Contact Jeremy at jeremy.zangara@studlife.com

The wild world of sports has been exactly that: completely wild and wacky.

This past week, I saw Shaquille O’Neal literally almost kill Brad Miller of the Bulls. Shaq and Co. are very lucky that his roundhouse right did not connect, or else Shaq may be making a new movie from jail. I certainly understand that this man takes a beating every night because nobody can stop him unless they wrap their arms around him and hold on for dear life. But he finally snapped, as he said he always would.

However, I am disappointed in the NBA’s punishment. Marcus Camby of the New York Knicks threw a punch last year that accidentally left his coach with stitches. Camby swung once and had to sit out the next five games because of it. But Shaq threw two punches, or good night thunder-boppers, and sits out only three games. Is the league that starved for superstars that the NBA won’t put a proper punishment on a Shaq? This doesn’t surprise me. Punishments for NBA superstars never seem to make sense and Shaq’s outburst just falls into the same file. Had Shaq’s first blow connected, we might be looking at a different story. But who knows? The NBA may have given him ten games, or taken the proper role and suspended him for the season.

That’s how the NHL treats players who lose control on the ice, and it works. A guy crosses a certain line, justifiably or not, and he’s out five or ten games with no questions asked. He does something even worse, and he sits out the season. They have set a precedent that players cannot get away with losing control and putting other players in danger. Shaq obviously did that, but the caretakers of the NBA are willing to forgive and forget. Losing money because fans have no other reason to go to the game than to see certain players seems like a probable reason for not suspending him longer, doesn’t it? (I say this because the actual games aren’t very good because nobody plays like a team)

Anyhow, after Shaq’s suspension, Kobe Bryant decided to take over. And take over he did. Kobe scored 56 points in three quarters. That’s ridiculous. But Allen Iverson decided he would two-up Kobe the next night, pouring in 58 points. Wow!

In other news, the Red Sox finally got sold, to an owner who now owns three teams. Yep that’s right. John Henry still owns the Marlins and owns a small percentage of the Yankees. The what? The new owner of the Boston Red Sox owns a piece of their most hated team, the dreaded Yanks. But it gets worse. What’s even more sickening about this whole deal is how it was done. They called this an open bid. Highest bidder gets the team. That’s a load of B.S. Major League baseball and the Red Sox brass decided long ago who would own this team now. Bud Selig has Henry and his mate Tom Werner eating out of his pocket. Contraction he asks. “Sure.” Revenue sharing. “Of course.” It’s a joke.

Charles Dolan put up over $700 million for this team and was denied because he and Selig don’t get along. I don’t agree that MLB should be involved in the sale of team that is supposed to be open bid. Tell the public that this is who you want and appoint them. Be honest. Baseball has enough problems and when they’re going behind the fans backs on sales and contracts and all this other shit, it just doesn’t make sense. Alright, now I’m mad. I’m signing off. My advice: befriend Bud Selig. Maybe you too can be an owner.

contact Dr. Z at jeremy.zangara@studlife.com

Messy East

While Buffalo, New York was cleaning up from the seven feet of snow dumped over break, the NBA East looked just as messy. If the season ended today, Philadelphia, Charlotte, New York and Miami would be lottery-bound, while New Jersey and Boston would hold the top two seeds in the East. Parity has certainly hit the NBA. And the Washington Wizards, who almost nobody (including myself) thought would win even 20 games, have put together a marvelous couple of weeks, as Michael Jordan has led the Wiz to a 17-14 record. Lately, Jordan has single-handedly carried Washington, scoring 51 points in one game and 45 in the next after his record of ten or more points in a game was snapped when he scored only six points against Indiana. But Jordan and the Wizards have come to life.

While some did think Jordan could turn things around in Washington, I don’t believe anyone felt the New Jersey Nets would have the Eastern Conference’s best record at this point in the season. The Nets have come alive since their blockbuster trade this summer to get Jason Kidd, who has sparked the offense. It has also helped that Keith Van Horn, Kerry Kittles, and Kenyon Martin are healthy, but without Kidd this train goes nowhere. We all laughed when the Nets traded Eddie Griffin to Houston for three other first-rounders, but those guys have been contributing well to New Jersey’s success.

