My Personal Top 10 Sports Moments of the Decade

Happy New Year to you all. With the end of 2009 comes the beginning of 2010. A new decade is upon us, and I'm sure there will be as many great moments in the world of sports as there have been this past decade. I compiled a list of my personal top 10 moments of the decade. Keep in mind that I am a Los Angeles native, therefore mostly all of these moments have something to do with an LA team. So here we go, starting from #10.

10. January 4th, 2006. The BCS National Championship Game: USC vs Texas

USC was attempting to become the first team in college football history to win three straight National Championships. Standing in their way from history was Vince Young and the Texas Longhorns. Young had perhaps the single best performance in a National Championship, as he accounted for 467 total yards, and scored the game-winning touchdown on a 4th and 5 play.

9. March 23rd, 2006. UCLA beats Gonzaga in the Sweet 16

The Bruins trailed the entire game, but then scored the final 11 points of the game to defeat the Zags 73-71. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute scored the go ahead basket with 10 seconds left, as the victory punched the Bruins' ticket to the Elite Eight. This game was memorable because the then Gonzaga star Adam Morrison was sprawled out on the court and was crying after the game.

8. April 14th, 2004. Kobe Bryant beats the Portland Trail Blazers in OT

Kobe Bryant won the Lakers the Pacific Division, as he nailed a three pointer in overtime to give the Lakers a 105-104 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Kobe also hit a three pointer at the buzzer in regulation just to send the game to overtime. The best part of this was that Kobe made the incredible shots over Ruben Patterson, who had dubbed himself "The Kobe Stopper."

7. The 2008-2009 Arizona State Basketball season.

The Sun Devils swept UCLA and Arizona in the same season for the first time in god knows how long, and made it to the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament. It was a pleasure to watch the team in person, as I got to see guys like Jeff Pendergraph and James Harden. Many great memories from my first basketball season as a Sun Devil.

6. December 2nd, 2006. UCLA beats USC.

This was without a doubt the best football game I have ever been to in person. USC was ranked #2 coming into the game, and would have been in the National Championship had they beaten the Bruins. Eric McNeal intercepted a pass from John David Booty with a little over a minute left, to secure the 13-9 upset for the Bruins. This quite possibly could be the greatest upset in the history of the storied rivalry, as no one thought UCLA had a chance to win.

5. May 13th, 2004. Derek Fisher's 0.4 shot.

Game 5 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals between the Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs thought they had the game won after Tim Duncan hit a miraculous shot to put them up 73-72 with 0.4 seconds remaining, but Derek Fisher had plans of his own. As Shaquille O'Neal put it best, "One lucky shot deserves another."

4. June 14th, 2009. The Lakers win their 15th NBA Championship.

This title was special for me because Kobe Bryant is my favorite basketball player, and for years and years I had to put up with all of the Kobe haters saying that he could never win a title without Shaquille O'Neal. It felt great when the Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic in five games, as all the doubts and all the haters of Kobe Bryant were silenced.

3. April 30th, 2006. Kobe Bryant beats the Suns.

In Game 4 of the 2006 Western Conference First Round Series, and the Lakers leading the series 2-1, Kobe made a looping runner with seven-tenths of a second left to send the game into overtime. In the extra period, Kobe hit a 17 footer that gave the Lakers a 99-98 victory. Unfortunately the Lakers blew the 3-1 series lead, as Phoenix won the next three games. This probably would have been the #1 moment had the Lakers won the series.

2. October 2nd, 2004. The Dodgers win the NL West

The best moment I've had as a Dodger fan came on this day. The Dodgers were down 3-0 going into the bottom of the ninth against the San Francisco Giants. It was the final Saturday of the regular season, and the two bitter rivals were fighting for a spot in the playoffs. Dodger Stadium was packed, and in the Dodgers last chance to win the game, they scored seven runs, capped off by Steve Finley's grand slam. The Dodgers won the NL West for the first time in 16 years, and in doing so, eliminated the Giants. Unfortunately there is no youtube video, however if you click here, then you can scroll down and watch the video.

Ladies and gentlemen, my personal #1 moment of the decade

1. May 26th, 2002. "The Shot That Finished The Queens"

Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals between the Lakers and the Sacramento Kings in a series that the Kings led 2-1 at the time. The Kings led by as many as 24 points, and led by eight points with under four minutes to play. But the Lakers were resilient and never gave up, as Robert Horry's three pointer at the buzzer shot capped off the miraculous comeback. The Lakers went on to win the series and the 2002 NBA Championship. This shot has become known simply as "The Shot That Finished The Queens".

So there you have it, my top 10 moments of this decade. Here's to plenty more to come in the next.

Up and Running Again

Hope everyone had a good Hanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or whatever you celebrate. I sincerely apologize for the month-long break between posts. I really don't have an excuse other than the fact that I had finals and then I just got lazy. My last post was on Thanksgiving Day, so what's happened since then?

I called two ASU basketball games. One of the calls went great, and the other one didn't go so great. I had a good time regardless, and I'm looking forward to the two games I will call after the holidays. ASU starts Pac-10 play Thursday against UCLA in Los Angeles. The Sun Devils finished their out of conference schedule with a 10-3 record.

I'm done with first semester of sophomore year. I'm on winter break and have been home for about a week and a half now. It's been nice spending time with the family and catching up with old friends from high school.

Those of you who listened to the Sports Lounge/Face-Off Bowl Preview Show remember that I made picks for all 34 bowl games. Ten games have been played as of tonight, and I have picked the winner correctly for six of those games (Rutgers, Middle Tennessee, Marshall, Pittsburgh, USC, Clemson).

Here are the remaining 24 games with my picks (in parenthesis) for those of you who did not listen to the show, or do not remember my picks. Starting with the list of Bowl Games before New Years Day.

Independence Bowl- Texas A & M vs Georgia (My pick-A & M)

EagleBank Bowl- UCLA vs Temple (My pick-UCLA)

Champs Sports Bowl- Miami vs Wisconsin (My pick-Miami)

Humanitarian Bowl- Bowling Green vs Idaho (My pick-Bowling Green)

Holiday Bowl- Arizona vs Nebraska (My pick-Arizona)

Armed Forces Bowl- Houston vs Air Force (My pick-Air Force)

Sun Bowl- Oklahoma vs Stanford (My pick-Stanford)

Texas Bowl- Navy vs Missouri (My pick- Navy)

Insight Bowl- Minnesota vs Iowa State (My pick-Iowa State)

Chick-fil-A Bowl- Virginia Tech vs Tennessee (My pick-V-Tech)

Moving onto the New Years Day Bowl Games (Excluding the two BCS Bowl Games)

Outback Bowl- Northwestern vs Auburn (My pick-Auburn)

Capital One Bowl- Penn State vs LSU (My pick-LSU)

Gator Bowl- West Virginia vs Florida State (My pick-West Virginia)

Games after New Years Day (Once again excluding the BCS Games)

International Bowl- South Florida vs Northern Illinois (My pick-USF)

Cotton Bowl- Oklahoma State vs Mississippi (My pick- OSU)

PapaJohns.com Bowl- South Carolina vs Connecticut (My pick-UCONN)

Liberty Bowl- Arkansas vs East Carolina (My pick- Arkansas)

Alamo Bowl- Michigan State vs Texas Tech (My pick-Texas Tech)

GMAC Bowl- Central Michigan vs Troy (My pick-Central Michigan)

Now to the BCS Bowl Games

Rose Bowl- Ohio State vs Oregon (My pick-Oregon)

Sugar Bowl- Cincinnati vs Florida (My pick-Florida)

Fiesta Bowl- Boise State vs TCU (My pick- Boise State)

Orange Bowl- Iowa vs Georgia Tech (My pick-G-Tech)

BCS National Championship Game- Texas vs Alabama (My pick-Texas)

I promise you it won't be another month until my next post.

The Day of Thanks

Hope everyone had a great Turkey Day. It sure didn't feel like Thanksgiving considering it was 80 degrees here in LA during the daytime.

So in the spirit of the holiday, I'll go ahead and list some sports-related things that I'm thankful for, in no particular order.

I'm thankful that...

1. The Arizona State Football team has only one game left in their season. The Sun Devils are 4-7, and I'm not sure how much more of this mediocrity I can take. For the first time since the 1940's, ASU will finish with back-to-back losing seasons. By the way, what are the odds that the first time in 60+ years that that happens just so happens to be my first two years at ASU? Just my luck, right? The Sun Devils play host to the hated University of Arizona Wildcats for the Territorial Cup this Saturday. This will be my first time attending a UA-ASU game as a student, and I'm looking forward to it. Sun Devil Stadium should be pretty electric. A win over the Wildcats will make the season for the Sun Devils.

2. Arizona State Basketball is just getting started. The Sun Devils fought hard in a loss against the #7 Duke Blue Devils last night in New York. ASU is 4-1, and should be able to finish in the top four of the Pac-10 this year since the conference is so weak. Coach Herb Sendek is doing some great things with the ASU Basketball program, and I'm happy to be here while it happens.

