Random Thoughts and Brutal Honesty VIII

by user DRE-LO

With an interesting All-Star weekend in Sin City and a potential return for Scottie Pippen, let's get down to being brutally honest.

- Since it's the All-Star Break, it couldn't be a better time to review the first half of this marathon-like NBA Season:

- It looks like a contender has emerged out of the ashes and abyss of the Atlantic Division and that my plan to build a team of my own to win the division should be put on hold. The Toronto Raptors are beginning to click on all cylinders and are as of now the #4 seed in the East. With all the attention on Lebron, Carmelo and D-Wade, Chris Bosh is quietly averaging 23.5 ppg and 10 rpg for the year and proving to be the centerpiece the Raptors have built for the future. With Andrea Bargnani beginning to emerge as well, the Raptors might be the dark horse in the Eastern Conference no matter what critics may say.

- Chris Webber looks reenergized and reborn with his new Pistons teammates. Not having the explosiveness he was well known for, he’s embraced the role as a wily and savvy veteran and has the Pistons thinking championship thoughts again.

- The Orlando Magic have to look for a consistent scoring threat down the stretch. They have to look for someone who can automatically put up 15 ppg per game. Not having that scoring threat caught up to them as they are now only one game above .500 after their fast start to the season.

- Red Auerbach must be having a hard time resting at the moment. After the Celtics dedicated their entire season to the legendary coach, they proceed to play like a horrible D-League team. The climatic crash was the horrendous lack of hustle and carelessness by Ryan Gomes against the New Jersey Nets which will be in blooper reels forever and ever. The days of Bird, Russell, Cousy and Mchale are long gone.

- The duo of Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony are a force on paper. But it is defense that wins championships in the very end. The Nuggets play powder puff defense and until it is fixed they will not get past Dallas, Phoenix nor San Antonio. You can make the Nuggets play D in Nba Live and then have your way with the other team on offense. But this isn’t a video game.

- Dirk Nowitzki is my front runner for MVP. His team has the best record {44-9} in the league and have been playing with a vengeance for losing in the Finals last year. I still don’t believe there is a more valuable player than Steve Nash. But it is Nowitzki’s time to win the award.

- The Miami Heat will make a run in the second half of the year with a healthy Shaq and a returning Pat Riley. Not to mention the return of Eddie Jones to his former team. His veteran presence on the defensive end will be valuable come playoff time.

- Until the Rockets start hitting free throws down the stretch, they will continue to be under .500 against the top teams in the West. It would also be nice if Mcgrady and Yao be healthy at the same time.

- Scottie Pippen has put together put one of the best careers on both sides of the ball in NBA History. But eventually his knee injuries got to him and he had to retire based on that. Thus, it astonishes me that he’s going to pull an MJ and try to return at the age of 41 to a contending team. I don’t think it’s fair for anyone out of the game for three years to return to a contending team and risk breaking up the chemistry that was established. The only team that he can make a smooth transition in returning with is the LA Lakers and a possible reunion with the Zen Master. He knows the triangle offense like the back of his head. But yet can he have the legs to play shutdown defense like he used to? The Western Conference plays a quicker pace of basketball as it is. What will happen on the second night of back to backs especially if it’s against the Suns??? It’s just not a good idea, especially in mid-season.

It’s amazing how the mindset of the Boston Red Sox and the NY Yankees have changed in their approach to spending money. We’ve gotten used to the Yankees playing moneyball in order to essentially buy themselves a World Series ring while the Red Sox have taken the more conservative approach. Now the tide has turned. Boston made the big leap of faith signing Daisuke Matsuzaka and his famous gyroball to a gigantic contract in which anything short of the Cy Young award will be a disappointment. On the other hand, the Yankees have taken the back seat from their spendthrift status so much that Mo Rivera is threatening to leave. We all know the leverage Mo Rivera has. With all that Rivera has done, he should be resigned and should finish his career as a Yank. Perhaps we wouldn’t be having this conversation if the Yanks didn’t blow their money on Kevin Brown or Randy Johnson or CARL PAVANO!!!! The Yankees are now focusing on developing their pitching phenom Philip Hughes as well as other minor leaguers in order to build chemistry and balance on their team. Any Yankees fan will agree that this mindset was long overdue. The chemistry on this team in recent years was about as bad a chemistry as Britney and K-Fed. As for Bernie Williams, he should gracefully{as he is defined} retire as a Yankee and let the team move on. It’s just too overcrowded of an outfield and Melky Cabrera should be allowed playing time. But one can’t help but see that the Red Sox and Yankees have had major personality shifts in their offseason approach.

When the WWE is looking to Donald Trump to boost ratings for Raw and Wrestlemania, that just lets me further know that TNA is eventually going to become a thorn in Vince Mcmahon’s backside. The WWE had no other choice but to turn to it’s dependable veterans Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker in order to make Wrestlemania worth watching.