Introducing Sam Rogers: America's most ardent referee fan

First things first people, happy Fourth of July!

I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday weekend with family and friends.

I had a tremendous weekend up on Lake Sunapee in New Hampshire with friends from college and came back home with some fresh new material for this blog, so stayed tuned.

Anyway, getting down to business, after the Braves' unfortunate 5-4 loss to the Orioles on Sunday night, my good 'ole buddy Chipper Jones spewed off at the mouth and ripped the umpire that blew a couple ball/strike calls. He even went on to call the umping in the Major Leagues "substandard" and said he didn't care if he gets fined for his critical comments.

But this post isn't about Chipper Jones or whether or not Major League umping is poor for that matter. Chipper's comments are really just an excuse for me to introduce one of the most unique sports fans out there -- my good friend Sam.

For the readers who don't know who Sam is, here's a brief, anecdotal introduction into the mind of the guy we call "Rogahs" before I unveil his inaugural Referee Power Rankings:

After his first trip to New Meadowlands Stadium for a Giants preseason game last year, I asked Sam what he thought of the new, state of the art stadium, to which he responded:

"Honestly, to tell you the truth, I'm not a fan of it," Sam said defiantly. "But I do respect all of the condiment bars around the stadium, 'cause they all have those dirty hot onions."

How about when he went to Citi Field for the first time last April, it took Sam about 10 minutes to develop an extensive itinerary of which food locales he'd hit up and during what inning.

Yes, that's President George W. Bush checkin' out former NFL 

running back Michael Pittman's biceps.

But my personal favorite came last summer when Sam attended a corporate fantasy football draft in New York City, where he was helping his coworkers draft a squad for their company. At the event was former New York Giant Michael Strahan and Jets great Curtis Martin. As most of his teammates nervously and halfheartedly asked Strahan for advice on which players to draft for their fantasy team, Sam decided to take his conversation with the all-time sack leader in a different direction.

"Eh yo Strahan, on that real tip -- who has biggeh biceps, Thomas Jones or Michael Pittman?"

As Sam's coworkers looked on in shock (asking themselves, "Did he really just ask Michael Strahan that question?"), a short and tense pause ensued, as Strahan took a step away from the group.

"I'd have to say Pittman," Strahan then emphatically responded, with a playful grin on his face.

My question is who in their right might would think to ask a future Hall of Famer that question?

But the point to all of this is that Sam isn't some cookie cutter, meathead sports fan. His sporting interests don't lie in teams or individual athletes or scores -- it's all about the details that no one ever pays any mind. Thus it comes as no surprise that Sam is the most passionate and ardent fan of refereeing out there.

Sam's interest in stadium concessions or bicep comparisons are nothing compared to his passion for the officiating methodology of different sports. That's right, referees.

Ed Hochuli has nothing on Sam's boy Mike Carey,
who's pictured above

In fact, when asked who his favorite NFL team was, Sam said the referee union. When asked who his favorite athlete was, he responded, "Mike Carey." Who is Mike Carey you may ask? That NFL referee with the diesel mustache who, when making a call, points in the opposite direction before signaling which team the infraction is actually on, like so:

For a guy who's as passionate about the craft of officiating as Sam is, I recently had him go on record and tell the world how he feels about refs from the four major professional sports leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL). So in Sam Rogers' debut on I'd Rather Be Playing, here are his inaugural Referee Power Rankings, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Thus I only felt it was my duty to share them with the rest of the world (or at least the three people that actually read this blog). Without furthur adieu:

As you can see, Sam gives it up for NFL officials, but has no love for the gray-clad NBA refs. It's pretty difficult to argue with him on any of these rankings, being that he provides an in-depth explanation for each. I have to say that my favorite line from this diatribe is his reasoning for putting MLB umps in the No. 2 hole. "You can get up in people's face and throw them out. I'd love to throw somebody out."

I have to tip my hat to Sam for this one. I love your passion for the craft of officiating. Hope to see you in the stripes one day, making over the top false start calls and stealing the show in NFL stadiums.

Who the heck do these guys think they are?

John Grieshop/Getty Images

Jose Reyes celebrates after scoring one of the Mets' 16 runs last night in their  win over Detroit.

Do you remember the theme song from the Twilight Zone? That unmistakable, droning music followed by "Your next stop -- The Twilight Zone." Well it's all that I've heard in my head as I've watched the Mets over the past few days, especially during last night's 16-9 win over the Tigers.

The team has had a downright absurd offensive surge over its last four games, scoring a franchise record 52 runs over the four-game stretch, which has included 69 hits. With last night's win the Mets have won their last three series, two coming against AL division leading teams, Texas and Detroit.

For a change, everything seems to be going the Mets' way. It's as if all of the bad karma this team has had over the last four seasons has suddenly taken a 180 degree turn for the better, hence the Twilight Zone theme song on repeat in my head.

Take Tuesday night's 14-3 drubbing of the Tigers, for instance. The Mets, who hadn't hit a grand slam in nearly two years and had been victimized by 18 grand slams in that span, hit not one -- but two slams in consecutive innings, as Jason Bay and Carlos Beltran both went yard with the bases drunk.

Again with the Twilight Zone music.

It almost feels wrong. Well, not really.

Let's remember, I'm not some unabashed homer here either. I'll be the first to rip the Mets and their owner Fred Wilpon when appropriate, and I often enjoy it. (Sadly, I find it therapeutic and cathartic). But when things are going as shockingly well as they have over the past four games, I can't help but sit back, enjoy the way this team is pimp smacking the ball all over the field and give a nice little golf clap to my guy Terry Collins & Co.

