Allow Me To Reintroduce Myself

Hola mis amigos. Despues de mucha tiempo, estoy aqui! Y ahora es el tiempo para regresar a escribiendo. Vamanos...

• I hope you guys could understand my intro. If you couldn't, this is your chance to learn a few words in a different language. 
• In the sports world today (aside from post-all-star break baseball), SEC media day, approaching NFL training camps, and the dwindling NBA free agent market are the only things going on. To me, it's similar to going to one of my mom's parties. There are a lot of small snacks that may appear to be an actual meal, but that is only because there are no steaks in sight. If you are a male that has ever been to a women's party, you should know what I mean.
• The LA Angels do not lose a game. As good as my Rangers have been this year, the Angels appear to be in no mood to hand over the division crown. Also, with the BoSox atop the Wild Card standings, the Rangers can't afford to lose many games right now if they plan to see the postseason. I'm still waiting for the gifted Neftali Feliz to make his debut so we can all see what the talk is about. For the first time in a long time, people are starting to rally behind the Rangers and their success; it's a nice change of pace from the Mavs and Cowboys, who are in a constant struggle to live up to monumental expectations. The Ranger franchise is on the rise, and it's making Texas summers a little more bearable.
• Congrats to Mark Buehrle on his partido perfecto. Very impressive.
• It's Tebow Time. First, he's on the cover of SI. The same day I see that, I notice that all of SEC Media Day is focused around discovering who didn't vote for TT as the first team SEC QB. Okay yeah it's surprising that he wasn't unanimous first team, but give me a break. As good as he is, don't make it a national emergency to find out who didn't vote for him. It finally surfaced that Steve Spurrier was the one who didn't put Tebow at the top of the list. Instead of Spurrier admitting it was an accident, I was hoping the Old Ball Coach would say something to the effect of, "You're dang right I didn't vote for that kid, Jevan Snead has much better mechanics, fundies, and general IQ of the game than the Gator boy, my vote was for Snead and I'm sticking to it."Unfortunately, it turned into another brag minute on the former Heisman winner. Regardless, Tebow will be forgotten once Ryan Mallett steps into SEC lore.
• NFL training camps are on the way, and as of now I don't have many thoughts. Favre will be back. Vick will catch on somewhere, but not the Cowboys (according to Jerry).
• NBA free agency is at a near stand-still, and the Mavs don't have as much to show for it as I would like. As much as I love Shawn Marion, he isn't the answer to Mark Cuban's prayers. He will bring D, athleticism, and finishing ability; however, we still like an inside force. Like I always say, Damp could be the best backup C in the league, unfortunately he is a starter. Quick change of thought, I LOVE Rodrigue Beaubois. What an intriguing prospect. A wingspan 8 in. longer than his height, incredible leaping ability, and shooting range for days. As me and my cohorts have often asked, what allowed this guy to fall to the late first round? Right now I can't answer that, and when I can, I'll let you know.
• This summer, the rich got richer and the poor got poorer in the NBA. With Ariza and possibly Odom leaving, I don't think the Lakers remain the consensus No. 1. The C's are built for a run, and obviously the Cavs, Magic, and Spurs will be in the upper echelon of teams. March of this season should be more entertaining than that time Karl Malone and DDP decided to step in the ring against Hulk Hogan and Dennis Rodman. Wait, that's impossible, make it a close second.

Nothing too deep this time, just wanted to touch base on a few topics. I'm out like any positive press Chris Brown thought he would have at this point in his career.

Holla at a player when you see 'em in the street,

Big Wil

I Know I Know I Know

I'm sorry. It's been 74 years since I posted, and that's my fault. I have no excuse. Let's blog...