As for the bottom of the East, Philadelphia has certainly been a disappointment after reaching the finals last season. Allen Iverson was injured for the first seven games of the season, but since reeling off his first few games back, the 76ers have been playing anything but good basketball. Aaron McKie is not having the same kind of year he has last season, and Iverson is getting no help from his teammates. The season is still early, but Philly has certainly dug itself a huge hole.

Best is the West

The five best teams in the NBA currently play in the Western Conference, where defending champs Los Angeles, along with San Antonio, Minnesota, Dallas and Sacramento, are beating up on the rest of the NBA. Dallas has certainly come a long way since the days of the three J’s, as Dirk Nowitzki and Co. are playing with the best of the league. San Antonio is back after a year hiatus, with Tim Duncan getting support from rookie point guard Tony Parker, who seems to have ignited SA’s offense. Minnesota has been a pleasant surprise, as Wally Sczerbiak is having a tremendous year to go along with all-star forward Kevin Garnett’s stellar play. And Sacramento is using newly acquired point guard Mike Bibby to run the show in place of Jason Williams. The health of Chris Webber is still a concern, but Sacramento certainly does not just rely on him, as they won a bunch of games in his absence this season. And then there’s the Lakers, who can win without Shaq, without Kobe, or without both of them. LA seems to be bored with the regular season, as Shaq and Kobe’s numbers are both down, but look for the Tinseltowners to come alive down the stretch to secure home-court advantage in the playoffs.

Best Duo?

It’s hard to argue against Shaq and Kobe, but Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker have certainly made a case as the NBA’s best combo. The two earned co-player’s of the month for December, and each is contributing to the newly found success in Boston. Pierce is second in the league in scoring at 27.0 per game, while Walker is in the top of the league is scoring and rebounds, where he puts in 23.8 points per game to go along with 9.8 boards. Walker is also a polished passer, getting just under five assists each game. And it’s hasn’t just been in the numbers. The two have proved to be leaders on the floor. Walker, a player known as hot tempered, has calmed down a bit to become a more vocal leader for the Celts. He’s helped groom rookie Joe Johnson into a productive player, and has polished his role as a second scorer and jack-of-all-trades behind Pierce, something he would not have done last year. This maturity and balance has contributed greatly to Boston’s success this year, which has them second in the East at 20 -12, which certainly is much better than anyone expected when the season began.

ST. LOUIS (AP)-There might no longer be a front-runner in the competition of cities for the Charlotte Hornets.

Given the chance to pick between St. Louis, Louisville, Ky., or any other city, Hornets co-owner Ray Wooldridge declined Wednesday after meeting with St. Louis Blues owner Bill Laurie and Mayor Francis Slay.

Previously, Wooldridge-who said he remains committed to finding the Hornets a new home by Jan. 1-had named Louisville as his top choice.

In St. Louis, Wooldridge said, “You have a tremendous fan base and a huge market. The only thing you are missing is an NBA team to fill the void. We see it as a super town.”

Wooldridge called his previous comments about Louisville’s lead over others bidding for the Hornets an “expression of the process.” He said his franchise needs to consider several factors, including the team’s new arena and naming-rights partner, as well as corporate and community support.

Laurie, in his second meeting with Wooldridge, made a presentation that featured Slay and a large contingent of business and community leaders. Wooldridge called the discussions preliminary, but said he would meet again with Laurie and is “very much interested in pursuing the conversation.

“Your reputation speaks for itself,” Wooldridge said. “No one ever doubted that St. Louis was a tremendous sports city.”

Both Wooldridge and Laurie, a former college guard at Memphis who is married to a Wal-Mart heir, declined to discuss any details of their meetings.

Asked if he’d be willing to sell the team to Laurie, Wooldridge said, “I think Bill Laurie is going to be an excellent owner of an NBA team at some point, but the percentage of that, I have no idea.”

Laurie has twice beamed at news conferences announcing the purchase of an NBA club, only to see the deals fizzle once because his offer was considered too low, once because the league wouldn’t heed to his demand to move the team to St. Louis.

Thanksgiving Treat

The Great Turkey Feast lived up to its expectations, but the weekend in college football exceeded them. I mean, really exceeded them. Nebraska played Colorado with a chance to play for the opportunity to write their own destiny with the BCS. Instead, they got their asses kicked. I mean, really kicked, to the tune of 62-36. This gave Oklahoma the chance to redeem itself for its early season loss to Nebraska.

