Author Archive for Anthony Iafolla

NBA Finals: Game 4

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Anthony Iafolla
on June 12, 2008
in NBA
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Even though a cloud of suspicion regarding NBA officiating has been cast over the NBA Finals, Game 4 will take place tonight in Los Angeles.  Just like in Game 3, tonight is a must win situation for the Lakers.  If the Lakers lose tonight, they put themselves in a position to have to win 3 games in a row, two of which would be in Beantown.  The feeling out portion of this series is over with.  No more real surprises or gimmicks.  It now comes down to good old fashioned execution.  Up until this point, all that has taken place is both teams have won on their home floor.  Tuesday night was the first game that the Lakers played with aggression, and at times it was not pretty, but they came out on top thanks to a stellar performance by Kobe Bryant.  I believe that this series will go the distance.  I heard J.A. Adande say something on the radio that I agreed with one hundred percent.  He said that he felt that the Lakers best effort would beat the Celtics best effort, but that he didn’t feel the Celtics, with their defensive pressure, would allow the Lakers to have their best effort.  This is where it gets fun.  Now we have a series on our hands ladies and gentlemen.  The bright lights and pressure of the NBA Finals will be much more intense starting tonight, which could lead to some classic games.  I can sit here and break down every key component of this match-up, but I won’t.  If you have watched the games, you already know what both teams need to do in order to be victorious.  What I will be watching is which players perform under the pressure.

There is something about pressure in sports that is so compelling.  Legends are made by those moments when an athlete rises above the pressure.  These next few games will either make legends or leave certain players with the undesirable stigma of choking under pressure.  There have been many great players whose careers have been altered by these moments.  This series will alter the careers of a few great players.  I include Kobe Bryant in this mix, along with Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce.  Kobe already has 3 rings and a legacy, but none of those rings came without Shaq.  He now has his chance.  Garnett, Pierce, and Ray Allen, depending on how they perform starting tonight can either cement their own legacies or fall under the category of great players who never rose above the pressure.  There are going to be points in tonight’s game and the remaining games to follow where we may see a player rise above or cave under.  We will know it when it happens.  The body language, the look in the eyes, the desire, the ability to have no fear even in the face of failing will all be things to look for. I cannot wait for these moments.  I cannot wait to see legends made, and at the same time legacies tarnished.

Game 3: Time to Man Up for L.A.

Published
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Anthony Iafolla
on June 10, 2008
in NBA
. 0 Comments

kobe-angry.jpgSo far the NBA Finals has gone exactly the way I thought it would go, and the exact opposite of the way most experts said it would go. I figured that the Celtics would win the first two games of this series in Boston. I do think that the Lakers will bounce back in a tight Game 3, but I do not feel they will win this series. I stated previously here that this would go 7 games, and it still may, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see it over way sooner. Many of the advantages that I laid out on this site, turned out to be even bigger in the first two games. The Celtics have dominated all the aggressive play, especially loose balls and rebounding. The main problem for the Lakers, however, is that they came into this series riding high due to a high octane offense. Though the Western Conference was much better this year, the Lakers have not had to face a defense as physical, athletic, and suffocating as the Celtics. The Spurs did do a better than average job of forcing Kobe Bryant into taking jumpers, but unfortunately he made most of them. The Celtics, so far, have done a masterful job. They have intimidated the Lakers physically, and kept them away from the paint. When the Lakers are not hitting from the outside, their high octane offense starts running on unleaded. They have been settling for outside shots, and their patented ball movement and spacing has disappeared. Some people feel that with the 4th quarter comeback in Game 2, the Lakers have gained an advantage. I disagree. The Celtics simply went to sleep.

Phil Jackson, the Lakers fans, and the Lakers can complain all they want about the officiating, but that won’t win ballgames. Not to mention, the Lakers have benefited from the refs calls as well, specifically in the Utah series. Go back and look at the numbers. Seriously. That means you Lakers fans. Its easy to point at the refs or the free throw disparity, but even in doing that you might miss the fact that there was only seven more fouls called on L.A. This again points to a lack of aggressiveness. When they were dominating from the free throw line against the Jazz they were the more aggressive team. They might get more calls if they actually grew a set of stones and actually drove to the basket. They need to get more physical and aggressive. Maybe they need to have their own equivalent of the 1984 Finals clothesline of Kurt Rambis courtesy of Kevin McHale. That changed the tone of the series for Boston. Instead of complaining about officiating, maybe one of the Lakers should have put Leon Powe on his ass instead of offering him a cup of tea on his way to another easy dunk. Kobe Bryant has a meanness and tenacity but I am not seeing it from the likes of Gasol, Odom, Radmanovic, etc. That is the problem. It has been stated so many times that defense wins championships. Cliché as it may be, it also most times proves to be true. So, can the Lakers come back and win 4 of the next 5 games, two of which would be in Boston? Anything is possible. Is it likely? Not unless they take off their skirts and act like they are playing for the trophy. Like I said, I believe the Lakers will make this an interesting series again by winning Game 3, but I would not be shocked, if they get off to a poor start, to see them implode. Then we will see the frustration of Kobe realizing that his teammates can’t stand up to the pressure, and then this puppy is over. We will see the preseason, hating his teammates Kobe Bryant. Lakers fans better hope that moment doesn’t come.

NBA FINALS PREVIEW

Published
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Anthony Iafolla
on June 5, 2008
in NBA
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The NBA Finals is a culmination of a painful 6 months as a Philadelphia sports fan. Beginning with the Eagles season fading away, followed by having to endure a Super Bowl with two of the teams I hate most in this world. Next up came watching the Sixers and Flyers have very respectable seasons, but also with the knowledge that they have not reached elite status just yet. Look out NHL, because the Flyguys are creeping up to elite next year. Which brings me to this point: Lakers vs Celtics. I may go on a steady diet of Vicodin and Heineken for the next couple weeks. Or just bang my head against a brick wall enough times to put me in a coma short term. Don’t get me wrong, I am extremely excited for this series. It’s just that in the NBA, these are the two teams I hate most. I’ve actually been openly praying for an NBA lockout to avoid having to watch one of these teams hoist the trophy. I have always hated the Celtics and the Lakers, however my level of hatred for the Lakers has reached a new level since moving to Los Angeles. With the stupid car flags and the damn purple jerseys floating around town wherever I go, I’m a ticking time bomb. I wonder if now that it’s the NBA Finals, those amazing Laker fans will be able to make it to the game by halftime. I know, I know. I am just complaining again. I promise I will get to the series in a minute since no one cares about my pain. One more thing, though. This is a message to all Lakers fans: KOBE WOULD NOT HAVE WON MVP AND YOU WOULD NOT BE IN LOVE WITH THE DUDE HAD CHRIS WALLACE (WITH THE HELP OF JERRY WEST I’M SURE) NOT GIFT WRAPPED PAU “ THE OSTRICH” GASOL. Whew. That felt amazing. On to the series now.

