When Vegas freezes over

After almost 24 hours in airports and on airplanes, I guess it's time to post a blog. It's about the only thing I haven't done on the internet thus far. Well, no porn either. I'm pretty sure that's illegal at the airport and I'm not Larry Craig.

My parents were supposed to leave for Latvia three hours after me and they will get to the other side of the earth faster than I can get to Hartford. This all thanks to a snowstorm in Las Vegas. That's right...Vegas. What snows in Vegas stays in Vegas. That's how the slogan goes, right?

I can't complain though. The operator on the 1-800 number said I wouldn't be able to leave LA until Friday morning, but after waiting in a 3-hour line, I was able to finagle a flight to Chicago where I was the lone person in the airport for about 2 hours, before my connecting flight to Hartford. (Word of advice: be nice to the people at the counter).That got me to thinking about that movie The Terminal with Tom Hanks and led to the following conversation:


romoballa (4:33:12 AM): wat did tom hanks character in the movie do

romoballa (4:33:23 AM): haha, aight, im gonna pass the time by looking that up

greenmachineAZ (4:33:23 AM): he was from another country

greenmachineAZ (4:33:27 AM): which ended up being in a war

greenmachineAZ (4:33:33 AM): so he couldn't go back there because it would have been dangerous

greenmachineAZ (4:33:40 AM): but he couldn't get a visa or something to be in America

greenmachineAZ (4:33:47 AM): so he ended up working around the airport

greenmachineAZ (4:33:50 AM): built a nice bathroom

greenmachineAZ (4:33:58 AM): and almost hooked up with catherine zeta jones

greenmachineAZ (4:33:59 AM): almost

romoballa (4:34:19 AM): wow

romoballa (4:34:31 AM): i'd be down to almost hook up with czj

greenmachineAZ (4:34:38 AM): haha

greenmachineAZ (4:34:39 AM): sure

greenmachineAZ (4:34:40 AM): well

greenmachineAZ (4:34:44 AM): go build a nice bathroom

greenmachineAZ (4:34:45 AM): with a fountain

greenmachineAZ (4:34:48 AM): and I'm sure you could

Now onto the sports section of the Empire.

Speaking of Vegas, big day for Arizona in the City of Sin on Saturday. Basketball/Football doubleheader with Arizona taking UNLV on the hardwood followed by Arizona/BYU in the Las Vegas bowl.

The hoops squad continues taking on Arizona coaching candidates facing Lon Kruger after toppling Mark Few and Gonzaga in a shocking upset. I'll quote a facebook status I saw after that game. "If you can't beat us, join us, Mark."

One Arizona football player got the partying started a little early. Linebacker Sterling Lewis was charged with DUI in Tucson and was suspended for the game.

Speaking of gambling, Jamelle Horne had this to say after Arizona's win over San Diego State when asked if the victory had any special meaning for him.

"Of course," Horne replied. "More than half of those guys were AAU traveling teammates or guys I know from San Diego. So we were chirping for the entire game. We even had a little wager on the game. We'll be going out to dinner and my dinner will be paid for."

Then Horne said that no wager actually took place and he wanted to apologize for suggesting it did, through a statement of course.

"I understand that sports and gambling do not mix," Horne said. "In an effort to be funny after a tough game, I made a poor choice of words and now realize that I should choose my words more carefully."

And more gambling news:

The Suns traded Boris Diaw and Raja Bell to the Bobcats for Jason Richardson as Suns fans quickly soured on Diaw and Bell while Steve Nash sobbed quietly in the corner. Diaw, left with some parting shots.

“It definitely wasn’t as fun,” Diaw told The Arizona Republic. “… It wasn’t as exciting for the fans. It’s not as fun for everybody (on the team). I’ll always remember Phoenix with Mike (D’Antoni). We went from a winning team that was the most exciting team in the league to a half-winning team that wasn’t exciting at all.”

Kudos to Suns fans for cheering D'Antoni in his return to the Valley of the Sun.

And finally:

I'm a little shocked at myself but I actually agree with Joey Porter's comments regarding Plaxico Burress. And I don't blame Burress for his Cheddar Bob impression. No, I'm not being sarcastic.

"Plaxico is like a brother to me. I take it real personal how he's being treated," Porter said. "Everybody has their mistakes, but that's exactly what they are ... Until you've been in that situation, when you've been robbed at gunpoint or you've had a gun waved in your face or had your house broken into before or been carjacked, you really don't know what it's like."

"For a person to carry a gun, I mean, you're not carrying a gun to show that 'I'm tough.' It's safety, it's nothing but safety," Porter said.

