Can I start by saying I’m not a hater…

I am a realist.

Which in short terms mean “I keep it real”It’s Monday morning & the NBA is on fire, the Magic lead the Cavs 2-1 & the Lakers lead the Nuggets 2-1.  This weekend we witnessed 3 playoff games that could have easily went in favor of the losing teams. We’ve seen clutch moments from all of the stars Kobe, Hedo, Melo, Chauncey, D. Howard, Rashard, & of course LBJ’s buzzer beater on Friday night.

It was a good shot, but not as great as many are making it out to be. Sure it won game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals but that’s it… So many of my colleagues & sports fans alike are always looking for the next Jordan so much that they are willing to overlook much of MJ’s career & accomplishments to put someone on his level.

Sorry folks that ain’t happening!

We want another MJ so bad that every year we are claiming someone to be the next Jordan and of course much like Jesus Christ, we still haven’t seen the second coming of MJ.

Remember Harold Minor a.k.a. Baby Jordan… What a bust!

Vince Carter… Yeah right.

What about Penny Hardaway?

T-Mac?

And then we have the MVP’s the Most Valuable Puppets… Kobe & LeBron.Sure Kobe & MJ have some things in common. Both won multiple NBA championships with the great Phil Jackson as head coach, NBA MVP’s,  & much like Jordan, Kobe is one of the greatest scorers in the history of the game. MJ just happens to have 3 more rings than Kobe so that pretty much eliminates him.

For now anyway…

LBJ, Bron Bron, Big Game James or whatever you wanna call him is no Michael Jordan. I really don’t care if his buzzer beater Friday was from the other end of the court all it did was win game 2. Most of my colleagues are calling Friday’s shot the defining moment in LBJ’s career. I’m sorry if someone told me that out of all the shots I’ve made in my career that was the defining moment, I would fear my career was near the end. Many are comparing the game 2 winning shot to the shot MJ made over Craig Ehlo in 1989.

Well folks I’ve got some bad news…

No matter had how much Cavs’ fans want to erase the Jordan-Ehlo shot you can’t. LBJ’s shot on Friday was just a game 2 winner. The shot over Ehlo was to advance to the next round of the playoffs. Even though it was only the first round, that shot was a defining moment for MJ.

Wow. Now that I think about it that was 20 years ago.

So I all fairness to the guys can we at least wait until their careers are over before we start associating them with GREATNESS…

Oh. By the way Cavs’ fans LBJ is six rings away from true greatness.

Think about it…

It’s just something else to chew on with your Memorial Day BBQ.

I am Rob Calloway & I am the Mad Sports Fan.

Email me: madsportsfan@gmail.com

Is it me or are we possibly witnessing the best playoff match-ups in years?

There have been 3 games played between the East & West and so far each game has come down to the final seconds. Last nights game 2 of the Western Conference finals ended much like game 1 except for the Lakers were on the losing end. There was no Trevor Ariza intercepting the inbounds instead it was the Nuggets Kenyon Martin getting the inbound pass scoring the game winning layup with 29 seconds left in regulation to give Denver the 106-103 win over the Lakers at Staples Center.

Looks like George Karl learned a lesson from game 1 when we took Billups out of the game and the Lakers went on a roll and eventually won game 1. As the general of this team Chauncey will have to be on the court just as much as Melo in order for the Nuggets to eliminate the Lakers.

Game 3 is Saturday in Denver at the Pepsi Center…

Meanwhile, what the hell is going on with Vitamin Water & ESPN acting as if Kobe & LeBron are already playing for the NBA championship? The Most Valuable Puppets commercials are a good but they probably should have waited until the Finals before rolling out these spots… I just feel like its total disrespect the other stars involved in the playoffs such as Melo, D Howard, K-Mart, & not to forget the 2004 Finals MVP Chauncey Billups.

Hey LeBron have you seen Chauncey’s Championship Ring?

So now that suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick has been released from prison in Leavenworth, Kansas he now heads down the road to redemption.  

Before any talks of playing football can Officially begin, Vick must finish the final two months of his 23-month federal sentence on dog fighting charges under house arrest in Hampton, Virginia.  As part of his probation, Vick will work for a construction company earning $10.00 an hour.

It’s kind of funny that in the years since Mike’s conviction the ”Wildcat” formation has become the new IN thing… I posted in this very website a couple of days again that the best way to reintroduce Vick to the game is for a team to make him their “Wildcat” QB.

Could you imagine Vick coming in for the Patriots, Seahawks, or Raiders?

Why these three teams?

Well if you remember it was last season that the Patriots gave up 5 touchdowns on six plays versus the Dolphins. Everyone know Pats coach Bill Belichick hates to lose and adding Vick to run the Wildcat behind Tom Brady would be the ultimate payback against the Dolphins.

As for the Raiders, they are built for speed. That’s the one thing Al Davis knows. The Raiders actually tried to run the Wildcat several times with RB Darren McFadden but it never really worked out.

