Defending Baseball

MLB

Unless you are sports-anemic, you know that America’s Pastime completed its postseason.  While I am still mourning the fact that this was not an orange and black October, I was excited to see this year’s fall classic magic.  Yes, the sport we call baseball is exciting and I am here to defend it!  Watching baseball can be fun, a perspective that far too many do not share.  I commonly find that the average person not only doesn't enjoy watching baseball (contrary to other sports), but his or her opinion lands a complete 180--something along the lines of "baseball sucks."  Why, I ask?  "Baseball is boring" and "it's too slow" are the common accompanying phrases.  I disagree.  If you understand the game and all its nuances there is plenty of action to follow.  What appears lethargic and uneventful to the untrained eye becomes intense and riveting to the experienced viewer.

As I said, folks get bogged down by the fact that baseball appears slow in action.  They don't like the breaks between every pitch and feel as though these lapses in action are wasted time.  What they do not understand is that every pitch counts.  Sounds cliché, but it's true.  Every pitch is not just a chuck at the plate.  Instead, it is calculated and with purpose.  Game theory takes over and the games within the game unfold making baseball a thinking man's game. 

For example, for every pitch there is a plethora of mind-games for the pitcher:  Should I throw to the outside where the hitter is vulnerable? Do I need to brush the hitter off the plate with some inside "chin music" so that my next pitch is more effective?  Can I accurately place my fastball to his weak zone? Is he looking for a fastball? Should I throw a breaking pitch to keep him honest? What did I throw him last time?  All of these are just a fraction of the thought processes that race through a pitcher's head.  Likewise, the batter has his own set of questions too, trying to predict what pitch will be next.

Maybe the pitcher or batter doesn't actually think that hard.  Maybe the manager calls the pitches or the catcher does the mental jumping jacks.  It doesn't matter to a fan.  The thought processes exist somewhere and you, as an observer, can follow along.  If you truly understand baseball, this thinking nonetheless infiltrates your head while watching the game. Baseball then becomes mentally quick despite its perceived physical sluggishness.  As such, this fast thinking results in an excited fan, edging for the next pitch.

What else makes baseball fun to watch?  Knowledge.  Baseball has an abundance of knowledge that makes the game fulfilling to watch.  Let’s start with statistics.  Stats are baseball’s strong suit. Usually, we get the stats that give us some sort of analysis on how the player is performing.  Such examples are a player’s batting average, earned run average (ERA), or recent hit streak.  With stats like these the audience is better satisfied because it understands the situation and what to expect.  Sometimes, we get the crazy statistical concoctions comparing a present feat to its historical equivalent.  Although seemingly outlandish, these can be quite interesting, adding a tinge of novelty to the viewer’s experience.  There are literally stats for anything and everything.  They’re fun and add more depth of understanding to watching the game. 

Speaking of understanding, baseball is the best sport when it comes to knowing “your” players.  The long and arduous journey of a 162 game season leads to many storylines highlighting anything and everything about your team and its ballplayers.  When you truly follow your team, as many devoted fans do, you observe the players’ highs and lows.  You know what they’re good at, what they struggle with, and what you can expect from them.  You begin to relate to the players and eventually you get the sense that it is your team.  You love ‘em, and you hate ‘em, but gosh darn it they’re yours and no one can take that away from you. And if and when your team wins it all, it is ever so much sweeter.

You like rivalries?  Who doesn’t?  Baseball is unparalleled in this regard.  Nothing beats Yankees-Red Sox, Dodgers-Giants, and Cubs-Cards.  These traditional rivalries are so heated with intensity that the fans, the players, the coaches, the owners, you name it--they all hate one another.  And it’s awesome.  With this hatred emerges a stage packed with passion and competitive fire.  As a result, every game is fireworks to watch.  It simply does not get any better than rivalry games and baseball has a ton each and every season.

So sit back, relax and enjoy the offseason (aka football season). Take in these points and maybe you too will be ready to become a fan of baseball in 2012.  Go Giants!

Summer Soccer Recap

International Soccer

First and foremost I’d like to apologize for going AWOL during this summer. Although baseball usually dominates the summer months there was some American action going on with the greatest sport in the world.  I’m talking about soccer.  So let us recap our ride through the Women’s World Cup and the Gold Cup (Men’s). USA! USA! USA!!  Ladies first.

Our women’s national team entered the tournament as one of the favorites with a #1 FIFA ranking.  (I personally favored the 2-time defending Germans and their home field advantage.)  The Americans started off less than spectacular losing to Sweden in group play.  With a second place seeding, we were pit against another heavy favorite in Brazil.  A showcase by Brazil’s Marta and it appeared the Brazilians were moving on.  Then the unthinkable happened.  Fighting to their last breath the Americans scored a miracle 122 minute (for you soccer newbies, that’s 2 minutes into stoppage/extra time of the second overtime!) equalizer. The subsequent shootout netted a win for team USA.  It was one of the best comeback finishes in any sport.  With that memorable win came one word: destiny.  The bandwagon officially got rolling and the words Hope and Solo were never bigger.  Little did we know that destiny had bigger plans…

Luckily for me I had heritage on my side, which motivated me to watch the other team of destiny, Japan. (Pardon moi dad. France did finish a respectable fourth).  The Japanese, like the Americans, finished second in the group stage. The “Nadeshiko” displayed brilliant ball possession and technical ability, but a group stage loss to a physical England made everyone believe that Japan was simply too small to measure up.  The quarterfinal opponent was the daunting Germans and their ridiculous height advantage.  Nevertheless Japan pulled off the stunner of the tournament by imposing its possession style and knocking out the host country.  Size didn’t matter yet again as Japan stormed past Sweden to match up against the favored Americans.

In the game, a resilient Japan grasped destiny away from the Americans by coming from behind (twice!) to send the game into penalty kicks.  In the end, Japan was not to be denied as they handedly won the shootout.  “The Japanese, running around like little mice!” proclaimed my excited mother.  She couldn’t be more right as Japan scurried all over the pitch eating up the competition with their beautiful play.  And even as an American, I had to be happy for the Japanese.  They earned it. They had the best player in the cup, the ageless Sawa, and played their brand of soccer throughout.  When you think bigger than soccer, you had to root for Japan.  The country, ravaged by natural disasters needed some solace.  In Japan fashion, after every game the team humbly displayed its appreciation for the support the world has given Japan. The country deserved a World Cup title and they got one.

As for America! The Women’s World Cup showed us two things: that we could be excited about women sports and that we could be excited about soccer.  There’s a caveat: Winning!  (Touché Charlie Sheen) We won’t reach the ‘fandemonium’ levels of our four major sports until we win. Our attention spans are short and there is already so much to choose from.  Maybe some will learn to love the beautiful game for what it is, but the majority will only convert with success.   

It is why currently many don’t give a lick about the men’s national team because we ain’t any good.  (The fact that our women’s team is top level shows wonders to female sports opportunities in this country. Props to Title IX.)  If you are a diehard fan like me, you will still follow the men’s team every chance you get even if it means you have to scour your television channels to find a network that carries the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Gracias, Univision.  The CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament crowns the best of North America and the Caribbean.

