NBA season is here and THE WIRK v THE RICK is ON

I'm going head to head with my buddy Ricky at www.believeinthestreak.com since it's the 1st night of the NBA season.  It's all for "love of the game", but since we're known to spend some time in a Las Vegas sportsbook, we figured a friendly competition could be fun.

We're both starting with 1000 units.  We'll iron out the rules when he calls me, but here's a starting point.

For obvious reasons we seemed to both want to stay away from the Washington Wizards v Cleveland Cavs game.  Why?  Garbage teams are very difficult to bet for or against.  Wagering on basketball is difficult enough without adding that level of unpredictability. 

As you can see, we both like the Miami Heat to cover -6.5 tonight.

Ricky is taking the over +185.5 in the Dallas Mavericks v Los Angeles Lakers game.  I'm comfortable taking the Lakers with the line -9.  I don't like over/unders.  Betting totals is an interesting skill, that I haven't mastered.  Plus, with it being the 1st game of the season, Dirk Nowitzki being day-to-day and Kobe Bryant "questionable", I don't know where the scoring will come from.

Game ON.

THE WIRK

Yankees defeat the Nats in the 1st game of a 3 game series

I know this blog has been quiet lately, because I've been in and out of the country.  Now that I'm "back", lately I've been focusing more on baseball than basketball since I can't stand the thought of the LeBron James and the Miami Heat winning the 2012 NBA Championship...  Come on Oklahoma City Thunder!!!

OK, enough of that.  Back to the point of this post.

Did you know that the New York Yankees hadn't played the Washington Nationals in DC since June 2006?!?!  Those games were played at RFK Stadium.  No wonder people were buzzing...

I have a lot of friends in the DC area who are Yankees' fans and this series was all they could talk about.  When I was playing on the Nationals' ticketing website, I spotted a pair of good seats behind home plate slightly towards the 3rd base line...  Who doesn't want to be closer to A-Rod?!!?  Let's be real.  Alex Rodriguez is much better looking than Derek Jeter.  Needless to say, I grabbed the seats as fast as I could and called my Jetah-loving friend, Teri, to let her know we were golden!

I went to the game, thinking that the Nats would play better than they did.  I was also excited to finally see Bryce Harper play.  Unfortunately, I can't remember him doing anything memorable at the game...

The AL East leading New York Yankees came to DC and beat the NL East Washington Nationals by a score of 7-2 on Friday night, and I was hooked.  After the game I went straight to the ticket window and picked up a ticket in the PNC Diamond Club for Saturday's afternoon game.  ****  If you haven't been to the Diamond Club yet, I think you should go.  It's a great place to watch a game and reasonably priced if you go there hungry and thirsty! 

Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Photos from Game 6, Mavs v Heat ~ Mavericks win the 2011 NBA Championship

By now we all know how Game 6 between the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat went down.  I don't feel like rehashing it.  I do feel like I should share some of my favorite images from the game.  It's taken me far too long to download these and post them.  Sorry!

Heat player introductions



Dwyane Wade hugs his mom before the game starts



These Cavs/Mavs shirts are actually sold out...

 

Plenty of Mavs fans in the building



2011 NBA Champion trophy presentation



Dirk Nowitzki is MVP.  Bill Russell is about to present the trophy.



Dirk shows the fans his trophy long after the game has ended.



Finally, Cuban speaks...  He's one happy owner!

I almost forgot.  Here's a video for you.  The Miami Heat Dancers are the best dance team I've ever seen ~ and I've been to many arenas.  For those of you that haven't seen them do their thing.  Here you are.  Don't say that I never gave you anything.




THE WIRK

A few iPhone pics from Game 6 of the 2011 NBA Finals ~ Mavericks win!

Yes, I went to the Game 6 of the NBA finals.  Yes, I saw the Dallas Mavericks defeat the Miami Heat for the 2011 NBA Championship.  Yes, I have pictures from my camera to post. 

These are a few pictures from my iPhone.  One is the view from my seat.  The other is the NBA Finals crew of Stuart Scott, Jon Barry, Michael Wilbon, and Magic Johnson.  The last one is of the two Miami Heat fans behind me.

No, I don't have the energy to write up my thoughts now.  I will go through my camera and do a more comprehensive post before Sunday.  I PROMISE.

Patience, please.

THE WIRK

Game 6: Miami, here I come ~ Mavs lead the Heat, Series 3-2

I wanted to go to Dallas to watch the Mavericks at home during this NBA Finals series, but the Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday schedule is terrible.  Honestly.  Someone in the NBA needs to re-examine the schedule and fix it, so that fans can travel to watch their teams without missing a couple of days of work by leaving in the middle of a week.  PLEASE.

