Superman lands in Tinseltown

After nearly a year of ongoing speculation, what's become known as the 'Dwightmare' is officially over. At least for now. Having been the centerpiece of trade rumors dating back to last season, Dwight Howard was finally granted his ticket out of Orlando thanks in large part to the never ending saga of distractions and a blockbuster four-team trade. Howard, the first overall pick of the 2004 NBA Draft who helped transform a struggling Orlando Magic franchise into a playoff staple before later becoming the team's all-time leading scorer, will now play for the team who deprived him of winning a title just four seasons ago -- the Los Angeles Lakers.

In what was already considered a successful off-season which saw the arrival of 2-time MVP point-guard Steve Nash, the addition of Dwight Howard makes this off-season one for the books in the minds of Laker fans and basketball fans alike. Howard, the Magic's all-time leading scorer is just the latest addition to an already formidable squad that also features Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. Having built dynasty after dynasty around some of the most dominant big men in the history of the game from all-time greats such as George Mikan, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O'Neal, the Lakers look to add another chapter with the acquisition of Dwight Howard. Following in the tracks of another former Magic great -- Shaq, who also ditched Orlando for the bright lights of Hollywood under the nickname 'Superman', Dwight told the media he appreciated being put in the same class as those dominant big men who played before him, but made it very clear that he plans to make history of his own and wants to be great in his own right.

But is the acquisition of Howard & Nash enough for the Lakers to leapfrog the Oklahoma City Thunder as the perennial favorites in the Western Conference? I'd say so. But the picture is bigger than that. After a number of tries, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak not only made the move he's been longing for, but the one that Howard's new teammate Kobe Bryant says will keep the team afloat for many years once he decides to hang it up. Kobe, who was unable to meet with Howard in person following the trade because he was overseas playing in the London Olympics where he looked to add another gold medal to his already impressive trophy case, spoke to the media about the future of both his career and the Lakers organization moving forward. "I'll probably play two or three more years. Then the team is his." Of course assuming Howard re-signs long-term with L.A. once he's eligible for free-agency following the 2012-2013 season. Having now found a long-term solution for when the day comes that the Kobe era comes to an end in Lakerland, fans of the purple & gold will no longer have to lose sleep wondering who will lead the franchise once the Black Mamba retires.

Just like Andrew Bynum who will be forgotten about despite helping the Lakers win back-to-back NBA titles in 2009 and 2010 since being drafted by L.A. at the young age of 17, what won't get talked about nearly enough regarding the deal is the fact that Kupchak was able to work his magic all while managing to keep Pau Gasol who at first glance was thought to be a for sure lock to be dealt in order to land Howard. Without Gasol the team is very good on paper, with him they're great. One thing Howard didn't mention during his press-conference, however, was winning a championship. But perhaps he'd rather be about it instead of talking about it. That's a mentality the 26-year old center will eventually adopt while playing alongside Kobe Bryant. 

Who came and who went? - In order to get a lot, you've got to give a lot. That saying applied here as the Lakers had to part with the second best center in the league in order to obtain the first best. While the Lakers sent Andrew Bynum to the Philadelphia 76ers who also received Jason Richardson from Orlando, Philly dealt Andre Iguodala to the Denver Nuggets. Highlighting the Magic's transformation next season will be Aaron Afflalo and Al Harrington who are joined by Nikola Vucevic, Moe Harkless, Josh McRoberts and Christian Eyenga. Making the transition from Orlando to Los Angeles with Howard were Magic teammates Chris Duhon and Earl Clark. Orlando will also look to rebuild via the draft as they received five draft picks in total; three first-round picks and two second-round picks. And though it may take longer than fans would like for the Magic to return as playoff contenders, trading Howard and preparing for the future makes a lot more sense for the organization opposed to hanging on to Howard for another year only to have him walk and sign elsewhere the following summer as a free-agent. But that's not to say the earlier trade proposals which surfaced regarding Howard to either the Houston Rockets or Booklyn Nets weren't better suited for Orlando.

