The Sports Guru

Though mainly sports related, from time to time I will expand your horizons by catting about other things I am passionate about.  Music is another love of mine, and at the top of my Fave Band List is Pearl Jam.  The Seattle Grunge Gods recently released their 8th Studio Album, ‘Pearl Jam’, which in my opinion, is their best since Vitalogy.  I recently was able to see them as the first leg of their World Tour swung through The ‘Q’ in Cleveland.

I have seen the Band about a dozen times, including 6 times in Cleveland, and this show was definitely at the top of the list.  It will be hard for any show to top my experience at Lalapalooza ‘92, but that is another story for another day.

They opened the show with a classic, ‘Better Man’ before driving right into ‘Given To Fly’.  For people familiar with PJ shows, this was an unusual way for the band to start a show and that added to the luster of it for me.  Song 3 dove right into the new record with their first single from the album, the politically charged ‘World Wide Suicide’ and hard rockin ‘Life Wasted’.  These two songs open the record and are a perfect starter for a live show.  Pearl Jam has always been an awesome live band, and even after 15 years together their energy towards their music, fans and each other folws out on stage.

 New Songs continued, with Severed Hand(my personal favorite from the new album) and an olde from Yield, Faithful.  Ed continued to belt out the Jamsrolling through a great version of ‘Daughter’, screamin out ‘Lukin’, ‘Do The Evolution’, ‘Spin The Black Circle’ and finishing up the 15 song first set with an awesome version of showstopper ‘Porch’.

 The first Encore slowed the approach down slightly with an almost accoustic set: ‘Wasted Reprise’ and ‘Thumbing My Way’ before picking up the pace again with a soon-to-be classic ‘Inside Job’  The band, and Ed specifically, have never sounded better as they finished the 2nd set with Ten fav’s ‘Black’ and ‘Alive’.

Busting back on stage for the 2nd Encore, the band immediately brought the crowd to it’s feet with a hard-rockin version of ‘Go’ and a new song, ‘Comatose’ which promises to go down as a fan favorite for the group.  In a request set that included Ten rarity ‘Why Go’, the band finished up the night with an awesome version of ‘Yellow Ledbetter’ featuring great behind-the-back guitar work.

All in all it was an absolutely awesome experience as Pearl Jam, much like the bottle of wine Ed drinks on stage, gets better and better with age.

Now that the disappointment of losing Games 6 and 7 to the Pistons has started to wear off slightly, I can look at it more realistically and with a level head.  Does it suck?  Sure it does.  Did the Cavs choke?  Absolutely NOT!  I have started reading on Message Boards all over that we have A.C.F, Another Cleveland Failure.  People are talking about it like it is The Drive, or The Shot.  But is it?  No Way!!!

The difference between what just happened and those infamous moments were the circumstances behind them.  The Browns were probably the best team in football in 1986.  They had the best defense in the league, two 1000-yard rushers, and one of the best home-field advantages in the game.  They were playing a team that had a QB in just his 3rd year in the league, and who had questions swirling around him about HIS ability to win big games…We all know the deets about The Drive, starting on the 1 1/2 yard line, blah, blah, blah, but what made it such a special or painful moment was the fact that the Browns were SUPPOSED to win that game.  They were better.  But the Browns couldn’t finish the deal and gave John Elway just enough time to become a legend.

 Fast forward to the Shot.  Game 5 of the playoffs.  Once again, here comes Michael Jordan, who had struggled in the playoffs up until that time. Questions started to swirl around him that he couldn’t win.  He was 1-9 in his first 10 playoff games, over 4 years!(Lebron is now 7-6 in 1 playoff year).  The fact that the deciding 5th game of that series was in Cleveland tells you that the Cavs WERE THE BETTER TEAM!  They had the homecourt and had one of the NBA’s best records.  But they couldn’t finish the deal, and gave MJ just enough time to become a legend.

Now stands LeBron James and the Cavs.  The were not as good of a team as the Pistons.  Detroit won 64 games this season, including 37 at home.  Hadn’t lost 3 in a row in nearly 2 years.  The Cavs did both in this series.  In Game 6, the Pistons nearly left enough time on the clock for LeBron to become a Legend.  No worries, though, his time will come.

 Don’t fret Cavs’ fans.  Sure, be disappointed, but never forget.  LeBron won’t and he will be hungrier for it next season.

[audio:comeoncavs.mp3]
Have this playing while you read the post….. 

I woke up this morning with a sense of anticipation I haven’t felt in a very long time…Since October 1997 to exact.  In what must be considered the biggest sporting event in Cleveland since the ‘97 World Series, the Cavaliers have a chance this evening to put the 2-time Eastern Conference Champion Pistons to be in 6 games after being dismantled in Games 1 and 2.  It has galvanized a city, and energized a region hungry for athletic success. 

I remember how this city embraced the Indians in the mid-to-late ’90s, especially in ‘97, when the Indians floundered for much of the season, before a special moment in August.  That day was Jim Thome’s birthday.  To honor him, the entire team went with the old school socks-pulled-up look that Thome is known for.  The Indians won that night, and the next, and the next, and the Indians rode their fashion statement all the way to Game 7 of the World Series.  We all know how that ended and there is still a sting there for many of us, but this Cavaliers team has eased the pain of that moment just a little bit, with their own galvanizing moment.

After losing Game 2 to the Pistons, looking all the part of a team that many predicted would get swept at the hands of mighty Detroit, the team received the news of the death of Justin Hughes, brother of Larry Hughes, from complications of a heart transplant he received nearly 10 years ago.  Justin had been sick, but the death was still a shock to Cavs’ family.  Larry left the team, and the realization that, while important, basketball was, in fact, just a game.