Since I couldn't travel to the game, I ended up listening to most of the 4th Q of Game 5 on the radio.  I think I was listening to the Miami Heat broadcast.  Initially I thought about changing to listen to the Mavericks radio personnel, but thought it'd be more entertaining to hear the Heat broadcasters spin the events of the game.

While driving, I was grinning from ear to ear.  It was Game 5, and my rental car had XM radio.  I couldn't believe what I was listening to! I was loving everything that I heard. The Mavericks were winning and playing so well. Jason Terry was clutch. Jason Kidd was making plays. Dirk was killing it.  The whole night seemed surreal beginning with a crazy, rain storm and ending with a Mavericks' surge.  It was BEAUTIFUL.

My friend, Mandy, sent me this picture from Game 5.  Does anyone know where these Dirk Wirk stickers are coming from?  If so, please contact me.

Does anyone know where these Dirk Wirk stickers are coming from?

If you know me or read this blog, you know how I feel about LeBron.  Paying attention to this series has actually changed my opinion of Chris Bosh.  I wasn't a fan of his earlier this season, because I felt like all the attention had gone to his head.   Well, to be fair, he has raised the level of his game and deserves the praise he's receiving.  Dwyane Wade is a champion.  I like him.  The "problem" for me and the Heat (i.e. specifically in the 4th Q) is LeBron.

I listened to Jason Smith (Twitter: @howaboutafresca) on ESPN Radio for the first time last night and he dissected the post-game press conference comments from Coach Erik Spoelstra.  When asked about whether getting LeBron going in the 4th was a priority for the Heat (i.e. and yes, I'm paraphrasing), Spoelstra responded "We'll see..." 

I don't know about you, but when I'm trying to let someone down or turn someone down, I always say "We'll see."  It's not a "NO", and to quote the movie "Dumb and Dumber" ~ "So you're saying there's a chance?".

The Miami Heat fans who jumped on the bandwagon because of LeBron should reconsider how quickly they pushed aside Wade and gave LeBron the thrown.  Wade should be the closer for the Heat.  Wade is the leader of the Heat.  Look at the dynamic on the court.  LeBron defers to Wade.  Wade IS the leader.

Cavs fans are used to LeBron's brand of play.  Excuse us if we've already heard the "LeBron only has 75 cents for a dollar joke".  We Cavs fans, have already "been there and heard that."  We've heard it all before...  ****  Great.  Now I have the Sunshine Anderson's tune in my head.

I received an email from GV Art and Design and they sent me a link to their "Let's go Cleveland Mavs T-shirt."  Here's a link to the product: http://gvartwork.myshopify.com/products/lets-go-cleveland-mavs-t-shirt.  Unfortunately the shirt is sold out, otherwise I'd buy one right now!

Guess who's locked and loaded for Game 6.  Miami here I come....  ****  I will confess that, I went to Game 5 last year in Miami, and the Heat won it. 

Here are three pictures I took at the game.

Dwyane Wade with a dunk

 

Shaq hugs Wade

THE WIRK

Game 2: Heat v Bulls tonight ~ Go Bulls! Beat the Heat!

On Sunday night, I went to the movies rather than watch Game 1 of the Miami Heat v Chicago Bulls series.  Part of it was poor planning on my part.  However, when I realized my "mistake" I decided I'd follow through on movie night as opposed to watch the game since I thought the game wouldn't be a good one and I wanted to catch up with my friend, Megan (aka Pita).

As soon as the movie, ended I ran home to check the score and watch the end of the game.  I landed in front of the TV with 8 minutes left in the game, and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the score of the game.  The Bulls were up ~ BIG.  It was a beautiful sight! 

I sat perched in front of my TV in disbelief as the Bulls fought for rebounds and played extraordinary defense.  I also watched Taj Gibson deliver two major exclamation points when he put "up" (i.e. or is it "down") two massive dunks. 

The final score was 103-82.  The Bulls won.

Sure it was only Game 1, but it still counts.  The Bulls made quite a statement.  Tonight is Game 2, and of course Coach Erik Spoelstra will make adjustments.  I'm sure the Heat won't lie down tonight.  I've said it before, and I'll write it again.  I like Pat Riley, Erik Spoelstra, and Dwyane Wade.  I just can't root for LeBron or Chris Bosh.

It should be a good one in Chicago...  Make no mistake.  I will not be at the movies...  I can't wait to see what Derrick Rose and his squad do tonight.

Oh, and for those of you that don't watch PTI, check out Michael Wilbon and this clip.  It's awesome! 




THE WIRK

Already over the 1st round of the NBA Playoffs - Let's keep it moving please

I'm not going to lie.  For me, fatigue is setting in with the 1st round of the NBA Playoffs.  I'm ready to start the Conference Semifinals.  I'm glad that teams such as the Dallas Mavericks, the Atlanta Hawks, and the Los Angeles Lakers decided to finish up tonight so that we can keep it moving in the NBA on the road to the Finals...

