The Miami Heat after finishing off the determined New York Knicks through a five game series, ending it with a 4-1 lead are now heading to the Conference Semifinals. The Heat's semifinal opponent will be the Indiana Pacers, who also left their opponent, the Orlando Magics in the dust with a 4-1 lead.
The Heat didn't need to put much effort into beating the Knicks. Throughout the five game series it was the Heat's big three, Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh against Carmelo Anthony. Jeremy Lin, the Knicks' point guard was out due to a knee injury. The first three games in the series the Heat completely outwitted the Knicks. Barron Davis who played point guard position while Lin is out got injured during the Knicks' game four against the Heat, but with luck on their side they managed to survive a sweep and won game four. The Heat was still the superior one because they took advantage of the Knicks losing Davis and won game five.
Just like their semifinals opponent, the Pacers closed the Magic and ended the series in five games. Dwight Howard, the Magic's center was out for the season due to an injury. Knowing this the Pacers took advantage and was able to grab more rebounds.. Even though their starting center was out the Magic had put up a good fight and won one game of the series to avoid being swept. Unfortunately, the Pacers closed the series during game five.
The Heat and Pacers faced off in game one of their semifinal series and it ended with an unexpected turn. Through the first to third quarter in the game the Heat were trailing, but they made a comeback during the fourth quarter and took the win to lead the semifinal series with 1-0. The Heat and Pacers' Semifinals game two will be in Miami so the odds are against the Pacers. Chris Bosh, Miami's power forward and one of the big three, was out with an injury during game one. The odds are stacked against them, but the Pacers are having a huge advantage because with Bosh out James and Wade will have to score higher than they usually would to fill in the gap for Bosh.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Why is the WWE bringing back older superstars?
World Wrestling Entertainment has recently brought back many veteran and favored superstars. It first started off with bringing back Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson to Wrestlemania XXVIII and then Brock Lesnar showed up at Raw on April 10. Both Johnson and Lesnar targeted John Cena, one best wrestlers the WWE has to offer.
Wrestlemania XXVIII took place on April 1st, 2012 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the home of Johnson. The main event was Cena vs. Johnson and the promotional nickname given to the match was “Once in a lifetime.” Wrestlemania XXVIII was the most watched pay-per-view in professional wrestling history. Johnson left the WWE in 2004, but made many appearances in movies and T.V. shows.
The heat between Cena and Johnson started in Wrestlemania XXVII, where Johnson interrupted Cena’s match with the Miz, causing the Miz to win. After the match, Johnson delivered his finisher, the Rock Bottom, to Cena. The next day on Raw, Johnson challenged Cena to a match a year later. Cena agreed to fight in Wrestlemania XXVIII. After months of waiting for the so-called “Once in a lifetime match,” Cena faced Johnson. Johnson ended up with the victory, after delivering a Rock Bottom to Cena. After Johnson left, there was more to come for Cena.
After a cruel and tough match against Johnson, Cena had to face the fighting machine, Lesnar. Lesnar tried to make a statement on Raw, when he gave Cena his finisher, the F5. Cena and Lesnar went at each other for about two weeks until John Laurinaitis had a contract signing in order to finalize their match at Over the Limit. At Over the Limit Lesnar and Cena put up a great fight. Both men were battered up and bleeding. Lesnar ended up breaking Cena’s arm with one of his submission maneuvers, but Cena was still able to deliver an Attitude Adjustment leading him to victory.
Although the WWE is bringing back many past superstars, they are doing it purely to attract watchers and buyers. With more fans and watchers there is more profit. Furthermore, which wrestling fan does not want to see generations collide or see another superstar return? In a bleacherrport.com survey, 92 percent of 1300 people said yes to the following question “Do you agree with the WWE's decision to bring back past superstars like The Rock and Brock Lesnar?" Even though, Lesnar has now left the WWE, he probably will come back. Let's see who the WWE brings back this time.
Wrestlemania XXVIII took place on April 1st, 2012 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the home of Johnson. The main event was Cena vs. Johnson and the promotional nickname given to the match was “Once in a lifetime.” Wrestlemania XXVIII was the most watched pay-per-view in professional wrestling history. Johnson left the WWE in 2004, but made many appearances in movies and T.V. shows.
The heat between Cena and Johnson started in Wrestlemania XXVII, where Johnson interrupted Cena’s match with the Miz, causing the Miz to win. After the match, Johnson delivered his finisher, the Rock Bottom, to Cena. The next day on Raw, Johnson challenged Cena to a match a year later. Cena agreed to fight in Wrestlemania XXVIII. After months of waiting for the so-called “Once in a lifetime match,” Cena faced Johnson. Johnson ended up with the victory, after delivering a Rock Bottom to Cena. After Johnson left, there was more to come for Cena.