"When you get out of a situation like that and you've been in harm's way, the first thing that goes through your mind, I'd rather get caught and take the little penalty from the media, whatever the situation may be, than not have a chance to save my life," Porter said.

"It's tough out there so I'm not gonna say I condone what happened. It was a mistake by [Plax]. I know he wish he never did it. But I don't think it's as bad as everybody made it seem, either."

I understand why the gun laws are in place, but after knowing that your teammate was robbed at gunpoint and having an NFL player killed in his own house I don't have a huge problem with Burress carrying a gun. Yes, he should have known the New York law. As an adult that's his responsibility. But the possibility of serving five years in prison for shooting yourself in the leg on accident is astounding.

Like Porter said, Burress wasn't there to shoot anyone. He was carrying the gun as protection. Every American has the right to bear arms and NFL players are no different. Intent must matter in a case like this, though it's obviously hard to prove.

Unfortunately, Burress has a long rap sheet of transgressions so the media and the publc won't give him the benefit of the doubt. Usually I think that's fair, but in this case the proposed punishment doesn't fit the crime.

Every person deserves the right to protect himself.

Roll up Corie Blount

When people get in trouble with the law, it's either shocking or you just knew it was going to happen all along. When Corie Blount entered the NBA, I knew this day would come.

Granted Blount is no Nate Newton, but 11 pounds of weed is a nice chunk. With a last name like Blount and that expression on his face, this was inevitable. I had the following conversation with Buller after it happened.

Baller 11 15 21 (4:31:54 PM): you see corie blunt just got caught for large amounts of marijuana lol

romoballa (4:32:17 PM): ya...lol i could see it coming when he was drafted

Baller 11 15 21 (4:32:31 PM): heard that

Baller 11 15 21 (4:32:40 PM): and he just finished majoring in criminal justice lol

Baller 11 15 21 (4:32:43 PM): the irony just never ends

romoballa (4:33:06 PM): so he can now defend himself

Michael Vick needs a leash:

This blog about Michael Mick brings up a good point. Vick has shown little remorse for his actions, and continues to blow large amounts of money while trying to protect himself from his creditors. According to a story in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, he spent $3.6 million dollars in the three months before he went to jail, including the purchase of a $99,000 Mercedes. Some people never learn. Of course this story got me thinking about Vick's future and motivated me to write this response to the blog.

I'm a life long Cowboys fan and I know the Cowboys are one of the most likely teams to sign Vick when he comes back, but if they do, I'm done. Let's not forget that Vick's crimes weren't solely for dog fighting but also the vicious way he killed defenseless and innocent animals. This blog is right in that Vick has shown no real remorse for his crimes, and some of Vick's NFL peers (like Clinton Portis) have gone on record saying Vick's actions weren't that serious. I'd love to see Vick come back and redeem himself by changing his attitude toward this subject and toward life in general, but I highly doubt that will happen.

How does this make any sense?

Matt Jones was suspended three games for possession of cocaine, but six NFL players including Pat and Kevin Williams of the Vikings are being suspended four games for using a weight loss supplement.

Suns stuck in a Valley

I won't rub salt in the wound of Phoenix Suns fans. The fans at U.S. Airways Center already did that with the loud "Let's go Lakers chant" which forced a comment from the TNT broadcast team.

I'm here for a different reason. I've been an unabashed Suns hater for almost five years now, but as a basketball fan, I always stepped away and thought to myself, I love the way the Suns play. As smug as Mike D'Antoni was and the battles the Suns and the Lakers have had in recent years, I still respected how good the Suns were.

That's why I was shocked and appalled at the Suns don't let the door hit you on your way out approch with Mike D'Antoni.

The early polls are in and as I expected D'Antoni is doing a great job with a horrible Knicks team which is off to a 6-5 start.

On the other hand, the Suns are going nowhere fast, starting out 8-5, but mired in the middle of the Western Conference. I've asserted all along that the blame falls on Robert Sarver who continuously traded away draft picks for cash, and after letting D'Antoni go, settled on a cheap coach who wouldn't rock the boat.

And that's what you got Suns fans. Perhaps you wouldn't have won the title with D'Antoni but you would have been a better team than you are with Terry Porter.