Is it just me or was that Atlanta Hawks v Orlando Magic match-up incredibly painful to watch?   I couldn't get into that series AT ALL.  Thank goodness they kept that game off of TNT tonight.  There is no question that Orlando is worse after the big trade.  As a result, any plan to visit the "new" Amway Arena will be postponed yet another year (i.e. at least).  As for the Hawks, I like Jamal Crawford and have enjoyed the way he's matured as a player, but without Coach Woodson, I just can't actively support this team.  I don't feel like they play inspired basketball.  I remember the Joe Johson Craigs list ad.  Needless to say, I'm taking the Chicago Bulls in the next series.

In contrast to the Hawks v Magic series, I never wanted the Dallas Mavericks v Portland Trail Blazers match-up to end, but all good things...  I enjoy watching the Blazers.  I like the play of LaMarcus Aldridge.  I believe in Brandon Roy and want him to succeed.  The games he played AFTER he complained about his playing time showed me that he wanted to EARN his minutes.  I think he apologized for going to the media to vent his emotions.  I'm glad that he learned that his play speaks for itself.

The Dallas Mavericks v Los Angeles Lakers series should be HOT, but I think the Boston Celtics v Miami Heat will be more exciting.  I remember the Nike Party during NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles this year.  I saw Dirk Nowitzki joking around with Kobe Bryant and flashing him the "L" (i.e. loser symbol).  Sure they shared laughs, but you know the saying ~ "There's truth in humor."  I'm sure that Dirk and the Mavs would like to eliminate the Lakers.  I'm also confident that Phil Jackson would like to leave the Lakers as a WINNER.  I don't question Kobe's heart.  After seeing the way he looked at Pau Gasol, after Gasol had a few "oopsies" in Game 5, I don't want to get on Kobe's bad side.  ****  Seriously.  If looks could kill, the Lakers would be a man down.

As for the eagerly anticipated Celtics v Heat match-up, I really hope that the Celtics manage to "Beat the Heat".  Earlier today I read Jay-Z's Life+Times blog post about Chris Bosh.  I was irritated on various levels after reading the post.  For the sake of completeness, I'll post my comments here.  Here are my comments (forgive the capitalization): "people don't like bosh for a variety of reasons. he actually believes he's at a level that puts him in the same category of wade and james. THIS IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE. bosh's perceived bravado, ineffectivenes, crying, and whining are a few of the reasons why he's the subject of criticism. nobody likes a pompous whiner that's unreliable when it comes to productivity. the heat are wade's team. d wade should get the final shot. bosh should realize that it's an honor JUST for him to be "nominated".

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to read Jay-Z's post about Bosh yourself, here: http://bit.ly/lkVV8p

That's all I have for now.  Like I said, I'm already starting to feel the fatigue of the 1st round.  In my head, I'm already "on to the next one".

****  Oh, and if you're one of those people that watched the NFL Draft today, I really don't know how you do it...  After I heard Cam Newton went #1 to the Carolina Panthers, I lost interest.


THE WIRK

John Wall caught Ilgauskas' elbow and he didn't like it ~ Heat v Wizards

I had spent the past couple of days (i.e. with my mom visiting), running all over creation.  Last night mom and I went to the Verizon Center to check out the Miami Heat v Washington Wizards game.  ****  If you follow the blog, you know why this game is interesting and if you don't follow the blog you are a VERY BAD person.  Just kidding.  Kind of.  Sort of.  Not really.

Early in the game, with 8:48 left on the clock in the 1st quarter, Zydrunas had the ball and John Wall wanted it.  Zydrunas is 7'3" and rookie, John Wall, is 6'4".  It doesn't take a genius to know that when Zydrunas holds the ball up, that Wall had better back up and watch his face (i.e unless he wants to eat elbow).  Sure enough, emotions ran high and after catching Zydrunas' elbow, Wall decided to use his right arm to throw a body punch.  Here's a clip of the scuffle:  http://www.nba.com/video/games/wizards/2011/03/30/0021001110_mia_was_play2.nba/

Here are two words that describe John Wall's actions: ROOKIE MISTAKE.



To put the elbow and height in perspective,
and in honor of opening day this was on the
 way to a Cleveland Indians' baseball game.

****  I'm not advocating fighting in the NBA, BUT if I was Zydrunas (i.e. after receiving that weird body punch from John Wall) I would've gone after Wall, like he was Greg Ostertag... John Wall should've swept Zydrunas' leg(s) because tall trees can't land elbows when they're on the ground... THAT's how you fight a seven footer...  You don't try to "BOX".  Wait, speaking of boxing, I don't remember the venue, but there was a guy heckling Zydrunas one day.  He was saying things like, "I'll be Rocky and you'll be Drago."  Too funny...