Their offense has been relentless and they're churning out hits at a rate I've never seen. It really is something to watch.

I was even getting all pumped up during tonight's game, as the team inexplicably continued to fire on all cylinders offensively. Led by Jose Reyes, all the Mets do lately is score early, score often, and even score late.

After reliever Tim Brydak gave up a two-run dinger in the seventh inning, the Mets' lead was trimmed to 10-8. But Daniel Murphy, Angel Pagan and Ruben Tejada answered by driving in six more runs in the next two innings to put this game out of reach.

SNY announcer Gary Cohen even jokingly compared these Mets to the Murderers' Row Yankees of 1927 during last night's game. I'm not even sure Ruth, Gehrig and crew had a four-game outburst quite like the one the Mets have had. (Sorry, STATS, Inc. isn't on the payroll).

There's no offense in the Major Leagues that's nearly as hot as the Mets are right now. But even as I sit here writing about how great the team looks, I don't have any delusions of grandeur (just yet) about the Mets making the playoffs, as a certain orange and blue fan I know does. I'm not going to name names here, but his name may or may not rhyme with Barry Pillanova.

Tomorrow the Mets look to continue their torrid offensive play against AL Cy Young hopeful Justin Verlander, so it will come as no surprise if the team suddenly cools off.

Regardless of what happens, the last few days have been an historic stretch for the Amazins. Not to mention pretty fun for us fans.

Jose Reyes is the National League's best player

Jose Reyes, the National League's top player,  shines

the customary spotlight after sliding into third with a triple

To invoke the words of Baltimore drug lord Avon Barksdale from HBO's masterpiece "The Wire," Jose Reyes wants his corners.

In fact, the New York Mets shortstop doesn't just want his corners, he's taking them.

Never seen The Wire? Then let me translate: Jose Reyes is the best player in the National League.

Yeah I said it.

Despite somehow trailing Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki in All-Star Game voting, Reyes has played his way not only into National League MVP discussion, but also a lucrative contract in the off-season (not likely with the Mets).

In the Mets' 14-3 trouncing of the Tigers last night, Reyes went 4-4 (his second consecutive four-hit game) with a triple, double, two singles and three runs scored. That is, before he was pulled from the game in seventh inning.

Reyes, who is in a contract year, leads the National League in batting average (.349) and ranks second in the Majors in that category, trailing Boston's Adrian Gonzalez. His 64 runs scored lead the National League as well, while his 117 hits are tops in the Bigs.

He's second in the Majors in stolen bases with 29, behind only Michael Bourn of the Astros (34), and his 40-multi hit games are best in the Majors, as well.

And here's the kicker: through 79 games, Reyes has 15 triples. Fifteen.

He is the first player since 1920 to hit 15 triples in his first 79 games.

Assuming the Mets do not move Reyes before the trading deadline and the 28-year-old can play out the season in his cavernous home park of Citi Field, it's a safe bet that he will be the first hitter in the modern era to hit 30 triples in a season.

Simply put, Reyes is playing on Mars. He's producing at a level that Mets fans have never seen from him -- a level that few players in the Major Leagues ever touch. Scorching hot just doesn't quite do him justice.

On top of all his statistical excellence, Reyes is doing it as the Mets' No. 1 option. With power hitters Ike Davis and David Wright on the disabled list since May 12 and 16, respectively, Reyes has anchored a patchwork lineup, consisting mostly of singles hitters.

The fan support of Reyes has been through the roof,

as Mets supporters clamor to keep the shortstop at all costs.

With last night's win, the Mets got above the .500 mark for the first time since the first week of the season. The Mets took their weekend series from AL West leading Texas and have broken out for 36 runs scored in their last three games.

New York still trails the Wild Card-leading Braves by five games, but continues to chip away with its surprising starting pitching, recent offensive outburst and Reyes' other worldly play.

Through 79 games, the Mets' dynamic shortstop is undoubtedly your National League MVP. Sure, guys like Los Angeles' Matt Kemp and Milwaukee's Prince Fielder are having tremendous seasons. But while both sluggers are driving in runs and hitting over .300, Reyes does so much more.

He is a prototypical leadoff hitter, as dynamic as he is exciting, who's getting on base at a career rate (.394) and hitting nearly 60 percentage points above his career average. It's the stolen bases, the runs scored, the multiple-hit games that sets him apart from other MVP caliber players.

Reyes hasn't started an All-Star Game since 2007. With voting coming to a close on Thursday, Reyes may very well overtake Tulowitzki and hear his name called in the starting lineup of the Midsummer Classic next month.

More importantly, if he continues at his current rate, Reyes may hear his name called again at the end of the season -- as the league's MVP.

MetLife Stadium? How about First Responders Field

New Meadowlands Stadium may soon be renamed MetLife Stadium.

New Meadowlands Stadium, the state of the art home of the New York Giants and Jets, is perhaps the preeminent venue in the NFL. With four massive high definition video screens, high tech LED lights throughout and over 82,000 seats, the year-old stadium has it all. 

Well almost.

The facility, which will host Super Bowl XLVIII, lacks one crucial feature: a permanent name. That is until now -- or at least soon.

The insurance company MetLife may be drawing close to gaining full naming rights of New Meadowlands Stadium, as reported by the Sports Business Journal.

The potential deal could be worth between $17 million and $18 million annually. That sure is a load of cash and I completely understand why the business of lucrative naming rights is now a permanent fixture in the sports industry.