Here are some excerpts of the conversation I had with my buddy and big Suns fan Adam Green. He makes some valid points, but for the record he was not one of the fans pushing D'Antoni out.

greenmachineAZ (3:35:26 AM): Suns fans got tired of the no bench, no defense way

greenmachineAZ (3:35:47 AM): people who weren't Suns fans saw a team that won 55 games a year and was fun to watch...with no emotional investment, why wouldn't you like that?

greenmachineAZ (3:36:01 AM): but Suns fans got tired of the same result every year, with no sign of getting better

greenmachineAZ (3:36:16 AM): it's like Shawn Marion...Suns fans knew how bad his shortcomings were/are

greenmachineAZ (3:36:24 AM): and had less issue with him being traded

greenmachineAZ (3:36:37 AM): whereas people who didn't really watch the Suns think he is some great player who you couldn't trade away

romoballa (3:36:50 AM): i just wouldn't give up on a coach who 1. got you to be a good team 2. played a fun style for the fans (isn't that what it's about ultimately entertainment) 3. was liked by the players

greenmachineAZ (3:36:59 AM): right

greenmachineAZ (3:37:09 AM): but if the goal is to win a title, his way has not done it so far

romoballa (3:37:09 AM): and 4. almost won the title has some things gone his way

romoballa (3:38:36 AM): one of the top 5 coaches in the league

And that got me thinking. So here's my order.

romoballa (3:48:54 AM): 1. phil jackson

romoballa (3:48:57 AM): 2. larry brown

romoballa (3:49:04 AM): 3. greg popovich

romoballa (3:49:13 AM): 4. mike dantoni

romoballa (3:49:16 AM): 5. byron scott

And my revised 6-8...Jerry Sloan, Donn Nelson, Rick Adelman

1. When you have 9 NBA championships, it's hard not to be No. 1

2. Larry Brown has turned more bad teams into good teams than anyone other coach in history. The man led the Clippers to the playoffs, coached the Kansas Miracles to an improbable title and led the worst team in history to make the Finals, the 2001 Philadelphia 76ers with guys like Eric Snow and Aaron McKie playing prominent roles.

3. Greg Popovich minus the Ted Kuzinksi beard has the titles, the players respect' and the consistency to be one of the greatest coaches of this era.

4. Mike D'Antoni is fairly new to the NBA compared to the first 3 guys on this list but the early returns show a .610 winning percentage. Also please remember in his first season when he took over the team about a quarter of the way, he went 21-40. The next year, he led the Suns to 62-20 record and a trip to the Conference Finals. And thus far, he's exceeded expectations with the Knicks.

5. Byron Scott is a rising superstar in the coaching profession. He's taken two bad Nets teams to the Finals and has rebuilt a Hornets team into a perennial contender. He runs an offense that has a lot of Princeton principles and also has a tough defensive mentality. In addition, he's one of the most respected guys in the league. I wouldn't be surprised if he returns to coach the Lakers in the future.

Wow!

Aside from "Wow!" what more can you really say. Here it is if if you haven't seen it.

gatosalvajech (2:42:22 AM): theres no words for that

gatosalvajech (2:42:40 AM): i ve never even seen that ...

gatosalvajech (2:42:48 AM): after someone made a crucial mistake

gatosalvajech (2:42:51 AM): you repeat it

gatosalvajech (2:42:56 AM): with less the a second left

gatosalvajech (2:43:01 AM): and momentum into OT

romoballa (2:43:29 AM): if u want to see the dumbest loss in the history of sports
just tune into today's arizona game

gatosalvajech (2:43:35 AM): thats like Jalen Rose calling time out after webber already made that one famous mistake

And that's what it comes down to. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me -- you can't get fooled again.

That's a little George W. Bush for you. It fits with the stupidity of Arizona basketball.

I understand Kyle Fogg's mistake. He's a freshman who just scored his first two points of the game and was too excited to remember that his bucket tied the game. It was in the heat of the moment as the cliche goes.

But Jamelle Horne, the same guy I blasted in my last post about Arizona basketball for gloating in an exhibition game, fouling to lose the game after a timeout?

Wow. Wow. Wow.

The phrase I've never seen that before is overused but it applies in this case. It would be like Jose Canseco having the ball go off his head and over the wall on two consecutive fly balls.

I just want to know what Horne was thinking. What was said in the timeout. How could you not discuss what you do if the shot is missed? Or was Horne really just spacing out?

“I saw the guy with the ball going 94 feet and the last thing I wanted to do was give him an uncontested shot,” Horne said. “And I saw him in front of me so I tried to foul him and the ref called what. … I don’t know what he called it.”

Now that's a very Bush like quote.

What did the referee call? He called an intentional foul. It's what happens when you grab a guy's jersey from behind and hold on to it to stop him from shooting. In the sport of basketball, that's an illegal move. Who has Horne been talking to lately, Donovan McNabb?