I am listening to ESPN and the commentary from the lady "talking through the video".  She is heavily biased towards the Miami Heat, and obviously doesn't know her NBA history.  Zydrunas has a temper.  He isn't one to start fights on the court, but he won't back down from one.  I watched the events from section 121 and I've seen many a "tussle/fight" with him.  I know that if he wanted to treat the events like a game of WHACK-A-MOLE, Zydrunas could've pounded John Wall.  The fact that Zydrunas grabbed Wall by both arms and drove him back, shows that Zydrunas exercised restraint.

Elbows in the NBA aren't uncommon.  Zydrunas used to complain about Dikembe Mutombo's elbows, and Mutombo's methods of clearing out his opponents have been well-documented.  Here's a link to a Sports Illustrated (SI) article if you want some light reading from 1999 by Marty Burns:  Don't Bogart That Joint: Opponents are tired of blocking Dikembe Mutombo's elbows with their noses. 

For the record, and it goes without saying, but I will anyway ~ Zydrunas isn't Mutombo.  ****  I do think Zydrunas gave Wall a cheap, left forearm to get Wall to back away.  Further, at the 15 second mark, if you see the red coat at the top of the section, that coat belongs to my mom and I'm sitting next to her.  Yes, if it's interesting ~ chances are I'm there.

As a result of the altercation, for the Miami Heat,  both Juwan Howard and Zydrunas were ejected.  Washington Wizards lost the services of John Wall for the game too, since he was also ejected.

Ultimately, the ejections and the long referee deliberation and review seemed to take the energy out of the building for some time.  Surprisingly the energy picked up and the game wasn't a run away Heat victory.  Jordan Crawford scored 39 points in the losing effort.  Dwyane Wade scored 33 points and some dude named, LeBron, led the Heat with 35 points. 

****  This picture pretty much sums up the past couple of days since I went to New York to see The Lion King with my mom on Tuesday, and we just saw the Miami Heat and LeBron yesterday.

Final score, 123-107.  Wizards lost. 

Update: Wizards rookie, John Wall, has been suspended one game without pay and two Miami Heat players were fined for their actions.  Heat forward Juwan Howard received aa $35,000 fine, and teammate Zydrunas Ilgauskas was fined $25,000.

THE WIRK

Tweets from the Lakers v Heat game ~ Funny

My Tweets from the Los Angeles Lakers v Miami Heat game...  The most recent ones are towards the top.

• @Cristina_Doral I think big zydrunas' presence on the floor made all the difference
• @MagicJohnson great picture! Didn't even look at it til they showed you and Riley on tv. Duh - Pat = Riley!
• I should've known that when Magic mentions "Pat" he means "Riley"
• Playoff atmosphere at the AAA #lakers v #heat. Miami with 2 pt lead, with about 90secs left.
• You think the #Heat tell #Zydrunas not to shoot? He's open & can make 10 footers. He can also miss a 3 pointer like every1 but #Bibby.
• @ochocinco I've seen it with possession arrows.
• In response to his tweet about refs changing a call when a player "complains"
• #Odom goes right at & over Zydrunas & camera shows Khloe #Kardashian clapping! Are we showing all WAGs after their men score? #Lakers #Heat
• After 3, #lakers up 70-68 on the #heat.
• #Bosh misses both free throws... Seriously? That's right! He's more comfortable getting the ball down low. #Lakers v #Heat
• Lakers up 6 with about 3 left in the 3rd... #Lakers v #Heat
• "#Dampier cannot handle it" as he loses the ball... Put in #Zydrunas. #Lakers v #Heat.
• #Kobe just picked up his 3rd foul... #Lakers v #Heat with about 8 left in the 3rd... Tied at 55.
• I want to see #Artest compete in the NBA skills challenge... At least he stuck with it! #Lakers v #Heat
• I like Marv Albert and Mike Fratello, but do they make the same hair appts? Their hair is the same color. #TNT Buddies!!! #Lakers v #Heat
• Chris #Bosh drove the lane and missed once (and maybe even twice) #Zydrunas had to finish for him... Bosh is terrible. #Lakers v #Heat
• @MikoHorn Awww ~ Me too!!! After all these years still wish him the best! Plus he saved my life years ago, so he's good in my book :-P
• In response to her tweet that she "hearts" Zydrunas.
• Dear #Zydrunas, please recommend your barber to Matt Barnes. That Caesar cut was over with Clooney and ER. #Lakers v #Heat
• Come on, #Fratello! Let's not dog #Ilgauskas... #Cavs loyalty :-P
• Chris Bosh did come out aggressive vs. Lakers....and got in foul trouble. To the bench. Lakers up 12-10 in spirited start.
• 1st quarter and about 6 mins in and #heat aren't crying YET. #Lakers up 3.
• The Heat's arena is half empty, and the half that are there are Lakers fans.
• With #Dampier as their starting center the #Heat deserve to lose EVERY game. "Dampier not able to finish" what's the o/u on that quote?
• "whining and bitching like a little girl" - Charles #Barkley regarding the Miami #Heat