Of course I realize that there's no way two hugely successful businesses, like the Jets and Giants, could pass up nearly $20 million a year in sponsorship funds. But the teams missed a golden opportunity to pay tribute to a seminal event in American history and the brave men and women who answered the call on September 11th.

MetLife Stadium? No thank you. How about First Responders Field?

While Chicago has Soldier Field, New York could have a stadium dedicated to the many fire fighters, police officers and rescue workers who risked and gave their lives at Ground Zero on September 11th.

Or how about September 11th Memorial Stadium? No it's not flashy or catchy, but naming the building after the first responders and/or 9/11 victims would be the ultimate form of respect.

This season (assuming there is one) opens with the Jets hosting the Cowboys on Sunday night on the 10th anniversary of September 11th. There's no doubt it will be an emotionally charged day across the NFL, but here in the New York/New Jersey area it will be even more poignant.

September 11th was one of the darkest days in the country's history, but for those here in the New York area, it cut deep and hit home.

Sure, I know my proposal will never take hold, because it's all about money. But I can't help feeling that such a decision shouldn't be about how many zeros are at the end of a check.

It should be about doing the right thing.

Vancouver riots show darkest side of sports

Ian Lindsay/Postmedia News Service

Vancouver has been transformed into a war zone following the violent riots that broke out after the

Canucks lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals last night.

When I said that the Vancouver Canucks fans would tear the city apart if their team lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals, I didn't envision the carnage that thousands of angry rioters would unleash on streets of the city.

Cars, burned. Stores, smashed and looted. People, hanging from traffic lights. Rioters, clashing with overwhelmed police forces.

The scene seems like it was plucked right from an urban war zone in the Middle East, not from the aftermath of a sporting event. But that's the reality of what we've witnessed in Vancouver since the Bruins won the Stanley Cup last night. All hell broke loose.

In the eyes of the most ardent of fans, the Canucks' defeat in the Stanley Cup finals must feel like nothing short of a tragedy. I've been there. The Mets have given me plenty to be angry at over the past six years, but you don't see Queens burning the way Vancouver has been ignited.

But unlike real life, there are very few examples of true tragedy in sports. A game can never be a matter of life and death. If it was, it wouldn't be a game.

But sometimes out of sports, fanatical fans and their reactions can produce real life tragedy. Take San Francisco Giants fan Brian Stow for example. All he did was support his team by going to see his Giants play the Dodgers in Los Angeles on opening day this year. After the game, he was beaten senselessly and left for dead in the parking lot. He remains in a coma.

Rich Lam/Getty Images

Now, we have another case of sports fans taking their sports too seriously, going too far.

After the Canucks lost to the Rangers in seven games in the Stanley Cup finals in 1994, the city witnessed similar riots, but not to the extent of what came to pass last night. Over 150 people have been hospitalized, some even with stab wounds. One man remains in critical condition, after falling in the riots.

Ultimately, at the core being a fan of a team is all about pride. Canadian hockey fans are some of the most loyal and dedicated sports fans out there. But when you act as the Canucks fans have acted; when you take it to the n'th degree, as they did last night, you forfeit that pride and exchange your fan card for something much darker.

You bring shame not only to the organization you root for, but to your city as a whole.

Maybe the reasoning (if any) behind such behavior is to take the attention off the painful loss that your team has suffered.

Instead of talking about Roberto Luongo and the Canucks' implosion in the Stanley Cup finals, we're talking about an entire city's implosion.

But is that really any better?

Poppin' Bottles: Bruins win first Cup in 39 years

The Boston Bruins celebrated their first Stanley Cup in 39 years last night.

ESPN's Barry Melrose once said that the great thing about ice hockey is that "will beats skill."

I heard Melrose coin that phrase on a Sportscenter broadcast several years ago, and it's stuck with me ever since. More so than any other sport, the effort, determination and will of a hockey team can, and usually do, overcome the shear talent of another.

Melrose's saying rang true once again this year, as the Boston Bruins defeated the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals last night, 4-0, to claim their first Cup since the days of Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito.

In the interest of full disclosure, I only caught the first half of the game, as I had my weekly Wednesday night men's hockey game (another 6-5 victory, in case you're keeping track) to play in. I will defend myself by saying, if there's one viable excuse for missing Game 7 of the Cup finals, it's your own hockey game.

Anyway, after our game we headed to our usual post-game watering hole and caught the highlights and Cup presentation. I was kicking myself, because I was close to posting a little Game 7 preview yesterday, in which I would make my bold prediction that the Bruins -- yes the road team -- would pull an '09 Penguins and win Game 7 on the road.

You're probably thinking, "Yeah, whatever dude. Keep pretending you know what you're talking about."

To which I'd say, you're right. I really don't know what I'm talking about. But I'll tell you what I do know:

Throughout these Stanley Cup finals, I watched a supremely talented team in the Canucks outworked, out-hit and out-hustled by one of the grittiest and nastiest hockey teams I've seen, the Bruins.

Roberto Luongo will forever be remembered for his choke job in 
these Stanley Cup Finals. 

Make no mistake. I'm not some front-running sports clown. It pains me to see yet another Boston sports team win a title, tightening the city's stranglehold on the Title Town, USA championship belt. But I do admire how the Bruins won their first Cup in 39 years and the brand of hockey they exhibited.

As skilled as Vancouver was as a team, the Bruins exposed the Canucks with their physicality and energy, not to mention a serious take-no-mess-from-no-one attitude.

Sure, the Bruins won the Cup on Canucks' sheet of ice, but this series was over Monday night in Boston, when the B's once again knocked embattled Vancouver goalie Robert Luongo out of the game with three first period goals (on just eight shots). The Bruins would take Game 6, 5-2.

