I'm not much in the habit of posting stuff on here because "Oh, it's so cute!" but dammit, pandas fucking rule your universe. And sneezing pandas rule it harder.
2008-05-24
UFC Picks
Almost forgot about this. This will probably be the shortest UFC Picks Post ever. My picks in bold with no commentary, no "how they'll win," and no betting. If I get time, I may come back in later today and add more details but for now:
UFC 84: Ill Will
Date: May 24, 2008
Location: Las Vegas
Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena
Broadcast: Pay Per View
MAIN CARD (TELEVISED)
* Champ B.J. Penn vs. Sean Sherk (for lightweight title)
* Keith Jardine vs. Wanderlei Silva
* Wilson Gouveia vs. Goran Reljic
* Lyoto Machida vs. Tito Ortiz
* Thiago Silva vs. Antonio Mendes
PRELIMINARY CARD (NOT TELEVISED)
* Rousimar Palhares vs. Ivan Salaverry
* Kazuhiro Nakamura vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
* Rich Clementi vs. Terry Etim
* John Koppenhaver vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
* Dong-Hyun Kim vs. Jason Tan
* Shane Carwin vs. Christian Wellisch
UFC 84: Ill Will
Date: May 24, 2008
Location: Las Vegas
Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena
Broadcast: Pay Per View
MAIN CARD (TELEVISED)
* Champ B.J. Penn vs. Sean Sherk (for lightweight title)
* Keith Jardine vs. Wanderlei Silva
* Wilson Gouveia vs. Goran Reljic
* Lyoto Machida vs. Tito Ortiz
* Thiago Silva vs. Antonio Mendes
PRELIMINARY CARD (NOT TELEVISED)
* Rousimar Palhares vs. Ivan Salaverry
* Kazuhiro Nakamura vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
* Rich Clementi vs. Terry Etim
* John Koppenhaver vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
* Dong-Hyun Kim vs. Jason Tan
* Shane Carwin vs. Christian Wellisch
2008-05-23
Top Five Friday: Google Reader
Fresh off a BIG win in Game 2 of Lakers/Spurs, I can't think of a single thing that I want to write about - especially in Top Five form.
Let's pay a little tribute to the Google Reader section of the site and present:
The Top Five Headlines In My Google Reader News (off to your right) And My Thoughts On Them!
5. FSN to carry "Affliction: Banned" preliminary card
Pretty nice deal for Affliction, as they try to get some eyeballs on their first show. However, with the amount of talent they've got on the show, they really need to get eyeballs on their PPV. There's absolutely no way they make any money on the first show. The goal is to build strong word-of-mouth so that future shows can be less stacked but still draw viewers because of good buzz. It's an interesting plan - probably not one that will work but interesting nonetheless. Oh, and I think the "Banned" name is clever as Affliction has been banned as a clothing sponsor for all EXC and UFC fighters. That's a tough one for them as Affliction has been sponsoring fighters for ages. I'm curious to see the PPV though and depending on price point, I might shell it out - or since it's taking place about twenty minutes from "the crib," maybe I'll go see it in person.
4. Brock Lesnar's UFC fight with Mark Coleman is off
The UFC has been absolutely snakebit recently when it comes to fight scheduling. The London show is cursed to no end as I've never seen so much card juggling as I have with that event. Lesnar losing the high profile fight in his hometown is a bit of a blow but as usual, it comes down to who the replacement will be. Offhand, I can't think of a heavyweight in the UFC that would draw as much interest as Coleman did. I suppose Dana could drag Tank in for Lesnar to slap around but after running down Kimbo and EXC lately, that'd be a tough one to do. Keep an eye on this one because Brock needs something high profile to keep his name in the spotlight.
3. Christian Bale signs on for an entire Terminator trilogy
Talk about being Mr. Franchise. The entire Batman saga on your shoulders and now the future of the Terminator franchise as well? Whew. I hope Mr. Bale's been working out lately. This, of course, is the Terminator series that will actually take place in the future with the human resistance fighting the machines - the story everyone has wanted to see since the very first flick. It could be very, very cool... or it could be Matrix Reloaded/Revolutions levels of suck. I'm one of the few who dug the direction they went with Terminator 3 so I've got my fingers crossed for this series as well. Besides, Bale wouldn't sign on to an entire trilogy unless it looked golden right? Right?
2. Next Spider-Man movie[s?] coming soon
Is anyone really excited about this after seeing Spider-Man 3? Me neither. Next!
