Ever just have one of these days?

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Well today is it for me....thanks Mike!

Not to beat a dead horse...but

Watching the Celtics game. The Lakers locked it up last night and this is a close out game for Boston. The lead officials name is Bennett Salvatore. Do I need to say more?

I Told You So!

Watch carefully minutes 2:20-2:25. That shooter? Spur Brent Barry. That mugging defender? Laker Derek Fisher. That Lex Luther look alike in the background? You guessed it, Joey Crawford. The shot? To win the game baby. The whistle? Swallowed before the ball was even inbounded...

Where's Tim Donoghy when you need him?

That's right David Stern, Ambien isn't the answer to all those sleepless nights.

Pistons v. Spurs Finals? Your bedroom probably has more corners than that series will get market share. Want to come closer to the number of specs on the ceiling...thats right, go old school...Lakers v. Celtics baby.

You can probably only get away with Joey Crawford (see Tim Duncan getting thrown out for laughing) reffing 2 games in the Lakers series, so you'll need Phil and the boys to come through at least twice on their own. With Kobe and one of the most lopsided trades of all time, this should be a lock. Good job on that one!

Boston has taken back home court after you slipped 'Sheed, Rip and Billips mickeys before game 3. Still that might not be enough because it appears Detroit has gotten their legs back and are rolling in Game 4.

What you need is something extra, something you can count on to come through. The Yankees turn to Mo in a pinch, the Pats give it to Brady in the final 2 minutes, the 9er's Montana, the Bulls Jordan. But in this case, who do you trust? KG? Allen? Pierce? Certainly not Doc Rivers, I don't think anyone in Celtic Nations (Danny Ainge included) trusts him. What you need is a little help from the Zebras. Where are the corruptible officials when you need them? Oh, that's right, you've got the FBI investigating all of them and you're doing your best to pretend to help them.

Let's all be honest with each other, basketball is the easiest sport to rig, hands down, no questions asked. With so many arbitrary calls that could go either way, timely whistles to kill momentum or give a team a point here or there are virtually undetectable and easily executed. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I'll be sure to be putting my money where my mouth is if this goes 7, and I'd suggest you follow suit.

Are they here yet?

First 38 seconds look familiar? No matter how old we admit to being or mature we try and act, all of us can remember back to this type of anticipation for whatever that LATEST AND GREATEST toy we wanted was growing up. I remember my first bike at 12, first Nintendo (Duck Hunt and all) at 13, the anticipation for my first day of college and for my first Spring Break trip to Cancun.

I've outgrown this though...or so I thought.

Damn you Steve Jobs, reminding me I still have a 4 year old inside me who can be easily wooed with the new shiny super-cool toy. For someone who prides himself on being rather minimalistic, I've become consumed by the anticipation and excitement.

Is it June 12th? 9th? 4th? Is it $399? Or $199 after AT&T subsidizes it in exchange for switching carriers? You know what, who cares. You've got me Apple, I'll pay whatever, whenever, to whoever. I just want my new toy and I want it NOW!!!

Timing is everything!

Congratulations of my fellow Eagle Matt Ryan who recently signed a record deal with the Falcons for 72 million. This was on the eve of the owners opting out of the current labor agreement with the players union. What does that mean? It means the owners want more $, and where is that coming from you might ask? 2 places, rookie salary pool and potentially an extra game.

The days of increasing record deals for rookies who have yet to prove a thing are numbered. Expect something more closer to the NBA's rookie salary cap and the big money coming in the player's 2nd contract. The structure will never be the identical because in a game where injuries, career ending injuries, are so prevalent, there will always be a premium paid for potential over performance.

To this end I applaud Matty Ice for his deal, enjoy it my friend, keep up the good work and you have a chance to maybe come close to being the great institutions #2 alum...

Idiocracy...

No, not the movie, although that's good too (in a mindless comedy way). I'm asked why I don't participate in social networks, and challenged when I say I just don't get their value. Call me old fashioned, call me naive, but this pretty much sums up my point...God bless the Brits!

Square Peg…Round Hole

Have our childhood days taught us nothing? I am a firm believer that if principles taught in kindergarten and advice from mom are applied to most of life’s problems things will work out just fine. Sure to be a more a lengthy blog in the future, I’ll stick right now to the lesson I learned spending hours trying to literally bang a square peg into a round hole…it doesn’t work.

Who might I be referring to that didn’t learn this lesson? I’m not entirely sure, but it’s some combination of the following: Mike D’Antoni, Steve Kerr, Mark Cuban and Avery Johnson most recently.

Both the Suns and the Mav’s bowed out last night after each receiving top seeds the past few years. Combined they have 3 of the last 3 league MVP trophies, the Suns reached out and sacrificed flexibility and defense in Shawn Marion to get Shaq at the deadline, the Mav’s doing the same to get the old and offensively inept (and wife beating) Jason Kidd.