I was going to do my usual position by position breakdown, but I decided to just breakdown the series as if I was sitting with a buddy at a bar. Plus, I am tired and too lazy to do a full roster breakdown. Let me also say that if you’ve been reading my posts, I have been picking against the Lakers in every series except Denver, but as I type this, I have no idea which way I’m leaning. This is another series of interesting match-ups and storylines. There’s the obvious historical significance. Although, even though hearing Lakers and Celtics gets me excited (in a non sexual way), I do think it is over hyped. The Celtics have been away from the Finals for 21 years. Those teams in the 80’s were some of the best in NBA history. Neither of these two teams hold that distinction. We also have Phil Jackson going for a record 10th NBA title as a coach. East coast against West coast. Purple against green. The legacies of many players can be altered. Excuse me, I need to take a Vicodin.

I’m very interested in seeing how both teams decide to play it defensively. Will the Celtics trust Perkins to guard Gasol one on one and Garnett guard Odom? Perkins certainly cannot handle Odom’s quickness. I am also curious to see how the Celtics decide to defend Kobe. Obviously, Kobe Bryant is by far the best player in this series and in the NBA, so they cannot expect to stop him. I think Kobe will see a variety of defenders. Probably some Paul Pierce, a little Ray Allen, and a lot of James Posey, as well as Kevin Garnett and Perkins popping out in order to try and force Kobe to beat them from the outside. The single greatest difference between the two teams is that the Lakers have a guy who has proven he can take over a playoff game in crunch time, and the Celtics do not. Paul Pierce did it once, but I would not call that a trend. The good thing for the Celtics is that they are the top defensive team in the NBA. The Lakers have not gone up against a defense like this. The Spurs play solid defense, but they are nowhere near as quick and athletic as the Celtics. The ideal scenario for the Celtics is to be able to swarm and rotate their defense and keep Kobe out of the paint. If they can force him to give up the basketball, and his teammates do not come through, then Kobe may revert back to selfish mode. To me, the only guy other than Kobe I would trust in crunch time is Derek Fisher. Problem is, there is only Paul Pierce on the Boston side. Speaking of Paul Pierce, how will the Lakers defend him? Neither Radmanovic or Luke Walton can do it. I think Kobe will be chasing around Ray Allen, so the Celtics have a decided advantage there.

The other question I have is: will Rajon Rondo completely crap the bed in the spotlight? Boston better hope not. Ray Allen is also going to be big here. He needs to knock down shots and if Kobe is guarding him, run Kobe as ragged as possible. If I was coaching Boston, my offensive strategy would be to use my big men as much as possible. Get the ball down low and try and get the Lakers frontcourt in early foul trouble because the backups for L.A. in the frontcourt do not stand a chance. The Celtics need to dominate the defensive boards, which I think will happen. There are definitely things that worry me like Kobe Bryant going crazy on Boston, Rondo crapping his pants, and Doc Rivers being the coach of the Celtics. All in all, I think this is going to be a great series with close games throughout. I see it going the distance, and as hard as it is to pick against Kobe Bryant in a game 7, I am going with…drum roll please…BOSTON IN 7.

That was a tough post for me to write. The Vicodin helped though. But, as a fan, I am looking forward to an exciting NBA Finals. So let’s get it started before Kevin Garnett eats someone.

Spurs/Lakers Series Over: A Little Whining From the Writer (Maybe a Conspiracy Theory Too)

Published
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Anthony Iafolla
on May 29, 2008
in NBA
. 6 Comments

Contrary to what my brother has previously reported (see below), the Spurs are definitely dead.  This is a painful time for me, as I work in an office filled with annoying Lakers fans.  Now I understand the pain, although nowhere near the magnitude, that my buddy Zamp was trying to convey to me after the Giants won the Super Bowl.  He had to go to work everyday in Jersey surrounded by Giants fans, and being a die hard Eagles fan, that is painful.  Either way, the Spurs and Lakers will meet tonight in Game 5 at the Staples Center, and Kobe Bryant will most likely see to it that he and his Lakers teammates do not have to board another plan en route to San Antonio. 

I had been holding out hope that I would not have to see the freakin’ Lakers and Kobe Bryant much more, but it looks like I was wrong.  The worst part about this series is that it has left me with a lot of “what ifs?”  I watched Game 4 in anguish as the veteran Spurs seemed to be allergic to ACTUALLY taking the lead.  They must have tied that game up 6 different times, only to miss wide open looks to take the lead for the first time.  The Spurs have no one to blame but themselves for being in this position.  They have not earned themselves a spot in the NBA Finals. They let the Lakers off the hook.  There is no chance now that the Spurs can win 3 games in a row, two of which would be in Los Angeles.  What this means is I need to spend a few minutes whining and complaining about things that matter very little.  So the pain continues for me. 

Do I think this series would have played out differently if Manu Ginobili could actually move?  Absolutely.  Do I think that the spoiled brat Kobe would be MVP or the Lakers would have even gotten out of the first round if they never were handed Pau Gasol on a shiny platter?  No I do not.  Is it a damn travesty that Joe Crawford, who was basically suspended for his feud with Tim Duncan and the Spurs was allowed to ref a pivotal playoff game?  You’re damn right it is.  Don’t even get me started on that one.  Can you say conspiracy theory? 

Then there is the Brent Barry last second non foul call.  It’s like the NBA welcomes the conspiracy theories.  I am not saying the NBA has instructed officials to help the Lakers reach the finals, or better yet just stop the Spurs from getting back.  But, that doesn’t mean it looks good.  All those who refuse to admit that are just fooling themselves.  No way Crawford should have been anywhere near that arena.  None.  Not in the era of the Tim Donaghy scandal. Who was the official closest to that play?  Oh, that would be Joe Crawford. 