With the Cup on the line in Game 6 -- what would have been the Canucks' first championship in its 41-year existence -- Luongo & Co. laid a complete egg in Beantown. No team had won a road game this series until last night, so I guess that made it OK for the Canucks to mail in Game 6, right? Well, that was all the daylight that the blue collar Bruins needed and they sure took advantage, winning their first Cup since 1972.

Despite two shutouts this series, Luongo's Stanley Cup meltdown (17 goals allowed) made LeBron James look like a prime time performer in the fourth quarter of the NBA Finals. Forget the curious comments he made about Bruins goalie Tim Thomas, Luongo's topsy turvy play throughout these finals will be remembered for all the wrong reasons for some time.

But enough about the Canucks. It was the Bruins who won, after all. If Luongo was the ultimate goat of this series, his counterpart, Thomas, was the hero. Unlike Luongo, Thomas was stellar even in Boston's three defeats and turned in two shutouts of his own. He even set an NHL record for most saves in the  Stanley Cup finals (238).

Perhaps the coolest part of Thomas' Stanley Cup finals performance was that he became only the second American-born player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy -- the first since my guy Brian Leetch won the award with the Rangers back in 1994.

Tim Thomas made USA Hockey fans proud, becoming only

the second American to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.

How about Bruins rookie Brad Marchand? When this guy wasn't yoking up the Canucks' Daniel Sedin, he kept busy ripping twine on Luongo. Marchand had an absolute breakout series with five goals, including two in Game 7.

Or how about the job that Boston's top defensive pairing Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg did on the Sedin twins, as they limited the Swedish brothers to just two goals combined.

But beyond the match-ups, x's and o's and on-ice strategies, this series came down to differing styles and attitudes. The Bruins were bigger, tougher and meaner than the Canucks -- and both teams knew it. Aaron Rome's blindsided hit on Nathan Horton proved to be the wake-up call the Bruins needed. From that point on in Game 3, the Bruins looked like a team out for blood.

And they found it.

While I wasn't around to watch the Broad Street Bullies terrorize the NHL in the 1970s, this Bruins team seemed to play with some of that old-school nastiness that those Flyers teams are remembered for.

On paper, the star-laden, Presidents Trophy-winning Canucks had the clear talent advantage. But Boston showed that there's more to hockey than just talent. Attitude, physicality and energy can be more important than physical skill.

No, the Stanley Cup finals don't always play out like they did this year. But these finals remind us that hockey is played on a sheet of ice, not a sheet of paper.

Stephen Colbert joins Heat-Hater Nation

I promise I will try to move on from the NBA Finals and begin to write about all else that is going on in the world of sports, but to the victors go the spoils, right? Well in this case, the spoils may very well be continuing to crush LeBron James and the Heat.

I mean even Montclair, New Jersery's very own Stephen Colbert got in on the LeBron-bashing action with a tremendous segment on Monday's episode of "The Colbert Report."

After LeBron's attempt to remind us Heat haters that our lives apparently suck and are meaningless, my guy Colbert broke it down for The King.

Enjoy!

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Putting a wrap on the NBA Finals

I can't say enough about this year's NBA Finals and just how much I enjoyed watching them. In fact, I can't remember a more appealing and enthralling series with the story lines that we had in this year's Finals. This had to be my favorite NBA championship series that I can recall.

It wasn't just the presence of LeBron James and the Heat, or Dirk's quest for redemption, or how every game seemingly went down to the wire. It was the sum of its parts that made the Finals this year such a spectacle and so much fun to watch.

So to recap the series that was, I wanted to recognize the roles that certain players filled by handing some awards/accolades that I assure you are NBA-approved and sanctioned. 

‎

The Guy

Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk Nowitzki was named NBA Finals

MVP, not to mention "The Guy" of the

Finals by some nitwit blogger.

At the onset of these Finals I wrote that if Dallas is to win this year's title, Dirk will do something that LeBron didn't have the shoulders to do in Cleveland -- lead a team to a championship. Sure enough, that's exactly what the 7-footer did. 

If the team-oriented Mavericks were the perfect foil to the star-laden Heat, Dirk showed he's the ying to LeBron's yang. Dirk didn't need to ride shotgun with another superstar -- he just needed a back seat full of reliable players like Jason Terry and Shawn Marion. Dirk showed he can be 'The Guy,' which is something LeBron couldn't do in Cleveland, and an opportunity he forfeited by signing with Miami.

Dirk could have left Dallas this past summer, but he opted to show loyalty to the team, organization and city that showed him so much of the same the previous 12 years. 

While LeBron tried to take a shortcut, Dirk proved that taking the long road is well worth it. Along with Terry, Nowitzki suffered a painful collapse to the Heat in the 2006 Finals, for which he drew all types of criticism. That criticism reached a fever pitch after his top-seeded Mavericks were upset in the first round of the playoffs by the eighth-seeded Warriors in 2007.

But even after averaging 26 points per game against LeBron and the Heat, Dirk truly made his mark in the fourth quarter. The German power forward scored over 10 points per fourth quarter, including two game-winners. After struggling mightily in the first half (1-12) last night, he scored eight points in the third quarter and then 10 in the final frame to close out the Heat.

And as the final seconds ticked off the Mavericks' decisive Game 6 victory and as his teammates began their celebration, Nowitzki B-lined it off the court . Where was he going? Pulling a Herb Brooks (2:30) and taking a quiet moment for himself deep inside AmericanAirlines Arena. 

Dirk said he's never been concerned with legacy, and after his performance in these NBA Finals, his legacy will surely take care of itself.  

