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Who I Got and Why: World Cup Finale

Posted on July 10, 2010 by Trick

This guy needs to open a sports book

One game to decide it all.

That’s what is has come down to tomorrow as Spain and Netherlands square off on the pitch for a chance to win their first World Cup title and bring great honor to their countries and put some dollar bills in their own pockets.

Spain is led by the master attacker David Villa and an attacking style of play that puts high pressure on the opposing team that leads to several counter-attack chances. Villa has been great this World Cup and will most likely be the MVP of the tournament if Spain wins, while his counterpart Fernando Torres has not lived up to his star-billing coming into the tourney.

The Netherlands has seen plenty of WC disappointments in their history by twice falling in the championship game. This go around they are just as loaded with talent as Robben, Van Bommel, Kuyt and Sneijder who all are dangerous with the ball near the net.

I am personally looking forward to this finale and I think can be the most exciting championship match since Brazil and Italy battled in 1994, while we could see the same type ending with Penalty Kicks as these two teams are evenly matched with the Spaniards having the slight upper hand.

But of course if I was a betting man, I would have to take Villa and Co. as my friend above, Paul the Psychic octopus, who has yet to miss a match despite death threats that have come his way. 

All kidding aside, I think the midfield of Spain will be too much for Holland with Xavi, Xabi Alonso and Iniesta pressuring the ball early and often during the game, which will eventually lead to a slip-up by the Dutch.

However the game plays out I just hope it isn’t 0-0 at the end of regulation even though it would be a great display of how even these teams are it would be a huge bore for Americans tuning into the game on a Sunday afternoon and further turn them off from the beautiful game that so many love around the world.

So with all that said; give me Spain 2-0 with goals by Villa, who will the Golden Boot, and Sergio Ramos — just throwing that one out there.

Filed under: Soccer, Trick's Posts | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

What the Decision Means

Posted on July 8, 2010 by magicfanatic

Regardless of what I think of LeBron James, I understand the magnitude of his decision tonight. I’ve always believed his ego was outrageous, putting on an hour-long special to announce who he is signing with just proves it. Nevertheless I’ll be watching. His decision will alter the course of the NBA and change how we remember this era of basketball. He has five teams to choose from, all of which could lead him down a unique road. Let’s go over the implications of his decision:

Chicago Bulls: They seemed to be the early favorite in this race, but if you read my last post you’d know I never believed it would happen. If he chooses Chicago it will set him up to play with the most athletic point guard in the league (Rose), a scoring power forward who doesn’t clog up the lane (Boozer), and a more talented version of Anderson Varejao (Noah). It’s a talented team that would be one shooter away from being the title favorites. On top of that, he’ll be in a top five market with most of his games shown nationally on WGN. On paper, it’s a great team to join.

There are so serious issues though. If he finishes his career with the Bulls he’ll need at least two more MVP’s and five titles to even get in the conversation with Jordan. He’s a longshot to pass MJ historically as it is. If he doesn’t, he’ll only be remembered as the second greatest player in franchise history (not terrible when you consider Bird and Magic are in the same boat). I’d like to think that he wants to match Jordan, he can never do that in Chicago.

The other issue is Derrick Rose. Rumor has it he isn’t to fond of playing with James. He thinks the Bulls should have made a strong push for a shooter like Joe Johnson. When I read this, I interpret it as Rose not wanting to play second fiddle. He believes he can be the man on a title team and isn’t ready to give up his alpha dog status. True or not, it’s probably pushed James in another direction.

New York Knicks: Supposedly the Knicks have been pushing the idea of James becoming the first billion dollar athlete. The day will come when an athlete reaches that mark and James is a likely candidate. He knows the Knicks have been bracing for this day for a longtime. If they walk away from this free agency period with Amare Stoudemire as their biggest name, fans in the Big Apple will be devastated. I think the chances of him signing with the Knicks are still good. He’s making his decision close to the Knicks’ practice facility, which could be a sign. He also knows the LeBron James brand could not be bigger anywhere else. From a business standpoint, it’s the smartest decision.

Just like every other team on this list, there are consequences. Can you win a championship with Amare as your best post player? The Suns have had loaded teams over the years and could never get into the Finals. I’ve always believed that you need a physical post player who can rebound and block shots. That’s not what Amare is about. LeBron needs to start winning championships if he wants to be a top five player all-time, I don’t know if New York is the place where that can happen.

