The King's Throne

Over the weekend Miami Heat forward LeBron James was awarded with his 3rd NBA Regular Season MVP award. Only seven other players in NBA history have accomplished that feat. LeBron is only 27, so I imagine that he might win a few more. The biggest difference between LeBron and the seven other 3 time MVPs is that they’ve all won at least one NBA title. That said, I still think LeBron ranks pretty favorably all time as his career stands right now.

To adequately assess LeBron’s place in NBA history we’ll use The Book of Basketball written by ESPN.Com/Grantland.Com columnist Bill Simmons. He knows a lot more about the NBA than I do, so I’m comfortable using his rankings even though I disagree with a few of them.

LeBron was ranked 20th back when the book came out in 2009. Simmons wrote, “A dopey ranking for obvious reasons: he’s twenty-three and headed for the top-eight (possibly higher) in the The Second Book of Basketball, which should be released somewhere between 2016 and 2018 after my wife leaves me and I need a quick influx of cash.”

I know LeBron hasn’t won a title yet (just wait about a month and that might change), but he’s unquestionably the best player in the world. He took an absolute dogshit Cavs team to the finals in 2007. Aside from LeBron that team featured Eric Snow, Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Big Z, Varejao, and Daniel Gibson.

I think that LeBron, at the very minimum, ranks 14th all time right now. Here are the players that currently rank ahead of him.

1.) Michael Jordan- 6 time NBA champion, 6 time NBA Finals MVP, 14 time All-Star, 5 time NBA Regular Season MVP, All NBA First Team 10 times, All Defensive First Team 9 times, NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1988), 10 time scoring champ (7 consecutive), starred in Space Jam (1996)

Career averages- 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists

2.) Bill Russell- 11 time NBA champion (they didn’t give out the NBA Finals MVP Award until 1969), 12 time All-Star, 5 time NBA Regular Season MVP, All NBA First Team 3 times, 5 time rebounding champ, was awarded the presidential medal for freedom (the highest award a civilian can receive)

Career averages- 15.1 points, 22.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists

3.) Kareem Abdul Jabbar- 6 time NBA champion, 2 time NBA Finals MVP, 19 time All-Star, 6 time NBA Regular Season MVP, All NBA First Team 10 times, All Defensive First Team 5 times, 2 time scoring champ, 2 time rebounding champ, 4 time blocks champ, NBA’s All-Time leading scorer, starred in Airplane (1980)

Career averages- 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.5 blocks

4.) Magic Johnson-5 time NBA Champion, 3 time NBA Finals MVP, 12 time All-Star, 3 time NBA Regular Season MVP, All NBA First Team 9 times, 4 time assists champ, 2 time steals champ, is HIV positive

Career averages- 19.5 points, 11.2 assists, 7.2 rebounds

5.) Larry Bird- 3 time NBA champion, 2 time NBA Finals MVP, 12 time All-Star, 3 time NBA Regular Season MVP, All NBA First Team 9 times, All Defensive First Team 2 times, dominated the first ever 3-point contest with his warm-ups still on



Career averages- 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists

6.) Wilt Chamberlain- 2 time NBA champion, 2 time NBA Finals MVP, 13 time All-Star, 4 time NBA Regular Season MVP, All NBA First Team 7 times, All Defensive First Team 2 times, 7 time scoring champ, 11 time rebounding champ, 1 time assists champ, NBA’s All-Time leading rebounder, scored 100 points in a game, slept with over 20,000 different women

Career averages- 30.1 points, 22.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists

7.) Kobe Bryant*- 5 time NBA champion, 2 time NBA Finals MVP, 14 time All-Star, 1 time NBA Regular Season MVP, All NBA First Team 9 times, All NBA Defensive First Team 9 times, 2 time scoring champ, allegedly sexually assaulted a hostess in a Colorado hotel (we all know it was just consensual sex though)

Career averages- 25.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists

*Simmons had Kobe at #15 in his book, but wrote in the epilogue wrote the following because the Kobe’s Lakers won the title in 2009, “For the paperback I’m expanding the Pyramid to 13 and sticking Kobe at No.8. And you know what? Duncan’s No. 7 spot isn’t safe. Let’s see how the next few years play out.” Well Kobe went on to win another title and Finals MVP in 2010, so I think it’s safe to bump him past The Big Fundamental. Everyone else listed will obviously now drop down a spot from where they were when the book was first published.

8.) Tim Duncan- 4 time NBA champion, 3 time NBA Finals MVP, 13 time All-Star, 2 time NBA Regular Season MVP, All NBA First Team 9 times, All Defensive First Team 8 times, has never committed a foul in his career and gets fouled on every shot attempt in the paint

Career averages- 20.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.2 blocks

9.) Jerry West- 1 time NBA champion, 1 time NBA Finals MVP (in a series his team lost), 14 time All-Star, All NBA First Team 10 times, All Defensive First Team 4 times, 1 time scoring champ, 1 time assists champ, the NBA logo was modeled after him, Nicknamed Mr. Clutch even though his team lost 8 of the 9 times they went to the Finals



Career averages- 27.0 points, 6.7 assists, 5.8 rebounds

10.) Oscar Robertson- 1 time NBA champion, 12 time All-Star, 1 time NBA Regular Season MVP, All NBA First Team 9 times, nicknamed "The Big O" which is pretty cool

Career averages- 25.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 9.5 assists

11.) Hakeem Olajuwon- 2 time NBA champion, 2 time NBA Finals MVP, 12 time All-Star, 1 time NBA Regular Season MVP, All NBA First Team 6 times, All Defensive First Team 5 times, 2 time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, 2 time rebound champ, 3 time blocks champ, only won his titles because MJ had retired

Career averages- 21.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.1 blocks

12.) Shaquille O’Neal- 4 time NBA Champion, 3 time NBA Finals MVP, 15 time All-Star, 1 time NBA Regular Season MVP, All NBA First Team 8 times, 2 time scoring champ, has a doctorate degree from Barry University

Career averages- 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.3 blocks

13.) Moses Malone- 1 time NBA champion, 1 time NBA Finals MVP, 12 time All-Star, 3 time NBA Regular Season MVP, All NBA First Team 4 times, All Defensive Team 1 time, 6 time rebounding champ

Career averages- 20.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 1.3 blocks


Notice that all of those players won at least one NBA Championship. That’s the only thing missing from LeBron’s resume.

LeBron James- 8 time All-Star, 3 time NBA Regular Season MVP, All NBA First Team 6 times*, All Defensive First Team 4 times*, 1 time scoring champ, nicknamed himself King James, the only thing that moves faster than LBJ on a fast break is his receding hairline



*LeBron hasn’t officially been named to the All NBA First Team and the All Defensive First Team for the 2011-12 season, but let’s be real here. He’s going to.

Career averages- 27.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists

If the Heat win the title this year I think that vaults LeBron past Jerry West to #9 all time.

I guess my point is this. Instead of bashing LeBron every time the Heat lose, you should embrace his incredible skill and talent.

Dream Team

The world of sports talk was set ablaze Tuesday when NBA superstar LeBron James sent this tweet to ESPN NFL Reporter John Clayton.

“@ClaytonESPN When is the deadline for a team to sign a free agent?”

The debate began almost immediately because it seems like ESPN thinks it’s news every time LeBron tweets (regardless of the subject matter). Is LeBron serious? If so, should a team sign him? He was an all-state wide receiver in high school, but could he play in the NFL? Look no further than Antonio Gates or Jimmy Graham.

Ok LeBron, even though I don’t think you’re remotely serious and you probably just want the media to speculate about how great of an athlete you are, I’ll bite too.

Could LeBron play in the NFL? In a heartbeat. The dude is 6’8 250 and probably runs a 4.4-4.6. Sure, he’d be extremely raw and he wouldn’t know what he was doing half of the time, but with an ounce of coaching, practice, and dedication he could be a force. The people that say that the best athletes in the world are in the NFL are wrong. The best athletes in the world are in the NBA and I don’t think there’s much of a debate.

Of course this begs the question, “What other NBA players could successfully make the transition to the NFL?”

Well to answer that question I put together an NFL roster of NBA players. You may not know all of the following names, but I did my best to assign players to a position that best fit their body type, mentality, and skill set. Most NBA players are simply too tall to realistically have a place on the football field, other than as a kick blocking expert, so you won’t find a Dwight Howard or Kevin Garnett anywhere on my suggested roster.


Depth Chart

Offense

WR- LeBron James, Heat F (6’8, 250)- Most people say that LeBron would make for a premier tight end because of his size, but I’d keep him at his natural position so he doesn’t have to get in a three point stance, block anyone with real size, or get chipped coming off the line. He’d be unguardable on the goal line. Even if he was double covered he’d still catch fades.

WR- Monta Ellis, Warriors G (6’3, 185)- I wanted to make his teammate Steph Curry my slot WR, but Curry doesn’t have the toughness to go across the middle. Ellis isn’t that well known, but he’s an electrifying athlete.

OT- Al Horford, Hawks C (6’10, 245)- Horford has extremely long arms, enormous hands, a wide base, quick feet, and a calm and cool demeanor. He’s my first pick to protect the blind side.

OG- Chuck Hayes, Rockets C (6’6, 238)- Chuck Hayes is an absolute bad ass. He just goes about his business grabbing every rebound in sight and playing stellar defense even though he’s undersized without ever seeking praise or admiration for his hard work. This selflessness is rare for an NBA player and much needed for an offensive line man.

C- Luke Harangody, Cavs F (6’7, 251)- He’s a little tall, but centers need to be smart in order to make protection calls and Harangody’s Notre Dame education would go far.