THE WIRK

Lakers v Heat and Knicks v Mavericks ~ Should be a great TNT doubleheader

Last Christmas, I went to Madison Square Garden to watch the Chicago Bulls take on the New York Knicks.  After the game, I hopped on the Acela and went to DC as fast as I could.  I wanted to get in front of a TV, as soon as possible, to see the Miami Heat take on the Los Angeles Lakers.  I expected a big game, but what I got was a blow out.  The Heat dominated the Lakers, and I was left disappointed.  All I wanted for "basketball Christmas" were victories for the Knicks and the Lakers, but I was only .500.

Well today isn't Christmas, but TNT is giving us a great doubleheader.  The Knicks and the Lakers are in action tonight. 

Does Bosh intimidate you?

The early game (i.e. 7PM ET) has the Los Angeles Lakers in Miami taking on the Heat.  I'm taking a shot and calling it right now.  I think the Lakers win tonight.  They're on an 8-game win streak, and I think they'll get their 9th win tonight.  As a result, I predict that the Heat will lose, increasing their unenviable streak to 6 losses in a row.  I want the Lakers and Kobe Bryant to avenge the loss on Christmas Day.  Further, I want to see how Chris Bosh tries to prove his value after his absurd statements following Tuesday's loss.  ****  I won $5 when the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Heat, and I'm ready to go double or nothing with my friend. 



The Heat's "2 and a half men" trying to rebound

As for the New York Knicks v Dallas Mavericks game tonight (i.e. 9:30 PM ET), I don't really know who I want to win.  I like Amare Stoudemire and Dirk Nowitzki.  I still need to see the new-look Knicks live now that Carmelo Anthony is on the roster, but I might just hold off and wait for the playoffs.  ****  Wow, it felt good to type "Knicks" and "playoffs" in the same sentence sans sarcasm.  Ultimately, I'm just hoping for a competitive game. 

****  I took the pictures used for this post at the Heat v Wizards game on December 18, 2010.



THE WIRK

Heat's addition of LeBron and Bosh might actually be a subtraction

I feel bad for Brian Windhorst.  He has the thankless job of covering the Miami Heat and he has to serve as a mouthpiece for Chris Bosh.  I can think of so many other jobs that sound more appealing, than being Bosh's "voice".  I think I'd rather work Mike Rowe's Dirty Jobs rather than defend or spew Bosh's stupid thoughts to the public.  I just read http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miamiheat/news/story?id=6196012 on ESPN.com, and I'm annoyed.

Here are my thoughts. 

Dear Bosh ~ You suck. If you didn't suck so badly, complain about not wanting to bump against people bigger than you (teehee), and made your shots maybe your teammates would give you the ball. Last I checked Cosch Erik Spoelstra can't pass you the ball himself, so stop talking and look in the mirror you waste of space.

I also want to know the last time WADE's Miami Heat lost 5 games in a row.  I think the addition of LeBron James and Chris Bosh might actually be a subtraction...


THE WIRK

Wizards beat the Timberwolves ~ Kevin Love scored his 50th double-double

Saturday night the Wizards had the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves in town at the Verizon Center.  Kevin Love was in town and brought his 49 game double-double streak to town.  It's no secret that I've seen plenty of Timberwolves' games this season.  I'm actually a fan of the young team and enjoy watching Michael Beasley and Kevin Love play, so when I was offered a free ticket to the game you better believe I took it!

Kevin Love didn't disappoint.   He notched his 50th double-double game, even though the Wizards ended up victorious.  The Wizards went into the game losing 7 games in a row.  Both of the squads are young, but Minnesota hasn't learned to pull out close games YET.  ****  This is a skill the Miami Heat are trying to master also, so I'm not really going to slam Kurt Rambis' team that hard for being young.

Another reason I was interested in the game was because I had yet to see John Wall play a real game "live".  I watched Wall play during the NBA All-Star Rookie Challenge, but that didn't count.  Wall finished the game with a double-double (i.e. 18 points and 11 boards), but Andray Blatche was the Wizards' high scorer (i.e. 20 points).  In a losing effort, Michael Beasley dropped 18 points, but Kevin Love contributed 20 points and 21 boards.  WOW.  50 double-double games, in a row...  ****  Moses Malone's record of 51 consecutive double-doubles looks like it's going down!