3. Pau Gasol is back in the Lakers lineup. The defending champions are 3-0 since his return, and they have won all of those games by double digits. The Lakers are very tough to beat with Gasol in the lineup, and if everyone can stay healthy, (and that is an important if) the Lakers should have no problem getting back to the NBA Finals.

4. All of the sports-related opportunities I've had at ASU. Not a lot of broadcast journalism sophomores around the country can say that they have been an on-air radio personality for their first two years of college, which I'm fortunate to say that. I've been able to do play-by-play and color commentary for Pac-10 sporting events, which is another thing that not a lot of people my age can say. I've had the pleasure of meeting a lot of people in the sports media industry, and I've also had the pleasure of interviewing some high profile people, such as ASU Men's Basketball Head Coach Herb Sendek, and Petros Papadakis of Fox Sports Radio. I'm looking forward to the new opportunities I will have in my last two and a half years of school.

Go Devils! Beat the Cats!

Weekend Wrap

Well this weekend in sports wasn't exactly a good one for me. The Lakers got humiliated twice, and Arizona State lost yet again.

Let's start with the Lakers. On Friday they got embarrassed by the Denver Nuggets, as they lost 105-79. I stated in my weekend preview that the Lakers could have made an early statement to the rest of the NBA if they came away with a win, but instead they came out and looked nothing like the team that beat the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals in May, not to mention the team that won the championship in June. They scored 23 points in the 2nd half, which is a franchise low, and they shot just 35% from the floor.

I figured the Lakers would rebound from the bad loss in Denver, and come back home and defeat the Houston Rockets last night, but I was wrong. Instead Houston came into Staples Center and handed the Lakers their second straight loss in their 101-91 victory. The Rockets outplayed the Lakers in nearly every aspect of the game, but most noticeably in the rebounding category, as Houston outrebounded LA 60-38. The Lakers' shooting woes carried over from Denver, as they shot just 38% from the floor.

The Lakers' record is now 7-3, which is somewhat disappointing considering some NBA experts thought they could be 20-1 after their first 21 games. I think the Lakers are finally feeling the effects of not having Pau Gasol in the lineup. With Gasol, the Lakers are a bigger team, they are a more physical team, and they are a better offensive team.

I'm not disappointed over the fact that the Lakers have lost their last two games, but I'm disappointed with the ways in which they have lost. It seems to me like they're in a championship hangover, and that they're playing with zero effort and nothing to prove. Teams are gunning for them this year since they're the champions, and I would hope to think that they would be more prepared. You rarely hear a Staples Center crowd boo the Lakers, but last night they did, and they had every reason to do so.

Let's talk about the Sun Devils of Arizona State University, who lost their fourth game in a row Saturday night against the Oregon Ducks. ASU is now 4-6, and has two games remaining: at UCLA, and home against Arizona. Even if ASU wins their final two games and becomes bowl eligible, it is highly unlikely they will go to a bowl since there are six teams in the Pac-10 that are already bowl eligible (USC, Cal, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, and Arizona). At this point I'm just hoping ASU can beat Arizona (That will make up for this lost season).

I will be coming home this weekend to cover the ASU-UCLA game at the Rose Bowl for The Blaze.

I've jumped on the Stanford bandwagon since my sister is an alum, and since their football team is actually good. Stanford beat the hell out of USC this weekend, and in doing so ended the USC dynasty, much to my delight. I hate Pete Carroll, I hate the USC marching band and the only two songs they know how to play, and I hate everything about the USC football program, so seeing them get their butts kicked in their home stadium made my weekend. If Stanford somehow makes it to the Rose Bowl, I will be going (assuming my sister can hook me up with some tickets).

No Sports Lounge this week due to The Blaze's coverage of ASU Basketball, so I will be off-the-air until after Thanksgiving.

Weekend Preview

Tonight the Los Angeles Lakers face a tough road test against the team they beat in the Western Conference Finals last year: The Denver Nuggets. The Lakers are 7-1, and have won six in a row, including an impressive victory over the Phoenix Suns last night, while the Nuggets are 6-3, and are coming off of a loss to the lowly Milwaukee Bucks.

The Lakers have played every game thus far without Pau Gasol, but that may not be a bad thing. Andrew Bynum looked like a All-Star in last night's victory over the Suns, in which he had 26 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 blocks. The absence of Gasol has also allowed newcomer Ron Artest to settle in with the Lakers, but more importantly the absence of Gasol has allowed Artest stay under the spotlight since everyone is wondering when Gasol will return.

It's only the 9th game of the season, but tonight's game is huge for the Lakers. It would be nice to see the defending champions win on the road in the second game of a back-to-back without Gasol, seeing as though Denver is arguably the biggest challenger to the Lakers in the Western Conference. The Lakers can flex their muscles early on and send a message to the rest of the NBA with a nice win tonight, in a game that happens to be on ESPN.

The Arizona State Sun Devils are in Eugene to take on the # 13 Oregon Ducks. Brock Osweiler will start at quarterback for ASU, but at this point it doesn't matter who is behind center for the Devils, because this game will be ugly. Oregon is coming off of a humiliating loss to Stanford, which ruined any chance the Ducks had at a BCS National Championship Game, and the Devils have shown all season long that they cannot put up points unless they play Idaho State or Louisiana-Monroe. As good as the ASU defense has been all year, Oregon's offense simply will be too much for them to handle, and ASU's offense will not be able to keep up. I expect Oregon to win by at least three touchdowns, but it will probably end up being uglier than that.

The Arizona State Men's Basketball team tips off their 2009-2010 regular season tonight, as the Sun Devils play host to Western Illinois. Unfortunately ASU Basketball won't be anywhere near as good as it was last year, when the Sun Devils had James Harden and Jeff Pendergraph, and advanced to the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament. Nonetheless it's basketball season, so let the fun begin.

A Small Step Towards The Big Stage

I can honestly say that today was one of the best days I've had in my time here at Arizona State. I had the privilege of interviewing Petros Papadakis of Fox Sports Radio for my sports radio show. Many people find Petros to be obnoxious because of his loud voice and his exaggerative personality, but I find him to be one of the best radio personnel in the country, and one of the nicest guys in the business.

It all started when I was up in the press box for the Washington-Arizona State football game a couple of weeks ago. Petros was calling the game for Fox Sports Net, and I just so happened to run into him outside his booth. We had a short conversation which ended with him telling me to let him know if I ever needed anything from him. I emailed him that night thanking him for being so kind, and he got back to me quickly and once again reiterated to let him know if I ever needed anything. Since ASU is playing USC this weekend, I figured I would ask if he would come on the show I co-host since he was a former USC tailback, and is quite knowledgeable about college football. He got back to me and said he would be more than happy to come on, and after a couple of back-and-forth text messages, I arranged to have a one-on-one interview with him.

He called in this morning, and we talked for about 15 minutes. We talked about the state of the USC football program in addition to the ASU football program. I thought the interview went very well, so did Petros as he emailed me saying that was the best prepared college radio station interview he has ever done. He was very genuine and sincere about the whole interview process, and he said he was very happy that he could help out Arizona State student radio.

I know it's only one interview and I know Petros is human just like we all are, but it felt great to interview someone of his stature, and the interview once again reiterated my passion for wanting to go into sports media. Petros is a big name in the broadcast and radio industry, as he is a co-host for the most popular radio show in Los Angeles, which also happens to be a nationally syndicated show on Fox Sports Radio. I listen to his show everyday, and being that I'm a big fan of his, it was quite an honor to interview him one-on-one.

To listen to my interview with Petros, check out this week's podcast of the Sports Lounge. The interview takes place in our 2nd segment, which is about the 15 minute mark. To get to the podcast, click here

2009-2010 NBA Western Conference Predictions

In order of how I see each team finishing

Playoff teams

1. Los Angeles Lakers: If Andrew Bynum stays healthy and Ron Artest behaves, then the Lake Show should be better than they were last year. I don't see them reaching 70 wins, but regardless this is their conference to lose.

2. San Antonio Spurs: Biggest threat to the Lakers in the West. Tim Duncan is healthy and motivated, which is scary to think about. The addition of Richard Jefferson makes them a faster and better overall team. Add in Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, and you'll see a Spurs team that will win the Southwest Division with ease.

3. Denver Nuggets: They will take a step back from last year, but I still see them winning the division over Portland. They can be threats for a Western Conference Championship, but they have so many egos on the roster that I don't see it happening.

4. Dallas Mavericks: The addition of Shawn Marion will help this team with defense and rebounding. Josh Howard's health could be a reason for concern, but with Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Marion, and Jason Terry, this team should have no problem finishing in the top five.

5. Portland Trail Blazers: Portland is a team that is better in the regular season than they are in the playoffs. They'll compete with Denver for the division title, but in the end they are still a very young team with a very bright future. I'm not sure how Andre Miller will fit in, and I'm not sure if Greg Oden can play 20 games without getting hurt, but if everyone is healthy and everyone has good chemistry, this could be a team that finally makes some noise in the playoffs.