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NBA Free Agency – A New Era

Posted on June 30, 2010 by magicfanatic

Summer and Main took a week-long break. Trick’s been off trying to find himself in this crazy mixed up world and I’ve been on vacation in the Empire State. Regardless, we’re back on the perfect night. When the clock strikes midnight, all hell will break loose on the NBA. Free agency will open and a handful of the league’s top 10 players will be up for the picking. That’s right, there are other free agents besides LeBron. Here are some thoughts on this free agent crop.

LeBron James
When people talk about where James and other free agents they talk about winning championships and money. Of course those two things are important, but not more important than legacy. Like everybody in America, NBA players want to be remembered. Nobody will forget LeBron James, he’s already cemented his status as a legend. James is the only player who has a legitimate shot to unseat Jordan as the greatest perimeter player of all time. It is doable, but it’s going to take a lot of work.

Can he reach Jordan status in New York or Cleveland? I don’t believe so. He may will himself to multiple titles there, but if he wants six rings he needs to look elsewhere. Cleveland can’t provide a Pippen level player at this point. New York has to money to lure one in, but the front office has proven to be inept since the Ewing Era. Can LeBron trust them to build a team around him? Has he studied the history of that organization? I hope he has for his sake.

Chicago is probably the smartest move for LeBron. Regardless of where the chips fall, the Bulls are ready to compete. Here’s the problem with the Bulls that NOBODY is talking about: what if he can’t accomplish as much as Jordan? He’ll be remembered as one of the greatest players of all time, but only the second best player in his franchise’s history. He wants to be the All-Time top dog like Jordan and Bird. We all would want that. I’ll be surprised if he ends up in Chicago, but we’ll have to see how this plays out.

Dwayne Wade
At this point, it’s not a secret that Wade is headed back to the Magic City. He’s been recruiting other free agents and even talking smack about competing organizations. There is a chance that Wade could tag team with LeBron, creating one of the best duo’s in league history. I highly doubt it happens for a couple of reasons.

1) Does Wade want to play second fiddle? How does that affect Wade’s legacy? Even if he wins multiple titles, he’ll never be historically better than Kevin McHale, Bob Cousy, or Scottie Pippen. Wade has an outside shot to reach the Bryant, Bird, Magic level historically. He needs to be the top dog, LeBron would hold him back.

2) Does LeBron really want to play in Miami? I highly doubt LeBron wants to come to Wade County. He’ll be the best player, but he’ll have to share the star treatment. Plus, Cleveland fans are far and away more passionate than Miami fans. LeBron’s seen those crowds, he knows there is no energy to feed on in the AAA.

The Heat will grab a second free agent worth celebrating for. Wade will have a team that will compete for a title soon. He doesn’t need LeBron, he’ll be fine.

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Summer and Main Mock Draft – The Other Half

Posted on June 23, 2010 by magicfanatic

Let’s get it going…

15. Milwaukee Bucks: Ekpe Oduh, PF from Baylor – The Bucks are going to be explosive next year. They already had plenty of scoring threats, but now they’ve added offensive and defensive wings in Maggette and Douglas-Roberts. Their only real need is at the four and Oduh fits like a glove. He’s an explosive big who can play with or back up Andrew Bogut. He’s one of the few non lottery picks who has a real chance of starting when the season begins. I’m excited to see him develop next year.

16. Minnesota Timberwolves: Daniel Orton, C from Kentucky - This pick is probably going to Memphis, but I think Orton goes either way. He’s a prototypical center with a lot of size. He adds depth to the front court and insurance after they move Al Jefferson (It will happen). Luke Babbitt is also an option. He’s the best player on the board and the Wolves have already proven they are not afraid to double down in the draft.

17. Chicago Bulls: Luke Babbitt, SF from Nevada -  I wouldn’t be shocked if this pick gets moved in order to clear cap space. Their main focus is free agency and not bringing in projects. Still, the best player on the board fits a need. The Bulls are thin on the wing after Luol Deng and could use some help. Babbitt adds depth and versatility, as he can play power forward in certain lineups.

18. Oklahoma City Thunder: Damion James, SF from Texas – The Thunder just moved up here, which usually means they’ve targeted someone. However, they only gave up a second round pick and took in Daequan Cook. Odds are they just took advantage of a good situation. The pieces are all in place in Oklahoma City. Their starting five is all but set for years to come, assuming BJ Mullins eventually reaches his potential. Damion James is a quality player who doesn’t need time to mature. He’ll give the Thunder athleticism and defense behind Jeff Green. He’s a quality pick for the Thunder at 18.