• So the Lakers won the Ship. Congrats to the men who really deserve it...Josh Powell, DJ Mbenga, and Adam Morrison. Haha just kidding just kidding, seriously congrats to Kobe, D-Fish, and The Zen Master Phil Jackson. Compelling series, and a completely different series if Orlando wins the games they are supposed to. Two OT games which the Magic should have won makes that series 3-1 in favor of Orlando going into Game 5. That's a totally different ballgame. The abundant turnovers and as always missed free throws late were significant in the Magic's demise. Hedo Turkoglu has already said he is going to opt out and become a free agent. Not surprising since his lack of defense and questionable effort/shot choice also caused internal problems for the Magic. Don't look for Orlando to go anywhere though, they have great young players, and have really solidified themselves as a force in the NBA. On top of that, the only way for Dwight Howard to go is up, he has no post moves, can't make free throws, and still tied the record for most double-doubles in a playoff (22). But let's give daps where daps are due. The Lakers were the better team. Congrats to that whole team, especially the latter 3 I mentioned earlier, for coming back after last year's debacle of a Finals. I commend you Kobe, job well done, you really have grown into a man and become the face of the NBA after many, including myself, thought after your legal troubles you could/would never come close to that peak again. Congratulations to you, Kobe Bryant. (you like that Miss La?)
• In addition, great debate I had with some of my posse yesterday. Where is Kobe in the ranks of greatest players of all-time? Top 5? Top 10? Top 15? My vote goes to Top 10, approximately 9 or 10. Ahead of him, for sure, is MJ, Wilt, Bill Russell, Magic, Bird, Oscar Robertson, and then perhaps guys like Shaq, Duncan, Bill Walton, Bob Cousy, guys like that. It's a great conversation, really one without a right answer given your bias and what you think makes a G.O.A.T., as the rappers say. I think it will take at least another 2-3 Championships to climb that ladder and even come into the same paragraph as Jordan and Bill. Not to say he can't or won't do it, but I think that is what it will take. Let the debate begin. LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS ON THIS TOPIC!!
• As for the Zen Master. Ten Championships. Ten. In 19 years. 13 Finals appearances in 19 years. They talk about, Oh Phil had all this talent in Jordan and Pippen and Shaq and Kobe...Pardon my french but if that's the case how come no one else won the Ship with these guys? The coaches before Phil in Chicago couldn't do it, the coaches after Phil in L.A. couldn't do it. That's a load of bologna, granted he did have outstanding players, but what championship teams don't?!! As I told Wilson yesterday, you could have the 5 best players in the L on your team, but if you can't get them to sync, play together and work towards a common goal, that's all you got, the best 5 players in the league. The word synergy comes to mind. Look it up if you don't know what that means. Congrats to the Basketball Journeyman, I bow to you.
• Shout out to my Arkansas Razorbacks baseball team for making it to the CWS. We beat Cal State Fullerton in Round 1, then got routed yesterday by #3 LSU Tigers. We have to be the surprise of the tournament as of yet, even with the beating we took yesterday. We will go down swinging, bet your rally caps on that.
• Favre to the Vikings? I still don't want to talk about it. Just stop. Hush.
• Brandon Marshall, the very talented Broncos WR, asked for a trade yesterday. This guy has potential, crazy potential. If he can get his attitude right, he could become a Top 3 WR. I don't blame him, if my team traded Jay Cutler for Kyle Orton I'd be asking for a trade too. I wouldn't want Orton on my flag football team. I see you Bobby Rosener!!
• Like I said, the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup in a Game 7 upset over the Detroit Red Wings in Detroit. Big win, The Kid has finally become a man. Wilson asked me name another player besides Malkin and The Kid...you can ask him what my response was.
• Rangers are still looking good. Dropping a bit, but they should to the likes of Boston and New York. As long as we're ahead in the division, that's all I care about. Hell, as long as we're above .500 that's all I care about.

Sorry again for the long delay. Feels good to talk sports again. I've got a second interview this weekend in STL. Wish me luck. Shout out today goes to anyone who still reads this. Pass the word along, let's debate about Kobe/Phil. Adios amigos.

--HEMAN--

Inexcusable

On the midnight showing (otherwise known as the LA showing) of Sportscenter, I caught only the Top Ten, but it was all I needed to hear. The Jonas Brothers commentated the SC Top Ten. It's enough to make an sports fan rethink their entire belief system, or at least wonder what the people at ESPN were thinking. First they ruin Thanksgiving, now they are killing the staple of ESPN, what's next? Christmas?..........