On the bright side, if there actually is one since I've had to watch the Sportscenter anchors incredulously describe the sequence of events while shaking their heads in disbelief, maybe this will teach Horne about some humility. I'm starting to sound like a fan of a bad team. I'm somehow trying to grasp onto a positive side of this tragedy.

I'd just like to say that the actions of November 18, 2008 by two of Arizona's basketball players in no way, shape, or form represent the University of Arizona and it's alumni.

The other phrase I've heard a lot recently is "it's gonna be a long season."

1. In terms of how frustrating it will be to watch Arizona play, I agree.

2. In relation to how Arizona is going to fare this season, I disagree. The Pac-10 is really bad aside from UCLA. Oregon already lost to Oakland, Cal State Northridge hung in with Stanford for the majority of the game, and Oregon State had the court rushed on them against Howard.
Plus, after this game, it can't get any worse, right? Right?

See, I'm trying to stay positive.


Of course it had to happen when I moved to the East coast.

There will be no Laker games on tape delay this year. KCAL will now show games played in the Eastern time zone live.

That could have been my biggest television pet peeve. But since I no longer live in LA, I don't even get to enjoy the change.

And finally, even USA today has an article on how ugly the last year or so has been for Arizona basketball.

It's worse than I thought

I'm not so sure it was a good thing I was able to watch Arizona's first exhibition game at work. It was downright scary.

Against a division II team that I a) had never heard of and b) lost 11 games last season, Arizona trailed by one early in the second half. The Wildcats gave up 83 points. On the bright side, Jordan Hill had less than the 9 turnovers he had in the Red/Blue game.

However, the most despicable moment came in the first half. It was a moment that made me cringe. I felt embarrassed to be an Arizona basketball fan.

We all know this is a team that's going to need help to make the NCAA tournament. The majority of these guys aren't blue chip prospects, so it's going to take hard work, dedication, and a scrappy effort to make up for the lack of talent.

It appears that Jamelle Horne is far from comprehending that concept.

Horne was one of the few players who was making shots early. He hit several contested three pointers that would have been bad shots if he didn't make them. After hit hit a third, Horne ran down the court dancing, with his tongue out, his hands in the air, like he had just won the national title. Meanwhile, the guy he was guarding beat him down the court and hit a wide open 3.

Thankfully, Russ Pennell had the wherewithal to sit Horne at the next break. But that play alone put a damper on any positive thinking I had regarding this team.

Maybe this team would rally with all the surrounding conflicts. Maybe this team of under-recruited players would change the stigma of soft Arizona teams. Maybe they still will. Maybe I'm reading too much into a glorified scrimmage.

But maybe I'm right. Maybe the first impression will tell the story. Maybe this team will fall in the face of adversity.

I hope it doesn't happen but judging from the beginning, it's worse than I thought.

Check it out:

Though I don't want to affiliate myself with any kind of Phoenix Suns propaganda, check out Michael Schwartz's new website, valleyofthesuns.com. It will be well-researched and well-written.

What now for Arizona basketball?

Now that the dust has settled, the destruction is apparent.

The Arizona program is in shambles. The top three players in the 2008 recruiting class (Brandon Jennings, Italy; Emmanuel Negedu, Tennessee; and Jeff Withey, announced his transfer last week) are gone. With the de-commitments of the three players who made up the 2009 recruiting class, only the ruins are left. There's no top 10 players coming in to save the day. Once Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill say their goodbyes after this season, this program that rivals anyone on the West side of the Mississippi will be down to hoping and praying that it can hire a man who's capable of restoring pride in Arizona basketball.

The rebuilding process will be harder that I could have imagined. The transition was anything but smooth.

Still, I'm stunned at the "Don't let the door hit you on the way out" approach many fans have adopted. One facebook group which I was asked to join is entitled "Good riddance, you demented old bastard." Several of my friends are members.

For a man who took a program from the gutter to 23 straight NCAA tournament appearances and national championship, it seems a harsh farewell. Sure Olson didn't handle the situation as well as he should have. But does one year of mistakes override 24 years of brilliance. Always a private man in a public man's profession, Olson shot himself in the foot in terms of public relations.

I had gotten to know Lute Olson in my three years of covering the team, and though he was often guarded, he always presented himself with dignity. Though he wasn't always forthcoming, he always cared about protecting his players.

His resume and his years of playing by the rules (no major infractions) should not go forgotten. We live in a what have you done for me lately society, but don't judge the man on his last chapter. Judge him by the entire book.

Now Arizona must move forward. The program will never be the same.

