Jeremy Lin!

If you’ve been living under a rock or aren’t a sports fan then you don’t know who Jeremy Lin is, and that’s okay. If you are a sports fan and you’re still confused as to who Lin is, then that’s not okay. I’m going to quickly fill in the blanks because this is currently 1 of 7.5 million posts that have been written about Lin in the last week –

Lin was sitting on the bench for the struggling Knicks, and less than a month ago he was demoted to the NBA developmental league. After he had a monster game in the D league he was pushed back up to the Knicks who were in desperate need of a point guard. As it was, Lin was the back up, back up, back up, back up in the point guard rotation for the Knicks. After a few injuries and other random set backs to those guys Lin was given his first shot to play 12 days ago… and he killed it.

After the game 12 days ago, he was entered into the starting rotation for the Knicks and they haven’t lost since, it’s been 6 games – tonight he goes for 7 in a row. Why is this significant? Where does someone begin? To start - The Knicks have been without their 2 best players while Lin was doing all of this, which turned the team on its head (more on that below) and he single handedly CPR’d the Knicks, breathing new life into them. Long story short… The Knicks are the best thing in sports (for now).

In no particular order - Thoughts, Questions, Observations, and Predictions for The Knicks:

- Mike D’Antoni has looked like a wreck with his Luigi moustache on the Knicks sideline. Since Lin has taken over he’s back to looking like himself during his Phoenix days. Lin has saved his job (for now). D’Antoni’s system works, with a point guard. It’s the anti Phil Jackson triangle of the NBA.

- Jeremy Lin has the best pun name ever: Linsane, Linsanity, Just Lin, Linning, Linderella, Lincredible, Played him like a vioLin…. You get the point.

- I love everything about the Lin story. He has pumped new life into what I consider a throw away season. I hate this shortened lock out season because it doesn’t seem that it totally counts. Looking back on the 2011-2012 NBA season there will be 2 asterisks. *Shortened lockout season and *Lin.

- If Lin started 2 weeks earlier he would be a starter in the NBA all-star game. With the departure of Yao Ming every vote from China has just gone to Lin. If Lin finishes this season and doesn’t suddenly disappear off the face of the planet I would bet 10:1 odds that he’s in next year’s all-star game as a top-3 vote getter.

- This has been said 100 times but its true - Tebow is to football as Lin is to basketball. People should take bets right now as to who will have a longer and more successful career… Then take bets on who is the better role model… I say Lin regarding career, Tebow regarding role model. At least Lin has a shot as president one day (Tebow was born in the Philippines).

- When has it ever happened in sports where 2 people have occupied so much attention then delivered to the hype - Lin with basketball and Tebow with football?

- Is Lin’s trademark going to be that band aide that’s half falling off his chin?

 

- Embracing reality and turning the Knicks on their head:

It’s not as thought the Knicks were irrelevant with talent. They have 2 big guys and 1 score machine named Carmelo Anthony and everyone is wondering how Melo is going to now fit with the Knicks. Until Lin, Melo has been the guy who takes all the last second shots and controls the ball, that isn’t the case anymore due to Lin’s antics.

If Melo somehow fucks up this chemistry when he comes back there is a real chance that the Knicks fans will boo him, which would not be good. I hope this works out for ball hog Melo, I really do. I hope he flourishes with Lin running the show and I hope Lin dishes out 15 assists per game. Only time will tell but if the Knicks keep winning before Melo comes back this could be a lose – lose and Melo may never hear the end of it.

- If Dan Brown replaced Robert Langdon with Jeremy Lin in his next book I wouldn’t mind.

- So we’re not talking about Lin’s 30 turnovers in 6 games because they have been winning, right?

- Is Baron Davis going to make a difference on the Knicks when he returns?

- We all know Lin went to Harvard, right? Where will Lin fall in the Ivy League players turned NBAers. Who else is there?

- I hope Lin is the real deal and I think he is. When I say real deal I mean a guy who can manage a game and be a viable option for a team. I’m not looking for Lin to keep pace with his incredible play; he has to come down to earth at some point, right?

- Lin has reminded me that a point guard is more important than I remember.

- 66 game season. Knicks are currently 14-15. 6-0 with Lin. 37 games to go. I predict the Knicks finish 24-13 making the Knicks over all record 38-28, and making Lin’s overall record 30-13 as a starter.

In this blah NBA season I couldn’t be happier that this is happening. There hasn’t been a time in the last 10-15 years that I’ve really liked the Knicks. I’ve liked them but I wasn’t blatantly rooting for them. I like Melo and am a huge Amare fan but this Lin phenomenon has me rooting for them night in and night out, and especially rooting for him. I think I may have finally forgot about Latrell “Bad as Hell” Sprewell and the NY Knicks era.

