Anybody who visits this site must have known that I was not going to let this series go by without my own take on the rivalry. There are plenty of articles out there with much more comprehensive knowledge and analysis of the current series, which begins tonight at 7:30pm. Instead of focusing on that, let us take a look back on, what I believe, one of the greatest rivalries in sports history.
It is not clear when the rivalry initially began although the two teams met in the playoffs multiple times. In 1996, the Avalanche took the first shot as they defeated the Wings in the Conference Finals. The Avs would go on to win the Stanley Cup. That initial series would start a series of battles for years to go. Claude Lemieux created quite the stir with his cheap shot on Red Wings’ Kris Draper.
The next season brought us the greatest hockey game ever in my opinion. I did some research for the this post, but I did not need any to remember the date of this game, March 26, 1997. I was able to rewatch this game through the joys of DVD and I highly suggest any hockey fan to get the Red Wings DVD from netflix or somewhere. The puck dropped and fights broke out. Every 4-5 minutes a new fight started. The big one came when Darren McCarty avenged Draper by going straight and Lemieux. This classic brawl ended with Lemieux taking a bloody face, goalies fighting at center ice, and more bad blood. The Wings won the game in dramatic fashion with a game-winning goal in overtime to win 6-5. It is the greatest regular season hockey game of all time.
So, what happened the rest of the Nineties? Well, the Wings won in 1997 in the playoffs. No series in 1998, but the Red Wings won the cup. In 1999, the Avs took down the Wings and went on to win it all. The last great series was in 2002 when the Wings took down Patrick Roy and the Avalanche in seven games, winning game seven in a blowout.
Does any of this matter tonight? Not really. There are a few players still around for the Red Wings like Kris Draper, Darren McCarty, Nikolas Lidstrom, and Chris Osgood. The Avalanche have a few players left including Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, and Adam Foote. It has been so long since the hatred between these teams took place. In the end this series should give fans of both teams a great reminder of what was the greatest rivalry we have seen in our generation.
I apologize as this is a few days late. I was out of town and did not have access to my Xbox. Here it is folks…
Western Conference
Lakers def. Nuggets (4-1)
Rockets def. Jazz (4-2)
Spurs def. Suns (4-1)
Mavericks def. Hornets (4-1)
Rockets def. Lakers (4-2)
Mavericks def. Spurs (4-1)
Eastern Conference
Celtics def. Hawks (4-3)
Cavaliers def. Wizards (4-2)
Magic def. Raptors (4-1)
Pistons def. 76ers (4-0)
Celtics def. Cavaliers (4-2)
Pistons def. Magic (4-2)
Mavericks def. Rockets (4-1)
Celtics def. Pistons (4-1)
Mavericks def. Celtics (4-0)
There it is! Your 2008 NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks! Yea, I do not see that happening either, but who knows? It is entirely possible, especially with the crazy Western Conference.
The Washingon Wizards made it widely known that they were excited to be playing Cleveland in the first round of the playoffs. They also talked extensively about how they were going to knock LeBron James around in an attempt to shut him down. How’s that working out for you, Wiz?
Let’s just say the Cavs have dominated the first two games of the series and will probably end up sweeping or winning in five. The fantastic beat-down strategy of Washington’s coach Eddie Jordan has yet to pay off as LeBron has torched them twice now.
I don’t know what anyone else thinks but Eddie Jordan needs to be fired, especially if this is the best he can do. You know the team isn’t going to win a playoff series when their strategy is to hit and hurt the other team’s players. Jordan obviously has no confidence in his players to go out and beat a mediocre Cavs team. Congratulations for looking like the biggest idiot in the league right now for not being able to 1) come up with a feasible strategy to stop ONE player; 2) control your players and keep them from flagrant fouls; and 3) not being able to win, or come close to winning, with what was the ‘best’ Big Three all of last season! Sure it doesn’t help that Agent Zero has done zero thus far, but something tells me Butler and Jamison have some confidence in their abilities after what was a respectable regualr season.