And now for potential replacements (note I don't have any inside information on this, these are just guys I'd like to see and who I think are plausible)

1. Mark Few
2. John Calipari
3. Jamie Dixon

• Few- He turned around a Gonzaga program in a mid major conference and made the Bulldogs a national power. Because Dan Monson began the ascension, Few doesn't get as much credit as Olson, but he's still done a tremendous job and would be a major coup.
• Calipari- According to a friend who used to work at the Best Damn Sports Show period, Calipari said he would leav Memphis for the Arizona job. Certainly, that's hope for Arizona fans. Calipari has a great thing going for him and is just coming off a national championship game appearance. He's a good recruiter, a master PR man, and a terrific coach. He also brings with him some baggage (see Worldwide Wes). Moving to a bigger conference could be the next challenge for Calipari but will Arizona pay him the type of salary he will demand?
• Dixon- Following Ben Howland at Pittsburgh, Dixon has quietly pit the Panthers near the top of the Big East year in and year out. He doesn't have the name power of the other two coaches on this list, but he can bring a defensive philosophy in badly need of one. Dixon is also from the West coast (San Fernando Valley) so a move would not be out of the question.

Every coach who turns down the job will be a step backward. It's important not to rush into a decision. It's important to make a big name hire. This job is not for an assistant or a coach with little experience. This is a big name job and a failure to lure that big name should put Jim Livengood's job in jeapardy. Recruiting at Arizona isn't as easy as Olson made it look. Kids came to play for him and as witnessed by recent recruits migration away from the program, it's not going to get any easier.

Arizona will play basketball this season, but it's nowhere nearly as important as what happens after the season. It will get worse before it gets better.

So get ready to go through some hard times Arizona fans. There's a good chance that the next time you'll be talking trash to ASU fans, you'll be saying, wait till football season.

Lute Olson is stepping down

You knew this was going to happen some time but you weren't sure how you would feel about it. The time has come and Arizona's biggest legend is retiring according to ESPN's Dick Vitale.

Olson didn't show up to practice Wednesday and missed his annual Rotary Club preseason meeting. Assistant coach Reggie Geary claimed Olson was battling laryngitis.

Associate coach Mike Dunlap will take over the head coaching duties on an interim basis, according to Vitale's report.

The 74-year old Olson took a leave of absence last season though denied it was health related.

The Empire will have more on Olson in the coming days.

Stay tuned.

Arizonaaaa......Bear Down

Just another day at Arizona stadium last Saturday. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Wildcat.

Ho, hum, another win over a top 25 team under Mike Stoops. The Wildcats continue to beat teams they're not supposed to beat on the heels of losing to teams they're not supposed to lose to.

Kirk Herbstreit who predicted the Wildcats would pull the upset, saw it coming, and frankly I'm not close to surprised at the 42-27 outcome. I wouldn't be surprised if Arizona beats USC on homecoming Saturday, or at the least plays the Trojans tough like they have the past three seasons.

Last year, Arizona lost 20-13, was up 13-10 early in the 4th quarter.
2006, Arizona lost 20-3, was down just 10-3 early in the 4th quarter.
2005, Arizona lost 42-21, was down 28-21 early in the 4th quarter.

Add to that the fact that for some reason, the Wildcats love to pull off huge upsets on Homecoming and you might have yourself quite a ball game.

I'm bummed I won't be there to tailgate, participate in Frog Friday's and reminisce at Dirtbags after the game. I will be there in spirit, though.

Speaking of the Trojans ...

This is funny. The USC football team gets hypnotized. Either this hypnotism thing really works or the USC film school is really good.

How bad is the Pac-10? Only one team is ranked in the top 25 (USC).

Meanwhile, Arizona received six votes in the AP top 25.

If you're a Laker fan and a Jew you will find this Vic the Brick Jacobs signing bit funny.

Not sure how I missed this a few weeks ago, but Bill Simmons wrote a great article about Elgin Baylor.

Four main points from the article

• Baylor once averaged 38 points and 19 rebounds while playing only on weekends during the 1962 season because he was doing military service.
• He scored 71 points in a game against Wilt Chamberlain's team.
• Baylor was associated with the NBA for 50 years and was the oldest high ranking employee before he got unceremoniously canned by the Clippers.
• He made first team All-NBA in 10 of 11 seasons from 1959-69, and pretty much created the jump shot, the kind where you actually get hang time before you shoot.

The Stairs to stupidity

This, ladies and gentleman is the man who beat the Dodgers in game 4.

I present to you the quote of Matt Stairs, after his two run home run gave the Phillies a 7-5 lead.

“When you get that nice celebration coming into the dugout and you’re getting your ass hammered by guys — there’s no better feeling than to have that done.”

