superdad

How sweet it is for the Chicago White Sox as they finish off the sweep of the Chicago Cubs. After the Cubs completed the task last weekend at Wrigley Field the Sox returned the favor at US Cellular Field.

Both series were identical with both home teams dominating offensively and then finishing off each other’s opposing offense with nasty stuff from the bullpen. Friday’s game was all about a 7 run 3rd inning that led the Sox to a 10-3 victory. Nick Swisher provided most of the damage with a grand slam in the 3rd. Saturday’s game was a great game and similar to game one of the series at Wrigley. Both teams exchanged leads but Carlos Quentin delivered the final blow with a go ahead homerun in the bottom of the seventh. Afterwards the Sox bullpen did the rest for a 6 to 5 win. Then in Sunday night’s game Mark Buerlie brought his 4-1 record his last five starts and helped shut down the Cubs offense. The Cubs had some opportunities to score but every time Sox pitching prevailed and it led to a 5 to1 finish.

Now the all-time record for this Crosstown Classic is at an even 33 games won for each side. There will be no boastful Cubs fans or Sox fans until they meet again which who knows, could be in October. Both teams still remain in first place as we reach the half way mark and completed half of the season. All of Chicago now will be anticipating that these teams are going to collide again and finish this great rivalry on the grandest stage.

Now that the 2008 NBA Draft has concluded we now look forward to the Olympics in Beijing. Just recently the men’s team was announced and here is what I think about the US chances.

Obviously the world has caught up to the United States as far as basketball. The NBA is now stocked with international talent including Dirk Nowitzki, Gino Ginolbi, and perhaps the biggest Yao Ming who will be playing for his host country China. Plus others will be showcased as many were taken in this year’s NBA Draft as well. What I see for the United States is perhaps their best chance to win the gold.

The US mens team is stacked with many prolific scorers including 2008 MVP Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Carmello Anthony to name a few. They will have more styles to run with all of the different point guards available with this team. Chris Paul will help lead a more open attack while Jason Kidd will slow it down and break you down in the half court sets. Derron Williams and Carlos Boozer can pick and role just like how Stockton and Malone used to do for the original Dream Team. Coach K has got to pleased that he has so many options offensively to attack the opposition. However even with all of the offensive possibilities this team has got to play defense if they want that gold medal.

They will appear to be light inside compared to what is actually available out in the NBA but we can not complain now. Dwight Howard, Carlos Boozer and Chris Bosh will have to fill the center and try to slow down big men like Yao Ming. On the wings the team will have first time contributer Teyshaun Prince, adding his overall balanced attack to this already complete team. If the US team has any shot they have to get a team effort. It will be interesting to see if the US struggles at first because of all of their weapons and only having one ball to shoot. However in qualifying for the Olympics in which many from this group played including James, Anthony, and Dwayne Wade they won every game they played which should be a positive going into the Olympics.

Coach Kysevzski may have the best job in all of basketball right now as he will try to lead this men’s team for there first gold since 1996. This will be his second opportunity since the FIBA championships leading the Americans into the Olympics and he is the perfect man for the job. All the players will respect Coach K and his gameplan because he is a proven winner and is not afraid to get into someone’s face if they are not giving a 110% or at least a effort that he knows is inside all of these teammates.

If you have been under a rock and have not known the Chicago Bulls are on the clock for the number one pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. With that in mind everyone is expecting the bulls take the Memphis freshman that help lead his team to a Division I National Championship game only to lose to the Kansas Jayhawks. All signs are pointing to “yes to Rose and “no” to Michael Beasley.

This tough choice was made a bit clearer when the size of Beasley had been overestimated by scouts at 6′10″ when he only measure 6′7″ at workouts. Although not a huge difference, but for the Bulls that may be enough. The NBA is now a guard league and Rose is expected to be another star guard that would be playing for his home team.

Derrick Rose is a Chicago native playing high school basketball at Simeon High School. There he was a high school star with big potential to become a future NBA player. Derrick probably considered going pro after high school but because of the new rule in the NBA that, a player must complete at least one year of college ball before being drafted, he had to play for the Memphis Tigers. In a way this also turned good for the Bulls because they being at the #9 spot a year ago would not have had a shot at Rose because he was already heavily recruited to become a top five pick before graduating high school.