1. KERSHAW IS COMING... maybe
The Dodger blogs/boards were abuzz all day today with the news that projected future Dodger ace Clayton Kershaw was pulled from his start in Jacksonville last night after one inning. The early buzz was that he might pitch on Tuesday or perhaps even tomorrow night. The late buzz is that he will be called up tomorrow to make his first big league start on Sunday afternoon against the Cardinals - a decision that will surely send tickets to that game flying out the window. I'm already debating getting in on that after pretty much deciding to spend the weekend at home to avoid paying over $4 a gallon in gas. We shall see.
Until next time...
Let's pay a little tribute to the Google Reader section of the site and present:
The Top Five Headlines In My Google Reader News (off to your right) And My Thoughts On Them!
5. FSN to carry "Affliction: Banned" preliminary card
Pretty nice deal for Affliction, as they try to get some eyeballs on their first show. However, with the amount of talent they've got on the show, they really need to get eyeballs on their PPV. There's absolutely no way they make any money on the first show. The goal is to build strong word-of-mouth so that future shows can be less stacked but still draw viewers because of good buzz. It's an interesting plan - probably not one that will work but interesting nonetheless. Oh, and I think the "Banned" name is clever as Affliction has been banned as a clothing sponsor for all EXC and UFC fighters. That's a tough one for them as Affliction has been sponsoring fighters for ages. I'm curious to see the PPV though and depending on price point, I might shell it out - or since it's taking place about twenty minutes from "the crib," maybe I'll go see it in person.
4. Brock Lesnar's UFC fight with Mark Coleman is off
The UFC has been absolutely snakebit recently when it comes to fight scheduling. The London show is cursed to no end as I've never seen so much card juggling as I have with that event. Lesnar losing the high profile fight in his hometown is a bit of a blow but as usual, it comes down to who the replacement will be. Offhand, I can't think of a heavyweight in the UFC that would draw as much interest as Coleman did. I suppose Dana could drag Tank in for Lesnar to slap around but after running down Kimbo and EXC lately, that'd be a tough one to do. Keep an eye on this one because Brock needs something high profile to keep his name in the spotlight.
3. Christian Bale signs on for an entire Terminator trilogy
Talk about being Mr. Franchise. The entire Batman saga on your shoulders and now the future of the Terminator franchise as well? Whew. I hope Mr. Bale's been working out lately. This, of course, is the Terminator series that will actually take place in the future with the human resistance fighting the machines - the story everyone has wanted to see since the very first flick. It could be very, very cool... or it could be Matrix Reloaded/Revolutions levels of suck. I'm one of the few who dug the direction they went with Terminator 3 so I've got my fingers crossed for this series as well. Besides, Bale wouldn't sign on to an entire trilogy unless it looked golden right? Right?
2. Next Spider-Man movie[s?] coming soon
Is anyone really excited about this after seeing Spider-Man 3? Me neither. Next!
1. KERSHAW IS COMING... maybe
The Dodger blogs/boards were abuzz all day today with the news that projected future Dodger ace Clayton Kershaw was pulled from his start in Jacksonville last night after one inning. The early buzz was that he might pitch on Tuesday or perhaps even tomorrow night. The late buzz is that he will be called up tomorrow to make his first big league start on Sunday afternoon against the Cardinals - a decision that will surely send tickets to that game flying out the window. I'm already debating getting in on that after pretty much deciding to spend the weekend at home to avoid paying over $4 a gallon in gas. We shall see.
Until next time...
2008-05-22
Kobe vs Indy - YOU MAKE THE CALL!
Just got back from seeing the Indy flick. I'll do a full review of it in a couple days but I want to let it sink in a little bit before I do. For now, I will say that if you're a fan of the Indy movies, you'll probably dig it - if you have realistic expectations. It's not Raiders, it's probably not even Temple. It's closest in "feel" and quality to Last Crusade [although the Missus says LC is her favorite of the series.] The thing that will bring most people down on either side of the love/hate line will be how you feel about the main plotline. It's... different... than the others. If you're okay with what it is, you'll probably dig the movie. If you're not okay with what it is, you'll probably not like it - or you'll fall into the "Eh... it's okay" category.
Anyways... how 'bout them Lakers?
What a game, huh?
It was odd. The wife and I were both discussing last night after the game that even when the Lakers were down big, there wasn't a freaked out feeling. It was almost like... you could feel that Kobe was going to turn it on at some point and get them close. It was just a matter of how close they could get.
Turns out, they got pretty damn close.
It was an amazing game, an amazing comeback, and an amazing win.
Seven more, people. Keep the countdown going.
Anyways... how 'bout them Lakers?
What a game, huh?
It was odd. The wife and I were both discussing last night after the game that even when the Lakers were down big, there wasn't a freaked out feeling. It was almost like... you could feel that Kobe was going to turn it on at some point and get them close. It was just a matter of how close they could get.
Turns out, they got pretty damn close.