6. Utah Jazz- Deron Williams is one of the best point guards in the NBA, and he'll have a great roster to work with with guys like Carlos Boozer, Paul Millsap, Mehmet Okur, and Andre Kirilenko.

7. New Orleans Hornets: I see the Hornets struggling a lot this year, but ultimately I think Chris Paul is too good of a leader and playmaker for his team to miss the playoffs.

8. Oklahoma City Thunder: Call me crazy, but I see the Thunder being the surprise team in the West. Kevin Durant will become a superstar this year and could quite possibly lead the league in scoring. Russell Westbrook will improve, and now he has solid complement in the backcourt with rookie James Harden, who is very NBA ready. The Thunder will storm everyone by surprise, and beat out the Suns and Clippers for the last playoff spot in the West.

The rest

9. Phoenix Suns

10. Houston Rockets

11. Los Angeles Clippers

12. Minnesota Timberwolves

13. Golden State Warriors

14. Memphis Grizzlies

15. Sacramento Kings

2009-2010 NBA Eastern Conference Predictions

It's been a long 135 days, but finally the NBA is back! Here is my prediction of how I see the Eastern Conference playing out.

Playoff teams (In order of how I think they'll finish)

1. Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavs finished with the best record in the East last year, and this year will be a little more interesting for LeBron James since he becomes a free agent next summer. If Cleveland doesn't win it all, does he go elsewhere, or does he stay? The addition of Shaquille O'Neal will help, but it's guys off the bench like Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker that will probably have the biggest impact for a Cavs team that has lacked depth in the past. Cleveland will finish with the best record in the East, but I don't see them hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy at the end of the year.

2. Boston Celtics: In my mind the Celtics are the best team in the East if they are at full health. The problem is Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace, and Ray Allen are all aging faster then you know it, and consequently are more prone to injuries. Rajon Rondo will emerge as one of the top point guards in the East this year, but like I said the main key to Boston's success is their health. If they are at full health by the end of the regular season, they will be in the NBA Finals.

3. Orlando Magic: I'm not sold on the signing of Vince Carter just yet. I still think the loss of Hedo Turkoglu will hurt the Magic more than what they will gain in Carter. Nonetheless the defending champs from the East are still loaded with Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis, but I still see them finishing below Cleveland and Orlando.

4. Atlanta Hawks: The addition of Jamal Crawford will help the Hawks on offense. Their defense is less than stellar, and they are a horrible team on the road, but they play in the East and have one of the more talented teams.

5. Washington Wizards: This is a team that won only 19 games last year, but the big three of Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, and Caron Butler will be back and rejuvenated under new head coach Flip Saunders, who knows how to win and has been one of the more successful coaches in the NBA. I see Washington being the team that improves the most from last year.

6. Toronto Raptors: Toronto will be back in the playoffs this year after only winning 33 games last year. They brought in Hedo Turkoglu, and drafted DeMar DeRozan who I think will be very good. Combine that with Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani, and Jose Calderon, and you're looking at a Raptors team that could make some serious noise come playoff time.

7. Philadelphia 76ers: This is a Sixers team made the playoffs last year without Elton Brand, so assuming Brand is healthy, there is no reason why they shouldn't be back. Andre Igoudala is a great young player, and look for Thaddeus Young to have a breakout year.

8. Chicago Bulls: With Luol Deng back, and Derrick Rose entering his second year, the Bulls should be back in the playoffs. They lost a big weapon on offense when Ben Gordon signed with the Detroit Pistons over the summer. I see Chicago fighting it out and clinching the final playoff spot in the East.

The rest

9. Detroit Pistons

10. Miami Heat

11. Charlotte Bobcats

12. New Jersey Nets

13. Milwaukee Bucks

14. New York Knicks

15. Indiana Pacers

Western Conference Predictions to come later today.

Weekend Wrap

Let's start with the good news from the weekend, which is that Arizona State improved to 4-2 after a 24-17 victory over Washington last night. Sun Devil Quarterback Danny Sullivan threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Chris McGaha with five seconds left to win the game for the Sun Devils. ASU is now 2-1 in Pac-10 play, and will travel to Palo Alto next weekend to take on the Stanford Cardinal.

With his late heroics, Sullivan somewhat redeemed himself for his terrible play this season. It's funny that the same Sun Devil fans that were booing him two weeks ago against Oregon State are now acting like he's a hero. Obviously they've forgotten that Sully is the reason why ASU lost in Georgia, and that he is one of the main reasons why ASU lost to Oregon State. Call me crazy, but if ASU had a decent offense, they would be undefeated right now. Nonetheless Sullivan's confidence is high right now, which is good since the Sun Devils are entering the toughest part of their schedule. I just can't help but to think that the Sun Devils will have a letdown against Stanford. I hope I'm wrong, but until ASU can prove that they can follow up a big win with another win, I'll always be skeptical to pick them, therefore, I'm picking Stanford to beat ASU.

I was up in the press box for the game, and since I was with other members of the media, I got to meet Petros Papadakis, who was doing to TV commentary for FSN West. Papadakis, the co-host of the Petros & Money Show on Fox Sports Radio, is one of my favorite radio personalities and broadcasters. A lot of people dislike him because he's a little loud and obnoxious, but I think he's hilarious and I find him to be a great on-air talent. It was great being able to meet him in person, and I have to say he's a very down-to-earth guy considering he is one of the best in the business at what he does.

I also got to meet Michael Eaves, a reporter for Fox Sports West. He came and spoke to some students at the Cronkite School about the challenges of being a sports reporter. He's a very nice guy as well. I was able to get a picture with him which is up on my twitter page, along with some pictures from last night's ASU game.

Let's move to the bad news, which is the NLCS. The Los Angeles Dodgers were absolutely humiliated tonight, as they were destroyed 11-0 at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies. The Dodger offense has been terrible in the last two games, as they have only managed to get eight runs, and score two runs. Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee dominated the Dodgers tonight, as he went eight innings, struck out 10, and only allowed three hits. I guess it really didn't matter that the Dodger pitching was terrible, because with the way Lee was pitching, there was no way the offense was going to put up runs.

I've never doubted Dodger manager Joe Torre up until tonight. I don't know why he decided to start Hiroki Kuroda instead of Randy Wolf or Chad Billingsley. Kuroda had not pitched in over three weeks, and it showed tonight, as he couldn't even get out of the 2nd inning. He allowed six runs on six hits in just 1 1/3 inning. This was the most important game of the series, yet Torre decided to pitch Kuroda in a hostile environment, I just don't get it.

At this point it's the Phillies series to lose. They are up 2-1, they still have two more games at home, and they can still send Cole Hamels, Pedro Martinez, and Cliff Lee to the mound again. It will be a miracle if the Dodgers come back and win this series. Game 4 is tomorrow in Philadelphia, with the first pitch scheduled for 5:07 AZ time.

Dodgers Fall In Game 1

Well that wasn't exactly the start I had hoped to see. The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLCS 8-6 in front of a sold-out crowd at Dodger Stadium. Two three-run homers for the Phillies is really what did the Dodgers in. The Dodgers gave a valiant effort, but in the end it was the Phillies who came away with the win, and in doing so gained homefield advantage in the series. The winner of Game 1 of the NLCS has advanced to the World Series 14 out of the last 17 times. If the Dodgers want to win the series, then it must be their pitching that wins it for them. The Dodger offense is not good enough to get into an offensive shootout with the Phillies, as proven tonight. The Dodgers left way too many men on base, and did not convert on golden opportunities. The Dodgers had six runs on 14 hits, whereas the Phillies had eight runs on eight hits.

Vicente Padilla will be on the mound for the Dodgers tomorrow, and the Phillies will counter with Pedro Martinez. Tomorrow is a must win game for the boys in blue, because there is absolutely no way they will come back from an 0-2 deficit heading back to Philly.

The ALCS starts tomorrow in the Bronx, as the New York Yankees take on the "LA" Angels of Anaheim. I'm pulling for the Yankees simply for the fact that if the Dodgers don't win the World Series, then I sure as hell don't want to see the Angels win it. I never have liked the Angels, and my disliking for them and their fans has only increased since their idiot owner Arte Moreno decided to put Los Angeles as part of their team name. Honestly, nobody outside of Orange County gives a horse crap about the Angels, so what's the point of trying to make it seem like they are LA's team? The Angels don't have half the tradition and name that the Dodgers do, and it's stupid that their fans think they are better than the Dodgers just because they have won a World Series this decade.

Some noteworthy college football games this weekend include #20 Oklahoma vs #3 Texas, #4 Virginia Tech vs #19 Georgia Tech, #22 South Carolina vs #2 Alabama, and #6 USC vs #25 Notre Dame.

NLCS Insight: Dodgers Improved From Last Go Around

The National League Championship Series gets underway today, as the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies take on the Los Angeles Dodgers. These two teams met in the NLCS last year, which the Phillies won four games to one. The Dodgers won four of the seven meetings between the two during the regular season.