OG- Craig Smith, Clippers F (6’7, 265)- Smith has some serious meat to him and after sitting next to his mother at a BC basketball game I think he could easily pack on the 50-60 pounds he’d need to effectively play at the NFL level.

OT- Jon Brockman, Bucks F (6’7, 255)- Brockman has the perfect frame and agility to play tackle. He’s built like a house and could quickly beef up to 330-340.

TE- Amare Stoudemire, Knicks F (6’10, 240)- STAT’s combination of size, speed, soft hands, and toughness would make him an elite TE almost instantly.

WR- Kevin Durant, Thunder F (6’9, 230)- Durant is such a gamer that I thought about making him the quarterback. He heats up like nobody else in the league and I could see him doing the same as a receiver. If you need a big catch in the 4th quarter with the game on the line Durant would be your guy.

QB- Jason Kidd, Mavs G (6’4, 210)- I’ve scanned through every player in the league and Kidd just seems like the obvious choice. He has the ideal size, vision, and leadership qualities, but I question his intellect.

RB- Derrick Rose, Bulls G (6’3, 190)- I think this is the best fit of any position. Rose is out of control fast, agile, and powerful. I see him as a cross between Adrian Peterson and Ray Rice.


Defense

DE- Blake Griffin, Clippers F (6’10, 251)- Good luck blocking him coming off the edge. He arguably has the best blend of speed, power, and aggressiveness in the league.

DT- DeJuan Blair, Spurs F (6’7, 270)- Blair’s mass and quickness would make him a disruptive force in the A and B gaps.

DT- Glen “Big Baby” Davis, Celtics F (6’9, 289)- Big Baby is enormous and has ideal size for offensive tackle, but he’s way too dumb to play offense. I also think he’s a little unstable and that’s the exact quality I want in players that play defense.

DE- Joey Dorsey, Raptors F (6’8, 268)-I honestly didn’t know that Dorsey was still in the NBA, but anyone that saw him play at Memphis knows that he’s an absolute freak of nature.

OLB- Shannon Brown, Lakers G (6’4, 210)- Easily one of the most athletic players in the association. He’s fast, quick, gritty, and ferocious. Exactly what I want in a LB.

MLB- Gerald Wallace, Blazers F (6’7, 220)- He doesn’t have elite level speed for an NBA player, but I think he’s faster than most middle linebackers in the NFL. He’s also one of the most intimidating guys you can imagine. Picture the last person you want to see in a dark alley late at night. You’ve just pictured Gerald Wallace.

OLB- Tony Allen, Grizzlies G (6’4, 213)- One of the best on ball defenders in the NBA. Prototypical size for a LB. In fact, he could probably play SS, but I can easily see him shedding blocks and tackling anyone in sight.

CB- Nate Robinson, Thunder G (5’9, 180)- He played cornerback at the University of Washington and would make the transition to the NFL the easiest especially from a technical stand point.

FS- Rajon Rondo, Celtics G (6’1, 171)- Rondo would be an absolute ball hawk and his inefficiencies as a shooter wouldn’t come into play in the NFL.

SS- Russell Westbrook, Thunder G (6’3, 187)- The dude is a blur and he’s super aggressive. He’d probably bite on every play fake for the first year or two of his career, but I think he could be an impact player.

CB- Kyle Lowry, Rockets G (6’0, 205)- Probably the feistiest player in the NBA. I don’t think he’d be a lockdown corner, but he’d thrive playing bump and run and would hardly ever miss a tackle.


Special Teams

K- Steve Nash, Suns G (6’3, 178)- He plays in a soccer league in NYC in the summer, so I assume he can kick. He’d also be at least the 2nd biggest kicker in the league (Sebastian Janikowski).

P- Tracy McGrady, Pistons F (6’8, 223)- I went to a game 10 years ago in Orlando where McGrady punted the ball into the stands not once, but twice, so I imagine that he’d at least be interested in the position.

KR- Manu Ginobili, Spurs G (6’6, 205)- Manu’s 6’6? Either way, he’s crafty, elusive, and dynamic.

PR- Brandon Jennings, Bucks G (6’1, 169)- He’d probably dance too much and try to make the home run plays, but if he could be coach to make 1 move and then go north and south he could be explosive. He’d also see some action as the 3rd down running back.


Bench

OT- Kevin Love, Timberwolves F (6’10, 260)
OT- DeMarcus Cousins, Kings C (6’11, 270)
OT- Josh Harrellson, Knicks F (6’10, 275)
OG- Reggie Evans, Raptors F (6’8, 245)
OG- Jason Maxiell, Pistons F (6’7, 260)
WR- Rudy Gay, Grizzlies F (6’8, 230)
WR- Dwyane Wade, Heat G (6’4, 220)
WR- Matt Barnes, Lakers F (6’7, 226)
TE- Carmelo Anthony, Knicks F (6’8, 230)
TE- Jason Richardson, Magic G (6’6, 225)
QB- Chris Paul, Hornets G (6’0, 175)
QB- Kirk Hinrich, Hawks G (6’4, 190)
RB- Deron Williams, Nets G (6’3, 209)
RB- Chauncey Billups, Knicks G (6’3, 210)
DE- Ron Artest, Lakers F (6’7, 260)
DE- Corey Maggette, Bucks G (6’6, 225)
DT- Joey Graham, Cavs F (6’7, 230)
DT- Jeff Adrien, Warriors F (6’7, 243)
OLB- Sam Young, Grizzlies F (6’6, 220)
OLB- Andre Igoudala, 76ers G (6’6, 207)
MLB- Tyreke Evans, Kings G (6’6, 220)
CB- Ty Lawson, Nuggets G (5’11, 195)
CB- Kemba Walker, Bobcats G (6’1, 176)
CB- John Wall, Wizards G (6’4, 195)
FS- Raja Bell, Jazz G (6’5, 206)
SS- Ben Gordon, Pistons G (6’3, 200)

If this 53 man roster quits basketball tomorrow and fully commits to becoming the best football players that they can be for a full year I think they'd be able to beat at least 1-2 NFL teams. They'd still be extremely raw even after a full year of devotion, but they would be the biggest, fastest, and most athletic team in the league. The only real question I'd have is at quarterback.
 
PS- I consider myself to be a Kobe apologist, but even I know that he's too much of a nancy boy to play football.

Tennis Anyone?

You probably don't know this about me, but the sport of tennis has always been a significant (maybe not the right word) part of my life. I grew up in a well to do neighborhood just east of downtown Syracuse called Sedgwick Farms. While the houses in the neighborhood were nice and the people were generally friendly, there were only two things that really gave Sedgwick Farms a sense of community. The first was each year on Christmas Eve virtually every house in the neighborhood (outside of the few Jewish people) would light luminaries (white bags with candles in them) and space them out along the street. Quite frankly, they were a hassle that somehow my brothers and I always had to deal with. The other was the Sedgwick Farms tennis club. The club consisted of a two story clubhouse with a dining room upstairs that I've been in once (for a graduation party) and at least 5 courts made of red clay. I still remember taking tennis lessons there as a kid because we were required to wear all white, could only wear a certain type of sneaker, and our instructor's name was Hanz. I can still remember exactly what my racket looked like. It was turquoise Prince racket with blue strings (you could see a P in the strings) and a purple grip.

As I continued to get older I developed a minor passion for the game. In my driveway I would play wall ball (I know that's a lacrosse term, but I think it applies here too) against my garage for hours at a time. I wasn't even deterred by the fact that I broke at least half of the windows on the garage and soon after the ball would routinely go through the holes and I'd have to open the garage door and search for the ball before I could keep playing.

I don't know what it was, but I eventually stopped playing (and when I say playing I mean playing against myself in my driveway) for a few years. Maybe it was because I spent more time playing baseball, or that I got into lacrosse, or that when I played a female family friend who is two years older than me in tennis I got absolutely smoked and my confidence was shot. Either way, I got back into tennis during my junior and senior years of high school because we used to play it in gym class.

Eventually I started playing a few of my friends on a pretty regular basis. One of which I consistently beat even though he was 6'4 and would eventually play 4 years of college football at an Ivy League school. I never lost to him, but the matches were competitive so it was fun. There was another friend of mine who went on to play 4 years of top tier college basketball and 1 year of college football who, for some reason or another, I could never beat. There was no doubt in my mind that I was the better tennis player, but he was definitely the better athlete and his will to win clearly outshined mine on numerous occasions. Our matches were always close (we played best of three sets), but he always came out on top. I specifically remember having a triple match point in the second set (I dominated the first set) and blowing not only that, but the third set as well. To this day I have never beaten him.

During my college years I played tennis in the summer against a few of my friends (one of whom has a tennis court in his backyard) and while on vacation against my dad. For 2-3 years I didn't lose, but my friend who has the court in his backyard kept on challenging me. Eventually he beat me and I can only remember playing a handful of times after that. I'm sure that I've played my dad while on vacation a few times, but the last time I specifically remember playing tennis was during my junior year of college against a girl I had a crush on.