To reflect, the Wizards are embarassing themselves, Eddie Jordan is an awful coach, and the Cavs look like stars. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t exactly like the Cavs or LeBron but when a 7-foot Center intentionally shoves him from mid-air into the first row, something has to be said. Hopefully the Cavs get the sweep so we don’t have to watch this pathetic Wizards team. Hey, Washington’s GM, I hope you’re reading me and do something about it…you know your team’s in trouble when an NBA fanatic like me can’t stand watching your team anymore. Do the right thing.
A barrage of spring games have or will occur on campuses around the nation. What do people see in these games? Tens of thousands of fans go to see the Florida, Oklahoma, and other spring games. The only good to come of this, it seems to me, is to get out in the sun to do something. Is this country really that obsessed with college football, or football in general? The answer is yes if we are constantly discussing these games. We do realize that the NBA and NHL playoffs are in full swing right? The purpose of pointing this out is to give some sense to people who love sports.
I have a couple of problems with the spring games. First, the importance is so small, yet, we are seeing stories all around the country about these games. People take time out of their day to analyze how players did. It is common to see analysts seriously predict who will start for teams based off of this game! I am hoping that the majority realize that this is a practice that does not determine these positions. Games will not start for months. It is simply a glorified practice that is more of a show than a predictor of the future.
Second, their are some that want to see all these star players in an intense game situation. Well, I don’t want to see my star running back out on the field for the whole game taking a beating. The risk of injury is so great in football already, why do we want to risk the health of these players?
While I am personally not obsessed with the sport of football, I understand that people love the game. Still, these spring games are way over-glorified. There is no true importance, and the risk of injury is too great. I do not want to tell people not to go to these games. Go for it. Have fun. Enjoy the nice weather. Hang out with friends. I am only asking not to take too much from this practice that is four months removed from the start of the actual college football season.
Yes, the Rockies and Padres played 22 innings in last night’s thrilling 2-1 final. So, what does this mean? A lot of analysts think that something needs to be changed immediately. Some feel as if the rules can’t be changed because one game lasted longer than any other in the past 15 years.
I must think back to when I stated that I love NHL playoff overtimes that last until 2am. I don’t feel the same way about baseball because I find baseball to be somewhat boring after five hours. I also realize it would be hypocritical if I did not agree with the later statement. Still, there are two reasons why I think this is perfectly fine, and it has to be exciting for the baseball enthusiast.
1. It is the nature of the sport. You can’t change rules like this one because it is one of the aspects that makes baseball unique. When the NHL added the shootout during the regular season that was fine. Why? Because shootouts have been in hockey for years and years. With baseball, what would you do differently? You can’t make it sudden death due to the backlash that would cause. It can’t end in a tie. We know how that went over during the all-star game. In the end, baseball is baseball. Extra innings is just part of the sport.
2. It is actually rather exciting! Similar to hockey overtime, baseball extra innings can provide some of the most exciting moments in sports. Personally, I would get bored after the 15th inning, but many people do not agree with me. I can surely see where they are coming from. With baseball, one swing of the bat could end the game. The fans have to be on the edge of their seats (at least for the first four hours) waiting for that offense to explode. It also gives the fans a chance to see how deep these teams are, and to see how the teams deal with troubling times.
There is no reason for any rules to be changed. This sort of game does not happen often. When it does, it is special. Look at how much press these low-market teams (low compared to the Sox/Yankees series) are getting. It is special for these players and fans to say “Yea, that’s right. I stayed for all six hours and 16 minutes of that game!”
The NBA is split up into two conferences…the Eastern and Western. Each conference has its own divisions and own standings. This seems simple enough…and harmless. However, when one conference has nine teams that are 14 games over .500 or better there must be a problem.
The Western Conference is far superior depth-wise than the Eastern. This year, nine teams are 14 games over .500 as compared to the East which only has five teams over .500 at all. And, only three of which are 14+ games over .500. My point: there should be no conferences in the NBA.
