Grizzlies Move On

This was the series that the Grizzlies wanted going into the postseason. They wanted to play the Spurs first and now we see why. The Spurs were in trouble from the start losing the first game. Now they were down 3-2 facing elimination for a second straight game. This time, however, a Gary Neal miracle wouldn't save their season. The Grizzlies would take game 6 at home, 99-91, and win the series, 4-2. Zach Randolph was the top performer again with 31 points and 11 rebounds.

A great story to hear about as the 8th seed of the Western Conference takes out the 1 seed. That doesn't happen much, especially in the NBA. Of course, now the Grizzlies will have to take on Kevin Durant and Thunder, a team that had just picked apart the Nuggets.

This officially ends the first round of the NBA postseason. The next round is on the horizon with the other match ups being the Lakers facing the Mavericks, the Bulls playing the Hawks, and the Heat losing to the Celtics (just assuming). The Conference Semi-Finals start this Sunday.

PRAISE THE LORD, WE DRAFTED A QB!!!

Back in 2005, the 49ers had the first pick in the NFL Draft. Like many drafts, teams were looking for QB's. The 49ers were one of those teams and heard of a kid name Alex Smith. He had the attributes, the skills, and the quick feet. So the 49ers took him at #1 (not Aaron Rodgers who now has the belt). It was all downhill from there. Smith never really got it going as the 49ers starter. He would put up glimpses of talent but never really sustained it. The 49ers sunk six years into this guy and tens of millions of dollars for nothing. He was never great with pressure and never got us to the playoffs.

The 49ers have now seemingly moved on. The 49ers traded up in the 2nd round of the 2011 NFL Draft and got Colin Kaepernick of the University of Nevada for the 36th overall pick. Finally we have some one else. He's pretty big at 6'4 and 233 lbs. He has a great arm and can move pretty well. Boise State ought to know. True, he has to get used to taking snaps from center but he's not Alex Smith. Sure, he's from the WAC conference which isn't all that great but he's not Alex Smith. And fine, he's got some throwing motion issues but HELL, HE'S NOT ALEX SMITH!!!

First Round of 2011 NFL Draft: Boos Galore and More

The NFL Draft started yesterday and of course the topic of discussion throughout was the QB's and the amount of boos that fell on the ears on Roger Goodell. You'd think it was a Raider's game or something. Anyway, Cam Newton, to no one's surprise, went #1 overall to the Carolina Panthers. I can see Jimmy Clausen's future and all I see is a screw. The next QB to go was Jake Locker who was taken by the Titans. I guess Vince Young is truly done in Tennessee. After him, Blaine Gabbert went #10 to the Jaguars after getting that pick from Washington. The next QB to go was a bit of a shock; Christian Ponder was taken by the Minnesota Vikings at the 12th pick. Ponder was at Florida State and now has big shoes to fill in Minnesota. That was all the QB's taken in the first round which means that Ryan Mallet is still available.

As for the other first round notables, the Cardinals pick up the much hailed Patrick Peterson at #5 pick despite needs for a QB. He is big for a CB and he's supposadly much like Darrelle Revis. The 49ers (my favorite team) picks up Aldon Smith for the 7th pick, a DE from Missouri. Again, same need at QB but they passed. Nick Fairly joins the Lions as the 13th pick. Him and a man named Suh may start bringing fear to offensive linemen across the NFL. The Saints would take two in the first round; Cameron Jordan, a DE from Cal, and Mark Ingram, the Heisman winner of 2009. Looks like it's the end of Reggie Bush in New Orleans; his assumption, not mine.

The first round ends with Ryan Mallet still looking to get picked. I didn't like it that much. I still think the 49ers should've picked a QB. My favorite thing about the draft so far was Roger Goodell getting booed all night long. I can still hear the boos.

P.S. I'll take a midget with no arms. ANYONE BUT ALEX SMITH!!!

Spurs Live to Fight Another Game... Nuggets and Sixers Don't

More NBA action as three games were scheduled. First was the Heat vs. the Sixers in game 5 of their series. The Sixers have delayed the inevitable before and were looking to do so again. However, they would not be that fortunate. The Heat won, 97-91, and advance to the next round with a 4-1 series victory. Dwayne Wade was the top player for the Heat with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists. LeBron James has now finally finished his breakfast and apparently lunch is on the way.

The next game had the Spurs trying to avoid an early exit by taking on the Grizzlies in Game 5. The Grizzlies were up 3-1 in the series and were looking to put the Spurs away in San Antonio. It seemed that all was over for the Spurs being down by 3 with 1.7 seconds to go. Gary Neal wasn't quitting, however, as he managed to receive an inbound pass and make a game tying 3 to send it into OT. The Spurs would take over the game then and win it, 110-103. A rookie keeps the Spurs alive now behind 3-2 in the series.

The last game had the Thunder vs. the Nuggets. The Nuggets too were fighting for life being down 3-1 in the series. It was a tight game throughout but in the end the Thunder came out on top. Kevin Durant scored a clutch 2 pointer with 12 seconds left which help give the Thunder the win, 100-97. Durant had 41 points and 5 rebounds in the victory. The Thunder win their first series ever being part of Oklahoma City. A little fitting that they did it at home.

Two more series' come to an end while the Spurs are holding on. Next game in that series is Friday.

