Click Here to Pick Up Dave Smith's Winning NFL and College Football Picks
 

NOTES ON A SCORECARD

June 24, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Very interesting column I found this afternoon:

Man to receive lengthy prison term

SACRAMENTO — A Sacramento man is facing a three-year prison term for stealing Lance Armstrong’s bicycle while the seven-time Tour de France winner was competing in California.
Sacramento County court documents show 40-year-old Lee Crider is scheduled to be sentenced Monday for burglary and theft. He pleaded no contest June 1 to stealing Armstrong’s time trial bike and two other bikes from a trailer after the Sacramento prologue to the Tour of California in February.
Another man, 33-year-old Dung Hoang Le of Elk Grove, pleaded no contest June 1 to receiving stolen property. He has been sentenced to 90 days in jail, to be served on the sheriff’s work project, and three years’ probation.
A police report says he bought Armstrong’s $10,000 bike, a Trek Livestrong 1274, from Crider for $200. He later turned it in to police.

The reason I found this fascinating was because of the recent 24-day prison sentence Donte Stallworth received for commiting murder….

I know he wasn’t sentenced for murder, but in my opinion if you drive drunk and run a man over, it’s murder….

I guess if you’re really out to get someone, there’s now a way out. Just have a couple of belts, find the person you want to whack and run them over. Why bother with a gun or a knife, because in those cases you’re looking at a possible date with the needle….

But if you get drunk and kill someone, you’re looking at a month, tops…..

Just ask Leonard Little and Stallworth….

Hell, I did 33 wonderful days in L.A. County Jail; for three unpaid speeding tickets. I guess I was a far bigger threat to society. After all, what’s killing someone compared to not paying a ticket?

So Lee Crider steals Lance Armstrong’s bike and is looking at three years, probably at San Quentin or Folsom, and Little and Stallworth do a month at a glorified country club….

Sure, the bike is worth $10,000 and Crider should go to jail, but three years? While people literally get away with murder and do a month?….

This is some system of justice we have….

Just when I thought the Lakers had put a stranglehold on the Western Conference for the next five years, the Spurs go out and make a great trade which puts them right back in the World Championship picture….

In return for only Bruce Bowen, Fabricio Oberto and Kurt Thomas, the Spurs get versatile small forward Richard Jefferson from the Bucks….

The Spurs gave up virtually nothing, and in return get a player who averaged 20 points, shot 40% from the three-point line and is one of the best defenders in the NBA. What a steal….

Another reason San Antonio is arguably the best organization in sports.. Not only have they won four championships in the past decade, they’re also always at or near the salary cap, which frees them to make deals like this….

All of a sudden, the Big Three has turned into the Big Four. A starting line-up including Tim Parker, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Jefferson is scary. And how about their depth? With Drew Gooden, Michael Finley, George Hill and Roger Mason coming off the bench, this team is scary….

Yes, they need to do better than Matt Bonner at center, but with Gregg Popovich and R.C. Buford running things, help is probably on the way….

And if they weren’t deep enough already, the Buck will certainly release Bowen and Oberto, because if they do so in the next few weeks they don’t have to pay them. As for Thomas, the Bucks have no interest and will buy him out….

This means in addition to getting Jefferson, the Spurs will be free to resign Bowen, Oberto and Thomas at reduced rates. I would assume they’ll bring back Bowen and maybe one or two of the others….

So why would the Bucks do this?

Well, they were hit as hard as any team in the NBA by the bad economy and needed to get out of Jefferson’s contract, which pays him $30M over the next two years. They also need to resign their tweo best young players, Charlie Villanueva and Ramon Sessions….

So in reality, the Bucks traded Jefferson for Villanueva and Sessions…..

This will get them $10M under the cap and keep their young talent in house. So it was also a pretty good deal for them….

But San Antonio made out like bandits and should be commended for again making a bold move to possibly win another championship….

This is why you can’t stand pat after winning a championship. On paper, the Spurs are now as good as the Lakers and now Mitch Kupchack and company need to make sure of three things:

1) Make sure they get a player in Thursday’s draft who can make an impact; hopefully a defensive guard with a quick first step.

2) Re-sign Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom. With Jefferson in San Antonio, it’s imperative the Lakers bring both of them back.