Sadly,

Big Wil

What Craig David and LeBron James Have In Common

"I''m walkin' away, from the troubles in my life, I'm walkin' away...."-Walkin' Away, Craig David

This whole thing isn't news anymore, and it's well known now that Bron walked off the court in silence after his Game 6 elimination loss to the Magic. I heard about the Email or text or whatever he sent, but that doesn't mean much to me. My boy BFlo and I were watchin ESPNEWS the other day when LeBron said something to the effect of "It's like getting beat up, do you shake hands with someone after they beat you up? No. I'm a competitor, it's what I do." First off, no one was trying to beat you up, they were trying to advance to the NBA Finals, the same thing you were doing. Second of all, it's my opinion that a true competitor has respect for his opponent, regardless of outcome. LeBron didn't show much respect by avoiding the Magic. The great thing about hoops is, people play hard to win, and as heated as it might get on the court, most people always know it's not personal, and everything is the same once it's over as when it started. Atleast that's how it's supposed to be, that's how PROFESSIONALS should handle it. As well as LeBron has always handled the media and all of that, I feel he made a big mistake by disrespecting the Magic, and then defending himself days later. I understand if you are just that mad at yourself in the moment or something, but if that's the case, then apologize later. It's a shame that his unforgettable series was capped by a Detroit Bad Boy-esque move.

• As little as ESPN Hockey analyst Barry Melrose does for me, he made a great point in a discussion over LeBron's walk out. He said "LeBron, if you can do everything right when you win, you better be able to do the same when you lose." I'm not going to offer analysis on this quote, it's pretty self-explanatory. Just wanted to give props where props are due.
• People love to compare LeBron and MJ on their play, but let's go ahead and compare them on this topic. I recently read an article on ESPN.com in which Joe Dumars talked about how Jordan reacted after losing a series. "We beat the Bulls in the playoffs three years in a row, and after every series Michael made a point to come over to me after the game, shake my hand, and give me a hug. So when they beat us, and Isaiah and Co. silently left the court, I made sure to find Mike, and give him a handshake and a hug." MJ didn't just leave the court, he swallowed his pride, and showed respect for his opponent. Because of this, Dumars showed the same respect for Jordan when the tables had turned. As blogfan Rico Flora said the other day, "Are you big enough to make yourself small?"

Gracias por su tiempo, Adios,

Big Wil

Interviews, Tests, St. Louis

Sorry guys I've been romped with life. Had a couple of interviews in StL last Friday. Got invited back to both basically, but one wanted to wait until I was done with summer school, so really only one. I turn 22 tomorrow, so kudos to that as well. A lot has happened since either of us have said anything, so I'll try to tackle as much as I can.

• Orlando-L.A. This is not the matchup everyone wanted to see, but I think it is the best possible matchup for the Finals. Cleveland just disappointed me completely, and I think LeBron-Kobe would have been a sweep, or close to it, advantage Kobe and Co. Howard (Shoulders) will at least be able to bang down low, and with Turkoglu and Lewis both being big guards/small forwards, they will also be able to handle Kobe, Ariza, Walton, Odom. Very interesting series. I honestly believe the Lakers time has come, but as I told Wilson today, don't be surprised if Orlando takes this thing all the way and even wins, especially with the 2-3-2 home court format. They are very good at home, and if they shoot well they pose a great threat to any team in the L, including the Lakers. Their 4 out 1 in format is very dominant when it works, and having the best young center in the world doesn't hurt either.
• Cleveland is in turmoil. The champ-less city has to be hurting. It's a shame to see that even after the great year they had they still have the same problems as before. I think they're still a good 2 pieces away from being a legit championship contender. Mo Williams is a good start, but add some big men and perhaps a more legit 2G and they're set. Take LeBron out of that lineup, you have Williams, Delonte West, Andersen Vareajao, Zydrunas Illgauskas, and Sasha Pavlovic? Or Wally Sczerbiak?!! Really?!! What is that? The Milwaukee Bucks all over again Mo, the Bucks ALL OVER AGAIN. Wilson gave a great point about their regular season--they did what a good team is supposed to do. They won on their home court and beat teams they were supposed to on the road. Wilson told me they were -14 on average against the Lakers, Magic, and Celtics, also not including a 19 point loss to Houston. That's a pretty shocking statistic. I feel bad for LeBron, I don't know what else the King could have done. Arguably the best series ever played by a losing player, perhaps the best series by an individual period. Just for the record, he did send an email to Dwight Howard congratulating him on winning and everything. That takes a bit of the sting off of him not shaking hands with Shoulders or any of his Magic teammates after their decisive 13 point victory.
• In NHL news, the Red Wings took a 2-0 series lead on the Pittsburgh Penguins, thus ruining my prediction of the Pens winning it all. Oh well, perhaps The Kid can make a comeback.
• Rafael Nadal lost his French Open streak to same guy who made fun of him last year. Funny how karma works out. Pretty staggering how untouchable he was, how unbeatable he was, and then along comes this 20-something seed and it's all over. Just a goodbye wave and laughing in the post-match interview and that's it. No more talk, no fallout, nothing. Weird.
• Josh Hamilton is going to have an MRI. Bad news for fantasy owners and Texas Rangers fan. The All-Star slugger has been injured basically all season and even with that the Rangers have the best record in the AL. Everything is seeming to come together for them. Haven't been able to catch many games, but everytime I check the scores on the Bottom Line, the Rangers are always in the yellow. Good stuff.