The Beverly Hills hotel in which Howard has lived in for the past several months while rehabbing since undergoing back surgery is just a stones throw away from his new home of Staples Center. And though Howard is expected to miss the first few games or so while recovering, the team should be getting an early Christmas present when he returns. If worse comes to worse, they could see him in action as late as Christmas day when the Lakers play host to the New York Knicks.

So far this offseason has saw the Lakers upgrade in two positions the consensus favorite and defending champion Miami Heat lack most and are most vulnerable at -- center and point-guard. And in doing so the Lakers have once again stolen the spotlight in the NBA as the one team everyone will have their eyes on and will be wanting to see come the start of the season.


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Hard Knocks: The Chad Johnson saga

Is there anyone out there who's had a worse week than Chad Johnson aka Chad Ochocinco? With an arrest, a divorce and a ticket out the door at Dolphins camp all in the last few days, the chances are unlikely. The former NFL superstar who's given us laugh after laugh in the past for his creative and often controversial touchdown celebrations was released from the Miami Dolphins on Monday, less than 48 hours after being arrested for allegedly headbutting his wife of 41-days in the driveway of their home. With a fallout for his actions to be expected, not even Johnson was prepared for the long week ahead that he had in store. Just a day after being dumped by the Miami Dolphins, his wife decided to dump him as well, ending their brief marriage which became official on July 4. 

Johnson has become more productive on our television screens as a member of the hit TV show 'Dancing with the Stars' and through social media on Twitter as of late than he has on the football field. After logging 1,000+ yards a season in seven of his first nine years in the NFL which led the AFC on two occasions and the entire league on another, the 6-time Pro Bowl wide-receiver hasn't quite been the player he once was and was an absolute ghost of his former self last season as a member of the AFC Champion New England Patriots. Despite having Tom Brady as his quarterback, the 3-time All-Pro wide-out was a non-factor during New England's title run and registered a career-low in receiving yards (276) as well as receptions with a measly 15 grabs and matched a career-low in touchdowns with 1 which he snagged his rookie year in 2001. Hoping to restore his image as well as his NFL career, Chad changed his last name from Ochocinco back to Johnson. But things have only gone downhill for the former star since then.

With his release, the Chad Johnson era in Miami ends before it could even begin, much to the dismay of Dolphins linebacker Karlos Danzby who told a Florida radio show that he disliked that Johnson wasn't given a third strike by the organization and that he hated that the team didn't stand behind him. With the 34-year old Johnson once again seeking work, though it may take awhile, an opportunity should present itself sooner or later as teams will look to fill holes before the start of the season with preseason injuries occurring. Not to mention he's a year younger than Randy Moss and four years younger than Terrell Owens, both of whom are seasoned receivers who have found work despite having their fair share of troubles in the past. Who knows, perhaps we'll see all three of them playing in the same division this year say if the St. Louis Rams take a chance with him. And though I haven't tuned in to this season of HBO's Hard Knocks, I'm taking a wild guess by saying the next episode will feature Johnson getting cut.


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USA Men's Basketball & The Great Debate

Earlier this month while practicing in anticipation of this year's Summer Olympics in London, England, USA Men's Basketball team captain Kobe Bryant opened up a can of worms by saying the 2012 squad could take the 1992 Dream Team. "It would be a tough one but I think we could pull it off," Kobe told reporters in Las Vegas just days before the team took the court against the Dominican Republic. Those comments came much to the dismay of Michael Jordan and his former teammates who didn't hesitate to fire back with comments of their own.

While Jordan questioned Kobe's intelligence by saying, "For Bryant to compare those two teams is not one of the smarter things he ever could have done," it was Charles Bakley who really put the stake in the heart of Team USA by stating other than Kobe, LeBron, and Durant, the rest of the team wouldn't even make the '92 squad. And while I would make a case for Chris Paul who's already been touted as one of the greatest point-guards of all-time, I'd agree with Sir Charles. Regardless of whether or not Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were already past their prime when the two joined forces to bring home a gold medal in the summer of '92, the depth and size of the Dream Team would eat this 2012 team alive in the paint. The trio of Karl Malone, Charles Barkley and David Robinson would out-rebound this current squad and punk Tyson Chandler for his lunch money while Patrick Ewing filmed it. Insert a healthy Dwight Howard into the lineup, however, and this team might stand a chance in the rebound department.