At first thought this sounds like a crazy idea. Afterall, conferences help develop travel schedules for teams and create some good rivalries. However, the six different divisions in the NBA do the same. So, if conferences were eliminated all together, teams could just play division rivals more often and all other teams at least once or twice throughout the season. This would allow the playoffs to be purely a 16-team bracket as opposed to two 8-team brackets. Also, there wouldn’t be an eight-team limit to how many teams from a conference can make the playoffs. For example, in this season, Golden State wouldn’t be left out with their 48-34 record, which is better than all but three teams in the Eastern Conference! Furthermore, this would enable a better seeding process as it would be based soley on record regardless of where your city is located or what conference or division you’re in. In that case, the 55-27 Suns wouldn’t have to play the 56-26 Spurs on the road in the first round, which is absolutely ridiculous in the first place! What an awful reward for Phoenix after a season in which they were 28 games over .500.
All in all, it would do the NBA good to get rid of the conferences and go to a 16-team playoff bracket. Aside from the benefits for teams and players and being rewarded on a good season, the fans might enjoy this more as well. We’ve seen how successful and popular the NCAA Tournament is with its 65-team draw…so why not take a page out of their book and make the NBA more interesting with a bigger bracket? If David Stern is seriously looking into developing the NBA in Europe and having some European teams in the NBA, he might want to think about conference play first. What is he going to do, put all those teams in the Eastern Conference? Maybe he should perfect the NBA in the U.S. before he does anything too dramatic in another country. Just a thought, Commish; take a look at my suggestion first.
One year later. There are a lot of articles out there about what this day means to people all over the country. To me, however, this day begins and ends at Virginia Tech. We should be focusing our attention on remembering those who were killed one year ago. We should be focusing on the feeling of safety that was fractured on that day. I write this particular article in a classroom similar to those that the event took place. As I sit here, I cannot imagine what the feeling would be like to see someone do what that man did. At the least, the victims deserve to not be forgotten. They deserve our attention to be focused not on other possible tragedies but the one that actually occurred.
It is rather disturbing that it takes a tragedy like this to get the cities and the campuses to take action. Days after the event, campuses around the country were cracking down on emergency systems. An overreaction, in my opinion, as I still do not believe there is much that the officials could have done. Days after the event, students around the country, including me, were glued to CNN and other news services to find out any information on why someone would do this. Days after the event, people wanted to know what actions would be taken to prevent this from happening again. Here in Madison, a girl was recently murdered a few blocks from where I live. Days after that tragedy, police were seen everywhere. There were four to a corner, six to a block, and 15 to a neighborhood. The point is that no matter how many police we have roaming the streets now, we cannot go back and prevent the murder from occurring. The safety we hold so dear is only protected after a tragedy. It is not enough to be prepared after a tragedy. Cities and campuses must be prepared before a tragedy. That is much easier said than done.
I have digressed from the main point of this post. This is a day for remembrance. It is a reminder that life can be taken away so quickly. It is a reminder of the disaster that can strike. Finally, it is a reminder of how we, as a society or student body, can come together and be one to celebrate life as a daily routine, rather than wait to come together to mourn death.
People ask me all the time why I think the NBA is better. I have described my answer in length before. Still, one reason remained omitted from that original post. The constant turnover in college basketball is something that I think plagues the sport today. Don’t get me wrong. I do not believe that players like Memphis’ Derrick Rose or KSU’s Michael Beasley should have stayed in college. They are incredibly blessed talents that have an opportunity to make millions and live their dream. It is not their fault; it is not the NBA’s fault; it is nobody’s fault. I apologize in advance my use of, “It is what it is.”
Some people may enjoy the fact that every year new teams can rise up with brand new talent. I am more old school in my enjoyment watching a player compete for at least three maybe four years with a team. Rivalries cannot be the same when players are being rotated every year. Sure, two players may hate each other during the season, but next year they probably won’t play each other. Think about if Duke and UNC kept the same team, relatively, for four years. The rivalry that it is now, which is already big, would be multiplied four times in magnitude. KSU was lucky enough to recruit a talent like Beasley. Well, that was fun for one year, now they go back to being a mediocre Big 12 team.