The Guts 

Jason Terry

Jason Terry was played a huge role in coming 

off the bench and lighting up the Heat for 27 points 

in Game 6.

Listed at 180 pounds, I'm convinced that a solid percentage of Jason Terry's body weight -- excuse the crude reference -- is in this guy's balls. Terry put on one of the gutsiest performances in recent memory, starting with his bold decision to chirp LeBron James and question whether he could guard him for seven games. 

Yours truly scoffed at Terry's brash statement. Was this dude really calling out the guy that had shut him down in Dallas' two defeats? But sure enough, Terry knew what he was doing. From that point on, "The Jet" played like a man possessed. He poured in 17, 21, and 27 points in the final three games of this series, respectively.

But how could he not play at that level? Especially after having the likeness of the Larry O'Brien Trophy inked up on his right biceps back in October. 

And after I called his Game 5 performance the signature game of his career, he was an absolute assassin in Game 6, scoring 27 points on 11-16 shooting. Cold blooded.

More importantly, Terry carried the Mavericks with 19 points in the first half last night, as Dirk was marred in a 1-12 slump. "The big fella was struggling but he had his sidekick right there with him."

Sidekick? Yes, maybe so. Gamer? Absolutely.

The Goat

LeBron James

Unfortunately, for LeBron James his post-game

press conference won't be the only time his late-

game struggles will be called into question.

Perhaps I've gone soft -- now that Dirk has his title and the Miami Heat's reign over the NBA has been delayed at least a year -- but I almost don't want to crush LeBron as I've been doing so passionately since the start of these Finals.

Right as I'm teetering on the edge of sensitivity, I just cue up tape of "The Decision," or the Heat's obscenely lavish coronation last July or the footage of "Cough Gate," and I'm right back to enjoying my ice cold LeBron/Heat flavored Haterade.

As William C. Rhoden of The New York Times writes, "Superstars can talk all they want about not being obsessed with rings and championships. Don’t believe them. There’s nothing worse than ending a stellar career without one. It’s a haunting gap in any superstar’s resume — one that Nowitzki and Kidd have filled."

So LeBron spurned the entire city of Cleveland for the chance to play with super stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. With the Heat, LeBron figured he'd have the best chance to win multiple titles and forever cement his legacy. 

Even with Wade and Bosh at his side, James' late game play plummeted to a level that we've never seen it dive. And for the next four-plus months, LeBron will face questions and criticism for these late-game struggles. Taking absolutely nothing away from the Mavericks, who proved they were the better team in nearly every facet, LeBron has to take the brunt of the blame for why the Heat did not get it done this year.

The Turning Point

Mavs' 15-point comeback in Game 2

You can make an argument for any number of huge moments when the tide of this series appeared to change, but you'd be hard-pressed to argue against the Mavericks' miraculous 15-point comeback in fourth quarter of Game 2. The Finals appeared as if they were already over when the Heat, leading 1-0, opened up its huge fourth-quarter lead in Game 2. But Dirk & Co. rallied for one of the greatest comebacks in NBA Finals history, capped off by Nowitzki's game-winning drive to the basket.

The Unsung Hero 

How can I possibly chose one?

Seriously, I can't possibly deem only one Maverick the 'Unsung Hero' of the NBA Finals. Quite frankly, the Mavericks as a team are chalk full of these types of players. Jason Kidd, who scored in double digits only once this series, did so much of the dirty work -- rebounding, D'ing up just about any Miami Heat player on the floor, etc. -- that led to this championship. Or how about Shawn Marion, who did a great job guarding LeBron James and once again proved why he's known as "The Matrix."

I'm not sure J.J. Barea even qualifies as an unsung hero, after such a breakout post-season, but following the point guard's insertion into the starting lineup for Game 3, the Mavericks didn't lose a game. Let's not forget about the Dallas bench, led by Terry, outscored Miami's bench by six points per game, including 40-23 in Game 6.

The Mavericks seemingly got contributions from everyone on their roster, even 24-year-old Frenchman Ian Mahinmi, who chipped in with two big baskets last night. While the Heat were fueled by star power, the Mavericks' greatest strength lay in their depth.

Mavericks slay Heat to win NBA Championship

Dirk Nowitzki finally got the chance to

hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

So was that as good for you as it was for me?

The Dallas Mavericks won their first NBA Championship in franchise history last night, beating the Miami Heat 105-95 in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

Not since the New York Giants beat the undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII have I rooted for a team (not my own) as vehemently as I rooted for the Dallas Mavericks to beat the Miami Heat in this year's Finals.

Despite joining forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh back in July, LeBron James was once again denied that elusive championship -- the title he bolted from Cleveland to win in South Beach.

Yes, the majority of basketball fans out there were pulling for the Heat to lose. But for me, it wasn't all about the Heat going down. Even as a Knicks fan, it was simply tremendous to see the Mavericks win their first title in the manner in which they did.

To see Nowitzki, a sure fire Hall of Famer, get his first ring and shed the memory of an NBA Finals collapse back in 2006 was great. To see his teammate, Jason Terry, go absolutely bonkers throughout this series was the height of entertainment. Perhaps above all else, watching Jason Kidd validate his Hall of Fame credentials and finally win a championship after 17 seasons as a premier maestro at the point guard position was really special.

But most of all, this year's Finals provided us with a truly memorable match-up. I went as far to call it a Good Guys vs. Bad Guys series, with LeBron and Wade reprising the roles of villains, while Dirk & Co. were cast as super heroes.

