Bruiser Chong

Bwhahahaha. The 2004 Lakers are officially the biggest flop in basketball history. Come out with all the lame excuses, but here was a team that wasn't just built to win; it was built to win THIS YEAR. Not next year, but this year. They made it to the Finals, but looked like they didn't belong there at all. They were dominated all the way, only able to salvage one game and getting blown out the rest. This is great and I hope that people will start to accept the fact that the Pistons are a great team. The Lakers are a bunch of individuals with name power. Big difference. The Lakers are a perfect example of what being a group of self-serving pricks can get you in the end. Congrats Pistons. You earned it and left no questions or doubts about it.

Maybe attacking that water cooler was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Got it for $30.99 at Best Buy. Love the packaging and we're entering territory here with a lot of episodes that I'm very familiar with. Awesome stuff and I can't wait for the commentary tracks.

Bwhahahaha. Anyway, Smith isn't too bright, but I thought he was a riot after Game 4. "I'm booking reservations to go back to Philly Wednesday. It's ova. It ain't goin' back to L.A."

I won't go out and make any predictions since it would surely jinx the Pistons, but one thing that's stood out to me is that at no point have they gotten caught up in themselves. A lot of teams would've gotten sidetracked after winning Game 1 against the Lakers, but the Pistons stay focused on the task at hand. They're playing it one game at a time, but they're not celebrating anything until they've got four victories in the bag. It's like I said earlier; this series reminds me of the Yankees and Marlins World Series. Everyone thought the Yankees would win the series will relative ease, despite all of the Marlins' heroics in the postseason. Even with the Yankees' backs against the wall, many people insisted that they were ready to break out some of that famous Yankees magic and win the series. That never happened. I'm starting to get the feeling that the same is going to hold true for LA. If it was going to happen, Sunday night was the time. I know the Lakers are one for the dramatics, but I don't think even they would want to push the envelope so much that they're now forced to win three straight games. I look at the Lakers' bench in recent games and I see a lot of long faces. These guys don't seem confident in themselves. They've played tough at times, but so far, they've conceded defeat rather easily in three games. Most people are now counting the Lakers out and maybe for good reason. But I think regardless of what the majority thinks; regardless of what the media says; the Pistons aren't going to get caught up in their own hype. They know what needs to be done and you won't see them letting up until it's complete. Especially with someone like Larry Brown calling the shots.

It's not his fault his guys aren't producing. Berkman is starting to cool off, Bagwell has been crap lately, Hidalgo has virtually derailed, Pettitte seems like he'll spend half of 2004 on the DL and guys like Miller and Oswalt aren't having the type of season everyone expected them to have. They may have missed the boat on pulling away in the Central while the Cubs were still severely banged up. Perhaps it's the Cubs fan in me talking, but now that they're starting to get healthy, they're looking more like the team many expected them to be on the outset of the 2004 campaign. Speaking of the Astros, what's everyone think of Bagwell being moved down to the number five slot? I know someone here suggested they do that after yesterday's game, but is it a good move or not? Bagwell was upset over it, but I can't blame the move. Berkman is the hot hand and has been most of the season, so it makes perfect sense to have him in the three slot. Jeff's been a loyal guy in Houston, but he's not producing in that spot, so he's just hurting the team. When he starts producing again, he'll probably be moved back, but as tonight's game proved, he's becoming increasingly frustrated with things.

He also sounds like a robot.

Watching the Cubs game tonight was bliss. It's only one game, but for a team that just came off a cross-country trip after a 15-inning game yesterday, they looked much better than the Stros. The Cubs hitting has been so inconsistent at times this season, but it was just great seeing them get solid hits off the Rocket the second time through. And it wasn't just the usual suspects either. Walker, who had been slumping, had one of his best games of the season, Martinez was able to bring in Walker and do some solid hitting, as was Patterson. The Derrek Lee trade is finally looking like a smart move, as he's begun to just kill the ball, which most people figured would happen eventually. It was just nice to see the Cubs in the driver's seat most of the game, despite having a lot going against them. Prior was great, but give some credit to Jimmie Anderson, who came in a threw 3 2/3 of very solid ball, when the Cubs' pen desperately needed rest. Just a great game overall. Couldn't think of any better way to start a four game set on the road against the Astros.