3) Bring in a mid-level guy who can contribute.

The ball is on your court, Dr. Buss….

Filed Under: Dave Smith Tagged With: , ,

WEEKEND NOTES

June 22, 2009 by Leave a Comment

When I was growing up, my father once sat me down and explained the baseball facts of life. “There are four possible outcomes at the end of a baseball day”, he said, “and here they are in order of importance.”

Best case scenario: “Angels win, Dodgers lose.”

Second best scenario: “Both lose.”

Third best scenario: “Both win.”

Worst case scenario: “Dodgers win, Angels lose.”

Now, I understood scenarios one and two, but I thought the great one had misspoken with number two. “How could the Angels losing be better than them winning,” I asked him.

“Because,” said my dad, “i’d rather see those miserable b******* lose than us win.”

I learned right then just how intense my father’s level of hatred was for the Dodgers….

Over the years, the old man has not mellowed with age; to the contrary, he despises “Brooklyn” more than ever….

So it was with no suprise I picked up the phone last evening and dad was furious about the Angels losing two out of three to the hated ones….

He was calling for the firning of everyone in the Angels organization, from the owner down to the clubhouse boys. “This is unacceptable!” he yelled into my ear “and heads should roll!”….

Nothing like enjoying retirement….

As much as I hate to admit it, I like this Dodger team and believe Joe Torre is a tremendous manager. Sure, they play in a weak division, but Torre has done a brilliant job handling the whole Manny Ramirez circus and bringing along the young talent….

After winning Game One on Friday night against Chad Billingsley, it sure looked good for a sweep. Certainly the Halos had the edge in the Weaver brothers matchup and you also had to like the Angels chances with John Lackey on the hill yesterday. So it was a great disappointment not to win the series….

Sure, there are a lot of games left and nobody will care if the Angels win the World Series, but dammit this is the Dodgers and I hate losing to them….

Filed Under: Dave Smith Tagged With:

LAKERS NOTES

June 15, 2009 by Leave a Comment

With time running out in the 4th quarter and the Lakers safely in front, I couldn’t help but think about two summers ago; when a Mr. Kobe Bean Bryant demanded a trade and all hell seemed to be breaking loose….

Kobe wanted out, the franchise was in disarray, Mitch Kupchak was being ridiculed and people wondered about the mental health of Dr. Jerry Buss….

Had anyone told me the Lakers would make the finals that same season and then win the NBA championship the following year, I would have called for the guys in the white coats and butterfly nets….

Many also ripped the franchise for the trade of Shaquille O’Neal, which at the time seemed catastrophic….

Since that point, however, the Lakers have pulled one of the biggest turnarounds in sports history and, in my opinion, won the sweetest title in franchise history….

Sure, you could make a great case for the first title, won by the Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Gail Goodrich 1971-72 team, because it ended more than a decade of near misses and heartbreak….

And how could we ever forget the 1984-85 team, which closed out the hated Celtics in Boston Garden? As Red Auerbach sat with his arms folded, furious at the thought of losing to the hated Lakers, the purple and gold danced on top of the leprechaun at mid court….

Yes, those were great wins, but last night’s title tops them all. Those other teams were expected to either win or contend for the championship; but considering where this franchise was two summers ago, this is unbelievable….

Maybe the best part of all this is thinking about the Big Moses. He was probably sittting on his couch in Miami, cheering his heart out for Orlando, and most likely devastated….

Nobody, including the Celtics fans and players, were happier to see the Lakers lose last season, so this must rip his heart out….

He was so elated by last season’s Lakers finals loss that he traveled to Los Angeles, leaped onto a nightclub stage and sang “Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes.” Some of the verses were “Kobe couldn’t do it without me” and how ridiculous it would be for “Kareem to think he’s better than me.”….

Question: “Shaq, tell me how Kobe’s ass tastes.”….

I got a kick of how gracious the Big Ingrate was when Kobe pointed out that “Shaq would never have won those three titles without me.” You know the Big Krispy wanted to lash out and make a vicious, personal attack; but his desire to return to the Lakers forced him to swallow his pride and not respond….