Ultimately though, Dallas will be remembered as a team built on the intangibles of heart, grit, poise and togetherness. Most importantly, the Mavericks were a true embodiment of the word 'team.'

The Heat, which formed in the most inorganic and contrived of manners, are built on star power. The Mavericks are built on will power. You saw that will power throughout the series, as the Mavericks continually answered the bell in the fourth quarter. Miami, on the other hand, with all its star power, repeatedly withered in the biggest of moments.

As we have officially entered era of NBA super teams made up of super stars, it sure was fun to watch a consummate team beat the likes of the star-driven Heat and win the NBA Championship

I'll be posting plenty more on the NBA Finals tomorrow. For now, I'm off for some much-needed sleep.

One thing is certain though: the nightmare of the Heat winning the NBA Championship is not one I'll be having tonight.

NBA Finals now have Cough-Gate

Dwyane Wade and LeBron James mocking Dirk Nowitzki yesterday before Game 5.

Just hours before Game 1 of the World Series in 2000, played between the Mets and Yankees, I nervously asked my dad whether our Mets were going to win.

"If there's a God in heaven, the Mets will win," he told me.

Well, we all know that series didn't turn out so well for us Mets fans. In fact, I'm still convinced my Dad ticked off the wrong guy upstairs by saying that, but at the risk of sounding hyperbolic, I'm left feeling the same way about these NBA Finals between the Mavericks and Heat.

As if the series, which the Mavs lead 3-2, needed to amp up its Good Guys vs. Bad Guys dynamic any more, I have no choice but to take it to a whole level following the video that surfaced just this afternoon.

The footage shows LeBron James and Dwyane Wade mocking Dirk Nowitzki by playfully pretending to cough while covering their mouths as they walked out of AmericanAirlines Arena in Dallas following yesterday's shoot around before Game 5.

Clearly a dig at Nowitzki, who played through a sinus infection and 101-degree fever in Game 4, the video elevates LeBron and D-Wade to a new stratosphere of supervillains.

“Did y’all hear me cough?” Wade said on the video. “Do you think I’m sick?”

So I guess Dirk was faking his sickness or at least embellishing it, right? I don't think so. I guess LeBron and D-Wade missed Dirk's post-game press conference. Heck, I thought I was going to catch something from just watching him on TV.

In the span of about an hour, I've gone from passionately rooting for the Mavericks (not just for the Heat to lose), to obsessively NEEDING the Mavericks to win (and the Heat to lose).

Dirk Nowitzki clearly faking it here.

No, Dirk's 21-point performance in Game 4 wasn't Michael Jordan's "Sick Game," in which he scored 38 points while battling the flu, but Dirk showed a toughness in Game 4 that few thought he had prior to these Finals.

Above all else, the footage shows what the Heat, or at least James and Wade, are all about -- pomp and showmanship. They insist on being the center of attention, for better or for worse.

They see the cameras in front of them. They know Dirk and the Mavericks are going to see the footage, but they're just doing what they've always done since joining forces -- saying and doing stupid things.

Maybe they were trying to channel their inner Jason Terry, who popped off at the mouth following Game 3 but then backed it up in Games 4 and 5.

Either way, I think justice has been doled out, at least for now. Wade injured his hip in last night's game and James continues to flounder in his fourth-quarter neurosis.

What's that called again? That's right, karma.

Maybe next game Dirk should go out in the fourth quarter and chuck up brick after brick and then toss some mysterious powder on the court and magically disappear. That'd be a pretty creative way to mock LeBron, don't you think?

But that's not Dirk. He's not that guy. He's the guy that's one win away from winning the championship that has eluded him for 13 years and I'm sure that's all he cares about.

If the Mavericks can close out the series come Sunday, that should be plenty revenge for Dirk. Then again, who needs revenge when you have a championship ring?

Terry, Mavs have what it takes. LeBron? Not so much.

Jason Terry brought "The Jet" out of the hanger during last night's Game 5, a 112-103 

Mavericks victory. Dallas leads the series 3-2, as it heads back to Miami.

The Miami Heat may have three superstars, but the Dallas Mavericks possess an even more valuable commodity -- fourth-quarter closers.

The Mavericks once again showed their championship grit last night, as the triumvirate of Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry and Jason Kidd delivered a host of clutch baskets down the stretch of a rousing 112-103 victory in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

Terry and Co. closed out the game with a 17-4 run, which included his cold-blooded 3-pointer over LeBron James to put the Mavs up 108-101. Terry, who scored eight points in the final frame, poured in 21 points in 30 minutes of work. Nowitzki scored a game-high 29, including eight in the fourth quarter.

With 10:02 remaining Dallas led 90-83, but soon found itself down by four points after an explosive 16-5 Heat run at the 4:37 mark. At the time, I tweeted that Miami was making its move and that it was "winning time."

Little did I know that it was Dallas that would be making its move, not Miami. The Mavericks countered with yet another fourth quarter surge, scoring 17 of the last 21 points to move one win away from their first NBA Championship.

Trailing 100-97, Terry knocked down the first of his two fourth-quarter triples. Following a LeBron James miss, Terry then found Nowitzki streaking along the baseline past Chris Bosh for a two-handed slam that electrified the crowd.

The bucket not only energized the fans, but it gave the Mavs a lead they would not relinquish. And after scoring zero points in a Game 4 win, Kidd followed suit with a huge 3-pointer with 1:25 remaining.  

(I'm a big Jason Kidd fan but earlier in the game I told my dad that the 38-year-old Kidd just can't shoot the ball like he used to. Then again, Kidd, like Terry and Nowitzki, is a gamer).