In case you are not familiar with CONCACAF play, it is basically all about the Mexicans and Americans.  They’re the favorites and they’ve won 10 of 11 Gold Cups between them.  The rest of the region is filled with cupcake to average at best teams.  As expected, I watched the Americans cruise their way through Jamaica and Panama to set up a faceoff with rival Mexico. This year’s championship contest took place in the Bruins’ house: The Rose Bowl.  You would hope U.S. soil would translate to a home crowd for the Americans. Nope. It turned out to be a Mexican party.

The United States crashed it early with two scores despite the partisan crowd and superior Mexican team.  The first came from a brilliant header by Michael Bradley off a corner followed 15 minutes later by a cool finish from Landon Donovan.  Shocker! 2 nil against Mexico!  We were getting outplayed, but somehow we were up by two.  Now we just have to play solid DEFENSE and the Gold Cup is ours.   Instead, we went for the jugular and spread ourselves out against a better team. Again our weakness at left back was exposed and Mexico proceeded to torch us for four goals including a beautiful finish by Giovanni Dos Santos (check it out).   It was as painful as the Confederations Cup final (where we lost 3-2 to Brazil after a 2-0 halftime lead). 

Another big game meltdown meant a death sentence for USA coach Bob Bradley.  In step Jurgen Klinsmann, the former German star and national team head coach, who has been the desired guy for several years.  The media dubs it The Klinsmann Revolution and I have to admit I am excited to see where he takes us.  Although we’ve started off slow, 0-2-1, it is all part of the process.  Klinsmann is observing and analyzing what we really have while trying to shape our players, especially our youth, to compete at the national team level.  It’s what we need to do.  We can’t compete with the top dogs unless we properly develop our players for elite level competition.  It is what we do with our top athletes in football, baseball, and basketball and we need more of it for soccer.  The United States is the greatest sports country in the world and we will one day compete for the greatest sport in the world.  USA! USA! USA!!!

Rooting for D in Big D

NBA

As we've progressed through the second season that is the NBA playoffs we have at last reached the Finals. The title bout pits the Dallas Mavericks against the Miami Heat.  While it's a rematch of the '06 Finals, these teams are light-years-different from five seasons ago when Miami was crowned champ. The team names are the same, but different personnel, new coaches and new attitudes make for a unique 2011 Finals.  This time around I'm rooting for a Dallas title.  How could I?  It hurts me to admit that I'm actually hoping for a championship to land in Texas. While it's a tough leap for a California kid, I just can't lie to y'all.  To clarify, this isn't a political dilemma where we choose the lesser of two evils.  I genuinely want underdog Dallas to win this year's title.  

I'll start where I always do and that's defense.  This season Dallas has reinvented itself as a defensive team.  If you play D, you're good in my book.  The Mavericks always had offensive firepower since the days of Don Nelson, but their "soft" M.O. has been attached at the hip for too many years.  Defense wins championships (duh!) so Dallas had to bone up.  Mark Cuban (an owner never shy to exercise his wallet for a championship run) pulled the trigger yet again and paid to get Tyson Chandler, a defensive enforcer.  (Don't forget that Caron Butler was added to the payroll too and Cuban would look more like a genius with a healthy Butler and thus a more dangerous Mavs.)  When it comes to basketball defense, it's all about protecting the hoop.  Chandler anchors the Dallas D by using his length and shot-blocking ability to protect the rim.  Keeping Brendan Haywood as a back-up center was another solid move by Cuban. Haywood, another defensive minded player (and would be starter on most teams), allows the Mavs to keep a key shot-blocking center on the court at all times.  Even an aging Jason Kidd can still play defense as shown by his late game thievery of Kevin Durant in the conference finals.  The offense was championship caliber, but now the Mavericks also own a defense that can carry them to a title.

I believe that the Mavericks' players deserve a ring more than the Heat's.  How could you not root for J-Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki.  Kidd, one of the best point guards of all-time and a hall of fame shoo-in, should own a title.  His excellent court-vision and leadership brought the New Jersey Nets to two Finals, but he's never tasted the championship champagne.  Now, in the last stages of his career, Kidd gets another shot at winning the big one by teaming up with another superstar who too has been left off of championship parades.  That man, Dirk Nowitzki, a former MVP and one of the most lethal scorers this generation, has led the Mavs to solid season after season, but hasn't punched his ticket to immortality.  Both Nowitzki and Kidd deserve to add a championship title to their illustrious careers.  I also like the Mavs' solid veteran supporting cast.  Jason Terry, Peja Stojakovic, and Shawn Marion have been contributors on good teams over the years and they too have earned the right to raise the Larry O'Brien trophy over the so-so Heat's role players.

As for that other team, my moral compass won't allow me to root for Lebron James the season following "The Decision."  I don't care how well he's played; he doesn't deserve ultimate success, just yet.  I wish the NCAA would step in and dish out a bowl-game suspension.  "Sorry, Lebron but you aren't eligible to play for a championship this year because you demonstrated such classlessness."  In my dreams... Guess I'll have to appeal to the basketball Gods, hoping that the Heat's train stops one station short of championship.

The clash of titans that I'm excited to see is the marquee match-up of Nowitzki vs. James.  With apologies to D-Wade, these two are the superstars in this year's Finals.  And like any championship series, the superstar performance will decide who is king.  Basketball is a game of match-ups and no one presents a bigger mismatch than Mr. Dirk Nowitzki.  He's an agile 7-footer with a devastating jumper.  He's basically the definition of "unguardable."  To back it up, Dirk is playing this postseason like a man possessed, establishing himself as the best performer so far.  Lebron's unmatched athleticism presents a good counter-argument to who will dominate this year's Finals.  I'm hoping that Marion will play his heart out on D and slow down Lebron just enough.  Wade or Chris Bosh could tip the scales for the Heat, but I'm standing pat on Dirk.  Behind the two D’s, Dirk and Defense, the Mavs should be parading this summer.

Book Review: Scorecasting

I recently read the book Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports are Played and Games are Won by Tobias J. Moskowitz and L. Jon Wertheim.  Scorecasting came via recommendation from a cousin (Thanks Bob).  He felt that the book's topics were right up my alley.  On the back cover the first topic is introduced: "is defense more important than offense in winning championships."  C'mon, that's not even fair! Check the letterhead if you’re still confused.  This book was shaping up to be attempted first-degree manslaughter of my blog.  Consequently, I was compelled to read it.  The aspiring attorney in me wanted to argue against the authors’ "statistical proof."  So here I am, writing my bias book review.

 

I was captivated by the first chapter “Whistle Swallowing.”  Moskowitz and Wertheim discuss how we expect officials to be least involved in the outcome of the game even if this means losing objectivity.  It's true, as fans we desperately want the players to decide the outcome, not the refs.  As a result, officials succumb to this bias (whether consciously or unconsciously) and the authors use fascinating statistics to prove their point.  The most impressive stats are those that are baseball-related where the authors use recent camera technology to analyze accurately millions of major league pitches in a variety of situations.  The stats don't lie.  Depending on the situation, whether it's a star player, 2-strike count, 3-ball count, or the end of a game, officials are undoubtedly influenced by their desire to remain as much incognito as possible even if it means not making the right call.