It was an amazing game, an amazing comeback, and an amazing win.
Seven more, people. Keep the countdown going.
2008-05-21
The UFC's Hottest Rivalry - Ortiz vs White
I just added this article from the Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer regarding the apparent final chapter to the Dana White/Tito Ortiz saga to my Google Reader news over on the right sidebar so go check it out if you want to read it in full.
Me? I want to dissect the article and give you all my expert opinion!
Let me preface this by saying I love Dana White. He always cracks me up and his balls-to-the-wall promotional style makes him a hero to me. He shares a lot of the same qualities with Vince McMahon - another personal hero... okay, go ahead and mock me now. By the same token, I'm also a Tito Ortiz fan... sorta. I think he's a prick and believes his own hype too much but I think he used to be a top level fighter and no one can deny his ability to put asses in the seats.
That being said... MY EXPERT OPINION!
NOTE: Anything in bold was written by the esteemed Mr. Meltzer
Whether he wins or loses May 24 in Las Vegas against Lyoto Machida, it certainly appears Tito Ortiz will end his 11-year Ultimate Fighting Championship career. But there will be no televised celebration of his accomplishments when the fight is over.
UFC president Dana White will want it to end as quietly as possible, with Ortiz as an afterthought, and the crowning of the undefeated Machida as a new top star.
The huuuuuuuuuge problem with this scenario is that it likely will end quietly - but it'll be the crowd that is silent after three rounds of grappling that end in a decision for Machida. Yeah, I think Machida will pull off the win but he just happens to be one of the most boring fighters I've ever seen. What Dana needed was someone to KO Tito flat on his way out - unfortunately, there's no sure bet on that one. So, what he did was put Tito in there in a no-win situation. Even if Tito wins, it's likely to be a boring fight that'll lower his value in the eyes of the fans. The problem for Dana is that the fight is likely to be so bad, even a Machida win won't be enough to make him a star.
"He's one of the most dishonest human beings I've ever met," White said. "I put up with him when he was a good fighter. He's not anymore. He's done. I'm no longer in the Tito Ortiz business."
Okay, so... you have to take everything Dana says with a large grain of salt. After all, his goal is to sell his product and shit on everyone elses. This is the same guy who after months of courting Fedor turned around and ran him down, saying he couldn't hang with any of the UFC's top heavies. With that in mind, I don't know how much Tito has left in the tank. Enough to make a lot of money somewhere else I'm sure - but so does Ken Shamrock for that purpose. Does Tito want to be the next Shamrock? Or does he want to take his considerable outside-the-cage talents and ability to be controversial to an arena that may provide him more longevity - pro wrestling anyone?
The war of words between the two is nothing new, as they've had issues since 2003, when UFC wanted to put together the first Ortiz vs. Liddell match and Ortiz claimed he didn't want to take the fight because the two were close friends and had an agreement not to fight each other (Liddell claimed there was no such agreement).
As a side comment, I hate these "agreements." Your job is to fight. Get in there and fight no matter who the opponent is. You're not trying to permanently injury your opponent so who gives a shit if it's your friend? I'd punch every single one of my friends right in the damn throat for the kind of pay day Tito and Chuck got... guaranteed!
Ortiz's contract expires with this fight. Things got so bad that Lorenzo Fertitta, the company's co-owner, and not White, was involved in trying to negotiate a new deal. But they couldn't come to terms.
"They told me I wasn't worth as much as I was in the past," Ortiz said.
Well, honestly... that's probably true. You're not beating Rampage. You're not beating Chuck. You're probably not beating Wanderlei. So, unless you wanted to do Dana a solid and drop down to go fight Anderson Silva or GSP, there's not a lot of "big fights" left for ya at the moment, pal.
Technically, there is a 30-day period after the contract expires where he can only negotiate with UFC, and then a period where UFC has the right to match any outside offer.
...
"There's not going to be any bidding war," White said. "Gary Shaw (promoter at Elite XC) should offer him $30 a fight because we're not going to match it."
I need an emoticon showing me laughing my ass off. That's the kind of Dana White throwdown that I like. You know it's bullshit but it's a funny as fuck soundbite. It really will be interesting to see if it's Elite XC, Dream, or the new Affliction group that ends up with Tito's services. It would be huge for EXC or maybe even IFL. Dream will pay a nice chunk of change but I don't know how Tito sells in Japan. Affliction can probably land him but they will only commit to doing three shows before deciding where they stand.
"This guy went on Howard Stern and said he was getting $200,000 a fight," White said. "That was such a lie. Tito made $5.8 million in 2006. He only fought once in 2007. He made $710,000 for that fight (with Rashad Evans) and that was the third match from the top (on the card). He goes around saying we made $231 million last year. He's a moron. This guy talks about what a businessman he is, and he was on ‘The Apprentice' and he doesn't know the difference between revenue and profit."