With the Olympics yet to begin, Kobe's comments may have come a bit prematurely as it would take only two games for them to prove this 2012 team is no Dream Team. After winning easily against a John Calipari coached Dominican club by a final of 113-59, they'd have a close call against the Brazilians who almost made it a single-digit loss before eventually falling 80-69. After getting back on track with a 118-78 romp of an inexperienced Great Britain team, the Americans would have another scare, this time against Argentina with the U.S. escaping with only a six-point victory (86-80). Finishing their exhibition schedule against Spain who's ranked #2 in the world only behind the United States and is expected to be the toughest opponent coach K's squad will be up against this summer, Kobe Bryant and co. would have little trouble against his Laker teammate Pau Gasol who witnessed the Americans finish a perfect 5-0 after their 100-78 victory over the Spaniards despite playing on Spain's home turf.

It's no secret that the Dream Team which consisted of 11 Hall of Famers routed their opponents by an unheard of average of 44-points, but the competition back then wasn't as talented as it is now with the exception of a few countries. To the defense of Kobe, since 1992, the rest of the world has only improved on the game of basketball. Not to say the Dream Team wouldn't have won gold with ease in his day and age, but teams would have been a little bit more competitive. Something the Dream Team can't argue as the sport was basically looked upon as extraterrestrial outside of the U.S., as much of the world was still new to the game of basketball. Even Kobe said of team USA's competition, "Look, they are just as competitive as we are, they want to win, they believe that they can win - which is different from '92."

Having earned the distinction of arguably the greatest team ever assembled in the history of sports, MJ and the boys of the '92 squad in Barcelona have reason to be upset. But unless someone hires the dude who put the Tupac hologram together which performed during April's Coachella Music Festival, we'll never hear the end of it and will never truly see how a game played between the two teams would play out. One thing that's certain, however, is that all eyes will be on the Americans. Never has the pressure for a U.S. Men's Basketball team to bring home the gold been this high after Kobe's asinine comments. Hey Kobe, you're my boy and all, but lets see how this team fares during Olympic play before we begin comparing teams to the greatest of all-time, shall we?

Kobe, LeBron, Durant and the rest of the 2012 U.S. Men' Basketball squad will begin their quest for the gold medal on Sunday July 29 against San Antonio's Tony Parker and team France which can be seen on NBC.

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Ichiro bids a Sayonara to Seattle

For 12 seasons, baseball fans in Seattle witnessed Ichiro Suzuki become a fixture, manning the outfield and breaking records on more occasions than one. Donning a Mariners uniform as recent as yesterday, M's fans were treated to a sight they were unfamiliar with on Monday night as the Japanese star took the field on the opposing side for the first time since he broke onto the big league scene in the U.S.. After helping the Mariners win games for over a decade, Ichiro would turn the tables and help beat them only a day later. With the Mariners fighting to avoid logging the worst record in the American League and most likely on their way to their third straight last place finish in the AL West and this season likely to be his last, Ichiro requested to be traded to a ball club currently in a much better position to make a push for the playoffs. A request Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik would fulfill by shipping him from the last place Mariners (42-56) to the first place Yankees (58-38) who currently boast the best record in the Major Leagues. Though the 10-time All-Star will now shift from playing on the west coast to playing on the east coast, for Ichiro, the move from his old ball club to his new one was as simple as walking from one dugout to the other.

With the New York Yankees in Seattle preparing to kick off game 1 of a 3 game set against the Mariners, there was no plane ticket or bus ride needed as Ichiro traded in his old M's uniform for Yankee pinstripes. And in his first game playing with his new ball club, plugged in as the number eight hitter, he would go up against the only other Major League franchise he's ever known. After being announced over the intercom by the public address announcer for the first time as a visitor, the 38-year old future Hall of Famer was given a standing ovation from the 29,911 fans in attendance at Seattle's Safeco Field before taking a bow and waving his helmet to the Mariners faithful. Those cheers would eventually die down as Ichiro singled in his first at-bat and stole second before finishing the ballgame 1-for-4 as the Yankees went on to win by a final of 4-1. 