Lastly, the Seahawks could be the ultimate destination. Under Seattle head coach Jim Mora, Vick was considered the biggest threat in the NFL. The Seattle Seahawks are going to need a QB, so why not Vick? Did I mention that his backfield would consist of two of his former RBs in Justin Griffith & T.J. Duckett? I saw Coach Mora on ESPN yesterday and when asked about Vick he had that steel look in his eyes that all Falcons’ fan remember.

The one advantage you have with Vick is that he has the ability to handle both options in the Wildcat running and throwing, plus he would give your offense a change of pace.

We can speculate all we want but the fact remains that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has the last word on when Michael Vick will return to the league. Goodell says he won’t talk to Vick about his return to the league until the legal process was over. 

Welcome Home MV7……

What goes around comes around… Or at least that’s what they say…

Former Atlanta Braves’ pitcher Jason Marquis led the Colorado Rockies to a 5-1 win, in the opener of a four-game series at Turner Field.  Marquis struck out three batters to improve to 5-and-3 on the season.  

Braves ace Derek Lowe allowed two runs on three hits over eight innings to fall to

5-and-2 on the season.  

The Braves have now lost two in a row.

 Jair Jurrjens (3-2) takes the mound for the Braves tonight versus Jason Hammel (0-2) first pitch is scheduled for 7:10pm.

Now this has got to be a first….

Vince McMahon’s WWE has the Pepsi Center, the home of the Denver Nuggets booked for its “Monday Night Raw” this coming Monday. 

Next Monday is also the night of Game Four when the Nuggets host the Lakers. 

WWE officials said the company has been holding the date since August of 2008.  

McMahon took a shot at Nuggets and Pepsi Center owner Stan Kroenke saying he “did not have enough faith” in the Nuggets to hold the May 25th date for a potential playoff game. 

I’m Rob Calloway & I am the Mad Sports Fan…

Email me: madsportsfan@gmail.com

It took a little time but the NBA conference finals are now set.

In the East Cleveland & Orlando are set to hook up Wednesday in Cleveland. This is going to be Cleveland’s only true test during the playoffs. I don’t see the talented Orlando Magic laying down for LBJ and crew. The Magic are bigger and better than the Cavs previous opponents in this years playoffs. In order for Cleveland to advance to the NBA finals LBJ will need his supporting cast to step up and on the flipside the Magic will have to run the offense through Howard more during the 4th quarter. Expect this one to go the distance.

After watching L.A. go 7 games with the STARLESS Houston Rockets, I’m convinced the Lakers aren’t about to win a championship of any sorts. Not only is Denver loaded with STAR POWER but they also out match the Lakers. The way that Denver has handled their business during the playoffs I don’t see them changing the game plan.
By taking the Lakers to 7 games, the Houston Rockets have showed that L.A. is very vulnerable. Denver wins this series hands down in 5…

QB available…. Maybe. 

Suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick gets out of prison this week.   

Now let the speculations begin… 

Who needs a backup QB? 

Wildcat QB perhaps? 

Who needs a punt or kick off returner? 

Cornerback maybe? 

Wideout? 

I know, I know it sounds silly but in all honesty there is no way you can turn your offense over to Vick as a starting QB right now. Think in these terms, MV7 was already having issues reading defenses and making key passes. So what do you think he would be like if you placed him back a starting QB after missing two seasons?  

If you look at the current Falcons’ roster, there are some holes the MV could plug. The Birds have a depleted secondary, a soft return game, & no solid QB to backup Matt Ryan. Without a doubt the Falcons could use his services but, the days of seeing Vick as an Atlanta Falcon are all but over.  

In my personal opinion what a team should do is trade for Vick, make him your backup and 3^rd string QB. For teams that are looking for a change of pace, such as running the Wildcat, Mike Vick would be a great addition to your team. The other option is to make him a punt & kickoff return specialist. NFL defenses had trouble catching him as a QB running out of the pocket, so just imagine him return kicks. WOW…

And then there were TWO…

Two teams at home chilling, waiting on their opponents whoever that may be…We all know how LBJ & the Cavs dismantled the Atlanta Hawks in four straight games but, what about the Denver Thuggets!

I mean Nuggets…lol… 

After that wild ending to Saturday’s game 3 in Dallas followed by all the trash talk by Mavs owner Mark Cuban, you kind of had the feeling that the Nuggets would eventually eliminate the Mavs. 

In pro sports you only have a hand full of players that can go into the ZONE and play at a higher level than their opponents and Melo is one of those guys. If you’ve watched this guy go from one year in college to the pros, you know what I’m talking about and last night was know different. Melo came out on fire last night, it seemed like he hit every shot he took on his way to a team high 30 points as Denver eliminated Dallas 124-110 in Denver.

For a team that hasn’t been to the conference finals since 1985, they seem to be ready for more than just the conference finals. I’m think 2009 NBA Finals. Seriously, based on their performance in the past two series do you honestly think L.A. or Houston can beat the Nuggets? Never thought in a million years that I would say this but, I’m rolling with Denver, out of the Western Conference anyway. Honestly, I have to wait until the Conference finals are over before I can make my championship prediction. 

That leads me to tonight’s match ups:

Doc Rivers’ Boston Celtics & the Orlando Magic hook up at 7:00pm. After all the complaining from D. Howard about not getting the ball in the 4th quarter of game 5 lets see if Coach Van Gundy changes his game plan.