Unfortunately, our desire to keep officials from "barring influence" (particularly in important situations) conflicts with the need for objective refereeing.  So where do we draw the line?  The authors effectively illustrate this conundrum by discussing the infamous correct call of "foot fault" on Serena Williams during a heated '09 US Open match.  Despite making the correct call, the judge was threatened by Serena Williams (the threat cost Williams the match).  Many fans, including Mr. John McEnroe, expected the judge to "swallow the whistle" and not to make the correct call because of the "importance of the moment"! Poor officials... damned if they do, damned if they don't. 

Next, the authors address the football decision to "go for it on 4th down" rather than punting.  I couldn't agree more, but for different reasons.  Remember my post on 4-down-offense? I pushed for "going for it" because I believe your best players, if possible, should be in position to control the outcome. The more snaps Peyton Manning gets, the better.  It's a complete change of philosophy to ignore traditional beliefs and adapt to your strengths.  The authors break it down more economically.  They discuss statistics showing relative success rates of "going for it" versus punting.  While again, stats don't lie, they don't give the entire picture here.  They neglect to discuss the foresight that, with a changing philosophy towards 4-down-offenses, those statistics will become relative.  Their stats show the benefits of a suckerpunch without accounting for a counter.

As I got to the most anticipated chapter I was greatly disappointed.  Only 5 pages discussing how defense doesn't win championships?  Yo Barnes, Yo Noble! I want my 26 bucks back.  The authors "show" how defensive teams fair no better than offensive teams by revealing no overall statistical significance among championships and playoff winning teams.  They merely discuss how the top ranked defenses and offenses fair on an overall statistical basis.  Just because you cannot prove a point does not make it not true.  Failing to prove (statistically) that defense wins championships is not evidence to prove that defense doesn't win championships. So, NO, they do not prove that defense doesn't win championships!  Furthermore, the book fails to tackle the true essence of defense--adaptability and reactiveness.  Why is Phil Jackson's "triangle offense" so successful?  It has defensive roots--reacting to what the opposing team does instead of going full steam ahead with an offensive plan.

My offensive plan was to analyze the entire book, but my defense is reacting and realizing that a short and sweet post is better.  Scorecasting beautifully illustrates many sound arguments through the use of statistics.  Some statistics flat out tell the truth and others are more craftily devised to “prove a point.”  Overall, I feel this book is a great read for the sports fan who wants to know subtle influences in sports.  Here's a link if you're interested in the book: Amazon

'D'isecting the Madness

NCAAM

It's been a few days since the dust settled and a champ was crowned. The University of Connecticut's Men's basketball team, better known as UConn, took home the 2011 title by defeating a Butler squad in what has been coined a lackluster final.  Everyone and his mother called the game “poor” by championship standards.  Despite CBS's best efforts, I refuse to  jump on the "ugly game" bandwagon.  What I saw was a defense-dominated game. While everyone focused on the lack of offensive firepower, I saw defensive execution.  It may have looked ugly to some, but a beauty to the defensive minded. Amen!

The title game's pacing and style appeared to be Butler's M.O.  Every shot was contested making the rims look tight.  A low scoring affair was to Butler's advantage, so they say.  Halftime and Butler was up three.  So far, so good for the Bulldogs.  Then came the second half.  UConn clamped down on D, using their superior size and athleticism to stymie Butler's attempt to get inside.  The Bulldogs couldn't penetrate and, as a result, all Butler could muster was to chuck three, after three, after three.  Contested threes proved to be no match for the inside presence that UConn was able to establish.  Butler played great defense too, but was unable to match the defensive dominance of UConn.  12 of 64 from the field is not bad shooting.  It's the result of excellent D.  The Huskies took off after an early second half run and never looked back because their defense was on lockdown.

The two teams only met in the NCAA final because of defense.  Darn straight it should be settled by such.  Coming into the title bout the media, like always, focused on the stars of offense: UConn was riding Kemba Walker, their top playmaker and best individual offensive player in the tourney (other than BYU's Jimmer Fredette).  Butler's "stars" were a clutch Shelvin Mack and a relentless Matt Howard.   However, as we all saw, the true reasons for a UConn v. Butler final was defense and coaching.  These are what should be the cornerstones of college basketball. 

College shouldn't be treated as a stepping-stone showcase for the NBA.  A friend of mine once said college is like a summer camp where parents send their kids to learn and grow up.  It's true, more than the academia, college is platform for maturation.  For athletes it should be no different.  Even if you "know" you're going to the pros, take advantage of what college has to offer and mature your game.  Enroll in Defense 101.  Why? 1) Because learning defense is an essential part of your arsenal if you want to make it in the pros, 2) your team will win and 3) you may win a national championship.

Albeit the UConn Huskies are immortalized for winning the title, I will always remember two professors of defense as the real stars of this year's tourney: coaches Brad Stevens of Butler and Shaka Smart of VCU.  These two led their mid-major teams to the Final Four by preaching defense.  Both teams excelled beyond expectations because of defensive execution and intensity.  For Butler, a team that lacked NBA star power returned to the championship game by playing sound team defense with a well-executed deliberate offense.  Despite their valiant effort, the Bulldogs were no match for the size and athleticism of the Huskies who did what? Play even better defense!

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!

The Madness Begins!!!!!!!

NCAAM

It's here! It's time to celebrate the wondrous season that is March Madness! Get ready! Get pumped! “The Big Dance” is on the horizon. Forget prom, it’s time for college basketball’s postseason. In the next few weeks, young men will captivate us with their mental and physical fortitude by playing a kid's game on a national stage. Teamwork will shine and stars will be born. As for the fans… well, we will go wild. I can’t wait.

For those of us who are basketball fans, we get to watch an exciting finish, after exciting finish, after exciting finish. Nothing in basketball beats a close finish. It’s where players scratch and claw their way into saving their season, and for some, their basketball careers. With the time winding down every additional possession weighs heavily. You’d expect some cracking under pressure, but the opposite takes over: gutsy, unbelievable basketball. It’s what matriculates when teams lay it all on the line. As a result, the amount of neck-and-neck games THE tournament produces is astounding.

This year expect no different. Citing the Men's Warehouse, "I guarantee it!" Anyone who's watched the dance knows that frenetic finishes take over. It's freakish to see that every time a big three is needed, the prayer is answered. It is the anti-Murphy's Law--what can go right will go right. Why? It's March Madness! The best explanation I can muster is that March Madness's reason for existence is to promote pure excitement. This edge-of-your-seat-drama is not only a requirement; it’s an addiction. Why else would people call in a sick-day to watch a bunch of kids play a sport? Why else would I wire a radio through my jacket so I could follow the games in class? Maybe, I’m crazy, but I’m not alone. Luckily for us, down-to-the-wire exciting finishes is what we all will be feasting over beginning this Thursday.