Having struggled last year as well as the the first half of the 2012 season, hitting a career-low .261 thus far, Ichiro and the Yankees are hoping that plugging him back into a pennant race will help revitalize him at the plate. And while Yankees GM Brian Cashman isn't expecting the 38-year old to turn into the Ichiro of old who was winning batting titles in 2001 and 2004, his addition into the lineup is one the Bronx Bombers could definitely use with their speedy outfielder Brett Gardner likely to remain on the shelf for the remainder of the season as he's scheduled to undergo arthroscopic elbow surgery next week and Nick Swisher temporarily sidelined with a hip injury. In the final year of his contract with a Mariners ball club that was going nowhere but down, Ichiro sought a brighter future for the organization by helping them rebuild and get younger with right-handed pitching prospects D.J. Mitchell and Danny Farquhar as well as cash considerations in exchange for himself as well as allow manager Eric Wedge to give playing time to another player in the outfield.

The deal is one that benefits both parties as Ichiro lands in a position to finally add a World Series ring to an already impressive resume which includes 2 American League batting titles, 10 Gold Glove Awards, 10 All-Star appearances, 1 All-Star Game MVP Award, 3 Silver Slugger Awards, 1 AL MVP Award and an AL Rookie of the Year Award. And that's not including all of his achievements in the nine years he played prior to the big league while in Japan.

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From Red to White, The Return of Youkilis

One team's trash is another team's treasure. That could simply be said for former Boston Red Sox third baseman and fan favorite Kevin Youkilis who when healthy this season didn't quite produce the way first year skipper Bobby Valentine had envisioned. Hitting a dismal .233 with 4 home runs and 14 RBI's in 42 games for the Boston ball club, it was no secret that Youkilis was in a funk, nor was he seeing eye to eye with his manager as the two shared a rocky relationship. After losing his starting job to the hot-hitting rookie Will Middlebrooks, the once upon a time spark plug for the Red Sox was at an all time low. And not far behind was his stock. With nowhere else to go on the baseball diamond after a failed experiment at first base which seemed to only make him struggle more at the plate, Red Sox GM Ben Cherington had no other option than to trade him. 

With several ball clubs interested in the 33-year old veteran in his ninth season, it was the Chicago White Sox who landed Youk in hopes of solving their problem at third base in exchange for pitcher Zach Stewart and utility man Brent Lillibridge with the Red Sox agreeing to pay $5.5 Million of Youkilis' salary. In his final at-bat as a member of the Red Sox, Youkilis would treat the Boston faithful to the perfect farewell, hitting a triple before being pinch ran for, leading to a standing ovation and a curtain call which served as a storybook ending for what was a memorable nine-year tenure with a Red Sox franchise he helped win two World Series titles. And after only a few games and a handful at-bats in a White Sox uniform, it appeared that a change of scenery and a different color of sox was all the 3-time All-Star needed to be rejuvenated at the plate as he made his presence felt with an immediate impact.

Having hit .353 with 4 homers, 15 RBI's, 13 runs scored and 11 walks over 13 games in July, including 5 hits in 14 at-bats in Boston against his former team where the return was just as welcoming as it was emotional, White Sox GM Kenny Williams and the South Siders appear to have struck gold with their most recent addition. With the White Sox currently atop the AL Central in a tie with the division-rival Detroit Tigers who were expected to run away with the division coming into the season, Youkilis' bat just might be Chicago's key to making the postseason where they haven't been since 2008. That'll all depend on whether or not he can stay healthy. With trip after trip to the disabled-list it seems, Youkilis, a career .286 hitter, has averaged just 119 games from 2009-2011.


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Melky's Memorable First Half

Since the Giants ball club has been around dating back to the late 1800's as one of baseball's oldest teams, there's been few players to play for the franchise who've had a better first half of a season than Melky Cabrera. Instead of hitting home runs left and right, Cabrera instead awed fans by collecting hits at a torrid pace. After logging one of the best months by a Giant in franchise history by surpassing the great Willie Mays' mark of 49 hits in the month of May before later tying Randy Winn the very next day for the most hits in a single month by a Giant (SF era) with 51, Cabrera was named to the 2012 All-Star Game where he led all National League outfielders in votes with more than 7.5 Million.