Peyton Hillis a Cover Athlete?

As the NFL Draft is less than 24 hours away, many things are still uncertain in the NFL. Many of the draftees, like everyone else, are unsure when the NFL season will start or if it will. It's still entirely plausible that their will be no 2011 NFL season. EA Sports seems to not share that opinion. Entirely aware of the circumstances, EA Sports has stated there will still be a Madden 12 for this year, no matter what happens with the labor negotiations. As with every new version of Madden, there is now a sense of excitement in simply finding out who the cover athlete is. Last year it was Drew Brees. This year is... Peyton Hillis?

Sure Hillis is good but what are his numbers? Apparently he had 1,177 rushing yards and 11 TDs on the ground for the 2010 season. Not bad actually but he is no Michael Vick. Let's face it. The only reason Hillis got picked was because the developers weren't sure how a convicted felon would sell their video game. But even if it wasn't Michael Vick, it could've been someone else. Maybe Tom Brady for once. How about Aaron Rodgers, the Super Bowl MVP? Peyton Hillis just doesn't make any sense.

I'm not saying that Hillis isn't a good player. I'm just saying there are better more popular players.

P.S. Okay, this was fan voted? Now it really doesn't make any sense.

Bruins Beat the Canadiens in OT and Lightning Eliminate the Penguins

A great night in hockey as there were two game 7's to be played out. One of the game's featured the intense rivalry that is the Bruins and Canadiens. A tight game throughout with the Canadiens playing catch up half the time. They would tie the game at 3-3 in the late 3rd period and send it into OT. A few minutes in, it would be all over. Nathan Horton scored the game winning goal in OT that sends the Bruins to the Conference Semi-Finals. Final score was 4-3 in favor of the Bruins. They will face the defending Conference Champions, the Flyers, in that round.

The other game featured the Penguins and the Lightning. The Penguins had been playing without Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby the entire series and managed to force a game 7. The Lightning, however, were just too much for the Penguins. The score was slim but it was a victory nonetheless. Lightning win, 1-0, and take the series 4-3. Penguins take an early exit and the Lightning go on to face the Capitals.

It seems that the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs are over. The next round will feature Capitals vs. Lightning, Flyers vs. Bruins, Canucks vs. Predators, and Sharks vs. Red Wings.

P.S. I see an exit sign for the Sharks just up ahead.

Lakers Take 3-2 Edge, Bulls Move On, and Magic Now Down One Game

It was so nice to report on a Hockey playoff game for once. Well, now that's over.

More basketball last night as the Hornets vs. the Lakers in game 5 of their series was the highlight. Despite a good 1st quarter for the Hornets, it was all Lakers. LA wins, 106-90 and take a 3-2 series lead. Kobe Bryant had 10 points, while Andrew Bynum had 19 points and 10 rebounds to go with it. The Hornets are now facing elimination but are fortunately going back to New Orleans.

Another game was the Pacers vs. the Bulls. The series was 3-1 in favor of the Bulls and while Chicago was winning games, it was not the way they wanted to win. This game might've been that kind of win they were looking for. The Bulls beat the Pacers, 116-89, and win the series 4-1. Derrick Rose was a usual star with 25 points and 6 assists but Luol Deng was another key player with 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists.

The last game (though technically the first game) was the Hawks vs. the Magic. The Magic were down 3-1 and facing elimination with their only plus being Dwight Howard. However, in game 5 the whole team sort of came together. The Magic would blow the Hawks away, 101-76, and are now down 3-2 in the series. The amazing thing is that the scoring was spread out and not one player on the Magic had more than 20 points. Howard, himself, had only 8 points. Jason Richardson was the highest scoring Magic player with 17 points.

The Bulls do move on while the Lakers get an edge over the Hornets. Not a bad way to end a series for the Bulls and the Lakers look like they will win out.

The Canucks Stop "The Comeback"

Last year, the Flyers where able to complete "The Comeback" by beating the Bruins 4-3 in the Conference Semi-Finals series. It was a thrilling achievement and the Flyers would take that momentum all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. Unfortunately for them, they lost to the Chicago Blackhawks. It's only ironic that a year later the Blackhawks are now trying to do the same thing. After being down 3-0 in their series against the Canucks, the Blackhawks won three straight games to tie the series at 3-3 and send it back to Vancouver. Game 7 was tonight and dude was it exciting.

To start things off, Alex Burrows of the Canucks scored the first goal just a couple minutes into the game. Most of regulation held that 1-0 score until the third period. The Blackhawks were a man down when Jonathan Toews somehow scored the game tying goal with less than two minutes remaining in the regulation. The Blackhawks found new life and forced the game into OT. The Blackhawks had an early advantage in OT getting an early powerplay. However, they failed to capitalize on it. The Canucks came back at full strength and pressed for a score. Alex Burrows would do just that as he scored off a turnover shooting past the rookie goalie Corey Crawford for another goal. Canucks win it in sudden death OT, 2-1, and win the series, 4-3.

What a way to end this series. An OT goal that kills the Blackhawks' 3-0 comeback attempt. It was a valiant effort for the defending champs but in the end it was the Canucks that held it together. I guess there is a team that can actually hold back the 3-0 comeback in game 7. The Canucks go on to the Conference Semi-Finals to take on the Predators.