After a cruel and tough match against Johnson, Cena had to face the fighting machine, Lesnar. Lesnar tried to make a statement on Raw, when he gave Cena his finisher, the F5. Cena and Lesnar went at each other for about two weeks until John Laurinaitis had a contract signing in order to finalize their match at Over the Limit. At Over the Limit Lesnar and Cena put up a great fight. Both men were battered up and bleeding. Lesnar ended up breaking Cena’s arm with one of his submission maneuvers, but Cena was still able to deliver an Attitude Adjustment leading him to victory.
Although the WWE is bringing back many past superstars, they are doing it purely to attract watchers and buyers. With more fans and watchers there is more profit. Furthermore, which wrestling fan does not want to see generations collide or see another superstar return? In a bleacherrport.com survey, 92 percent of 1300 people said yes to the following question “Do you agree with the WWE's decision to bring back past superstars like The Rock and Brock Lesnar?" Even though, Lesnar has now left the WWE, he probably will come back. Let's see who the WWE brings back this time.
Ibaka's surge to the NBA
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| OKC big man Serge Ibaka/ Photo taken by Keith Allison/ Flickr.com |
Ibaka is known to block shots, and get rebounds. He is actually a significant reason why the Thunder have been doing so well recently. Inside the league, Ibaka is a humbled athlete, not asking for support or recognition. He is the type of player that gives the team a 100% each game, helping the team win. Some might not know why he is so humbled, but his past actually made him the person that he is today.
Ibaka was born on September 18, 1989, in the Republic of Congo, an impoverished country in northern Africa, to a mother and father who both played basketball. While his father played professionally in Africa and playing for the national team for the Republic of Congo, his mother played for national team for the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ibaka has 17 siblings, but he only lived around 10 of them. That means that he probably didn't receive proper care from his parents. Ibaka was a caring and loving person, "I liked growing up in a family atmosphere,” Ibaka said in a newsok.com article. "Family pride is very important to me, which is also a common thing in Africa. You grow up with a strong sense of family...We took care of each other."
Ibaka started playing basketball at the age of seven, playing on the courts of the Brazaville city with his friends after school and on his free time. He purely loved the game, playing with imperfections such as cracked courts and broken shoes, "It was something that we loved so much we didn’t care about how we did it as long as we could play the game,” Ibaka said in a newsok.com article. Ibaka and other Africans played with cardboard inserted shoes to cover up the holes on the shoes. Ibaka wanted to play professionally, even though NBA wasn't his first destination back then. At age 8, his mother died due to natural reasons, and a few years later, his father was imprisoned during the beginning years of the Second Congo War. During his (technically) orphaned years, young Ibaka lived with his grandmother, with no electricity or running water. Ibaka's only escape was basketball, so he just kept playing and playing. "I played every day,” Ibaka said in a newsok.com article. "If there was a day that I couldn’t play, I felt so bad, like something was missing that day."
Already ready with natural athleticism and teachings from his father, Ibaka joined a team called Avenir du Rail and he outshines all the other young players. A Spanish agent noticed his talent and work ethic, and decided to make a deal to him and his family to move to Europe. For the next few years, Ibaka went around Europe, first France then Spain and he played on leagues with equal or better competition compared to the NBA D-League. When it was time for the NBA Draft 2008, Ibaka was chosen as the 28th pick overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Ibaka became the only person drafted for the NBA draft from the Republic of Congo. Ibaka along with his family was emotional when his name was called during the day of the NBA Draft.
From a horrible past to a fabulous life now, Ibaka's hardworking mindset has significantly transformed his life. "After watching him play, (I noticed) his attitude and personality. He was a fighter, a winner, a leader. And after talking to him, his mind and focus (stood out). He was a hard worker and ready to sacrifice for achieving his dreams,” said Gallego, the Spanish agent that hired him on a newsok.com article. Maybe all his troubled times allowed him to reach his goals, but it doesn't matter, because he is currently living the life. Right now, Ibaka leads the league with 3.7 blocks per game, he had a career high 11 blocks playing against the Denver Nuggets on February 19th, 2012. Even though Ibaka doesn't contribute much offensively, he's the anchor of his team's defense. Ibaka is a big part of his team's success this season and he should be acknowledged for that.
Pujols struggles, struggles, and struggles
Albert Pujols's slump has been no secret to baseball fans, nor the media. The 32-year-old first baseman was the biggest story this off season, as he left the St. Louis Cardinals for the Los Angeles Angels. Pujols, a three time MVP award winner, agreed to a 10 year $240 million dollar contract with the team, making him one of the richest players.
However, through the first month and a half this season, Pujols hasn't just been bad, he's been dreadful. He's batting .198 with 11 RBIs and only 1 home run. This might not have been as big a story if the Angels were winning ballgames, however, they are not. The team is 14-18 and are in last in the AL West.