Having led the Major League in hits with 119, while most players cooled off during the All-Star break, the 27-year old native from the Dominican picked up right where he left off in Tuesday's Midsummer Classic by collecting the game's first hit in the top of the first inning, lacing a single to left-center field off of Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander. After coming around to score on an RBI double by Milwaukee Brewers slugger Ryan Braun later in the inning, Cabrera watched his Giants teammate Pablo Sandoval get in on the action by hitting a triple off the wall in right which cleared the bases and gave the NL All-Stars a commanding 4-0 lead before adding another run in the inning thanks to an RBI single from St. Louis' Matt Holliday which scored Sandoval. Having piled on 5-runs against last year's reigning AL Cy Young and MVP Award winner after only the first frame, the game was well over and decided. But Melky wouldn't abandon the fans of Kansas City who watched him have a breakout season the year before in a Royals uniform without giving them a show. 

After tacking on another run in the fourth inning, Cabrera put the finishing touches on the ballgame by launching a 2-run homer to left field off of Texas' Matt Harrison, giving the National League an 8-run lead they wouldn't surrender or even allow the American League to bite into. Finishing the game 2-for-3 while driving in and scoring 2 runs, Cabrera was named All-Star MVP as voted on by the fans, edging out fellow San Francisco teammate Pablo Sandoval (1-for-2, 1 Run, 2 RBI) and Milwaukee's Ryan Braun (2-for-3, 1 Run, 1 RBI). With his mother and grandmother in attendance to catch his very first All-Star appearance, the two got to share the field with Melky as he was awarded his MVP hardware along with the keys to a new car. 2012 marks the sixth time a member of the Giants was named All-Star MVP, including Bobby Bonds who took home MVP honors for his performance in the 1973 Midsummer Classic which was also played in Kansas City, tying the Baltimore Orioles for the most All-Star MVP Awards.

Joining Melky in this year's All-Star Game was Giants pitcher Matt Cain who started the game and threw 2-shutout innings before being awarded the win, catcher Buster Posey and the aforementioned Pablo Sandoval, tying the defending World Champion St. Louis Cardinals for the most players named to NL All-Star team with four. Having amassed a robust .353 batting average which trails only Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen for tops in the league, Cabrera's currently on pace to tie if not set a career-high in Home Runs, RBI's, Runs and Stolen Bases set last year with KC. And in case everything he's done during the first half of the season was somehow missed, showcasing his talent at the All-Star Game in front of a national audience should be enough to open the eyes of Giants GM Brian Sabean and convince him to sign the outfielder to a multi-year deal before he hits the free-agent market when his contract expires this coming winter. Melky and co. will begin the second half of the season on Friday night at home against the Houston Astros, trailing the arch-rival Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Western Division by only 1/2 a game. 

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Lakers fill Point-Guard void with veteran Nash

With the Lakers' Ramon Sessions fleeing Los Angeles by deciding not to exercise his $4.5 Million player option for the 2012 season in hopes of signing a more lucrative contract elsewhere, the Lakers were left on the outside looking in at the point-guard position with the exception of Steve Blake. Refusing to lose sleep over the matter, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak wasted little time to work his magic as the franchise has appeared to have now found their man as long-time rivals Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant will now join forces in Tinseltown.

Having  faced one another for well over a decade now in the Western Conference since both being drafted in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft, there's very few players currently in the league who've become as well acquainted with one another than Bryant and Nash. And until this past Wednesday, fans would have to wait until the All-Star Game to see Kobe and Nash playing alongside one another. That is no longer the case as the Lakers have agreed to a sign-and-trade deal with the Phoenix Suns which will send Steve Nash to L.A. where he'll ink a three-year deal worth an estimated $27 Million in exchange for first round picks in the 2013 and 2015 Draft as well as second round picks in 2013 and 2014. Though the addition of Nash makes the Lakers look that much older on paper and fails to fit the ideal description of head coach Mike Brown's defensive-minded ball club, he brings with him a dribbling and passing ability that hasn't been seen in L.A. in decades. He's also pretty good at shooting. Not since the Showtime Lakers which featured a backcourt ran by a guy named Ervin Magic Johnson have the Lake Show had a point-guard of this magnitude.