Ehhhh. I don't want to get into the dollars and cents because none of us know the actual numbers. The only thing I want to actually say on this is that much like pro wrestling, the MMA game seems to be one of those businesses where the talent's piece of the pie is considerably less than the public would imagine. So, I'm going to guess the truth is somewhere in the middle. I doubt Tito was Latrell Spreewell trying to feed his family but... he's probably not A-Rod either.
Ortiz has been unhappy with White's public comments, in which the UFC president called both Ortiz and girlfriend Jenna Jameson, who had done some negotiating with UFC for him, "morons."
What the fuck? He's got Jenna negotiating for him? I... I don't even know how to respond to that. I mean, I suppose it's possible she's a smart business woman but doesn't he gave an agent for this purpose? A manager? Having your semi-retired porn star girlfriend negotiating with a boss you hate seems to be asking for trouble.
From a business standpoint, Ortiz in 2006 was pure gold. But in 2008, it's very much a question. Ortiz hasn't had a win against a true top opponent in years. Even Ortiz's 15-5-1 record is interpreted completely different by both.
"In the last eight years, the only people who have beaten me are Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, two of the best fighters in the world," Ortiz said.
"Look at his record," White said. "When was the last time he beat a legitimate top contender? Forrest Griffin was right out of ‘The Ultimate Fighter' and a lot of people think Griffin won that fight. You have to go back to Vitor Belfort (in early 2005). He's not ranked in anyone's top 10."
You can count me among those people who think Forrest won the fight with Tito. So, it's much like I said earlier - there's just no big fights left in him for the UFC. There's plenty of "interesting" fights that I'd like to see him in but he needs to realize that he probably does need to drop his price a little bit at this stage until he proves otherwise [for the record, the article states the UFC's final offer was for six fights and Tito admit it's probably more than he'll get elsewhere.]
And even White concedes Ortiz can help them and come across as a top star on the outside.
"He'll probably dominate, because he won't be fighting the same level of competition," he said. "Kimbo Slice? Three months ago he was fighting in your backyard."
Ortiz feels he's got several potential big fights outside of the UFC.
"There's a rematch with Randy Couture, a rematch with Frank Shamrock, and maybe (heavyweights) Kimbo Slice or Fedor Emelianenko," he said. "Yes, they are (except Shamrock) heavyweights, but we can fight at a catch weight. Babalu (Renato Sobral) is another one. I have three or four years left."
First, Dana got the killer Kimbo soundbite - so, so accurate by the way. Let's look at what Tito thinks are big fights for him. Randy? Sure, I'd like to see it. Frank Shamrock? After the loss to Cung Le, I'm not sure how big of a draw Frank Shamrock's going to be. The Frank/Ken match will sell big when/if it happens because people aren't going to get that they're not blood brothers. Babalu? No fucking way. The big two on the list obviously are Kimbo and Fedor. I don't doubt that Tito can beat Kimbo - which is why that fight probably would not happen any time soon. EXC thinks Kimbo's celebrity status is going to be the wagon they tie their horse to so they are going to be very careful about who they match him with. In fact, I have a hard time seeing EXC booking Kimbo with anyone who isn't going to stand and throw. Tito will not stand and throw with Kimbo Slice. Tito will take him down, hold him down, and pound out a stoppage or decision. Fedor? Interesting. Fedor will beat him but... interesting.
It's no secret why UFC booked Machida, 12-0, a highly respected but uncharismatic relative unknown to the casual UFC fans, as Ortiz's last opponent. The expectation is Machida would get a win over a huge name opponent, and hopefully become a star in the process, and become someone who can draw if challenging for the marquee light heavyweight title.
I don't believe that for a second. This fight is designed to bury Tito win or lose, period.
The match has more intrigue within the MMA world than any fight in a long time, because Machida is seen as White's surrogate fighter, and the question becomes, if Ortiz wins, what will he do, and what will he say, in his final interview. Or will White allow him a final interview?
Nope. No chance in hell he gets anywhere near a live mic.
It'll be an interesting fight Saturday night - not because it'll be good by any stretch of the imagination but because of all the chaos surrounding it. As a fan of the MMA business [and not just the fights,] I'm looking forward to seeing what happens.
Me? I want to dissect the article and give you all my expert opinion!
Let me preface this by saying I love Dana White. He always cracks me up and his balls-to-the-wall promotional style makes him a hero to me. He shares a lot of the same qualities with Vince McMahon - another personal hero... okay, go ahead and mock me now. By the same token, I'm also a Tito Ortiz fan... sorta. I think he's a prick and believes his own hype too much but I think he used to be a top level fighter and no one can deny his ability to put asses in the seats.
