Agent 000,000,000

Free Agent All Star Point Guard Gilbert Arenas has agreed to resign with the Washington Wizards for 6 years and $111 million. Thats 16 million less than he couldve signed for. “What can I do for my family with 127 million that i can’t do with 111 million” Arenas told the Washington Post. Well Gilbert ummm, actually you can buy them 16 , one million dollar homes. Or how bout 16 million lottery tickets to get more money. HA.

Arenas resigning follows fellow All Star Antawn Jamison resigning with the Wizards keeping them as competitors in the weak Eastern Conference.

Sonic Boom in Seattle

Sonics fans cant save team

Sonics fans voice went unheard as Owner Clay Bennet and David Stern finalized a deal to send the Seattle Supersonics to Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City? Are you serious? I know Bennett is from there but come on. NBA is now relocating to po dunk cities like Oklahoma City? Was Waco, Texas or Roswell, New Mexico not available? I dont get it, I really feel for the Sonics fans who gave their heart and soul for 41 years. They were always a boisterous crowd and Key Arena was known for being one of the loudest arenas especially during those great Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp days. I actually was a fan of that team. They were always competitive and Kemp and Payton were a joy to watch. However, Bennett is not being viewed as the bad guy as much as Howard Schultz, the former owner and Starbucks CEO. The fans are upset with him for not selling the team to a local business man who wanted to keep the Sonics in Seattle.

David Stern didnt exactly help out here. It almost seemed like he catered to Bennetts every need instead of focusing on keeping the team in the Emerald City. Sonics star player Kevin Durant was disappointed in the decision saying he didnt believe they would leave so fast. Stern has been known to make wierd decisions lately like him saying that eventually the NBA will have expansion in places like China. Wow, i can see that brutal road trip for the Lakers when they play back to back nights against Portland Trailblazers one night and turning around to play the Shanghai Great Walls on the following night. Talk about a bitch of a back to back.

Its Official!! Baseball Players Are Wusses!!

Me and my friends always sit back at times and laugh about baseball players and how they always need a day off. A day off from what? Is jogging out to the field every 15 minutes and then picking up a bat every 45 minutes really work? Lets not forget the tireless sunflower seeds and bubble gum in the dugout. Whew. Tough work buddy. But it gets better, the freak injuries that these guys get every so often is amazing! Like Sammy Sosa sneezing soo hard that he threw out his back. He wasnt the only one. How bout Marty Cordova then of the Baltimore Orioles missing a game due to his face being burned from the tanning bed, i kid you not folks. Wade Boggs taking off his cowboy boots, slipping and jamming his back against the couch. Padre pitcher Adam Eaton stabbed himself in the stomach with a small knife while trying to take off the shrink wrap off a DVD. Former Florida Marlin Brett Barberie, yes the former husband of Jillian Barberie, was making Nachos before a game and cutting some chili peppers, later on his eyes were burning when he put on his contacts. Turns out he didnt wash his hands thoroughly. OUCH!! He had to miss the game. In the late 60s Jose Cardenal missed a game due to crickets! Yes crickets, because he said they didnt allow him to get any sleep so he arrived at the ballpark exhausted and missed the game. Recently, Brandon Inge of the Detroit Tigers strained an oblique muscle while moving a pillow for his three year old. He was placed on the disabled list. I swear if you didnt know me any better you would think im making this up. But believe me its true and theres plenty more. So i guess well never confuse Baseball Players for MMA fighters any time soon.

