in New York looks 65 and a 50 year old in L.A. looks about 35. The lifestyle is just so much better."
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The Second Biggest Sports Season is Officially Over
Could you barely stand it? Most were on pins and needles waiting for the second biggest sports season to end....The season of "Waiting for Football to Begin". So here goes.
Had to watch all the talking heads give all the reasons Boise would lose and before that why Utah would lose to Pitt. Some things never change and never will. That thing is East Coast Bias and their myopic view on sports. I have been putting up with it forever. In the late 60's one of my favorite days was when the University of Arizona beat Ohio State in Columbus and Arizona State routed Wisconsin 49-0 on the same day. Of course that wasn't supposed to happen. You see, normally the west coast games are on too late for any East Coaster to notice. In fact, when we were a newspaper oriented society, their games did not hit the papers until Monday.
I cannot remember how many times I heard how Notre Dame would hand it to Southern Cal, and normally it was a one way score...as in a USC rout. Memories get very short. Sunny Climates equals speed and NFL players. Your top 3 Cities for NFL players are Houston, Miam and Los Angeles. With Dallas producing 4 of the top ten year before last you can see a trend. South and West equals speed.
It was that way about the South until Florida started the trend of spanking Ohio State and now it's a known truth...the SEC is the brutal strong gold standard of football conferences.
Boise State may be a mid major, non BCS school. Like Gonzaga in basketball, there is nothing mid major about their football program. Your would be correct in saying their team does not go through the meat grinder of a schedule such as an SEC team. The injuries are easier with their kind of a schedule. So while Boise may not be as deep, their first stringers have proven they can usually line up with anyone and hold their own.
Having said all this, the Big 10 may be as loaded as it has been in some time. They have some strong teams in Wisconsin, Ohio State, Iowa and possibly a few others. Iowa amazes me every year because they are so well coached. Here are a few other things that are playing out early:
Had to watch all the talking heads give all the reasons Boise would lose and before that why Utah would lose to Pitt. Some things never change and never will. That thing is East Coast Bias and their myopic view on sports. I have been putting up with it forever. In the late 60's one of my favorite days was when the University of Arizona beat Ohio State in Columbus and Arizona State routed Wisconsin 49-0 on the same day. Of course that wasn't supposed to happen. You see, normally the west coast games are on too late for any East Coaster to notice. In fact, when we were a newspaper oriented society, their games did not hit the papers until Monday.
I cannot remember how many times I heard how Notre Dame would hand it to Southern Cal, and normally it was a one way score...as in a USC rout. Memories get very short. Sunny Climates equals speed and NFL players. Your top 3 Cities for NFL players are Houston, Miam and Los Angeles. With Dallas producing 4 of the top ten year before last you can see a trend. South and West equals speed.
It was that way about the South until Florida started the trend of spanking Ohio State and now it's a known truth...the SEC is the brutal strong gold standard of football conferences.
Boise State may be a mid major, non BCS school. Like Gonzaga in basketball, there is nothing mid major about their football program. Your would be correct in saying their team does not go through the meat grinder of a schedule such as an SEC team. The injuries are easier with their kind of a schedule. So while Boise may not be as deep, their first stringers have proven they can usually line up with anyone and hold their own.
Having said all this, the Big 10 may be as loaded as it has been in some time. They have some strong teams in Wisconsin, Ohio State, Iowa and possibly a few others. Iowa amazes me every year because they are so well coached. Here are a few other things that are playing out early:
- Notre Dame looks like the same team they have had for the last 10 or 15 years. Slow, not very explosive, with a couple of studs on offense. That running back and receiver are very good. We will see about the rest.
- Miami and Ohio State are ready for a replay from the game Miami got robbed and jobbed by the refs. I didn't say that, its a direct quote from 2 former Ohio State Players who are now pros.
- Don't take too much away from Texas, Florida and other teams lethargic starts. They are starting tons of underclassmen and all had explosiveness and speed to burn. In about 4 or 5 weeks they will be very good to excellent.
- Michigan looks very fast. They will be a big power in a year. All the big powers in the Big 10 will graduate their quarterbacks and stars and they will be poised to win. Michigans fans are trying to get Rich Rod's scalp...a big mistake. He has his crazy system almost in place and these players will be hard for another coach to win with...his system is that unique.
- Who is Jack Crowe? Well, he coached Arkansas to 2 bowl games and had a nice winning record but he lost to Citadel and got immediately fired. Last Saturday it was his turn to be the upset maker with Jacksonville State beating Ole Miss in double OT. After reading about the reporter getting fired in Arkansas why am I not surprised a good coach gets fired down there. Something in the water down there. Jack Crowe can definitely coach the boys up.
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Musical pick to click...Roadsongs by the Derek Trucks Band. Trucks is one of the best guitarists in the world and they have a dynamic group. His dad is an original member of the Allman Brothers and Derek replaced Dicky Betts for the last few years. Lets just say Dicky Betts just wishes he could play as well Derek Trucks. He is about as strong as it gets. When he plays with the Allmans, Trucks is paired with Warren Haynes, probably the strongest duo on the same stage in the universe.