Yesterday the NBA announced that a 2 shot foul should have been called on Derek Fisher.  Sweet!  Thank you David Stern.  Brent Barry definitely should have gone into the air when he had Fisher off balance and forced a foul call, but somehow I doubt that even that would have mattered.  I realize this is all just spilt milk.  I needed to vent, and it would have been much more entertaining if my editor would let me use the words that I really wanted to.  I have to work tonight, and I will be recording Game 5, but I am sure one of the stupid ass Laker fans in my office will let me know the result long before I have watched the game.  I still cling to a sliver of hope that a miracle can happen, but I am not going to hold my breath.  It sure looks like we are headed towards EXACTLY what the NBA wanted all along:  A Celtics versus Lakers NBA Finals.  I will have to sedate myself to get through those two agonizing weeks.

Interleague Play: NL Rising?

Published
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Anthony Iafolla
on May 22, 2008
in MLB
. 0 Comments

The first round of interleague play wrapped up over the weekend.  There were a total of 42 games played between the American and National Leagues.  The American League ended up on top with a 23-19 record.  In the month of June, three straight weeks of interleague play will take place.  Since 2000, the American League has won 6 out of the 8 years of interleague play, mostly by wide margins.  From 2005-2007, the American League compiled a 427-329 edge in interleague games.  In the last four years, an American League team has won the World Series three times, all three coming by dominating sweeps.  Every All-Star game since 1997 has been won by the American League, except for the infamous tie in 2002.  This has been more one sided than a sing-off between Britney Spears and Mariah Carey. 

Before this season began, most experts predicted more of the same.  Teams like the Tigers, Red Sox, Angels, and Yankees were expected to be not only the best teams in the AL, but in all of MLB.  I’m here to say that the experts were wrong. Forget about the 23-19 edge so far for the AL.  By the end of June, I am predicting the National League will come out on top.  Predicting the All-Star game and World Series winners is pointless right now.  What I believe is that the National League has finally ended the dominance of power by the American League.  Yes, it’s still early.  I’m aware of that.  However, I think there are just more quality teams in the National League.  Two of the so-called powers in the AL (Tigers and Yankees), have played terrible baseball most of the year.  Will it stay that way?  I doubt it. But, let’s look at this for a second.  The AL has 6 teams currently above .500, and the NL boasts 8. 

Forget records though, the NL is filled with teams playing good baseball, and getting it done with a young core of players.  In the AL, the Indians, Angels, and Rays fit into that category, and the Red Sox have some young arms and Ellsbury and Pedroia, but mostly these are veteran clubs.  The National League has teams like the Marlins, Diamondbacks, Phillies, Brewers, Dodgers, and even the Braves (led by Chipper Jones, but filled with young up and coming stars).  This is the main trend that I think will be responsible for a shift in power back to the National League.  The young stars in baseball, the ones who you see already putting up the numbers, mostly reside in the NL.  You can throw names at me from the American League, and they absolutely exist, but just look at the stats.  Seriously, just study them for awhile.  If you go by pure numbers, the NL has not only way more young stars, but just better players overall for a change. 

There are currently 30 players hitting above .300 in the NL, compared to 14 in the AL.  Traditionally, offensive numbers in the AL are higher because there is no luxury of having the pitcher come to bat.  Even more telling though is the fact that 20 of those 30 are under the age of thirty, compared to 6 players under 30 in the AL.  The NL has 24 of the top 32 home run hitters in baseball so far.  They have a guy in Chipper Jones still hitting over .400 and another in Lance Berkman receiving talk of a possible triple crown.  So you might think all this just means that the pitching in the AL is better.  Wrong again. 

The top 10 ERA’s in baseball are split right down the middle between the leagues, and that does not even include Johan Santana, Brandon Webb, or Jake Peavy in the NL.  The top 5 in the NL are all under the age of 27, too.  Numbers are not everything, I realize.  So, let’s take it a step further.

Break down position by position, and the NL for the first time in awhile has a decided advantage.  I’m not going to run through every single name, you can look at it yourself but I’ll do some of the work for you.  If a true all-star team was picked, it wouldn’t even be close.

 1st Base- Even to be fair I will include all those DH’s in the AL that are listed as first basemen.  In the NL there is Berkman with a possible triple crown, Pujols crushing it again, Ryan Howard is the best young power hitter in the game, Derek Lee is always hitting and fielding at a high level, a Mark Teixeira, Prince Fielder, James Loney and on and on. In the AL there is Youkilis, Ortiz(shouldn’t count), Kotchman, Morneau and not much else.  Huge edge to the NL.

2nd Base- Uggla and Utley are the class of the NL here and I would say Pedroia and Polanco are the same in the AL.  You can go through the list. There are some pretty good players in both leagues.  I give a slight edge to the NL because no one is better than Utley.

3rd Base- The future hall of famer Chipper Jones leads the NL here along with David Wright, Aramis Ramirez, and Garret Atkins.  In the AL you have Chone Figgins, an out of shape Miguel Cabrera, A-Rod, Mike Lowell, and Alex Gordon.  Chalk another one up for the National League.

Shortstop- There are 7 shortstops in the NL currently hitting above .300 compared to one in the AL.  That one is Jeter so that helps the AL’s cause.  But, with Escobar, Rollins, Ramirez, Furcal, Tulowitski, Reyes, Tejada, etc. there are way too many quality shortstops in the NL to not give them the edge

.Outfield- I really don’t feel like running through every outfielder, so let’s just say that there are great outfielders in both leagues and call it draw.  Fair enough?  Too bad, that’s what we’re doing.

Catcher- The AL has young guys like Martinez and Mauer along with trusty veterans Pierzynski, Varitek, and Pudge.  The NL is led by mostly young catchers like Molina, McCann, Martin, and Soto.  I give a slight edge right now to the AL, but that will change in the next couple years.

Starting Pitcher- I will argue that the NL has way more pitching depth at this point.  If we go by this year, and in case you haven’t noticed that’s what I am doing, the advantage goes to the NL.  The American League so far has been led by Cliff Lee, Dice-K, Wang, Carmona, Grienke, and Saunders.  There are obviously other very good ones like Lackey (who has just returned), Halladay, Beckett, and Sabathia. Over in the NL, rookie phenom Volquez looks to be the real deal, along with, Webb, Peavy, Hudson, Santana, Hamels, Zambrano, Haren, Sheets, and on and on.  I will take the NL’s list over the AL any day.