Dream Dead! Baron Signs With the Red Headed Step Children

Well it was fun while it lasted. Looks like my dream of landing Baron Davis in the Purple and Gold Armour is now dead. Maybe. Baron has agreed in principle with the Clippers for 5 years and 65 million dollars allegedly. Now its up to the Ciips to sign Elton Brand who most likely was one of the big reasons that Baron agreed to come to LA. So Elton should be next to sign right? Pretty much a lock right? Well hold your horses there, cause weve got controversy! Looks like the Golden State Warriors are not taking this lying down. In a move that seems out of sheer spite , they have now turned around with the money they saved with Baron and offered it to of all people…..Brand !!! The Warriors reportedly are rumored to have offered Elton a 5 year deal worth up to 90 million dollars . Some reports have that figure going up to 100 million. Now we know Elton probably had a somewhat handshake agreement with Baron to team up together. But 25 million is 25 million baby! Because the Clippers can only offer him up to 75 million for the same 5 years. Its going to be a tough one to decide for the Brand family but ultimately knowing the kind of guy Elton is , i can see him staying even for less money.

Around the NBA other Free Agency News

Looks like Maggette is all but done signing with the Spurs. Wow the Spurs actually signing someone that is not in their Golden Years wow!!! James Posey looks to be deciding between the Lakers, Celtics and Cavs. He is actually from Ohio. Josh Smith speaking to Philly as we speak but Hawks can match any offer. Not much news on Sasha Vujacic or Ronny Turiaf yet although Turiaf was said to have some interest from the Jazz.

Baron Automatic!!! Do It Mitch!

Ok , Ok , I’ll admit it. I am a HUGE Baron Davis fan. Ever since he walked onto the court at Pauley Pavilion on the campus at UCLA ive been a fan. The guy is electric. Body of a linebacker and quickness of a gazelle. He has been a matchup nightmare for everyone he goes up against every single night. He can dazzle you with his passes or his penetrating drives to the basket and finishes with thunderous dunks. Then theres the personality. The guy obviously loves his job and gives great effort when hes on the court. One second he has a snarl that would make the opponent quiver and then the next second hes got that grin that lights up the arena giving the impression that theres no place he’d rather be then on the hardwood entertaining. Lets face it , this is Hollywood , we all know a little something about entertainment here dont we?

At 9:01 Pacific Standard time tonight, General Managers made the proverbial suck up phone calls to their own free agents as well as other free agents from teams around the league with dreams of adding that special someone to their roster for the upcoming season. Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak made his call to Sasha Vujacic and probably offered a new suede headband to hold his locks in place. HA HA I kid I kid. Also Ronny Turiaf got a phone call from Mitch as well offering the freshest crescents and baguettes to the French Man. I still kid I still kid. But ah!!! There was an early Christmas present possibly dangling there for Laker fans when unexpectedly Baron Davis of the Golden State Warriors opted out of his contract to many a surprise and left a whopping 17 million plus on the table. Could he be had? Please wake me i must be dreaming, certainly there is no chance the Lakers can actually sign him with the Mid Level Exception could they? Would Baron leave some 13 million on the table to play for his hometown team that he grew up cheering for? Mmmm Probably not. Hes not that crazy. But he couldve forced the Warriors hand to possibly sign and trade him for say a Lamar Odom? Ofcourse they would have to probably add another piece to make the financial numbers work. Ofcourse if the other bag of chips that you throw in happen to be Luke Walton or Vlad Radmanovic then the Warriors would probably reply with Salt and Vinegar or Barbeque instead and you got a deal.

Look I know alot of Laker fans would probably say “Baron Davis will never work in the triangle or he demands the ball too much or Phil doesnt like point guards blah blah blah” My response is how do you know? We’ve never had a point guard since Magic. Baron would take pressure off Kobe , bring the ball up, help set up Kobe instead of Kobe setting up other players. Allow Kobe to focus on defense more, not to mention the fact that Baron is one of the clutchest players in the league. He has great size for a point guard that would be matchup problems with teams trying to focus on guarding Kobe and him. He would bring it every night and isnt that the knock on Lamar? We all love Lamar as a guy. Im sure hes one of the coolest teammates you can have. But were trying to win a championship here. Here is a guy in Davis who would love to be a Laker and all that it stands for . A guy that has said he would love to play with Kobe and how many people have done that . Although there is more than the media would want you to believe. Also, he was ready to become a Laker about 4 years ago when Kobe wanted the Lakers to acquire Baron , then with the New Orleans Hornets. The deal was about to go down and Baron thought he actually was going to be a Laker except for the fact that Mitch got cold feet due to Barons knee concerns and backed out. The opportunity knocks again and dont let it go to waste Mitch. Youre on a roll. So break out that Magic Wand again just like you did with Pau Gasol and maybe we can get Baron for say….. Kobe Carl?