Thanks for the thought Matt.
Now onto more inappropriateness.

Big Cajones

The blog rumor mill says that Kellen Winslow's undisclosed illness is actually a case of the big balls. Usually, that's something a soldier like Winslow would be proud of, but in this case its a disease called hydroceles, which usually occurs on males either 1-2 years old or 40.
Pro Football Talk, quoting a league source, says Winslow was admitted to the Cleveland Clinic because his balls swelled to the size of grapefruits."


What a day in Big D

If you thought Hard Knocks was a great publicity stunt, how about Tuesday.
Tony Romo is out four weeks with a pinkie injury, Felix Jones is out up to four weeks, the Cowboys trade three picks for Roy Williams, PacMan Jones is suspended for at least four games, and more importantly Brett Favre called Romo.
In other essential news, I made a phone call to my mother.

Coast to Coast

Here are a few things I noticed on my way from Los Angeles to Bristol.

• There won't be a shortage of corn any time soon.
• Speeding tickets in Iowa are a lot cheeper.
• Chicago is like a better smelling version of New York.
• People are insane no matter where they live as noticed by someone stalking Luke Walton.

(Note: Another person stalking Luke Walton's jumpshot was not found; neither was Walton's jumpshot)

• Did you know Elgin Baylor actually worked for the Clippers. Baylor is out as "general manager" of the Clippers but he could have basically kept doing the same thing he was doing."
  

A source told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher that Baylor resigned because the Clippers were willing to let him retain his salary and title but were stripping him of any authority. The source also said the Clippers were willing to have him return in a consultant's role. The Clippers are now not expected to fill his position."

Someone should have informed Baylor that he already didn't have any authority.

• Cubs fans are more insane than everyone else. This Cubs fan is selling his allegiance.

Here's what I wrote prior to Saturday's Arizona game.
Go to the Pac-10 standings page and you may be shocked at what you see.
With a 2-0 record in conference and a 4-1 record overall, Arizona is at the top. The Wildcats have been blessed with an easy schedule but nonetheless, have produced against the teams they were supposed to beat. The offense hasn't scored less than 28 points in the first five games and against Washington, Arizona ran for 256 yards and gave up just 63 yards rushing on 2.3 yards per carry.

Here's what I have to say now:
It figures Arizona lost. Every time the Wildcats have a chance to be relevant, they lose. They lose when the opponent isn't intimidating but when the game matters. Like the loss to ASU that would have put them in a bowl. And this loss to Stanford when they had a chance to have the best record since the Desert Swarm just doesn't surprise me.

I bet my buddy Buller 10 bucks that Jordan Farmar would not be drafted by the Lakers a few years back. I lost. I figured there was no way the Pacers would pass him up when they clearly needed a point guard with the oft-injured Jamaal Tinsley being their starter. Instead, they took Shawne Williams and look how that's turned out. The Pacers traded Williams to the Mavericks for a bag of peanuts.

I may be wrong on Andrew Bynum. I thought it would take some time for the Lakers center to get back to last season's form. Here's a kid who's biggest knock coming out of high school was that he didn't love the game. The concern was that he wouldn't put in the time to get himself in shape. But he has. And thus far in the preseason, he's looked terrific. He put up 15 and 8 in 20 minutes in the first game and then six points and nine rebounds in 21 minutes in game 2. More importantly, he didn't lose the physical progress he made last offseason.

And 1
I don't like to mention politics on the Empire because I'm cynical about politicians actually following up on the millions of promises they make. Plus the Empire is neutral like Switzerland and doesn't want to affect opinion on this matter in any way.

Also, in no way am I proponent of Barack Obama but I do want to give him brownie points for mentioning Latvia in the second debate. Shout out to my home country.

Just had to throw that out there.

I love LA

For the first time since I was three years old and living in Latvia, the Dodgers advanced to the National League Championship series.

I guess it was a fitting end to my time in Los Angeles. The Dodgers pulled out three of their finest performances of the season and perhaps the past two decades.

And at the same time, they're not done. Still eight games to be won. An underdog for the entire playoffs, they'll have to do work on the road before they can return home. That's how I feel. I need to do work and hopefully, I'll one day return.

Words are powerful, but these last few days they have escaped me. It's been difficult to put the gratitude I feel into my vocabulary.

"You never know what happens when you leave some place you've been," Joe Torre said after the win.

I'm anxious and excited and at the same time somber. I've shared a lot of laughs and memories recently with a lot of people who mean a lot to me. I've listened to a lot of kind words and received generous going away presents, including a sick Tony Romo jersey.

I'll miss the city, but I'll miss the people in the city more.

