For all the marbles...

Like a music group said from one of their songs, "it ain't over".

In reviewing game six of the NBA Finals, I'm still not convinced. It might be because that I'm jaded from what's been going on the previous six games. The calls (and non-calls), the quick calls (the Ray Allen 3 at the end of regulation--just to make sure) just keeps me wondering. In spite of this, it actually was a enjoyable game.

Now the finals begin for real tonight. Their is no more profit motive; the league will make the max dollars it wanted to make. It should be all about ball tonight. While I will stay with my pick (from the beginning of the playoffs) of the Heat repeating as champs, there is a place in the back of my sport heart for the Spurs. Who would have thought that a four-time league champ would be considered the underdog?

Simply for me, there is only one question that needs to be answered: "Which Big 3 will play better?" It's not just about King (?) James. It's about James, Dwade (my boy) and Bosh vs. Tim "Glass" Duncan, Tony "Slick" Parker and Ginobli, who has given the Spurs exactly one game in this series. You can throw the bench play in there if you want, but for me that's where the game will be decided.

I would be amiss if I did not wish a R.I.P. to James Gandolfini, better known to most fans as Tony Soprano. I was one of those who woke up every Sunday morning looking forward to the latest installment of his hit show that night. Even here, he has a timely line that relates to this year's Finals:

"We're runnin a business here."

WWF

First thing I have to say is that I hope I am wrong about this.

Full disclosure: I do believe in things that go bump in the night. I believe in conspiracies and collusion. The current phone stuff going on with our Government does not surprise me at all. I saw a segment on 60 Minutes last year in which a Government agency has the ability to listen to any call at any time. My feelings are like, really? My calls? You really have time on your hands listening to my calls.

But I digress.

After the game 2 and 3 back-to-back blowouts by both teams in the NBA finals, I thought that something wasn't right. Both of these teams were in the top 5 in scoring defence during the regular season. I'll admit, I could see that from the Heat, but from a "Pop" coached team? I wouldn't have been surprised if the Spurs held a practice that night. In either case, I received a call from one of my boyz, who basically said that this series was BS. This guy is not talking out the side of his mouth. He is a head coach himself who knows a thing or two about the pick and roll. He even went as far to predict that this series will go the full seven games to get maximum "straight cash" value like Randy Moss. He said that it felt like the WWF where you kinda know how this is going to end.

While I just shrugged this off to his personal frustration, another of my sports brethren (from a entirely different segment of my life) suggested the same thing. He is also a coach. He said that when James and DWade (my boy) were more aggressive offensively, the Heat wins. 

While I do watch a lot of Law & Order, I don't believe in coincidences. While I won't use the F(ix) word, I'm not getting the usual flow of a championship series. What do you say when, on the first possession of game five, Ginobli makes a basket in which he is clearly on the line, but the ref rules it a three?

Human error or something more sinister? You be the judge.

The Doctor

I really try not to blog about sports stuff unless it really hits a twang with me or it's something noticeable. I was all ready to blog about either the Chad Johnson butt slap or the signing of one of my more favorite athletes, Tim Tebow. But then, one of my boyz reminded me of a doctor's appointment I had at nine o'clock last night.

The NBA channel showed a documentary about one of the most influential players to play the game. Ever. I was only seven years old when Julius "Dr. J" Erving averaged more than 32 points and 20 rebounds a game for the University of Massachusetts. He is only one of five players in NCAA men's basketball history to average 20+/20+ for a season. He was also one of the first players to leave school early to play professional basketball, joining the Virginia Squires in the American Basketball Association.

The Doctor was one of the early gate attractions in the young fledgling league. He was one of the first non-big men to bring cool to dunking during the game. People enjoyed the ABA in part because it was more entertaining to watch. It had more of a streetball kind of vibe to it. They also had their own stars in Artis Gilmore, George "Iceman" Gervin and Rick Barry. To show how competitive it was, Doc averaged 27.2ppg his first year in the league and only made All ABA Second-Team and came in second in the Rookie of the Year voting to Gilmore.

After winning two titles in the ABA, he then joined the 76ers where he eventually became one of the leagues first "ambassadors". He really help start the modern age of the NBA. Not Jordan. Not Bird. In fact, Earvin "Magic" Johnson called Dr. J to get advice about possibly turning pro early. In the documentary, you can still see Magic's excitement when he talked about Erving inviting him to his house for the weekend to talk about it. That's class. That was the Doctor.

After looking at the documentary, I get it. While he got respect from me for his playing ability, I also got to understand why he was the man in the right place at the right time for the league. Going forward, I'll wear my Dr. J Nets Jersey with a little bit more pride and tribute.