That being said... MY EXPERT OPINION!
NOTE: Anything in bold was written by the esteemed Mr. Meltzer
Whether he wins or loses May 24 in Las Vegas against Lyoto Machida, it certainly appears Tito Ortiz will end his 11-year Ultimate Fighting Championship career. But there will be no televised celebration of his accomplishments when the fight is over.
UFC president Dana White will want it to end as quietly as possible, with Ortiz as an afterthought, and the crowning of the undefeated Machida as a new top star.
The huuuuuuuuuge problem with this scenario is that it likely will end quietly - but it'll be the crowd that is silent after three rounds of grappling that end in a decision for Machida. Yeah, I think Machida will pull off the win but he just happens to be one of the most boring fighters I've ever seen. What Dana needed was someone to KO Tito flat on his way out - unfortunately, there's no sure bet on that one. So, what he did was put Tito in there in a no-win situation. Even if Tito wins, it's likely to be a boring fight that'll lower his value in the eyes of the fans. The problem for Dana is that the fight is likely to be so bad, even a Machida win won't be enough to make him a star.
"He's one of the most dishonest human beings I've ever met," White said. "I put up with him when he was a good fighter. He's not anymore. He's done. I'm no longer in the Tito Ortiz business."
Okay, so... you have to take everything Dana says with a large grain of salt. After all, his goal is to sell his product and shit on everyone elses. This is the same guy who after months of courting Fedor turned around and ran him down, saying he couldn't hang with any of the UFC's top heavies. With that in mind, I don't know how much Tito has left in the tank. Enough to make a lot of money somewhere else I'm sure - but so does Ken Shamrock for that purpose. Does Tito want to be the next Shamrock? Or does he want to take his considerable outside-the-cage talents and ability to be controversial to an arena that may provide him more longevity - pro wrestling anyone?
The war of words between the two is nothing new, as they've had issues since 2003, when UFC wanted to put together the first Ortiz vs. Liddell match and Ortiz claimed he didn't want to take the fight because the two were close friends and had an agreement not to fight each other (Liddell claimed there was no such agreement).
As a side comment, I hate these "agreements." Your job is to fight. Get in there and fight no matter who the opponent is. You're not trying to permanently injury your opponent so who gives a shit if it's your friend? I'd punch every single one of my friends right in the damn throat for the kind of pay day Tito and Chuck got... guaranteed!
Ortiz's contract expires with this fight. Things got so bad that Lorenzo Fertitta, the company's co-owner, and not White, was involved in trying to negotiate a new deal. But they couldn't come to terms.
"They told me I wasn't worth as much as I was in the past," Ortiz said.
Well, honestly... that's probably true. You're not beating Rampage. You're not beating Chuck. You're probably not beating Wanderlei. So, unless you wanted to do Dana a solid and drop down to go fight Anderson Silva or GSP, there's not a lot of "big fights" left for ya at the moment, pal.
Technically, there is a 30-day period after the contract expires where he can only negotiate with UFC, and then a period where UFC has the right to match any outside offer.
...
"There's not going to be any bidding war," White said. "Gary Shaw (promoter at Elite XC) should offer him $30 a fight because we're not going to match it."
I need an emoticon showing me laughing my ass off. That's the kind of Dana White throwdown that I like. You know it's bullshit but it's a funny as fuck soundbite. It really will be interesting to see if it's Elite XC, Dream, or the new Affliction group that ends up with Tito's services. It would be huge for EXC or maybe even IFL. Dream will pay a nice chunk of change but I don't know how Tito sells in Japan. Affliction can probably land him but they will only commit to doing three shows before deciding where they stand.
"This guy went on Howard Stern and said he was getting $200,000 a fight," White said. "That was such a lie. Tito made $5.8 million in 2006. He only fought once in 2007. He made $710,000 for that fight (with Rashad Evans) and that was the third match from the top (on the card). He goes around saying we made $231 million last year. He's a moron. This guy talks about what a businessman he is, and he was on ‘The Apprentice' and he doesn't know the difference between revenue and profit."
Ehhhh. I don't want to get into the dollars and cents because none of us know the actual numbers. The only thing I want to actually say on this is that much like pro wrestling, the MMA game seems to be one of those businesses where the talent's piece of the pie is considerably less than the public would imagine. So, I'm going to guess the truth is somewhere in the middle. I doubt Tito was Latrell Spreewell trying to feed his family but... he's probably not A-Rod either.
Ortiz has been unhappy with White's public comments, in which the UFC president called both Ortiz and girlfriend Jenna Jameson, who had done some negotiating with UFC for him, "morons."