This past week, the conference tournaments blessed us with a sneak preview of the madness. Anyone catch the Ivy League playoff (a buzzer-beater) or Pac-10 championship game (overtime buzzer-beater)? They were nuts! Blood pressure is on the rise and tourney games have barely begun. Sorry NBA, but NCAA is where amazing happens.

As we follow the path into the Madness, don’t forget to stop in Upset City. Yes, the madness has this as well. No sports competition has as many upsets as the madness of March (for you sports newbies: upset = the underdog winning). Consequently, the next few weeks will bring more mood swings than a pregnant woman. Prides will get crushed and self-proclaimed geniuses will surface all because of a little thing called THE BRACKET.

For everyone who cares to participate, ladies, oldies, you name it, the bracket ignites a fun competition along with a plethora of emotions--stress, ecstasy, sadness, etc. The bracket consumes us. You can't deny it. There are two reasons for this: uniqueness and difficulty. When you complete your bracket you will be the only one that you know with that exact bracket. You may happen to share a championship team, or your Final Four will overlap with another's, but no two brackets will match up completely. You will have your very own baby of a bracket, and you'll fall in love. Because of this uniqueness, you will not be judged on how perfect you are (don't worry no one is), but rather how you match up against your family, friends, and/or workplace. Brackets are the definition of a friendly competition that crosses multiple boundaries. Everyone has a chance to win. Doesn't matter if you're a boy, girl, man, woman, or dog. If you have a bracket, you have a shot for glory.

As for difficulty, there is no perfect way to choose your bracket. The Madness is simply too unpredictable. No one is an expert, but everyone is an expert. How you choose your destiny is up to you and only you. You can "play it safe" and go with all the high seeds, or you can roll the dice by going by your favorite numbers, by favorite colleges, by mascot, by names, or even choose by who you think is the best looking (It's true, I've seen a "beauty bracket" before). Despite how hard you study or how much you think you know, you undoubtedly will be wrong somewhere. The impossible difficulty of predicting a correct bracket makes it challengingly fun. You can be completely wrong and no one will care. However, if you're right (relatively)--bragging rights for the next year along with whatever rewards come in your prize pool.

Normally I would release some sort of predictions for the playoffs. Oh no, not here. In March Madness it's sacrilege to release your picks before the tourney starts. (You must protect yourself so that no one swoops YOUR picks. The madness necessitates every man, woman, and child for his or herself.) There are also too many match-ups to discuss and too much room for me to make a fool of myself. Instead, I'll save my pompous predictions for just my friends. You’re welcome guys. Time to bring on the MADNESS!!!!

P.S. GO BRUINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Beautiful Game

International Soccer

In case you’ve been misinformed, soccer is the beautiful game.  Yes, it is better than any other sport on the planet. Why you ask? Let the preaching begin!

Why are soccer goals so rare, yet look so darn beautiful to watch? It's because soccer goals are so difficult to score.  This ain't the NBA where sheer athleticism can carry you past all defenders for a slam dunk.  In soccer, nothing is a layup.  When an ugly goal happens, it's because defensive gaffes bear gifts (or ridiculous luck is involved).  Generally, incalculable coordination is a requirement for soccer goals.  Not only do you have to coordinate playing the ball without your hands, but also you need to navigate through and around ever-changing walls of defenders.  And once you finally get within distance to put up a shot, you must put the ball past a player who uses anything to stop you, including those oh-so-handy hands! Each goal is a result of lots of work--team and individual--and it doesn’t come easily.  The high degree of difficulty is the beauty to soccer’s low scoring affair.  Let's not forget that there are no breaks (except halftime) in soccer.  So, let me break it down for you so that you futbol haters can open your eyes and see what is beautiful.

No sport requires more stamina and conditioning than soccer.  It's basically running for 90 minutes + playing soccer.  There are no breaks after every play like football, or incessant timeouts like basketball.  It is all day running (not to mention limited substitutions).  This is why soccer bodies are so slim.  Any excessive muscle-packing would be detrimental for your stamina.  Some dislike the fact that fitness is one of the most important factors to playing soccer well.  I must disagree with them because stamina is a fair trait to have.  Why? Well, it’s an ability that you as a player can control.  Unless you’re stricken with a health condition that prevents this, stamina is a result of hard work and dedication.  This vital ability is earned instead of born into.  You don't have to be blessed with a 7-foot wingspan to play soccer professionally, but you do have to work at keeping a fit body.  While you always need some luck physically (usually speed) to get to the professional level, in soccer you can carry yourself quite far through simple conditioning.

Balance is another reason why I find soccer the most difficult and fascinating of sports.  Playing with your feet is hard enough, but jostling a player while controlling a ball with the same limbs? No cake-walk here.  In soccer you need to jump between controlling the ball with one foot to balancing yourself on the other (as well as counterbalancing your opponents force).  It ain't easy kids.  The tough balancing act is why so many soccer players hit the deck (when they're not flopping) so easily.  My college roommate once got frustrated watching a soccer game when a player couldn't reach a tough cross.  He said something along the lines of "Lebron James would just reach out and snare that, no big deal."  I responded with “you just don’t get it.”  Lebron's strength of balance would not carry over to soccer.  His balancing ability is used differently, where both feet are always free to jump around a court and, then he uses his hands for ball control.  He's not dancing and ball controlling with the same limbs!

Don't get me wrong; if LBJ had years (since childhood) of soccer practice, I'd want him on my team.  That body would push him past Christiano Ronaldo as the most athletic player in soccer.  Right now, Lebron would get torched at every position (except goalkeeper) because he doesn't have the balance (aka footwork and body control) required to dominate in soccer.  In fact, Kobe Bryant credits playing soccer during his youth for much of his footwork and balance.  How come Lionel Messi at only 5'7" is one of the best soccer players in the world?  It's because his low center of gravity helps him keep his lethal balancing abilities despite suffering a disadvantage in height.  It's great to see a sport where blessed height and size aren't necessarily required.  

Goalkeeper is a different story.  NBA bodies would be ideal for goalkeeping.  They're quick, explosive, and their reach is undeniable.  If he were mentally schooled in the position, I'd nominate Durantula for the U.S. Soccer team's keeper.

You can also do well because of your intelligence.  Soccer is a far more intelligent game than people (Americans) give it credit for.  In their defense, it's hard to see the intricacies of soccer unless you’ve played it for years or religiously watch it (playing FIFA helps too).  Like baseball, it may seem boring unless you can observe the games within the game.  The multiple dimensions of soccer make it such a brain game.  You can attack down the gut, up the sidelines and cross, go aerial, etc.  You can defend with pure strength, different formations, offside traps, etc.  And those are just team options, forget talking about the infinite possibilities of individual defense and offense (scissors, nutmeg, 360, stepover, rainbow, etc.) There are almost too many creative options in a game that's so free flowing.  This makes the game very difficult to master.  Also, you can't rely on your coach to call plays for you.  Because of the speed of the game, defensively and offensively as a player you need to constantly make up your own mind--no crutches to lean on (except a shouting, usually inaudible coach from the sidelines).  Do you know why set-pieces (aka free kicks) are the most dangerous (for scoring) in soccer?  It’s because teams are able to practice set-pieces with specific plays and execution (there’s also a minor break in play and defensive pressure).  When you get such specific help, it's much easier to beat a defense.  Call me blasphemous, but I’ve always viewed set-pieces as basically football plays with your feet.  Seriously, compare them and you’ll understand more how scoring is priceless in soccer.