Many skeptics have already begun to question if Kobe and Nash can co-exist and believe the two sharing the floor on the same squad won't necessarily work. They're wrong and here's why; Not in the history of his tenure with the Lakers (16 seasons) has Kobe had a point-guard capable of distributing the ball, not to mention draw attention and run the offense quite like Nash can. With Bryant aware now more than ever that he can no longer put the team on his back and carry them to another NBA title, he'll do everything it takes to get that sixth ring. Even if that means handing over the keys to the offense to a 38-year old guy that has made 8 All-Star teams and has won 2-NBA MVP Awards. If the Lakers had acquired any other 38-year old I would've opposed, but Steve Nash has proven that he still has enough juice left in the tank to fill L.A.'s point-guard needs as he still managed to average 12.5 points and 10.7 assists per game last year which ranked second in the league despite being among the oldest active players in the game today.

With the roster the Lakers currently have, Nash will have plenty of options to dish to on offense with both Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol in the post. And while the deal gives Laker fans something they've been without for far too long -- a legit point-guard, what it doesn't give them, however, is the right to be dubbed the team to beat in the Western Conference. At least not until they can prove that they can go toe to toe with a much quicker and younger Oklahoma City Thunder squad that will remain the consensus favorite to represent the Western Conference in next year's NBA Finals, something they'll be even hungrier for this time around having now tasted defeat. That could all change, however, if the Lakers are able to finally land Orlando's Dwight Howard who they've flirted with on numerous occasions and are once again surfacing in the trade-o-sphere as a possible destination. 

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Mr. Perfect

With a major contribution in helping the Giants claim their first ever Word Series title in 2010 since the ball club moved from New York to San Francisco in 1956, there's been little that starting pitcher Matt Cain and the Giants have been yet to accomplish in the franchise's rich 100+ year history. But a little more than two months after signing the right-handed workhorse to a blockbuster 5-year, $112.5 Million deal, the 27-year old pitcher rewarded the franchise with something they've never seen before. Though the ball club has been on the giving end of 14 no-hitters which is tied for the fourth most by a team in MLB history, never before has there been a player to throw a perfect game while donning the orange and black. But on June 13, not only would Cain register a perfecto, but he would also toss one of the most dominant pitching performances the game of baseball has ever seen. 

With three career one-hitters under his belt including one earlier this season against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Giants fans knew if anyone on the current roster had the stuff to throw a perfect game it was Matt Cain. And in front of a sellout crowd at San Francisco's AT&T Park against the Houston Astros, Cain would do just that. Facing the minimum of 27 batters and preventing the Astros from getting a single man on base, Cain notched just the 22nd perfect game in MLB history. And though the 2012 season was already treated to a perfecto thanks to Chicago's Phillip Humber, to say Cain's feat was better would be an understatement. Proving just how dominant he was, Cain didn't fall behind to a single 2-0 count all game long. Even more impressive was that he fanned a career-high 14 Houston hitters. Half of Cain's punch outs coming by way of the swinging variety while the other half struck out looking. The 14-strikeouts was also the most K's ever in a perfect game, tying the mark set by Sandy Koufax of the arch-rival Dodgers who struck out 14 Chicago Cubs in 1965. Not to be overlooked was the stellar game called by Cain's battery mate Buster Posey and outfielder Gregor Blanco who's diving grab in the seventh inning to preserve the gem was arguably the best catch we've seen from a Giant in recent years.

Notoriously known for being on the receiving end of poor run support for a majority of his career in the big leagues which has translated to a poor and undeserving win-loss record for Cain, Giants hitters would have no trouble getting runs on the board this time around as they set a record for the most runs of support in a perfect game by tacking on 10-runs. Ironically, the game was also the win that put Matt Cain over the .500 mark in his career (76-75), a mark that Giants fans should only see expand from here on. Having been one of the most underrated and under appreciated pitchers in the game today while in the shadow of teammate and 2-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum for the greater part of the last few seasons despite logging a number of productive years of his own including two All-Star campaigns in 2009 and 2011, Cain's recent domination coupled with Lincecum's struggles this season just might help Cain solidify himself as the ace of the Giants pitching staff moving forward. 