While I wouldn't say that I was ever any good at tennis I did enjoy the sport. I even spent plenty of time watching it on television. For example, I watched the Andre Agassi (who I just emailed to see if he'll come on the radio)/James Blake 5 set thriller in the 2005 U.S. Open in its entirety. Lately I've watched plenty of my girl Caroline Wozniacki. And of course, I've seen plenty of Federer and Nadal. Now before I get more into their "rivalry" I first have to mention a quick word about the #3 ranked tennis player in the world; Novak Djokovic. If you don't know how to pronounce his name now you will in a second. While doing the highlights of a Djokovic match on SportsCenter a few months ago the most underrated anchor in the business Robert Flores said this…



So back to Federer/Nadal. If I asked you, "Who's the best tennis player in the world over the past 10 years?" I'm pretty sure that most of you, assuming you know something about tennis or that you've at least seen enough Gillette commercials, would say Roger Federer. Now you wouldn't exactly be wrong. Federer has won 16 grand slams (6 at Wimbledon), which is the most all time, but Rafael Nadal owns him in head to head matches. The two "rivals" have played 25 times. Nadal has won 17 of them. They've met in the finals of a grand slam 8 times. Nadal has won 6 of them.

Federer will turn 30 in August, which in tennis is worse than being a 35 year old running back in the NFL, whereas Nadal just turned 25 and won his 10^th grand slam in the past week.

All points considered, how can we say that Federer is the best tennis player of all time when his "rival" has dominated him in the course of their careers?

Here's what I think this is a case of. Once Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi retired tennis fans were looking for someone to carry the torch for the sport. They found their man in Federer and anointed him as the best player ever. Federer's elegance, composure, and championship pedigree fit the bill. Then after a few years of pure domination Nadal came along. He's quicker, faster, more agile, and more powerful than Federer. Based on the eye test alone it's clear that Nadal is the better player. Sure, some of that is the age difference, but people are still reluctant to admit it because they've already anointed Federer as "the best player of all time."

This is similar, again similar (not the exact same thing because there a few differences), to what's happened in the NBA. After Michael Jordan retired basketball fans were almost immediately searching for the second coming. Every time a talented shooting guard came up through the ranks people started making the comparison. Finally Kobe showed up and, fair or not, was anointed as the next Jordan. In fact, he tried so hard to be Jordan in the way that he spoke and played that people almost reluctantly said, "Ok, he's the next Michael." Kobe may not have fully lived up to the Jordan comparison, but he came as close as anyone ever has. After his 5^th championship people were starting to put the two in the same conversation. But now LeBron has shown up and is on the precipice of his first title. He hasn't exactly owned Kobe in head to head meetings like Nadal has owned Federer, but I think it would be foolish, even for a Kobe apologist like me, to not admit that LeBron is the more gifted player.

Battle for Conference Supremacy

During the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament there's been a lot of talk about how each conference has performed. Did the Big East deserve to have 11 teams in? How did they only have 2 teams advance to the Sweet 16? Is a bubble team from a major conference more worthy than a mid major?

Well, forget about the tournament for a minute, why don't we just look to the NBA to see which conference is the best? My newly married friend posed this question to me last week and I found it to be fascinating. He said, "If you had to make a 10 man roster of current NBA players from the same college conference, what would be the best team?" After some serious consideration I have compiled the teams from each of the major six conferences. I also expanded the rosters to 12 (the same as NBA active rosters) and included a brief synopsis of how good I think each team is. Feel free to agree or disagree.

(Conferences are listed alphabetically)

ACC



PG- Chris Paul, Hornets (Wake Forest)
SG- Vince Carter, Suns (North Carolina)
SF- Luol Deng, Bulls (Duke)
PF- Chris Bosh, Heat (Georgia Tech)
C- Tim Duncan, Spurs (Wake Forest)

Bench

Raymond Felton, Nuggets (North Carolina)
John Salmons, Bucks (Miami)
Shane Battier, Grizzlies (Duke)
Carlos Boozer, Bulls (Duke)
Elton Brand, 76ers (Duke)
Grant Hill, Suns (Duke)
Antawn Jamison, Cavs (North Carolina

Synopsis- Pretty remarkable that Vince Carter still starts after all of these years. Quite frankly, I like Salmons more, but Carter’s name carries some weight (as in dead weight because that’s what he is). This team’s clear weakness is at the wing. They have nice size (Bosh, Duncan, Boozer), a great floor general (CP3), and great complimentary veteran role players (Battier, Hill, Jamison), but they lack an elite scorer, athleticism at the wing, and a real threat from behind the arc.


Big East



PG- Dwyane Wade, Heat (Marquette)
SG- Ray Allen, Celtics (UCONN)
SF- Rudy Gay, Grizzlies (UCONN)
PF- Carmelo Anthony, Knicks (Syracuse)
C- Roy Hibbert, Pacers (Georgetown)

Bench

Ben Gordon, Pistons (UCONN)
Wesley Matthews, Blazers (Marquette)
Caron Butler, Mavericks (UCONN)
Jeff Green, Celtics (Georgetown)
Emeka Okafor, Hornets (UCONN)
Wilson Chandler, Nuggets (Depaul)
Ron Artest, Lakers (St. John’s)

Synopsis- No true point guard was good enough to make the roster (Sorry Jonny Flynn) and that hurts them quite a bit. They do have two superstars (Wade and Melo), the best shooter of all time (Ray Ray), offensive firepower (Gordon, Chandler), and an emerging star (Rudy Gay), but they have mediocre and limited bigs and no true ball handler.


Big Ten



PG- Deron Williams, Nets (Illinois)
SG- Eric Gordon, Clippers (Indiana)
SF- Jason Richardson, Magic (Michigan State)
PF- Zach Randolph, Grizzlies (Michigan State)
C- Carl Landry, Hornets (Purdue)

Bench

Mike Conley, Grizzlies (Ohio State)
Jamal Crawford, Hawks (Michigan)
Shannon Brown, Lakers (Michigan State)
Kris Humphries, Nets (Minnesota)
Juwan Howard, Heat (Michigan)
Evan Turner, 76ers (Ohio State)
Devin Harris, Jazz (Wisconsin)

Synopsis- Where is the size? Carl Landry is a nice player, but he’s not a center. Outside of him I love the starting lineup. D Will is arguably the best point guard in the game, Eric Gordon has taking a huge leap forward this year after playing with Team USA in the summer, Jason Richardson is one of the most underrated players in the league, and Z Bo is an absolute beast. Their bench has some nice pieces (Crawford, Shannon Brown), but it’s rather underwhelming compared to the rest of these teams.


Big 12



PG- Chauncey Billups, Knicks (Colorado)
SG- Paul Pierce, Celtics (Kansas)
SF- Kevin Durant, Thunder (Texas)
PF- Blake Griffin, Clippers (Oklahoma)
C- LaMarcus Aldridge, Blazers (Texas)

Bench

Daniel Gibson, Cavs (Texas)
Kirk Hinrich, Hawks (Kansas)
Tony Allen, Grizzlies (Oklahoma State)
Michael Beasley, Timberwolves (Kansas State)
DeAndre Jordan, Clippers (Texas A&M) D
J Augustin, Bobcats (Texas)
Nick Collison, Thunder (Kansas)

Synopsis- Easily my favorite starting lineup of the major conferences, but like the Big Ten there’s just not a lot of depth behind it. Another weakness that doesn’t jump out at you right away is that this team really has no low post presence. Aldridge’s low post game is improving, but he’s basically a face up shooter. Blake Griffin is an uber athletic 4 that drives to the rim (he doesn’t operate in the post). Beasley, who can’t win for losing, plays more like a 2 than a 4 even though he dominated the glass in college. That all said, this may be the best of the six purely based on the firepower in their starting lineup.


Pac 10



PG- Jason Kidd, Mavericks (California)
SG- Russell Westbrook, Thunder (UCLA)
SF- Andre Igoudala, 76ers (Arizona)
PF- Kevin Love, Timberwolves (UCLA)
C- Brook Lopez, Nets (Stanford)

Bench

Jason Terry, Mavericks (Arizona)
Gilbert Arenas, Magic (Arizona)
Nick Young, Wizards (USC)
Richard Jefferson, Spurs (Arizona)
Channing Frye, Suns (Arizona)
Aaron Brooks, Suns (Oregon)
Brandon Roy, Blazers (Washington)

Synopsis- Believe it or not, the Pac 10 had the most players that seemed worthy of making the team. Players like Baron Davis, Trevor Ariza, and OJ Mayo didn’t make the cut. This team would definitely operate best playing an up-tempo style. Jason Kidd would have a field day taking outlet passes from Kevin Love and running with super athletic wings like Westbrook and Iguodala. Brook Lopez is a true low post scorer who would love (excuse the pun) playing alongside Kevin Love because Love would make up for Lopez’ softness on the glass. I love Jason Terry, Arenas, and Nick Young coming off the bench and if Brandon Roy could ever stay healthy he would probably be in the starting lineup.

SEC



PG- Rajon Rondo, Celtics (Kentucky)
SG- Joe Johnson, Hawks (Arkansas)
SF- Gerald Wallace, Blazers (Alabama)
PF- David Lee, Warriors (Florida)
C- Al Horford, Hawks (Florida)

Bench

John Wall, Wizards (Kentucky)
Mo Williams, Clippers (Alabama)
Mike Miller, Heat (Florida)
Glen Davis, Celtics (LSU)
Joakim Noah, Bulls (Florida)
Marcus Thornton, Hornets (LSU)
Tayshaun Prince, Pistons (Kentucky)

Synopsis- I’d be very interested to see how Rondo would play without Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. This team would dominate the glass, but who’s their go to scorer? Joe Johnson? He’s a talented 2, but he’s the go to guy on the Hawks and they aren’t even a top 4 seed in the East. This team does have an intriguing bench, but not a lot of players that can fill the scoring void. As weird as it sounds, this team would probably play like a typical SEC team who slows it down, plays aggressive defense, and grinds out tough baskets. They say defense wins, even in the NBA, but you still need to have elite offensive weapons and this team doesn’t have any.