The Future Is Now

The 2008 NBA Draft will finally answer many questions on Thursday night in Madison Square Garden. Teams looking for the new face of their franchise. Teams looking to infuse athleticism, energy and raw talent into their very own uniform. That new bright youthful smile that will bring hope to franchises that are otherwise struggling at the turn styles to bring people in their arenas , otherwise they probably would’nt be in the lottery in the first place.

For some , they will be working the phones for last minute deals to move up in the draft and for some they will be looking to move down thinking they can get good value lower in the draft while saving money against the salary cap. For some like the Miami Heat who are involved in many a trade rumors, they will be looking to restore a franchise that went from winning a championship two summers ago to the worst team in the league this year by far. The Heat will most likely start the domino effect of other teams trading. Many are waiting to see if the Heat trade the number 2 overall pick because they are not enamored with Kansas States Michael Beasley who many consider the top talent. Despite not tipping their hands all this time, expect the Chicago Bulls to select hometown boy and consensus superstar Derek Rose with their first selection.

There already has been a reported trade as the Indiana Pacers will send former All Star Jermaine O’Neal to the Toronto Raptors for TJ Ford, Rasho Nesterovic and the #17 the pick. Personally i think its bad deal for both teams. The Raptors are getting a guy who has had his share of bad injuries in Jermaine O’Neal, although the thought of him along side All Star Chris Bosh would be a formidable front line, can O’Neal really be expected to stay healthy? Also, i cant see O’Neal resigning there next year when his contract expires. He’s been wanting to go to the New York Knicks and if they can free up some salary cap space look for that to happen and it would leave the Raptors with nothing in the deal. As for the Pacers, I like the idea of trading O’Neal , but not so much what they got for him. I would’ve tried to package him and get a star player back in the process or a higher pick. Lets face it , players are not exactly dying to flock to Indiana when free agency hits for them.

As for the hometown teams, the Clippers look to be very active, names that have been involved in rumors include Elton Brand and Corey Maggette. One strong rumor had the Suns sending Leandro Barbosa and the #15th pick for Maggette and the #7. I wouldnt make that deal if im the Clippers. Two players that are basically the same player. Both one dimensional and if thats the case why give up 8 spots to do that? But then again, were talking bout Donald Sterling here.

As for the Lakers, they too have been involved in some rumblings. What will they do with Lamar Odom? Odom has been an enigma for the Lakers ever since he was acquired from the Miami Heat for Shaquille O’Neal. He has always been a tease for Laker fans who one night see him grabbing rebounds and pushing the ball up the floor like a gazelle reminding many of the good ol Magic Johnson days. Then the next night hes inbounding the ball by walking it in himself. LMAO. If the Lakers had their druthers , they would exchange Odom for an athletic, good shooting, rebounding and defensive small forward. Not to mention any names but fill in the blank R_N A_TEST. With the 58th pick there wont be much too discuss , probably a player they can stash overseas for a year or so. They really like PG George Hill from IUPU but have heard that he may not be there when they select. Weve also heard that Mitch Kupchak is trying to move up in the second round probably to ensure they select him.

Just a reminder for Lamar Odom fans….By the way the look on Phil Jacksons face is priceless.

Shaq disses Kobe..Shocked?