On pitch no. 125, Cain would get the pinch-hitting Jason Castro to hit a ground ball to third baseman Joaquin Arias who off balanced rifled a strike to the first baseman Brandon Belt for the 27th out of the ball game. Sticking the ball in his back pocket, Belt then raised his arms before joining the rest of his teammates in mobbing Cain on the pitchers mound as the team celebrated in a similar way they did just two years ago when winning the World Series, showering the man of the hour with cans of beer. The coolest part, however, was that Matt's wife Chelsea stood and watched from the stands before greeting and congratulating him first hand near the Giants dugout.

For Giants and baseball fans alike, this will be one of those games/events that we tell our children and grandchildren that we had the privilege to watch. At least I will. 


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Road to the 2012 NBA Finals & Prediction

With both the Eastern and Western Conference Finals coming to an end, the table is now set for the 2012 NBA Finals. And like last year's Finals which featured plenty of drama-filled storylines from LeBron James being unable to follow through on his promise of bringing Miami a title, to he and teammate Dwayne Wade mocking Dallas Mavericks Forward Dirk Nowitzki for his late game heroics in Game 4 despite having a fever of 101 degrees, this year's series should be no different. Though the storylines differ from last season, there shouldn't be any shortage of excitement as fans will be treated to what's expected to be an all-out battle between a high-octane offense in the Oklahoma City Thunder and a defensive juggernaut in the Miami Heat. Not to mention the series will showcase arguably the best two players in the league (Kevin Durant and LeBron James) facing off against one another.

The road these two teams took to get here, however, is a bit one-sided as far as which has been more impressive. Of coarse no path to the Finals is an easy one, but to say the Thunder's journey was a more difficult one than Miami's would be an understatement. While the first round of the NBA Playoffs saw the Miami Heat face an underachieving New York Knicks team which dropped the first three games until finally claiming Game 4 before eventually being eliminated in 5, Oklahoma City made quick work of the defending World Champion Mavericks by completing a four game sweep. The Conference Semifinals featured the Heat against an Indiana Pacers squad which stole home court advantage and took a 2-to-1 series lead before falling three straight. The Thunder on the other hand faced off against the Los Angeles Lakers, but aside from Kobe Bryant's valiant effort to try and put his team on his back and carry them to another championship, the combination of speed and youth proved to be too much for a banged up Laker team as OKC prevailed in 5 games.

For Miami, the Conference Finals would prove to be their most difficult challenge yet. After winning the first two in Miami, the series would shift to Boston where the Heat would lose Games 3 and 4 as well as Game 5 back in South Beach. With their backs against the wall facing elimination, the Heat would need a Hall of Fame-like performance out of LeBron James in Game 6. And with 45 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists, they would get just that as LeBron and co. forced a decisive Game 7 to be played in Miami where the Heat came alive in the second half and never looked back. As for the Thunder, they'd have to take on the daunting task of having to play the number one seeded San Antonio Spurs who tied the Chicago Bulls for the best overall record in the NBA (50-16). And with Games 1 & 2 in the books, Thunder head coach Scott Brook's team appeared to have finally met their match in a deep, veteran-filled Spurs team, facing an 0-2 deficit. But a trip back to their home court coupled with the two game disadvantage would be the perfect wake up call for Kevin Durant and company as OKC would win the next four, sending the Spurs home packing earlier than they would've hoped for the second straight year as the no. 1 seed. 

Prediction: With the Thunder appearing to be clicking on all cylinders, for Erik Spoelstra's Miami Heat team their toughest task might be what lies a head. With this year's MVP LeBron James expected to draw plenty of attention on offense, it'll be up to Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh and the rest of the Miami Heat cast to step up and do their part. LeBron hasn't necessarily duplicated his MVP-like stature on the biggest stage of them all in the Finals in his first two trips there having lost last year against the Mavs and in 2006 to the San Antonio Spurs while with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but as of late he's been playing on a level unmatched by the opposition. And unless the Thunder find an answer for him, they might be sitting in the locker with their heads down while Miami pops bottles of champagne in celebration by series end. But with such a young cast of talent led by Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, I don't think that'll be the case. And with the ball in their court owning home court advantage, all signs point towards the Thunder coming out on top given they're yet to lose a home game during these Playoffs (8-0). And while I see the series going the distance if not six games at the very least, I've got the Thunder prevailing and being crowned as this year's NBA Champions with Kevin Durant writing a chapter in the history books as the Finals MVP. 