Monday, June 14, 2010
The Green is Engaged and Want It
This has been a strange series for the first 4 games, but game 5 finally played to form. In most of the other games, a supporting role player carried the day. Derek Fisher was dared to beat the Celtics and he did, with a drive that split 3 players in game 3. Big Baby Glen Davis put a woodshed whipping on Lamar Odom in the fourth game.
So last night, the series came to form. A star, Paul Pierce, carried the day. But more than that, all three of the Big 3 played strong. For the purple, only one showed, Kobe. Doc Rivers has said in the timeouts that we are getting good looks, don't panic. In game four, I didn't believe him till the second half. In game 5 I believed him for the whole game. The Celtics set good picks and made good dive cuts off screens. They played as a team, got every loose ball. They were, as Tony Allen said, "fully engaged". The Lakers meanwhile made the final score look close thanks to a third quarter when Kobe scored 19 straight points. And they were bad shots. Fade away jumpers from beyond the 3 point line are not exactly high percentage, I don't care who is taking them. Plus one on four basketball is a losing cause. It looks like the only option they have at times, but when the other players watch, it slows the offensive flow. Yes I marvel at his athleticism, but I wonder where his team mates are. And Ron Artest is a total liability on offense. It would be nice to see Gasol show up again and have Odom show up at all. With Bynum very limited in mobility, this series is shrinking quick for the Lakers. Still, as Yogi said, "It ain't over till it's over."
So last night, the series came to form. A star, Paul Pierce, carried the day. But more than that, all three of the Big 3 played strong. For the purple, only one showed, Kobe. Doc Rivers has said in the timeouts that we are getting good looks, don't panic. In game four, I didn't believe him till the second half. In game 5 I believed him for the whole game. The Celtics set good picks and made good dive cuts off screens. They played as a team, got every loose ball. They were, as Tony Allen said, "fully engaged". The Lakers meanwhile made the final score look close thanks to a third quarter when Kobe scored 19 straight points. And they were bad shots. Fade away jumpers from beyond the 3 point line are not exactly high percentage, I don't care who is taking them. Plus one on four basketball is a losing cause. It looks like the only option they have at times, but when the other players watch, it slows the offensive flow. Yes I marvel at his athleticism, but I wonder where his team mates are. And Ron Artest is a total liability on offense. It would be nice to see Gasol show up again and have Odom show up at all. With Bynum very limited in mobility, this series is shrinking quick for the Lakers. Still, as Yogi said, "It ain't over till it's over."
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Advantage Lakers But Still Up In the Air
This last game left a ton of questions unanswered. The Lakers surely seemed to stagnate in the late going. Terrible 3rd quarter, and a ton of standing around with many poor shots by Kobe. When that happens the offense stagnates and the Lakers stand around and watch. When Garnett turns back the clock interesting things happen. So it could still be a dog fight. The Lakers length is taking its toll....7-2 blocked shots, killing on the boards, and Artest is having some effect on Pierce, although its very hard to watch Ron-Ron on offense...will he ever hit a jumper this series?
It looks like they let just any old ref work the most important game of the year in basketball, and the last 2 games have been terrible in terms of poor officiating. I don't know who the refs were for, but thank the Lord for instant replay in the last 2 minutes so all the blown calls were reversed. I have to say the game is so fast and some of the plays are so quick that I do not envy their job.
The guy everyone thought would be mismatched was the difference maker, Derrick Fisher. His picture is in the dictionary under the word winner and cross filed under clutch.
Had to know Ray Allen could never match his game 2 performance...it was a record. But he was way off in game 3.
The adjustments the coaches made in game 3 on both sides was interesting. It was like both teams went to plan C. The Celtics took away everything the Lakers had and dared Derick Fisher to beat them...and he did.
Tony Allen played some of the best defense on Kobe since James Posey in the 08 series. Too bad he is such a liability on offense.
Hey, I gotta go. I get to be fantasy water boy for tonights game.
It looks like they let just any old ref work the most important game of the year in basketball, and the last 2 games have been terrible in terms of poor officiating. I don't know who the refs were for, but thank the Lord for instant replay in the last 2 minutes so all the blown calls were reversed. I have to say the game is so fast and some of the plays are so quick that I do not envy their job.
The guy everyone thought would be mismatched was the difference maker, Derrick Fisher. His picture is in the dictionary under the word winner and cross filed under clutch.
Had to know Ray Allen could never match his game 2 performance...it was a record. But he was way off in game 3.
The adjustments the coaches made in game 3 on both sides was interesting. It was like both teams went to plan C. The Celtics took away everything the Lakers had and dared Derick Fisher to beat them...and he did.
Tony Allen played some of the best defense on Kobe since James Posey in the 08 series. Too bad he is such a liability on offense.