With a win against Oklahoma State, Oklahoma would earn a chance to play Colorado in the Big 12 Championship Game. But OU didn’t take care of business. Instead, Okalahoma State won the war of Oklahoma, sending the University of Florida into the second spot in the BCS. And these two games weren’t supposed to be really tough matches, especially the Oklahoma battle.

Instead, the Miami versus Washington matchup on Saturday night was supposed to be the best game of the week. Washington was ranked 12 and posed a large threat to Miami’s undefeated season and title hopes, right? Not exactly. Miami won 65-7. That’s right, 65-7! They looked unbeatable, but as I write this, I’m sure the college football gods are preparing a surprise for us this weekend, when Miami can clinch a spot in the Rose Bowl against number 13 Virginia Tech, who has a chance to redeem a disappointing season. All I can say is: put yourself on the couch, get some leftover turkey, and pray for another wild weekend of college football.

Time of Change

It’s been almost two decades since the Utah Jazz were this bad. They’ve begun the season 6-9 and have looked in shambles during manystretches of their games. The bad start, coupled with rumors of trading Karl Malone and the selling of the team, makes it appear that the great run in Utah may be coming to a close. John Stockton has said that he will retire after this season if the team is not going to be very competitive next year. And now, trade rumors are swirling around the Salt Lake City as Karl Malone’s name has come up in many different cities, including Dallas, close to his hometown.

Although the team may still turn things around to have a productive year, the talk about an era ending in Utah is something that we as sports fans may never ever see again. Two sure Hall-of-Famers playing together for the same team over their entire careers. Stockton and Malone have become a combination that competes with the best combos ever in sports history. And with all the pressures to move cities for greener pastures, or the lure of championship glory, it is surprising to see two players that have never won a championship stay in a city where they play in a smaller market, meaning they most likely could have commanded more money elsewhere, but chose to stay together.

I think this says a lot about the ownership of the Jazz, as well as the type of people that Malone and Stockton are. I respect them both a great deal for trying their hardest to bring a championship to Utah, without demanding a trade because they wanted a ring or more money. Instead, they stuck it out together, and would have two championship rings if it weren’t for Michael’s comeback. But even Jordan cannot claim now that he only played for one team. In fact, there are very few greats that can make that claim, and I really hope that the Malone trade doesn’t happen because I want him to retire as a member of the Jazz. As much as I would root for him to win a ring (unless he somehow went to LA), I think the pride and dignity that goes along with spending an entire career with one team is something that is not recognized enough in sports.

Free agency and trades have created a short-term shelf-life for players in many cities. They come in for a while, make their dough, win a few games, and move on. Personally, I think starting and finishing a career in the same city is something players should be more dignified in doing. Larry Bird always talks about how he was so proud that he remained a Celtic for his entire career, not wanting a trade in the early 90s when the team was not championship-caliber. I hope the Jazz organization and Karl Malone decide that he should finish up his wonderful career in a Jazz uniform, even if it means him never getting another opportunity to win. Or bring in the necessary players to give him one last shot. But don’t tarnish one of the last great players to spend his career for one organization, in one city, in front of one group of fans.

Contact Jeremy at jeremy.zangara@studlife.com

Class Rookie
The Boston Celtics like the number ten slot in the draft. They always just seem to get lucky. A few years back Paul Pierce fell to them, and the man is averaging over 27 points a game for them so far this season. This past summer’s draft was no different, as a talented pool of young kids made Arkansas’ Joe Johnson less attractive. The Celtics are buying these kids grape juice for coming out. Johnson has not only impressed the C’s organization with his play, but he’s a classy guy. Ask Johnson if he prefers to start or come off the bench, and he’ll tell you all he wants is to play and play well. And he’s a main reason for the Celtics’ 4-2 start to the season. In six games, Johnson is averaging just over 31 minutes per game and a ridiculous 56% from the field. In his first start against Milwaukee, he put in 23. The next game, he was told to guard MJ. He went out and played superb D, scored 16 points, and collected 10 boards. Critics then claimed he wasn’t getting enough assists. The next night against Seattle, he collected seven assists to add to his 12 points. He’s got an all-around game that is making other coaches drool and he’s a good guy. He speaks well of his teammates, doesn’t criticize his coaches, isn’t flashy in his appearance with tattoos or earrings, but simply plays fundamental basketball. And in this day and age, these types of players are hard to find.