That's all folks. Time to start celebrating my birthday. Shout out to Holiday Inn Express in Fenton for the Honeymoon Suite this weekend. Two fingers like Mario.

--HEMAN--

Ode to Dikembe

Big Wil

Patience Media, Patience

I don't have a lengthy opening statement today, aside from the fact that tomorrow is Memorial Day, a day for us to honor the men and women who have given their lives for their country. With that being said, the ranting begins....

• I can't take it anymore. I have seen somewhere close to 50 replays of LeBron's game winner in Game 2. I'm a LeBron fan, and that was a great shot, but the media is blowing this thing up like he just won them Game 7 of the Finals.  And yes, the shot may have been Jordanesque, but stop with all the relating of LJ and MJ because of that shot. Lebron has hit TWO game winners, whereas MJ hit 25 game winners in his NBA career. I'm not saying LeBron can't reach Jordan's level, all I'm saying is he hasn't YET. During the LA/Denver halftime last night, Magic told LeBron he was now considered a closer, mentioning MJ, Bird, and two other legends. Come on Magic, don't give the beast that much credit yet, like I said, it's the man's second game winner. I like Bron, I think he has the potential to be at MJ's level. With that being said, if he can get there, I want him to get to that level on his own, not because the media builds up his every moment like it's a world-changing event.
• Dwight Howard only had one shot attempt in the fourth quarter of game 2. Pathetic. Give him the ball, the man is like Hercules down there. And who knows, D-How takes makes a couple of buckets, and LeBron may never get that last shot.
• Last night the Lakers won in Denver, taking a 2-1 series lead in the Western Conf. Finals. Kobe was true to form, posting 41 points, whereas Melo was AWOL in the second half, scoring only three points. Don't bring Kool Aid to a gin party son. This series is a ton of fun to watch, and produces great games. Although the Nuggets have the tools to be the Champs, Kobe's great play, combined with Trevor Ariza's elevated game, is going to be too much for the Tattoo Crew. I'm interested to see how they respond tomorrow night, I expect another good game in Denver.
• People keep saying the Nugs should have been up 2-0 going into Game 3. Here's my question, why don't people say the same thing about the Magic? Just curious, leave a comment if you have any thoughts.
• Excluding that three game skid in Detroit, my Rangers are rollin' right now. First in the division, and a nice 3.5 game cushion separates them from the second place Angels. The bats are swingin as always, and the pitching is getting the job done. The Bronx Bombers come into town this week and I intend on going to one of the games, I'll let ya know how it goes.
• Mike Vick now makes $10 an hour, someone tell me how he is managing to pay for that big house he keeps driving to?

I don't have much else for now, the other Neely is on deck. Shout out to my boy T-rav Walker for getting his Letter of Intent to play football at Mid-America Nazarene, that's big stuff my friend. For now I am gone, Covino's pizza and wings are calling my name.

Stay thirsty my friends,

Big Wil