Basketball

[zero cool]

Anyone watching the NBA? If so, who do you think is gonna win it all? Agree with Obama that its going to be Lakers in 6?

[Mark Seifert]

Lakers in 6 sounds about right actually. Maybe 7.

[Joe Kalicki]

Lakers in 6 sounds right, but the Magic are 2-0 against them in this regular season, so who knows.

I love Phil Jackson, but I'm rooting for Orlando.

[Mark Seifert]

You know, during the conference finals the talking heads made a big deal about how desperate the league was to have an Lakers/Cavs final -- but really, there was no way to go wrong there IMO. All 4 teams left at that point were pretty interesting teams. Lakers/Magic will be fun to watch.

[Joe Kalicki]

I would have loved to see Denver vs. Orlando.

But most of the rest of the country wouldn't.

The fact that the NBA has a reputation of being fixed just makes Orlando beating Cleveland that much more amazing.

[JJ Smooth]

I'm sour on the NBA (for obvious reasons, just look where I live). For those thinking the NBA fixed, they obviously didn't watch the ECF with Dwight Howard's cheap elbows, camping in the paint, or Hedo Turkey Glue touch fouls. Of course, I do have a little bit of bias.

It hurts to type it, but I hope the Lakers win it decisively. I can't cheer the team who beat my Cavs. I just hope Pau Gasol outshines Kobe in every aspect.

[zero cool]

Being a Knicks/ Nets fan....'sigh', I really don't care who wins, but I do think the Lakers will take it. I am just hoping that its called consistently by the Refs. I just don't see Howard making that necessarily leap to the next level as a player quite yet.

I guess I want the Lakers to lose because Laker fans tend to be obnoxious (check Rob Liefeld's facebook status) however I want Orlando to lose cause I dislike Howard's hypocritical God stuff. (Athletes who thank God after a win annoy me, because if God did exist, he/she would have more important things to tend to than a sporting event. Besides, I'm pretty sure God would be a Lebron fan.)

[Mark Seifert]

Knicks gonna get LeBron next year?

[zero cool]

The local media is pushing this story but personally I don't see it. It would be great for NY if it happened but being a Knick fan is like being in an abusive relationship, so I try not to get my hopes up too much. Lebron is a God who can do no wrong in Ohio. I don't see him leaving that for a place where the Media's one job is to catch any and every little faux pax you may have.

[JJ Smooth]

Knicks gonna get LeBron next year?

We may be Clevelanders and have a sports championship drought since '64, but this is one thing that will work out for us. Let me lay down some knowledge from ground zero of the 2010 storm.

The Cavaliers maintain Lebron's bird rights, meaning they can offer him more years (6) and more money than any other team (roughly thirty million). To also add to that, our owner Dan Gilbert has opened his wallet for any demands needed to net us a title (we are the third highest team over the salary cap). Just a few weeks back the Cavs organization did a deal with some Chinese investors to help push the brand (namely Lebron) into the worldwide market, a goal of LBJ's since his debut in the NBA. We're also in a prime position to improve our roster with expiring contracts of Ben Wallace and a few million dollar scrubs. We're set to attain Lebron's two goals, winning titles and being competitive.

There isn't any team (that includes the Nets and Knicks) that can do the same. Neither are championship contenders now or for at least another few years; and it doesn't make sense to me why Lebron would want to downgrade and rebuild anyway. The only advantage they have is the lifestyle promised of being in the spotlight and possibly more endorsements. Yet, Lebron seems content with his hometown roots in Akron as he built his million dollar mansion in Bath, and is active in the community (including attending his old high school for basketball games). Besides, what more is there to achieve? He's been on countless magazine covers, hosted TV shows, and is becoming the face of the NBA...all from sad sack Cleveland.

Talk to a knowledgable NBA/ Cavs fan and they'll echo my statements. The loudmouth "journalism" of Stephen A. Smith, Yahoo Sports hacks, and ESPN say otherwise, mostly because they focus on tiny insignificant details like a Yankees hat and anonymous "sources". Their out to generate headlines, facts and bias be damned.

Personally, I'd be watching Amar'e in Phoenix and Bosh in Toronto, those are the two 2010 expirings that'll most likely be out the door (bad finances and poor surrounding talent as reasons). Fingers crossed that they don a wine and gold outfit when they do.