Well now that two mid-majors have advanced to the Final Four (Butler and VCU)I think it's only fair if we take a look at a team comprised of players from non major conferences.

Mid Majors



PG- Derrick Rose, Bulls (Memphis)
SG- Stephen Curry, Warriors (Davidson)
SF- Danny Granger, Pacers (New Mexico)
PF- Paul Millsap, Jazz (Louisiana Tech)
C- Andrew Bogut, Bucks (Utah)

Bench

Tyreke Evans, Kings (Memphis)
Kevin Martin, Rockets (Western Carolina)
Lamar Odom, Lakers (Rhode Island)
David West, Hornets (Xavier)
Javale McGee, Wizards (UNLV)
Jameer Nelson, Magic (St. Joseph’s)
Kyle Korver, Bulls (Creighton)

Synopsis- I would take this team to beat any and all of the teams from the major conferences. Sure they have more schools to pick from, but they are easily the most balanced. They have 4 players who played PG in college (Curry and Evans are now shooting guards), 5 elite scorers (Rose, Curry, Granger, Evans, and Martin), 4 top notch threats from deep (Curry, Granger, Martin, and Korver), and above average big men that have unique skill sets (Millsap is your prototypical low post scorer and rebounding, Bogut is as good of a low post defender as you’re going to get, Odom is arguably the most versatile player in the league as well as an elite rebounder, West can play in the post and has a nice mid-range game, and McGee is an athletic freak who can come in and grab rebounds and block shots). The only weakness I can see, and it’s not much of one, is that they one have one true superstar (Rose) and other teams have more.

*Steve Nash, Suns (Santa Clara) was not considered because, as a Canadian, he is also eligible for our next category. Similarly, other players that were eligible for more than one category (ex: Linas Kleiza, Raptors (Missouri) (Lithuania)) we're not considered.

Foreign



PG- Tony Parker, Spurs (France)
SG- Manu Ginobili, Spurs (Argentina)
SF- Hedo Turkoglu, Magic (Turkey)
PF- Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks (Germany)
C- Pau Gasol, Lakers (Spain)

Bench

Jose Calderon, Raptors (Spain)
Danilo Gallinari, Nuggets (Italy)
Andrei Kirilenko, Jazz (Russia)
Andrea Bargnani, Raptors (Italy)
Nene Hilario, Nuggets (Brazil)
Marc Gasol, Grizzlies (Spain)
Luis Scola, Rockets (Argentina)

Synopsis- As much as I’d like to say that this group of foreigners would suck, I can’t. This team is loaded. Two legitimate superstars in Dirk and Pau. One of the best late game scorers in the world in Manu. Six viable threats from behind the 3 point line (Manu, Hedo, Dirk, Calderon, Gallo, and Bargnani). Great size (the Gasol brothers, Nene, Scola). Two true pass first point guards (one of which is a former NBA Finals MVP and a confirmed swinger). The biggest question for this team is defense. Kirilenko and Nene are the only two notable defensive players on the roster and Kirilenko is way past his prime. So how good are they? I’d take them to beat any team yet.


If you're even a remote fan of the NBA you know that there's a team that we haven't gotten to yet. You should also know that it's probably the best team of them all.

High School



PG- LeBron James, Heat (St. Vincent’s/St. Mary’s in Akron, OH)
SG- Kobe Bryant, Lakers (Lower Merion in Philadelphia, PA)
SF- Amare Stoudemire, Knicks (Cypress Creek in Orlando, FL)
PF- Kevin Garnett, Celtics (Farragut Academy in Chicago, IL)
C- Dwight Howard, Magic (SW Atlanta Christian Academy in Atlanta, GA)

Bench

Monta Ellis, Warriors (Lanier High in Jackson, MS)
J.R. Smith, Nuggets (Saint Benedict’s in Newark, NJ)
Josh Smith, Hawks (Oak Hill in Mouth of Wilson, VA)
Al Jefferson, Jazz (Prentiss High in Prentiss, MS)
Andrew Bynum, Lakers (St. Joseph’s in Metuchen, NJ)
Tyson Chandler, Mavericks (Dominguez High in Compton, CA)
Dorell Wright, Warriors (South Kent Prep in South Kent, CT)

Synopsis- This team lacks a true point guard (even though some would argue that PG is LeBron’s natural position), but they have 4 current super stars (LBJ, Kobe, Amare, and Dwight) and one former star who’s past his prime (KG). They have explosive scorers on their bench (Ellis, J.R. Smith), unmatched size, six elite defenders (LBJ, Kobe, KG, Dwight, J.R. Smith, and Josh Smith), and 4 solid 3-point shooters (Kobe, Ellis, J.R. Smith, and Dorell Wright). This team’s pure talent and other worldly size makes them virtually unbeatable.

Happiest New Year?

Now that the new year is upon us (happy new year to you and yours by the way), I have a few questions. First, what are we going to call 2010? Is it going to be 20-10 (twenty-ten)? or 2010 (two-thousand and ten)? Personally, I don't care all that much, but I would appreciate a little consistency as I have heard both numerous times already. I kind of like 20-10 because it's short and has almost a nickname sort of ring to it, but no one called 2009 twenty-nine, so I'm not convinced that it's a legitimate moniker. Also, moving forward the only other year where this will work seems to be 2012 (twenty-twelve), so it's not like this is something that will catch on. Alright, I talked myself into it. I'm going with 2010 (two thousand and ten).

My second and final question is perhaps more important. Which group of Americans is the most excited for it to be 2010? To better answer that question, let's take a look at the candidates.

1.) New York Knick Fans



In 2006, Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James surprised everyone when he chose to sign a 4 year extension instead of the maxmimum deal allowed (a 5 year deal). This move was unprecedented. Young franchise players always sign for the max. Soon after Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade, and Toronto Raptors center Chris Bosh followed suit. These three additions to an already loaded 2010 NBA free agent class literally changed the way that many organizations did business over the next(and now past) four years.

In an effort to attract LeBron, Wade, Bosh, etc. the Knicks, who were ruined financially because of the missteps of Isiah Thomas, have essentially mailed in the past two seasons. From a front office standpoint, their goal has not been to win. It has been to shed payroll so that they can make a run at this crop of free agents in the summer of 2010. New team president Donnie Walsh has done an admirable job (well admirable if you have no problem with mailing two seasons in just for a chance at LBJ, etc.), but still needs to move one or both of the heinous contracts given to Eddy Curry and Jared Jeffries in order to have full flexibilty this summer (by full flexibility I mean the cap space to sign 2-3 big name players). The Knicks front office did everything but release a statement in 2008 that said, "We don't care what our record is these next two seasons. We are only worried about shedding cap space, but we are still going to charge you the same ludicrous amount to watch our rag tag team because we play in the "world's most famous arena."

It's no secret that the Knicks are going to do everything in their power to convince LeBron into coming to New York in 2010. New York has been the most speculated destination for LBJ ever since his decision to not sign for the maximum in 2006. He admittedly loves New York because of it's celebrity culture, atmosphere, big stage, etc. He's even a Yankee fan. I was in MSG when LeBron came to town earlier this season and the crowd has no qualms about blatantly rooting for him even though at this juncture he plays for the opposing team.

The prevailing thought had Phoenix Suns point guard and two time NBA MVP Steve Nash signing with the Knicks and his former coach Mike D'Antoni in the summer of 2010 to help lure other big name free agents like LeBron to New York. Nash lives and plays in a soccer league in NYC in the summer and is thought to be one of the best teammates in the league; However this plan fell through when Nash signed a two year extension with the Suns in July.

Now virtually all of the Knick's eggs are in LeBron's basket. The hope is that he signs with the Knicks and brings the likes of Chris Bosh/Joe Johnson with him. But will LeBron leave Cleveland and try to revive basketball in the city that never sleeps? No one (including LeBron) knows for sure, but for the first time in almost 10 years Knick fans have something to rest their hopes on.


2.) Republicans



The GOP was dealt a major blow in 2008. Not only did Obama trounce McCain for the presidency, but the Democrats expanded their majority in the House by 21 seats and achieved a super majority in the Senate (58 Democrats and 2 Independents). Ever since that election the Republicans have been on a rampage to regain control of Congress. You've seen coverage of the tea parties, the town hall meetings, etc. 2010 is the first chance for the American public to essentially give an up or down vote on Obama. Aside from every House of Representatives seat being up for re-election (members of the House serve two year terms),36 Senate seats will be up for grabs (18 of which are currently held by Democrats and the other 18 are currently held by Repbulicans), and 37 states will hold gubernatorial elections.

If history has anything to say about the 2010 mid term elections, it's that the Republicans will surely pick up a few seats in Congress. For starters, the president's party almost always loses a few seats in the mid term elections. Also, it's next to impossible to maintin the kind of majority that the Democrats currently have, even in prosperous times.

Picking up a few seats won't suffice for the GOP, though. They want to shift the power of the American political structure back in their favor in 2010. These mid term elections already have shades of the "Republican Revolution" led by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich in 1994. Back then Republicans were unhappy with a young, democratic president that was trying to push a health care reform bill through Congress. In the mid term elections of 1994, the Republicans took control of the House and looked to make Clinton a lame duck president in 1996; However (as the late, great Doc O explained to me) Clinton essentially became a Republican in the next two years and rolled in his re-election bid in '96.