This game was winnnable for the Timberwolves, but when asked by the guy next to me if I thought the T'wolves would pull it out, I said, "No."  It was what it was, and the Timberwolves just don't have that killer instinct YET...  Tough loss. 

Final score:  Timberwolves 96, Wizards 103.


THE WIRK

The Miami Heat are the anti-Charlie Sheen ~ They're not winning

The Chicago Bulls won a close one in the last few seconds of the game.  Final score 87-86.  Derrick Rose had 27 points and Luol Deng had 18 points.  ****  This picture is of Derrick from Christmas Day, when they Bulls played the New York Knicks.

Someone needs to tell the Miami Heat that there are 4 quarters in a game.  Actually, don't.  I like watching them lose.  I'm down with Pat Riley, Erik Spoelstra, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Dwyane Wade.  I'd toss LeBron James and Chris Bosh in two seconds.

Regardless, I can already hear the "We need to take a long hard look in the mirror," talk and I've already silenced their voices and excuses in my head.  Seems like just yesterday that those fools were counting all the championships that they were going to win on their fingers.  Fools.

Here's the clip of LeBron counting all the championships the Heat are going to win, now that the unholy union has been formed in South Beach.



The Bulls and the Heat met most recently on February 24, and the Bulls won that game also.  I'll share my favorite clip from that game with you.  It's Carlos Boozer and Chris Bosh.  Bosh falls and tries to sell a hard foul to the refs.  It's pathetic.



The Miami Heat are the anti-Charlie Sheen.  They're not winning.

Icing on the cake?  According to Brian Windhorst (Twitter: WindhorstESPN), "Spoelstra said some Heat players are crying in the locker room at the moment."

Seriously though.  There's no crying in professional basketball.  These guys need to man up.  At least they didn't blame the refs for the loss like Gabrielle Union (i.e. Wade's girlfriend, Twitter: itsgabrielleu), "Congrats REF u just won the game...how does that feel???!! Great game...too bad the ref bet on the bulls."




THE WIRK

I didn't watch the Oscars, but I'd like to see an actual award...

Last night the Oscars were held at the Kodak Theatre, and I couldn't have cared less.  I saw that Hollywood was setting up for the awards show 2 weeks ago when I was in California for the NBA All-Star festivities.  Believe it or not, I actually thought the stands that were set up were for the Kobe Bryant event at Grauman's Chinese Theatre.  ****  I'm totally serious.  The upcoming Oscars had completely escaped me, and there was even a huge sign that I missed.

Even though I'm not that into the awards show and missed watching it, since the New York Knicks were playing the Miami Heat, I must admit that it would be nice to hold an Oscar one day.  I solicited my friends for a picture of a Grammy Award for a post I did earlier this year, and my friend, Tracy, said she had a picture of herself with an Oscar (i.e. post awards ceremony at Chateau Marmont). 

Ok, immediately I was curious.  What a lucky girl!  This is Tracy and she is posing with an Oscar was for the movie, CRASH which won three Oscars in 2005 (i.e. Best Film, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Screenplay).  The man in the picture won the Oscar for Best Film Editing.  Not too shabby! 

Maybe if I decide to go "Hollywood" I'll start paying more attention to the Oscars...  I doubt it, though.  There will probably be a game on. 

Don't get me wrong.  I love movies.  I saw Black Swan, The Fighter and The Social Network.  I liked The Social Network the best.  I actually watched The Fighter after watching Black Swan on the same day, and I thought Black Swan was overrated.  The Fighter was interesting to me for a number of reasons, but primarily because I'd actually been to Lowell, MA.  The city plays a distinct character in the movie, similar to New York City in Sex and the City.

One thing I learned from last night's awards ceremony, I need to watch The King's Speech.

THE WIRK

Celtics beat the Heat after a strong 3rd quarter ~ Garnett highlight video

The Boston Celtics beat the Miami Heat after coming out big in the 2nd half.  The Celtics escaped a late Heat rally in the 4th quarter, but the 35 points scored by the Celtics in the 3rd set the tone for the rest of the game.

My favorite play(s) of the game show Kevin Garnett's fire to win.  Garnett makes contact with Mike Miller and Dwyane Wade makes contact with Garnett.  Wade was obviously sending a message to KG that he saw what happened, and both men played on.  Messages sent and delivered, and the passion that the crowd expected to see in Boston was there after what seemed to be a relatively quiet 1st half.

It's the NBA and if you don't like contact, don't play the game.

For the Heat, Chris Bosh was the leading scorer with 24 points, and LeBron had 22.  I don't expect the Heat to win any game where Bosh is the leading scorer, so let him shoot all day long.

