2009

After their improbable World Series run in 2008, many fans and analysts expected the 2009 Tampa Bay Rays club to be as good or better.

They’re not.

Since the Stuart Sternberg ownership era began in 2006, Cool Hand Stu could do no wrong.  Free parking at home games.  Fans were allowed to bring their own food to games, and tailgating in the parking lot on game day was encouraged.  Ballpark attractions on Left, Center, and Right Field Streets beyond the outfield stands really enhanced the stadium experience for casual fans.  There aren’t many ballparks that let you play baseball video games in a lounge area that looks like the Formans’ basement on “That 70’s Show.” 

Continue reading "2009 Isn't As Great As 2008: Tampa ..."

If Kobe Bryant expects to win a championship this June, he needs to trust his teammates more. If he doesn't, the Lakers will not only struggle to win the Finals, they may have trouble even getting there. Last night's loss to the Houston Rockets, putting them down 1-0 in the series, is to me, enough cause for concern. Phil Jackson needs to sit down Kobe and tell him the same thing he told Jordan: trust your teammates more.

Continue reading "Memo to Kobe: Be like Mike"

"There's no analysis here...what happened?!" - ESPN's Steve Levy, 4/27/09

The New Orleans hornets suffered the all-time-tying worst playoff loss in NBA history yesterday, getting stomped on 121-63 by the Denver Nuggets. Don't wet yourselves, Nuggets fans. The Hornets just played THAT BAD. Here are the Top 10 Reasons why they shouldn't bother showing up for Game 5:

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So, its clear that the Knicks 2009 season ended the way we all expected. When Mike D'Antoni was introduced to New York on May 13th 2008,and he promised that his teams would play hard and they would be exciting. He told us to buckle up our seat belts and watch them go for it. And, at the outset it looked like the Knicks could have made the playoffs. Before December, they were 8-8, and play like that could have gotten them into the playoffs, but then the financials got in the way. Donnie Walsh felt that, ( or so it appears) waiting for the end of the season to make moves for 2010 would be too long. Jamal Crawford was traded on Nov 21, for  disgruntled Al Harrington from Golden State, (a player i thought the Knicks could have benefited from trading for) although he has a termination clause after this season. They traded away Zach Randolph and Marty Colllins a couple of hours later on the same day for Cuttino Mobley and Tim THomas. These moves gave the Knicks great opportunity to lose game after game after game. Cuttino Mobley retired, after doctor after doctors told him his hyperthrophic cardiomyopathy progressively got worse. Although they couldn't predict that he would have to retire, they also didn't think that these guys would ever really make it to the playoffs, how could they?

Continue reading "Next Knicks"