Bench Points

So is it just me or are the NBA Playoffs not going at all like we thought they would?

Lets see...

The Lakers are up 3 games to 1 on the Suns.

The Spurs and Kings are tied 2 to 2.

The Clippers are dominating the Nuggets, up 3 games to 1.

The Bucks cleaned the Pistons clock the other night and won a game to the Pistons 2 wins.

Chicago and Miami are tied 2 apiece.

Nets and Pacers tied 2 to 2.

Cavs and Wizards also have 2 games each.

Wow. So the Clippers doing well is not much of a surprise, but them dominating the way they are against the Nuggets?

I did not expect the Spurs to drop even ONE game against the Kings, but TWO?!

Didn't think the Pistons would drop even one game.

Miami should have K.O'ed Chicago.

Finally, to me, the most surprising series: The Lakers and Suns.

Now I have never liked Kobe Bryant, and similarly, have always hated the Lakers. So why do I find myself rooting for them? I honestly don't know. I have always like Steve Nash, but apparently he is getting the MVP this season, and I completely disagree with that.

LeBron and Kobe are both much better candidates for the award, it was so obvious it is sickening. LeBron has been putting up amazing numbers for his age, and Bryant has been absolutely AMAZING this season with literally almost no help around him.

Now case in point, look at the Lakers and Suns series. Kobe has really been making everybody around him better, while Nash is playing well, he is not getting it done for his team, who were clearly the favorites when this series started.

With Kobe's POSTERIZING dunk on Nash the other night, and Bryant's amazing clutch shots last night to take the game to overtime and then win, well it was just awesome.

A caveat though on last night, Nash was absolutely fouled by Luke Walton last night, and to make it a jump ball with Nash against a guy A FOOT TALLER THAN HIM. Let me just say I hate NBA officiating sometimes.

All in all the NBA playoffs have been much more exciting than I could have ever imagined. I can't wait for round two.


(P.S. ESPN's Playoff "Rituals" commercial has some great music, music I liked so much I started a quest to find it and did! It is called Noah’s Arkestra by Mountains In The Sky, and is a really cool song. I suggest everybody "acquire" it.)

In case you did not know from it being HAMMERED INTO OUR SKULLS THE LAST MONTH.

The 2006 NFL Draft was this weekend, and boy, between Chris Berman's obnoxious jokes, drunk J-E-T-S fans, and Marv Levy's senility showing. Well, it was a hell of a ride.

So The Texan's picking Mario Williams? Dumb. It's like picking Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan.

The Saints getting Reggie Bush? Awesome, I can't be happier for the city of New Orleans, and with Drew Brees, Joe Horn, and a backfield with both Deuce Mccallister AND Reggie Bush? Scary.

Titans getting Vince Young? Good for them, and they got Lendale White to boot.

Oh the lowly Jets. With your walking disaster area Chad Pennington as your supposed starting quarterback......you don't draft a quarterback. Even with sad sad Matt Leinart sitting in the green room. Did anybody else think Leinart might jump off the top of Radio City Music Hall at this point?

Green Bay taking A.J. Hawk? Solid.

Was Vernon Davis really crying out of happiness at being picked by the 49'ers? I don't know, but I hear last years number one pick has "small hands".

Al Davis must of been in the bathroom emptying his catheter when the Raiders made a good decision.

Next pick? Buffalo Bills! Wait, I'm sorry Bills fans. Somebody put Marv Levy out of his misery.

DETROIT DOESN'T TAKE A WIDE RECEIVER?! Amazing.

The 10th pick is the reason the Vikings should never have let Denny Green go and replace him with freaking Mike Tice. Green is no dummy, and much how he got Daunte Culpepper to the Vikings, Matt Leinart falls into his lap. With the best young receiving corps in the NFL, a solid running back in Edgerrin James, and an awesome new stadium....well I feel really bad for everybody else in the Cardinal's division.

I wasn't going to go any farther than the 10th pick, but a few notes:

Was Denver sending a message to Jake "The Snake aka The Mistake" Plummer by drafting Jay "I Look Like A 12 Year Old" Cutler?

The Vikings made a solid pick with Greenway, but in my heart I wanted them to take Laurence Maroney, especially with the question still floating around about their running back situation.

Finally, I'm glad Maroney went so high, and to such a solid team in the Patriots.


So the craziest weekend in sports is over, and thank god. If I ever see Mel Kiper Jr's hair again I will seriously consider shooting somebodies dog.

(BTW if anyone has a vid cap of the really lame ESPN draft intro with Matt Leinart as Neo, please let me know.)