19. Boston Celtics: Avery Bradley, SG from Texas – The Celtics aren’t exactly built for the future. They need help at every position in the long run. Just so happens the best player on the board is a young slashing guard who will need time to improve. An environment with Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce has already proven to breed star players. Rajon Rondo was a decent prospect but was put in the most comfortable lineup in the NBA. Now he’s an elite point guard. Maybe the Boston Three Party can work their magic on a young guard one more time.

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Summer and Main NBA Mock Draft – The Lottery

Posted on June 22, 2010 by magicfanatic

Anyone who knows me well leaves me alone when the NBA Draft is on. I love every minute of it, it’s the most entertaining draft in American sports. Unlike most leagues, teams are only given two picks. If you screw up, it will be remembered forever. Does anybody ever talk about how the Blazers were able to grab LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy in the same night? No, they talk about how they passed on Michael Jordan and Kevin Durant.

Needless to say there is a lot at stake Thursday night and I can’t wait. Being that everybody and their mother publishes a mock draft, I figured Summer and Main should jump on the bandwagon. So here it is, Summer and Main’s uneducated, uninformed predictions on the 2010 NBA Draft. Like all mock’s, this takes place in an imaginary world where trades don’t take place…So yeah, it’s going to be very wrong come Thursday night.

1. Washington Wizards: John Wall, PG from Kentucky - Not a shock, although Washington is in desperate need for size they have to take the guaranteed star. If there was a perfect specimen for the point guard position, John Wall fits the bill. I’m gonna leave it at that because A) You’ve probably heard enough about him already and B) Trick gets a hard on every time his name is brought up.

2. Philadelphia 76ers: Derrick Favors, PF from Georgia Tech - Although Evan Turner is the consensus No. 2 player on the board, the 76ers have to go with position need with the second pick. They recently traded for Andres Nocioni and they already have wing players in Iggy and Thad Young. Bringing in Turner, the most NBA ready player available, would just clog up minutes. Either Turner’s development will be stunted or somebody will pitch a fit. They knew this when they made the trade, which says to me they wanted Favors all along. When scouts started to compare Favors’ body to that of Dwight Howard, it was over. Favors is a special physical specimen who can develop while backing up Spencer Hawes and Elton Brand. It’s a good situation for him and a great pick by the 76ers. With that said, I do expect the 76ers to shop this pick.

3. New Jersey Nets: Evan Turner, SG from Ohio State - The Nets are in the comfortable position of building a team around 25 million dollars in cap space and whoever they choose with the third pick. They don’t have to worry about position needs as this team will look incredibly different next season regardless. Evan Turner is the perfect player for them as he can play multiple positions without being a defensive liability. He’s been compared to Brandon Roy, but I honestly saw more in Roy coming out of college than I do with Turner. Regardless, he’s ready to contribute and is talented enough to lure a big name free agent. There is no way Turner will fall past the Nets.

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AMERICA, WIN ONE!!!

Posted on June 22, 2010 by Trick

Hey US, You Just Got Punked!!!

Uncle Sam’s Army enters the final game of the group play in the 2010 World Cup with a 0-1-2 record with ties coming against Slovenia and England and of course its loss to a one-man Mali squad. However, the Yanks can salvage their second round hopes with a victory over the 30th ranked Algerians, who can also still advance with their 0-1-1 mark. 

Everyone from Alexi Lalas, who has been great on the WC coverage…FYI, to David Beckham both know that if the US does not advance out of Group C it would be a huge disappointment and would hurt America’s interest in the sport. I for one have enjoyed hearing old men in the golf clubhouse speaking about the WC instead of the typical SEC Football or Atlanta Braves. For a lifelong soccer aficionado, this has been quite the sight to see and hear. 

So one team stands in the way of Uncle Sam advancing to the knock-out stage the way it did in 2002 and 1994 and that is Algeria, the second largest nation in Africa. The Algerians have been less than impressive in the WC so far with 0 goals and didn’t put up much of an offensive threat against England in their last match. One thing that Algeria has going for it is that they have only allowed one goal, while the Yanks have allowed three goals in only two matches.  

Shutout = Good Thing, It's Science

One has to believe that they are due for a goal as not many teams go scoreless throughout the group stage, but on the other hand the US hasn’t had a shutout in World Cup play since 2002 in a 2-0 victory over Mexico in the Round of 16. So one of the two streaks has to give on Wednesday morning, let’s just hope for the latter. 

