NBA's Elite 8

05/01/2011 16:02:00

The NBA Playoffs are a two month long juggernaut of games filledwith the best players in the entire world battling for brutal seven game series.Many pundits predicted that this year’s playoffs could possibly be the best ever. As we open the 2 round tonight, do you think they lived up to the hype? I have a difficult time answering that because living in Europe means 2am tip offs. I love my basketball but I also love my sleep! Following strictly through ESPN and NBA.com highlights, I have been very intrigued. This year’s tournament is flooded with Stars old and new. It’s interesting watching the young emerging stars such as D-Rose and Durant trying to unseat the Alpha Dogs such as Kobe’s Lakers and Boston’s big 3. Both the Thunder and Bulls have created teams that could win championships in the future. Is it possible thatit begins in this year’s playoffs?

Like many before the playoffs began I was asked, “who you got in the Finals?!” The last few seasons, this has been an easy answer. This year I wasn’t so certain. However, uncertainty in sports creates excitement! Now that we are in the 2round, I’m even more uncertain. The fan in me has changed as I’ve gotten older.I now pull for players more so teams and just want to see good matchups and Good basketball. In my younger days, I was a die hard fan of the Chicago Bulls!When they lost a game, my whole day would be ruin and I think I dealt withtheir losses worst than they did. But when they won, I would immediately go tomy court and pretend I was Bulls (even playing every player) playing againstthe opponent.

It is a great time to be a basketball fan and I would enjoy any combination in the Finals except for Memphis. So who do I choose?! I’m torn as my heart is takingme in different directions but like I was always told, go with your gut and younever go wrong. I am beginning to believing in the youth movement and I’m goingto go with Chicago Bulls vs. Oklahoma Thunder Final (Thanking Danny Ainge)! Due to Kobe’s knees and obvious lost of athleticism this is the transition year andthere will be new faces of the league. What’s your prediction?!

End of the Big Dance

04/14/2011 03:09:00

Every year, I join ESPN’s tournament Challenge feeling confident that I have the winning Lottery numbers to the NCAA Bracket. My preparations are closing my eyes and telling myself the same line I have said repeatedly for the past 10 years; I am going to pick a great deal of upsets! However; once I began making my selections I fall back into my old ways and begin selecting the favorites. Where do the favorites get me?! The middle of the pack in D. Altman’s Coterie’s group and a ranking of 3,662,662 in all submitted brackets.

In this year’s tournament, there were NO number 1 or 2 seeds in the Final Four with only one number 1 seed making as far as the Elite 8. It’s incredible how unpredictable this tournament can be. Out of 5.9 million brackets only 889 people picked a Butler-Connecticut national title game matchup. Even more intriguing, only 2 people correctly picked a Final Four of Kentucky, UConn, Butler, and VCU.

There is more parity than ever in College Basketball. In the 90’s college basketball was dominated by upperclassmen with the likes of Duke and Kentucky just to name a few. In this era, there are no more great teams. It is dominated by super Freshman and underclassmen who jet off to the NBA after 1 good season. The continuity and chemistry is lost due to a change in roster every year which is a reason The Big Boys suffer. However, “One’s lost is another man’s gain.” Mid majors are gaining that exposure and an opportunity to perform on a National stage. These David’s usually lack NBA prospects therefore they have upperclassmen that have grown together and built cohesiveness which usually go a long way in the game of basketball.

With that being said, I don’t want to take anything away from these “Cinderella’s” because each team has gotten this far for more than just having the intangibles. These teams are very skilled and this skill is developed through hard work. Hard work pays off and this inspires us all knowing that if you just work hard you always have a chance to succeed against natural talent. Whether you are a Star on your Varsity or Junior High team; or one of those guys that it takes everything you have just to keep up with the very good players. Always remember that by outworking them you always stand a chance!

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NBA's Elite 8

End of the Big Dance