A few random thoughts on my return to the blog

Haven't been on the blog lately, hoping to get back to a little more consistency but, since I am sure no one reads this things anyway, and I'm my own loyal reader, who cares:)

The truth is, there hasn't been all that much to talk about lately. But here are a few random thoughts:

*Media personalities are perhaps the stupiest human beings alive. They spew cliches all the time, then completely ignore their own sage advice. Case in point, the NBA Finals between the Celtics and the Lakers. What does EVERYONE say? Defense wins championships, that's what people say. Well, the C's have been the BEST defensive team in the league all year long. So what does every single NBA analyst do? They pick the Lakers to win the series.

Now, the C's are up 3-1 in the series and, barring one of the greatest collapses in sports history, are going to easily win another NBA championship. Everyone is shocked, stunned, in disbelief. How could the Celtics, the team who won the MOST games in the NBA this year, play the best defense in the league, and have three legit star players, be up in this series? I mean, the other team has Kobe, right? And he makes a lot of really great shots, right?

Sometimes you wonder what the hell people are watching. I felt like the Celtics were the better team coming in to this series and everything that has happened has proven that out. Maybe next time, before people start picking winners, they'll actually listen to their own analysis.

*I am really torn in this NBA final. On the one hand, I can't stand Kobe and would like nothing more than to see him god home empty handed. By all accounts, Kobe is a miserable human being. He screams at his teammates, obviously has some problems respecting women (you know, the whole rape allegations?), falls comfortably into the "me" style of basketball, and in large respect is overrated as a player. He's sensational, don't get me wrong, but he isn't an elite player. He is more Dominique Wilkins more than he is Michael Jordan. Kobe is great, but he isn't an immortal, and, right now, I would take Lebron James over him any day.

I also can't stand Phil Jackson. I'm sorry, Jackson walks into situations where he knows he can win. Name me the team Jackson has coached that has NOT had the best player in the league on it? I'm not saying he's a bad coach, but this isn't the greatest coach in history. This is the luckiest coach in history and I think it would be ashame to see him pass Red Auerbach.

On the flip side, as a Uconn alum, I LOVE Ray Ray Allen, and my man is having a great series and should, right now, be the series MVP as long as the C's close it out. I also love Kevin Garnett. In an age of Kobe's, where everything is about "look at me", KG has been a selfless player who has only focused on winning. His passion, his enthusiam, and his leadership is exactly what you want out of your best player. Unlike Kobe, who seems to simply demean his teammates because they aren't as good as he is, KG seems to have the perfect make up to be a team leader. He knows when to get on one of his teammates, but is also the first one there to slap a teammate on the ass when he does well. You can tell that their is legit affection on this Celtics team. They all seem to like each other, and that type of chemistry always starts at the top.

On the other hand, I am sooooooooooo sick of Boston sports I can't even put it into words. I think the Bill Simmons of the world, who use their NATIONAL column to write love letters to Boston each week, has made my gate for Beantown sports even more acute. I have to admit, there would something SWEET about a complete collapse by the Celtics, and to see those loser fans, who never even acknowledged that Boston had a basketball team after Larry Bird retired, cry in their cheap, microbrewed beer would be great. Also, I can't stand Paul Pierce. He is the only one of the big three that obviously has a "me" attitude and he hurts his team when he decides he wants to go mono a mono with the other team's best player. The only game where Pierce stepped up and came through in that situation was game 7 against Cleveland when he went one on one against Lebron. Of course, Ray Allen hit the most important shot in that game, but Pierce was tremendous. Besides that, Pierce has a habit of deciding that he is a GREAT player rather than a VERY GOOD player and, more times than not, he hurts his team because of it.

The truth? I am probably still hoping for the Celtics to win because they have two players on I love and Ray Allen and KG are the types of stars you want to see rewarded with a ring. Kobe? Screw him.

*There is nothing more amazing than confidence.

I was watching an ESPN interview with the Manning family the other day - a father's day special with Peyton, Archie and Eli - and it is striking how much different Eli looks and sounds now as compared to a year ago. There's a different look to the kid. Instead of having the perpetual "I'm 17" feel to him, Eli looks and sounds like a man. He looks more comfortable in his own skin. It is sort of the guy who is single FOREVER. There is usually an uneasiness about him. You can tell there is a confidence problem where the person is constantly wondering whether they have the tools and the talent to "compete" for women. Go to a bar and there is a hesitation, even in the most obvious "she is eye fu^^king me" situations where the connection is obvious. Fast forward to that guy dating the cute girl he met at the work outing. There is a new found confidence. He feels better, more sure of himself. He is comfortable in his own skin. Sports confidence is the same thing.