Many have speculated about the US team’s psyche coming off the blown call of the tournament thus far by Koman Coulibaly, but I see it the other way. The US had a wake-up call (no pun intended) against the Slovenians as they allowed themselves to get behind early against an inferior team and allowed a terrible call by a referee decide the outcome of the game. Landon Donovan and Co. realized after the game against Slovakia that they were fortunate to come back from a 2-0 deficit and that they may not be able to achieve that for a third-straight game. 

They earned a second chance with their gritty comeback against Slovenia and can take some heat off Coulibaly with a win on Wednesday. 

So finally the US must take a stand on Wednesday and crush Algeria. I’m not talking about a 1-0 victory, they need a 3-0 pounding similar to the one that they gave Egypt in the Confederations Cup last year in the last game of the group stage. That victory propelled them to a 2-0 victory over Spain, the then world number one team, and a halftime lead over Brazil, the now world number one team. 

Am I saying that if the US handily defeats Algeria tomorrow that they will advance far in the knockout stage? No. But am I saying that they have a chance to advance to possibly the quarterfinals? Absolutely. 

We have seen so far in this edition of the WC that anything is possible as France and England have been utter disappointments, while Spain, many people’s favorites to win it all, fell in their first game to the Swiss. With Germany, Serbia and Ghana fighting it out for the top spot in Group D, the US has a chance to play a lower ranked team in the Round of 16 as Ghana and Serbia are ranked 32nd and 15th. 

All the pieces are in place for the US to have an impressive showing in this WC so I’m hopeful that Bob Bradley will rally the troops on Wednesday and they will come out — and not allow an early goal – and advance with a victory over the Algers. That is as long as the US can avoid any referees from Algeria’s neighbors to the southwest.
 

Algeria and Mali, Partners in Crime?

Filed under: Soccer, Trick's Posts | Leave a Comment »

Real Talk: Andre Ward

Posted on June 21, 2010 by magicfanatic

Young boxers come a dime a dozen. I feel like I hear about a new prospect every week. Some of them develop into champions while most fade away. Only a few actually become special fighters.

After winning a gold medal in the 2004 Olympic Games, Andre Ward was developed slowly. Due to injury and carefully matched opponents, it seemed like Ward would never match his potential. Last year he finally reached the top of the super middleweight division, defeating Mikkel Kessler for the WBA title. Saturday night, he took it a step further. Ward proved that he truly was a special fighter.

In the build up, Ward described Allan Green as a bully. Although Green packed a huge punch, Ward was expected to outbox the bigger man. Ward exceeded those expectations. He didn’t just outbox Green, he flat-out beat him up. He focused on fighting an inside fight and muscled Green around the ring. It may not have been entertained the MMA crowd, but the classic boxing fans were left stunned.

We had never seen this in Ward. He was always a boxer first, choosing to out point solid fighters in Kessler and Edison Miranda. Saturday night he turned into a slugger, bringing the fight to the puncher. He used his whole body to pin Green up against the ropes, taking away Green’s reach. His inside punching was shockingly great. Who’d have thought a young boxer could flip the switch like that? Very few fighters could, and most of them are current or future hall-of-famers.

By round six, Green had no answers. Ward never scored a knockout, but the fight effectively ended halfway through. By the 11th round, Green’s offense was nonexistent. It was great to see someone talk so much shit, yet be so thoroughly dominated. Ward did not give up a  single round. I view it as the finest performance of his young career.

Ward is an intelligent, quick fighter who can win in multiple ways. He takes advantage of his opponent’s vulnerabilities and fights dirty on occasion. After Saturday night, many analysts have described Ward as Bernard Hopkins 2.0. However, there are many differences between Hopkins and Ward. B-Hop served a jail sentence, made racist comments towards White America, and is flat out ugly. On the other hand, Ward is an All-American family man, someone who wears his Christianity on his sleeves, and has (dare I say it) the golden boy smile. Basically, he is a marketable version of Hopkins.

The Super Six tournament is not meant for anyone to go undefeated throughout it. Yet Ward seems to be far and away the best fighter in the group. Odds are, Ward will have five wins in a row against the top fighters at 168. After that, the sky is the limit. Ward proved he has the potential to be the top pound-for-pound fighter in boxing. It’s not hard to imagine Ward fighting Chad Dawson for that title in a few years.