I can only hope to do as well at my job as the Dodgers did this week. The way Derek Lowe, Chad Billingsley, and Hiroki Kuroda dazzled their way past the vaunted Cubs lineup.

The Cubs, who led the NL in runs, scored just six runs in the three games.

I can only hope to have the kind of success James Loney had. Loney had six RBIs including the tone setting grand slam in Game 1.

I can only hope to have the kind of fun Manny Ramirez has had since he traded in his Red Sox for Dodger Blue. Manny wasn't too shabby either, hitting .500 with two home runs.

It's been a great ride. Now the next chapter awaits. For the Dodgers, it's the winner of the Phillies/Brewers.

For me, it's a new job at ESPN and a new coast, the East. A new home and a new lifestyle.

It's unchartered territory but the future appears bright.

Here's to both returning home victorious.

High Times

Three of the highest athletes in our history made headlines this week. Not surprisingly, two of them had drug related issues. We'll start however with one player, who's a failed drug test away from being banned from the NBA.

And the honor goes to...

Lamar Odom

The Lakers forward has been rumored to be relegated to a sixth man role. So here's what he had to say about the situation.

"He must have woke up and bumped his head. He probably hit his head on something -- boom," Odom said of Jackson. "To start off like that, you've got to be out of your . . . mind."

While he was rolling papers and texting Smush Parker to ask for another baggie, Odom went on to say...

"Everybody knows on my team I'll do whatever for the team," Odom said. "If you want me to be the mascot, whatever you want me to be. I'll be the doormat, the rug, whatever you want me to be."

Or in other words, I'll sit on the bench all game if you let me smoke the ganja.

Next up is...

Ricky Williams

The Dolphins running back is having a tough time right now. I mean it was his bye week and he had nothing to do. Ricky says it's hard to stay off the pot. Give the man a break.

"He said he successfully combated the latest urge to smoke by meditating instead, which gives him the same 'feeling of being free' as marijuana, according to the Miami Herald.

Don't fret pot fans, Ricky isn't giving up just yet.

"I'd be lying if I said I'm never going to do it again after I'm done," he said.

"I don't know. I don't spend much time thinking about it," he added as he licked his lips and stared at the green plants near the Dolphins practice facility.

"Oh, the possibilities," he thought.

And last but certainly not least is...

Darius Miles

The Celtics forward was so out of it he didn't even know why he failed his drug test. Seriously.

"I wish I knew. I really do wish I knew, but [Celtics president] Danny Ainge told me 'leave it alone,' so I left it alone," Miles said.

Ainge was actually telling D-Miles to leave (the bong) alone, but your boy was too busy taking another load.

By the way, Miles isn't appealing his 10-game suspension. Hmmm... That's a lot of free time. Maybe he should get together with Ricky and Lamar.

Locke-re-d Out

Washington quarterback Jake Locker will not play against Arizona this Saturday and is out up to 8 weeks. He was injured while making a block.
One the one hand you want your quarterback to block because it shows toughness. On the other hand, this is what can happen.
So now, Washington's best player is out against Arizona which can only mean one thing: Trap Game.
But considering that the Wildcats will be the favorite, especially at home, you may be asking yourself, when's the last time Arizona started the season 4-1?
Well, I brought out and dusted off my handy 2005 Arizona Football media guide to give you the answer.
Drum roll please...
2000, under Dick Tomey.

Arizona actually started that season 5-1, before losing its next five games and finishing the year 5-6.

Can the Dodgers break their own drought?

We're on the verge of the best time of the year in sports. The playoffs begin in baseball, the NFL is in midseason form, the NBA started training camp today, college basketball season is right around the corner, and apparently the versus channel plans on broadcasting a sport long forgotten by the rest of the people in this country.

First and foremost, the Dodgers are in the playoffs and they didn't need a Steve Finley grand slam this time. They just needed Manny to be Manny.

The Dodgers have been to the playoffs three times since 1988, not including this season: 1995, 1996, and 2006.

They got out of the first round 0 times in those three years.

Now the Dodgers face the best team in the National League. The Cubs don't have too many names that strike fear in opponents. There's no CC Sabathia or Ryan Braun. There's no Cole Hamels, Chase Utley, or Ryan Howard. There's no Johan Santana or Jose Reyes.

The Cubbies have done it with patience, Alfonso Soriano excluded.

They're first in the NL in runs scored, obp, slugging, ops. They have almost 100 more walks than the Dodgers.

On the mound, they're first in BAA, second in ERA, and second in whip.