Soccer requires teamwork.  No star player can carry a team through the opposing eleven.  11 on 11.  Enough said.

Fortunately for us, soccer is the most popular sport in the world, By Far.  It's because anyone, different sizes or economic statuses can play.  I absolutely hate the counter-argument to this that claims soccer's popularity is only because it's a poor man's sport.  If you believe this then you're just scared of true competition.  Elitists can't handle the numerous cultural influences and thus diverse playing styles that arise because of world popularity in a sport.  Soccer's simplicity allows for anyone to play, but for all to make it their own.  The Brazilians dance, the German's build a machine, the Dutch invented "total football," the Japanese play with precision, the Italians are dramatic, and on and on.  Even if you aren't individually gifted you can develop through teamwork a way to win.  Greece won the Euro 2004 title by team defensive execution despite lacking star quality players.  Defense, nice! More so, in soccer, your offense can become your defense.  Huh? The other team can’t score if they don’t touch the ball…  Again, there are simply too many ways for me to explain how to play the beautiful game.  The cultural influences in soccer are what make this game the most globally beautiful.  It's the future's clash of culture without the bloodshed.  Different styles face-off, some bruises may occur, but a winner and loser emerge without any rubble.  It’s fun, it’s fair (a different post’s topic), and did I mention it’s beautiful? Maybe, Americans will take soccer more seriously if they consider the possible "world domination" option it provides.  One day, I believe we will, so I’m getting front row seats to the future of sports and I hope you will join me. USA! USA! USA! (by the way, one of the saddest/least creative soccer chants in the world)

If you still wonder why I love soccer, watch these videos and you will talk to yourself saying simply “Beautiful.”

Best Free Kick Ever

Sweet Bicycle Kick Compilation

Old Fav of Mine: Ronaldhino vs. Zidane

Thou Shall Not Cheat

This order must have been left off the 15... err... 10 Commandments... Thanks Mel Brooks.  Oh well, how about the modern interpretation—cheaters never win!  Forget "never say never."  This is the exception.  I'll say it once again: Cheaters Never Win!

They never win because nothing good comes from cheating.  Cheating is the ultimate shortcut in sports and in life.  In sports, cheating occurs because of one feeling:  "I want to win!"  Yes, cheating is a me-me-me sentiment.  It's all about winning for yourself, without playing up to fair competition.  It's about money, jealousy, endorsements (more money), glory, and/or fame.  Even if you value such pursuits, none provides lasting satisfaction for long if you're cheating.  Just ask Bill Belichick and the Patriot’s coaching staff if they're satisfied.

No, don't worry; you're not like The Pat's coach if you've ever cheated in your life.  People make mistakes.  I can't even begin to untangle the academic pressures to cheat that almost all have succumbed to.  Everyone has done some version of "Gameshark" or turned on invincibility during Goldeneye so that you can romp the computer.  Why? Because we all want to win, and when it's taking advantage of a computer we don't give a damn.  When it's a person, it's a different story.  It's a dirty one.

The most obvious and, unfortunately, highly publicized dirty trick is cheating on your spouse.  And yes, even this very personal indiscretion infiltrates the sports world.  See Mr. Woods or Mr. Bryant.  It's probably because we choose to catapult sports stars into "star people" and judge their every move while bombarding them with countless temptations.  Hmmm… that sounds fair.  But they chose to be athletes and must accept such responsibility, right?  First off, a combination of their God-given talents and work ethic allowed them to play a game they love for a career.  We, as fans, chose to put such athletes on this “role model” pedestal.  Why aren’t the teachers of our children (and thus our future) mounted on the same pedestal? Second, do you really expect that people who spend ridiculous amounts of time perfecting a sport at the professional level ALSO be trained to be model citizens, parents, and spouses? Don’t think so.  See Mr. Roethlisberger or Mr. Cabrera.

While I disagree with the fact that athletes’ lives are under the microscope I do agree with society’s simple rules including that whole “not cheating on your spouse rule.”  In case you’ve lived in a hole the past year, Tiger missed this memo.  The man succumbed to the temptations at the expense of his wife and kids.  When he got caught his life went to ruins (rightfully so) and his game went to **** (rightfully so again); a far fall for the man who single-handedly dominated the sport for the past decade!  Karma is a “female dog”, Tiger.  Even if the media weren’t involved, I still believe his conscience would have torn his golf game apart.  It’s too difficult to maintain mental toughness in anything when your entire world is flipped upside down because of your poor mental choices.

My problem with Karma is that it needs to extend beyond the likes of Tiger Woods and Kobe Bryant to that other circus—politics.  Like I said, the social pressures sports stars deal with are not reflective of what they are trained to handle.  On the other hand, political figures are supposed to uphold the law.  Ya’ know, the fabric of society that keeps us from tearing each other apart?  Yet, when politicians cheat, they get 1/billionth the amount of attention Tiger gets.  How is that fair?  Isn’t the media setup to expose and discuss issues that affect our lives?  What about the people that mold the rules we all follow?  We cheapen ourselves when we discuss the moral fabric of an athlete over the “educated” and supposed leaders of our country and future.

I’m not just talking about cheating on your wife, but rather cheating on your responsibilities.  Where’s the integrity?  Must be a Calipari-Kiffin democracy.  How about we stop cheating the public and stealing their money for our own gains when we should be doing our job and making this country a better place!  No, it doesn’t mean funding wars and cutting Planned Parenthood.  Nor when the going gets tough should we run away and find the easier solution, a la Pete Carroll.

We must stick to our guns and work with what we got.  However, politics doesn’t function perfectly in its supposed democratic form.  It’s become elitist and, as a result, the uneducated and poor are being exploited.  Too many are deprived from making educated votes (if they vote at all).  I say, until politics turns the corner, sports can be our pillar of support because sports reach EVERYONE (except teenage girls…)!  Let us spotlight the good that sports brings us all, not the bad.  Highlight charities like “Play 60” and “NBA Cares.” Highlight the stories of overcoming hardship such as Donald Driver and the ’09-10 New Orleans Saints.  Highlight what we can achieve with sports, not what we should run from.

It’s our responsibility to demand what is right, not what is wrong.  It is unproductive to showcase the bad aspects of society such as cheating.  It teaches us nothing other than “don’t get caught.”  However, much can be learned from focusing on better acts such as charity and teamwork.  These teach us how to treat one another properly, a much more direct teaching.  In fact, the only reason we choose to focus on “the bad” is because we cheat the system.  We want people “less than ourselves” so we feel better about who we are.  This is cheating!  It doesn’t set us up any better than before.  It’s simply an illusion.  Let us break the habit and promote what is good so that we no longer have to cheat our way through life.