That being said, here is the case against Obama in 2010. First and foremost, the economy continues to lag. When he was elected, Obama (to much of the American public) had this magical quality about him. They thought that he could come into office and fix any problem with the wave of his hand. Problem was, he couldn't. There's no doubt that he's trying, but the continued stagnation of the economy has at least taken Obama off of the pedestal that many had placed him on. Furthermore, this health care fiasco is splitting the country in two. Although everyone in Congress admits that our current health care system needs to be reformed, a comprehensive overhaul of the system is such an enormous task that it should come as no surprise that there are so many disagreements about the proposed bills. Lastly, even though the 2010 midterm elections are basically like a report card on Obama's first two years in office, his name won't be on the ballot. All of those people that registered and enthusiastically went to the polls to vote for Obama in '08 (yes, I'm talking about black people) aren't going to show up in '10 to vote for Chuck Schumer, Harry Reid, etc.


3.) Soccer Fans



American soccer fans probably have a hard on knowing that the World Cup kicks off in less than 160 days in South Africa. To them, and the rest of the world, the World Cup is bigger than the Superbowl. I would also like to point out that calling the event the World Cup is actually accurate whereas the World Series is a complete misnomer.

American soccer fans must be even more excited this year after learning last month that the US team received a favorable draw. In case you haven't heard, the United States has been placed in a group with England, Slovenia, and Algeria. I don't know much about Slovenia or Algeria, but I'm pretty sure that we should beat them both and if we do we will most likely advance to the knockout stage.

Before I move on, I have a point of contention with many Americans that like soccer. I don't care if the US Team doesn't have a realistic chance at winning the whole thing or not. They are the only team that you should be rooting for. I can't stand the kids that root for the team of their heritage (unless your parents were born and raised in that country in which case I'm totally OK with it) because they are better than the United States team, especially if the teams play each other. All of those Italian kids that rooted for Italy when they played the US in 2006 can go fuck themselves.


4.) People born in the year 1910


This painting is one of the most famous in American history. It was painted by Grant Wood and is titled, "American Gothic". Information that you should know.

Now hear me out before you write this off as a throwaway choice. Obviously these people must be pumped that it's 2010 so that they can reach triple digits in age. Sure, most of them probably aren't all there mentally and a large percentage of them might die before they reach their birthday (although statistics show that most people die shortly after their birthdays/Christmas), but reaching 100 has to be the light at the end of the tunnel for what they must have gone through in their time on Earth.

People born in 1910 were teenagers during the Roaring '20's. They probably witnessed all sorts of Gatsby style wild parties and rowdy saloons without being able to participate. By the time they were old enough to partake in the decadence of the decade, it was over. The Stock Market crashed and the Great Depression began.

They probably struggled to find work, raise a family, etc. Most of them probably moved west like the Joad family of Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath." By the time they turned 31-32 many of them were probably drafted and forced to serve in World War II.

After the war these men and women lived through the Civil Right Movement of the 50's and 60's. They were 40-50 years old at the time and probably held steadfast to their bigoted ways. As the laws began to change I bet they blamed the government.

In the 60's and 70's they had to endure the JFK assassination, the Vietnam War, and Watergate. I'm sure these three events only made them distrust the government even more.

I'm hoping, for their sake, that they enjoyed the 80's and 90's with the downfall of the Soviet Union and years of American prosperity because just when they, and the rest of us for that matter, thought everything was fine the 00's came along.

As I've already pointed out, Time magazine called the 00's the "Decade from Hell" because of 9/11, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the global financial crisis that we are still battling through.

The lives of those born in 1910 could not have been easy. Here's hoping that they reach 100.

The Dream Team

One of my company's 2009 priorities was to focus our resources on the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Outside of this countdown, which was put up about two and a half months ago, it's hard to really tell what we've done.


(The scoreboard now features the flags of all 32 teams that qualified for the World Cup and about 8 different people have asked me why Ireland's flag is up there and I have to tell them that it's not Ireland's flag, it's the Ivory Coast's flag)

Although soccer is the most popular game in the world, it's probably only the 5th most popular sport in America. Our awareness of the soccer landscape, as a country, is virtually non existent. For example, try to name 4 MLS teams. Sure, whenever Team USA wins a match we take great pride in that, but for the most part it's a known fact that we can't really compete with the best of the best in the world. Why is this, you might ask. Well it's simple really. All of our best athletes play either basketball, football, or baseball whereas the best athletes in the rest of the world play soccer.

This got me thinking the other day (Christmas Eve) at work with that countdown practically staring me right in the face. What if 23 of our best athletes had focused all of their time, talent, and energy on playing soccer their entire lives? What would our national soccer team look like then? Before I proceed with our literal dream team I must first say that this idea was briefly tossed around by Kyle Korver (I think) in what has come to be known as TGETE (The Greatest Email Thread Ever) a few months ago.

Prospective 2010 US World Cup Soccer Team Roster

Starting Lineup (we run either the 3-3-4 or 2-4-4)

Left Striker- Chris Johnson (Titans RB)- Johnson might be the toughest sell on the team from an intelligence standpoint, but his speed and quickness are undeniable. Also, there has to be someone on the team with dreads, right?

Striker/Midfielder- Rajon Rondo (Celtics PG)- I strongly dislike Rondo, but I think that his size (6'1), quickness, and creativity would work well in soccer. Also, as ESPN.Com's Bill Simmons pointed out in what I consider to be the greatest article ever written, his name sort of sounds European.

Right Striker- Reggie Bush (Saints RB)- Reggie Bush just has immense natural ability. His speed, agility, and elusiveness are almost unparalleled. I have him in the starting lineup based purely on his raw talent, but I think I'd replace him with a sub in crunch time.

Left Midfielder- Brandon Jennings (Bucks PG)- Jennings is at his best with the ball in his hands. He has both great vision and creativity. He's left-handed (and I assume left-foot dominate as well, even though these players will be close to equally skilled with both feet). Lastly, he spent a year over in Italy (the 2006 World Cup Champions) and that's got to count for something.

Center Midfielder- Maurice Jones-Drew (Jaguars RB)- For my center midfielder I wanted a short, tough, bruiser who could carry the ball through traffic and get tough when needed to on the defensive end. I think MJD fits all the criteria extremely well. I've been told that this is a prime position for a captain, but Jones-Drew is most certainly not the captain of Team USA.

Right Midfielder- Chris Paul (Hornets PG)- Just imagine the kind of balls that Paul would send into the box. Throw in his speed, defensive intensity, and unselfishness and he makes for a perfect midfielder.

Left Back- Kobe Bryant (Lakers G)- Kobe, although born in Philadelphia, grew up in Italy and learned to speak Italian and Spanish fluently. He has also said that if his family didn't move back to America he would have tried to become a professional soccer player. He's been named to the NBA All Defensive First Team 7 times and has arguably the most unflappable work ethic of anyone in the world.

Center Back- LeBron James (Cavaliers F)- LeBron's combination of size (6'8 250) and speed would make him the best defenseman in the world. No doubt about it. No one would be able to out tough, out run, or out jump him. I think I'd run all of my set plays for him.

Center Back/Sweeper- Josh Smith (Hawks F)- This team is stacked with amazing athletes, but Smith might take the cake as the most freakish. Smith stands 6'9, weighs 240 pounds, and jumps higher than LeBron would if he were wearing PF Flyers. He has incredible length, recovery speed, and would win every header within a 30 foot radius. I feel like most of you won't know who Smith is, so do yourself a favor and watch this video to get a taste of what he is like.


Right Back- Dwyane Wade (Heat G)- D Wade has the toughness, quickness, and composure needed to excel as a defensemen. It's hard to believe that he'd probably be the weakest of the 4 defensemen (on paper), but he has shown the ability to thrive when surrounded by the best talent in the world before. It could be argued that he was the MVP of the Redeem Team with his energy and scoring off of the bench.

Goalie- Kevin Garnett (Celtics F)- KG is a lean 6'11 with a wingspan the size of a 747. His lateral quickness is off the charts. Him holding a soccer ball with his right hand would be like you holding a tennis ball with your right hand. KG is the perfect soccer goalie based on his physical attributes alone, but his intangibles are perhaps more impressive. I think KG is the fiercest competitor in the world. His drive is unmatched. His intensity is scary. He is an ideal vocal leader. Oh and by the way he excelled at soccer in high school and he's won the Defensive Player of the Year award in the NBA to go along with the 8 times that he's been on the All Defensive First Team. Ladies and Gentleman, the captain of your 2010 US Soccer Team.

Bench

Striker- Jonny Flynn (Timberwoolves PG)- Speed, charisma, and creativity.

Striker- Ty Lawson (Nuggets PG)- Lower body strength, vision, and toughness.

Striker/Midfielder- Carl Crawford (Rays LF)- Speed, speed, and speed.

Midfielder- DeSean Jackson (Eagles WR)- An ideal frame, explosive quickness, and a knack for making big plays.

Midfielder- Wes Welker (Patriots WR)- Your token white guy has great toughness and agility.

Midfielder- Steve Smith (Panthers WR)- Although he's not even The Real Steve Smith (he is), his speed, as ESPN's Kenny Mayne told us, is incendiary.



Defenseman- Charles Woodson (Packers CB)- A lockdown defender, crafty veteran, and team leader.

Defenseman- Torii Hunter (Angels CF)- Good size (6'2, 225), leaping ability, and a total character guy.

Defenseman- Shawn Marion (Mavericks F)- A hard nosed defender with great size and speed that doesn't bring the kind of baggage that a Ron Artest, etc. would.

Defenseman- Darrelle Revis (Jets CB)- He will shut down the best offensive weapon on any team.

Goalie- Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals WR)- Great hands, lateral quickness, and smarts.