So what's changed in the last year? Well for one, the Dodgers are no longer dependent on Manny Ramirez like they were last year in the NLCS, in which he batted .533, hit two home runs, and drove in seven runs. Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp have emerged as very productive hitters this season, as the two hit 57 home runs, and drove in 207 runs combined during the regular season. In addition, the Dodgers bench is much better than it was last year. Guys like Jim Thome, Mark Loretta, Orlando Hudson, Juan Pierre, and Brad Ausmus really give you everything that you need in a bench. They are experienced, and they are versatile, both of which are factors that gives any team a great chance to win in the playoffs. The Dodger offense was able to beat Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright of the St. Louis Cardinals, both of whom are favorites to win the NL Cy Young Award. The offense will have their work cut out for them again, as they will face the Phillies duo of Cole Hamels, last year's World Series MVP, and Cliff Lee. The fact is this Dodger offense has found ways to win all season long, and they are going to have to do so again in this series.

Another thing that has changed in favor of the Dodgers is their pitching. Unlike last year, the Dodgers have lefty pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Randy Wolf, both of whom were brilliant in the Divisional Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Kershaw had the third-best OPS against left-handed batters this year, which bodes well for the Dodgers since the Phillies have three left-handed batters who hit 30+ home runs this season in Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Raul Ibanez. Another pleasant surprise for the Dodgers pitching staff has been Vicente Padilla, who is slated to be the starter for Game 2. Padilla, who was let go in the middle of the season by the Texas Rangers, has done nothing but good things for the Dodgers. He went 4-0 in his seven starts during the regular season, and had an ERA of 3.20. Padilla was on the mound for Game 3 of the Divisional Series, in which he threw seven scoreless innings en route to a win. In the NLDS, the Dodgers pitching staff had a combined ERA of 2.00, and shut down a St. Louis Cardinals offense that was one of the best in the majors during the regular season.

The final thing that has changed for the Dodgers is their bullpen. They are more talented, and they are deeper than they were last year. The Dodger bullpen had the best ERA and WHIP in baseball this year, in addition to having the second-most wins. Jonathan Broxton is one of the best closers in the game, George Sherrill is a great lefty who is perfect for late innings, and Hong-Chih Kuo gives the Dodgers another lefty to match up with the Phillies left-handed bats.

The biggest factor that could work in LA's favor is the revenge factor. Last year the Dodgers were embarrassed by this Phillies team, and they haven't forgotten that at all. The Dodgers have a bit more on their side this year with a more experienced team, and homefield advantage. The problem is homefield advantage is a little overrated in baseball, so I don't see that being a deciding factor in this series. The fact is this Phillies team has one of the best offenses I have seen in a while, and it's hard to take down the defending champions, especially when they added former AL Cy Young Award winner in Cliff Lee to their pitching staff. I think it will be a lot closer than the 4-1 series last year, but I still see the same result, as the Philadelphia Phillies will win the series and move on to the Fall Classic.

Prediction- Phillies in six

Two More Weeks Until Life Becomes Relevant Again!

Arizona State plays host to the University of Washington this Saturday at 7:15 p.m. local time. ASU is 3-2 and coming off a 27-14 win against Washington State, while Washington is 3-3, and coming off a 36-33 win against Arizona. This is a very big game for both teams, as it will go a long way in determining whether or not both teams will make a bowl game. Washington's quarterback Jake Locker is the best in the Pac-10, and quite frankly I don't think ASU's offense is good enough to hang with a team that can put up 20+ points in a game like Washington can. If ASU wants to win, their defense is going to have to clamp down on Washington and hold them to two touchdowns or less. In the end I see Washington winning this one, and in doing so, ending ASU's hope of getting to a bowl game since they still have to play USC, Cal, Oregon, and Stanford.

The National League Championship Series begins this Thursday in Los Angeles, as the Dodgers take on the Philadelphia Phillies in a rematch of last year's NLCS, which the Phillies won 4-1. The American League Championship Series begins Friday night in the Bronx, as the New York Yankees take on the "Los Angeles" Angels of Anaheim. I'll have my preview of each series up by Thursday afternoon, but in short I hope to see a Dodgers-Yankees World Series matchup.

The World Champion Los Angeles Lakers begin their 2009-2010 regular season in exactly two weeks, as they will open up against the Los Angeles Clippers. I can't begin to describe how excited I am for this upcoming season. Let's put it this way, in two weeks life will become important again. The NBA is by far my favorite sport, and the Lakers are by far my favorite professional team. I'm expecting nothing less than another championship from the purple and gold this year, and I'm more than confident that they will repeat. There is no team in the NBA with the amount of talent or depth that the Lakers have, and when the Lakers play at their very best, there is no team that can contend with them.

I will be seeing U2 in concert one week from tonight at the University of Phoenix Stadium! I'm very excited for that concert, as U2 is one of my favorite bands of all-time.

Listen my weekly radio show "The Sports Lounge", it's on Tuesday nights from 7-8 p.m. Arizona time. Tune in online by clicking here, or you can check out our podcast by clicking here.

Catching Up On Lost Time

I apologize for my long break between posts. I've been very busy with school work and I'm also trying to come to grips with the fact that my school's football team is god awful. Arizona State is now 2-2, after losing to Georgia and Oregon State. Quarterback Danny Sullivan is one of the worst players I have ever seen in my life, and that's saying something considering I grew up a UCLA fan. Even though there have only been four games, the season is lost for the Sun Devils. I don't see them winning more than five games, considering they still have to play USC, Cal, Oregon, and a much improved Stanford team. But hey, only one more month until basketball season!

If you want full, in-depth analysis of ASU football and other sports news, then listen to my radio show "The Sports Lounge" every Tuesday night from 7-8 p.m. Pacific Time. You can tune in online to the Blaze website, or you can check out our podcast.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will face the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS starting tomorrow at Dodger Stadium. The boys in blue had many problems with the Cardinals during the regular season, and I have no reason to believe that things will change. The Cardinals pitching is better than the Dodgers, and pitching is really all that matters in the playoffs. When you combine that with the fact that the Dodgers offense has been dismal in the last week or so, it means bad news for the Blue Crew. I expect the Cards to win the series in four games.

Speaking of the Dodgers, I am fairly certain that I will be seeing them in historic Fenway Park next summer when they take on the Boston Red Sox. Last time I heard from my father, he said it was likely that we will make the trip out east.

The World Champion Los Angeles Lakers start their regular season in exactly three weeks! I can hardly wait to see my beloved team back in action. Early reports are that center Andrew Bynum will start the season by coming off the bench. Lamar Odom will get the nod in place of Bynum in the starting lineup. I will talk more about the Lakers as their season opener nears.

I will try to post more often from now on. Having a twitter definitely makes me think about blogging less, since I can update my thoughts right away, as opposed to writing in bulk like I am right now. For those of you that have a twitter and want to follow me, you can find me by clicking here.

Weekend Preview

Arizona State will take on Georgia tomorrow, in what is the biggest game for the Sun Devils thus far this season. ASU comes in with a 2-0, while Georgia comes in with a record of 2-1. The Sun Devils have played two cupcake games in Idaho St. and Louisiana Monroe, while the Bulldogs have played at Oklahoma State, Arkansas, and South Carolina. This is the first time ASU is playing a non-conference road game since 2006, when they played in Colorado. If ASU wants to win they will have to play a near perfect game on both sides of the ball.

The biggest challenge for ASU will be how they move the ball against a Georgia defense that has struggled mightily so far this year. In their last two games, the Bulldogs have allowed a combined 78 points. The problem is I don't think ASU's offense is that good. Sure they've put up 88 points in their two games this year, but that was against garbage teams in Idaho State and Louisiana-Monroe. Sun Devil quarterback Danny Sullivan will make his first career start on the road, in a hostile SEC environment. The fact that he's inexperienced doesn't bode well for the Devils, who will need to have great leadership if they want to win. If the Sun Devil defense can limit Georgia's offense, I think ASU has a chance to win. If it turns into an offensive oriented game, then Georgia will win easily. When it comes down to it, I simply don't see ASU making the plays to win this game. I think Georgia will win easily.

Other college football games of note this weekend include #9 Miami at #11 Virginia Tech, #6 Cal at Oregon, and Iowa at #5 Penn State.

The Dodgers magic number to clinch the National League West Division is four games. The boys in blue are in Pittsburgh this weekend for a three-game series with the Pirates.

Weekend Wrap

Arizona State defeated Louisiana-Monroe 38-14 last night to improve to 2-0 on the year. ASU now faces their biggest test of the year, as they play #21 Georgia in Athens this Saturday. I don't think ASU has a chance to win this game, but then again I didn't think Washington had a chance to beat USC, and look how that turned out.

Make it four years in a row that USC has lost to a pathetic Pac-10 team. The Trojans were upset by the Washington Huskies yesterday 16-13 in Seattle. What a difference a year makes. Last year Washington won a grand total of ZERO games. So far this year they are 2-1, with one of the wins coming against SC. Apparently top 25 voters think Washington's win was no fluke, since the Huskies are now ranked #24 in the country. USC fell from #3 to #12.