 Brought closer by the tragedy, the Cavs rallied in both Games 3 and 4 at the Q, then travelled to St. Louis to be with their greiving ‘brother’ at the funeral for Justin.  Watching the video of that day was truly touching and once again showed what is truly important.  After the service, the team flew directly to Detroit for Game 5.  In what turned out to be their greatest performance of the season, the Cavs dominated from the tip, never trailing after early in the 2nd period, in winning their third straight.  The shock and disbelief on the faces of Piston fans and players alike was classic.  Having no idea what had hit them, and the look of, “How the Hell are we going to get out of this….?”

All of this brings us to game 6 tonite at the Q.  Undoubtedly, the biggest game ever played in the building, it is going to be louder than ever, and it will need to be.  The Pistons are going to be ready.  A wounded animal is a very dangerous animal, and the Pistons are definitley wounded.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see some hard fouls early, especially on LeBron, and the Pistons try to get the Cavs out of their rhythem.  I feel a big key in this series has been the composure of the Cavs.  The Pistons, especially in Game 5, let their emothions get the best of them.  Tonite, the Pistons will try to get under the Cavs’ skin with elbows and shoulders and everything else Rasheed and Ben Wallace can throw.  I am sure the flopping will continue, as we have seen multiple times from Rip Hamilton.

To be the best, you have to beat the best.  When the series started, I felt grateful that the Cavs were playing the Pistons.  Regardless of the outcome, the learing experience for this young team would be priceless and they would be that much better for it.  Now that the series has unfolded the way it has, I want MORE!  The Cavs have shown that they can play consistent team defense, that they can score from the half-court, and that they can come up big at crunch time.  The Cavs CAN WIN THIS SERIES!

It is up to the 20,592 that will be in the building tonite to keep the Pistons at bay.  To keep the Cavs up, and should Larry Hughes return, remind Larry and the entire Hughes family, that though he might be from Missouri, he is still one of us and we share in his pain. 

Oh, almost forgot, my prediction…..

 After ignoring my heart for Game 5 and prerdicting a Piston victory, I was forced to repent and seek forgiveness.  Luckily, this time my heart and head believe the same thing.  There is no limit to the greatness of the man that would be King….James and Co., with a big assist from the Cleveland Crazies put the Pistons to bed –>

Cavs 92 — Pistons 88

Thanks to Richards006 on the Cavs Message Boards for this!!!

We’ll start with the trivial first…The Cavs found a way the other night, playing the Pistons style and winning their 2nd consecutive from Detroit.  Even more-so than Saturday, Game 4 was often ugly and hard to watch, as many playoff games tend to be, but in the end, the Cavs and LeBron James were able to come up big when it mattered most.  After playing what I thought were his best 48 minutes in his career in Game 3, LeBron might have played his worst, but still went 23/8/9 with 8 TO.  In the 4th Quarter however, LeBron made just enough plays and sunk just enough Free Throws to get the win. 

To me, this game came down to 2 plays…first, the flashy play - Anderson Varajao stepping over to take the charge from a driving Chauncey Billups.  Varajao in becoming a monster right before our eyes.  He has played incredible defense, but also sparked the offense, showing no fear in only his 2nd season.  The second play, and even bigger in my eyes, was the hustle of Eric Snow in plowing Maurice Evans into the back-stop to break up a sure 2 points.  The officials correctly called a Flagrant-1, giving the Pistons 2 shots and the ball, but Evans split the Free Throws and the Cavs defense was able to get a stop turning a sure two points into only one.  The Cavs led by one at the time and it showed Detroit that there weren’t going to be any easy points.  Expect the same thing tonite in Game 5.

Even better than simply winning the game, the Cavs were able to stick the sprained foot of Rasheed Wallace into his mouth after promising Game 4 would be the “Last game of the year in this building”.  Now heading back to Detroit, all the pressure shifts to Detroit.  Remember, they were EXPECTED to win the title by many, and at least reach the Finals.  They now find themselves in a dog-fight they weren’t expecting, and the maturation of LeBron James and his Cavs teammates continues in warp speed.

After Game 4, the Cavs flew to St. Louis to join teammate Larry Hughes at the funeral service for Hughes’ brother Justin.  Once again, the Cavaliers organization showed a tremendous amount of class and absolutely did the right thing.  Basketball is a GAME, and this is real life.  By showing support for Hughes, the Cavaliers showed by example what is REALLY important, and it is not Game 5 of some playoff series.  Life goes on, and the Playoffs will continue, and the Cavs will need to cram to get ready for Game 5, but for a few hours the Cavs took the time to reflect and support one of their own.  A Guru Salute to the Cavs for doing the right thing.

 Finally, my thoughts on Game 5.  This is goiong to be the toughest game of the year for LeBron and Co.  In a hostile environment and facing a team that has had to listen to the media question their heart and desire for the last 48 hours, the Cavs are going to have their hands full.  That being said, I stated earlier that all the pressure is on Detroit.  If the Cavs can stay close and weather the storm in the 1st half, the noose will slowly tighten.  The Pistons have been outscored in the 4th Quarter of every game in the series.  Quietly they know they need to put the Cavs away in the 1st half to keep the growing confidence the Cavs have from getting out of control.  They also know that LeBron is due and can go off at any time for 40-50 points.  My pick in this series was for the Pistons to win in 6.  Mathematically it is still possible, but the way it got to 2-2 was no where close to how I saw it happening.  THe Cavs have a real chance in this series if they can keep playing the defense they have played the last 9 quarters.  Keep contesting shots and getting in the face of the Pistons parimeter shooters.  Keep spacing the floor so that TO’s don’t turn into points.  And lastly, keep moving without the ball and avoid watching LeBron break down 4 guys.

Prediction:
I want to pick the Cavs with all of my heart, but that’s the problem….
Pistons 98-Cavs 90