Stack that Cheese

The blog is back...again. It makes more comebacks than Roger Clemens, although unlike the Roided Rocket, it never misremembers.

I know what you're thinking. Be consistent, write more. I've heard all the criticism. "Did you quit?" one of my friends and loyal readers asked me last week. No, I have not. I've just been on a stacking cheese vacation. See, the problem with having a job where you write is that you're too lazy to write when you get home.

Laziness, it's a trait I share with Andruw Jones. Except, I actually go to the gym and run once in a while.

Anyways, what's been up in the sports world?

Oh yeah, the Lakers and the Celtics are in the NBA Finals. If this were the 80s, we'd be saying what else is new. But we're not. This rematch of the 1987 Finals is huge for the game of basketball. As Magic Johnson would say, the NBA is back.

Kobe's game 5 performance against the Spurs was one of the most amazing I have ever seen. It was Jordanesque. Remember, he scored at will against the best perimeter defender in the NBA. Kobe made Bruce Bowen look like a rec league player. At one point, with about two minutes left, Kobe rolled up his sleeve and then went to work, driving by Bowen and scoring over Tim Duncan.
Kobe is on a mission and he's not letting anyone get in his way. I've said it all year and I'll say it again. We're blessed to watch him play. He's unlike any player in the NBA, in terms of his dedication to basketball and the skill level he has. There's a great article in Sports Illustrated this week about Kobe's competitiveness that I unfortunately can't link because it's not available online.

In the article, it describes how Kobe used to challenge a 5-foot-7 kid named Rob Schwartz to one-on-one contests after practice in high school.
"We'd play games of one-on-on to 100," said Schwartz. "Sometimes he'd score 80 points before I got one basket. I think the best I ever did was lose 100-12."
It also talks about an 11 year old Kobe thinking he could beat Brian Shaw.
Great article and definitely a worthy read.

Like most geniuses or people who are supremely talented, Kobe comes off as a little crazy. His love of the game is over the top. That's what makes him great. There's something odd about the personalities of great people. Eminem is reportedly depressed and was afraid to leave his house despite being one of the greatest rappers of all time. Van Gogh cut off his ear.

So Kobe is obsessed with a sport.
Jerry West called Kobe the hardest worker he's ever seen. His dedication and work ethic is impeccable.
And when the Black Mamba wants to strike, no one can do anything about it.

Arizona basketball

What a mess for Arizona hoops.

Jerryd Bayless punching out Zane Johnson. Lute Olson hanging up on Emmanuel Negedu. Brandon Jennings still not being eligible. Nic Wise considering a transfer. Chase Budinger being brought to tears. The downfall continues.

Tubby Jones watch:
Tubby is out 4-6 weeks with a right knee injury. He's hitting a whopping .165 with two home runs. I feel bad for the Dodgers triple A team when Tubby begins his rehab assignment. He'll mess up their lineup also.