What the fuck? He's got Jenna negotiating for him? I... I don't even know how to respond to that. I mean, I suppose it's possible she's a smart business woman but doesn't he gave an agent for this purpose? A manager? Having your semi-retired porn star girlfriend negotiating with a boss you hate seems to be asking for trouble.
From a business standpoint, Ortiz in 2006 was pure gold. But in 2008, it's very much a question. Ortiz hasn't had a win against a true top opponent in years. Even Ortiz's 15-5-1 record is interpreted completely different by both.
"In the last eight years, the only people who have beaten me are Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, two of the best fighters in the world," Ortiz said.
"Look at his record," White said. "When was the last time he beat a legitimate top contender? Forrest Griffin was right out of ‘The Ultimate Fighter' and a lot of people think Griffin won that fight. You have to go back to Vitor Belfort (in early 2005). He's not ranked in anyone's top 10."
You can count me among those people who think Forrest won the fight with Tito. So, it's much like I said earlier - there's just no big fights left in him for the UFC. There's plenty of "interesting" fights that I'd like to see him in but he needs to realize that he probably does need to drop his price a little bit at this stage until he proves otherwise [for the record, the article states the UFC's final offer was for six fights and Tito admit it's probably more than he'll get elsewhere.]
And even White concedes Ortiz can help them and come across as a top star on the outside.
"He'll probably dominate, because he won't be fighting the same level of competition," he said. "Kimbo Slice? Three months ago he was fighting in your backyard."
Ortiz feels he's got several potential big fights outside of the UFC.
"There's a rematch with Randy Couture, a rematch with Frank Shamrock, and maybe (heavyweights) Kimbo Slice or Fedor Emelianenko," he said. "Yes, they are (except Shamrock) heavyweights, but we can fight at a catch weight. Babalu (Renato Sobral) is another one. I have three or four years left."
First, Dana got the killer Kimbo soundbite - so, so accurate by the way. Let's look at what Tito thinks are big fights for him. Randy? Sure, I'd like to see it. Frank Shamrock? After the loss to Cung Le, I'm not sure how big of a draw Frank Shamrock's going to be. The Frank/Ken match will sell big when/if it happens because people aren't going to get that they're not blood brothers. Babalu? No fucking way. The big two on the list obviously are Kimbo and Fedor. I don't doubt that Tito can beat Kimbo - which is why that fight probably would not happen any time soon. EXC thinks Kimbo's celebrity status is going to be the wagon they tie their horse to so they are going to be very careful about who they match him with. In fact, I have a hard time seeing EXC booking Kimbo with anyone who isn't going to stand and throw. Tito will not stand and throw with Kimbo Slice. Tito will take him down, hold him down, and pound out a stoppage or decision. Fedor? Interesting. Fedor will beat him but... interesting.
It's no secret why UFC booked Machida, 12-0, a highly respected but uncharismatic relative unknown to the casual UFC fans, as Ortiz's last opponent. The expectation is Machida would get a win over a huge name opponent, and hopefully become a star in the process, and become someone who can draw if challenging for the marquee light heavyweight title.
I don't believe that for a second. This fight is designed to bury Tito win or lose, period.
The match has more intrigue within the MMA world than any fight in a long time, because Machida is seen as White's surrogate fighter, and the question becomes, if Ortiz wins, what will he do, and what will he say, in his final interview. Or will White allow him a final interview?
Nope. No chance in hell he gets anywhere near a live mic.
It'll be an interesting fight Saturday night - not because it'll be good by any stretch of the imagination but because of all the chaos surrounding it. As a fan of the MMA business [and not just the fights,] I'm looking forward to seeing what happens.
2008-05-20
Trip To The DL KNEEded For Jones: Wocka! Wocka! Wocka!
Aha!
Everyone has looked for reasons why the big Dodger Free Agent signing Andruw Jones was not performing up to snuff. People pointed out his weight, his attitude, his swing, his patience at the plate, you name it.
But no one thought it was something physical.
Until now.
News broke late last night that he has a knee problem - a knee problem that may require arthroscopic surgery.
In an odd decision, the Dodgers have decided to play a game of "wait and see" to see if some therapy on the knee makes it feel better so they don't have to DL him.
Are you kidding me?
Seriously?
He's in a horrific slump, probably the worst of his career. Worst case scenario is losing him for 15 days - not a big loss with how he's been hitting. To me, this is a win-win. You put him on the shelf, get the lineup that's been performing on the field every day - if he heals up right away, he's back in 15 days. If he's still hurting, scope the damn knee and get him back on July 1stish hopefully healthy and ready to contribute to the stretch drive.
I just can't see how this is a bad decision to have to make.
Pull the trigger, Ned. You'll feel much better for it.