Grizzlies Take 3-1 Advantage Over Spurs, Mavs Beat Blazers for 3-2 Lead, and Nuggets Avoid the Sweep

The Western Conference's top seed has their backs up against the wall. The Spurs were already down in their series vs. the Grizzlies by one game and were looking to even the series. They would be disappointed, though, in game 4. A poor 3rd quarter performance contributes to a Grizzlies win, 104-86. The Grizzlies now have a 3-1 series lead and are a win away from advancing to the next round. The Spurs do go back to San Antonio and could possibly stave off elimination for one more game.

The Mavericks and the Trail Blazers continued their fine series and the theme of Home Court Advantage holds true. The Mavericks would rebound from blowing a huge lead the other night and beat the Blazers, 93-82. Dirk Nowitzki was the top player for the Mavs with 25 points and 8 rebounds. This series now goes back to Portland as the Blazers are now facing elimination.

Last game was the Thunder looking for the sweep and their first playoff series victory since coming to Oklahoma City. The Nuggets saw how the Knicks went down and didn't want the same fate. The Nuggets would just get by the Thunder for one win, 104-101. Ty Lawson made 27 points in the victory.

Another day in the books as the Spurs are in some serious trouble. Meanwhile, the Mavericks and the Blazers sure know how to keep things exciting and the Nuggets delay the inevitable for one more game.

P.S. This Thursday at 2 PM features the return of "The Sports Khan Radio Show" on KSUNradio.com... pretty good.

Judge Ends Lockout... For Now

In the long legal battle between the players and the NFL, a judge has made an impact. Judge Susan Richard Nelson ruled that the Lockout be lifted immediately which would effectively grant players access to team facilities. The NFL has already responded by filing an appeal of the Judge's ruling saying she was outside her jurisdiction. They have also filed an expedited stay in order to temporarily stop the judge's motion until the appeal process works itself out. Right now, the assumption is that the players could access the team facilities if they wanted to.

A small win for the players as they will be able to workout... possibly. If overturned, were back to square one. However, if this ruling stands, we could see business as usual (by last year's guidelines) in the NFL. Big picture is that this will need to pass the appeals process first but right now the lockout is lifted.

Knicks Get Swept While Sixers Avoid Sweep and More

The New York Knicks were looking for some positive signs in this years playoffs that said they were moving in the right direction. Surely the Knicks would not win it all but they would surely put up a fight. They did in both games against the Celtics in Boston. But when they got back to the New York, they just seem to lose focus. The Knicks would get beaten again tonight, 101-89, and get swept by the Celtics. Overall, the acquisition of Carmelo Anthony doesn't help the team this year. True, they do get back to the playoffs but fail to win just one game there. They haven't won a postseason game in ten years and counting.

The Sixers did not want to go out without a fight, however, and were able to avoid a sweep by the Heat by winning game 4, 86-82. Despite 31 points by LeBron James, the Sixers manage to survive. They now head back to Miami down 3-1 to try and stave off elimination for one more game.

The other two games were pretty good as well. Joe Johnson manages to make 4 free throws that give the Hawks the win over the Magic, 88-85. Johnson actually made the team's last 10 points. Way to be clutch. The Hawks now have a 3-1 series lead over the Magic. Dwight Howard doing everything is just not working for Orlando.

The last featured game 4 between the Lakers and the Hornets. The Hornets knew they couldn't go back to LA down 3-1 and needed a win. Chris Paul was clutch in the 4th scoring 14 of his 24 points then. Jarret Jack would make the shot that put the Lakers away with 9.3 seconds left. Hornets would win, 93-88. This series is now even 2-2 going back to LA.

Nice day of Basketball as the Knicks are the first team eliminated from the playoffs and the Hornets make things interesting for the Lakers. Big Picture is that the Celtics advance to the next round and get some time to rest at the old folks home.

Blazers Even Series, Grizzlies Have Edge Over the Spurs and More

More Playoffs? FINE!!!

The Mavericks and the Trail Blazers played game 4 of their series in Portland with the Blazers looking to even the series at 2-2. It wasn't looking good in the 3rd quarter when the Blazers were down by 23. Portland made a run in the 4th quarter that incited the Rose Garden something fierce. Leading the charge was Brandon Roy with 18 of his 24 points coming in the 4th. Roy also made the game tying 3 pointer (with a free throw) and then the go ahead shot with less than 40 to go. The slim lead would hold and the Blazers win, 84-82. This series is now even heading back to Dallas. Momentum is surely with the Blazers.

Another great game was the Grizzlies facing the Spurs in Memphis. The Grizzlies now had to take down the Spurs with Manu Ginobili, something they had failed to do in game 2. The home atmosphere was surely a help. Zach Randolph was key for the team who scored 25 points, including the game winning 3 pointer with just over 40 seconds to go. Grizzlies win, 91-88, and take a 2-1 series lead. The Spurs look like they are in trouble as this number one seed might be looking at an early exit.

In the grand scheme of things, the other two games were alright. Pacers were finally able to beat the Bulls and avoid the sweep, 89-84. They still look doomed headed back to Chicago but they at least have a win (Knicks). As for the last game, the Thunder barely beat the Nuggets, 97-94, and now have a 3-0 series lead. It looks like it will be the franchise's first playoff series victory since moving to Oklahoma City.

The Mavs and the Trail Blazers are making a compelling case for most interesting series in this long first round. Can the Mavs rebound in Dallas?