Seriously, will this guy ever stop? Once again Shaquille O’neal aka “The Big Ingrate” is talking out of the wrong hole again. And this time , brace yourselves…..He’s talking about Kobe Bryant. Wow , now theres a shocker! Will this guy ever grow up? “The Big Marshmallow” will never let it go. He says that he and Kobe are fine, then he goes to some nightclub in New York and grabs the mic and one of the first words out of his  mouths is insults flying all over the place at Kobe. Isn’t it ironic that “The Big Illiterate” provides us this media circus right after the Finals? Hmmm. I’m sure he was just sitting on his probably Super Duper Superman couch at home sporting Celtic Green and rooting against the Lakers because thats how he is. He is about as immature as they come. And to think, we sat here and cheered on this clown for years only to have him turn around and bash us repeatedly as Laker fans after he leaves. Shaq’s ego cant stand rejection. That is what he felt when the Lakers and Dr. Buss chose Kobe over him. Ever since then , hes out to reign havoc on anyone in his past affiliated with the Lakers. Don’t forget that he dissed Kareem Abdul Jabbar in the video too and numerous other times. “The Big Cassiopeia” can’t stop holding grudges as he bounces or shall i say waddles through different NBA stomping grounds.

Shaq , i thank you for the Three Titles you brought to our fine city, but this is going over the line. You guys all but seemed to patch things up and then you continually pounce on Kobe when you get the chance. Criticizing Kobe for causing your marriage to fail? The nerve? Here’s a mirror Snaq, take a look , you might not like what you see pal. You are becoming a bitter old man in an NBA jersey. Go away and raid some Krispy Kremes. OOhhh look theres the “Serving Hot and Ready” sign . Hurry before they run out.

The Truth? Celtics Were Better

Frustrated, Embarrased, Disgusted and Outraged, just a few words to describe how me and my fellow Laker fans feel. After running through an unbelievably tough Western Conference to get to the Finals to face the Boston Celtics, the Lakers season has ended. They were outclassed, even though the Celtics have no class for actually dumping Gatorade on a basketball court before the game is even officially over and keeping starters in the game for longer than they should have and not to mention the countless lob passes and three pointers that were being put up in the final minutes , should i continue?

I have to admit , I dont know how to feel . I mean considering where the Lakers came from since training camp when Kobe would’ve rather played on Pluto , to making it to the Finals. As a Lakers fan, I have to say I’m mostly proud of this team . But leave it to them to take away some of the thunder by traveling 3,000 miles or so just to get crushed by 39? Come on!!!!

Kobe started the game red hot even though he once again failed to get to the basket on a consistent basis and settled for jumpers. However, theres another word to describe this team and thats “Hope” . A team that has a lot of promise and is hopeful to get back to the Finals if Andrew Bynum can get back to the form before he got injured. We hope. One thing is for sure, they have to get TOUGHER!!! Someone needs to tell Pau that you dont get points for falling down. Someone needs to tell Lamar Odom that its ok to use your right hand. Someone needs to tell Sasha Vujacic that he actually has commited fouls and to stop with the Macauley Caulkin “Home Alone” face on every foul. Oh yeah and someone needs to tell Vladamir Radmanovic and Luke Walton “Your one way ticket out of town is ready.” This team needs a heart transplant. They need some players who are not afraid of mixing it up. “Paging Ron Artest”

Kobe Bryant needs to put on his recruiting hat and get some players in here that are tough and physical. And we need to cut down the Euro Player population on this team by half. So in closing, I must say im proud of you guys for a great season but once again 39 points? Oh well, training camp starts in September i believe.

Stayin Alive

Lakers once again find a way to make things interesting. They started out on fire as the jumpers were falling, the passes were crisp, and the rotations on defense were quick. They jumped out to a 39-22 first quarter lead. Kobe Bryant was red hot including 4 three pointers in the first frame . The Lakers obviously wanted to show some heart tonight with fans and media alike counting them out.

Paul Pierce started warming up in the second quarter and never cooled off finishing with 38 points and getting to the basket as he feasted on the defense or lack thereof of Luke Walton and Vladamir Radmanovic. Pierce has been the achilles heal in this series for the Lakers. He has torched Lakers small forwards.

