"It's not a game, it's an arms race" - Kanye West and Fallout Boy belt this hook over and over again on a recent hit with that same title. In that context, Kanye and the Fallout Boy guys are referring to the battle of musical artists not only surviving in a competitive worldwide market, but one with hindrances around every music sharing online ripping program. While that's an issue for another day and another blogsite, it's relevance is crucial when talking about the current state of Major League baseball and the National Basketball Association.
It all began on one fateful day in January when the Memphis Grizzlies gift-wrapped a late Christmas Gift for the Los Angeles Lakers in the mold of Pau Gasol, the center that solidified Showtime as the front-runner in the Western Conference. The arms race began! The domino effect led to two desperate acts of self-destruction in Shaquille O'Neal to the Phoenix Suns and Jason Kidd to the Dallas Mavericks. Those moves pushed the usually level-headed Spurs into making a level-headed move in picking up Kurt Thomas... yet the games had just begun.
Now, in the baby driven NBA, it shouldn't be a shock that the newest game craze is not guitar hero, but the preschool favorite musical chairs. The winner seemingly being the Philly Sixers- who just landed the Worst Friend of the Year Winner Elton Brand who's handshake and word are seemingly as reliable as a teenager making curfew or A-Rod making curfew. (While I will get back to A-Rod later in the week, didn't anybhody learn from the Carlos Boozer fiasco a few years ago? A verbal is just that, wait to commit until pen hits paper my friends.) While he may be a backstabbing best friend, he's the backstabbing best friend you've always wanted! He brings his unparalleled work ethic and 20.8 ppg and 10.5 rpg career averages to an up- and coming 76ers team that has decided to keep pace with the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks in the race for the Eastern Conferences final top four spot (after the Celtics, Pistons and Cavaliers).
Yet, the first domino in this NBA charade came when Baron Davis opted out of the final year of his contract to join Brand in Clipperland- and unfortunately Donald Sterling's first prized free agent pick-up...well..ever, B-Diddy received even more bad news when not only did he lose Brand but elite scorer Corey Maggette took his 22.8 ppg to Davis' fromer employer the Warriors. That means Josh Smith seems to be a lock to be headed to LA.... seems as long as the Celtics or Spurs don't woo him with visions of championship rings.
So after all of this the Warriors and Clippers make a bunch of noise but remain about the same talent-wise and the 76ers landed a stud- in a way that begs a shout from the highest Cheesesteak eatery in the land "We are here!!!" Orlando, Detroit and Cleveland- you're all on the clock.
In an even more literal sense of an arms race- the NL Central has quickly begun the Cold War battleground of baseball. The leagues best division, which boasts three teams that are at least 10 games over .500 (compare that to the NL West, who has no one over .500 period...), now has landed two of the games best pitchers in the past two days. The reigning AL Cy Young award winner CC Sabathia became a Brewer and won his first game last night, while Rich Harden, who boasts the best "stuff" in the game is now a Cub. Sabathia/Sheets, Zambrano/Harden/Dempster, and Lohse/Looper...um, errr...Cardinals it's your turn to land a Cy Young caliber Ace in a no-brainer trade.
Their are plenty more pitchers available, and in the next three weeks I wouldn't be surprised if not only the Cardinals, but the Yankees, Mets, Phillies, Rangers, or Dodgers land any of a slew of arms including but not limited too: Matt Cain from San Fransisco, AJ Burnett from Toronto, Erik Bedard up there in Seattle, Zach Grienke in Kansas City or Brian Fuentes in Colorado out of the bullpen.
That being said, the arms race has begun, and the two most powerful weapons in both sports have already been acquired. Rest assured though, because this is when the real fun begins...when desperation takes over and intelligence and precision are abandoned.
Anthony "The Moneyball" Moniello
Keywords: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Indians, Colorado Rockies, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia 76ers, Philadelphia Phillies, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, Toronto Raptors
