I'm a very happy sports guy today. I've been singing "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" all morning, thinking about how Dirk and the Mavs were allowed to deliver the knockout blow to the "Heatles" last night in the NBA Finals: Bang bang, Nowitki's Silver Hammer came down on their head... Bang Bang, Nowitzki's Silver Hammer made sure, they were dead!
The NBA Finals are over and Baby Bron Bron & Co. aren't the ones celebrating! Could it be that the NBA really didn't want to hand the Larry O'Brien Trophy to Miami after all? Although in thinking about it, I'd also say that Dirk winning the title is a much better fit for what the NBA is selling, legitimizing a top International player here in the states. (See, even non-American players can lead a team to a title!) Whatever the case, I am happy today, and more importantly happy for Dallas. (I'll never root for any of their other three pro teams, especially the Cowboys, but also the Stars and Rangers, too. I was pulling for the Giants in the World Series last year.)
How about Jason Terry, eh? Dirk may have been named MVP, but Terry was the heart and soul of this team. 27 points to lead all scorers in Game 6, on 11-of-16 shooting. That's a pretty telling stat, as were Lebron's: 9-of-15 for 21 points. That's actually not that bad, but six turnovers, just four turnovers and six assists. Plus, just four free throws attempted with only ONE made. WOW! The Heat were outscored by 24 points when James was on the court in Game 6 and the King's field goal percentage in the 4th Quarter during this entire series wasn't very good, just 7-of-21. (He had 0 points in the last five minutes of every game that was within five points.)
Wade, meanwhile, must have been hurt, because he shot just 6-of-16, though at least he actually looked like he wanted to win. It's funny, because Chris Bosh, the third man of this "Big 3" that came together in the off-season has often been hailed as the third wheel, odd man out, etc., but he probably fits into Miami's team more than Lebron. That's strictly opinion, though. (I like Bosh, by the way. Made sense for him to get out of Toronto and go to a team where he can be the second or third option.) It was also funny to hear Lebron bash his critics, about how "All the people that were rooting me on to fail, at the end of the day they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life they had before. They have the same personal problems they had to today. I’m going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things that I want with me and my family and be happy with that.” Seriously Bron Bron? Just shut your mouth and take it like a man.
I'll never like him, not just because he bailed on Cleveland, but the manor in which he did it, as well as his actual choice of teams. If you were going to leave the Cavs Lebron, why not go to Chicago, which would've been a better fit? Maybe because he was afraid to play in the constant shadow of Michael Jordan. But tell me, were John Havlicek or Larry Bird afraid to play in the shadow of Bill Russell? Were Joe Dimaggio or Mickey Mantle afraid to play in the shadow of Babe Ruth? No, of course, not. Which makes me believe that Lebron James, at least at this moment in history, will never be as good as all the experts said. He's got the talent, obviously, but he'll just never be in the discussion of "greatest of all-time." Unless of course the NBA bagjobs a title for him next year, if there even is a next year, with a possible lockout looming. (Sound familiar NFL fans?)
Anyway, I digress, because the other big event yesterday, probably bigger for us sports folks in the Mohawk Valley, was the annual Boxing Hall of Fame Induction. Some big names were enshrined, including Mike Tyson, Sylvester Stallone and Julio Cesar Chavez. I ultimately didn't end up going myself, as one of our news photographers went for me, to make sure we got their speeches and I wouldn't have to leave early to produce my 6 p.m. show. (Worked out well as I didn't get highlights from the Mets and NASCAR until late.)
The speeches didn't last long, though Stallone's was pretty good. He talked about being a champion in your own life and of course, he finished with the obligatory "YO ADRIAN, I DID IT!!" I still don't understand why people were knocking the Boxing Hall of Fame when Stallone was announced as an inductee last December. He was elected as a screenwriter, not an actor. Remember, he created the character on paper long before you saw him on screen. A very powerful line from his speech was "it's not how hard you can hit, it's how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, because that's what really does make a difference in your life." The character of Rocky Balboa was just as important in raising the interest in boxing during the late 1970s and 80s as virtually any real boxer.
Tyson, on the other hand, was out of his element. He frequently stumbled over his words and abruptly ended his speech. Oh well, couldn't really expect much more than that. He was there, even with Don King, a former inductee and one of the people who contributed to the downfall of Tyson's life, sitting up on stage as well. "Iron" Mike is a very polarizing figure, but he needed to be in this Hall of Fame. The one thing that would've been nice, is a media session with the big inductees. Granted, Chavez doesn't speak English and Tyson would be tough, but at the very least, Stallone and Referee Joe Cortez. (Actually, I did talk with Cortez, Friday afternoon while I was shooting my preview of the festivities.) Needless to say, the Boxing Hall of Fame is very different from the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Check out these links to our Boxing Hall of Fame stories on WKTV.com:
http://www.wktv.com/sports/Tyson-Stallone-among-Boxing-HOF-inductees-123723974.html
http://www.wktv.com/sports/Tyson-Stallone-extended-inductions-123725094.html
Speaking of which, next weekend is the Hall of Fame Classic in Cooperstown. I'll be going down there both Saturday and Sunday to check out all the fun and to interview a few legends. I've been there each of the first two years and it's been great each time. (I remember last year a player throwing his glove in the air to knock down a shot, which he then caught bare handed. Not a legal play, but it's the Classic! Having fun is the first priority.)
Tonight, the Bruins try to extend their Stanley Cup Finals series with Vancouver, in Game 6 at home. I'll be hoping for that to happen and maybe we'll have a Game 7!!
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