Hello Darkness, My Old Friend
And no, that's not a Charlie Murphy reference.
You always knew it would end up this way - it just had to. With all the talk about the Jazz giving the Lakers a hard series. With all the mumbo jumbo about homecourt advantage in the playoffs. With all the hype about Chris Paul and the Hornets being the future of the league.
In the end, you knew it would have to come down to the Lakers vs Spurs. It's the equivalent of basketball destiny at its' best. The road to the NBA Finals leads through the defending champ - could it really have happened any other way?
And so, here we go again, Laker fans.
Let's break it down...
Point Guard - Derek Fisher vs Tony Parker
As much as I adore D-Fish, I have to give the edge to Parker. That being said, there definitely are games where Fish will go on a hot streak and give the team a huge lift but in the average game, he's going to have a very tough time defending Parker. And without Bynum in the back as a stopper, I look for a lot of drive and dish in the Lakers' immediate future. However, seeing how rattled got at a picture of his wife, maybe the Lakers can line up every man she's ever nailed in the front row behind the Spurs bench during home games. It's all about the in-game strategy, baby.
EDGE: SPURS
Shooting Guard - Kobe Bryant vs Manu Ginobli
Let's call a spade a spade and admit that Manu is the real starting SG for the Spurs and not Michael Finlay - although Finlay is a tough opponent as well. Manu's the master of the wild driving, weaving, throw something at the glass, crash to the floor and cry about a foul move. Kobe is... well, he's Kobe. He's the best player in the game, period.
EDGE: LAKERS
Small Forward - Vladimir Radmonovic vs Bruce Bowen
This one is a bit of a tossup. Vlad-Rad is a better offensive player than Bowen but he's still prone to the type of mental mistakes that made Phil Jackson label him a "space cadet." He can have a big impact on a game - or he can simply disappear. You just never know which Vlad will show up. Bruce Bowen won't add much on the offensive end for the Spurs but he's one of the few players in the league not afraid to play one-on-one defense against Kobe and be effective at it. That skill alone gives the Spurs the edge here.
EDGE: SPURS
Power Forward - Lamar Odom vs Tim Duncan
A month ago, I would have said this was a slam dunk category for the Spurs but Lamar has played a masterful game in these playoffs. Being slotted into the third option for scoring as helped worlds with his defense, his rebounding, and his hustle. He does a lot of the little things that don't show up on the stat sheet. Tim Duncan is... well, he's Tim Duncan. He's one of the best players in the league. As good as Odom has been, I have to give the edge to Duncan and the Spurs.
EDGE: SPURS
Center - Pau Gasol vs Fabricio Oberto
This is an easy win for the Lakers. Of course, if you're a pessimist, you look at how Bynum's injury affects this entire series. Bynum would still take this category against Oberto, Pau sliding down into the PF spot gives Duncan more trouble defensively and makes that a closer matchup, Lamar sliding into the SF spot against Bowen gives an easy win to the Lakers in that matchup. Instead of a 3-2 edge for the Spurs in the starting lineup, you have a 4-1 Laker lead. Ahhh, but it's not to be... this year at least.
EDGE: LAKERS
Bench
The sign of great Laker teams has always been a really strong bench. Whether it was the Showtime days with Byron and AC or the Shaq/Kobe Lakers with Horry and B-Shaw, when the bench was deep, the team was successful. This year is no different with the bench performing extremely well most of the year and giving the feeling that it's not so bad when Kobe goes to the bench to rest [briefly.] So, while the Lakers' bench is thriving with Walton, Farmar, Sasha, and Ronny among others - the Spurs' bench is pretty much limited to Finley and an aging [but always dangerous] Robert Horry.
EDGE: LAKERS
Coach - Phil Jackson vs Gregg Popovich
Pop is a tough, good coach - but he's no Zenmaster. Phil will have the team coached, prepared, and ready to rock for this series. It's going to be a tough series and in a tough series, I'd rather have Phil Jackson using his brain to get us an edge than Popovich.
EDGE: LAKERS
So, to wrap it up...
Lakers have an edge in Coaching, Bench, Center, and Shooting Guard.
Spure have an edge in Power Forward, Small Forward, and Point Guard.
Lakers with a 5-3 lead... but I expect this series will be even tighter than that.
My prediction?
Lakers in 6, winning on the road to close it out again.
You always knew it would end up this way - it just had to. With all the talk about the Jazz giving the Lakers a hard series. With all the mumbo jumbo about homecourt advantage in the playoffs. With all the hype about Chris Paul and the Hornets being the future of the league.
In the end, you knew it would have to come down to the Lakers vs Spurs. It's the equivalent of basketball destiny at its' best. The road to the NBA Finals leads through the defending champ - could it really have happened any other way?