Closer- I am not going to break down entire bullpens, so deal with it.  I will stick to the guys who get the limelight.  In the AL we have K-Rod, Papelbon, Rivera, Nathan, Percival, Jenks, and many other pretty damn good closers.  That is an impressive list.  A lot of World Series rings there also, so that helps.  Forget about the amount of saves, to me the 3 best closers in the NL are Wagner, Lidge, Kerry Wood.  Yes, that Kerry Wood.  Possibly joining them will be John Smoltz if he can stay healthy, but either way the American League is stronger here.   

So there you have it.  After checking out the breakdown, it seems clear that we are seeing a shift towards some National League dominance in the coming years.  This stuff usually goes in cycles.  We will see how it plays out, but one gauge could end up being the interleague records when it all shakes out.  Hey, maybe an NL team might actually end up with home field advantage in the World Series! 

NBA Conference Finals Preview

Published
by
Anthony Iafolla
on May 20, 2008
in NBA
. 4 Comments

We’re down to the Final Four in the NBA Playoffs.  As far as my picks, I have so far done well in the Eastern Conference, and not too well in the Western Conference (some of that due to my desire to see the Lakers go down).  Although I did say a couple weeks ago that I felt the Spurs would replace the Suns and go to the Finals.  I think we have two great match-ups here, so let’s break it all down. 

Pistons vs Celtics

This is the match-up that has been expected pretty much since the beginning of the season.  You can throw the regular season games out the window.  The playoffs are here.  This should be an awesome series to watch.  It won’t always be pretty, but it will be physical, intense, and most likely come down to execution in the fourth quarter.  These are probably the two best defensive teams in the NBA.  What I love about this series is that these two teams do not like each other and it is filled with some great individual match-ups.  The Pistons are seasoned and rested.  They have been here before.  Many of the Celtics have not.  The Celtics have gone through two grueling seven game series, but have not faced the type of test they will get from the Pistons.  How will they respond?  Let’s look at the match-ups: 

1)       Point Guard- If Chauncey Billups’ hamstring is healthy, then this is one sided.  Rajon Rondo has made strides in these playoffs and he hit some big shots against the Cavs, but he has not proven that he can do it consistently.  Chauncey?  Been there, done that.  With his size and strength advantage over Rondo, I look for the Pistons to use Billups in the post more often.  I am curious to see how Rondo reacts under the pressure of getting the Celtics back to the Finals.  I have a feeling he might look like a deer in headlights.

2)       Shooting Guard- I’ve always loved Rip.  Although the whole mask thing has dropped him a couple notches for me.  I remember seeing his Coatesville team go up against Kobe Bryant’s Lower Merion team back in high school.  Ray Allen has looked like he aged 40 years since the end of the regular season.  The Celtics need Allen to step up and they should make a conscious effort to run him off screens and get him in a rhythm early.  I think both these guys will have a good series.  With the great team defense played by both teams, no one will blow you away with their high field goal percentage.  I still give a slight advantage to the Pistons in this match-up.

3)       Small Forward- This is a great match-up.  For most of the Cavs series, I though Paul Pierce did a great job defending LeBron James.  His offense suffered because of it.  Until, of course, Game 7.  Pierce impressed the hell out of me, and it’s a good thing, too.  The player previously known as Ray Allen was not helping much, and KG certainly wasn’t going to carry the Celtics in a tight Game 7.  I look for Tayshaun Prince to play the role of Paul Pierce here.  Prince probably will not contribute much offensively, save a few threes, but his main focus will be on stopping Pierce.  We all know that Prince can defend anybody.  He has about a 94 foot wingspan.  Prince should do a great job on Pierce, putting more pressure on Garnett and Allen.  I still think Pierce will have a few games where he is just on.  So offensively, Pierce will certainly contribute more, but this is still a close one.  Slight edge to the Celtics.

4)       Power Forward- You are not going to find too many match-ups better than this one.  I could go on and on about it, but I wouldn’t do that to you.  Both are great defenders, and both are important offensively as well.  They probably will not spend the entire time guarding each other, but when they do it will be physical and fun.  Wallace has way more big game experience, but Garnett is hungry.  Maybe he will finally shake the reputation of not taking over big games when his team needs it.  I doubt it, but maybe.  Wallace will mix in his three point shooting, post moves, and great defense.  Same for Garnett, except his outside shooting will be a little closer to the basket.  Both guys are great competitors and I think both will play well.  I am sure I will get some crap for this but I see this one as a draw.  Garnett is great, but Wallace will be great at the exact moments his team needs him to be.  Will Garnett?

5)       Center- Both Kendrick Perkins and Antonio McDyess are responsible for doing the little things.  Defend, rebound, get easy put-backs, keeping plays alive.  McDyess does possess the ability to hit the open 14-18 footer.  I don’t see any clear edge in this match-up.  I’ll call this a draw.

6)       Bench- Detroit and Boston have excellent benches.  Typically, teams do not get this far in the playoffs with weak benches.  Bench play usually just comes down to who is going to step up from game to game and make an imprint.  There are plenty of guys capable on both sides.  Even Sam “The Alien” Cassell.  Guys like Posey, Powe, and House for the Celtics, and Hunter, Maxiell, and Stuckey, will go far in determining who comes out on top in this grudge match. If fouls become an issue, the benches will have an even greater impact.  It’s hard to really call a favorite here.  We’ll see how they react once the pressure is on.I have already written that I think the Pistons win in seven.  I actually think it could be six, but I will stick with seven.  Yes, seven.  The Pistons can win on the road.  There’s a novel idea!  I think it is important for the Pistons to win game 1 and put the pressure on Boston.  Either way, this is going to be closely contested, physical, and fun to watch. 

Spurs vs Lakers

Everybody at this point knows what I want to see happen.  Especially so that I do not have to pay out some bets that I made with friends of mine who are Lakers fans.  I previously picked the Suns to be here, and then, using a mulligan, said that the Spurs would be here.  I was hoping the Jazz would take the Lakers out, but that turned out to be wishful thinking.  Now, I worry that with Kobe Bryant able to smell the Finals, it’s too late to stop the Lakers.  Ahhh… But of course, they are playing the defending world champions.  A team that already has 4 rings to boast about.  Will the Spurs end my misery of watching the Lakers cruise to the NBA Finals?  Man, I hope so.  This promises to be another hard fought, tightly contested series. 