The Dodgers took two of three games from the San Francisco Giants this weekend. The Dodgers finished the season series with the Giants, and won 11 out of the 18 games played played between the two this year. The Dodgers still lead the National League West by five games, with 12 games left to play.

I'm trying to convince my dad to take a father-son trip to Boston next year, because the Dodgers will be playing the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Fenway Park is one of the three ballparks I've always wanted to visit, with Wrigley Field and Yankee Stadium being the other two. Hopefully it works out, it would truly be a dream come true to watch the Dodgers play at one of the most historic ballparks in baseball history.

This week is going to be hell. Two exams, and a ton of homework due by Wednesday night. Who would have thought I'd have so much work to do at Arizona State? Just kidding.... sort of.

Into The West

Arizona State is playing host to Louisiana-Monroe this Saturday at Sun Devil Stadium. I'm picking the Sun Devils to win, but I won't be surprised if they get upset, considering they are playing Georgia in Athens in a week and a half. The reason for me not having so much confidence in ASU is because last year they lost to UNLV the week before Georgia came to Tempe. I will be in the press box for the first time ever this Saturday. I usually sit in the student section, but since the sports director for The Blaze will be at a concert, I will be filling in as the role of the spotter for the guys who will be calling the game.

Tonight was the fourth episode of the year for my radio show "The Sports Lounge". I am on the show with two of my good friends every Tuesday night. I wasn't too pleased with tonight's show, especially since I felt that the past two shows were very good. I guess we all have our "off weeks". You can listen to The Sports Lounge by tuning in online at www.blazeradioonline.com every Tuesday night at 7 p.m. pacific time. We are working on having podcasts for our episodes.

Andre Ethier came through yet again for the Dodgers tonight, as he hit a two-run, walk-off home run. Ethier now has six game-winning hits on the year. The Blue Crew now lead the National League West by five games, and their magic number to clinch the division is 14.

We are 42 days away until the start of the World Champion Lakers' regular season.

For those of you who have a twitter or want to see what's going on in my world, check me out at

https://twitter.com/Josh_P_Green

You Talking About Soccer?

The Dodgers lead in the National League is now two and a half games after falling to the lowly Arizona Diamondbacks 4-3 last night. The Colorado Rockies have won six in a row, and show no signs of letting up their fantastic play of late. The Dodgers have the day off before heading to San Francisco for a huge three-game series with the Giants. The Rockies play host to Cincinnati Reds before traveling to San Diego for the weekend to take on the Padres.

The USA Soccer team is one win away from clinching a spot in the World Cup. The U.S. beat Trinidad & Tobago 1-0 last night in a qualifying game. Ricardo Clark scored the lone goal for the U.S., who can clinch a trip to South Africa when they play Honduras on October 14th.

I never thought I'd say this, but recently I've been very into soccer. It took me long enough to realize that it's a fun sport to follow and watch on tv. My appreciation for soccer began over the summer, when I started watching Spanish League powerhouse FC Barcelona. They came to the United States to play some MLS teams, and ESPN televised the games. I got to watch players like Lional Messi, Thierry Henry, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. My personal favorite is Carlos Puyol, who is one of the best defenders in the world. I would also argue he has the best player of any soccer player I've seen. I'll say right now that I have pledged my allegiance to Barcelona. They'll be the soccer team I'll be rooting for from now on. Call me a bandwagon fan, but rooting for Barcelona gives me a legitimate reason to follow soccer.

ASU Football has the week off, but I'm looking forward to watching Ohio State vs USC, which is this Saturday at the Horseshoe.

The NFL season starts tonight, as the Pittsburgh Steelers will play host to the Tennessee Titans. All I have to say is football is back, so life finally matters again.

At Least We Won't Go Winless

The Arizona State Sun Devils opened up their 2009 season Saturday night with a 50-3 win over the Idaho State Bengals. The story of the night for the Devils was the defense. Senior linebacker Mike Nixon became the first Sun Devil in 20 years to have three interceptions, while the Sun Devil defense held Idaho State to just 37 total yards. Highly touted freshman Vontaze Burfict recovered a fumble in his Sun Devil debut.

Senior quarterback Danny Sullivan made his first career start, as he threw for 165 yards on 13-25 passing. Overall I wasn't too impressed with the ASU offense. Sure they accounted for 407 total yards, and sure they put up 50 points, but it was against Idaho State, who is one of the worst teams in the country. The fact that ASU had to settle for five field goals is a bit troubling. Last year ASU's biggest problem was not scoring touchdowns when in the red zone. I guess I can't have too high of expectations for this team, considering they were 5-7 last year.

When all is said and done, ASU is 1-0. The Devils have a bye this week and will return to action on September 19th when they play host to Louisiana Monroe. I'm hoping by this time next week ASU will have a better record than USC, who has to play at Ohio State this Saturday.

The Start of Sophomore Year

I apologize for the long break between posts. Now that I'm up and running again, I'll go through what's been going on in the last week or so.

A week ago today I moved back to ASU. I am in an off-campus apartment with three of my good friends from last year. The apartment complex is absolutely amazing, it's almost like I'm living in a resort. There is a pool and spa, a movie theater, a gym, basketball and volleyball courts, and billiard and foosball tables. Not to mention there are plenty of good looking women everywhere.

I started classes on Monday and finished my first week of sophomore year yesterday. Here are the classes I'm taking and my thoughts on each one.

Psychology- 500 people in this class. It seems easy so far and the professor is very nice. This is your typical college lecture class.

United States History- Boring class. The good news is it seems identical to my AP US History class I took in my junior year of high school. The bad news is I got a C both semesters in that class. There is a lot of required reading and my grade depends on four tests. I'm predicting this to be my toughest class this semester.

Spanish- My teacher is possibly the dullest teacher I have ever had. The course itself is easy, should be a guaranteed A.

Radio Reporting and Broadcasting- This should be my favorite class this semester. Basically covers everything I will need to learn as I go into the radio industry. This is probably the most important class I will have this year.

Principles and Ethics of Journalism- My professor is a writer for the Arizona Republic. It is self-explanatory on what we will talk about based off the title of the class.

On Tuesday the premiere of my new sports radio show "The Sports Lounge" aired. I am with two other guys on the show, which is an hour long. I didn't think it was anything special, but nonetheless it feels great to be back on-the-air. The show is Tuesday nights from 7-8 p.m. and you can listen by tuning in online to www.blazeradioonline.com.

Sophomore year has been great so far, and it's only going to get better. It feels great to be back.

Happy 50th Magic!

Today, August 14th, is a great day for Laker fans. Not only has it been two months to the date since the Lake Show won the 2009 NBA Championship, but it's also a very special day for a very special person within the franchise. Earvin "Magic" Johnson, one of the greatest Lakers ever, turns 50 today. The leader of "Showtime, and the five-time NBA Champion is one of the main reasons why the Lakers have such a rich and storied tradition. In his great career, Magic averaged 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 11.2 assists. Magic is known as one of the 50 Greatest Players of All Time, and is in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Here is a video showing some of the greatest moments in Magic's career with the Lakers. Happy 50th to Magic Johnson, the best point guard to ever play the game.

Weekend Wrap

The Dodgers have lost 10 of their last 15 games, and their lead in the NL West that was nine games at the All-Star Break is now only five and a half games. The Blue Crew lost three of four games to the Atlanta Braves this weekend, and now will travel to San Francisco for a three-game series with the Giants. This has to be the biggest series of the year for the Dodgers, as they can either get some padding on their division lead, or allow the Giants to pull to within two and a half games of them. It's likely that Dodger pitcher Chad Billingsley will miss his start on Tuesday because of a sore hamstring, so whoever gets the nod will have to bring his A game since Giants ace Tim Lincecum will be on the mound. Lincecum is 12-3 this season, and he has the best ERA in all of baseball at 2.20. They say all teams go through funks during the season, and the Dodgers are in theirs right now, hopefully they snap out of it and get back to winning immediately.

The New York Yankees swept the Boston Red Sox in a four-game series in the Bronx. The Evil Empire now has the best record in baseball at 69-42, an lead the AL East by six and a half games. I'm not a big Yankees fan, but there's nothing better than seeing Boston franchises lose.

Today is Derek Fisher's birthday, which reminds me that even though the Dodgers likely won't win a World Series anytime soon, I still have the world champion Lakers to cheer on. Only two and half months until the start of the regular season.

U2 is coming to the desert on October 20th for a concert at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. Hopefully I'll be able to go as U2 is one of my favorite bands. The Black Eyed Peas will also be playing, so it should be quite the show. Let's just say I gotta feeling that October 20th will be a good night. (Hopefully you get my reference to the Black Eyed Peas latest song)

I can now say that I'm friends with people who have been infected with the swine flu! Two of my friends got the disease this past week after attending Hume Lake Christian Camps up in the Sequoia Mountains. One of them was supposed to go to a Jonas Brothers concert tonight, but maybe God got her sick so she would be spared of having to watch the performance? I'll be making fun of both of them for being infected, but in all seriousness I hope they both feel better soon.

I will be back at Arizona State in a week and a half. Hallelujah! 