When and if the Bulls do decide take Derrick Rose what will happen to Kirk Heinrick. I say if you can try to keep him because he does give you quality defense up till last year. However, if you can possibly build more with a possible trade then go for it, because Heinrick still has value even for a lesser known team looking to strengthen their point guard situation.

We shall see if this becomes true in the next couple days and the Bulls take Derrick Rose as the number one pick. However if he is not selected there might be some questions, criticism and disappointment from all wanting a homecoming. Even Rose himself has stated “he would love to play for his home town and would be a dream for him that came true.”

Currently everyone who watches basketball is now asking the question is Kobe Bryant better than Michael Jordan? In Chicago we know that answer and that is Michael is and will be the best ever, here’s why.

Kobe Bryant currently is facing a 3 to 1 hole in the NBA Finals and I do not think even Kobe can bring them back. When this series started everyone including most experts thought even the “Big Three” of Pierce, Garnett and Allen would not stand in the way of Kobe Bryant’s fourth title. However the “Big Three” is stealing this series away and can possibly win the title on Father’s Day weekend.

Now here is my argument for Michael Jordan as the best. After Jordan won his first title and played a complete season, not including the season he came back with only a hand full of games left, he simply dominated any challenge he faced.

Michael Jordan shot down many hall of fame players who never got a chance to win a title. Charles Barkley after winning the MVP lost to Michael in the finals. Patrick Ewing was on many great teams but never won mostly because of Michael and the Bulls. Malone and Stockton were shut down after the Bulls had already won five titles. Reggie Miller perhaps the best perimeter shooter and definite clutch shooter never grabbed a title and Michael and the Bulls once again denied him.

What’s the point you ask and I say Michael Jordan played at another level and no one could beat him at his highest level. Even some of the greatest in the NBA took on Jordan and still always came up short. If we had a time machine and could bring Michael Jordan at his prime back to play in this series I believe he would be able to take down the Big Three. It is not because Michael had a better team than Kobe but Michael new how to compete against the leagues best and always prevailed.

Now if Kobe pulls off the biggest comeback in NBA finals history then I might have to reconsider but for now Michael is still the king. In Chicago we still appreciate his complete dominance he had at his best and if Kobe wants to be as good as Michael then he needs to put the Lakers on his back and pull off a superman like performance. Sorry Kobe Bryant that might be too much for him to handle but if you want to be mentioned with the best, you must perform as the best.

June 20th should be a proud day in Chicago. Both baseball teams yes that is right both the White Sox and Cubs are in first place and as long as nothing drastically happens they should still be there when these two team meet. Even with Alfonso Soriano now hurt and out for at least six weeks and the Sox loosing their first two games in Detroit they both should be able to hold their ground with their competition in their respected divisions. With the two New York teams struggling this inter-league match up will be a big draw even too non Chicago fans.

Will this be a World Series preview, maybe but we still are in June. However, this rivalry is always important to the Chicago fans because of the significance of beating your biggest rival. As a “northsider” or “southsider” there is nothing better than beating the other side. Now this distinction has become a little less felt in Chicago these days especially on sports talk radio shows where both Sox and Cubs fans are just happy to have two good teams in their city. Plus, a lot of baseball fans in Chicago are rooting for the Cubs to win the World Series since the White Sox did in 2005.

I say “hogwash” as a loyal “southsider”, we must still continue to hold our championship over the Cubs fans head and continue to get more to add to the mantle. Baseball is not a sport where players and teams just lay down because a team has not won a championship in a hundred years. For example, if you are Jerry Reinsdorf, Kenny Williams or even Ozzie Guillen you want as many titles you can get and even if that means beating the Cubs in the World Series if needed. If this Crosstown Classic World Series occurs ,which I am still not yet sold on because both teams still have question marks but if it does then I know for sure I still will be rooting for the “southside”. I mean do you think the Yankees are mad that they won 26 world championship while the Mets only won twice.