As for the Celtics, who came away with the W, Garnett led all scorers with 19.  There was double-digit, balanced scoring among the majority of the Celtics, except for Paul Pierce who only tallied 1 point.  ****  For the record, Nate Robinson was scoreless and Avery Bradley only played 9 seconds and was scoreless.  I'm sure Pierce, Bradley, and Robinson don't mind their individual stat lines this afternoon, since their team was victorious and is now on top of the Eastern Conference.

It came down to the wire, and Mike Miller missing a 3-pointer to tie the game.  Final score was Boston 85 - Heat 82.

Am I the only person that remembers that ridiculous clip of LeBron James counting on his hands the number of championships the Heat will win?!?!  Am I the only person who then heard him backtrack and talk about how it's going to take time for the Heat to build the same chemistry?!?!  Give me a break. 

It's official.  My LeBron Nope T-shirt is lucky!

THE WIRK

Heat v Celtics on ABC right now

If you haven't turned your TV on to ABC right now, do it!  The Miami Heat are in Boston right now taking on the Celtics.  Big game...

I'm ready and suited up in my new LeBron Nope T-shirt.  It cost me $20.  If you want your own Celtics Life gear check out the store: http://www.celticslife.com/p/store.html

Right now the Heat are on top of the Eastern Conference, with the Celtics only a half of a game back.

FYI - I think Delonte West may play this game.  I think he's cleared to return.  Could be interesting...

Go Celtics!!!!


THE WIRK

Vegas with PDX and crew

I'm back.  I just needed to get away, for the weekend and REST.  I'm not sure how much rest I really had, but at least I tried to sleep.

Some quick bullets (i.e. just some highlights) from my trip to Vegas...

Table Games:

• I don't like craps dealers with attitude problems and who have the nerve to assume you're not going to tip as you leave the table.  As I leave the craps table, I will flip you my change (i.e. dollar chips).  Don't have your fellow dealers remind me about your level of service.  That's LAME.
• If the table karma changes or you get a bad vibe, leave.  Don't try to be a hero.  No one will remember if you turned your luck around and left with a +200 profit.  Just go.  Don't chase your money if you're losing.
• I believe in dealer signature at the roulette table. People think it's fake. I think it's true. You believe what you want, I'll believe what I want.

Sportsbook:

• Betting on the Ivy League and Atlantic-10 is profitable...  They're not the popular choices, but they pay since they're usually "consistent".
• I took the Miami Heat to cover over the Oklahoma City Thunder.  Miami had both Dwyane Wade and LeBron James playing.  The Thunder had played overtime (i.e. double overtime in its most recent game) in its last two games.   I was betting Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook would run out of gas.  They did.
• The Duke Blue Devils got crushed by St. John's University.  I got greedy and had the Blue Devils parlayed with my Heat bet, so it was a loser.
• I parlayed the money lines for 6 teams.  I picked the favorites for only $35, since I had extra chips.  It was my first time betting a 6 teamer, and it won!
• I broke my tennis curse, when I picked Novak Djokovic to win the Australian Open.
• I placed my Super Bowl XLV bet.  I'm not telling you who I picked, for now.  I'll give you my prediction later.

I spend a lot of time in sportsbooks and there's something really annoying about the men in there, taking notes and never betting.  I understand some research needs to be done to pick some winners, but seriously ~ man up.  One last thing, if you're sleeping in a sportsbook, you're a loser.  Get a hotel room or go home.

Friends:

The best part of the weekend was getting to hang out with PDX and the rest of my March Madness crew!  Here's one for you.  I met a new member of his crew that had never played the card game "War" before.  Really?  I grew up playing war with my brother and the neighbor kids...  Who hasn't played war?

Weather:

Although it's not yet warm enough to throw on a bikini and hit the pool, it didn't hurt that I woke up to palm trees and sunshine as opposed to snow on the ground and freezing temperatures.

I picked up my tickets for the Shane Mosley v Manny Pacquiao fight today.  The fight is on Saturday, May 7th, in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.  I have extra tickets for sale.  If you're interested in my ticket inventory, get in touch.

The best compliment I received this weekend, "...you bring us luck."  You might think that's lame, but I hear a lot of things, and honestly that was AWESOME.

THE WIRK

NBA: My thoughts on the Eastern Conference ~ Can't we just pick 6?

I was talking to my friend, Teri, over the weekend and we were talking about the Eastern Conference and how it's "weak" relative to the Western Conference. 

The final 2 spots in the East as of now are being held by 2 teams that are below .500.  When was the last time any of you basketball fans were clamoring to see the Sixers or the Pacers this year?  Yeah, I know.  Me neither.

1. Boston Celtics
2. Miami Heat
3. Chicago Bulls
4. Atlanta Hawks
5. Orlando Magic
6. New York Knicks
7. Philadelphia 76ers (17-23)
8. Indiana Pacers (16-22)

Granted it's still early, but my initial reaction is "ewwwwwww". 