P.S. Yes, the NBA postseason is way too long. If I were in charge, I would make it exactly like the MLB Playoffs (after banishing Kobe Bryant for life). No Postseason deserves to be more than a month long.

P.P.S. Some goes to NHL.

P.P.P.S. (that's right, THAT many P's) Also Bud Selig, DON'T MESS UP THE PERFECT FORMULA!!!

Celtics Crush Knicks in MSG, Hawks Have Edge Over Magic, and Lakers Defeat Hornets

Three more NBA games today with the headline being the Celtics vs. the Knicks in Madison Square Garden. It was the first playoff game for the Knicks in the garden in 7 years and it might have been their 2nd to last this season. The Celtics had trouble getting a good lead in their first two games with the Knicks. Not tonight, though. Huge performances by key Celtics' players gets them the win, 113-96. Paul Pierce was on tonight with 38 points while Ray Allen wasn't far behind with 32. Rajon Rondo was also on his game with a triple-double: 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 20 assists. Celtics now have a 3-0 series lead.

The next game featured the Magic looking to take home court advantage back in this series by stealing a game from the Hawks in Atlanta. The Hawks wouldn't allow it, however, in game 3 of this series. Hawks would hold to win, 88-84, thanks to a Jamal Crawford 3 pointer with a few seconds left. Things got heated in this one, especially when Zaza Pachulia and Jason Richardson were ejected after some head butting and shoving. Hawks are up 2-1 in the series as it looks like it will continue to get ugly.

The last game featured the Lakers looking to do the same thing the Magic looked to do; take home court advantage back. The Hornets played their best in front of their home crowd but Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol played better. Kobe had 30 points and 6 rebounds while Gasol had 17 points and 10 rebounds. Lakers would win this one by a solid margin, 100-86. Lakers have a 2-1 series lead and take back home court advantage.

An okay day of NBA playoffs as it looks like the Knicks are done. Meanwhile the Magic and the Hawks might just be getting warmed up. As for the Lakers and the Hornets, I assume that LA will shut down New Orleans for the rest of the series.

Real Madrid Breaks the King's Cup

While everyone here in the USA is preoccupied with Basketball and the NFL Lockout, there is some entertaining stuff going on in Europe. Real Madrid and Barcelona have 4 matches set over an 18 day period. The first two matches have already been played. 1st was a 1-1 draw in a La Liga match at Camp Nou. The 2nd had more meaning with the Copa del Rey on the line. Real Madrid would win the King's Cup, 1-0, with a Cristiano Ronaldo goal in extra time. It was their first Copa del Rey title in 18 years.

A postgame celebration was in order as the team returned to see about 60,000 screaming fans celebrate the victory. Seems a bit premature considering their is a month left in the football season in Europe. Anyway, during the ride through the celebration, the Cup was dropped in front of the team bus by Sergio Ramos. The bus then ran over the cup with the front right wheel and broke it. Cup pieces were recovered and it will be repaired.

It kind of kills the mood of partying quite a bit. You get a prestigious domestic cup title and nearly destroy the whole thing. ARE YOU GUYS DRUNK? While a sad thing, it was kind of funny. Every now and then there is a story on how a teammate or a player drops the trophy after winning something great or meaningful. I remember seeing a trophy fall and shatter on a ESPN highlight reel. Don't worry, it was only for bowling. That's barely a sport.

To me, it's more of a surprise that something like this doesn't happen more often. Many trophies and awards are quite heavy. This King's Cup was 33 pounds in weight. The bottom line, though, was that the whole thing was not destroyed and that it will be repaired.

P.S. Of any sport, I would assume this would happen in soccer. Why would any player (besides the goalie) workout their upper body?

Rose Lifts Bulls at the End, Wade Leads Miami to Victory, and Blazers beat the Mavericks

Derrick Rose has been the dominate force for the Bulls so far in their series vs. the Pacers. Because of this, Indiana was determined to stop Rose in game 3. Rose only had 4 field goals but had 23 points in the game (mostly from free throws). One of those field goals was the winning lay up Rose made with about 18 seconds left. Bulls would win and take a 3-0 series lead, 88-84. Still not a dominating performance by Chicago but at least they are a game away from advancing to the conference semi-finals.

Meanwhile, the Heat went to Philly to take on the 76ers in their game 3. LeBron James was not the top performer this evening. That honor goes to Dwayne Wade who scored 32 points along with 10 rebounds and 8 assists. The Heat would win this one, 100-94. They also have a 3-0 series lead. LeBron still put up good numbers with 24 points, 15 rebounds, and 6 assists.

The last game of the night was the Mavericks vs. the Trail Blazers in Portland for game 3. The Mavs were also looking to go up 3-0 in their series but the Blazers were able to stop that. Portland wins at home, 97-92. Wesley Matthews was the top scorer for the Blazers with 25 points. Matthews also got help from LeMarcus Aldridge with 20 points, and Andre Miller and Brandon Roy with 16 points apiece. This series in now 2-1 in favor of the Mavs.

It looks the Bulls and the Heat are moving on while things may be getting interesting between the Mavericks and the Trail Blazers. That's the series to watch right now.