So the “fake city of L.A,” the “senile motherf*****” Jerry Buss, the “incompetent fool” Mitch Kupchak and all of his “teammates who let me down” can also ask the Big Moses “Shaq, tell me how my ass tastes.”….

And as for him returning to the team? Who the hell needs him?

As for Kobe, he now knocks on the door of some elite company; one of the Top-5 players of all time….

He’d never admit it, but this title without the Big Whiner has to be the sweetest thing he’s ever experienced. As great as he’s been, this validates his career….

This one is his, with him clearly being the best player and leader….

As for the rest of the team, they are young, talented, unselfish, deep, big and set for another two or three titles, at least, over the next five years….

After watching this finals, I think Dr. Buss needs to dig deep and bring back both Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza….

Ariza is a no-brainer, considering his youth and upside, but Odom was a question mark; because he turns 30 next season and has been a career tease….

But he played so well in the playoffs that both of them need to be resigned. Of course, that’s easy for me to say, because it’s not my money. But sign them both, Doc….

And Phil Jackson? He now has to be considered the greatest coach in NBA history. Winning his 10th title surpasses the hated Auerbach and now the Zenmaster stands alone….

Say what you will about having great talent, but he is th ebest I’ve ever seen at getting teams with great talent to buy into his system and play unselfishly….

Oh, what a sweet win and I’m breaking out the bubbly as we speak….

Filed Under: Dave Smith Tagged With: , , ,

NBA FINALS NOTES

June 8, 2009 by Leave a Comment

With .006 remaining in regulation and the game tied at 88, announcers Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson warned the Lakers to watch out for a lob to Dwight Howard; who can grab just about anything near the rim and finish….

But as the ball was inbounded, Howard instead set a backpick on Kobe Bryant for teammate Courtney Lee, who raced for the basket. As the ball floated toward the hoop, a gasp went through Staples Center; as the fans watched in horror as Lee seemed to have a wide open layup….

The hell with the fans, a guy named Dave Smith nearly had a stroke as the Lakers were moments away from losing home court advantage….

As Lee caught the ball, Pao Gasol desperately ran toward the basket and leaped into the air. When Lee grabbed the pass, he laid the ball up and in….

Wait, he missed!….

You talk about lucky, Phil Jackson must have had a four leafed clover and a rabbit’s foot in his coat pocket….

Predictably the Lakers went on to win in overtime, 101-96, but you have to feel sorry for Lee, who will be forever remebered for his blown lay-up….

And now the Lakers have a 2-0 stranglehold on the series, which means the Magic need to win four out of five to win. Not likely….

Unless, of course, you believe Gasol should have been called for goaltending. I know the play happened quickly and Lee would have missed the shot anyway, but Gasol did touch the net and the rim while the ball banked off thhe glass; technically a goal tend….

I know nobody will bring this up, except for Jeff Van Gundy, but I’m sure the newscasts in Orlando will feature the play prominentlly….

The bottom line, however, is the shot would have missed anyway and the officials are not going to make that call in that situation….

Now for my thoughts on the game….

Once again, the old bugaboo of not defending the three-point line and poor rotations nearly did in the Lakers….

Since the strategy of sticking on the shooters and not doubling Howard worked so well in Game One, why did the Zenmaster choose to run doubles at Superman in Game Two? All it did was open the floor for Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu, who went 9-18 behind the arc…

Every time Howard got the ball down low, the double team came, Dwight passed the ball back out and the Magic would put three on the board….

The strategy was stupid, the rotations horrible, the close outs a second late and the communication non-existent….

Other than that, I liked the strategy….

Thank God Howard doesn’t know how to play and tried to force things in the final minutes, because otherwise the Lakers are in trouble….

Three or four times Superman put the ball on the floor, failed to kick the ball back out and turned it over….

Yes, Howard had 17 points and 16 rebounds, but it’s all overwhelming ability which gets it done for him. If he ever develops a basic understanding of the game, they might have to shut down the league….

The Magic also can’t win with a starting backcourt of Rafer Alston and Lee. Not only are they small, they don’t make plays on either end of the floor….

How good was Lamar Odom and has he finally arrived as a guy who makes big plays in big games? I know we’ve all been teased before, but now he’s doing it on the NBA’s biggest stage….

for my money, Odom was the player-of-the-game….