The Return of Lamar

The biggest news this week in Los Angeles sports came on Thursday, when after 31 days of long negotiations, Lamar Odom decided to re-sign with the world champion Los Angeles Lakers. Odom agreed to a four-year deal worth $33 million if the Lakers exercise their option on the fourth year. 

Off-season moves appear to be over for the Lakers, as they were successful in bringing back their top five scorers and top four rebounders from the squad that won it all just a month and a half ago. The only loss for the Lakers was Trevor Ariza, who signed with the Houston Rockets.

With Odom back I'll go ahead and guarantee that the Lakers will repeat.

The Dodgers have flopped so far on their seven game road trip, going just 2-4. They play their final game of the trip tomorrow in Atlanta.

The Blue Crew made some changes to their team, as they traded for reliever George Sherrill in attempt to bolster their bullpen that has struggled as of late. 

I think the Dodgers made a huge mistake in not trading for Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay. The Philadelphia Phillies traded for AL Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee, the St. Louis Cardinals traded for All-Star slugger Matt Holliday, and the Dodgers respond by trading for a closer? I'm sorry but a closer is not going to win you a World Series. The Dodgers needed an ace for the playoffs, and Halladay was that guy. Even if it meant trading away prospects, the Dodgers should have pulled the trigger. I don't think the Dodgers can get to the World Series with the roster they have now. Philadelphia has a great offense which nows complements a great pitching staff, and for whatever reason the Dodgers cannot beat the Cardinals, so I'm going to say right now the Dodgers will not make the World Series.

This is why Los Angeles will always be a Laker town, because the Dodgers never do what they have to do to win. They are complacent with getting to the playoffs and then losing. When is Frank McCourt and the rest of the Dodger management going to realize that getting to the playoffs is not enough? The Dodgers haven't been to the World Series in 21 years, which is truly unacceptable. I guess this makes me appreciate Lakers owner Jerry Buss all the more, because he settles for nothing less than championships.

European League Soccer powerhouse FC Barcelona came to the Rose Bowl to take on the Los Angeles Galaxy in a friendly match in front of more than 90,000 people. Barcelona won 2-1, with the lone goal by the Galaxy coming from David Beckham. I find it pathetic that LA fans booed Beckham every time he touched the ball because they are angry he played in Europe for a season, yet they gave Manny Ramirez a standing ovation after he came back from a 50-game suspension for cheating. Shows the true colors of Los Angeles sports fans these days. 

20 days till ASU.

Dodger Blues

I guess I'm a bit spoiled with the Dodgers' success this year if I start to worry over the fact that they've lost three games in a row. Things haven't been going so well lately for the Blue Crew, who were crushed 10-0 tonight by the St. Louis Cardinals. The Dodgers offense has been subpar, as they have only been able to score one run out of the 20 hits they have so far in their first two games with the Cardinals. The Dodgers still have the best record in baseball at 62-38, and they still have an eight game lead in the National League West, but they may need to make a move before the trade deadline, which is this Friday.

There were rumors via twitter yesterday that said the Dodgers are interested in starting pitcher Cliff Lee, and catcher Victor Martinez, both of whom are on the Cleveland Indians. The rumors suggested the Dodgers would be willing to trade first baseman James Loney and some prospects for Lee and Martinez. The Dodgers need an ace for their pitching staff, which is something that Lee can be, and they need depth for their offense, which is something that Martinez can bring. Lee won the AL Cy Young Award last year, as he compiled a 22-3 record with a 2.54 ERA. So far this season Victor Martinez is batting .285 with 15 home runs and 67 runs batted in. Conversely, James Loney is batting .284 with seven home runs and 62 runs batted in.

There have also been reports that the Dodgers are among the many teams interested in Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay. While it would be great to see Halladay in a Dodger uniform, the Blue Crew would probably have to give up quite a bit to get him, which would likely have to include pitchers Chad Billingsley or Clayton Kershaw, which are two players that I think shouldn't even be considered tradeable.

Whatever the case may be the Dodgers still have some kinks to figure out. Every team goes through a funk at some point in the year, and the Dodgers are in theirs right now. I do think the Dodgers need to make a move to either bolster their pitching rotation or to bolster their offensive lineup. I'm just not sure if the roster they have now is good enough to win a World Series. Either way I'm happy with the way the Dodgers have played thus far, and if they don't win a World Series this year, well I still have the Lakers!

24 more days until ASU.

Latest With Lamar

Only an idiot like Lamar Odom would leave the Lakers right after they win an NBA Championship and go to a team that has ZERO chance of winning a championship. According to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, Odom is "leaning towards accepting an offer from the Miami Heat." Odom has not accepted an offer, but it appears as though he is seriously considering leaving the world champions to go back to the team that he played for during the 2003-2004 season. 

Odom has already turned down two offers from the Lakers this summer. One of them was a three-year deal worth $30 million, and the other was a four-year deal worth $36 million. Apparently Odom thinks he is worth more money than guys like Manu Ginobili and Ron Artest since he's turning down those kind of deals. The best part and maybe the saddest part depending on how you look at it is if Odom goes to Miami, he'll be getting a five-year deal worth $34 million. So let's do a little math here kids. Odom would be making a little less than $7 million a year in Miami, whereas if he had accepted either of the Lakers offers, he would have been making $10 million or $9 million a year. If Odom chooses to stay with the Lakers, he will still be making more money than he will get if he chooses to go to Miami.

If Lamar wants to continue winning championships, then his best bet is to stay in Los Angeles. Miami has no chance of winning a championship next season, whereas the Lakers are the favorites to repeat. As far as fame and glory is concerned, well that's in store for Odom right here in Los Angeles as well. Odom is treated like a God in LA. Why? Because basketball actually matters here. The Lakers are arguably the greatest franchise in the NBA, plus the Lakers are the most beloved franchise in Los Angeles since there is no football team. Nobody in Miami gives a rat's ass about the Heat, so the likelihood that Lamar would get all the fame and glory in Miami is slim to none.

Despite all of the media reports, I still believe Lamar will be a Laker next season. I think he is using the media to try to get Lakers owner Jerry Buss to offer him more money. I can't see Lamar leaving because he really wants to be a member of the Miami Heat. But who knows, I could be wrong. Los Angeles is not for everybody, and since Lamar is a low key guy, maybe he wants to go to Miami where it is more laid back. Also if Lamar comes back to LA, there will be a lot of pressure to perform since nobody expects the Lakers not to repeat and everyone will be expecting him to put up spectacular numbers because of the money he would be making. Hopefully Lamar will make his decision within the week, and hopefully he chooses to remain a Laker, because without him I'm not sure the Lakers can repeat. 

You Stay Classy San Diego

Quick news in the NBA before we get into the MLB. The Portland Trail Blazers have signed point guard Andre Miller to a three-year deal worth $21 million. The Blazers get a veteran guard in Miller who will provide leadership to a very young nucleus. Miller averaged 16.3 points and 6.5 assists last year with the Philadelphia 76ers. 

Lamar Odom is still a free agent since he was dumb enough to turn down not one, but two offers from the Lakers. I'm convinced Trevor Ariza's agent is somehow behind this.

The Los Angeles Dodgers start a three-game set with the Florida Marlins tonight at Chavez Ravine. The Dodgers have the best record in baseball at 61-34, and lead the National League West by nine games.

What a game it was on Wednesday night for the Dodgers. They beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-2, but the story of the night was Manny Ramirez, who hit the game-winning pinch-hit grand slam. Manny wasn't in the lineup because he got hit by a pitch on his hand the night before, yet the sold-out crowd of 56,000 was treated for a pleasant surprise when he came to the plate as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning with the bases loaded in a tie game. And what do you know, on the very first pitch Manny blasted a line-drive into the Mannywood section. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that Wednesday night was also Manny Ramirez Bobblehead Night, making him the first Dodger ever to hit a home run on their bobblehead night. Dodgers play-by-play announcer Vin Scully said that it was the loudest he's heard Dodger Stadium since Kirk Gibson's legendary home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. Hollywood could not have wrote a better script.

The St. Louis Cardinals made a huge trade today, as they acquired Matt Holliday from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for some prospects. Holliday is a three-time All-Star and will provide protection in the lineup for Albert Pujols. This move should all but assure St. Louis of winning the National League Central.

I'm on vacation in San Diego with my family right now. I've always said that San Diego is the best city in California. The weather is perfect, so are the beaches and the bays, and the scenery is amazing. (If you know what I mean)

Less than one month until I go back to ASU and it can't come soon enough. ( Well 28 days to be exact, but who's counting?)

RIP Uncle Walt

America has lost another icon. Walter Cronkite, the man people called "the most trusted man in America", and perhaps the greatest anchorman there has ever been died on Friday at the age of 92. Cronkite started anchoring the CBS Evening News when he was 45-years-old. During his time, Cronkite covered stories such as the assassination of President Kennedy, the Watergate Scandal, and the Vietnam War. His signature sign-off to end his broadcasts was "And that's the way it is."