College Specials

Over the weekend, college basketball kicked off its season with a few games, most notably the Coaches v. Cancer Classic at Madison Square Garden, with second ranked Maryland, fifth ranked Florida, sixteenth ranked Temple, and unranked Arizona battling for the rights to start the season 2-0. And surprisingly, Arizona was that team. The Cats came out and beat Maryland in the first game in a shocker 71-67. But after defeating Florida the next night, many may start believing in this team from out west that lost four starters to the NBA. Rich Anderson, Arizona’s junior forward who red shirted last season, scored the Cats’ final six points en route to a 75-71 victory. Jason Gardner, who declared for the NBA draft before deciding to return to school, scored 23 points in both games and was selected as tournament MVP. Watch out for these Cats, who are sky high after their two wins, and will sport some of the best freshman in the country, such as Will Bynum, who scored 16 points in the championship game.
In another college classic this weekend, this time football, the Boston College Eagles narrowly missed knocking off top-ranked Miami. BC drove down to the Miami 9-yard line in the final minute of the fourth quarter, only to throw an interception and have it returned for a touchdown in bizarre fashion. BC quarterback Brian St. Pierre dropped back and tried to thread the needle to WR Ryan Read, but the ball bounced off Mike Rumph’s knee and bounced directly into Matt Walters hands, who ran the ball about ten yards before teammate Ed Reed grabbed the ball from him and ran the next 80 yards for the touchdown. BC nearly pulled off its biggest upset and win since it defeated top-ranked Notre Dame in 1993 on a last second field goal. Miami’s Heisman candidate, QB Ken Dorsey threw four interceptions as the Eagles D had him out of sync all day long. But in the end, it was a big play that decided this one. These are the types of games that every National Championship caliber team must face before it reaches the big game. Miami nearly lost their hopes, but thanks to Rumph’s knee, their title shot is still on the horizon.

Contact Dr. Z at jeremy.zangara@studlife.com

The Seattle Mariners came one game away from becoming baseball’s record holder for most wins in a season. Instead, they tied the Cubbies’ century-old record at 116 wins. And this was without superstars Ken Griffey, Alex Rodriguez or Randy Johnson. They did it with speed, pitching, managing and a whole lot of good fortune.

Then there’s Barry Bonds, who put together one of the greatest offensive season of all-time. We’re talking Ruth, Mantle, and Williams. He was amazing.

So the regular season ended with fans and writers around the country wondering, “what more could this season offer?” Well, Sunday night answered all your questions.

The postseason began with the Oakland A’s taking a commanding 2-0 lead against the World Champion Yankees, only to lose the next three games, two of them in Oak-Town. The Mariners narrowly squeaked by Cleveland in the first round, only to be ousted by New York in the ALCS. Over in the National League, the Cardinals and D-Backs battled to the end of the Division Series, with Matt Morris and Curt Schilling throwing two epic battles in Games 1 and 5, both wins going to Schilling in one-run games. After the first two rounds of the postseason, again, we all wondered what more could this season produce? And then it happened. The Fall Classic took the country by storm with the young and the old, one of the newest franchises facing baseball’s historic bunch. And this Fall Classic lived up to its billing.

Arizona took a 2-1 series lead into Game 4, where the improbable happened. You know the story. Two outs, bottom of the ninth, a two-run lead. And boom! Tino Martinez knocks one out and the game is tied, only to set the stage for Derek Jeter to win it an inning later. And if you thought that was crazy (I know I couldn’t believe what I just saw) it happened 24 hours later, almost exactly. Two outs, bottom of the ninth, a two-run lead. Scott Brosius stepped up to the plate and launched one into the seats in left, tying the game against reliever Byung-Hyun Kim, who was near tears on the mound. Three innings later, Alfonso Soriano’s base hit produced the game winning run, giving the Yankees two improbable wins to go back to the Desert up 3-2.

And after Arizona’s drubbing of New York to the tune of 15-2 in Game Six, the stage was set for Game Seven. In sports, nothing compares to this. Not the Super Bowl, not a home run record, nothing. A Game Seven, where two teams have battled, endured, and played their hearts out for six full games-not to mention the previous 162-plus-and it comes down to just one. And this stage could not have been set any better. Roger Clemens, coming off of one of baseball’s best regular season records, against Curt Schilling, who had mastered hitters throughout the postseason.

