Friday, June 21, 2013


The Miami Heat are the NBA Champions for the second consecutive year.  A truly epic series ended last night, with the Heat taking a 95-88 win in game seven over the San Antonio Spurs, who lost an NBA finals series for the first time in their history, having won their four previous series.  Miami became only the fourth team to win both games six and seven at home since the league went to a 2-3-2 format back in 1985, joining the Lakers (1998 and 2010) and the Houston Rockets, who did it in 1994.  The home team is now 15-3 in Game 7’s in the finals.  

LeBron James led the way with his usual game seven heroics - 37 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and two steals, and, once again, took home the Finals MVP award.  Dwyane Wade shook the pain out of his ailing knees to contribute with 23 points and 10 boards.  Chris Bosh was held scoreless, but Shane Battier came through with 18 points, hitting on six three-pointers.  

For a moment, let us revisit the inevitable and never-ending Michael Jordan - LeBron James comparison.  Each one of them are the best players of their respective era.  There should be no argument about that.  Look at this to see how their careers compare after their tenth NBA season.  Pretty close:

Michael Jordan LeBron James

Age 32 28
MVPs                        4                           3
Finals MVPs               3                           2
NBA Titles                 3                           2

This Miami Heat franchise is an example to all professional sports teams of how to do things correctly.  An owner like Micky Arison, who has nothing to say publicly about the day to day operations of his team.  Arison chose to hand over the team to one of the greatest basketball minds in Pat Riley.  Riley is in total control of this team and his trust and confidence in the head coach, Erik Spoelstra, has been more than justified.  The job that Spoelstra has done has taken him to the top of his profession.  If you think coaching a group of future hall of famers and getting a roster of 15 players to buy into your system is easy, you have no idea what it is like to be a leader of men.  Top to bottom, this Heat team is a special group and it comes down from the top.  

Three-peat, anyone?

TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION: Who is the only other player, besides LeBron James, to win the regular season MVP and the Finals MVP in consecutive seasons?  Tell you later, alligator.


THE SPORTS ILLUSTRATED COVER JINX LIVES ON:


Brian Windhorst from ESPN:


Bradford Doolittle asks, “What’s next for the Heat?”


Ira Winderman reviews game seven:


The Clippers and Celtics are getting closer to working out a deal to send Coach Doc Rivers to LA.


The news from the NFL has been really weird this past couple of weeks, and it is getting weirder.  Aaron Hernandez is expected to be arrested today:


Marcell Ozuna, who was benched after falling in a slump, came through with a pinch-hit two-run single in the eighth inning that erased a 1-0 deficit and gave the Marlins a 2-1 win over the Giants in San Francisco.  Tom Koehler earned his first win of the year after five losses, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning. He allowed only one run and three hits in seven innings of work.  Chad Qualls and Steve Chisek picked him up and saved the win for the Fish.  Game two of their four-game weekend affair is tonight, first pitch at 10:15 pm Miami time.  Tim Lincecum will do the honors for the Giants, Ricky Nolasco will toe the rubber for the Marlins.  The rest of the weekend:

Saturday Jacob Turner vs Barry Zito   4:05 pm
Sunday Nathan Eovaldi vs Matt Cain   4:05 pm

The team will return home to take on the Minnesota Twins in a two-game series on Tuesday and Wednesday, and will play the San Diego Padres in a four game series Friday through Monday.
  
The Fish are still the worst run-scoring team in MLB, with 221 runs in their 72 games.  Here are the rest of the bottom-dwellers:

TEAM         W-L       Runs
Marlins 23-49 221
Dodgers 30-41 253
Nationals 36-36 254
White Sox 29-41 254
Mariners 32-42 261

The Marlins are open for business.  Trades coming?


In the major leagues yesterday, in the American League,

Twins 8 White Sox 4
Brian Dozier, Oswaldo Arcia, Clete Thomas and Eduardo Escobar all connected long distance for the Twins, who finished off a three-game sweep of the White Sox.

Rangers 4 A’s 3
Oakland’s Josh Donaldson was thrown out at home on what was a perfect relay from Craig Gentry to Elvis Andrus to catcher AJ Pierzynski to end the game.

Astros 7 Brewers 4 (10 innings)
Carlos Peña’s three-run homer in the bottom of the tenth inning ended the game.