1)       Point Guard- The more I watch Derek Fisher, the more respect I gain for him.  He plays hard and physical defense.  He almost never misses an open jumper.  He hits clutch shots in almost every game.  His counterpart, Tony Parker, is one of the fastest and quickest players in the NBA.  Not an easy match-up for Fisher.  Parker will try to get in the lane and set up easy baskets for teammates as well as run the break when it is open.  I will give a slight edge to Parker in this battle.

2)       Shooting Guard- The interesting thing in this series is the defensive match-ups.  Ginobili will not be guarding Kobe.  Bruce Bowen and Kobe Bryant will renew their long lasting love fest.  I don’t think I even need to go into either Manu or Kobe’s credentials at this point.  They are both great. Kobe, of course, is all time great.  What is great about this series is that it is filled with players that will step up in the clutch.  I am not enough of a hater to give the edge to the Spurs here.  Edge to the Lakers.

3)       Small Forward- Bruce Bowen’s main job will be to try and slow down, frustrate, elbow, scratch, kick and do whatever else is necessary to Kobe Bryant.  He will find himself open for the corner three from time to time, and he needs to knock those down.  Lamar Odom almost always poses match-up problems with his ability to handle and shoot.  Again, I reiterate that match-ups will be key in this series.  Both team will be moving different defenders around, so it’s hard to talk about head to head, but I give the edge to Odom and the Lakers here.

4)       Power Forward- The Lakers have absolutely no one that can guard Tim Duncan, so I look for a huge series from him.  I’m sure Phil Jackson will throw double teams and different bodies at Duncan, but Gasol, or Turiaf, and whoever else do not stand a chance.  Radmanovic is mainly just an outside shooter and to be effective and even have an impact he must hit shots.  Huge edge to the Spurs.

5)       Center- Oberto is another dirty work guy.  Gasol is another case of a guy who will create match-up problems for the Spurs.  He can inside and out with great efficiency.  What bothers me about Gasol is that he’s so soft.  That being said he and the Lakers have a huge advantage here.

6)       Bench- Both teams have great benches, but I do think that the Lakers have a younger and fresher bench.  It seems that everyone that comes off the bench of both team has the ability to play well and hit shots.  The Spurs bench is experienced, and it remains to be seen how the Lakers bench will perform as the series rolls on.  I call this one even. There are so many great match-ups and players in this series that you just know its going to be great.  Two great coaches involved in a chess match.  The Spurs have the experience, but they might have tired legs.  The Lakers have Kobe Bryant.  This is a tough one to call, and it will come down to defense and execution.  I just feel that at the end of the day, the Spurs have enough in them to take down the Lakers in seven.  Again, the Spurs need to steal one of the first two, or else Kobe will smell blood and drop 50 in San Antonio to put the Spurs against the wall.  

I don’t care what anybody says about the Spurs being boring and all that crap.  Both these series are going to be entertaining and great for the NBA.  These are the four teams that should be here.  It will be a great couple weeks in the NBA, and I can’t wait to see how it plays out.  Let’s all kick back and enjoy the games.

OJ Mayo: Who’s to Blame?

Published
by
Anthony Iafolla
on May 14, 2008
in College Sports
. 1 Comment

As everyone already knows, there is another scandal involving a USC player receiving illegal benefits.  The only surprise is that the player is not from the storied football program, but from their basketball program that is trying to put themselves on the same map as conference and city rival UCLA. 

Unless you have been pulling a Rip Van Winkle, you now have heard that OJ Mayo has been accused of receiving thousands of dollars, a flat screen TV, hotel rooms for his friends, etc.  My guess is that not too much in the way of penalties comes out of this for USC.  Big shocker.  Although the NCAA has said they have “new information” on the case and an investigation will be forthcoming.  The school, athletic department, coaches, and anyone associated are playing dumb and denying any knowledge of any wrong doing.  Same thing they did in the Reggie Bush case. I, for one, do not buy a word of it.  Obviously, we have no concrete proof yet, and an investigation is underway, but this seems to be a growing problem in college sports today. 

I could sit here and rant about USC and all the shady things that seem to be going on, but I won’t.  We can easily lay blame on all sides here.  It’s easy to point fingers at OJ Mayo and USC, and I have no problem with anyone that does.  In my opinion, however, the main problem lies in the society and culture that has been created in amateur basketball.   All over the country, there are kids developing amazing talent, while at the same time being swarmed by money hungry agents and sponsors.  It starts for some of these kids as early as 12 years old.  This is a sickening trend that continues to get worse.  In the OJ mayo case, it has been obvious for years that he was going to become a millionaire in the NBA.  The only question was, who was going to win the race to latch onto his coattails and make millions. 

Allegedly, Louis Johnson and Rodney Guillory acted as “runners” for BDA, a sports agency.  This is an all too common practice in the world of high school basketball.  There have been discussions recently blaming the NBA’s age-limit.  Some might even say that the old argument of paying college athletes some sort of money would solve the problem.  None of these things are at the root of the problem.  The practice of scumbag agents and runners hanging around high school gyms has been going on well before the NBA instituted an age limit. 

I am not sure what the solution is.    Maybe someone needs to be made an example of.  We live in a society where money, power, and greed are center stage for many.  A society where, unfortunately, many people will do whatever it takes to get ahead, even if it means cheating, stealing, or just using someone else to benefit themselves.  So, we can blame kids like OJ Mayo for accepting money, gifts, and allowing these people into their circles.  We can blame schools like USC and coaches like Tim Floyd who seem to turn a blind eye in order to boost their program and save their jobs, even when it was obvious to many in the basketball world that OJ Mayo was already being paid for his talent.  We can blame ourselves for demanding so much out of a college program that it has become as high pressure as professional sports.  All of these are contributing factors.  But, we need to start looking at the society and culture we have created where kids can be taken advantage of.  Where agents, boosters, and runners have way too much to do with amateur sports.  A culture has been created that has taken the purity out of amateur athletics, and it continues to spiral downward.  Maybe we are all to blame.