Both were on. With the game tied at 1-1, Schilling was brought in to start the eighth after getting out of a jam in the seventh. An 0-2 pitch to Soriano was sent to the seats in left, and with it went the hopes of many D-Backs fans, or Yankee Haters. The most dominant postseason closer ever was warming up for his final two innings of the season. Rivera breezed through the eighth, and New York was three outs away from a fourth straight title.

Beating Rivera in Game Seven of the World Series would be like, as ESPN’s Jayson Stark puts it, a used Hyundai driving to the moon. It just wouldn’t happen. But a single and a Rivera error put men on first and second with nobody out. After a horrible bunt by Jay Bell, Tony Womack smacked a two-strike pitch to right, tying the game. A hit batsman later, Luis Gonzalez and his 53 home runs stepped up to the plate. And it was only fitting after his power surge this year that he hit a 100-foot blooper that landed over the head of the drawn-in infield for the Series-clinching run.

And with that hit brought the discussion of the historic place that this World Series will take. People will talk about this for years to come. It was the first World Series to take place in November, and Arizona was the youngest team to ever win a World Series. But this Series meant so much more. The way the games were played and eventually, the way they were won was dramatic, intense, and breathtaking. I can’t remember being mesmerized by a sporting event as much as I was during the final innings of Games Four, Five, and Seven. Nothing compares. Barry Bonds may have shattered records and the Mariners may have approached immortality, but this World Series defined the 2001 baseball season. Amazing, absolutely amazing.

Game 4 of the World Series is tied at one run apiece, with El Duque Hernandez matching Curt Schilling in yet another fantastic pitching matchup in this World Series. We pick up the game in the top of the eighth:

After a Craig Counsell flyout to center, Luis Gonzalez singles up the gut. Erubiel Durazo sends a shot to deep center that falls over the outstretched arms of Bernie Williams. Gonzalez was able to score from first on a horrible throw from Alfonso Soriano, allowing Durazo to reach third with only one out. Pinch-runner Midre Cummings replaces Durazo, where he would score on a close play at the plate on a ground ball from Matt Williams. The D-Backs would leave this inning with a two-run lead and only six outs left to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the 2001 World Series.

The bottom of the eighth inning would be over before I returned from the kitchen, as Arizona closer Byung-Hyun Kim struck out the side with ease. Although his stuff looked dominant, I certainly questioned taking Curt Schilling out of the game. Schilling was pitching fine, hadn’t thrown too many pitches, and with a two-run lead, only needed six outs to gain his second win of the Series. But after Kim’s dominance, those thoughts were gone, as saving Schilling for a possible Game 7 looked promising with what I thought was going to be a 3-1 lead in the Series for the D-backs. I called home, had a few laughs with my father about how much we hate the Yankees, and finished off some of my price theory homework. I wasn’t worried.

The top of the ninth was nothing to write home about, as the D-Backs were quickly taken care of by Ramiro Mendoza. I walked out to the common room where I would watch the final inning with my suitemates, all of us excited about the D-Backs’ commanding lead.

Derek Jeter led off the ninth trying to bunt his way on, but Matt Williams made a great barehanded play to get him at first. (On a side note, I thought of a great analogy for next year’s SAT: NBA is to Michael Jordan. The answer: Tim McCarver is to Derek Jeter. The former won’t get off the latter’s nut sack, if you know what I mean.) Anyhow, back to the game. Next up was Paul O’Neil, who blooped a single into left, similar to the hit he got in Game 3 that ended up producing the game-winning hit. The announcers were too busy figuring out where Jeter was that they were completely oblivious to the fact that in the last two games, Luis Gonzalez, ‘Zona’s left fielder, has let three short line drives fall right in front of him. In Game 3, a diving catch may have saved the winning run from scoring, and here, making the catch would end this column in about two sentences. But Gonzo’s D certainly can’t be blamed for what transpires next. Just thought I’d point this out because nobody on TV seemed to want to talk about anything other than Derek Jeter.

So with one out, my telephone rings, and I chit-chat for a few seconds while watching Bernie Williams swing through a Kim slider. One out left. This is great. I make a run for the common room to watch the final out. I sit down, exchange smiles with the guys, and watch as Tino Martinez strolls to the plate.