I like how Clemens took about two hours to retire Paul f'n Bako and Prior. I mean, you can't take anything for granted in this game, especially with runners at the corners with only one out, but good god. I think even the Astro fans were getting frustrated with how long Clemens was taking in between every single pitch.

Adam Everett's already leaving the game in the first, after getting an infield hit. Looks like he hurt his leg running. Could be serious for the Stros if this isn't a day-to-day injury, because he's been key for the team this season.

Meh, the current edition has enough for my liking. I'll probably get this one, but I've had the current edition for over two years and watched it several times, so it's not like I didn't get my money's worth out of it. Double-dipping sucks, but I'd rather do it if it means being able to watch a movie I really enjoy anytime I want instead of waiting around like a dunce for several years for a better edition to come out.

Considering Griffey's leg problems over the past couple of years, that ball would have to be rolling around for a long time for him to even entertain the idea of an inside the park homer.

Honestly, I'd rather pay more to get them as soon as I can instead of waiting two years on a good deal for the sets. I wouldn't even wait a year for the price drop on a season. That's ridiculous. If you actually like the show, price shouldn't matter. I bought Season 1 the week it came out and Seasons 2 and 3 the day they came out and have no regrets. Season 4 will be no exception, as I'll be there when Best Buy opens to ensure my pick of the Season 4 sets.

Yeah, what an ass. People are fucking goofy. Anyway, I'll be watching tonight, but the Cubs have the deck stacked against them, that's for sure. They're coming off a 15-inning game that finished at night (in terms of where they're heading right now), a cross-country trip and facing an guy who's pitching better than anyone in all of baseball. Hopefully Prior can make things interesting by pitching like he did in his first game back.

I think they've been delayed. I got conflicting release dates and alot of them, including Amazon, were July 20. The July 20 release date is correct. The delay was announced a couple months back.

I just find it ironic that the Lakers and their fans have the nerve to complain about poor officiating. After all the bullshit calls to go in the favor of the Lakers over the last several years, it's almost laughable that they are serious in complaining about bad officitiating or any fix. Christ.

Oh hells yes. It hurts that tonight could've been a sweep, but there's no point in living in the past. The Pistons certainly aren't, as they've looked like the more dominant team almost every minute since Game 2. They want it more right now. Simple as that. Lakers fans are making excuses for this and that but no excuse in the world is going to change the fact that their season is on the line from here on out. The Lakers have shown their true colors by complaining on virtually every call against them. Some were justified, but hell, they weren't so upset when those unfair calls were working in their favor all these years, were they? Great teams don't need to bitch and moan constantly. They overcome the challenges and get the job done, regardless. The Pistons are one game away from proving all the cynics wrong; all the so-called experts wrong; virtually everyone. And it's something truly once in a lifetime, to see David slay the might Goliath in sports, especially basketball. Here's hoping they close it out Tuesday.

*goes to sports bar to watch Pistons game*

This is the last scenario I wanted to see.

I don't see either Patterson or Farns being traded. Patterson seems to be one of Baker's boys, so I'd be surprised to see him shipped off. Plus I could see Patterson finally putting it together once he was no longer wearing Cubbie blue a la Dontrelle Willis. As for Farns, with Borowski going down, there's no way they're getting rid of Farnsworth, since he's being seen as their setup guy now. Farns is an effective guy at times but he's too inconsistent to rely on on a regular basis. With the Stros and Cards winning today, this is going to be a tough one to swallow should they lose.

Kyle Farnsworth just proved why he's going to be a never was. I feel for the guy and really wish he could get it together, but the Cubs hand him over a three-run lead and he gives it up before he records an out. Granted, it was the Angels' two best hitters, but that's a reliever's job; getting those tough outs. Those two runs for the Cubs in the 8th were a blessing, but unless Rodriguez is done and the Angels don't end the game in this frame, it's going to be tough for the Cubs to end it with a win.

Ah, I remember the last Interleague makeup game that involved the Phillies. One of Mesa's finest.

Regardless of who wins the series, I think it's obvious that the Lakers took the Pistons and this series for granted. They figured that they'd come in, sweep or maybe take it in five. So far, aside from a few situations, the Pistons have looked like the better team. I'm reminded of the Marlins and Yanks in the World Series.

R.I.P. Those old Pepsi commercials owned. And would it have hurt you to spell the guy's name correctly?

Cubs come within one hit of tying a major league record for consecutive hits. They send 14 men to the plate, get 10 runs, nine with two outs and nine straight hits. Amazing.