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Mets capture first No-Hitter thanks to Johan

June 1, 2012 will forever be remembered in New York Mets lore as the day the franchise was finally treated to their first no-hitter some 50 seasons after bringing baseball to the borough of Queens. And though it took them 8,020 games to finally get one, the Mets organization and their fans wouldn't have it any other way. After witnessing Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver flirt with a no-hitter on numerous occasions during his 12-year tenure with the ball club only to see him accomplish the feat in his second season with the Cincinnati Reds, the Mets can finally say they have their own to celebrate.

Coming into Spring Training, one of the more frequently asked questions in Mets camp was whether or not starting pitcher Johan Santana would be able to pitch like the Johan Santana of old, much less return to a big league mound. A 4-time All-Star and 2-time Cy Young Award winner, Santana was sidelined the entire 2011 season while recovering from shoulder surgery he underwent in September of 2010. Off to a stellar start to begin his 2012 campaign, what the Venezuelan born pitcher would achieve on a brisk Friday night in Flushing, New York against the defending World Champion St. Louis Cardinals was something nobody saw coming, not to mention something Mets fans never thought they'd experience. After tossing a complete-game shutout just six days earlier, Santana would give Mets fans something they've been waiting 51 seasons for -- a no-hitter.

Prior to Friday's game, Mets skipper Terry Collins had a pitch limit of 110 in mind for his 33-year old recovering hurler, but given the circumstances, Johan returning to the mound despite exceeding that number with a chance to log the first no-no in Mets franchise history was just as important as it was dangerous. Already with 122 pitches thrown heading into the 9th inning, it would take him a career-high 134 pitches before getting David Freese to strikeout swinging for the final out of the game to seal the 8-0 victory and the Mets first ever no-hitter. Though Santana baffled eight Cardinal hitters by way of the strikeout against five walks, he would need a bit of help from his defense. Like almost every no-hitter there's at least one jaw-dropping catch or play made that keeps the no-no in tact. Johan's gem was no different as an amazing catch by left fielder Mike Baxter would preserve Santana's no-hit bid. On pitch no. 101 in the seventh, Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina would send an 0-0 offering deep into left-field and into the direction of Baxter who on his horse made a spectacular catch on the warning track just before crashing into the wall shoulder and head first, causing him to be helped off the field as he was unable to finish the game with a left shoulder contusion.

Unfortunately there's gonna be those who think the no-hitter deserves an asterisk and is tainted by the controversial call on a hit towards the third base line that was called foul by third-base umpire Adrian Johnson. Upon further review it appeared that the ball struck off the bat of former Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran kicked up some chalk just behind third base, causing Cardinals skipper Mike Matheney to come out from the visiting dugout to argue the call to no avail. Beltran would ground out sharply to third on the very next pitch, helping Santana move one batter closer to making history. Of the 27,089 fans in attendance at Citi Field, many will be telling their grand kids one day that they were there to witness Johan make history without even daring to mention the controversy that almost robbed Mets fans of finally being able to say, "we've got one."

How fitting that the Mets would get their first no-hitter in franchise history on the year in which they're celebrating 50 seasons of Mets baseball. What makes Santana's no-hitter that much more remarkable is that the Mets haven't been a franchise starving of talented pitching. In fact pitching is probably what the franchise has been best remembered for. With such pitching greats as Nolan Ryan, Doc Gooden, Tom Seaver, Ron Darling, Warren Spahan, Tom Glavine and Pedro Martinez among others, it's amazing the Mets have gone this long without ever logging a no-hitter. Santana's gem leaves the San Diego Padres as the only franchise without a no-hitter. Is it too soon for Mets fans to be asking when they'll be treated to their first perfect game?


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