(What I write next may cause nausea or vomiting, so be careful.)

Martinez wasted no time, launching a shot to deep center to tie the game. I honestly could not believe what I saw. No other team could produce this kind of magic. The D-Backs had pulled a BoSox and blew a chance to put away the World Series. As much as I despise the Yanks, that was an amazing sports moment, one of those times when you have to pinch yourself to see if you’re dreaming. Kim was somehow able to get of the inning without losing the game, but a few short minutes later Derek Jeter would push a two-out, two-strike pitch over the right-field wall to win the game, as the Yankees became the first team ever in a World Series to hit a game-tying home run in the ninth and win it on a home run in extra innings.

So will the Yankees run away and pull at ’96, where the Bronx Bombers lost the first two games to Atlanta, only to pull off four straight? I don’t know. Randy Johnson will pitch Game 6, with Schilling going again if there is a Game 7. Other than that, anything in this Series is possible. All I know is the first World Series game to go into the month of November will always be remembered. The Yankees pulled off a miracle. And as much as I hate to say it, it was an amazing sports moment. That kind of stuff doesn’t happen very often, and when it does, we must sit back and enjoy. So over the next three games, watch the Series (most of you did, but those who watched Jordan over Game 3, shame on you) and enjoy all that America’s greatest game has to offer.

Let’s be realistic here. Nobody expected the Arizona Diamondbacks to move into the World Series (after a second thought here, I do know one person who was sure the D-Backs would get here). Yet with teams like Houston and St. Louis playing well towards the end of the regular season, Arizona quietly won a very good NL West Division with great pitching and timely hitting.
Curt Schilling has been superhuman on the mound, giving up two runs in three victories, all complete games. Yeah, that’s 27 innings and only two runs, or a 0.67 earned run average. Schilling also has 30 strikeouts and opposing batters are hitting a pitcher-like .140 against him.
Arizona’s other pitcher, or a guy named Randy, finally won his first postseason game in Game One against Atlanta, and followed that up with a victory in the series-clinching Game Five. In three starts this postseason, Johnson has only given up five runs in 24 innings, for an ERA of 1.88. He’s also got 28 Ks to go along with a 2-1 record, with his only loss coming against St. Louis, a game in which he got almost no run support.
Arizona has also had the timely hitting necessary to win these playoff games. They’ve done the little things, from sacrifice bunts to stealing bases. One glance over the batting statistics doesn’t evoke memories of great offensive teams. Two starters are hitting better than .300 (Steve Finley and Mark Grace) and their best hitter (Luis Gonzalez) is in the mid .200s. Matt Williams is barely hitting over .150, but they seem to score enough runs to help out their tremendous pitching.
They’re getting production from players who are stepping up come playoff time. Steve Finely, whose best years are behind him, is hitting .364 with six RBI and 12 hits in 33 at bats, while little man Craig Counsell has scored seven runs to lead the team. And while for the most part Johnson and Schilling have pitched well into the games, the bullpen remains strong, with sidearmer Byung-Hyun Kim throwing six-plus innings of scoreless baseball for three saves.
As for a World Series title, this team must be favored to win. Although they have quietly played their way into the Fall Classic, Schilling and Johnson should get at least four starts in the Series, with the possibility of a fifth game for one of these two powerful pitchers. That said, the offense must only produce a few runs for W’s. And a win from either of Arizona’s other starters, Albie Lopez or Miguel Batista, would all but clinch a title in Phoenix, where the champagne on ice may melt before the game ends. So when the World Series begins this week, turn on the tube and root for these guys. They’re good people, and we all hate the Yanks.