And so, here we go again, Laker fans.
Let's break it down...
Point Guard - Derek Fisher vs Tony Parker
As much as I adore D-Fish, I have to give the edge to Parker. That being said, there definitely are games where Fish will go on a hot streak and give the team a huge lift but in the average game, he's going to have a very tough time defending Parker. And without Bynum in the back as a stopper, I look for a lot of drive and dish in the Lakers' immediate future. However, seeing how rattled got at a picture of his wife, maybe the Lakers can line up every man she's ever nailed in the front row behind the Spurs bench during home games. It's all about the in-game strategy, baby.
EDGE: SPURS
Shooting Guard - Kobe Bryant vs Manu Ginobli
Let's call a spade a spade and admit that Manu is the real starting SG for the Spurs and not Michael Finlay - although Finlay is a tough opponent as well. Manu's the master of the wild driving, weaving, throw something at the glass, crash to the floor and cry about a foul move. Kobe is... well, he's Kobe. He's the best player in the game, period.
EDGE: LAKERS
Small Forward - Vladimir Radmonovic vs Bruce Bowen
This one is a bit of a tossup. Vlad-Rad is a better offensive player than Bowen but he's still prone to the type of mental mistakes that made Phil Jackson label him a "space cadet." He can have a big impact on a game - or he can simply disappear. You just never know which Vlad will show up. Bruce Bowen won't add much on the offensive end for the Spurs but he's one of the few players in the league not afraid to play one-on-one defense against Kobe and be effective at it. That skill alone gives the Spurs the edge here.
EDGE: SPURS
Power Forward - Lamar Odom vs Tim Duncan
A month ago, I would have said this was a slam dunk category for the Spurs but Lamar has played a masterful game in these playoffs. Being slotted into the third option for scoring as helped worlds with his defense, his rebounding, and his hustle. He does a lot of the little things that don't show up on the stat sheet. Tim Duncan is... well, he's Tim Duncan. He's one of the best players in the league. As good as Odom has been, I have to give the edge to Duncan and the Spurs.
EDGE: SPURS
Center - Pau Gasol vs Fabricio Oberto
This is an easy win for the Lakers. Of course, if you're a pessimist, you look at how Bynum's injury affects this entire series. Bynum would still take this category against Oberto, Pau sliding down into the PF spot gives Duncan more trouble defensively and makes that a closer matchup, Lamar sliding into the SF spot against Bowen gives an easy win to the Lakers in that matchup. Instead of a 3-2 edge for the Spurs in the starting lineup, you have a 4-1 Laker lead. Ahhh, but it's not to be... this year at least.
EDGE: LAKERS
Bench
The sign of great Laker teams has always been a really strong bench. Whether it was the Showtime days with Byron and AC or the Shaq/Kobe Lakers with Horry and B-Shaw, when the bench was deep, the team was successful. This year is no different with the bench performing extremely well most of the year and giving the feeling that it's not so bad when Kobe goes to the bench to rest [briefly.] So, while the Lakers' bench is thriving with Walton, Farmar, Sasha, and Ronny among others - the Spurs' bench is pretty much limited to Finley and an aging [but always dangerous] Robert Horry.
EDGE: LAKERS
Coach - Phil Jackson vs Gregg Popovich
Pop is a tough, good coach - but he's no Zenmaster. Phil will have the team coached, prepared, and ready to rock for this series. It's going to be a tough series and in a tough series, I'd rather have Phil Jackson using his brain to get us an edge than Popovich.
EDGE: LAKERS
So, to wrap it up...
Lakers have an edge in Coaching, Bench, Center, and Shooting Guard.
Spure have an edge in Power Forward, Small Forward, and Point Guard.
Lakers with a 5-3 lead... but I expect this series will be even tighter than that.
My prediction?
Lakers in 6, winning on the road to close it out again.
2008-05-19
One of my favorite NBA stories of the year
Take a look...
"Just like the real Eva Longoria, the one that showed up in New Orleans for Game 5 of the Hornets-Spurs series didn't have to buy a ticket. She was, after all, a welcome sight at the New Orleans Arena, a venue hungry for celebrity sightings to complement the Hornets' success. But Longoria was not given a free pass just because she was a celebrity. Rather, it was because she was printed on a life size poster, wearing a Hornets top intended to distract her husband Tony Parker.
"Idea was not to be offensive, just to be distractive," says Ivan Echegarrua, who partnered with fellow Hornets season ticket holder Rick Farrel to create the poster. And in case you were not at the game, the poster appeared to do the trick. Standing at the free throw line with about four minutes to go and the cutout of the Hornets-clothed Longoria in plain view, Parker missed both free throws."
2008-05-18
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