Lakers vs. Jazz Game 2 Diary From the Cheap Seats

Published
by
Anthony Iafolla
on May 8, 2008
in NBA
. 1 Comment

Ok, so I have a few things that I am working on that I will be posting soon, but because of that, for this one I decided to steal a format from a writer that I admire, Bill Simmons.  I decided to write a real time blog on last night’s game between the Lakers and Jazz.  This is a first for me so you will have to cut me some slack.  It will probably end up being a bit of a confusing mess, but that’s what my mind is anyway.  Basically I just sat down and took notes as it was happening and what I was thinking from a fan’s perspective.  I must admit, however, that I am writing this as a resident of Los Angeles who cannot stand the Lakers.  I am not a Jazz fan either, but anything is better than seeing the Lakers win.  If you have been checking out this site, you should know that I picked the Lakers to lose to the Jazz, but admit that I will probably end up being wrong.  So, without further ado… 

Kobe is awarded the 2007-2008 MVP ( I still don’t agree), and he tells the crowd at the end of a brief speech “let’s get this party started”.  I am sure he is looking to show his MVP credentials tonight.  

1st Quarter

I think the Jazz really need to get off to a quick start to build some confidence.  They need to play this game from in front and not try and make a furious comeback like they did in Game 1.  Here’s the tip…Nice omen!…24 second violation on the first possession for the Jazz.  Pretty inexcusable, I think.  It seems that Kirilenko is aggressive here early.  It seems like he is aggressive once every five games.  Ronnie Brewer is starting the game guarding Kobe.  Good luck.  Both teams have started out this game trading baskets and hitting their shots.  The match-up with Okur guarding Odom is ugly.  Okur is in quicksand on the defensive end compared to Odom.  With 8 minutes left in the quarter Kirilenko makes a great defensive play on Kobe who was going in for a layup.  They cannot make it easy on Kobe.  Maybe Derek Fisher’s days spent guarding Deron Williams in practice last year are paying dividends because, just like in Game 1, Williams just cannot get going.

Lakers 15-13 at first timeout – 6:25 to go in the 1st

What the hell has happened to Carlos Boozer?  Has anyone seen him?  This seems to be a physical game, the way the Jazz like it, on both sides, yet it took 8 minutes and finally a whistle is blown against the Lakers.  I guess David Stern doesn’t want Kobe’s night ruined or the path of the Lakers to the finals impeded.  On cue, Sloan gets T’d up with 3:38 left and I don’t blame him.  To have a chance, the Jazz need to be physical.  Let ‘em play!  Sweet!…Lakers go on a 13-0 run here to take a 25-13 lead.  Not what the Jazz need.  Now I have to listen to Doug Collins wax poetic about Kobe.  I am sick of the Kobe love fest.  The dude would still be bitching if they hadn’t stolen Gasol.  Lakers fans should chant MVP for Chris Wallace, the Grizzlies GM.  Hey, what do ya know?  The Jazz go to the line for the first time in the quarter with 2:31 left.  The Jazz are occasionally switching to a 2-3 zone and the Lakers are killing it with ball movement.  Harpring gets called for  an offensive foul for doing the exact same thing in the post that Kobe does every time.  That being said, the Jazz all look scared to shoot the ball, especially Brewer.  He looks like he has a hot potato in his hand when he gets the ball.  The quarter ends badly for the Jazz.  The Lakers have 2 big runs.  So much for getting off to a good start for Utah.  The Lakers looked great shooting 66 % compared to 33 % for the Jazz.  Why does Utah suck on the road?Lakers 33-18 at end of the 1st quarter

Again in between quarters Jerry Sloan comments to David Aldridge that he feels like the refs are calling it way too close on the Jazz, saying, “We can’t touch ‘em”.  I agree. 

2nd Quarter

Another great sign: Boozer gets his 3rd foul on the first play and has to sit.  On a side note, I wish my name was Boozer.  The Lakers are just way more aggressive, including their bench.  Millsap is the only Jazz to go hard at the rack.  That should account for the free throw disparity, but I still don’t think its being called even.  Doug Collins just used the word “lucky” in describing the Gasol trade.  I finally agree with something!  Damn.  Matt Harpring has as much of a soft touch as I would after my hands were dipped into a bucket of cement and then dried.  The Jazz are actually playing better with Boozer and Williams out of the game which will not lead to a victory.  Ahh.  Okur is redefining the word slow as Gasol posterizes him.  He can’t guard anyone!

Lakers 45-34 at timeout- 5:46 left in the 2nd

The Jazz need to get some stops here to end the half.  Williams need to get in the lane and the Jazz must finish.  Its not happening though as the Lakers are owning every match up.  Gasol is crushing Okur and Fisher is dominating Williams.  Deron Williams just scored his first points of the game with 2:40 left.  Bad sign.  So the half is over and the Jazz went the opposite direction of what I said and did not close out strong.  Lakers shoot 61% for the half and the Jazz get 3 points between Williams and Boozer.  Freakin’ ugly!

Lakers 63-49- HALFTIME

Halftime may end up being the best part of the night for me.  That and the beef soft tacos I made and the Heineken I am drinking.  Charles Barkley says, “They don’t think they can beat the Lakers”.  I absolutely agree.  They have looked scared.  Barkley refers to himself as “the Chuckster”.  I love this guy.  I want to go drinking and gambling and then play a round of golf with him.  What the hell was that?  A bug in Barkley’s mug.  Was that real or fake?  TNT is way better than ESPN for these games. 

3rd Quarter

The Jazz need to get off to a quick start or this game is over.  Come on boys!  Make this interesting.  Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Carlos Boozer to the arena.  He gets an easy layup to start the half.  Maybe that will get him going.  Basketball is funny like that.  On his night, I am now looking for Kobe to take over.  On a side note, Boozer hits a jumper, but I decided he may have the ugliest in the league.  Deron Williams looks like a new man.  Where the hell has this aggressiveness been buddy?  It matters little though as the Jazz cannot guard the Lakers, and right on cue Kobe is taking over.  The Jazz are just trading buckets and can’t cut into the lead.

Lakers 80-66 at timeout- 5:21 left in the 3rd

Coming out of this timeout I think the Jazz need to get this thing to single digits by the end of the quarter to have a chance.  They need Mr. Mo Mentum to change his address.  Unfortunately, Kobe is showing the Jazz that he is the MVP.  Williams is getting into the lane on every possession, but it seems too little too late.  The Jazz look great offensively, but the problem remains their inability to even make it semi-difficult for the Lakers to score.  I think I would just aggressively double team Kobe and get it out of his hands as much as possible and pray the Lakers miss a few open shots.  What the hell else should they do?  Nothing has worked yet.  Wow!  What a drive and dunk by Williams, but it was followed by Fisher easily getting into the lane on the other end and Boozer picking up his 4th foul.  A microcosm of this game right there.

