KPFC Sports Dept.

The tornado drill the other night was exciting, but not fun. I saw the closest thing to a tornado I have ever seen when I saw the heavy rotation over the downtown area (the same rotation that set of the tornado sirens in Denton). We seem to have really lucked out here every night.

Three or four years ago it would have been the focal point of my life, but I believe I will have to pass this time. He used to say that he would never be like Tim McGraw or Garth Brooks, that they aren't real country and they sold out. Then Justin showed me the "Wave On Pop Version" on a hit disc sent out about half a year ago, and I knew I had supported that hypocrite for the last time. Ben Folds is making me mad, I keep getting email updates of added tour stops and none are around here.

The O-Line won't be the same as last year. Injuries ravaged that line, and getting Johnson and Dinappoli back along with the draftees will make it instantly better and deeper. I think this will be the area that will be the most improved this offseason.

or or ?

The Giants signed Kurt Warner. The Unintentional Comedy Scale could be shattered when Daddy Manning and Brenda Warner have it out over which one is better.

The Cowboys signed Vinny Testaverde to a one year deal (not in the article, but I heard him say that in the press conference). My $.02: I have been a big Quincy backer the last couple years because I think he works hard and more importantly, his competition was Chad Hutchison, who is just brutal. Vinny said he would not have signed without a promise at a shot as the starting QB. Quincy did not begin to thrive until the QB competition last year, and I think he is better with a fire lit under him. However, Chad ain't Vinny, even at 40 years old. I think they will battle it out and will be pleased with either one starting, I defer to Parcells on this stuff. But even if Vinny beats out Quincy for the starting job, there is no way a 40 year old quarterback stays healthy for all 16 games and Quincy will be called upon at some point. I think both QB's starting days in Dallas will be over after next season, making way for Drew Henson. Anyway, here is the link to the DMN article. If you aren't registered, do it, it's free and takes like 2 minutes. From DMN

I just had a short call yesterday. Newy was saying Ed Rush's Shaq inquiry wasn't a big deal, and I just called and said that when Sean Payton comes up Newy discredits Brian's opnion because he is biased and that Newy needs to do the same to himself because he is biased being all buddy buddy with Shaq. I hung up before they replied because I didn't want to say anything stupid. I agree with what you said about the TWolves point guard situation vs. the Lakers. Just look at what Mike Bibby, Troy Hudson, and other point guards have done to the Lakers in the past. The Lakers just can't guard the pick and roll, and having Sam Cassell and Troy Hudson running it instead of Derek Martin would have made a huge difference. I hope more than anything that the Pistons beat the Lakers, but until it is a clinching game for Detroit, I'm not gonna watch any of it, and this is coming from a huge basketball fan too.

The NBC 5 website says more of the same tonight.

Read this article by Michael Wilbon after that Game 6. And this one from "Screaming" Stephen A. Smith. The Lakers averaged 22 foul shots a game going on and shot 27 in the FOURTH QUARTER, and the nose of Mike Bibby violently fouling Kobe Bryant's forearm is also a classic. Yes, this was in 2002, but it is the landmark of NBA doing it's best to determine a winner. This and the famous Patrick Ewing/Knicks lottery thing have to be the top 2. But what happend Monday night wasn't left for guessing. Ed Rush DID ask the scorers table how many fouls Shaq had after he picked up his 5th, and I don't need to tell you that through some miracle, Shaq never picked up #6. This is the first concrete evidence on this topic, and frankly it's all I needed to be flat out completely disgusted with the NBA, it was the straw that broke the camel's back so to speak. But I would like to point out again that this isn't the only reason I'm just about through wasting my time with the WWE...I mean NBA. The way the game has played has changed RAPIDLY over the last few years. What caused this is hard to pinpoint, but several things have contributed. 1)First and foremost, nobody can shoot. My dad used to complain about this 7 or 8 years ago, and compared to now, those were the good ol days. Who can flat out shoot a jumper in the East finals? 68 yeard old Reggie Miller, sure, Austin Croshere, maybe. Rip Hamilton plays basketball with a style I admire, but he isn't the best pure shooter. So that is 3 guys. I will assume I missed 2 (which I doubt) and say there are FIVE good shooters between the best two teams in the East. 2) There is also the way defense is played. Not too long ago, you played defense with positioning, smarts, and want to. Now, if a guy is burning you, grab push pull bully, whatever, it isn't gonna get called (unless you are guarding a Laker in the 4th quarter of a tight game). This got started with Jordan, with the Pistons and Knicks. They couldn't guard him on the perimeter, nobody could, so when he drives the lane, make him have the bruise to prove it. Forget about getting in positon to take the charge or using your body to make the shot more difficult, grab his arm or knock him down. Don't get me wrong, every now and then a team needs to just knock someone on their ass, but that should be a statement, not the primary defensive philosphy. Is what we are seeing now "good defense" as everyone says, or more physical contact in leu of good defense? Watch the Hornets and Pistons play and tell me. 3) Finally, Shaq has done his share. The way the post position is played has been changed because of Shaq. Technically, he commits an offensive foul everytime he gets the ball. In high school, and not too long ago on all levels, displacing a defender earned a charging call. Now, it is encouraged for centers. Finesse in the post is useless, you have to be bigger or stronger to outmuscle someone for a dunk. Remember the Dream Shake?? Next time you see Shaq elbow someone in the chest, dunk, and somehow draw a foul on the hapless defender remember the beauty and skill of Olajuwon doing the Dream Shake. And as I mentioned before, this point is not even lost on Shaq, because last week he bragged to the media that he played football on the court and he was the NFL's best NBA player or something like that. Just what I wanted to see watching the highest level of basketball, strength and size taking the place of skill and touch. So the way the preferred team of the league is painfully obvious almost every night is one reason I can't stomach it anymore, but the way the game is played and along with that the quality of play is a big reason too. I know this was PMG-esque but I had to say it all.

