Summer

We’ve officially entered the doldrums. The lull in the sports calendar. We’re some 6+ weeks away from NFL training camps opening. (We must be, there are rumors of a Brett Favre un-retirement.) The winter sports just wrapped their championship series, so they won’t be back anytime soon. What the hell am I going to think/write about???

I have to admit my complete disappointment in the Orlando Magic. I’m not going to call SVG the Master of Panic. I don’t blame him for their loss – minus the tampering of the lineup with Jameer Nelson. D-Ho didn’t make an appearance, with the possible exception of game 3. There was a lot that went wrong for the East Champs. Coach Jeremy was not the main issue.

I remember having conversations going back to March about the Cavs can’t beat the Magic who can’t beat the Lakers who can’t beat the C’s who can’t beat the Cavs. Amazing how it all worked out. Orlando beat Cleveland and Boston, but couldn’t handle LA. Basketball as they say is all about the matchups. This series totally was. And I have to admit I’m surprised that Pau Gasol performed as well as he did. Though it’s not like he had to go against anyone who showed any heart or gumption.

Now Hedo is about to exercise his opt-out clause. Am I the onliest one who thinks this is him going to Cleveland to Scottie to Bron’s Mike? It seems like a logical landing place for him. Bron needs what he does. He needs someone who he can trust explicitly when he utilizes the ‘penetrate and pitch’ offensive strategy. I for one wouldn’t blame the Turkish Michael Jordan in leaving Orlando for Cleveland.

Now that I got the horse puckey out of the way (can you tell that I’m highly upset with how the NBA season ended?) I gotta talk about the Stanley Cup Finals. Admittedly, I didn’t watch any hockey til the Eastern Conference finals. But I’m glad I got into it when I did.

Watching the ‘Guins in the finals was a thing of beauty. Watching a young squad learn how to win on the fly was amazing. The 5-0 loss was excruciating. Flower was damn near awful in that game. But he had a lot of help from a pitiful defensive unit.

It was an odd series. The back-to-back games to start really put the Pens behind the 8 ball. I said from jump (though not in writing and I’m not 100% sure anyone else was in the room) that whoever won game 1 was going to take a lot of moe into game 2 and likely go up 2-0. Sadly I was right and the hometown boys traveled back to the 412 half way to elimination.

Once at that point, Pops declared the goal to be simply getting to a game 7. It would be a definite long shot but it’s one game. The other 6 + 15 + 82 wouldn’t fucking matter. Just 60 minutes to skate your ass off and take the cup home. And that’s what the black-n-gold kids did.

Lord Stanley’s Cup is the best prize in sports. Watching the players celebrate with it. the ritual of taking the lap with it. passing it around the team throughout the summer. Everything that comes with the team’s winning of the cup. It’s better than all the other major sports and any every-4-years competition. I wish I was more a hockey fan. But I’m not for the same reasons that everyone hates my favorite league, the NBA. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.

Now if you’ll excuse me I have to take the bandwagon for a wash, wax and tune up. ya know, on the off chance the Buccos get inspired this July and make a Rocktober-ish run. More likely, it’s going to sit until next May and the Pens next deep playoff run.