NBA Finals

Holy crap - I haven't posted since April 17! Yeesh.

In any case. I called the Lakers winning Game 3, and I called the Lakers winning Game 5. But if the Celtics - my team in this round of the playoffs - don't close the series out in Game 6 on their home court, then I'll eat my shoe.

The Lakers were lucky to win this game. KG hasn't had a really powerful performance this entire series, and Paul Pierce (though he had a monster of a game for the Celts) does not have the stamina to play an entire game. I was rooting for Ray Allen to really stand out tonight, like he did on Thursday, but he also had a fairly quiet game. He played the entire game on Thursday and was huge (should have won Player of the Game), but wasn't as huge a factor in tonight's game.

Game 6 - I want to see Allen blow out the Lakers. I want to see KG punish Pau Gasol. I want to see the same thing from Pierce that we got tonight - though perhaps he'll need a breather here and there. And I want to see the Celtics not only win, but to hand the Lakers a huge, embarrassing defeat.

I was born and raised in L.A., but I cannot stand the Lakers. I can't stand their pseudo-fans, who leave before the game is over in order to beat the traffic. I can't stand the goddamn Laker flags on every other car on the highways. I can't stand Kobe's drama-queen theatrics.

I respect the hunger and determination that the Celtics have been playing with all season long. I respect Doc Rivers' excellent coaching throughout the post-season, and I hope he gets a win and a championship ring on his late father's birthday. I hope Ray Allen kicks Kobe's ass (have you guessed that I'm a Jesus Shuttlesworth fan?), and I hope KG leaves his all out on the floor (also a fan of the Big Ticket).

Celts in 6. That was my prediction for the start; here's hoping it comes true on Tuesday (I really don't want to have to eat a shoe).

Expect a huge post-graduation post coming your way later this week!

On cheering for the underdog

Tom Brady scoffed when Plaxico Burress, the Giants' star receiver, predicted that the Giants would beat the Patriots, 23-17. He laughed it off, asking incredulously "we're only going to score 17 points?"

You're right, Brady - in a sense. Burress was wrong - he OVERESTIMATED your ability.

The final score? Brady, your team lost 17-14 to the Giants. Congratulations on your 18-1 season, Chin-boy!

I don't think I've ever been so stressed during a football game - the fourth quarter was just epic. Eli Manning came through and had a great game; in the fourth quarter, with four minutes to score and win, Manning led his team 83 yards in 12 plays to the end zone to clinch the Giants' upset over the Patriots. Playing superbly under pressure, Manning delivered to Burress for the game-winning touchdown.

But my personal favorite moment? An improbably play when, after breaking loose from at least 3 Patriots - what should have been a surefire sack - Manning scrambled down the field and threw a prayer to Tyree, who caught the pass for a game-saving play and 33 yards.

My second favorite play? Watching the Giants sack the Chin for the FIFTH time, with about 28 seconds left in the game. It was a brutal hit, knocking the Chin about 5 years back - beautiful.

Just in case the game didn't make it clear - the Giants' defense is MONSTROUS.

My third favorite moment - watching Belichick and Brady storm angrily off the field, with 1 second remaining and a perfunctory play by the Giants. True, the Giants would take a knee to end the game, but the least you could do, Grump and Chin, was remain on the field out of respect to the better team and their coach, your former colleague. Maybe LT of the Chargers was on to something, when he accused your team of being classless. Enjoy your slice of humble pie, Patriots!

Congratulations to the Giants and their historic 11 consecutive wins on the road, including 4 in the playoff. Their belief in themselves paid off magnificently - they won't ever be taken lightly again.

Congratulations to Eli Manning, MVP - you are the MAN!

What a game!

Photo credits to AP

On bad ankles and older brothers

I find it hilarious that Patriots fans have been blaming Brady's three interceptions in the AFC championship game against the Chargers on his "bad ankle" - when he threw perfect passes in that final quarter after the third picked pass. Quit making excuses for Chin-boy; it could be that he *gasp* screwed up. It could be *gasp* that a play-off caliber team like the Chargers has the defense it takes to hit the quarterback. "Bad ankle" my ass.

I also really, really loathe that in every Eli Manning article I've come across, Peyton is inevitably mentioned in some way or another. Fact: it took Peyton Manning nine (9) seasons to get to the Super Bowl. Fact: it took Eli Manning four (4) seasons to get to the Super Bowl.

I was never an Eli-hater. How many times, since his coming to the Giants, has he taken them to the post-season? How many championship games has he played in? How many records has his team set?

Look it up. You might be surprised.

On Sports

Note: I was going to hold off on publishing this post until tomrrow, so that my politics post would remain in the coveted first post position for at least 24 hours, but I just had to rant. ESPN has incensed me into action.

As a good number of my friends will tell you, with no little irritation in their voices, I've been thinking of almost nothing but football these past few weeks. But who will blame me, considering that Super Bowl Sunday is right around the corner? (Mark your calendars - February 3!)

The coverage the game has been receiving has, however, by and large been completely uninteresting. The focus of the media attention? Tom Brady's goddamn right foot. Tom Brady's goddamn boot. Tom Brady's goddamn foray into Manhattan and supermodel-dating. Goddamn Tom Brady.

To find any interesting NY Giants stories, I have to turn to the New York Times; it makes sense for the Times to give the Giants predominance in coverage, since they're NY's team - but why is ESPN focused so heavily on the Pats? It's a national channel, and the "worldwide leader in sports" - shouldn't it be giving equal coverage to the Giants, who are now 10-1 on the road, and are coming off of three great showings in the Playoffs thus far?

Look at the site's homepage. The Chin and his girlfriend monopolize the attention, with another six headlines on the NFL section of the site. SIX HEADLINES! THE GIANTS HAVE ONE!

RIDICULOUS!

Here's a word to you sportswriters out there - it takes TWO teams to play a Super Bowl!

And here's a word of advice to Tom "the Chin" Brady - if you want to avoid unwanted attention, don't stroll around Manhattan in an oversized hoodie and gigantic sunglasses, a combination that screams "Look at me, paparazzi! I'm FAMOUS!" you twit! Go visit your family AND YOUR SON instead of your girlfriend, if you don't want your face and your goddamned shoe plastered all over the evening news!

GO GIANTS!