Goalie- Dwight Howard (Magic C)- Has the same physical tools as Garnett, but needs to work on the intangibles.

The Pop Culture Initiative

You probably haven't even noticed, but recently (and by recently I mean about 2 months ago) I added a new website to my link list (which can be found along the right hand column underneath the picture of the American eagle). The Pop Culture Initiative is a blog written by my friend Frank who's about 23 going on 44 years old (he's practically bald). For the longest time Frank had avoided the blogosphere and instead opted to compose his pop culture related musings by way of Facebook notes. In fact, almost a year ago to the day I shared one of Frank's notes with you here on The Effect. Eventually he caved and started blogging his little heart away. To give you some perspective, Frank is an unemployed Syracuse grad who watches and enjoys more trashy television shows and movies than I do. He also writes much more frequently than me. In just 4 and a half months he's cranked out 89 posts, whereas in over a year I've written about 108. Now even though I don't agree with his conclusion, I have included his most recent post because 1.) it's some of his best work 2.) I don't trust any of you to actually click on the link and 3.) now it looks like I've written an entire new blog entry when all I did was write a one paragraph blurb about someone else's work.

The Most Interesting Alcohol Spokesman in the World


You would be shocked about how many times Jenna Jameson came up in the Google search for John Jameson. SHOCKED I TELL YOU!

3 AM is a weird time of night.

If you're still awake at 3 AM you're doing one of four things: working a graveyard shift, sex, sex for the second time, or being completely sleepless and bored. I don't have a job so no graveyard shift, I run a pop culture blog so come and get it ladies, so of course if I'm up at 3 AM it's because I can't sleep and I'm bored (1). However, this isn't a bad thing because being up late gets the old brain juices flowing and a pop culture analyst like myself can reap certain benefits such as I did last night.

Watching Sportscenter for the 15th time in a row I came across a Jameson Irish Whiskey commercial where jukebox hero/creator of the best whiskey known to man, John Jameson, jumps in the ocean to save a barrel of his precious, precious whiskey. This is very cool. However, he not only jumps in the ocean, but also says goodbye to his crew by making out with the only woman crew member, fights off a giant octopus who also wants some whiskey, and then shows up to his own funeral (2) with said barrel of lost whiskey in tow. If you've never seen the commercial check it out below:



Now, I don't know if it was my lack of sleep or the 3rd PB and J of the night, but after watching the commercial I had the immediate reactions:
1.) I wish I was John Jameson or at-least the giant octopus.
2.) I want to write an unauthorized fictional biography of John Jameson immediately.
3.) I wonder how many points LeBron had tonight (3)?
4.) If that commercial is to be believed than John Jameson is the most interesting man in the entire world.

That last one is what spurred on this entire post. John Jameson is pretty awesome. John Jameson is pretty interesting. He fought a giant octopus... for a barrel of whiskey... that he made. That's unrealistically bad ass and completely interesting, so in theory John Jameson is more interesting than--Oh I don't know--this guy:


Yes, the Dos Equis' Most Interesting Man In The World.

My GOD that man is interesting. He's like 100 of me, nay, 200 of me on my most interesting day(4). He is, as the commercial calmly and cooly goes on to say, the most interesting man in daaa world, BUT has he ever fought off a giant octopus for a barrel of his own whiskey, or showed up at his own funeral which all of his country was attending? Is the Dos Equis' Most Interesting Man In The World more interesting than John Jameson? Well, lets waste some time and found out, shall we?

We already know what makes Jameson so interesting as seen from the commercial, so we must figure out what makes The Most Interesting Man In The World so damn interesting. Here are some interesting facts about The Most Interesting Man In The World according to the Dos Equis commercials:

He once had an awkward moment just to see what it felt like

The Most Interesting Man In The World is never awkward. EVER. Highly believable and that's pretty interesting. Yet, going out of your own way to feel awkward, something I do all the time, isn't as interesting as fighting off a giant Irish Octopus for your own whiskey (FYI the octopus is Irish because it wanted to kill someone who was trying to take it's whiskey).

He can speak French in Russian

I can't even comprehend what that language would sound like. Probably interesting. I mean he's talking the most sexual language (French) in the language of the workman (Russian). So either way he's takin' care of business. However, if he spoke American English in Italian (the greatest two civilizations known to man! YEAH!) (5) then maybe I'd be able to think more of him.

He's a lover, not a fighter, but he's also a fighter so don't get any ideas

This might be my favorite of all the quotes. Like can you define the perfect man's man any other way? I want to walk away from this computer right now, get that saying tattooed someplace on my body and set my old meaningless male life aflame. Truth be told even if I did that it probably wouldn't be enough to be as interesting as The Most Interesting Man In The World. This self defeat at the hands of the Dos Equis' Most Interesting Man In The World isn't interesting, it's heartbreaking.

His beard has had more experience than a lesser man's entire body

This statement opens a whole new area of debate. Is John Jameson's beard more interesting than The Most Interesting Man In The World's beard? For the sake of time and beard discussion I'll just say all beards are interesting.

The Most Interesting Man In the World is obviously interesting. I mean he's the most interesting man in the world. However, John Jameson is not only interesting but he created the greatest whiskey of all time (6). The Most Interesting Man In The World is only drinking Dos Equis. If he was truly interesting he would have opened up the most interesting brewery company in all daaa world!

John Jameson is the most interesting man/alcohol spokesman in the world not just because he went after a barrel of whiskey, but because he went after a barrel of whiskey he crafted himself. The Most Interesting Man In The World is interesting, but John Jameson gave us Jameson Irish Whiskey which makes even the average life more interesting.

1 Also could be drunk.
2 According to the commercial all of Ireland attends because lets be serious John Jameson, the creator of Jameson Irish Whiskey AKA the nectar from the Irish Gods, dying by going after a barrel of his own whiskey in Ireland would be like if George Washington and Abraham Lincoln committed a murder suicide pact on the Fourth of July with fireworks on top of the Statue of Liberty.
3 Unrelated. I just really like LeBron.
4 May 25th, 2008, Hard Rock Cafe Casino, Las Vegas, NV. Ask me about it sometime.
5 U.S.A! U.S.A! U.S.A!
6 Jack Daniel's a Kentucky Bourbon, and the rest of you that say Crown Royal and Maker's Mark can go back to your ivory towers and trophy wives. Snobs!

Athletes that are Hard to Hate

I read the following article in Men's Journal last month and have been anxiously waiting for them to post it online so I could share it with all of you (there was no way I was going to type it out word by word myself). It was written by Matt Taibbi, who has what I think is one of my top 10 dream jobs. He writes about sports with a media based political slant for both Men's Journal and Rolling Stone. I was originally going to just link to his article about the athletes he can't hate and then offer up my own, but I don't think I can come remotely close to topping his list. Now without further ado:

There’s no shortage of athletes easy to despise. (Preening, overpaid, starbanging phony A-Rod comes to mind.) But even a rabid fan like me has a few opposing players he can’t get too worked up about.

“Why don’t you write about a professional athlete you actually like?” my editor asked me. “I mean, there must be somebody, right?”

When I first heard this question I panicked. Like a lot of sports fans, my mind simply doesn’t work this way. I grew up in Boston and root passionately — actually, pathologically — for Boston sports teams. I like Boston players. I hate everyone else. I could probably root for Hitler if Bill Belichick signed him to the practice squad.

I wasn’t always like this. In college I worshipped Charles Barkley, and even put a map of the U.S. on my wall and stuck an absurd little silhouette of Chuck’s bald head on whatever state the Sixers were playing in that day; the little drawing was marked ELCB, for “Exact Location of Charles Barkley.” I did not get laid much in college.

Things have changed since then; I’m older and crabbier and my fandom is more psychotic and inconsolable than ever. Now the highest honor I can allow a non-Boston player is a state of not being hated. In fact when I try to think of players I like, what I’m really doing is thinking of guys who are hard to hate. In the modern media climate, when a professional athlete spends a sizable percentage of his adult life on live television being a millionaire whose every move is scrutinized by hordes of bored, half-broke working stiffs, it’s nearly impossible to avoid giving fans at least some reason to think you’re a dickhead. The guys who succeed are rare and deserve some props:

1. and 2. Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera- Once upon a time, Boston fans used to walk around wearing T-shirts that said YANKEES SUCK on the front and JETER SWALLOWS on the back. You know when that was? That was before the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004. Once that crushing tribal albatross was lifted, Boston fans for the most part returned to sanity and understood that they had Jeter all wrong, that anyone who roots hard for a loafing malcontent like Manny Ramirez while wearing a T-shirt calling Derek Jeter a cocksucker is begging to be tortured in the afterlife. Both Jeter and Rivera exhibit every quality you want to see in a professional athlete. They play biggest in the biggest games. They don’t showboat. They don’t gripe about their contracts in public. You just don’t hear about these guys off the field at all. They show up, the lights come on, they kick ass, and then they go home and soak by the pool. They’re perfect. Another quality the hard-to-hate player must have is a game so fun to watch you appreciate it even as it’s killing your own team. This is especially true of Rivera, whose bat-exploding cutter is one of the 10 most beautiful things in sports. I used to get a perverse kick out of seeing it chew up Nomar Garciaparra. Nomar would do that annoying OCD routine before he stepped into the box, fidgeting with his gloves like he’s trying to get his precious wrists just right for the at bat — and then Mo would throw his buzz saw right at Nomar’s hands, like he wanted to lop them off and leave them still twitching on the ground. Incidentally, any other reliever who has “Enter Sandman” played while coming onto the field should be disemboweled on pay-per-view.