He shot 8-9 from the floor, played 46 minutes, grabbed eight rebounds and played effective defense….

Well, except for that three he allowed to Lewis with the Lakers holding a three-point lead in overtime and 24 seconds remaining….

How he could let Lewis catch the ball and shoot a three was inexplicable. Just allow Lewis to catch the ball anywhere but behind the arc….

Gasol was also effective, scoring 24 points with 10 rebounds. He also did as well as could be expected on Superman….

Sure, we can complain all we want about the Lakers poor play, but the bottom line is they are two wins away from World Championship number 15….

And with their youth, they might just run off a few more….

I’d like to see what’s going on at Red Auerbach’s grave right now, because the old coot is probably not happy. He always detested Phil and believed he was simply the beneficiary of great talent; so he can’t be thrilled that the Zenmaster is on the verge of eclipsing Auerbach’s record of nine championships….

So now it’s on to Game three on tuesday night, with the weight of the world squarely on the shoulders of the Magic. If they don’t sweep all three, they can’t win. and if they lose tomorrow night they’re going to get swept….

Good luck….

Filed Under: Dave Smith Tagged With: , , , ,

FINALS PREVIEW

June 3, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Seems like only yesterday the Lakers were getting their tails kicked by the Celtics, doesn’t it? Even without Andrew Bynum and with Trevor Ariza hurt, most experts (including your beloved leader) picked the Lakers to win….

But alas, the soft Lakers front line was exposed and Boston closed out the Lakers in Game 6 by an embarrassing 131-92 count. The three Hall-of-Famers were too much and the limp wristed Lakers were shoved all over the court….

Which brings us to this year, where the Lakers will once again attempt to bring the franchise their 15th World Championship; this time against the Orlando Magic….

Despite last season’s debacle, I’m going with the Lakers again, for the following reasons:

-Yes, the Magic are talented and fun to watch, but not nearly as good as last year’s Celtics. Yes, Dwight Howard is a future Hall-of-Famer, but nobody else on the team will join him. Add to this the adition of Bynum and a healthy Ariza and it looks good for the purple-and-gold.

-While the Cavaliers were undersized, slow and couldn’t deal with Howard, the Lakers length and athleticism will be huge.. With Bynum, Pao Gasol and Lamar Odom, the Lakers have three long, versatile players to play Howard. Sure, they won’t stop him, but it won’t be as easy for Superman as it was against Cleveland.

-Cavs coach Mike Brown made a colossal defensive blunder in the Magic series by continually double teaming Howard. With all the shooters Stan Van Gundy has surrounded Dwight with, it’s suicide to allow Orlando to shoot unguarded three-point shots. Howard has really become a good passer out of the post and picked apart Brown’s defense.

-Continuing that point, Phil Jackson should play Howard straight up and stay on the shooters. Sure, this will mean big numbers for Howard and foul trouble for Bynum, but if Dwight gets his 25 &15 and the shooters are guarded, the Magic can’t win. The Lakers are the worst team in tne league defending the three-point line, and the last thing you want ot do against Orlando is get caught scrambling and arriving late on the shooters.

Thats why I like the Lakers in six….

Now, here’s how the Magic can win:

-Phil stupidly double teams Howard and Orlando rains three-pointers down the entire series. With the Lakers three-point defense terrible and their rotations awful, the Magic win the series.

-Jameer Nelson killed the Lakers in the Magic’s two wins over the Lakers this season, doing whatever he wanted against Derek Fisher in the Magic’s pick-and-roll offense. Even if Nelson doesn’t play, Fisher can’t guard Rafer Alston, either. Fisher’s lack of foot speed will be exploited by Van Gundy.

-With the entire off season to rest, Jackson can’t get cute with his substitution patterns. Shorten the rotations and keep your best players on the floor. Extended minutes for the second unit could be disastrous.

-In his last two finals, The Zenmaster has been badly outcoached by Larry Brown and Doc Rivers. Since Van Gundy has emerged as one of the NBA’s best coaches, who’s to say it can’t happen again?

But all-in-all, I’m sticking with the Lakers in six…..

Filed Under: Dave Smith Tagged With: ,