The 2009/2010 sports season has come to an end with championship hardware being handed out. Normally, sports fans are scrambling to pick up new hobbies to fill in the hours devoted to sports (Sorry baseball. You’re like a PB&J sandwich – it solves my hunger but it doesn’t hit the spot like a grilled-cheese), but thankfully this year we have the World Cup.
The young guns of Chicago won the Stanley Cup while the Lakers were able to get the best of their archrivals the Boston Celtics. The 2010 playoffs will go down as one of the most thrilling, climatic, entertaining and memorable post-seasons ever. After spending hours watching, debating and podcasting, I have come to some revelations about the NHL and NBA along with some random observations.
NBA:
The best player in the NBA is Kobe Bryant: And it’s not even a debate. No one is even close. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, to some degree, partially or completely, believed that Lebron has taken the throne as the best player in the league with an astounding statistical season backed by a second consecutive MVP trophy. He outplayed Kobe in two regular season games and helped the Cavs get the best record. Result? Second round exit by the hands of the Celtics. At this moment, Lebron is where Kobe was post-Shaq trade. He fills up the box scores but unable to win when it matters most. Yes, Lebron is less selfish than Kobe was however; he lacks the killer instinct that Kobe has had his whole career. Lebron has not proven to be a clutch performer on the same scale as Kobe nor has he developed an understanding of when to take over games when it matters most. Kobe is now a 5-time champion because he has finally found the balance between being the game-assassin and the superstar that elevates the play of this teammates. Until Lebron can find that balance, he will play second-banana to Kobe. At some point, Lebron will become the undisputed King of the NBA. How fast Lebron discovers that balance will be the deciding factor on whether Lebron takes that crown away from Kobe or whether Kobe hands it to him. Kobe's legacy is unquestionably legendary however...
The Kobe/MJ comparisons are still absurd: Kobe now has 5 championships and is one away from tying MJ. There is a good possibility that Kobe will surpass MJ considering his age (31) and playing level. But regardless if Kobe gets 6, 7 or more rings, he will not dethrone MJ as the Basketball God. If greatness was measured strictly by rings then Bill Russell's 11 rings should end all debate. In the past two seasons, Kobe, without a doubt, has propelled himself up the rankings on the greatest players list. He may have made the "Who is the Greatest Laker ever?" conversation a little more interesting. But when it comes down to how is the greatest, that title will remain with His Airness.
The Kobe/MJ comparisons are still absurd: Kobe now has 5 championships and is one away from tying MJ. There is a good possibility that Kobe will surpass MJ considering his age (31) and playing level. But regardless if Kobe gets 6, 7 or more rings, he will not dethrone MJ as the Basketball God. If greatness was measured strictly by rings then Bill Russell's 11 rings should end all debate. In the past two seasons, Kobe, without a doubt, has propelled himself up the rankings on the greatest players list. He may have made the "Who is the Greatest Laker ever?" conversation a little more interesting. But when it comes down to how is the greatest, that title will remain with His Airness.
Ron Artest’s post-game interview will become a classic: After the interview happens, I messaged my buddy ASam and asked whether Artest’s interview is better than KG’s 2008 interview. He responds, “It’s not as iconic or as quotable as KG but unintentional comedy is off the charts.” How can you go against that statement when the guy thanks his psychiatrist and bear hugs a middle-aged white reporter? You can’t! It has “Top 10 (fill in the blank)” quality written all over it. FYI, Artest has a new single coming out this summer titled “Champion” that he recorded last June (you see, the comedy is literally of the charts).
Why is Magic Johnson an analyst? Yes, he is one of the greatest of all time and so forth. But Magic has nearly a 5% stake in the Lakers franchise and does that not restrict his analytical range when calling a game like this? How can an owner publicly go against his team? Hypothetically, if Magic felt the Celtics were going to win Game 7 during the pre-game show, would he even be allowed to be standing on the podium during the trophy ceremony?
Why is Magic Johnson an analyst? Yes, he is one of the greatest of all time and so forth. But Magic has nearly a 5% stake in the Lakers franchise and does that not restrict his analytical range when calling a game like this? How can an owner publicly go against his team? Hypothetically, if Magic felt the Celtics were going to win Game 7 during the pre-game show, would he even be allowed to be standing on the podium during the trophy ceremony?
NHL:
Championship teams are built around a franchise center: Since the lockout, the 5 Stanley Cup champions had the following centerpieces: Chicago – Toews (C) and Kane (C), Pittsburgh – Crosby (C) and Malkin (C), Detroit – Lidstrom (D), Datsyuk (C), and Zetterberg (C), Anaheim – Neidermeyer (D) and Pronger (D), Carolina – Staal (C) and Brindamour (C). With the exception of Anaheim, all other champs revolved their team around franchise center(s) which may explain why teams with/had franchise wingers failed yearly (ie: Washington (Ovechkin), Columbus (Nash), Atlanta (Kolvachuk), and Calgary (Iginla)). Furthermore, the centre must play a solid two-way game. Each center listed has that attribute with maybe the exception of Kane (covered by Toews). Therefore, I think this argument may shed some light on the Taylor(LW) vs. Tyler(C) debate (although apparently Taylor claims his natural position is center and converted to LW only because they had too many centers on his junior team already… can’t wait till this debate ends).
To touch the conference trophy or not? I find players' superstitions so amusing. Whether it is putting on their left skate first or sleeping in the opponents jersey the night before the game, there is no real justification for these actions. The most interesting superstition of all is, of course, whether teams should touch the Conference Championship trophies upon winning them. This year the Blackhawks decided not to touch the Campbell Trophy while Mike Richards and the Flyers decided to lift the Wales Trophy, following in the footsteps of Sidney Crosby in hopes of breaking the superstition and winning it all. The hysterical part of this year is how the Flyers had an impromptu summit to quickly decide what to do with the trophy. Well, we all know who won this time. In the last two seasons, one team has elected to touch the conference trophy while the other team does not. The score is 1-1. So I must ask, do you touch the conference trophy or not?
To touch the conference trophy or not? I find players' superstitions so amusing. Whether it is putting on their left skate first or sleeping in the opponents jersey the night before the game, there is no real justification for these actions. The most interesting superstition of all is, of course, whether teams should touch the Conference Championship trophies upon winning them. This year the Blackhawks decided not to touch the Campbell Trophy while Mike Richards and the Flyers decided to lift the Wales Trophy, following in the footsteps of Sidney Crosby in hopes of breaking the superstition and winning it all. The hysterical part of this year is how the Flyers had an impromptu summit to quickly decide what to do with the trophy. Well, we all know who won this time. In the last two seasons, one team has elected to touch the conference trophy while the other team does not. The score is 1-1. So I must ask, do you touch the conference trophy or not?
NHL’s marketing team finally produced some good commercials: The NHL marketing team has done an atrocious job at developing a compelling advertisement campaign since the lockout. Nothing was worse than their “Is this the year?” campaign which involved players asking hypothetical questions to hype up the potential “unexpectedness” of the 2007 season. The NBA has capitalized on their “Where Amazing Happens” slogan and expanded it to the point where you can replace “Amazing” with any other relevant adjective(s) and corresponding footage to make it a hit. But this year, the NHL’s playoff commercials titled "History Will Be Made" have finally stroked a cord with its audience. They paid homage to the past while being able to exemplify athletic characteristics like inspiration, perseverance and greatness. Therefore, the NHL was able to answer my question: “Is this the year that the NHL actually realize how comical their commercials are and produce something good?”
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