Lakers and Spurs Even Their Series', and Thunder up 2-0

A bunch of game 2's in the Western Conference were played out yesterday which include the Spurs and the Lakers. The Spurs faced the Grizzlies again but this time with returning Manu Ginobili. This was key in lifting the Spurs to victory, 93-87. Ginobili scored 17 points in the win while teammates Tim Duncan, Richard Jefferson, and George Hill scored 16 points each. Meanwhile, the Lakers faced the Hornets again looking to avoid a second loss. They would achieve that goal beating the Hornets, 87-78. Kobe Bryant was not the top performer while that honor seems to be split a bit between Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum. Bynum had 17 points and 11 rebounds while Odom had 16 points and 7 rebounds. Each of these series' is now tied at 1-1.

As for the third game, the Thunder looked to avoid another close game with the Nuggets. They got off to a great start having a 31-15 lead at the end of the 1st quarter. The Nuggets seemed to have never caught up. Thunder win game 2, 106-89. Kevin Durant was the lead scorer having 23 points as well as 5 rebounds and 5 assists. His teammate, Russell Westbrook, had 21 points with 4 rebounds and 7 assists. Thunder now have a 2-0 series lead going into Denver.

An alright day of playoff action with the home team winning all the games. It looks like all three winners are doing fine.

MLB Takes Over the Dodgers

Last summer, Major League Baseball sold the Texas Rangers after caring for that team and keeping it operational. Now it looks like MLB will have to do that all over again. The Dodgers organization has been in disarray for a while now since back in 2009 when the McCourts started divorce proceedings. The divorce has left the team in bad shape and earlier this week the team asked for a $30 million loan from their TV partners, FOX. Taking into consideration their financial troubles and the fact that a Giants fan was attacked due to what could be conceived as poor security, Bud Selig and MLB have taken over day to day operations of the team. Selig will appoint someone to represent the team over the next few days.

It seems that the once proud Los Angeles Dodgers have hit Rock Bottom. It's a sad sight to see when Selig and MLB have to come in and run things because your owner is unable to. This divorce has paralyzed the entire franchise and perhaps it was inevitable that MLB would have to step in and take care of things. The team is still owned by Frank McCourt but from what I can gather it seems like only a matter of time before there is a new owner.

I wish MLB luck in taking care of another franchise. Who knows how long this will last. The sooner a new owner shows up, the better.

Knicks Fall Again, Magic Even Their Series, and Mavericks take 2-0 Series Lead Over Blazers

Another day of NBA Playoffs. When will this end? This is actual madness.

Anyway, the Knicks looked to try and take at least one game in Boston. It seemed their chances of doing so went out the window when they lost Chauncey Billups for game 2. However, New York proved to be a pain to the aging Celtics for a second straight game. What was more surprising was that the Knicks able to stay in it without Amare Stoudemire for the 2nd half. He left with Back Spasms. However, in the end the Celtics won out thanks to a great steal by Kevin Garnett in the final seconds. Melo puts up 42 points for nothing. Celtics win, 96-93, and take a 2-0 series lead heading to New York.

The Magic went into game 2 needing a win before the series went to Atlanta. The Hawks took game 1 and early on it looked like they were going to take game 2. However, Orlando would win out, 88-82, and tie the series up at 1-1. Dwight Howard was once again their top player with 33 points and 19 rebounds. Very fortunate that the Magic were able to get a win. Still, looks like the Hawks have a decent shot at an upset going back home.

The last game featured yesterday was the Trail Blazers and Mavericks for round 2. Great performances by Jason Kidd and Peja Stojakovic but it was Dirk Nowitzki that eventually sealed the win for the Mavericks. Dirk helped build an solid lead at the end that would not crumble. Mavericks win, 101-89. Dirk scored 33 on the night and scored 14 in the final quarter. Kidd had 18 points and 8 assists while Stojakovic had 21 points. Mavs take a 2-0 series lead.

Another great Knicks-Celtics game becomes the highlight of the day. Perhaps the Knicks have been underestimated a bit but they are still losing. The top 2 Western Conference teams play today down 1-0 in their respective series.

NFL in London, Maybe?

Despite the NFL currently going through labor negotiations, the NFL is still operating some of it's duties as if everything is fine. I heard they already released a pre-season schedule and now they have set this year's NFL London game or as I like to call it "A complete waste of time" game. This year's version will feature the Chicago Bears playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Now the NFL has also said that if the Labor disagreements last until August 1, the game will be rescheduled in Tampa Bay.

At least they are trying to keep things going in a way. I still don't like the annual London game but I especially don't like the fact that the Bucs get it for a 2nd time in 3 years when they're plenty of other teams to whore out, I mean showcase, that haven't been in London. Now grant it that the Bears have apparently played in London before some 25 years ago against the Cowboys in a pre-season game but this would be their first regular season game in England.

This international game could actually be stopped if the labor agreements are not dealt with in time. In that case, I hope disagreements will continue until at least August 2nd. Players, remember that the owners won't show you the books. Billionaire Owners, you deserve more piles of cash to sleep on. CONTINUE FIGHTING!!!