Cronkite retired in 1980, ten years before I was born. While I never got to see him anchor the news, I have watched videos of his best moments in the industry. Cronkite was simply the best at what he did. He was a natural at delivering the news, and even after his retirement was considered one of the most trusted men in America. I think of Tom Brokaw or Larry King as far as people that could be modern day versions of Walter Cronkite. It's too bad Cronkite's death isn't getting nearly half of the coverage that Michael Jackson's death got, because I feel like some people don't realize just how big of a loss this is.

It is an honor for me to attend the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. I will always be able to say that I attended one of the premier journalism schools in the country which is named after the best that there was in the business. Even though Walter Cronkite has passed away, his legacy will continue to live on forever. And that's the way it is, and that's the way it will be. May he rest in peace.

More Than A Feeling

It's been exactly one month since the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA Championship for the 15th time in their storied history. Watching videos from the championship clinching victory and the parade never gets old, and as a tribute to the champions here is a video from the final moments of Game 5. This was also the final Laker game that AM 570 KLAC served as the flagship station for the Lakers. KLAC has been the flagship station of the Lakers for the past 32 years, but as they say all good things must come to an end. Lakers radio announcers Spero Dedes and Mychael Thompson are on the call.

NBA Free Agency Updates

It's been a while since my last post, so let's get up to speed on what's going on in NBA Free Agency.

The Los Angeles Lakers officially signed Ron Artest to a three-year deal worth $18 million, however the World Champions are still negotiating with Lamar Odom. Talks are somewhat complicated because Odom wants $10 million per year, but due to salary cap issues, the Lakers can only afford to pay him around $8 million per year. Rumors are that Odom will sign with a team within the next week or so, and all Laker fans should be praying that that team is the Lakers because without him the Lakers will not repeat. Other teams that could potentially sign Odom are the Portland Trail Blazers and the Utah Jazz, however the Lakers are probably still the favorites to sign him.

Trevor Ariza signed a 5-year deal with the Houston Rockets. Ariza's contract is worth $32 million, which is the same amount of money he would have been making had he stayed with the Lakers. 

The Boston Celtics signed power forward Rasheed Wallace to a three-year deal at the mid-level exception. Wallace brings depth and veteran leadership to a Celtics team that is looking to rebound from last year, during which they lost to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.

Antonio McDyess signed three-year with the San Antonio Spurs that is worth $15 million. McDyess spent the past five seasons in Detroit.

Mike Bibby has verbally agreed to a three-year deal to stay with the Atlanta Hawks.

Jason Kidd re-signed with the Dallas Mavericks, as the nine-time All-Star agreed to a three-year deal worth $25 million.

One of the biggest moves in the off-season came via a four-team trade, which was highlighted by Shawn Marion going to the Dallas Mavericks and Hedo Turkoglu going to the Toronto Raptors. The Mavericks are now serious contenders in the Western Conference, while Toronto hopes that landing Tukoglu can convince four-time All-Star Center Chris Bosh to re-sign with the team next summer.

Stay tuned for more updates and other sports-related news to come this week.

Artest To Play In The City of Angels!

Well the rich just got richer, as the Los Angeles Lakers announced today that Ron Artest will become a member of the team! Artest has verbally agreed to a three-year contract worth $18 million, although he cannot officially sign with the team until July 8th. Artest is taking a pay cut in an attempt to win an NBA Championship for the first time in his somewhat troubled career. The 2004 Defensive Player of the Year averaged 17.4 points, and 5 rebounds with the Houston Rockets last season.

This is a fantastic move for the Lakers since Artest comes at a very cheap price. The Lakers are basically paying Artest what they were willing to pay for Trevor Ariza, and I think we can all agree that Artest is the much better player at this point. Artest gives the Lakers another presence in the post, to go along with Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, and Kobe Bryant. Those are all big guys that can post up on smaller guys which will be a tough matchup. He is a great three point shooter, as he shot 40% last season, however his biggest contribution to the Lakers will be on the defensive side. He will be an excellent perimeter guard on the two's and the three's, and he will all but put an end to the thought that the Lakers are a "soft" team. 

Now all the Lakers need to do is re-sign Lamar Odom, and if everything goes according to plan, they should all but seal AT LEAST a return to the NBA Finals. The Lakers window of opportunity is now, and General Manager Mitch Kupchak realized that as he essentially picked Artest over Trevor Ariza. If the Lakers re-sign Odom, then it will be hard for me to see any other team in the NBA winning it all.

The one downside to Ron Artest coming to the Lakers is that Trevor Ariza will not be returning. Ariza verbally agreed to a five-year deal with the Houston Rockets, that is reportedly worth $32 million. So in essence, Ariza and Artest swapped spots. I feel bad for Ariza since Los Angeles is his hometown. He became a fan favorite and people started to love him as a player. I'm sad to see him go, but the NBA is a business and sacrifices have to be made. I was going to buy an Ariza jersey if he re-signed with the team, but it looks like I saved myself some money. 

This is the start to a great off-season for the World Champions. Now they just need to re-sign Lamar Odom, and everything will be put in place for a REPEAT! (And dare I say dynasty?)

This a great way to kick off what should be a great sports weekend for the city of Los Angeles. Ron Artest is a Laker, and Manny Ramirez returns to the Dodgers tomorrow night! I love LA!

NBA Free Agency & The Return of Mannywood

The Detroit Pistons made the biggest news in NBA Free Agency thus far, as they signed Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva yesterday. Gordon, who averaged 21 points last season, will receive a 5-year deal worth between $55 and $60 million, while Villanueva, who averaged 17 points and 6 rebounds last season, will receive a 5-year deal worth $40 million. 

The Los Angeles Clippers continued with their busy off-season by trading power forward Zach Randolph to the Memphis Grizzlies for swingman Quentin Richardson. Randolph averaged 21 points and 9 rebounds last season, but he only played in 39 games due to injuries. Richardson, who averaged 10 points with the New York Knicks last season, will return to the team who drafted him in 2000. The move also assures that the Clippers overall #1 draft pick Blake Griffin will get a spot in the starting lineup.

There are many rumors surfacing with the Lakers and Trevor Ariza. ESPN.com is reporting that Ariza is leaning towards leaving the Lakers, since they are not offering him the kind of money he is seeking. Now if Ariza were to leave the Lakers, there is a possibility LA could pursue Ron Artest. While the possibility of Artest coming to LA is strictly talk, the possibility of Ariza leaving LA seems very likely. Ariza wants $8-9 million a year, which is about $3 million more than the Lakers are willing to offer. I would be more than happy having Artest if Ariza indeed leaves the Lakers. Artest is a great defender and creates his own shows. As much as I love Trevor, he's had one good year and in my opinion is not worth more than the mid-level exception of $5.6 million.

Onto baseball now. Dodger fans the wait is finally over: Manny Ramirez will return to action tomorrow against the San Diego Padres! The 12-time All-Star has served his 50-game suspension and will now look to bring energy to a Dodger offense that has struggled as of late. The Dodgers went 29-21 in Ramirez's absence, and increased their lead in the National League West from six and a half games to seven games. While I won't be giving a heroes welcome to Manny, I'm certainly excited that he is back simply because the Dodger offense has been in a funk recently and is in need of some power! Manny's return should ignite the team and the city of Los Angeles. The Dodgers currently have the best record in baseball at 50-29. They play their final nine games before the All-Star break on the road, starting tomorrow in San Diego, followed by three games in New York and Milwaukee. 

NBA Draft Results

The 2009 NBA Draft has come and gone. As expected the Los Angeles Clippers selected Blake Griffin with the #1 overall pick. Here are the results of the top 10 picks.

1. Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffin- No surprise here, even the Clippers weren't dumb enough to pass on him.

2. Memphis Grizzlies: Hasheem Thabeet- He may not be the best offensive player, but Thabeet is a monster on defense and will immediately help a Grizzlies team that was in need of a dominant big man.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder: James Harden- I was surprised Harden went this high, but I'm very happy for him. He's a great player with a great IQ for the game. The Thunder now have a great shooting guard to complement Russell Westbrook.

4. Sacramento Kings: Tyreke Evans- Evans is a very physical player. I'm surprised the Kings didn't pick Ricky Rubio, but nonetheless Evans will have a positive impact for Sac town.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves: Ricky Rubio- Fantastic pick for Minnesota, and quite the steal at #5. They are a rebuilding team, and now they have a great young point guard. It will take some time for Rubio to develop, but in four or five years he could be one of the best point guards in the game.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves: Johnny Flynn- I was surprised that Minnesota took two point guards back-to-back, but nonetheless Flynn is a great player with great defensive skills and great leadership skills.

7. Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry- Great pick for Golden State, even though they already have Monta Ellis as a point guard. Curry is a small guy, but he's a great scorer and should fit in well with Don Nelson's up-tempo style of play.

8. New York Knicks: Jordan Hill- Solid pick for the Knicks. All the fans at Madison Square Garden were booing because they wanted Stephen Curry, but Hill is a great big man that could thrive in Mike D'Antoni's offensive game. 