The Mav’s might have been better off suiting their coach Avery Johnson up, Kidd couldn’t stop anyone and couldn’t put the ball in the basket to save his life. This shouldn’t have been a surprise either, and now they’ve given up on a great youngster in Devin Harris in the process.

The Suns run and gun style, granted not proven as a consistent winning style in the NBA, worked for them. To change mid-season and trade for the biggest anchor in the league, Shaq, who not only slows down their offense and exposes them defensively, but he’s owed an additional 20 mill a year the next 2 seasons…hardly the blueprint for allowing yourself flexibility to improve in the off season.

In contrast to these teams, the Lakers, Spurs and Celtics made well timed and well thought out trades vaulting them to phenomenal success. The Lakers and Spurs have already advanced, the Celts eventually will. LA and Boston both had #1 seeds. Sure the names of Paul Gasol, Kurt Thomas and Sam Cassell don’t scare anyone. But each fit perfectly into these team's styles and glaring needs. Passing center in the triangle offense, tough forward to rebound and play defense next to Duncan, backup point guard with size to a 2^nd year phenom (who can guard Billips too).

Listen here GM’s, know your team and your identity. Mid-season is not the time to try and change this, so make trades for your need and not to appease the fan base. What else is it they usually say? Listen to the fans and soon you’ll be sitting with them? Mike D’Antoni and Avery Johnson, I think there are a few already reserved for you…

How Parcells Builds His House

We’ve already seen the beginning of Bill Parcell’s 5^th reclamation project (Giants, Pats, Jets, Cowboys, maybe Dolphins?). The beginning of any of Bill’s tenures are met with one of 2 reactions from fans: head scratching or head nodding. To those scratching, check his track record and re-evaluate.

Why his model is not repeated (we know that his coaching tree is extensive, but it’s not so hard that anyone can’t copy it) is beyond me. For those of you who haven’t caught on at this point, let me help you through what has, and what is going to happen here on out:

-Winning starts at the top (see Bill Polian and Scott Pioli); Bill hand picks his organizational staff, coaching staff and scouting department. All the way down to the trainers and ball boys, Bill gets the people he wants in place.

-After tireless hours of watching film, which is probably what has caused his abysmal failure in family life, he cleans house of players who don’t play his way, are too old with too big a contract (most recently Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor might be taking his dancing shoes elsewhere before long), and those who flat out can’t play (watch your back Cleo)

-Once his team is down to the bear bones, he does the reverse, he stock piles as many players as possible, “his players”. He did it in New England with David Meggett et all. He did it with the Jets with Bryan Cox & Curtis Martin. Now with Miami he’s traded for Anthony Fassano (14 catches last year) and Akin Ayodele. What’s the point? Bill does things his way and these players listen, he sets a tone and the more yes men he has the better.

-Usually a top draft pick of some sort, Bledsoe, Keyshawn, DeMarcus Ware and now Jake Long.

What’s next you ask?

-More free agents, make players compete for their roster spot, none are guaranteed in the NFL, and no one is safe.

-Stock piling of draft picks. He’ll trade down this year whenever possible to get 2009 and 2010 picks.

-Strategic salary dumps…much to the dismay of the season ticket holders.

-3 yards and a cloud of dust. Ronnie Brown, hope you’re rested! Wonder why Bill would not find an often troubled Ricky Williams expendable? Ha, exactly the opposite, he’s keeping him because he IS EXPENDABLE!

- DE-FENSE!!! A genius on the defensive side, championships are built around it, and the Dolphins strongest side of the ball.

-Years 2 and 3 will be his refocusing on filling what he has taken the first year to figure out where the holes are. This is where those draft picks and salary cap room come into play.

-Just win baby!

Seems easy right? If the TVI knows this, why can’t anyone do it? As a wise friend of mine once said, ideas are nothing without execution. In this case the evaluation of who to draft, who to sign, who to cut and what management bring in is the key. Sound familiar? I’m sure this same estimate is echoed in several top MBA programs on a yearly basis…only difference is Bill didn’t have to drop 100k to figure it out…

Final Standings

In this the first year of TVI's March Madness pool, Big Pun took the top prize with Rob pulling a rabbit out a hat, or somewhere else. Congrats Irene on 3rd...till next year, early favorite...UNC!

Participants	Total Points
Jason L.	146
Rob D.	126
Irene Y.	112
Ryan M.	109
Clark S.	105
Justin F.	96
Nate F.	96
Craig S.	92
Blair L.	87
Matt T.	85
Scott M.	81
Andy F.	80
Chris B.	75
Rich R.	67