Lakers 86-76 at timeout- 2:15 left in the 3rd

Great defensive play there by Brewer leading to a dunk and the Jazz are down 8.  Get a stop!They get a stop but now both team are just turning it over back and forth.  Terrible possessions by the Jazz.  Harpring gets toasted by Kobe leading to a Fisher three.  Lakers are up 13, right back where the quarter started.  Huge shot by Williams from three to cut the lead to 10 to end the quarter!  Kobe had 15 in the quarter.  Here he comes.

Lakers 93-83 at end of the 3rd quarter 4th Quarter

The Jazz cannot trade baskets anymore.  The beginning of this quarter will be huge.  Lakers come out with their bench along side Pau Gasol.  I am saying BS on that!!!!  Williams was obviously hacked at the rim and no call which led to a Lakers break.  That call better go the other way in Utah.  Ok.  Harpring is destroying the Jazz.  He inexplicably doubles Jordan Farmar leaving Walton wide open for a three!  Jordan Farmar!  Then he airballs a three of his own.  Please put Boozer back in Jerry! 

Lakers 98-89 at timeout- 7:50 left in 4th

The Jazz have to score here out of the timeout.  I wonder if Phil Jackson will insert Kobe to close the deal.  Ummm…I am not a proven NBA coach like Jerry Sloan, but the I am in shock here!  Jazz come out of the timeout with Williams on the bench.  Phil has inserted Kobe like I thought, and the Jazz best player is on the bench just as they were building momentum with Williams as the catalyst.  It may be too late by the time he comes back in.  He’s 24 years old!  I think he can play the last 8 minutes of a huge playoff game for crying out loud!  Need a sip of Heineken.  Ok, I am better now.   Matt Harpring actually hits a big shot to make it 98-92!  Making him about 2 for 50 in the series.   Huge play there.  Jazz were down 6 on the break and Millsap misses a lay up to cut it to 4, followed by Kobe getting fouled on the other end.  Can’t miss easy ones on the road guys!  Williams Back in.  Thank God.  Can the Jazz stop letting Harpring touch the ball?  Seriously.

Lakers 99-92 at timeout- 5:58 left in the 4th

If the Jazz are going to actually steal this, the next 3 minutes are gigantic.  It has to start with defense.  I am figuring Kobe is going to take over.  Big jumper by “the Machine”.  Boozer sucks.  Gets blocked twice on the same possession.  Fisher hits a big three to make it 104-94 and I think that’s the beginning of the end.  Jazz made their run and the Lakers punched back.  They have hit every open shot tonight.  I give them credit.  After a great 3 point play by AK47 cuts it to 8, Kobe makes an amazing dish to Gasol.  That was ridiculous.  I’m not sure anyone else makes that play.

Lakers 109-99 at timeout- 2:24 left in the 4th

It’s not looking good for Utah.  Kobe will not allow the Lakers to lose this game.  The Jazz cannot hit a big shot.  I must say, I still do not agree with Sloan taking Williams out in the 4th.  It seems he has lost his rhythm since he returned.  Some meaningless threes here by the Jazz.  As the clock winds down I am thinking that the Jazz beter find a way to start faster by Friday or they will be going home for good.  They can’t defend Kobe Bryant, Boozer has been terrible, and the Lakers are doing whatever they want offensively.  Man I hate watching the Lakers win!  It makes me sick to my stomach.  Or is that the tacos?  Williams and Boozer need to be aggressive from the tip in Utah.

Lakers 120-110- FINAL

Just a little more bitching from me.  Just following Kobe’s lead.  Lakers shot 43 foul shots to the Jazz 16.  Come on!  Also, I just threw up in my mouth as Kenny and Chuck were talking about how scary the Lakers will be for the next 5 years.  I am moving to Alaska.  My night just ended well, though.  Charles Barkley was tricked into saying “I’m a dumbass”, as they put it on the teleprompter.  Let’s see if the Jazz can make some adjustments and play better in front of their home crowd.  If not the Lakers will be prepping for the Western Conference Finals.    

NBA PLAYOFFS: Round 2

Published
by
Anthony Iafolla
on May 6, 2008
in NBA
. 2 Comments

So the first round of the NBA Playoffs is in the books.  The second round has already gotten underway, but my picks were already on paper.  And so far not too bad!  The only pick I missed was the Spurs defeating the Suns.  I have already stated that obviously my pick of the Suns making it to the finals was way off.  I also felt all along the winner of that series would make it out of the West, so that means the Spurs against the Pistons.  Like I said, Pistons in seven.  Let’s do a brief breakdown of how I see this second round playing out. 

Pistons vs. Magic

I stated earlier that I saw the Pistons in 6 here.  So far, the Pistons have taken care of the home court.  Since I write this after the series has taken shape, I think maybe the Pistons close the Magic out in Game 5.  They had their wake up call against the Sixers and now they are in high gear,  with Billups being the catalyst.  When his game is on and his shots are falling they are tough to stop.  The Pistons are just too tough defensively and the mismatches they can create on the offensive end are glaring in this one.  The Magic will steal one, but it looks like that is it. 

Celtics vs. Cavaliers

So my pick when the playoffs began was the Celtics in six.  I have to stick with it, but I will say I have some reservations about the Celtics after watching them against the Hawks.  Losing all three in Atlanta is not the stuff of a champion.  Also, Boston’s defense has been praised all year, and rightly so, but a defensive weakness was exposed against Atlanta.  The Celtics showed an inability to stop penetration.  Lucky for them, the Cavs offense does not provide a lot of slashers.  But, they do have LeBron James as we know, and the Celtics have no one to match up with him.  I think the Celtics are going to have problems in this one and Garnett really needs to step up.  For a guy that plays with as much passion as he does, the dude sure does seem to crap himself at the end of games.  He does not look to score.  Can’t have that and win it all.  This is going to be a fun one. 

Hornets vs. Spurs

Obviously I had the Suns here and had them moving on, and as I write this the Hornets have now dismantled the Spurs in the first 2 games.  They have made Tim Duncan look like Jon Koncak (I know weird reference, but it somehow popped into my head so I went with it).  Chris Paul is just ridiculously good.  It’s scary how good he is.  He has become a favorite player of mine to watch.  I still feel the old-timers will right the ship in San Antonio, even up the series and win this thing in 7.  They cannot guard Paul, but they almost need to let him score.  The Hornets become tough to beat when all their shooters are wide open because the lane has collapsed to stop Paul.  I also think the Spurs will realize they have to get the ball to Duncan as much as possible.  He should touch the ball every possession.  I think they step up, tighten up  the defense and start to frustrate the young Hornets.  Another great series to watch. 