Hey, I gotta go. I get to be fantasy water boy for tonights game.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Typical Laker Choke Job vs Celtics and Terrible Reffing
Well, there is historically one thing you can usually count on in NBA basketball, and that is the Lakers choking against the Celtics. Ray Allen went wild in the first half and the Celtics got hot at the end of the 4th quarter when it counted and schools out.
This was one of the most poorly officiated games I have ever seen in an NBA playoff game. Glenn Davis had 2 phantom calls, Kobe Bryant had 2 or 3 as well and there were enough to go around including at least one on Garnett. The out of bounds play was even blown, with replay! I always like to believe in conspiracies, but with the Knicks never winning anything for soooo long and San Antonio winning so many titles, I guess that is not a possibility. You know they would rather have a matchup like the Lakers Celtics or have the Knicks in the picture every year. This looked more like an NCAA regular season game, no , maybe more like a local YMCA biddy basketball game with dad officiating his sons game.
It's back to Boston for the series. Phil Jackson's 47-0 record when winning the first game of a playoff series could be in serious jeopardy.
This was one of the most poorly officiated games I have ever seen in an NBA playoff game. Glenn Davis had 2 phantom calls, Kobe Bryant had 2 or 3 as well and there were enough to go around including at least one on Garnett. The out of bounds play was even blown, with replay! I always like to believe in conspiracies, but with the Knicks never winning anything for soooo long and San Antonio winning so many titles, I guess that is not a possibility. You know they would rather have a matchup like the Lakers Celtics or have the Knicks in the picture every year. This looked more like an NCAA regular season game, no , maybe more like a local YMCA biddy basketball game with dad officiating his sons game.
It's back to Boston for the series. Phil Jackson's 47-0 record when winning the first game of a playoff series could be in serious jeopardy.
They Can Turn It on at Will...and They are Long
A few years back I was sitting courtside at an AAU game talking with a coach and we were noticing a certain player. The coach mentioned all the qualities of this player and then he mentioned, he is long. Such a simple idea. Long is harder to shoot over, harder to pass through, and gets to rebounds quicker.
The Los Angeles Lakers have length. Glen Davis felt it when almost every shot he put up got sent back. Rondo saw it first hand when he tried to pass through it. The whole Celtics team felt it on the offensive glass.
Just like heigth, length cannot be taught. Pau Gasol is listed at 7'1" but people who cover him say that is about 2 inches low. Odom is extremely long. Same goes for Bynum and Artest. Add that to Kobe throwing off Rondo's game, and its and extremely difficult situation for the guys in Green.
In the 2008 series, Walton was the first man off the Lakers Bench along with Radmonovich. Now its Odom, which gives the Lakers a big advantage. Whenever I talk with friends who used to play in the NBA, they bring up Odom as a gold standard of talent. I never ask them, it just comes to the surface. Six ten with an ability to play any position on the court and being a lefty to boot is one hell of a combination.
Towards the end of the regular season, people were miffed about the Lakers losing games they shouldn't and sort of turning it on at will. In game 1, they seemed to turn it on at will. The Celtics at this point seem to be a better matchup for the Lakers than the Suns. The Suns nullified much use of Bynum because of speed and an unusual style. Almost everyone shoots the 3 on the Suns and on the fast break they cut to the 3 point line instead of the basket, which is really different. Still, they died by the jumper in the end. Point being, Bynum is relevant against the Celtics and makes them deep because Odom comes off the bench.
Still, its the Celtics and if they can steal a win in game 2, they historically have a great track record against the Lakers. But one thing they won't be able to change is the length.
The Los Angeles Lakers have length. Glen Davis felt it when almost every shot he put up got sent back. Rondo saw it first hand when he tried to pass through it. The whole Celtics team felt it on the offensive glass.
Just like heigth, length cannot be taught. Pau Gasol is listed at 7'1" but people who cover him say that is about 2 inches low. Odom is extremely long. Same goes for Bynum and Artest. Add that to Kobe throwing off Rondo's game, and its and extremely difficult situation for the guys in Green.
In the 2008 series, Walton was the first man off the Lakers Bench along with Radmonovich. Now its Odom, which gives the Lakers a big advantage. Whenever I talk with friends who used to play in the NBA, they bring up Odom as a gold standard of talent. I never ask them, it just comes to the surface. Six ten with an ability to play any position on the court and being a lefty to boot is one hell of a combination.
Towards the end of the regular season, people were miffed about the Lakers losing games they shouldn't and sort of turning it on at will. In game 1, they seemed to turn it on at will. The Celtics at this point seem to be a better matchup for the Lakers than the Suns. The Suns nullified much use of Bynum because of speed and an unusual style. Almost everyone shoots the 3 on the Suns and on the fast break they cut to the 3 point line instead of the basket, which is really different. Still, they died by the jumper in the end. Point being, Bynum is relevant against the Celtics and makes them deep because Odom comes off the bench.
Still, its the Celtics and if they can steal a win in game 2, they historically have a great track record against the Lakers. But one thing they won't be able to change is the length.
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