Heat and Bulls Take 2-0 Leads

Two games were played yesterday in the NBA Playoffs, both in the Eastern Conference. 1st game was between the 76ers and the Heat. The Heat once again showed dominance as a unit as they clobbered the Sixers, 94-73. LeBron James had 29 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists while Chris Bosh had 21 points and 11 rebounds. Dwayne Wade was once again the low scorer of the Triple Heat as he put up 14 points. The 2nd game of the day featured the Pacers vs. the Bulls. It would be a close one throughout and it looked like Indiana was once again prepared for the Bulls. However, it featured the same result with the Bulls winning, 96-90. Derrick Rose proved to be the difference maker again with 36 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Both the Heat and the Bulls are up 2 games to none in their respective series. The top two teams in the East are doing just fine.

P.S. Just want to say this now. The Sports Khan Radio Show will not be on this Thursday. It's Spring Break so I'll be taking a break. I'll be back next Thursday at 2 PM on KSUNradio.com... Pretty Good.

Lakers and Spurs Lose, Celtics Barely Beat Knicks, and Thunder Defeat Nuggets

Day 2 of the NBA Playoffs was yesterday and was very exciting to see. First, the Western Conference's top two teams lost game one of their respective series. The Spurs fell to the Grizzlies as Shane Battier hit the winning 3 pointer with almost 24 seconds to go. Memphis wins, 101-98. Zach Randolph was the big player for the Grizzlies with 25 points and 14 rebounds. Later, the Lakers would also lose at home but to the Hornets, 109-100. Chris Paul had 33 points, 7 rebounds, and 14 assists in the upset. Now while these were surprise losses, this does not mean that the Lakers or the Spurs aren't still expected to win. It just means a rough start for those two teams.

In the Eastern Conference, the Celtics were struggling to win their home game against the Knicks. The Knicks had a 51-39 lead at the half and looked like they could escape game one with a win. The Celtics, however, chipped away the lead and made it a close game again. Finally, Ray Allen made the game winning 3 pointer with 12 seconds left. Melo tried for a 3 himself but missed giving the Celtics game one, 87-85. A huge win for the Celtics but a nice job by the Knicks playing an impressive game. Still need more from Melo who only had 15 points.

The last game of the day was the Nuggets vs. the Thunder. Despite a rough start, the Thunder would win this game at the end, 107-103. Kevin Durant was the big scorer, as usual, getting 41 points and 9 rebounds. Russell Westbrook was also a key man for the Thunder with 31 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. Nuggets, meanwhile, try their best and were close to winning a playoff game without Melo. They still need a little work.

A good day two of the playoffs. Be interesting to see how the Lakers and the Spurs respond. I'm sure they will win out. As for the Knicks, they will need to win the next game if they want a shot of moving on.

Bulls Overcome Pacers, Heat Defeat 76ers and More

The first day of the NBA Playoffs was yesterday and it was exciting to finally have meaningful basketball in the NBA. The top team, the Chicago Bulls, played the Pacers and found some noticeable resistance. Despite trailing by ten in the final quarter, the Bulls managed to get the win, 104-99. They had a 16-1 run in the final 3:38 of the game. Derrick Rose was the star, as usual, getting 39 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. Still, an impressive performance from Indiana as they made the statement that they won't go down easily. Just in the final minutes. OH SNAP!!!

Meanwhile, the Triple Heat played their first playoff game together and it went quite well despite a rocky first quarter. The Heat would get by the 76ers, 97-89. LeBron James played well with 21 points, 14 rebounds and 5 assists while Chris Bosh wasn't too bad himself with 25 points and 12 rebounds. As for their in state rivals, the Magic, they would lose game 1 of their series against the Hawks, 103-93, despite 46 points and 19 rebounds by Dwight Howard.

Only one playoff game yesterday was played in the west and that was the Trail Blazers vs. the Mavericks. Despite the Blazers erasing a 10 point Maverick lead to take a 6 point lead of their own, Dallas' clutch players came through with Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki leading the charge. The Mavs would win, 89-81. Kidd had 24 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists while Dirk had 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 assists.

Nice start to the postseason as the Spurs, Lakers, and Celtics play their first games today.

More Replay Coming to MLB?

These last couple of years have shown baseball their flaws in officiating. The Imperfect game and the foul line incident with the Twins and the Yankees are just two of the top controversies. It seems that baseball is finally going to fix these flaws... mostly. Apparently MLB has talked about expanding instant replay stipulations to allow trapped balls reviewable and foul line calls reviewable. These new rules could be implemented for the 2012 season. However, safe or out calls at the base pads was not brought up.

This is a postive move for the game as more calls will essentially be reviewed making the game more objective and fair. Still, the base pad calls could've been addressed. I have no problem not bringing up balls and strikes but I think close base pad calls should've been included. There is a possibility they brought it up in discussion and eventually considered it not an issue. I don't see how that's possible, however, considering how big the Imperfect game was.

The important thing to remember is that baseball is headed in the right direction. Baby steps, Bud Selig. We'll get there.

A Gift from Tiny Tim and the Giants

At the beginning of the year, a Giants fan by the name of Bryan Stow was leaving Dodger stadium and was beaten severely by supposedly a couple of Dodger fans. He has been in a medically induced coma since the incident back on March 31. The Police, regrettably, have not arrested anyone for the attack despite a $150,000 reward. The 42 year old Stow is a father of two and is a paramedic from Santa Cruz.