Hope everyone is alright with the huge storms tonight. CBS 11 just reported another tornado near Hutchins. They said there were possible ones in Mineral Wells, North Fort Worth, and Kennedale-Mansfield at different points of the evening. Hail has been reported all over the area up to 2 inches and gusts up to 80mph. Here in Denton, there wasn't any hail, but we did get a pretty strong storm for a while and still getting one amazing lighting show. Hope everyone's OK and out of the path of any of the bad storms.

CMJ, I didn't say best athletes, I said in the best shape. Back to the original spirit of the thread, Dan Patrick had several emails read on-air that said that the NBA is nearing the equivalent of pro wrestling, and Randy Galloway had ESPN NBA analyst Marc Stein on who said there is no defense for what Ed Rush said last night. Most people knew this had been going on, and this is just a first-hand witness to it that announced on national radio to confirm it. The NBA will have some chicken &h!t excuse about what he said, and pretend everything is fair, when it's not. Like I said, it may not be completely fixed, but I along with everyone else knew that the Lakers would be in the Finals come hell or high water. I just remembered that last year's Minn-LA series in the first round was pretty controversial as well, I remember a call on a TWolve (Szcerbiak?) who "fouled" a Kobe shooting a 3 that allowed the Lakers to steal a game. How great would the NBA be with actual basketball rules enforced, fouls called like they are supposed to and every team has the same set of rules? These playoffs would be riveting. As it is, I would rather watch a ho-hum Rangers vs. Indians regular season game.

I'm not down on the NFL or MLB. Like I said, I did not even watch last night's game because I, along with the rest of the world KNEW the Lakers would win, fairly or not. That doesn't happen in baseball. The Yankees don't have their own set of rules on the field that is different than the Twins like the Lakers and Wolves. In football, the Cowboys can't do things without a flag that the Lions can't do. This is why the NBA is somewhere in the middle of real basketball and pro wrestling, even without the obvious comparisons with Shaq's style of play. The NBA is about personalities, name brand teams and logos, global marketing, selling replica jerseys, and TV ratings, and to hell with real basketball. The Lakers WILL be in the Finals no matter what. They have to be there for all to see and we can have some more Shaq Burger King commercials rammed down our throat. Then send it back to the "action" of Fisher dumping the ball into Shaq and the other four guys stand around and watch Shaq plant an elbow into his defender's chest, knock him down and dunk, followed by Shaq running down the court screaming obscenities, while David Stern gives a glowing courtside interview about how great the game is going. Excuse me while I become physically ill and that whirring sound you hear is Naismith turning over in his grave. I used to have a roomate that was a hockey player and he explained to me how tiring it is, and there is no doubt about that it is physically taxing. Compared to basketball, I think SOME basketball players are on par with the most in shape hockey players. Players like Rip Hamilton, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, that go 100 miles an hour non-stop and play the whole game are as in good shape as any hockey player. Now, if you want to throw in Yao Ming, Shaq, and Oliver Miller in, then I would like consider goalies as well . See, it's fairly even, though hockey may be in better shape top to bottom. But I know the sport with the athletes in the best shape- the 800m and 1600m. Argument closed.