Who Cares?
MJ, MJ, MJ, MJ. Oh, Michael did this, or Michael did that. Please, shut up. Please. Who cares? So Michael scored 41 points in a preseason game against the high-powered New Jersey Nets (please note the sarcasm). I think it’s great for basketball that this old man can come back and play well. He was and is a great basketball player, but he plays for arguably the worst team in the NBA, and I wish there were other stories to read or talk about in the NBA. Let’s talk about the new team in Memphis, or the return of Grant Hill after a year off. Or all the high-profiled rookies that came out last year. Or how about some teams that may win more than 20 games this season.
The media has become completely one-dimensional around the return of Jordan, and I’m sure his ego is hating the fact that he’s created such a hoopla (please note the sarcasm). So please, talk about something else. Jordan will be fun to watch and he’ll probably score a lot of points (because he’ll take half the Wizards shots, but that’s another story). But he’s certainly not the only thing going on in the NBA, where the new salary system has actually worked and competition should be good for the eight-playoff spots in each division. So sit back and enjoy Jordan, but when the Wiz are losing by 50 at halftime, tune into the Clips games (they’re gonna be good) or watch the Raptors become the first Canadian basketball team to the reach the finals.

I think I’ve decided to give out some weekly awards to those people or teams deserving a little shout out.

Randy Johnson – the Big Unit proved he’s no playoff flop by winning two games en route to Arizona’s first World Series berth.
David Patton – the man became the first player since Walter Payton to throw, receive, and rush for a touchdown. And he plays for the Pats.
The New York Islanders – you still haven’t lost a game and the season is a few weeks old. That’s impressive.
Antoine Walker – please grow up – you got thrown out of a preseason game and fined $5,000. Some people never learn.

Contact Dr. Z at jeremy.zangara@studlife.com

There’s a fresh scent in the air: that of playoff baseball. The first round ended with three Division Series for the ages and one very surprising sweep. It seems the historic regular season did not put a stop to baseball’s magical year as the playoffs have picked up right where the regular season left off, albeit without Mr. Bonds.

Damn Yanks

Those pesky Yankees just don’t know how to lose, do they? After dropping Games 1 and 2 at Yankee Stadium, the Bronx Bombers were done. The A’s had picked them apart with graceful pitching and timely hitting. But Derek Jeter made-I hate the fact that I’m saying this-one of the most amazing defensive plays I have ever seen to preserve a one-run victory in Game 3, sending the Yanks a message and giving them confidence they would carry through Games 4 and 5, both victories. Jeter rushed down the first base line, (yeah, you’re not fooling yourself, he is a shortstop and we’re talking about the first base line), caught the ball and somehow flipped to Jorge Posada to apply the tag on Oakland runner Jeremy Giambi, who would have been the game-tying run. And after that play, that moment, the tides turned. The A’s seemingly forgot they only lost 17 games in the second half of the season and were turned down by both El Duque Hernandez in Game 4 and Roger Clemens in Game 5. Now NY faces the Mariners with the chance to get to play for its fourth straight World Series championship.

Foxy

So how many of you saw Game 1 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Atlanta Braves? `Twas a 2-0 victory by the D-Backs behind a wonderful performance from Randy Johnson, who has taken some unwarranted criticism for not being an “October pitcher.” Too bad every time he pitches his teammates give him about one run, but that’s another story. The reason I ask if anyone saw the game was that it started at 2 p.m. This isn’t an afternoon game at Wrigley or the first game in a playoff doubleheader. We’re talking about the first game of the League Championship Series. The AL had the day off, but Fox had to air the game in the afternoon so that, heaven forbid, it wouldn’t conflict with the series premiere of Love Cruise, the Maiden Voyage. Come on. That’s bull#G. If the President was speaking (over Friends last Thursday, nonetheless) or something like that, I understand. But Fox’s juicy reality television series is lame at best and should not have conflicted with a game that should have been played in the evening. Baseball fans, including myself, came home from a long day ready for some playoff games only to find out that Game 1 was over! Long over. Can’t wait for that 7th game of the World Series to be played at 1 p.m. on a Wednesday so as not to conflict with Temptation Island 2. Or here’s a better idea: let NBC cover the games. Bob Costas is a better announcer and their intro music is catchier. Anyone agree?

Mo Leadership

In non-playoff related news, Mo Vaughn recently spoke out about a possible return to Boston to play for the Red Sox. After the abysmal second half of the season and the firing of Jimy Williams, not to mention Carl Everett, Vaughn is exactly what the Sox need: an outspoken leader who’s visible in the community and cares about winning. He still has three years remaining with the Angels, but the Sox are exploring trade options that would put him in the middle of the lineup with a healthy Nomar and a happy Manny. Wouldn’t that be nice? Don’t get your hopes up too soon, Sox fans, but a smile may be on the horizon.

Contact Jeremy at jeremy.zangara@studlife.com