What L.A. Needs: Another Team Sport

NFL

For a San Francisco Bay born-and-bred kid, I have survived the past several years in enemy territory.  I moved to Dodger territory, aka Los Angeles, at seventeen to attend the greatest university in the world--University of California, Los Angeles, better known by the acronym UCLA.  I admit that I may be biased claiming UCLA as the best, but remember: my blog, my rules (muhaha).  However, there is one department where UCLA is, in fact, objectively supreme: Team Sports.  No school has had more NCAA team championship titles than UCLA.  Stanford comes in a close second while dominating the individual titles race.  I'll take that trade because nothing beats team sports.  In the sports arena, the likes of Tiger Woods and Roger Federer command respect because of their individual dominance. On the other hand, team sports create throngs of devoted fans for one reason: to cheer for, and derive infinite joy from, the achievements of teamwork.  Win-Win right?  You get to cheer for your favorite team AND learn how to work well with others... odd concept.  Why not just focus on the individual?

Well, Los Angeles is the current breeding ground for individual spotlighting.  It began, decades ago, with idolizing skilled people such as directors, actors and actresses.  No big problem there.  Now, people idolize the fame caused by embarrassing yourself on a public platform (from sex-tape, to sex scandal, to spousal, and child abuse).  I'm not criticizing the famous, diligent, and talented people, but the "ones" that none of us (in our right mind) would choose to be.  You know who they are.  These "pseudo-celebrities" dominate the Hollywood landscape puking their personalities all-over L.A.  Many see "the joke" and are able to view such people for their true value--entertainment.  Sadly, many others (mostly the uneducated or young) don't understand.  The ones who don't get it watch (on television) on a nightly basis--and yearn for--what they don't understand.  These individuals supply the unfortunate, idolizing pattern of behavior that only exists because two of man's vices: money and fame.  Two perceived "values" that have no intrinsic value.

Since I dropped the whole "med-school-thing" a few years back, I must treat these symptoms the only way I know how: team sports.  I believe Los Angeles needs football (futbol isn’t big enough, yet).  Why? Because I believe team sports are our country's greatest asset.  It's the most open and competitive stage where success is determined by teamwork.  In our country, technology has catapulted team sports into a world of scrutiny.  As a result, we have fair and balanced systems.  While our sports are far from perfect, we continue to make necessary changes to improve sports and promote integrity.  Look at the most trouble areas of our globe and you will find either no team sports or heavily biased ones.  How many stories do you hear of troubled youths’ lives being saved because of sports?  I say we follow Nelson Mandela's lead and let sports pave the way for a better country.  In Hollywood, where it's all about the glory, you need to start big and inject the nation's biggest sport.  Los Angelenos need the ultimate "American" sport to distance them from the overwhelming perception that the individual is greater than the team, which is simply NOT TRUE!

The Lakers, led by the Zen master, Phil Jackson, made a good impression.  Their championship winning teams were based on team cohesiveness and defense. You'd hope people would get the message.  Unfortunately, in basketball it's too easy to mask the team ideal for individual stardom.  It's why the exhibition known as the “NBA All-Star Game” is actually watched (unlike the NFL's/MLB's/NHL's all-star "circus").  "Posterizing" and showboating are light-years ahead in popularity than "taking a charge."  In a sport dominated by individual offensive plays, the media tunnel-visions on the superstar.  In the Laker's recent championship runs, the focus was on Kobe Bryant, Kobe Bryant, and, Kobe Bryant.  It's sad because as great as Kobe was and is, he can't win it by himself.  No one can.  And it's why Lebron hasn't won jack **** yet.

For once money is on my side.  There is a wealth of opportunity for football to succeed once again in L.A.  Luckily, steps are already being taken to construct the one giant obstacle--a stadium.  Because the NFL has its panties in a bunch over money, just move a team to Los Angeles.  The differences could be settled right there.  Seriously, the disputed financial differences could be covered by the extra income of hosting a L.A. Super Bowl and having a L.A. NFL franchise.  Sure, you'd have to invest and be patient for your returns, but you know this is a "can't-lose bet."  In an age of overblown media and television, you need the biggest sports under the biggest spotlights.  A financial loss would be a societal gain at the very least.  I'm rooting for the Jacksonville Jaguars to move to L.A.  Their team struggles to fill attendance and a Maurice Jones-Drew and Marcedes Lewis homecoming would be oh-so-sweet.  Yet again, that's me being selfish.  NFL, please just setup a team!

Please don't think that I don't like Los Angeles or its people.  One of my best friends (Millertime shout out) is L.A. bred and a straight shooter despite his Dodger allegiance.  There's just seems to be an overwhelming amount of bad apples in the public eye... It's probably less than many other cities, but because Los Angeles is the television and movie capital of the world I believe a certain responsibility rests there: a responsibility to produce entertainment that spawns values instead of entertainment that exploits people for a quick buck.  I believe another successful sports franchise that emphasizes teamwork will help move towards that unified goal.  Individuality is great and let L.A. be the platform for it to shine, but please, not at the expense of others.  Sports and movie stars are talented, but work hard for their achievements. They too are just people, no better or worse, like everyone else.

Happy Valentine's Day! Let's Pitch and Catch!

MLB

Watch it! Keep those naughty minds in check.  As most of us know, February 14th is the Hallmark, err... I mean holiday of love.  Oddly enough, this love label doesn't always translate into a happy holiday for everyone.  Some people dread this holiday.  They fear being alone, desire companionship, or they're guys! ... Sorry mom, it's just a joke.

However, in 2011, Feb 14th offers its landmark date for a second reason.  What's that you say?  How about those who don't feel the Valentine's day vibe, but stand by their love for sports, especially baseball?  Here ya' go baseball fans! The World Series Champion San Francisco Giants' pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training today.  This marks the end of a joyous offseason, but the beginning of another dream season.  Not all teams are as lucky to have their first day coincide with such a lovely holiday.  I like to think the G-men earned it and hopefully such diligence will continue to reproduce good luck.

There's not much I can say about the Giants' stellar pitching staff and their excellent catcher (Buster Posey) that hasn't already been said.  So, I won't.  I'll simply wish them and the entire team the best of luck (hope for no injuries) as they continue to work, improve, and hopefully bring home more hardware.  Because it is the holiday of love, I need to channel love towards a long-lost love of mine, one that lost his heart in San Francisco (not in a good way)--Barry Zito.

Outside of the Giants' organization, Mr. Zito was my favorite pitcher when he was an ace of the A's.  I have A's fans in the family and I lived closer in proximity to Oakland's stadium than McCovey Cove's.  That is why the Oakland Athletics were always my second favorite team.  (They could have been my numero uno if there had been more Athletic exposure when I was growing up.  You can only love what you experience and local blackouts--or lack of TV coverage--don't help promote love).  The Zito 12-to-6 curveball was love at first sight.  It prompted me to follow the free-spirited, surfer-dude, music loving, knee buckling pitcher as he ascended from the A's Big Three, to Cy Young Winner, to across the Bay in orange and black.  Favorite pitcher on your favorite team is supposed to be a match made in heaven (even with an overpaid contract).