Ryan Dempster, the game 1 starter overacheived with 17 wins. Ryan Theriot led the team with a .307 batting average. Rich Harden overcame injuries to rebuild his career. Derek Lee bounced back as well. Kosuke Fukodome led the team in walks and name chants.

Only one Cub had 100 RBIs, Aramis Ramirez, but 10 players had at least 38.

Plus the Cubs have "America" on their side. They are the Red Sox of 2004. The Dodgers are no doubt the underdog.

What the Dodgers have is a big question mark. The column L.A. Times columnist Bill Plaschke wrote at the end of the season had nothing to do with getting out of the divisional round.

It had everything to do with Manny Ramirez. The man has done everything in the second half the season to earn a huge deal, but Plaschke says -- and I agree -- that the Dodgers shouldn't give him that deal.

Reportedly, he will be asking for a 4-year deal worth $100 million. At the absolute least he will command more than the $18 million a year Tubby Jones is making for the Dodgers. The four year deal will take Manny into his 40s and will stifle any effort to go after other marquee free agents such as C.C. Sabathia, who's shopping for houses in California.

In the meantime, let's hope Manny knows that he has to continue putting up big numbers in the playoffs for his contract demands to be legit. Because without him, the Dodgers go back to being mediocre.

Just for the hell of it, I'll make a homer prediction. This Cubs feel good story is too good to be true. They are still cursed, after all.

Dodgers in five.

Before I get to today's special guest predictions, check out my last prep sports video for the Signal Newspaper.

Here's what Guido Murga, formerly of the Dorm Room Sports Chat thinks will happen in the baseball playoffs:

American League

Dev…Opps that was close

Rays vs. AL Central Division Champion (White Sox/Minnesota)

Rays win series 3-1

The Rays are a major league best 57-24 (that’s a .703 winning percentage) at home this season; add that up with these two Central teams potentially playing the season into Tuesday and the Rays go up 2-0 and close it out in 4 on the road.

Let's just hope that the fact that there will be actual people (what I like to call the Florida Fakes, think ’97 and ’03 Marlin Fans) at the stadium in Tampa doesn’t startle the Rays too much. That’s right Florida get those retirement home shuttles ready and get those old folks to the ball park.

Tucson Los Angeles of Anaheim Angels vs. Boston Red Sox

Red Sox win series 3-2

I do not know how I am picking a team that its highest paid player is J.D. Drew... but I guess that Boras guy is just a genius.

The Defending Champs have announced that they will not be able to start their ace Josh Beckett in game 1 which unfortunately means that the Sox will have to go with 16 game winner Jon Lester for game 1 and Dice K who went 18-3 for game 2, slating their ace for a game 3 start.

Boston allowed 694 runs this season and the Angels were just as good only allowing 697.

The difference: Boston Scored 845 runs (that’s +151 for the season) to the Angeles 765 (a dismal +68 in comparison). Sox lose game 1 take the next two and close it out on the road in Game 5 in the series in which I believe features the eventual World Series Champion.

National League

Phillies vs. Brewers

Phillies 3-1

It seems like C.C. Sabathia has started 6 games in the last two weeks. The over use of their Ace will not allow the C.C. to go in Game 1 meaning a game 2 or 3 start is slated with a hope for a Game 5 start.

Sorry Brew Crew…you’ll have C.C. for one more start for the rest of his Brewer Career (Sabathia is the biggest prize in Free Agency).

C.C. dazzles in his one start and the Phils take the other 3 winning it in four.

Cubs vs. Dodgers

The Dodgers have won 1 play off game since their 1988 World Series Win. LIMA TIME! Yes Jose Lima pitched that one playoff win.

And we all know the Sob Story that is Cub baseball.

The Cubs took the season series 5-2, though Chicago did not face the boys in blue from Mannywood.

Which now features Casey Blake, a hot Derek Lowe (5-1 with the loss being a complete game, two-run contest he lost in Washington), and former World Series MVP Manny Ramirez in which changed the entire Dodgers Franchise since his arrival (music is now allowed in Joe Torres Club House!)

The Dodgers have a great mix of young and veteran players with a playoff proven Derek Lowe (Won every series clinching game in Boston’s magical 04’ run) leading the way and a loose atmosphere in the clubhouse along with Joe Torre a manager that is no stranger to the playoffs.

Dodgers keep the curse going and beat the Cubs at home twice.

Also from Guido:

gatosalvajech (8:57:10 PM): you should blog about how the Ducks just signed Selanne to a two year deal

gatosalvajech (8:57:22 PM): and will end his career with the Ducks ... as the greatest duck ever

romoballa (8:58:08 PM): i'll mention it

Consider it done.