Team Lin.

The Green Bay Packers 2012: I'm Confused

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Wait. Wasn’t this supposed to be the 90’s all over again? Weren’t the Packers and 49ers supposed to meet in the playoffs and I could banter with my friends about living in the past and Jerry Rice fumbling? I thought it was, at least that’s where my arrogance was. Instead life reminded me that trends are recycled every 30 years and it’s the 80’s… Oh… whoops. Now I have to relive The Giants VS the 49ers, hmm I missed the memo on this one.

Yesterday was rough. It was so rough that I woke up a few times in the middle of the night unable to turn off my brain.

This is my exact text I sent my friend Alex at 4am this morning:

“I can’t sleep and I’m not happy. It was a good season… Confused …. Eh”

At 7:44am he got back to me:

“I’m trying not to think about it. It was a good season, but that was a terrible game. Worst they played all season.”

His text pretty much sums it up, it was the worst game they played all season. The worst part about it is that you could kind of see it coming, and you could definitely feel it coming. When I watched the Packers lose to the Chiefs earlier this season I felt the same way at half time, things just didn’t feel right. Those passes that they usually connect on just weren’t connecting. I was trying to stay positive during the game but deep down inside I knew this wasn’t happening. The Giants just looked better. Even my mom wrote me a text that said they didn’t look good… MY REALLY OPTOMISTIC MOM!

I need to push through this because it’s not that hard to diagnose, just hard to swallow. The Packers were just rusty and out of sync. The normal amazing shit that’s been happening since 2010 just wasn’t happening and if I may state the obvious – more dropped passes than that one really bad kid on the playground who you don’t throw too because he drops all the passes.

I need to write this out because I’m too cloudy to do it any other way…

Jermichael “I’m suddenly a headcase” Finley: He’s been dropping passes all season and it finally got to him. It’s as if every time Aaron Rodgers threw the ball to him some little voice inside his head said “DON’T MISS, DON’T MISS, DON’T MISS” then he dropped the ball.

Running Game: This is obvious, we haven’t had one all season.

You can’t spell Elite without Eli: Damn you Manning! Eli channeled his inner Peyton and picked apart the defense like he was in the Matrix and two steps ahead of everyone.

Oh yeah the Defense: For a defense that relies on letting everyone throw all over them because they’ll eventually pick it off, this didn’t exactly work this time around.

The Hail Mary: Tebow stepped on the field for a brief second and guided that pass right before the half into Cruz’s hands. I will toss this play into the category above. Seriously, how do NFL players let Hail Mary’s happen?

A Rodg: It seemed like Rodgers really wanted it yesterday. He was their leading rusher but the fact he couldn’t rely on anyone trying to catch a ball didn’t help.

If I had any control over anything: I would have said “Yo team, we’re going to throw the ball to Jordy Nelson and Donald Driver every single play. No, I’m not joking.”

Final Thoughts: Like I wrote the other day, I was worried about this game. Watching the playoffs reminded me that other teams are very good and you cannot afford to have a bad day, or even a bad quarter. Unfortunately, the Packers had 4 bad quarters. The Packers were rusty, too rested, and not prepared. I’m reminded of a quote that Mike McCarthy made when asked if they’re going for 16-0.

“We don’t play scared.”

Well, yesterday they looked like they were being chased by sloth from the Goonies, with a handful of confusion.

It’s moments like this that I need to remind myself that I had no control over the game, and even though I specifically went to the one sports bar that the Packers never lost at when I watched a game last season… I had no control!

Time to move on and get ready for the Manchester United VS Arsenal game next week on FOX!

Kidding. I’ll watch the NFC championships.

Final predictions: 49ers VS Patriots in the Super Bowl.

Oh wait, nevermind… A Manning is in the playoffs…

Giants VS Patriots in the Super Bowl with Peyton sitting in the box seats watching his younger brother on the brink of getting one more Super Bowl than him.

Full Discretion: I'm Slightly Worried About The Packers

I’m worried that the Packers had a bye week.

I’m worried that Aaron Rodgers was so good he sat out the final week of the season and may be rusty.

I’m worried that the Giants still have players on it that won the improbable Super Bowl in 2008.

I’m worried that if the Packers beat the Giants they face a team that I actually really like (get that out of your head). They face a team that is very good (get that out of your head). And lets be honest, the 49ers are in an odd way a Cinderella team even though they had a first round bye.

I’m worried that tomorrow FOX is going to broadcast some ridiculous stat saying the Packers are 76-1 in temperatures 34 degrees and under. What they aren’t saying is that they’re a lot worse when it’s 35 degrees.