9. Toronto Raptors: DeMar DeRozan- He could be the most athletic player that was taken. DeRozan has a ton of upside and could be a great scorer. Look for the Raptors to build around him since Chris Bosh will probably leave the team next summer.

10. Milwaukee Bucks: Brandon Jennings- Interesting pick since I thought the Bucks were going to take Jrue Holiday. Jennings is somewhat of a risk since he didn't play in college and went to Europe instead. He needs to work on his jump shot, but this could be a great pick for Milwaukee down the line.

Former Arizona State Sun Devil Jeff Pendergraph was taken with the first pick in the second round by the Sacramento Kings. I'm very happy for both Harden and Pendergraph. They represented ASU Basketball very well, and hopefully they will do great things in the NBA. I hope Coach Herb Sendek can use Harden and Pendergraph as examples that players who come to ASU can be just as successful in getting drafted as players that go to powerhouses like North Carolina, Duke, and UCLA.

I said in my previous post that the NBA world had been changed with the Shaquille O'Neal trade, but that was only the beginning. The Orlando Magic traded Rafer Alston, Tony Battie, and Courtney Lee to the New Jersey Nets for eight-time NBA All-Star Vince Carter and former California Golden Bear Ryan Anderson. All I have to say is WOW. What a great move for the Magic. In my opinion this trade makes Orlando the clear cut favorites to win the Eastern Conference and get back to the NBA Finals next year. If they can re-sign Hedo Turkoglu, then the Magic's starting lineup will be as follows: Jameer Nelson, Vince Carter, Hedo Turkoglu, Rashard Lewis, and Dwight Howard. That would by far be the best starting five in the NBA. Carter averaged 20.8 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in 80 games with New Jersey last season. I sure hope the Lakers re-sign Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom, because the biggest competitors in the NBA are only getting better.

There are still plenty of NBA Trade rumors that are surfacing, but my oh my what an incredible 24 hours it has been for the NBA. Only four more months until the beginning of the regular season!

NBA Frenzy

The NBA world has changed a lot in the past 12+ hours. Last night the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Shaquille O'Neal from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, and $500,000. Apparently Cleveland thinks the answer to winning a championship is bringing in a 38-year-old who is way past his prime. I'm sure David Stern is already dreaming of a Cavaliers-Lakers Finals matchup next year. As if the comparisons with Kobe and LeBron weren't enough, now you throw Shaq in the mix, and you've got quite the dramatic matchup.

The NBA Draft is tonight and Blake Griffin's promising career will be cursed as soon as he is drafted by the Clippers. The Lakers sold their first round pick to the New York Knicks for $3 million. That money will be used to attempt to re-sign Trevor Ariza, Lamar Odom, and Shannon Brown. The draft begins at 4:30 Pacific time. Here is my mock top 10 picks. I'll post tonight or tomorrow about the actual results.

1. Los Angeles Clippers- Blake Griffin

2. Memphis Grizzlies- Hasheem Thabeet

3. Oklahoma City Thunder- Tyreke Evans

4. Sacramento Kings- Stephen Curry

5. Minnesota Timberwolves- Ricky Rubio

6. Minnesota Timberwolves- James Harden

7. Golden State Warriors- Jordan Hill

8. New York Knicks- Johnny Flynn

9. Toronto Raptors- DeMar DeRozan

10. Milwaukee Bucks- Jrue Holiday

Summer Spending

It's been over a week since the Lakers won their 15th NBA Championship, yet I'm still on a high. I still get pretty fired up every time I watch youtube videos from Game 5 or when I look at pictures from the parade. 

So now that the Lakers have a couple months off, what's next? Well they need to make sure that they bring everyone back for next year. There are two unrestricted free agents on the team that the Lakers NEED to make sure they re-sign: Trevor Ariza, Lamar Odom. Both Ariza and Odom have made it clear that they want to return to the Lakers next year. Odom even went as far as to say that he would take a pay cut to come back (Yeah like that'll really happen). Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said that he intends to do whatever he has to do to make sure both guys are back next year.

The Lakers may be able to re-sign both players simply because the economy is horrible and teams aren't willing to spend as much money on players as they would in years past. The Lakers really have no excuse not to bring back Odom and Ariza. They have the money to do it, it's just a matter of how much Lakers Owner Jerry Buss is willing to spend. In my opinion, you cannot break up a championship team. The Lakers MUST re-sign both if they want to have a chance to repeat, they cannot settle for one. Odom and Ariza officially become free agents on July 1st, at which then other teams can start making offers. Odom and Ariza will be certainly getting big offers from other teams, but I've got faith in the Lakers management that they will re-sign both.

Another big question mark is whether or not Phil Jackson will return to coach the team next season. Jackson, who is the all-time winningest coach in NBA History with 10 championships, said his health will be the determining factor in whether or not he comes back. Jackson plans on going through a series of medical tests, after which he will make his decision. 

It will be an interesting off-season for the World Champions, but we Laker fans can only hope for nothing but the best in the next couple of months.

Lakers Championship Parade!

Today was truly a remarkable day, and one that I will never forget. Five of my friends and I went to the Lakers Championship Parade to celebrate the 15th NBA Championship of the Lake Show's glorious franchise history. It really was an experience unlike any other and is one that every Laker fan should partake in at least once in his or her lifetime.

The ceremony was held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, home to many historic moments in sports, now including a moment in Laker Basketball. The gates opened at 9:00 am, yet people started lining up as early as 3:30 in the morning. My friends and I got down there at 6:45 am, and there were already at least 20,000 screaming Laker fans waiting to get in. There were many gates for fans to enter through, but this was the gate I came through. As you can tell it was just a huge mob trying to get in as quickly as possible.

The stage setup was awesome. They actually brought in the court from the Staples Center and used it for the platform from which the players spoke. 

This was one of the many signs that were given to Laker fans prior to entering the Coliseum. I was in Laker heaven today. As a die-hard fan, I couldn't think of anything better than being with 95,000 other die-hard fans cheering for arguably the greatest franchise in sports. An hour before the Lakers even arrived at the Coliseum, there were thunderous chants of "Let's Go Lakers", "MVP" (referring to Kobe Bryant of course), and "Boston Sucks". It was great.
As mentioned there were close to 100,000 people in attendance. I should note that almost 50% of the stadium had been filled by the time I had entered. It was crazy. Today really proved that the die-hard Laker fans are the best fans in the NBA, hands down.
In the end, the Lakers gathered at the center of the stage and jumped around. The team is in the white, you can't see them too well, but I tried my best to get a picture with the zoom on my camera. Purple and gold confetti fell onto the fans of the city and franchise that had been hungry for a championship for the past seven years. Dreams became a reality, as the championship season was complete. What a way to end such a memorable year for the Los Angeles Lakers. A year ago they were embarrassed by the hated Boston Celtics, and now they are NBA Champions. The past few days have been the happiest days of the year for me. It's going to be a long few months until next season, but with another season comes the hopes of another championship and another parade. I tried finding the youtube video of "I Love LA", but I was unsuccessful. You should all know it, it's the song for the best fans in the world that honors the best city in the world. Right now there are four words that I can say in honor of the Lakers: REPEAT and I LOVE LA!!!

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

I apologize for the break between posts, I've been too busy rioting in Downtown Los Angeles because the Lakers are NBA CHAMPIONS! By the way I was kidding about the whole rioting part, I was actually up in the Bay Area for my sister's graduation from Stanford. Anyways, the dream of every Laker fan at the beginning of the season has become a reality. With a 99-86 win over the Orlando Magic Sunday night, the Lakers became NBA Champions for the 15th time in their glorious franchise history. With the win, Phil Jackson became the all-time winningest head coach in NBA History, as he won his 10th championship as a coach, passing the great Red Auerbach. Everyone on the Lakers not named Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant became champions for the first time in their careers, while Bryant and Fisher became 4-time NBA Champions. In winning the championship, Kobe finally silenced his critics by winning one without Shaquille O'Neal. Kobe also became the Finals MVP for the first time in his great career.

Listen I'm not going to sit here and say that I saw it coming all along, but I just had a feeling from the beginning of this season that the Lakers would end up winning it all. I have said all year long that when the Lakers play at their very best on a consistent basis, there is NO team in the NBA that can beat them....I mean NO ONE. I will say this now: if the Lakers bring everyone back next year, they will repeat. They are only going to get better since their nucleus is very young, and with a couple more championships, Kobe could potentially become the greatest player to ever play the game. Nonetheless the Lakers are World Champions and will have a target on their backs next season.

It's been a long seven years, but I can finally rejoice that my beloved Lakers are champions once again. I have not been this happy in God knows how long. People might think it's sad that my mood depends on how the Lakers do, but you know I really don't care. I'm a die-hard fan and there absolutely nothing that will make me to support any other NBA team more than I support the Lakers. So when occasions such as winning championships happen, I'm going to be in a good mood for a long time. 

So for the next year all the Laker haters can shut up, and all the Kobe haters can shut up. Because Kobe and the Lakers are Champions!!! I will be going to the Championship Parade tomorrow, so I will try my best to post tomorrow night about it.