For now, Ward just has to keep his momentum going through the group stage. Andre Dirrell is next, and he’s no cake walk. Despite the fact that Dirrell is probably the quicker of the two, I have a feeling that Ward can’t be stopped at this point. He’s a special fighter on a path towards the top of the sport. I’m going to sit back and enjoy every one of his bouts, because fighters like Andre Ward only come along so often.

Filed under: Boxing, Magic Fanatic's Posts, Real Talk | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

Karma is a Female Dog

Posted on June 20, 2010 by Trick


“For every event that occurs, there will follow another event whose existence was caused by the first, and this second event will be pleasant or unpleasant according as its cause was skillful or unskillful.”

So after a loss and a tie in the group stage of the 2010 World Cup, France’s soccer squad is in shambles and I am not the only one who is loving it.

In the past few days, striker Nicolas Anelka was dismissed from the team after questioning head coach Raymond Domenech’s tactics during the world tournament, while Jean-Louis Valentin, the team director, resigned from his post yesterday. The team’s fitness coach, Robert Duvene, got into an argument with Domenech and quit before the practice began by shot putting his whistle and credentials as he stormed off.

To go on top of the resignations and team dismissals, the french team refused to practice — or as foreigners call it “training” — on Sunday in preparation for their last match against South Africa later this week.

There is so much drama  on the french national team right now that they could make a soap opera about it. My suggestion for the show’s name would be “Les MiseraBleus.”

I know one nation that is revelling in France’s struggles is Ireland. The Irish national soccer team didn’t have much luck against Les Bleus earlier in World Cup qualifying as a Thierry Henry handball went unseen by the referee (He must have been from Mali) and  led to a goal against the Blarney Stones, which in effect knocked the Irish out of the World Cup and the French into it.

Someone needs to work on his leadership skills

Soccer analysts and media members alike were calling for France and Ireland to replay the game and for Henry to sit out the world cup. FIFA finally said that the game would not be replayed — like that would have ever happened — and that Ireland would not receive an exemption into the WC. So the Irish returned to their pubs with their heads drooped down, while the Frenchies took a big sigh of relief in and turned their concern to South Africa

For a team that was in the World Cup Championship game only four years ago is now only one game away from not making it out of the group stage and is on the brink of one of the worst showings since uhhmmmmm well Italy in 2010, who is also struggling in group stage, but thats another subject all together. Since their runner-up title in 2006 to the Italians, the French failed to escape the group stage in the EuroCup and jeers have been heard throughout the nation with people calling for the firing of Domenech, yet the stubborn frenchies stayed with their much-maligned leader.

It is true that France can still advance and do well in this world cup, but all signs are pointing towards their dismissal from the international tournament and a subsequent firing of Domenech. Since his players have already questioned his coaching, decision-making and essentially quit on their coach, I truly doubt that Les Bleus will have a good showing against South Africa and go home as a 2010 WC bust.

So France, on behalf of Ireland and the rest of the world I would like to bid you an early adieu from the world cup and good luck on the coaching search.

PS: I didn’t even mention Zinedine Zidane.

Filed under: Soccer, Trick's Posts | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

NBA Finals Game 7: Anything is Possible

Posted on June 17, 2010 by Trick

Since my prediction of Lakers in six is long gone I am torn on who I want to win. I would love to see Rajon Rondo take home his second NBA Championships and make the state of Kentucky proud.

If the Celtics are to win tonight there is a strong chance that Rondo would receive the NBA Finals MVP award which would be awesome and a Big FU to all those media members that said Rondo wasn’t that good. Not to mention it would make KEntucky look good.

However, if the Celtics were to win that means that Paul Pierce wins another title and I hatttttttte Paul Pierce. So seeing Kobe take home another title would be pretty cool because that would back my claim that he is still the best player in the league.

So with all things considered I hope that the Celtics win – and Pierce breaks his leg - for my boy Rondo because I have to stay true to my roots.

Rondo, NBA Final MVP?

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KTFO of the Week – Green KO’s Codrington

Posted on June 16, 2010 by magicfanatic

Considering the timing, I couldn’t have gone with a better choice this week. Allan Green debuts in the Super Six Tournament this Saturday against Andre Ward. Ward is the superior boxer, but as seen in the video Green has the ultimate equalizer. He’s got the power to take out anybody in this tournament.  No more introduction is needed, the KO speaks for itself.

For more on Allan Green, I’d click here to read Avi Korine’s piece from earlier in the day. I’ve been reading his work for a while and along with Anthony Wilson, he runs the best boxing blog on the net.

Filed under: Boxing, Magic Fanatic's Posts | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

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