3. LeBron James- Kobe Bryant pays a lot of attention to whether or not people think he is the next Michael Jordan, but he can’t be the next Michael Jordan precisely because he wants it so bad. LeBron James doesn’t want to be the next MJ because LeBron knows that being Michael Jordan would be a step down for him. Being the greatest athlete in the world by leaps and bounds is probably harder than it seems. I know if I were as great as LeBron James, I would be an enormous asshole. But LeBron not only doesn’t seem like an asshole, he’s totally unpretentious. Even his game is unpretentious. When Kobe plays, it looks like he’s watching himself in the mirror, trying to think up moves pretty enough to lead the next SportsCenter. LeBron just walks on the court and runs the fuck through people. The only thing I can compare it to is a nature show I saw once in which a Komodo dragon systematically pulled the legs off some kind of jungle elk and ate them one after another in four gulps. It’s disturbing and fascinating at the same time. If LeBron were a dick at all, watching this kind of dominance would be awfully depressing — more evidence of the essential injustice of nature. But he isn’t, and it isn’t.

4. Hines Ward- If you’re a fan of almost any other football team it’s really hard not to hate the Steelers because (a) they win all the time, and (b) whenever you go to a sports bar anywhere in the country on any Sunday afternoon, there are always displaced Steeler fans in BETTIS 36 jerseys stretched tight over their fat guts, hooting and hollering and hitting on fat girls. The problem is, their players are good. I mean, they’re all good. Even the quarterback is a tough guy with moles on his face. But the tone-setter is Hines Ward. On most teams the star wideout is some narrow-assed prima donna with diamond rings who whines when he doesn’t get the ball, doesn’t block, and ends his career by getting popped for coke-and-handgun charges in Clearwater, Florida, after a routine traffic stop. But Ward is exactly the opposite of those things. He catches everything you throw at him, he doesn’t leap up after the play and grab his jock, and he blocks guys into next week. I tried for years to hate Ward but finally gave up last year after catching myself enjoying the sight of him thrashing the Patriots’ showboating midget cornerback Ellis Hobbs III (the kind of player who celebrates after giving up a first down) in a Steelers blowout. Hobbs trying to run with Ward looked like an ant trying to catch a hamster. It was impossible not to appreciate.

5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar- A legacy pick. It’s not just Kareem’s legendary, Oscar-worthy role in Airplane!, which remains the gold standard for self-parodying jock movie performances. It’s not just the sympathy you feel for a guy whose house burned down, who had to take gigs on Everybody Loves Raymond for money, who found himself semi-shunned by the NBA after his retirement, reduced to openly begging for coaching opportunities he never got. It was more the other thing: Kareem never turned into a raging, self-aggrandizing blowhard who wedged himself onto an ESPN set wearing purple six-button, three-piece suits and screaming self-promoting horseshit into a camera. There are some athletes who get so hooked on the adulation that they’ll do anything to replace it when they retire. You get the feeling Bill Walton would give a Clydesdale a rim job if it meant keeping his NBA analyst gig. Kareem is different. He was one of the only sports greats who never went so overboard with egomania that it all made sense to him. He used to physically recoil from fans and sportswriters who pumped too-hard handshakes or stood too close; and when people looked at him with worship and love in their eyes, he looked back at them like they were out of their fucking minds.

6. Donovan McNabb- McNabb has quietly spent the last decade being one of the best athletes in America and has taken the Philadelphia Eagles — a franchise that spent most of the previous 30 years getting their balls smashed flat when it counted by the Giants and the Cowboys — to five NFC title games and a Super Bowl. And yet Philly fans howl at him like they’re pissed he’s winning. For 10 years I’ve been waiting for McNabb to break the huddle, walk up under center, hear the boos and insults, and then suddenly call time out and start into a Bill Hicks–style tirade at the crowd: “Fuck you, you fucking rednecks! Enjoy the Kevin Kolb era!” And then just walk off the field, jump in a cab, and pay a $9,800 fare straight to the Vikings’ front office in Minneapolis, where he signs for 10 bucks and a Snickers bar just for the chance to whip the Eagles in the playoffs. It’ll never happen, but it should.

7. Roger Federer- You want to hate him for all the usual reasons: He’s a European, he has a ponytail (or used to), and he makes Andy Roddick look like an out-of-shape bank teller from Binghamton. Normally the sniveling foreign tennis douchebag is one of the more dependable villains in all of sport. In fact most years the only reason to watch the U.S. Open is to see if Lleyton Hewitt finally has an aneurysm while unleashing a tirade at a black umpire, or if Yeugeny Kafelnikov and his Prince Charming haircut get pecked to death by a bunch of Flushing Bay seagulls. But Federer fights like a lion, doesn’t bitch about calls, and on the court he’s God’s gift to tennis. If you go into a match rooting for a half-socialized loudmouth American like Roddick to beat Federer, by the time it’s over (usually after about 11 minutes) you’re embarrassed enough to start passing yourself off as Canadian. Bjorn Borg was the same way, but he forfeits points for losing his shit once he met his match in John McEnroe. The way Federer embraced and accepted Rafael Nadal’s arrival makes him even greater, if that makes sense.

8. Peyton Manning- This is very hard for me personally to admit, as I spent most of George W. Bush’s presidency both loathing Manning and living in terror of his uncanny ability to convert 3rd-and-14. But I’ve officially moved to a new stage of my relationship with him, sort of like Rocky and Apollo after the second film. Manning used to be supremely hateable because he wilted when the lights got bright and showed his teammates up by making prune faces after drops and missed blocks. But since 2004 he’s won the big one while his sixth-round “lunch pail” rival Tom Brady has pissed away off-seasons visiting the Pope, carrying a man purse, hugging goats in photo shoots, and balling movie actresses and Brazilian supermodels. Manning in his endorsement career opted for a goofy, everyman persona, while the socially grasping Brady branded himself to the yacht-and-Brie crowd, rocking a dimple-chinned, God-I’m-handsome black-and-white head shot to sell the “Tom Brady Limited Edition 800 Series Chronograph by Movado,” a watch that costs $3,000. Brady-Manning is the best rivalry in sports, but even Boston fans know now that the off-field stuff has tilted massively in Manning’s favor in recent years. Plus all he does on the field is take the hit, jump right back up, and drill guys right in the hands. Admit it, people, you’ll feel better.

9. David Beckham- Just because the inventor of the word “metrosexual” declared Beckham to be the ultimate example of the species doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate… Ha, ha, no, just kidding. David Beckham does not get on this list: I have no problem hating that motherfucker. In fact I hope his penis falls off at a rope-line event. Why don’t Europeans use their hands when they play sports? What’s wrong with those people?

Guilty Pleasures

I make no secret about my anti-feminist stance. That is not to say that women don't deserve equal rights (they do). It's just that I think the feminists of the world pick and choose the wrong battles in their quest for equality. For example, in 2003 feminists got all hot and bothered because women were not allowed to be members at Augusta National. I could rant about the irrationality/hypocrisy behind their flawed logic, but I'll spare you from my wrath.

My staunch masculine agenda is part conviction, part unintentional, and part facade. In all honesty, I'm a supporter of women's rights, but like I said in the above paragraph, I am not a supporter of the women that champion this campaign. My opinion on the matter infuriates many, my mother included. She once thought that I made an anti-female remark before realizing that it was her brother (my uncle, who's the man) that was the one who made it. Apparently he said to her quite simply that he does not read books written by women. Upon hearing this, I went up to my room and perused my bookcase. Sure enough, every book that I had read was written by a man. (However it should be noted that I have read the first 4 Harry Potter books). Ever since then, I have held fast to my stance against feminist (or I guess just female) literature. I wish I could say the same about female music.

Most guys do their best to give off this macho male persona, but behind closed doors they are a sucker for plenty of what would be characterized as feminine things. Whether it's teen dramas on TV, romantic comedies, or female pop songs, the feminine things guys secretly enjoy are oftentimes referred to as "guilty pleasures." The point being, you feel guilty about enjoying something because you know others would criticize you for it.

Here now, are the top 10 songs by female artists that I secretly (well not anymore) enjoy.

10.) Taylor Swift- Love Story



This song was overplayed more than "The Macarena" and "Who Let the Dogs Out" combined, but I still think it's awesome. I know for a fact that I'm not the only guy that feels that way because a friend of mine introduced me to this song last Fall by making me watch this video. The inclusion of "Love Story" fulfills my Country song quota for this countdown, so I must give my apologies to what is now my second favorite Country song by a female artist.

9.) Natalie Imbruglia- Torn



I was 11 when this song came out and liking it wasn't exactly frowned upon then, but the fact that I still enjoy it gets it into the top ten. I mean, I had plenty of years to get over it, but somehow, someway it ended up on my ipod. I don't have a one hit wonder quota to fulfill, but if I did this one certainly would have covered it.

8.) Cyndi Lauper- Time After Time



Lauper's timeless classic first debuted in 1984 and was nominated for Song of the Year at the 1985 Grammy's (Tina Turner's What's Love Got to Do with it came out on top). If LeBron likes it, why can't I, right?

Speaking of the '80's, it's a shame that there isn't enough room on the countdown for the 1982 Grammy Award winning hit "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes.


7.) Whitney Houston- One Moment in Time

This song was made for sports related picture/video montages. In fact, it was written for NBC's coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul (that's in South Korea, by the way). Now, my highschool football team was not littered with Olympians, but this song was a staple of our season highlight tape every year. A friend of mine actually once said that he watched the highlight tape over and over, just so he had an excuse to listen to this song.