And then we’ve got Kobe and the Lakers versus the Houston Rockets… Not sure which way this thing is gonna turn out. I’m hoping the Rockets get the best of L.A. because, I want this one to go 7, so that the Nuggets can get some much needed rest.

Tomorrow we’ll recap these two big games…

It’s very possible for Orlando & Houston’s seasons to be over TONIGHT…

I’m Rob Calloway & I am the Mad Sports Fan.

Email me:  madsportsfan at gmail.com

Professional sports are so funny to me….

The Hawks just completed their best season since the Dominique era & they are already having to decide what they are gonna do about the team.

Mike Bibby, Marvin Williams, & Zaza Pachulia are all about to become free agents. So now the BIG question is who’s leaving and who’s staying?

In my honest opinion all three of these guys have played very important roles in the Hawks transition from being the league’s worst to becoming actual contenders.

So let’s look at each player individually…

1. Mike Bibby – Many have said over the past few years that the Hawks were missing a true point guard. So we added the solid veteran guard. Although he probably had his best years in Sacramento, he proved to be a constant threat behind the arch. This will more than likely be Bibby’s last contract as an NBA player, you can expect him to tell the Hawks to “Show Him the Money” and you can expect the Hawks to show him the door.

2. Marvin Williams – Another very solid player for the Hawks. He was the ACC freshman of the year & six man of the year in his only season at UNC. True fans of the NBA remember that the Hawks passed on two great point guards in Deron Williams & Chris Paul in 2005.

3. ZaZa Pachulia – Well many also said the Hawks were a center away from being true contenders. The Hawks signed ZaZa in 2005 to fill that void however, it still hasn’t really panned out. I’m not as critical of ZaZa because we didn’t draft him, we acquired him from Orlando

So lets imagine that in 2005 the Hawks still drafted Marvin Williams but, the following year they drafted Brandon Roy or Rajon Rondo instead of Shelden Williams.

We would have the point guard we needed…

It’s easy to point the finger at Billy Knight for making some bad decisions but. You’ve gotta remember that it’s Billy that put together the team that we currently have. The Hawks bad draft day decisions goes back further the Atlanta Spirit, it goes back to the Stan Kasten days.

Bad draft day picks had become a culture for the franchise.

If we could do it all over again this is probably what the team would look like.
C- Andrew Bynum or Kendrick Perkins
PF- Al Horford
SF-Josh Smith
SG-Joe Johnson
PG-Brandon Roy or Rajon Rondo

LBJ scored 27 points last night as the Cavs defeated your Atlanta Hawks 84-74 at the Philips Arena, eliminating them in four straight games.

Just like that it’s over…

The Hawks season for what it was worth can be considered the most successful in over 10 years.

If you’re a Hawks fan you should hold your head high. Under Mike Woodson the Hawks have improved each year and if that remains true Atlanta should be in the Eastern Conference Finals next year.

I know it sounds crazy but it could happen…

The Hawks are one BIG man away from being a true contender.

If I were the Hawks this is the soon to be free agent that I would target…

The Dallas Mavericks live to see another day as they avoid the series sweep with a 119-117 win over the Nuggets in Game Four of their West semifinal in Dallas.

Denver leads 3-1 and hosts Game Five on Wednesday.

Honestly, I think they wanted to win Game 5 at home. After Saturday’s game I’m sure the Nuggets don’t want to celebrate a win with those folks in Dallas, let alone Mark Cuban.

Tonight the Orlando Magic look to take the series lead over the Boston Celtics in Boston tipoff set for 8:00pm
                  
And 10:30pm the Houston Rockets try to win another one in L.A.

Both series are tied at 2-2…

 I’m Rob Calloway & I am the Mad Sports Fan. Email me madsportsfan@gmail.com

Topps and Matt Ryan have announced plans to host the inaugural Topps Matt Ryan Football Clinic featuring Justin Blalock and Sam Baker. The clinic is set for Saturday June 6 at Centennial High School in Roswell, GA.

In the world of sports, you’ve got good coaches, great coaches, & then you’ve got legendary coaches.

Saturday morning we lost a legendary coach…

A trailblazer of sorts… The leader of the notorious Motor City Bad Boys…

Hall of Fame basketball coach Chuck Daly died at the age of 78.

Daly coached the Detroit Pistons to back to back NBA titles and was the head coach
of the “Dream Team” in the 1992 Olympics.

The old ball coach was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer earlier this year.

I know from personal experience that this is one of the most lethal forms of the deadly disease. My grandfather was diagnosed with it in April of 2000, he passed away that August.
 
Daly’s coaching career dates back to the 1960’s but, it was the nine seasons he coached the Detroit Pistons that he will be most fondly remembered.

In nine seasons with the Bad Boyz from 1983-92, Daly left his mark as the winningest coach in franchise history with a record of 467-271.

The Pistons won to back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990.

During the Summer Olympics of 1992 Daly coached “The Dream Team” led by Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson to Olympic gold at the Barcelona Games.

Daly was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994.
 
He retired with an NBA coaching record of 638-437 in 14 seasons with 12 playoff appearances.