Still, this tragedy has inspired some charity. The Giants have raised $70,000 at the a Dodger-Giant game on Monday night. Tim Lincecum has actually gone a step further by giving $25,000 of his own money to assist Stow. A nice move from Timmy as I am sure that Stow will be helped all he can financially. Still, it would be nice to have Stow get better or for the police to at least catch the people responsible for this tragedy. We all hope and pray for Stow's recovery above all and thank the Giants and Timmy for their kindness.

Bonds is Convicted... of Obstruction?

After five years of investigation and prosecution, a verdict was reached. Barry Bonds was charged with 4 counts of perjury and 1 count of obstruction of justice at the beginning of the trial. After the prosecution decided to drop one count of perjury, the jury was left to deliberate. Nearly 4 days of deliberation had gone by and at end there was a verdict on one count. Bonds was found guilty on the obstruction of justice charge. As for the counts of perjury, the jury was deadlocked and the judge declared mistrial for all three counts.

So what about jail time?... It's very unlikely?... DAMN IT, WHAT A WASTE OF TIME!!! Supposedly millions of dollars has been sunk into this trial and they get only conviction on the obstruction charge? That's a bit embarrassing. Sure, they do make Barry Bonds an example in something but I can't help but think this was all but a waste of time. He was already guilty in the court of the public opinion and now that he's guilty in actual court he's not likely going to go to jail. What was the point?

In a perfect world, the prosecution did the right thing going after a guy that broke the law but in this world it just seems like nothing was accomplished.

P.S. Don't forget to listen to the "Sports Khan Radio Show" every Thursday at 2PM on KSUNradio.com... Pretty Good.

Hamilton Breaks Arm as Rangers Lose

The Rangers are on fire but this game might've cooled them for a while. They did lose to the Tigers yesterday, 5-4, but it was a particular event that might set them off track. Josh Hamilton had to leave the game in just the first inning after sliding into home plate and breaking his arm. He tried to tag up and go home on a pop up in foul territory and dived head first as he tried to avoid the tag of Victor Martinez. He was out anyway and now has a non-displaced fracture on his right arm and is out for 6-8 weeks. Hamilton would later admit it was a stupid move to go home on that play.

Perhaps a bit too aggresive as he now has to sit on the sidelines for several weeks and watch his team deal with his loss. The Rangers have started the year right with a 9-2 record but now have to try and maintain that momentum without their MVP. Though Hamilton has no home runs, he was batting .333 and had 7 RBI's. While he will be missed, one has to start to wonder how injury prone is Hamilton? Hamilton has had 6 injuries in the previous two seasons. Though none of them sidelined him for an entire season, injuries seem to be haunting Hamilton's career and he should be more careful in the future.

NHL Playoffs Already Here?

Once again it looks like the end of the NHL Season has crept on me like the beginning of the NHL Season. Man, this season went by fast.

As for the teams that are in it, the Eastern Conference has the Capitals at the top spot with 107 points for the year. It seems surprising that New Jersey failed to qualify for the playoffs this year. Truly shocking. The other two big division winners are the Bruins in the Northeast and the Flyers in the Atlantic. The big question in the Conference is how long is Sid the Kid going to stay out for? The Penguins face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round.

In the Western Conference, the Canucks dominated the standings getting 117 points, enough for the President's trophy. Their big duo is the Sedin twins, particularly Daniel Sedin who was tied for 4th in goals with 41 and had the most points in the NHL with 104. Henrik Sedin isn't so bad himself with 94 points, 75 coming through assists. The Canucks face the Stanley Cup Holders, the Chicago Blackhawks, in the first round of the playoffs.

The postseason starts Wednesday with 4 games scheduled. I hope this year's playoffs will be just as good as last year. And before I go, I must quickly reflect on the 2010/11 NHL Season and say Thank You to the New Jersey Devils for actually proving me wrong.

P.S. OH SO WRONG!!!

Charl Schwartzel is the Master

This last weekend was arguably the most prestigious golf tournament of the year: the Masters at Augusta. The Tournament started and it looked like Rory McIlroy was an early favorite shooting a 65 on the first day. Tiger Woods then had a fine Friday getting a 66 making it look like he could make a run. However, when it was all said and done, it was Charl Schwartzel of South Africa that would claim the Green Jacket with the help of four birdies on the final 4 holes of the tournament. He finished with a 66 on the final day for a grand total of 274, 14 under par.

What a brilliant way to end the Masters as Charl Schwartzel gets his first Green Jacket and first Major victory with a purse of $1,440,000. As for the other significant golfers, Tiger would finish 10 under par and tied for 4th at 278 with Luke Donald and Geoff Ogilvy. Rory would actually finish tied for 15th with four others at 284. As for Phil Mickelson, he would only finish one under par at 287 tied for 27th with 7 other guys.

Still, congratulations to Charl Schwartzel. That jacket is almost as green as his paycheck.

P.S. 600 posts and still going strong.

Manny Retires? After Drug Test?

Well this is an interesting way to go out. Apparently, Manny Ramirez has tested positive for drugs once again. He was tested positive back in 2009 and served a 50 game suspension. Since the punishment for the violating the drug policy a 2nd time is a 100 game suspension, Manny just decided to retire instead. He just signed a one year deal with the Rays for $2 Million and is now done with the game of baseball.

Where to begin. Manny now has been caught twice using a PED and will be looked down on for it. I can't really think of anyone that has been caught twice using PED's and this just hurts the reputation of the Manny further. Perhaps it was better for Manny on a personal note to just walk away. He was 38 (soon to be 39) and has seemingly declined in the last couple of seasons.