Although the song was written for American Olympians, this video is still pretty cool.



6.) Christina Aguilera- What A Girl Wants



This might be the most difficult song on the list to admit to liking because the title is inherently female. "What A Girl Wants" came out at the peak of my TRL viewing career and it was a personal favorite of mine because I had a huge crush on Christina Aguilera. The video reinforced my belief that the female stomach is a very underrated feature. I think it's rarely talked about because it goes without saying that guys are superficial and obviously prefer skinny girls. Being skinny is great, but a little tone/definition on the belly can be an appealing attribute. Too much definition though, can be unattractive. It's a fine line, but something for women everywhere to strive for.

5.) Celine Dion- That's The Way It Is



The Blue Jays and Pamela Anderson aside, Celine Dion is the greatest thing to ever come out of Canada. As many of you know, I'm also a big fan of Celine's Christmas music, but there was no way I could have chosen a personal favorite from those, so I went in another direction. I mean, what can I say? Celine Dion's music has been force fed to me my entire life by driving in a car with my mother (For those of you that have their doubts, she does in fact have her license).

Back in the highschool, a girl burned me a copy of this Celine Dion album and gave it to me in front of a huge crowd in the middle of the hallway at school the next day. Knowing that I would face public scrutiny if my friends found out what was on the CD, I played it off and said, "Thanks for burning me the new Jay-Z CD. I really appreciate it." Thankfully she just laughed instead of blowing up my spot.

4.) One of my friends from home went on to play baseball in college at Florida Atlantic (I think). He was a left-handed starter in highschool, but they made him a closer in college. Some closers in the major leagues (namely Yankee closer Mariano Rivera) are known for their bad ass entrance music, so I asked my buddy what his was going to be. He responded with the 4th song on my countdown of guilty pleasure's:

Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone

3.) Michelle Branch- Breathe



This song is actually great for long road trips because it gives you a little pick me up if you are getting tired. I have this song on a CD that I made (Track 9) and you better believe that I used to casually skip it over when I was driving across the state of New York with my oldest brother.

2.) Vanessa Carlton- A Thousand Miles

A few things about this song. 1.) Vanessa Carlton really one-upped The Proclaimers who would only walk 500 miles. 2.) Vanessa Carlton is smokin' hot in a free thinking artistic kind of way. 3.) I listened to this song 4 times in the course of this post.

And 4.) Back when this song first came out (circa 2003-04), two of my friends were driving somewhere and this song came on the radio. They obviously both loved the song, but didn't want the other to know. It prompted the following exchange, which is eerily similar to the scene from Tommy Boy (1995).

Friend A- You can change it if you want to.
Friend B- It's up to you.
Friend A- I don't care either way.
Friend B- I can deal with it if you can.

1.) Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby


Mariah Carey - Always Be My Baby (Official Music Video) -

Choosing this Mariah Carey song for me was a no-brainer because I may or may not know every word, but much like Celine Dion, I could have went with any number of her hits. I'm also a big fan of both "Hero" and "One Sweet Day" (featuring Boyz II Men). To date, Mariah still has the most #1 hits of any solo artist of all time. The only band with more #1's than her is The Beatles. It should come as no surprise then that they both have albums referencing their #1 hits. Mariah with the aptly titled #1's, which she released in 1998, and The Beatles with, The Beatles One, which was released in 2000.


Honorable Mention- Enya- "Only Time", Monica- "For You I Will", Jewel- "Hands", Avril Lavigne- "Complicated", Mandy Moore- "Candy", Jessica Simpson- "With You"

MVP Debate

The NBA MVP race is as intriguing as it's ever been. The award will undoubtedly fall into the hands of reigning MVP Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, or Dwayne Wade (with apologies to Chris Paul, Paul Pierce, Dwight Howard, and Chauncey Billups). The argument can be made for any of the three, but most have disregarded Wade because of his team's mediocre record (43-39). Somewhere along the line, this award became the best player on the best team instead of the most valuable player. Not since MJ in '88 has a player from a non-division winner taken home the hardware. In fact 17 of the last 20 winners have come from teams that finished 1st in their conference (the other 3 finished in 2nd). In the true sense of the award, Wade would be the winner. The Heat were 15-67 last year because Wade was injured. Wade led them to 28 more wins this year with little support from his teammates. In fact, the Heat started two rookies (Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers) much of the year and have a rookie head coach (38-year-old Eric Spoelstra).

The MVP is also an award that you sort of have to wait your turn for. For example, Kobe (the best basketball player on the planet) didn't win it until last year. How he didn't win it in 2006 is beyond me, although his case was sort of like Wade's is this year. Kobe was playing on a whole nother level and led a terrible team to the playoffs. The award went to Steve Nash, who had D'Antoni inflated stats for a team that had the 3rd best record in the West (1 of the 3 times in the last 20 years that a player from a non one seed won the award- The Suns got the 2 seed that year because they won the Pacific Division).

Last year Kobe won the MVP because his Lakers beat the Chris Paul led Hornets on the last day of the season to claim the top spot in the West (Paul finished second in the voting). This year, LeBron's Cavaliers edged out the Lakers for the best record in the NBA. Cleveland finished 66-16, whereas the Lakers finished 65-17. Therefore I think LeBron will win the MVP, but he actually deserves it, and that's coming from a Kobe Bryant apologist.

Stats

Numbers don't lie (Although it should be noted that you can construe stats to say just about anything). LeBron averaged 28.4 points (2nd in the NBA behind Wade), 7.6 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.15 blocks, and 1.7 steals per game. Kobe averaged 26.8 points (3rd in the NBA), 5.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.5 steals. As much as I'd like to say these numbers are a wash, LeBron's two more rebounds and assists per game are more significant than they seem.

Many, myself including, knock LeBron for settling for too many jumpers. With his size, he should just attack the rim and save the challenged jumpshots for later on his career like Jordan did and like Kobe has done. Kobe has a significantly better jump shot than LeBron anyway though, right? Wrong. LeBron shot 49% from the field and 34% from behind the arc this season compared to Kobe's 47% and 35%.

Perhaps the most impressive stat is that LeBron is one of only four players since 1974 to lead their team in scoring, rebounding, assists, blocks, and steals. The other three were Dave Cowens in 1978, who? Scottie Pippen on the Bulls in 1995 (MJ came back during that season). And Kevin Garnett in 2003 (A note to all the bandwagon Celtics fans out there. Garnett did this as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves). As impressive as the stat is, none of the previous 3 won the MVP.

The stats aren't all in LeBron's favor though. He shot just 78% from the free throw line (Kobe shot 86%) and turned it over much more than Kobe did.

Supporting Casts

Let's just say that they actually factored in who is more valuable to their team. Just look at the rosters of the Cavs and the Lakers and try to tell me that LeBron isn't more valuable. The Cavs second best player is Mo Williams, who was only named to the All-Star team this year as an injury replacement (In fact, he was the snubbed for the first injury replacement spot and only made it when someone else went down). The Lakers second best player is two time All-Star Pau Gasol. The Cavs third best player is either Delonte West or Zydrunas Ilgauskas. The Lakers third best player is either Andrew Bynum or Lamar Odom. If that doesn't say it, the Cavs next best player is named Boobie. Bottom line, Kobe is surrounded by formiddable talent and LeBron is surrounded by a bunch of role players.

LeBron led the Cavs not only to the best record in the NBA, but also to a 39-1 record in the home games that he played in. So he's clearly the best player on the best team, right?

Well not so fast. That lone home loss was at the hand of Kobe (who was sick during the game) and the Lakers on February 8th. LeBron shot just 5-20 from the field in the 101-91 loss. The Lakers also beat the Cavs in the Staples Center back on January 19th 105-88.

Defense/Leadership

LeBron has been a beast on the defensive end all year. How many times have you seen a highlight where he pins someone's breakaway layup from behind? Where did LeBron develop this defensive feistiness? Much of it comes from his head coach Mike Brown, who is a disciple of the defensive minded Greg Poppovich, but the point was really hammered home by Kobe (named to the NBA's 1st team All Defense 5 times) while playing together on Team USA this summer in Beijing. Kobe, the best offensive player in the world, took it upon himself to shut down the best perimeter player of each team that the Redeem Team faced. LeBron took this lesson to heart and took his game to the next level defensively. This commitment to defense has made the Cavs, and LeBron, elite.

The reason I give LeBron the edge when it comes to defense is because his teammates have bought into it. Kobe's been doing his thing on defense for years, but his teammates (outside of Derek Fisher and Trevor Ariza) haven't consistently displayed the effort that it takes. Delonte West, Anderson Varejao, and Mo Williams play intense defense for 48 minutes. Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and Sasha Vujacic only play defense in spurts. They are more concerned with scoring than stopping the other team from scoring.

I'm not saying Kobe's a bad teammate, I'm just saying the LeBron is the perfect teammate. He is a gregarious leader that knows how to convince his teammates to sacrifice their stats for the betterment of the team. LeBron hosts sleepovers with his teammates like he's in 5th grade and Kobe takes helicopter rides back to his house in Orange County to watch his daughter's soccer games. I respect Kobe for being a family man, but the camaraderie that the Cavs have formed is out of this world. Look no further than their pre game antics.



Conclusion

If I was to start a playoff series tomorrow, who would I rather have on my team? Kobe

Who would I rather have take a game winning shot? Kobe

Who would I rather have shooting free throws with the game on the line? Kobe

Who will I be rooting for in the playoffs? Kobe and the Lakers

Who will be and deserves to be the MVP of the league this year? LeBron