Eli listened to people like me for three years talking about what a disappointment he was. Then, he went out and had one of the GREAT runs in NFL playoff history, and made perhaps the GREATEST play in Superbowl history. The monkey is off the back. Eli can walk into any room, with any group of players, and hold his own. He doesn't just have a ring, he has a moment. Peyton, the year before, established himself as one of the all time greats with his championship victory and his second half performance against the Patriots in the AFC Championship. Eli, however, solidified his place in history. He will ALWAYS be remembered, not matter what he does from this point on.

*Watch for this in the next couple of months.

Derek Jeter is hitting about .270. Right now, his season is a bitter disappointment considering how he came into the year. All of his numbers are down considerably. He looks like a different sort of player.

That is going to lead to a lot of "is Derek Jeter on the downside of his career" talk. See, Jeter is the type of player everyone outside of New York is just itching to bury. Why? If you gave truth serum to the fanbase of almost every other team in America, they would tell you that Jeter is VASTLY overrated. It's the reason why pathetic professors, obviously with nothing better to do, go out of their way to try and prove what a liability Jeter is defensively. People think Jeter is all hype.

The problem is, almost every time someone has tried to bury Jeter, the short stop has showed up and outperformed everyone's expectations. He is almost always LETHAL in the playoffs, makes the big, important, outstanding defensively play in the big moments, and he usually ends up outperforming the other team's best players, even though those players put up bigger, gawdy numbers each year.

But Jeter is getting up there in age, and no one knows exactly what the aging process will do to someone who has never touched steroids before. With his average hovering at mediocre, his power number and OBP numbers down considerably, the Jeter-haters are going to come out in force. It should be interesting to see how the Captain handles the criticism that's about to come his way. Something tells me he answers the bell as usual.

*If the Cleveland Indians ask for Phil Hughes for CC Sabathia come the end of July, the Yanks NEED to make the deal. Sabathia is a 27-year-old power lefty with ace-like stuff. As long as he stays in some kinda shape, he could be a great pitcher for the next 8 years. Hughes has shown himself to be somewhat brittle and less than overpowering. Can he still be a big-time pitcher? Sure, but Sanathia is ALREADY a big time pitcher and he is a lefty to boot. Joba is gonna be terrific, Wang is already one of the best in the game, Pettite is a great second half pitcher and has already intimated that he will probably pitch after this year, and the wiley veteran Mussina has learned to pitch with his limited stuff. If you put a rotation together that includes CC Sabathia, Chien Mien Wang, Andy Pettite, Mike Mussina, and Joba Chamberlain, where is the easy game in that five man rotation? It also ensure that Joba can ease into the rotation this year without the fear of having too much pressure placed on him.

Now, if the Indians would take Ian Kennedy and a package of other players for CC, that's even better, but Hughes should not still command "untouchable" status.

*On the Hughes matter, I think serious consideration should be given to Hughes being a bullpen guy at this point. Everyone talked about Joba, but Hughes has the two types of pitches that, in a one or two inning role, could be devastating. He has shown a scary tendency to injury himself. He has also shown a tendency to get in trouble the second time through the lineup. The Papelbon comparisons with Joba were misplaced, but they make more sense with Hughes. Like Papelbon, Hughes' stuff is less dominating over a long game than Joba, who was throwing 97 in the sixth inning last time out. Second, Papelbon has shown some signs of being injury prone, and the Sox, who were gonna move him into the rotation, put him back into the pen 1.) because they needed a closer and 2.) they needed to keep him healthy. Also, Hughes, last year, was brilliant out of the pen for the Yanks in big moments. Some guys have an aptitude for it, some don't.

The fact is, if the Yanks can either trade for CC Sabathia without having to give up Hughes or they sign him in the offseason, their won't be a desperate need for Hughes to be in the rotation. He could become that 8th inning guy and, eventually, move into the closer role. He even has that cool, calm, Mariano demeanor.

I am sure the Yanks would be very hesitant to do that, but it should at least be discussed.