I can see how people like this turnover, I am just not one of them. It is so special to have someone put all his heart into a college for a few years. For the Badger fans out there, was it not amazing to see Alando Tucker finish his career out last year? That was so special outside of the basketball court. College basketball does not give us what we deserve. A fan can truly brag about a player like Tucker or Shane Battier of Duke. Are you really going to take a KSU fan seriously when they say, “Wow, we are so cool because Beasley played here.” It is not the same, and it hurts college basketball.
Like I said before, this is nobody’s fault. Nothing is going to change. It is just another reason why I enjoy the NBA more for the most part. You know when your team faces the Lakers that Kobe Bryant is there. Sure, there are times when players come and go, but it is rather rare to fine a star player leave in one year. I wish guys like Rose and Beasley all the luck in the world. I do not blame them for the decision, heck, I would have gone to the NBA if I had that kind of talent. In the end, college basketball will be very sad to see athletes like this leave.
We get it. It is a rivalry. ESPN, here is a hint. Boston and New York are rather close to each other meaning that 90% of the country does not need to see every game between these two teams! Not only do we get every game now. We get a good five minutes on Sportscenter the next day to admire how great of a rivalry it has become. The fact is that I do not need to watch these two teams play every game against each other. If it was one or two games I understand. For example, the Bears/Packers games should most likely be on national television because that rivalry is great and they play twice a year. This rivalry however plays double digit games each year. The novelty is gone!
I complain about this every year. Unfortunately, ESPN usually does not hear my babbling directed at my television screen. Therefore, they continue to show this series. My point to this whole rant is that I want to know if people outside of Boston and New York genuinely would rather see these two teams play 15 times, or would they rather see a variety of teams on national television. There are so many teams that deserve to be seen. Still, when the Sox and Yankees are playing each other the whole league has to stop and watch them play.
Please, let me know if you are a fan of the Cardinals and are really excited for each game in the never-ending series between these two teams. If not, you agree with me that we all get it. And, as usual, if you agree with me, you are right.
The NBA season is just about ending, and the MVP race is more undecided now than ever. The Celtics have the best record in the NBA, the Lakers, Hornets and Rockets are all tied in the loss column in the West, and Detroit is still the most experienced team in the league. All five of these teams have a major all-star who without him, would be nothing more than an average NBA team.
The Boston Celtics have improved more than any team in NBA history over the course of one season and many wonder how they did it. Well, to me, it’s obvious. Kevin Garnett is quite possibly the best all around player in the NBA and has brought that team a unity that is second to none. His ability to teach and mentor several young players has been proven as the Celtics are the best all-around NBA team right now.
The Lakers have perhaps the most well-known player in the NBA, Kobe Bryant. Not much needs to be said about him other than he can single handedly beat almost every team in the NBA. On any given night, he could score 70 points while shutting down the other team’s best offensive threat. He is the favorite right now to win the MVP award this year.
New Orleans is definitely a fan-favorite team this season as they kept up their success from last season to become one of the best teams in the NBA. Chris Paul is the engine that makes that team go. Without him, the Hornets would be somewhere between 12th and 14th in the West. I don’t mean to discount the play of key role players like David West and Tyson Chandler, but Chris Paul makes those guys so much better. They get open shots and easy dunks all game long because of the superiority of Paul’s point guard skills.
Houston has been the most interesting story thus far. They now hold the second longest win streak in NBA history…and got to that point without their best player. When Yao went out, nearly everyone wrote off the Rockets’ playoff chances. Well, Tracy McGrady had a different thought in mind as he put all those young role players on his back and has taken them to the top of the Western Conference. He showed a consistency and confidence that most players never possess. His versatility on the offensive end always means they have a shot to win big games.
The Pistons have been one of the best teams for the past several years. Chauncey Billups is without doubt the most important player on that team. He has tremendous offensive skills as no other point guard in the leage can stop him. He also possesses the toughness and defensive determination with which the Pistons team has won an NBA championsip.
My pick: Chris Paul. He has been the best player in the NBA throughout the entire season and makes his somewhat average supporting cast and weak bench the best team in the Western Conference. While Kobe and KG have incredible teams, they have other help on a nightly basis. Paul has to show up in all-star form on every night in order for his team to win…and he has done that.