I worried that even if the Packers make it to the Super Bowl they’ll probably have to face the Patriots (jumping ahead!) And the Patriots have a potent offense that I feel is changing the game; their tight ends are amazing.

I’m worried. Okay!

I’m worried that I’m worried.

Wasn’t I confident 2 weeks ago? Yes. But now the bad teams are weeded out and watching the good teams reminds me that the Packers actually have company. The odd part about my feelings are that I still have some lingering issues with Brett Favre, for some reason he has put a stamp of doubt in my head about the Packers, much like he did every time they played a game against anyone. I have to remind myself that Aaron Rodgers doesn’t make the same mistakes.

Reminder, Reminder, Reminder.

I’m not going to finish this off and say that win or lose they had a good season, the sports fan truth is that I want them to never lose again, but we know that can’t happen. I’m realizing I’m a tad bit invested, there was something great about last season and the miracle wild card run to the Super Bowl,  and now watching a team that has a bull’s-eye on their back is nerve-wracking, but at the same time it’s also a major compliment to have the bulls-eye.

I must forget about my worries and push forward… Tomorrow will be a major measuring stick for the Green Bay Packers. I’m excited, I can’t be worried. I must remind myself I have no control over the situation… Or do I? No, No, I can’t worry about control over a game that I’ll be watching on TV.

No matter what Sunday’s outcome is I will have to remind myself this is a great season - if they lose I’ll force that fact in my head. If they win… Well, I’ll worry about that later.

 

 

 

In Game Monday Night Football Blog... (Saints VS Giants)

3rd quarter 1:11 seconds – Did anyone notice the guy painting a picture of Drew Brees … on the field? I can’t take any more emotional stories from The Saints - it’s impossible not to love them.

I don’t know why I haven’t turned off this game to watch last Sunday’s Boardwalk Empire.

End of the 3rd Quarter: Anyone just see that dude with the big whistle as a hat… who was whistling. Next to him was a Saints fan wearing a Portland Trailblazers hat. Speaking of the Trailblazers… so happy the NBA is returning for a cameo this year.

Barry Sanders is on a commercial right now – part of me still thinks he could rush for 1,000 yards.

Start of the 4th quarter… Woah, 72 yard Giants TD… comeback!?

The only thing that could stop the Packers and their pursuit for undefeated glory is if they rest their players a la Colts 09.

If you live in LA then you’ve seen this stupid Ford Jamal Anderson commercial. What the fuck is this?

I can’t believe Dennis Miller was once a commentator on Monday Night Football, what the hell were they thinking?

Just saw Sproles speed down the field – how quickly have The Saints forgotten about Reggie Bush?

Is there any part of the San Diego Chargers that miss Drew Brees?

Does Darren Sharper still play for The Saints? Was he better with the Saints or The Packers? I’m going to say the Pack… Bias opinion of course.

There is something badass about Sean Payton standing injured on the sideline calling plays.

WOW. Jimmy Graham just got bent backwards. Holy shit.

Gonna wrap this up, The Saints are showing no signs of slowing down. Current score is 35-17 with 11:02 in the 4th. Final score prediction: 49-27 (If the Giants are lucky).

To my buddy Ottford who is praying Eli Manning doesn’t throw to Nicks anymore for fantasy football purposes - I feel like you’ll win this, don’t worry (You have the power of Tebow).

Whoops – just going to post this and The Saints scored again in the last 10 seconds. New score prediction: 95-27.

Bridge me.

There are a few ideas and thoughts that rest in my mind on a daily basis: invisible dog leashes, stores that sell only cereal and have a cereal bar, the shoes from back to the future 2, and most importantly… A life with more bridges. I think that the bridge is basically any solution to most city problems.

I live in Los Angeles and I witness the daily human congestion. I always tell my friends and anyone who will listen “if a bridge were here there would be no problems!” Seriously, think about it. I want you to look at any problematic intersection and ask yourself, could a bridge solve a problem here? I’m willing to bet the answer is yes.

Let’s not forget that buildings are building UP so why can’t sidewalks? How do you build a sidewalk up you may ask… yes, it’s a bridge. Also, the view from a bridge is better.

This brings me to the ingenious idea of the day. I just finished reading a Yahoo article that said Madison Square Garden is doing some renovations by the year 2013. One of the main things they’re putting in – yes, a bridge. A bridge is going to be hanging high above hockey and basketball games for more spectators.

Forget all of the crazy bad things that could happen on the bridge, just think of how great bridges are. It’s like the Madison Square Garden president Hank Ratner and I share the thought of bridge, I invite you to share this thought.

Here is the LINK for the article.