What evolved was nothing of that sort.  My relationship went sour and I joined fellow Giants' fans into what turned into an abusive relationship.  We jeered and had little tolerance for a struggling player because we believed he had not earned his payday.  I read an article about Zito last season when his 5-0 start appeared to signal a turnaround for his disastrous first few years in the City by the Bay.  To me, the story seemed like a practical joke.  Zito himself claimed that a reason for his recent success was that he ceased having people over late at night during the season and stopped letting "people he didn't know" into his house... good sleep and no strangers... Are you kidding me?  I learned these "keys to success" in grade school.  Excuse me, but why the **** is a professional athlete getting paid millions to act more immature than a 5th grader?  Unfortunately, there may have been more substantial reasons because Zito's season began to tank.

While I appreciate the work Zito contributed to a World Series Championship team, he was rightly excluded from the postseason roster.  The divine, salary induced, right of the regular season expired thanks to excellent managing.  Zito struggled with what was solely under his control--his control, more specifically his ability to throw the ball into the targeted strike-zone.  He walked batters left and right and handed away games.  Simply put, he hadn't earned the privilege to pitch for his team in a tough-earned postseason.  I understand that Zito took his demotion like a man, rooting for his team and never complaining.  Finally, a glimpse of maturity from a +$100 million man.

November 3, 2010 aka the Giants' Parade.  In that moment, I took a page out of my Warrior book and "I believed" in a return of Barry Zito.  That day was filled with so much love and adoration for a team accomplishment.  We injected the infinite joy from the Giants World Series win back into our players.  We showed them with great conviction that we love what they do.  I believe an even emotionless Zito must've felt this!  Zito's stoic face portrayed his desire to contribute.  I'm hoping the Parade love sparks the hard work necessary to recapture the amazing talents of a former Cy Young winner.  A sort of "Inception" for one who has now become valued as our 5th starter despite being paid as our #1.  If this parade trick works, and barring injuries, the 2011 Giants will continue their amazing run and silence the critics who still believe Cliff Lee and the rest of the Phillies' pitching staff are unstoppable.  Talk is cheap, so let the best team win.

Sometimes, the "Valentine's Day somberness" can stir up memories of a former lover.  Not one that you yearn to have back someday (like Zito) but one that you mistakenly weep over.  Ya' know, the one where if you had some perspective you would realize that one isn't THE one.  For me, Not-the-one is my first love Mr. Barry Bonds.  I'm not kidding--I skipped a school dance to watch this guy swing the bat in a World Series.  I was googly-eyed and demanded a ring in 2002 so... so... badly!  (darn Rally Monkey!)  When the ring slipped out of my grasp, I held on too tight to Barry.  But now, I need closure.  It'll be tough, but it's time.

Barry B., I'm moving on... No! It's not because I met a rich Barry Z.  It's me, not you.  You were great (as an individual player), but I was young, in love, and blinded by your offensive dominance.  I needed to grow up and open my eyes to defense.  I'm changed now, I value D more than O.  Barry... I need to tell you... there is someone else... there's been several others... it's... the S.F. Giants' TEAM.  They just swept me off my feet.  These "castoffs and misfits" (I despise that nickname) won my heart over and showed me what teamwork and team spirit can do.  It is truly beautiful.  I learned that team love is greater than any individual love.  I'm sorry, but it's true.  I still never forget you Barry! I'll cherish our good moments forever.

Whew, that was rough.  I hope the big guy doesn't take it too hard.  Seriously, we (Giants fans) were infatuated with Bonds.  He seemed untouchable, and was God-like (at the plate) so we built around him.  It brought us close, but no cigar.  When the Giants struggled, we worried about who would protect Bonds and who else would produce besides him.  We coveted one offensive man over the unbeatable defensive zero.  It was silly considering that the "ultimate player" was NOT the ultimate teammate.  Ridiculous clubhouse accommodations and teammate altercations just don't occur around team-first players.  Not until the Giants tasted team success did I realize our false worship.

However, the love spreads this day. So, why not forgive ourselves and spread it to the one who once excited us?  Word on the street is that Bonds wants to become a hitting coach for the Giants.  I say hire the legend once his legal distractions fade.  (I'm crying foul if Bonds gets prison-time when no one else has.)  Anyhow, his sweet swing and brilliant eyes are not a result of alleged steroids.  Those talents are born from Bonds, and such knowledgeable wealth would benefit any baseball hitter.  I hope we give the home-run king a chance in retirement to become the team player he once avoided.  People can change for the better, especially after being properly inspired.  Love ya' 2010 G-men!

Blinded by the Green Light

NBA

Yesterday, Jerry Sloan resigned as Head Basketball Coach of the Utah Jazz.  The currently longest tenured Coach in American professional sports just quit.  Yup, one of the most respected (and defensive-minded) coaches stepped down during the middle of his 23rd season.  This doesn't sound like the third "winningest" coach in NBA history, nor the most loyal (longest to coach for one team in NBA history), nor someone who just signed a contract extension (this season for the next).  Sounds Fishy. Probably is...

Any further discussion of this particular issue is merely my opinion (speculation?) and by no means 100% the truth.  The media have attempted to get a more conclusive response to why Sloan resigned.  The best they're are going to get is the current response of "It's time to move on."  That's because Sloan is classy, and despite being thrown under the bus himself, he won't do the same to someone else.  You can't always fight fire with fire.  Sometimes you're so powerless you can only hope it burns itself out.

Time to stop beating around the burning bush.  Pop Quiz: What was my one "hate" in my most recent post? The Superstar Treatment.  In case you're a newcomer, it's when players gain more leverage than the coach.  Usually it's because of the extra zeros attached to the player's paycheck.  Another instance of letting money ruin the sports that we truly love.  Some alternatively defend the Treatment and say the player is more popular to the fans than the coach.  Well, if we went by popularity, then American Idol would epitomize how we should run things.  God help us!  Others argue and claim the player is better than the coach.  This argument is plain stupid.

Everyone knows that two heads are better than one (assuming they work together).  In team sports, the players put in countless energy and time practicing, achieving tip-top shape, and learning how to play the game usually via a playbook.  Who writes the playbook?  The coach (duh!).  Unsurprisingly, countless hours go into that as well.  That playbook serves as the coach's bible and he religiously preaches it to his players so that THE WHOLE TEAM is on the same page.  I'll use algebra to explain what wins championships (other than defense): Teamwork > Individual-work.  Unless you are Peyton Manning and command control of all your troops, you're going to need an eye in the sky to coordinate the show.  In fact, Manning only touches the clouds because of the structure of football allowing for game-breaks.  It is much more difficult to both play and coach with efficiency unless you have ample time to coordinate with everyone.  This is harder to achieve in the more free-flowing team sports like basketball, hockey and soccer.  In these, coordination is best achieved beforehand by listening to one cooperative philosophy.

Unfortunately, the structure of basketball falsely highlights "what works".  Fans, coaches, owners, etc. all observe individual stars dominate a team sport that is limited to five on-court players per team.  When superstar players play in the K-12 or collegiate levels, their individual talents outclass what their competitors are prepared to stop.  As a result, the player and the team benefit.  This leads to inflated heads; sadly many won't deflate until they have washed-out, waking up to the realization that "me-first" doesn't translate to team success.  This life lesson is too often too late, after a forfeited education and thus hopes for an alternate future.