So while Terry was swishing 3-point daggers and doing the Jet; and while Dirk was being Dirk; and while Kidd was proving the Old Man has a little left in that tank of his -- where was LeBron?

.

He was pulling what's becoming his customary fourth-quarter Houdini act and disappearing in crunch time. Despite four assists, LeBron had only two points (1-4 shooting) in the fourth quarter -- the fourth game in a row The King has scored two points or less in the final stanza

Sure, he had a triple-double (17 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists), but just two points in the most critical phase of the game just isn't going to cut it. In fact, James has only 11 points TOTAL in five fourth quarters this series.

LeBron James' fourth-quarter struggles continued in Game 5. 

But to focus solely on LeBron's enigmatic struggles in the fourth quarter of games, is to sell the Mavericks short. Take Terry for instance. After going 0-4 in the fourth quarter of a Game 3 loss, Terry took some criticism from a Nowitzki desperately searching for some offensive assistance.

But instead of ripping Dirk or deflecting the comments, what did Terry do? He called out the man who had shut him down -- LeBron James.

"Let's see if [James] can defend me like that for seven games," he said.

It turns out Terry may have been right to question whether LeBron could hang with him for seven games, because the self-proclaimed "Jet" is flying way above James right now. Terry backed up his remarks with 17 points in Game 4 and perhaps his gutsiest shooting performance of his career last night.

But Terry's comments shouldn't be chalked up as mere trash talk. No, they carry far more weight. Terry's brash proclamation and how he's responded are emblematic of Dallas' ability to rise to the occasion as a team in these NBA Finals -- something LeBron hasn't been able to do.

So while the Heat live and die with their three superstars, the Mavericks will continue to rely on a less tangible asset -- guts.

Just watch the 180-pound Jason Terry do his thing in the fourth quarter, you'll see what I'm talking about.

Bruins even Stanley Cup Finals at two games apiece

Boston Bruins' Tim Thomas throwin' down with Alex Burrows

of the Canucks in Game 4 last night. Thomas posted his third

 shutout of the postseason, a 4-0 Bruins win.

Following his team's overtime loss in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals, Boston Bruins coach Claude Julien sat stoically at the podium and calmly answered questions from the media, despite the 0-2 hole that his team faced.

Julien pointed to the first round matchup against the Canadiens, when his Bruins erased a 0-2 series deficit and won in seven games -- surely a signature moment for a Boston team that's now proving its championship mettle.

I guess the composure that Boston's head man showed in his press conference was no front, because with another dominating performance from his Bruins -- a 4-0 drubbing of the Canucks in Game 4 -- the Stanley Cup Finals are suddenly knotted up at two games apiece.

It would appear that the two teams are heading in opposite directions, and that especially rings true for both Vezina-nominated goaltenders.

Boston's Tim Thomas has been nothing short of spectacular these Cup Finals, having allowed only five goals against through the first four games. Last night,  he stopped all 37 shots he faced to post his third shutout of the postseason and is sporting a pristine 2.11 goals against average in the playoffs. Even in the games the Bruins lost, Thomas allowed only four goals against.

Vancouver's goaltending situation on the other hand is in flux. Roberto Luongo, who is also nominated as the league's top goaltender, has been embarrassed in the two games played in Bean Town. After surrendering only two goals in Games 1 and 2, Luongo has given up 12 tallies the past two games.

Vancouver's Roberto Luongo was pulled from
last night's game after allowing all four goals. 

Boston has lit the lamp so many times against Luongo in TD Garden, I wouldn't be surprised if he's got a nasty sun burn on the back of his neck to go along with his rising goals against average.

Luongo, who allowed all four goals last night on 38 shots, was pulled from last night's game for backup Cory Schneider. That wasn't the first time this postseason that Canucks coach Alain Vigneault has opted to yank the veteran netminder. Luongo was benched after allowing 10 goals (on just 40 shots) in two straight losses to the Blackhawks in the first round of the playoffs, as the Canucks saw its 3-0 series lead cut to 3-2. Luongo responded brilliantly though, as he allowed just one goal on 32 shots in Vancouver's emotional Game 7 victory.

So where does this leave us as the series heads back to British Columbia for the all important Game 5? The Bruins appear to have ALL of the momentum right now, and rightfully so. They lost the first two games by the slimmest of margins, as Game 1 was decided in the final minute and with Game 2 going to overtime. Their victories -- 8-1 and 4-0 -- have been far less dramatic, to say the least.

But I'm not going to count the Canucks out just yet. Perhaps some home cooking back in Pacific Northwest is what the Presidents' Trophy winning team needs to find itself once again. Remember, Vancouver nearly coughed up that 3-0 series lead it had on Chicago, but prevailed with a resurgent Luongo in net. I look for Luongo to bounce back on home ice.

A Sedin twins sighting may help as well. Boston has put the clamps on the talented Swedish forwards, as Henrik has zero points in these Finals and a -2 rating, while his brother, Daniel, has only two points and a -1 rating. They'll need to get going if Vancouver is going to win its first Cup in franchise history.

In a slightly less-anticipated game, played on a slightly smaller stage, my men's hockey team erased a 5-1 second period deficit last night to win 6-5, proving that wild finishes are another part of this sport.

Which begs the question: What type of a finish will we see to these Stanley Cup Finals?

Bruins lose Horton, then pummel Canucks in Game 3

The Bruins celebrate during their Game 3 massacre of the
Canucks

If the Boston Bruins are to erase the 2-0 series deficit they once faced against the Vancouver Canucks and win the Stanley Cup, we'll trace the team's resurgence back to the 5:07 mark of the first period in Game 3.