Unless it's the Stars or team USA, I can't get into a hockey game, so I probably won't watch any of this year's finals, but as far as basketball goes, there is no doubt that high school and college are far better for pure basketball entertainment than the NBA.

Dan Patrick is playing the clip and we will see if he kisses up to the Lakers and Stern or speaks for basketball fans everywhere. **It seems like DP thinks that was a little shady, but is unwilling to go all out in ripping the league (I'm sure that the ESPN/NBA deal has something to do with that).

The Goodfellas just replayed the national ESPN Radio clip from last night's game when Shaq got his 5th foul. Brent Musberger said while KG was lining up to shoot a free throw, Ed Rush (I believe) came over to the scorers table and asked how many fouls Shaq had. Tim Legler said "I don't know why he would even want to know how many he had, that should be irrelevant, call what you see." We all know that there is no way in hell Shaq will foul out at home in a series clinching game, but this proves it. WHY IN THE WORLD would the refs want/need to know how many fouls a player has? So that precious Shaq and Kobe won't foul out, that's why. Did you know that the NBA issues a laptop to each official and the office sends frequent emails to the refs? These games aren't fixed, but they are as damn close to being fixed as you can be. I watched "Miracle" instead of watching the game last night because I knew there was no way in hell Stern would let the Wolves back in the series. I didn't know if it would be as obvious as the 2002 West Finals Game 6, but I did notice that the Wolves got to the line a lot in the first half and FOUR times in the second. Did they suddenly start playing a different way? I doubt it. Did they suddenly run out of fouls to call on Shaq? Obviously, the ref asked how many he had to make sure he didn't foul out! That is ridiculous, inexcusable, and unless the Pistons or Pacers have the Lakers on the ropes in the Finals, I am not going to watch a minute of it. Shaq bragged last week about how he played football on the court, just more proof that the NBA is barely basketball and barely digestable for this fan. -Aaron Switzer PS - Did anyone hear my call? I'm looking at you Perry, I know you listen to the Goodfellas.

I've been watching the History Channel all day. Great programming with the WWII shows and documentaries.

The most horrible recurring commercial during Ranger games for me was a Dodge commercial a few years back..."I was borrrn, on the Llllllaaannnooo Estacadoooo, yeah". I heard that so many freaking times.

Davis Profile

Game 1 of the Stanley Cup FINALS only drew 100,000 more than the WNBA season opener. That's the WNBA! The NHL drew 1.1 and the WNBA drew 1.0. Right now hockey only appeals to it's hardcore fans, and they will even lose some of those with the lockout. I had to post and say how wrong I was that the Pacers had enough offense to compete with the West. Nobody in the East has enough offense. This Eastern Finals is pathetic. And it is NOT good defense, these guys can't hit a jumper. The last thing the NBA needs to dilute the talent any more, but Charlotte starts play next year...

Yeah, the Warriors hired the Stanford coach so they can continue to suck with a different face on the sideline, so Stanford hired away Nevada's coach. Too bad, he had done a good job with them.

Link

Ah, another great basketball radio moment. Zeke will love this one: "Shot over Ehlo...GOOD! BULLS WIN!" I will let someone else take Sparky Lyle, just wanted to throw that in there.

STOLE THE BALL! HAVLICEK STOLE THE BALL! One of the all-time great sports radio moments. Fred Hoiberg

I'm sure all of you have seen the Click It or Ticket campaign on TV or heard it on the radio by now. They mean business. I got pulled over by UNT police today coming home from my final. I was buckled up, always am, always will be, but my seat belt was behind my arm in my armpit for some reason (I didn't even notice) and he said he pulled me over for not wearing a seatbelt properly, it has to be over your shoulder. Luckily, he didn't give me a ticket for that though. I just wanted to warn everyone, you should be wearing your seat belt anyway, but make sure it is over your shoulder and save yourself the hassle of getting pulled over or possibly a ticket.

As bad as the Eastern Conference has been, I would rather watch a Magic-Hawks game without T-Mac and no shot clock than the two best teams in hockey go at it in a deciding game 7*. Good for DA for pointing this out. I'm not a spothead fan, but if Rasheed Wallace did what Malone did, he would be sitting out game 3 without a doubt. Karl Malone is the dirtiest player I have ever seen in the NBA, yet they continue to let him get away with it and continue to market him as a "good guy". * Unless it is the Stars, because I always cheer for the hometown teams.