Just John

Let the LeBron to NY talk resume. Could be a rough off-season for the Cavs.

Is this the first time in NBA history we've seen a "reverse flop" where a player no-sells contact to make sure the ref doesn't blow the whistle? And, Antoine Wright... Wrap up, please.

I'm glad to see Chauncey Billups having success in Denver. I'm not sure the guy's a HOF'er, but he is a winner and a leader, and it's nice that he's finally getting the recognition he deserves as an elite point guard in the NBA.

Even if he came back and predicted a Rockets sweep, which by some miracle actually happened, he would still be forever shamed by his Jazz prediction. On another note, I'm glad road teams are winning in the first couple of rounds this year. It makes a series so much more interesting. I remember last year it was like pulling teeth trying to get any road teams to win.

It's too bad he'll never post again. I would've gotten a kick out of seeing his name changed to "Kobe Bryant's White Friend."

Atlanta will have a hard time going up 3-1 when they're already down 2-1. If you mean the Heat will probably go up 3-1, I agree. The Hawks looked horribly unprepared and unmotivated in the last game.

Well, the dream of winning four straight is over for the Jazz, but they can still take the next three if Okur gets back in th... Oh, wait. The only real question left is if Karc will post in this thread again.

The Jazz are totally gonna win the next three games provided Kobe continues to shoot around 20%, Gasol's FT percentage stays at 40, and everyone besides Lamar Odom decides to play like complete shit. It can happen.

Hey, the Jazz cut it to 3 in the second half tonight! LA better watch out... At this rate, the Jazz might have a lead at some point in the second half next game.

I think the Lakers were trying to torment Karc by casually beating down the Jazz at their leisure, while leaving just enough hope that the backdoor sweep is still within reach.

Someone else really has to bet that the Jazz won't sweep the Lakers?

Again, just be careful who you call white. I do not have grudge against Kobe Bryant, I think the Jazz are much more physical team that can easily score in the paint and have a far superior point guard. With the exception of Odom, the Lakers' bench is useless and will get crushed. Pretending that you're a serious poster for a minute, did you even watch the season finale? The Lakers had nothing to play for, Kobe was in foul trouble, and the Jazz weren't in foul trouble on the road. LA still won by double digits. Maybe the 3-pt-loving center Mehmet Okur and CJ Watson coming back will give the Jazz enough physical play in the paint to make the difference, though... There should be a banning or forced username change if your prediction doesn't come through.

I always get a kick out of the wrestlers who appear to own nothing but tights and maybe a t-shirt with the sleeves cut off.

Seeing the commercial with college basketball coaches made me really want this game. I've been trying not to think about it since I probably shouldn't be dropping $60 on right now, but the track listing looks incredible and I look forward to the challenge. GH3's been the only game with some really tough songs so far, but this one looks like it's loaded from top to bottom. Sad But True is the slowest Metallica song I can think of, and even that would probably be a level 5 or 6 in the other GH games because of the solo.

To ban the kamikazes that sprint down the field as wedgebreakers, apparently. But won't the kamikazes just hit the kick returner now?

Goodell is a big step down from Tagliabue, but he doesn't have anything as bad as Donaghy, steroids, or a year-long lockout to his credit. I don't follow the NHL as closely as the other leagues, but I'm going to vote Selig turning a blind eye to the rampant steroid usage in baseball. An entire generation of baseball is permanently scarred due to his apathy.

What the hell is the point of banning wedges on kickoffs?

This is such a tired, horseshit argument against the pros, I can't believe anyone still brings it up. Any decent player in college or overseas is playing for an NBA contract, so I guess we're to assume everyone in the NBA now had a bunch of "passion" in college or whatever, and then it disappeared once they signed their first NBA contract. And I suppose the same thing will happen to all of this year's draftees as well. You don't make it to the NBA without a lot of passion, and if you don't keep it, you won't be staying long. It's not like these guys are just going out to play some casual basketball for a few hours every other night and sitting on their asses the rest of the time. It may surprise you, but there's a lot of practice, team meetings, year-round physical conditioning, and hectic traveling involved to be a pro basketball player. And I guarantee most of the highest paid guys are the ones who care the most. You wanna tell me Kobe, LeBron, KG, etc. are just going through the motions for 40 minutes a night? Get the fuck outta here with that shit. The funniest thing about people who tout the greatness of the college game over the pro game is that most of them don't realize (or at least don't want to admit) that a good chunk of their precious college players are playing for a chance to get a spot in that awful NBA. The only college kids playing "for the love of the game" or for their school are the future YMCA regulars who would never hack it in the pros.

Looks like a ton of nominations, so I'll just pitch in three. "All for You" by Sister Hazel "Sad but True" by Metallica "Wherever I may Roam" by Metallica

Most of those names sound like they belong to porn stars or indy wrestlers.

Something like getting Kevin Garnett back could help the Celts down the stretch, I think. Ah, beaten to it.

Marty Morninwheg "taking the wind" in that OT game against the Bears where Chicago promptly marched downfield and scored on the first possession jumps out, although that might be in the "so bad it's funny" category.

While the Suns were never a championship threat, they were consistently good and definitely had nice little niche carved out that a lot of people enjoyed. Maybe not everyone here, but there's no denying there's a large audience for that kind of basketball. I think the blame for their demise falls on everyone. The players are a bunch of whiners who didn't care about defense as much as making cool offensive plays (and when the leaders are Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire, can you really be surprised?). Terry Porter couldn't get the team to buy into his system, which is something a good coach can do. Steve Kerr is a horrible GM who made some stupid deals and left the team with no identity. Say what you will about the 04-07 Suns, but they had chemistry, played well up to the second round or so of the playoffs, and people enjoyed watching them. None of those things apply to the team's present incarnation.

With Amare gone, I think the Suns will be the 9th wheel in the West. The Rockets shouldn't be underestimated with Artest and Yao. I don't think they're a contender, but they're not substantially worse than any of the non-SA/LAL teams (and just because life is ironic, I could see this Rockets team finally being the one to get out of the first round).

"Hot N Cold" by Katy Perry.