I like the Boston Celitcs on top and with Kevin Garnett back in the line-up, let's hope they stay healthy. Now I just need to check and see if there's a time table for Kendrick Perkins. I know Perkins has practiced, but last I saw he was on the bench during the game.

I'm anti-Lebron but pro-Dwyane Wade/Erik Spoelstra/Pat Riley, so I'm torn when it comes to the Miami Heat. Even being anti-Lebron, I have to admit that play when he twisted his ankle, went out of bounds, and then drained a 3 from the corner was impressive. Yes, I'm not blind. I saw it, and I was impressed.

How about Derrick Rose's triple double (i.e. granted it was against the Memphis Grizzlies, but it still counts)?!?!  What about Kyle Korver's 3-point shooting?  If those guys can keep up the effort and keep making shots while Boozer is out, then I'd consider the Chicago Bulls to be a viable threat.  I'm just not sure about their strength with Joakim Noah still out of the line-up.

I think the biggest surprise is Atlanta. In the words of Elmer Fudd, they've been "very, very quiet" yet the numbers don't lie (27-15).

I like the Knicks and am impressed with how well Amare Stoudemire is playing.  I anticipate heading to Madison Square Garden again before the NBA All-Star break to catch the Los Angeles Clippers and/or the Los Angeles Lakers in town.  I'm not sure how long the Knicks can continue to "bring it", but I am pulling for them.   

Those are my thoughts on the East.


THE WIRK

If you can't stand the (Miami) Heat, you're unhappy with the NBA right now

If you can't stand the Heat, you're not loving the NBA right now.

The Heat went into Los Angeles and whipped up on the Lakers.  Merry Christmas Lakers fans!  You got a lump of coal.  Actually, you got hit with a bag of coal (i.e. grifters' style).  Ouch.  As someone who was rooting for the Lakers and raced to find a TV upon returning from the Chicago Bulls v New York Knicks' game, I was ready for the marquee match-up that the NBA and anyone that loves basketball was expecting.  Even Mike Tyson tweeted asking simply, "Lakers or Heat?".  ****  I may have transposed his tweet, but it doesn't matter.

The Los Angeles Lakers lost last night to the San Antonio Spurs.  I'm not that surprised since the Spurs were home, and they're playing tough ~ but I am surprised that while the Heat are scorching, the Lakers are stumbling.  To me it looks as though the Lakers need a swift kick to wake up...  Maybe it's Phil Jackson's strategy to pull a Doc Rivers' and have his team "chill" during the regular season and then dig down deep in the playoffs.  I don't know...

I can tell that Kobe Bryant's getting annoyed and frustrated.  I'm getting annoyed and frustrated...  I looked at the box score of last night's game briefly, and he's still the one carrying most of the scoring burden.  That's to be expected.  I just wish, one of his teammates would step up and start scoring also.

It's a long season, and I want to believe that the Heat won't have an easy road to the NBA Finals, much less an NBA Championship.  As it looks right now, and granted we haven't hit the NBA All-Star break just yet ~ Heat fans can almost bank on another championship ring...

If it's not LeBron scoring it's Dwyane Wade...  ****  I'll admit again, that I am a Dwyane Wade, Pat Riley, and Erik Spoelstra fan.  Don't worry, I'm not jumping on the Miami Heat bandwagon.  I'm just admitting that it's impossible to ignore them and look the other way anymore.  This isn't a problem for me, because I just sit in the stands or watch the games on TV.  This is a problem for the players who go against them night after night and choose to watch the show as opposed to compete. 

My friend went to the Knicks v Heat game last night in Miami.  In one word he described Wade's 40 point performance, "AMAZING."  My friend doesn't play for the Knicks, but I wonder if the Knicks had the same reaction...  Man, I hope not.

Come on: Lakers, Spurs, Knicks, Mavericks, Jazz, Celtics, etc.  I realize that the Heat are like crazy Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction ~ they will not be ignored, but...  It ain't over, til it's over guys.  It's a long season...  COMPETE!!!


THE WIRK

Mavs defeat the Heat, and then there's a lunar eclipse, solstice...

The Miami Heat lost to the Dallas Mavericks today (i.e. the 12 game win streak came to an end).  Mike Miller returned to the line-up for the Heat.  Dirk Nowitzki led all scorers, with 26 points.  The final score was 98-96. 

And then there was a lunar eclipse and solstice...

Since I wasn't at the game in Miami, I figured I'd take a picture of the activity in the sky tonight/this morning. I had a great view of it all from my balcony, but I got bored in the middle of shooting pics and went inside. My friend talked me into going back outside. That's why there's a gap in the middle of the eclipse photos.

Here you are...

Let's hope it doesn't take another cosmic event, before the Heat lose again...


THE WIRK