Alternatively, the "successful" juiced-up egos lead into conflicts between coach and player.  While not a new phenomenon, it is novel to see the roles reversed: Individual > Team (aka coach).  Our media and society have idolizes individuals to such a degree that we crown Kings from undeserving men.  If you haven't already done so, read my second-ever post, "No Defense for a King," to understand more clearly what individuals and entire cities sacrifice when they give in to false idols.  I'd hate to see Salt Lake City follow Cleveland's blueprint for downfall, but I'd love to see Jerry Sloan lead another team to a title with a fortified defense.  Leadership comes few and far between, but leads to far more impressive results than misguided shortcuts.  If you believe in the God-gene, think of it instead as a leadership-gene and stop hating.

The Dubs need to play D...

NBA

...If they (or any team) expect to win anything.  That's Dubs, as in Ws, as in Warriors, as in the NBA's Golden State Warriors. University of Washington (excuse me, UDub) fans get it.  (Sidebar--Don't get this blog's web address?  ddubc = DWC = Defense Wins Championships.)  Defense has greater adaptability, which results in sustainability.  Thus, in the NBA, where defenses fly under the radar, the consistent-championship-caliber teams play defense.  See the Spurs, this year's most dominant team and most consistent since "The Big Fundamental," aka Tim Duncan, entered the league almost 14 years ago.  Wonder why those "King"-led Cavs were handled by the Magic in '09?  Because NOTHING is more important than a team's ability to protect the rim.  "Superman" Dwight Howard can block Lebron James, the most thunderous dunker in the league.  Don't forget the most dominant center this generation in Shaquille O'Neal, "Shaq," "The Big Diesel," "Shaqtus," "Kazaam" or whatever-he-wants-to-be-called.  In a professional sport that idolizes individuals, the unstoppable center literally can't be stopped (both on and off the court).  This time I uncharacteristically praise such individual achievements because, like a quarterback's leadership, such individual success directly translates to team success.

You may surprise people with an offensive philosophy, but any long-lasting championship-caliber team plays defense, 'nough said!  Yes, Lakers' fans, I know Kobe Bryant is the best finisher in the game, but how can he close unless a foundation of defense gets him within "Black Mamba's" ridiculous range?  While Kobe is the deadliest scorer (offensive balance is crucial), Pau and friends are nonetheless why Hollywood fans were in position to see their biggest star shine since "Shaq Fu" was a teammate.  We witnessed the Giants in the Fall, the Packers in the Winter,  and I expect the next testimony this Spring will be heavily defensive.

Bay Area faithful, brace yourself--the Dubs won't win it all this year (if you thought otherwise, get your head out of the sand )...  It's cool, don't worry, it'll be alright.  We can ride the black and and orange love for a while.  In fact, we should understand the patience it took for our G-men to win it all and put that faith into our other teams.  We were so desperate (12-year playoff drought) the last time we tasted some success (playoffs '07) that we made hasty decisions--trading away our heart and soul in Jason "J-Rich" Richardson for a lottery pick... Anyone know the odds for lotteries?  I can't express my love for J-Rich without digressing.  To understand some, watch this video that my Wisconsin homeboy sent me shortly after the trade: J-Rich Tribute.  I still tear up.  Oh well, since we can't change the past, we can only thank and learn what J-Rich, Don Nelson, and Baron Davis and Co. taught us: "We Believe!"

This time let's not run too far with that belief and, instead, hone it on building a team (not buying one ASAP).  When you live, like I do, in Laker country (or is it Clipper territory?), "a 1st round upset and 2nd round exit" is still a joke.  Consistency and championships are no laughing matter.  As of now, I think Coach Keith Smart is the intelligent choice (no pun intended).  He instills good defense, fundamentals, and is loyal to his players and, more importantly, to the team.  I assume his players believe in him too and, while we still got that feeling, I say we roll with it.  I hate it when teams jettison a coach to appease some superstar player that believes he's better than the whole.  Maybe it's because that "superstar" makes "mo' money" than the leader of the team.  Hope you're taking notes kids...

As a loyal fan, I cannot support articles like today's front page of the Chronicle's Sports Section, the one beginning with the word "Crashing."  This article discussed a lackluster performance for the Warriors in their loss the night before.  I understand this may be true, but what bothers me was how the focus wasn't just on this game--it stated how this loss erases their past few games where they played excellent ball and excellent defense.  Huh?  Like I said, you can't change the past.  Those wins still count in the 'W' column.  Stop focusing on our failures!  Instead, check out the other article, written by the same author and buried four pages deep in the six page section.  This one highlights how the Dubs' effort almost closed the gap from their 1st quarter performance, specifically their defensive effort (my man!).  While this article delves into the past as well, it instead shows how previous experience allowed the team to make successful defensive adjustments.  How odd to discuss building on your foundation rather than tearing it down... It's tough to convince your fans that there is hope for progress when you highlight two steps backward on the front page and bury the one step forward near the much bigger (and unrelated) headline about the "largest-losing-streak-ever."

Furthermore, let's stop knocking on our backcourt (that's the two guard spots).  Everyone says Ellis and Curry can't play together, they can't play D, they're too short, too weak, etc.  Bullocks!  They are one of the most productive backcourt duos in the league and they always perform more than their fare share on the offensive end to balance their defensive inequalities.  With more coaching, they will start to pick people off like "The Answer."  Some Kobe-esque plays are simply un-guardable and we gotta live with that.  While you can't teach height, you can teach that even the best guards in the league don't shoot a high percentage.  It's all about protecting the hoop (that's why behemoths play the positions close to the basket).  As for guards, "size doesn't matter" and I hope Dubs' fans understand that simple proposition before we trade another Warrior only to see him blossom for his next team.

All great teams play under a philosophy (even if you rely on a star) maintained by the head honcho (No, not the owner, but the head coach).  A personnel swap or upgrade may be in the future, but only after we accept the "Smart System" and the powers-to-be figure out which cavities need filling.  Right now our starting guards are too sweet (in a good way).  David Lee is our future power-forward and with less injuries (and less tooth impaling) he's our main scorer down low.  We robbed the bank in signing Dorell Wright.  Barring a superstar free-agent or drafted small-forward taking his spot, he's our perimeter shooter.  Worst case scenario: with that contract, an elite 6th man.  The oh-so-important center position is tough.  We are financially committed to Andris Biedrins (3+ years on his huge contract).  Luckily for us, our coach knows that too and has spent his time wisely on Biedrin's development (even leaving his family for 3 weeks this offseason to spend time in Biedrins home country of Latvia).  Unfortunately, he fouls more than the Italian national futbol team (except he gets whistled).  And when you are getting paid to play basketball, you must make your free-throws (or at least practice enough so your fundamentals look decent)!  Because all that is the case, a complimentary defensive back-up center (or necessary starter) is our biggest need.  Let's go general manager! Hey, maybe we'll get lucky in the lottery this time.  Either way, let us Believe once again, but this time, I'm rooting for consistency instead of quick riches.