Bruins forward Nathan Horton was drilled by Canucks defenseman Aaron Rome after passing the puck to Milan Lucic, and lay motionless on the ice after absorbing the late, blindsided hit.

Rome was assessed a game misconduct and sent to the showers, as Horton was ushered off the ice on a stretcher and taken to the hospital. Horton, who remains hospitalized, will miss the rest of the series with a concussion. Rome has been suspended the remainder of the series as well.

The Bruins responded to the frightening moment by pounding the Canucks into submission in an overwhelming 8-1 win.


As I was watching the devastating hit live, I thought back to Game 6 of the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals, between the Devils and the (then named) Mighty Ducks. Devils defenseman Scott Stevens, who made a career out of feasting on unsuspecting forwards, delivered a similar late hit on Ducks captain Paul Kariya.

Kariya, who appeared to be knocked unconscious for a moment, suddenly came to and was helped off the ice. It was assumed the Ducks star was done for the game, having sustained such a brutal hit. But Kariya came back only minutes later and delivered the Ducks next goal -- an inspiring slap shot that beat Devils' goalie Martin Brodeur.



The Ducks won the game 5-2, but would lose Game 7. Despite losing the series, Kariya's heroics are one of the more indelible images of recent Cup Finals and while I watched Horton nearly decapitated by Rome, I wondered how the Bruins would respond.

They left no doubt.

“I think it definitely made us realize that we all needed to pick it up and step up for him,’’ Daniel Paille told The Boston Globe after the game. “He’s been great for us all playoffs. Obviously, to lose him at this point hurts us. It was nice to see us all come out.’’

After only scratching out two goals in the Games 1 and 2, the B's eight-goal output, which included two shorthanded goals, was their best offensive performance of this postseason. But perhaps more startling than the Bruins' muscle flexing was how quickly the Canucks folded in Game 3.

And the Bruins surely had something to do with that.

Known as a physical, blue collar organization, the B's out-hit the Western Conference champions, 40-31. Heck even their amiable goalie Tim Thomas got into the action, as he clocked Henrik Sedin when the Canucks star skated through his crease.

Yes, the Bruins lost one of their best forwards in Horton (17 points, eight goals in playoffs) for the rest of these Cup Finals, but they may have gained the spark they so desperately needed.

Suddenly this series feels a whole lot different than it did on Saturday night, after the Canucks took a 2-0 lead. How can it not following such a steamrolling?

Sure, the Canucks still have a 2-1 series lead, but I have sneaking suspicion that Rome's dirty hit may have awoken a sleeping giant.

With Donnie out, Knicks' future suddenly looks cloudy

I've had some 48 hours to digest the news of Donnie Walsh's resignation from his post as general manager and president of the Knicks.

Donnie Walsh, left, with Knicks owner James Dolan.

Walsh's departure shocked Knicks fans, the media and the basketball world, alike. Most of all, the stability that Walsh brought back to the Garden has faded some since his resignation.

The franchise, which spent the 10 years prior to his arrival floundering in losing and dysfunction, once again plunges into the unknown.

Yes, the foundation for success is in place. Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony have re-energized the franchise and will make the Knicks, if nothing else, competitive for years to come.

But remember, it was Walsh who got the Knicks to this point of respectability. In three seasons, Walsh cleaned up the mess that was left by former GM and president Isiah Thomas, purging the roster of bad contracts that he had doled out. Sure, the team's play suffered during those first two years under Walsh, but it was his aggressive slicing and dicing that enabled the organization to get under the cap and procure the likes of Stat 'n' Melo.

At 70 years old, Walsh cited his age, a lack of energy and his reluctance to sign a long-term deal as the reasons for his resignation. But we all know that's just Donnie being the class act he's known to be. He'd never throw his owner James Dolan under the bus by telling the world how things really work at the Garden.

It was widely reported that Dolan wanted Walsh to take a 40 percent pay cut and wouldn't give him the autonomy to make basketball decisions freely, which Walsh wanted guaranteed. It was the point of control that proved to be a deal breaker, according to the New York Times..

Knicks beat writer Howard Beck writes: "In February, Dolan commandeered negotiations in the Carmelo Anthony trade and pushed the deal through despite Walsh's concerns. Walsh had taken a conservative approach and was opposed to giving up as many players and draft picks as Dolan ultimately did in the deal with Denver"

Now with Walsh out, who will guide the Knicks into this next, all important phase?

It's likely the Knicks will look in-house for Walsh's replacement, perhaps tapping former star and current front office assistant Alan Houston. But with Dolan running the show, who knows what direction the Knicks will go. And what will it mean for coach Mike D'Antoni, who has one year left on his four-year, $24 million deal? The future of the offensive-minded coach is suddenly clouded as well.

If it were only about basketball decisions and winning championships (something the Knicks haven't done since 1973),  Dolan would have swallowed his pride and given Walsh the autonomy he coveted. Sure, in professional sports organizations, the power ultimately flows from the owner. No general manager ever has final say over the guy who owns the team.

But Dolan missed the chance to finally step back and let savvy basketball people like Walsh -- a consummate professional, a basketball lifer -- run the show at this all important juncture. Instead, he opts to keep Isiah Thomas in his ear and run the Garden like a political machine, as Mike Lupica wrote in today's Daily News. 

Once again, uncertainty surrounds the short-term health of the franchise. Now at critical moment as the Knicks look to take that next step -- a very important next step -- who knows who will be the man to lead the way.

All I know is that the right man for the job just walked out the door and Dolan was holding it wide open.