For now Chicago lets embrace this moment that is arriving and get out and root for your side and let us see who is the better first place team right now. I know Cubs fans will use the Soriano excuse now since he will not play in the “Crosstown Classic” but the Sox also do not have Paul Konerko so no excuses let us see the results. It will be proven once again even thou Chicago is a predominate Cub town that we on the “southside” still do not mind winning as well. Either way you look at it, Sox fans and Cubs fans want to win this series for their respected side and say we are the better first place team.

Ozzie Guillen was smiling as home runs were lighting the scoreboard at US Cellular field Tuesday night. Carlos Quentin started the bombing in the first and everyone else followed afterwards leading to a 9 to 5 win over Kansas City. This barrage came as no surprise two days after Ozzie made comments about the lack of offense in his lineup and that changes needed to be addressed. I guess the players do listen as four different players hit home runs. The middle of the lineup did still struggle but the rest definitely proved that they are what is keeping the Sox winning.

If Josh Hamilton from Texas would not be having such a great year as the best story of the young season then Carlos Quentin would be the top story. After not even playing last year after season long rehab on his shoulder Kenny Williams obviously saw that this guy still could play and he has proved it so far. Quentin is second to Hamilton in home runs and runs batted in, in the American League. He simply has been won of the MVP’s of the early season and with Ortiz going down for Boston and Rodriguez off to a slow start, Quentin and Hamilton might be able to separate from the rest of the pack as front runners as far as stats go in the American League. The biggest difference is that the White Sox are in first place while Hamilton’s Texas Rangers are 61/2 games back of the Anaheim Angels.

The NBA Finals are set and an old rivalry is reignited. The Los Angelas Lakers versus the Boston Celtics. These two teams have met so many times in the Finals that they each have combined for more than half of all titles collected in the history of the NBA. However, the faces of these teams are much different making for an intriguing match up that will make even the average fan attracted..

The MVP of 2007-2008 season Kobe Bryant will lead his team of emerging young talent against the “Big Three” of Kevin Garnet, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Kobe Bryant is seeking his first without the presence of Shaquille O’Neal, while the “Big Three” are seeking their first title ever collectively. The average fan will have a hard time pulling for one of these teams because they both have come a long way since a year ago.

Last year at this time Kobe Bryant was asking to be traded, while the Celtics were more excited for the NBA Draft instead of the playoffs. Well, how times have changed as it seemed as thou the Lakers have played with a chip on their shoulder all year long reminding Bryant that this team was a championship contender unlike his beliefs prior to the season. Then, the Boston Celtics pulled off the biggest off season trades occurred as Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen were brought in to help Paul Pierce and the struggling Celtics reclaim their glory after being in the cellar of the NBA really since the original “Big Three” of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parrish. The new three led the Celtics to a league best in wins and securing home court advantage throughout the playoffs a number one seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, after the team had the worst record of any team last season. One of the best team turn-around stories in NBA history.

Now everything put aside, how well do these two teams match up? The Lakers and Celtics will be about two players mainly in most minds. Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett are the leaders no matter how you say it. It may be the “Big Three” but without Garnett they would be more compared to a small pair in cards. He creates the defensive and offensive intensity that has made Boston a championship contender. While Bryant is now a leader that trusts his teammates and the Lakers have proved in the playoffs that any lead on them is no safe lead because of the cohesiveness of the team. Kobe still has the killer instinct to take you out, but as shown in the San Antonio series the rest of the cast plays well and Kobe picks his battles when needed instead of just trying to blow everyone out by just himself.

The difference could also come down to coaching in predicting a winner of this series. Phil Jackson will be tempting history as he will try to take over the lead in titles which is now tied at nine with Red Auerbach which by the way is held by the legendary Boston Celtics coach. It will be interesting how the current coach Doc Rivers responds to that as he as well be trying to win his first title. He might want to watch some old Boston tapes when Auerbach became a master of getting players ready for a championship.
The “X factors” on the floor will be how the rest of the players respond to the NBA Finals. Besides Kobe Bryant, Derrick Fisher and Sam Cassell no one has finals experience and the unsung hero for both teams could be someone besides the names already mentioned. Players like Pau Gasol and Raja Rondo are not super stars yet, but if they help bring a championship to their respected cities they will not have to worry about not being noticed ever again.