Get Your Popcorn Ready

I haven’t posted anything else today because I cant think of anything else. Tonight is a big game, and a preview of something we will definitely see in the playoffs. The west is tight like gnat booty and I can’t wait to see them duke it out down the stretch and all throughout the postseason. This will be one year where no one will be complaining about first round series going 7 games. Here is a link to the espn.com preview of the game.  If the Lakes win tonight they will be in a tie atop the pacific division. Its between these two teams and San Antone for who comes out of the west this year to take on Detroit. I say tonight will start out like most Laker games in Phoenix; the suns will get out to a large lead, the Lakers will crawl back into it toward half time, and then start out the third well. It’ll be a close game throughout the second half and it’ll come down to the last 4 or 5 minutes. But here is the thing, the Lakes are without their starting center, and this is Shaqs’ first game as a sun, this game is absolutely meaningless, but it’ll means so much. I can’t wait! Lets hope Shaq can still play, because that means we will be seeing a lot of Lakers and Suns games on ABC and TNT in the foreseeable future

Kobe is hurting too…

So Kobe has a torn ligament in his right hand suffered back on February 5th against the Nets. He took another examination from a hand specialist who recommended surgery. What! Dammit, not another Laker going down to injury, but Kobe sees the same thing that we all see, he is hoping the same thing I am hoping,

Said Bryant: “My current thinking is to give my finger some treatment and rest for a few days and hope I can still continue to compete at a high level after that rest. I would prefer to delay any surgical procedure until after our Lakers season, and this summer’s Olympic Games. But this is an injury that myself and the Lakers’ medical staff will just have to continue to monitor on a day-to-day basis.”

But the Association isn’t trying to give him the time off, they have replace him in the 3 point shoot out with the Diggler, but he still has to play in the game. They don’t give injury exceptions, especially when you play in the game leading up to the all star break and are planning on playing in the game right after the break. I think we will be good though, Kobe has played with a bum shoulder, a bum knee, he should be alright. Lets just hope that this doesn’t get any worse. Because even though with surgery he would only be out six weeks, we know that with the squad they have now, and with Shaq back in the west, with the Mavs trying to get something started, with the Hornets playing well, and the Spurs the Spurs, the west is going to be fun!

It’s Official

Shaq plays for the Phoenix Suns. He shot out to the valley of the sun this morning and “passed” his physical. I still don’t know about this one. Apparently Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire were the two pushing for this deal and they spoke with Shaq who told them he wouldn’t let them down. We’ll see, i just can’t imagine Shaq running with them, he can’t keep up with D Wade and Ricky, how will he keep up with the Suns. This is an obvious reaction move by the Suns because they only have a year or two left of a legit shot at getting a ‘chip and with the moves the Lakers made last week, they needed to do something. They could barely beat a banged up Laker team as it is, and when the playoffs start, I think Shaq works. the Suns will have at least Shed that soft label with the addition of the big fella. Now Ayson Kidd is just about guaranteed to be traded soon. We shall see. This NBA season is unbelievable, I am so happy I bought a new TV!

Athletes that learned something in College

I like athletes who come up with clever ways to keep themselves out there in the public. Chris Bosh and his team may be taking a lesson or two from Bron-Bron and the Four Horsemen. Here is a hilarious clip of him politicking to get on the All-Star team. It may have been a joke to begin with but its turned into a little bit of a watershed moment as the Wall Street Journal reports on how athletes are beginning to take steps in their own marketing and image creation, as opposed to letting someone else control the content. All of this of course can be aimed at driving traffic to the athletes own personal website. I like this idea though because you are marketing yourself right, so it makes sense that you have the most control and the riches that may come along with it. Here is a Nike supported ad done by Steve Nash that is talked about in the piece.