Just like in Game Four, the Lakers couldnt hold on to the lead and gave up a 15-0 run. Garnett was quite ineffective for the Celtics as he couldnt stay out of foul trouble and only played 11 minutes in the first half. But, it was Garnett’s inability to convert in crunch time that cost the Celtics. He missed two consecutive free throws with the Celtics down two in the final minutes. Then he missed a follow up layup at point blank range the next time down. He pulled what i call a “Chris Webber” in that fourth quarter.

The Lakers big men showed up tonight , Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol were effective. Odom had 20 points and 11 rebounds as Pau Gasol delivered with 19 points and 13 boards. The two big men have been ridiculed for being soft and unable to finish around the rim in this series. However, they converted tonight and were active. Kobe Bryant did not have a good second half. He hasn’t been able to get to the rim on a consistent basis. He finished with 25 points. I have to give credit to Jordan Farmar, hes been a real spark plug in this series for the Lakers by not settling for jump shots and going to the basket with reckless abandon. Farmar had struggled mightily in the Utah series but has bounced back nicely against the Spurs and Celtics since then.

Celtics blew a golden opportunity to close it out tonight. The longer you give Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson life in a series the more dangerous it gets. However, winning two straight in Boston is not an easy task at all. The Lakers have to forget about winning two and try and somehow steal Game Six and anything can then happen in a Game Seven.

Call It A Comeback

Comeback is exactly what the Boston Celtics did on Thursday Night against the Los Angeles Lakers. Comeback from the largest deficit in NBA Finals history , 24 points. As a Laker fan , I have to say i was thoroughly embarassed. As I was watching the game , I was thinking to myself this is too much too early , referring to the big first quarter lead as the Lakers raced out to a 21 point lead at the end of one. As the lead was 17 points in the first quarter i can remember Jeff Van Gundy , former coach, now commentator saying that he was going out on a limb to say this series is tied 2-2. I was thinking, you’re crazy JVG! As a die hard and loyal fan of the Lakers and a guy who watches nearly every game , i knew that my boys would blow most of this lead if not all. But even I the pessimist, didn’t think my beloved Lakers led by Kobe Bryant would lose this game. I thought for sure , somehow , someway, we would pull it out. But, during the process i would probably develop a coronary, or have some anxiety attack. Nothing comes easy for these guys.

As the game went on the Celtics got stronger and buckled down on defense. Celtics cut a 20 point lead down to 12, here they come uh oh. Then my boys respond with a 8-0 run of their own and the lead is back to 20, whoo hoo! Once again the Celtics chip away but then just before the half , Jordan Farmar hits a running three pointer off one leg to open up a comfortable 18 point lead. Did i say comfortable? Because , no lead is comfortable with the Lakers. They give up the hugest leads with the least amount of time off the clock. Not to mention the fact that the Celtics have absolutely crushed them in every third quarter this series.

Kobe Bryant had a horrible night. His flow of the game was not there like usual. He was fumbling the ball all over the place and didn’t seem to have his usual explosion. There’s nothing like watching Kobe when he has it going and destroying the opposition with ridiculous fade away jumpers , or spin moves with great footwork as the opposition is left in awe and realizing that there is no chance tonight against this guy. However, as equally crushing is seeing Kobe get his shot blocked , him miss free throws, him be unable to get by his defender and not be able to impose his will. Simply put, i hate when Kobe looks human. It sucks.

Anyhow, the Celtics dominated the second half allowing the Lakers only 33 points after they gave up 58 in the first half. That great defense that was there all year for the C’s showed up again and probably won them the series. That is just a crushing way to lose and will be too devastating for the Lakers to recover.

The Lakers have a chance to make history of their own if they now can find a way to comeback from a 3-1 deficit because no one has been able to. Kobe can now take on a new challenge to impose his will first and foremost to send this series back to Boston for game six and take their chances from there. But if they’re gonna come back from the deficit , they’re gonna need Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol to man up big time.

I still believe! …..Well kind’ve , sort’ve.