Rays 8 Yankees 3
Evan Longoria homered twice and finished with three RBI, Yunel Escobar also connected long distance.

Tigers 4 Red Sox 3
Jhonny Peralta’s two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth was the game winner.

Angels 10 Mariners 9
Alberto Callaspo worked a bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning to bring in the deciding run.  Mark Trumbo and Peter Bourjos homered for the Angels.

Over in the National League,

Pirates 5 Reds 3
Pedro Alvarez drove in all five runs for the Pirates and finished 3-4 with a double and a home run.

Nationals 5 Rockies 1
Jordan Zimmerman gave up an unearned run in his eight innings of work to improve his record to 10-3.  

Mets 4 Braves 3
Josh Satin doubled in the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh inning.  

Cardinals 6 Cubs 1
Matt Holliday homered and drove in a pair of runs, Allen Craig also drove in two runs with a pinch-hit single.

Padres 6 Dodgers 3
Pedro Ciriaco went 2-4 with a home run and three RBI.  The Padres are playing well, and have won 8 out of their last 10.  The Dodgers have lost 8 of their last 11.

Today’s games, first, in the American League,

Twins @ indians 7:05 pm
Samuel Deduno vs Scott Kazmir

Rays @ Yankees 7:05 pm
Roberto Hernandez vs David Phelps

Orioles @ Blue Jays 7:07 pm
Jason Hammel vs RA Dickey

Red Sox @ Tigers 7:08 pm
Jon Lester vs Doug Fister

White Sox @ Royals 8:10 pm
Hector Santiago vs Jeremy Guthrie

Pirates @ Angels 10:05 pm
Gerrit Cole vs Jered Weaver

Athletics @ Mariners 10:10 pm
Bartolo Colon vs Hisashi Iwakuma

Over in the National League,

Astros @ Cubs 2:20 pm
Dallas Keuchel vs Matt Garza

Mets @ Phillies 7:05 pm
Jeremy Hefner vs Cole Hamels

Rockies @ Nationals 7:05 pm
Tyler Chatwood vs Stephen Strasburg

Braves @ Brewers 8:10 pm
Julio Teheran vs Wily Peralta

Rangers @ Cardinals 8:15 pm
Derek Holland vs Tyler Lyons

Reds @ Diamondbacks 9:40 pm
Johnny Cueto vs Wade Miley

Dodgers vs Padres 10:10 pm
Clayton Kershaw vs Clayton Richard

Marlins @ Giants 10:15 pm
Ricky Nolasco vs Tim Lincecum

Love to read Buster Olney’s Blog:


MLB is sparing no expense to buy the cooperation of everyone involved in PED’s:


Miguel Cabrera’s first ten seasons have been nothing short of incredible:



Is Manny Ramirez going to be able to find work in the US?


The Cardinals’ Chris Carpenter suffered a setback in his rehab:


Here are the up-to-the-minute standings in MLB:


Here are the individual league leaders in MLB:


In the College World Series yesterday, North Carolina eliminated North Carolina State.  In today’s games, Oregon State takes on Mississippi State at 3:00 pm, while North Carolina battles UCLA at 8:00 pm.  Marlins’ first round pick Colin Moran is having one hell of a series for North Carolina.  Good day to catch a glimpse of the future of the Fish.  Both games will be televised by ESPN.

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Please check this out: I’m selling a little over three acres in the beautiful North Carolina mountains, overlooking the New River, a quick 35-minute drive from Boone and Blowing Rock.  Click here to see some photos and feel free to contact me if you have any questions: 


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THE ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION: Who is the only other player, besides LeBron James, to win the regular season MVP and the Finals MVP in consecutive seasons?  

Some guy named Michael Jordan, who did it in 1991 and 1992.      

Don’t miss my two “Descarga Deportiva” radio segments (for the Spanish-challenged, “Sports Jam Session”) every day, Monday through Friday, at 9:25 am and 12:15 pm on Radio Esperanza, 1550 AM or on the internet on www.miradioesperanza.com. 

IF YOU OR ANYONE YOU KNOW WANT TO ADVERTISE YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE ON MY RADIO SEGMENTS, PLEASE E-MAIL ME FOR ALL THE DETAILS - jerry@descargadeportiva.com

Behave yourselves, and always remember that tomorrow will bring us a brand new day.  HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

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