Lakers vs. Jazz

Ok, so I have already picked the Jazz in 7 so again I have to stick with it.  For the purpose of full disclosure I must say that I live in Los Angeles and HATE the Lakers.  I convinced myself that they will lose.  I do not want to think of the flip side.  I have made a few bets that may end up making my wallet a bit lighter, but screw it!  That’s my stubborn side.  I have to be honest though.  I think I will end up wrong.  The Jazz simply have no answer whatsoever for Kobe.  I am hoping that in Utah they can ride their fans to victories but we shall see.  Let’s just say I picked the Jazz but have a feeling that I was wrong and the Lakers are going to close this out early.  They have too many weapons.  The chance that the Jazz have is to control the boards and be as aggressive as possible on the offensive end.  Take it to the Lakers.  They have to hit their perimeter shots as well or they are done.  I can’t write anymore on this because I am about to punch myself in the face repeatedly.  Maybe Mehmet Okur will average 52 points a game.  I think I hit myself too hard.  Here’s hoping the Jazz can make me look good, but I am doubting it now. 

So that’s how I see it.  I will preview the conference finals when they happen.  And if any one has seen the editor and chief of this site (AKA…my brother), tell him I’m coming for him.  Lazy ass.

Random Thoughts

Published
by
Anthony Iafolla
on May 1, 2008
in Other
. 3 Comments

First I would like to apologize for not writing anything in over a week.  I was on the shelf with a hand injury.  My status has been upgraded to questionable this week.  Not a chance I am sitting out.  I was brainstorming ideas earlier today, and I had so many different ones, that I decided to hold off on them and just write a bunch of random thoughts I’ve had in the world of sports, and possibly more.  Wow!  That was a run on sentence if I have ever seen one.  Screw it, I was not an English major.  Of course, I had no major what so ever.  And now…deep thoughts by Anthony Iafolla…

 At least the Hawks and Sixers made their first round series against the Celts and Pistons somewhat interesting.  I was definitely surprised to see the Hawks step up in games 3 and 4. 

I love Charles Barkley!  He is more entertaining to watch on TNT than most of what is on television these days.  I think Ernie Johnson might snap one day, but until then…Give me as many Barkley rants as you can.  Priceless!

Flopping in the NBA must go.  That Kirilenko flop and subsequent foul call at the end of Game 2 was ridiculous.  We might be getting to the point where it becomes like a soccer game.  I am waiting to see a stretcher come out on the court when a player flops and acts like he was shot. 

Good job by the Denver Nuggets!  Way to make the Lakers earn their first round playoff win.  Seriously guys, you are allowed to put a hand in the face of a jump shooter. 

Can it be any more obvious what David Stern wants?  Lakers and Celtics finals.  Ratings through the roof.  He cost the Suns their series against the Spurs last year, but there was no way he was going to suspend Garnett for shoving an official.  Do you think Allen Iverson  would have gotten away with that? 

Speaking of the Suns…I was way off on my prediction.  Nope.  They are not going to be playing in the NBA Finals.  I would like a mulligan.  Actually, I will just say that I felt the winner of that series was coming out of the West.  The Spurs keep on winning. 

Maybe Larry brown jumped back into the coaching pool too soon.  With the Mavs, possibly the Suns and other teams in need of a coach he jumped at the Charlotte job.  Now he is working for MJ.  Greatest player ever, possibly worst ever at building a team. 

Hubie Brown scares me.  He looks like a character out of a horror movie.  A zombie movie to be more precise. 

Every time I hear Marv Albert call a game, I can’t  help but think of the infamous biting incident. 

Good to see teams like the Orioles and Rays playing good baseball.  Even if it will not result in anything by the end of the season. 

Anybody else noticed how it seems like the average velocity of pitchers is down?…I wonder how that could be.  It wasn’t just the hitters juicing it up folks.

 I love the NFL Draft, but I was getting close to losing my mind if I had to watch anymore analysis from Mel Kiper Jr., Todd McShay and all the NFL Live guys.  Literally they talked about the draft for 3 months straight.  It was the same crap!  Really?…Darren McFadden has off the field concerns?  Where have I heard that?  Oh man!  The Falcons need a quarterback?  I didn’t know.  Oh wait.  I did.  Because you told me that the last 97 days!  Enough. 

I hope Roger Goodell reinstates Pacman Jones so I can enjoy seeing the Cowboys implode and watch Jerry Jones’ face melt even more. 

If Jerry Jones and Joan Rivers had a child, would that child be able to move its face?

 LeBron James is nowhere near Michael Jordan.  He carried the Cavs against the Pistons last year and had one of the greatest fourth quarters in playoff history, but many times when the game comes down to one shot in Lebron’s hands, that shot clangs off the rim. 

Reality TV sucks!  (Sorry Joelle)  I was flipping through the channels today, and I came across some show on MTV with these guys who are all vying to go out with one girl.  I sat there and watched for about 30 seconds thinking…”Are these people serious?”  Not to mention they can never live it down.  I have never seen people acting like bigger douchebags crammed into such a short period of time. 

Looks like we will not be getting anything resembling a playoff in college football anytime soon.  Too much money the way it is set up now.  Plus, watching a crappy Illinois team go against USC was so much better than USC against Georgia would have been. 

Gotta love Josh Howard!  You can’t make this stuff up.  I actually think he should try smoking weed during the season since he claims he does not.  His performance this year sure seemed like he was stoned.  Maybe he would play better high.  Kind of like when people say “I drive better when I’m drunk.”…And by the way, where is Sam Perkins?  Because he can get Josh Howard the good stuff. 

Listening to baseball on the radio on a beautiful sunny day when its announced by the Vin Scully’s and Harry Kalas’ of the world is better than watching it on TV.  Painting the picture like the old-timers did is a lost art form. 

I cannot believe David Stern wants to expand the NBA into Europe.  To me, this might be the worst idea he has ever had. 

Bold prediction: Chris Long will be a hall of famer just like his father. 

I have more random thoughts but I need to go ice my hand.  I could go on and on, but I would not subject you to that.  Thanks for reading this jumbled mess of a column