That being said, this is a retirement and we must reflect on the career of Manny Ramirez. He will be remembered mainly for his time as a Indian and a Red Sox, especially being a key part of the 2004 and 2007 World Series Team. He leaves baseball with a .312 batting average, 555 home runs, and 1831 RBI's. He will certainly be looked upon as one of the best hitters of this generation.

Despite all his success, the drug use will cloud his legacy and hurt his Hall of Fame chances further. He will also be viewed as outspoken character with a laid back attitude. In other words, his career is simply Manny being Manny.

Sox Are Seeing Red

Expectations for the Red Sox going into the 2011 Season were very high. They were expected to be division favorites and even World Series favorites by many. While it is still way too early to determine anything at this point, the Red Sox seemed to have stumbled considerably out of the gate. Yesterday the team lost, 1-0, to the Indians and have been swept by them in a 3 game series in Cleveland. In fact, the Red Sox have been swept for a second straight time as they haven't won a game yet. They are currently 0-6.

It's still too early to panic but fans should at least be concerned over their team's performance. They get Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez in the off season and still haven't won a game? Terry Francona must be scratching his head over why his guys can't win a ball game. It doesn't get any easier for the Red Sox, either. True, they're going home for the first time this year but to face their arch rivals, the New York Yankees, who are 4-2. The Red Sox will have to play better than this last week if they want to get their first win of the season against the Yankees.

P.S. And what's with the 5-1 Orioles? Are they the new upstarts of the AL East?

Texas A&M Women Win 1st National Title

Last night featured the end of the dancing for the women's side. Texas A&M went into Indianapolis, beat Stanford, and now had to face Notre Dame for the National Title. They were down by two going into the half and it would stay close throughout. Danielle Adams, though, turned up the heat scoring 22 of her 30 points in the second half. The Aggies of Texas A&M would beat Notre Dame, 76-70, and win their first National Title. Gary Blair, their head coach, becomes the oldest coach to win the Women's Tournament at 65 years old.

Though maybe not the game everyone was expecting, it still turned out better than the UConn-Butler game. This is actually Texas A&M's first National Title for either the men or the women in Basketball. Congratulations to the Aggies. They made headways getting this title and they will remember this moment forever.

P.S. Don't forget to listen (and watch) the Sports Khan Radio Show every Thursday at 2 PM on KSUNradio.com... Pretty Good.

UConn is the Top Dog

The dance is finally over. The last two teams, Butler vs. UConn, played for the National Title and it was painful to watch. It was a very bad shooting game for both sides and it was just 22-19 at the half in favor of Butler. Butler didn't seem to shoot the ball better in the second half but UConn did. UConn started to get points in the paint while Butler could make a field goal of any kind for several minutes. The Huskies would pull away and keep their lead winning their 3rd ever National Title, 53-41. This was also Jim Calhoun's third title and he is the oldest coach to ever win the tournament at 68 years old.

What a disappointing performance for the Butler Bulldogs. Not that UConn shot that well either but Butler shot just 18.8% from the floor. This team was so good during the tournament and they just fell flat on their face. The guy that Zdeno Chara took out said "Ouch!!!" The girl who sang "Friday" watched this and felt good about herself. IT WAS THAT BAD!!! And this was their 2nd chance for a title in as many years too. Just embarrassing for that team.

Still, congratulations to UConn who win the tournament of bracket busters. A UConn basketball is on top of the college world for a third straight year (the last two belong to the women).

No Three-peat for UConn Women and More

The Women's Final Four was yesterday and it all the interest around the tournament may have gone away in one night. The 2 time defending champions, the UConn Huskies, went into the weekend with Geno Auriemma already telling the other teams off (so to speak). It was them, however, that would be silenced as the Women of Notre Dame upset UConn, 72-63. Maya Moore scored 36 points in her last game with the Huskies. The Queens has been dethroned with the Tiara up for grabs. Meanwhile, Texas A&M continues to shock their side of the brackett as they have now beaten Stanford, 63-62.

Texas A&M and Notre Dame will meet for the National Title of the Women's side on Tuesday.

Battle for the Glass Slipper and UConn Defeats Kentucky

The Final Four round was today and featured two great games. The First was Cinderella vs. Cinderella, otherwise known as VCU vs. Butler. A close game for the most part except for the final minutes. Butler would pull away from this year's Cinderella and win it, 70-62. Shelvin Mack scored 24 points and got 6 rebounds in the win. Butler now gets into their second straight National Title Game after losing to Duke last year. It's a pity that VCU's amazing run of 5 wins in the tournament is over but now Butler has a shot at redemption.

As for who they will face, Kentucky and UConn fought for that honor. UConn seemed to have control of this game for the most part as they had a 10 point lead at the half. Kentucky, though, didn't give up and fought to keep the game close in the 2nd half. Eventually, though, UConn prevailed. Shabazz Napier made his free throws with 2 seconds left and sealed the victory for UConn, 56-55 (Brandon Knight made a three that essentially meant nothing). UConn now contends for their first National Title since 2004.

Two teams out of 68 teams are still dancing: UConn and Butler. One traditional powerhouse craving a title and one Cinderella that gets a second chance. The Ball finally comes to an end on Monday night.