Currently, only three other players are being paid over $200 million. Alex Rodriguez, Prince Fielder, and Joey Votto. In Rodriguez's first year with the New York Yankees after agreeing to a 10 year $242 million dollar deal, he batted .286 with 36 home runs. In Fielder's first year with the Detroit Tigers, he is currently batting .309 with 5 homers and 15 RBIs. In Votto's first year after the extension with the Cincinnati Reds, he is batting .291 with two homers and 18 RBIs. All three players' first year after getting the big bucks, have been substantially better than Pujols has been in his first year with Los Angeles.
Angels fans have been told to calm down and not worry about Pujols's early slump. Many have said his performance will raise after he gets adjusted to his new team. However, Pujols's slump has lasted awfully long now and the question keeps raising. Will Pujols be the same hitter that he was with the St. Louis Cardinals? "The game is not easy,'' Pujols said in an ESPN article. "Sometimes we make it look easy. Most times, it's not.'' In recent years, Pujols has indeed made it look easy. This year, Pujols is making baseball look harder than ever. Fans will simply have to wait to see if Pujols can start hitting well again. As the Angels continue to struggle, a dark cloud continues to hover over Angel Stadium.
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| Albert Pujols receiving a pick off throw while with the St. Louis Cardinals /Hjelle / Flickr |
Currently, only three other players are being paid over $200 million. Alex Rodriguez, Prince Fielder, and Joey Votto. In Rodriguez's first year with the New York Yankees after agreeing to a 10 year $242 million dollar deal, he batted .286 with 36 home runs. In Fielder's first year with the Detroit Tigers, he is currently batting .309 with 5 homers and 15 RBIs. In Votto's first year after the extension with the Cincinnati Reds, he is batting .291 with two homers and 18 RBIs. All three players' first year after getting the big bucks, have been substantially better than Pujols has been in his first year with Los Angeles.
Who will take the kings cup?
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| The Vicente Calderon Stadium/ flickr- Derick Leony |
Even though Athletic are not considered the favorites to win they cannot be underestimated. They showed great performances throughout the Europa Cup campaign, obtaining wins over some of the best teams in the world like Manchester United. Also they has one of the best tactical and craziest managers in all of soccer, Marcelo Bielsa. Bielsa has brought up a team who has struggled for most of the season to a team that has been able to compete against some of the best teams in Europe. Bielsa’s crazy tactics have seen the bringing up Javi Maf rtinez, who switched from a center defensive mid role to a center back and is now considered a world class defender. Martinez has been a crucial part to their recent success with his smart play with the ball and defensive abilities.Fernando llorente, the top scorer of the tournament, is also a key factor in the game as he is a very dangerous striker. Also his confidence is spreading through his team and is encouraging the team to play hard and like there's nothing to lose if they come out strong, "Los Leones have one way forward and that is to go into the match with full confidence and hope for the best" said the author of bettor.com.
Although Athletic have a good chance of winning in the Finals, Barcelona are still the favorites to win. Barcelona, who managed 15 goals in their last three games, will look for something to fill in the void that was left when they lost La Liga to Real Madrid. Barcelona will try to win the very last trophy they can under their manager, Guardiola, who has led the team to 13 titles in the last four years, making him the most successful manager in Barcelona history. Barcelona also has arguably the best player in the world, Lionel Messi, who has broken the record for most goals in one season and is in top form. Even though Barcelona is a great team, they must not only play well offensively but defensively. Barcelona’s defense has been shaky of late and they will be without Captain Carles Puyol, who has been a vital part of Barcelona’s defense for long time.
Both Athletic and Barcelona are going to come out strong to close the season with a win but both have to play well and limit their mistakes. Even though Barcelona are the favorites, Athletic will still be able to give them a tough time and this game to remember.
FC Bayern München and Chelsea FC in the Champions League final
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| FC Bayern Münchens logo / alialaa / Flickr |
The last and only time Bayern and Chelsea met was in 2004-2005 Champions League quarter-finals, with Chelsea winning 6-5. This year the game will be at Bayern’s Allianz Stadium, as compared to the first time they played against each other, where they played two games, the first game at Stamford Bridge, and the second game at Olympiastadion. Being at their own stadium will definitely help Bayern with the support from fans and comfort of home stadium.
Mario Gomez, forward for Bayern, has an impressive 12 goals this season, whereas top scorer for Chelsea is Didier Drogba with five. If Gomez brings his A-game it will be tough for Chelsea’s defense and goalie to keep him from scoring. “I'm scoring so often because the team makes it easy for me. We're playing attacking football and I'm the one waiting at the end of the line,” said Gomez to UEFA.com.
Another great player for Bayern is midfielder Toni Kroos, who had to step up for the injured Bastian Schweinsteiger. He has two goals and also two assists this season. Not only is he an excellent offensive player, he is also an exceptional defensive player, comfortable everywhere on the field. “I like playing in both attacking and defensive midfield. … I wouldn't ever say anything negative about the other position because I like playing there too,” he said to UEFA.com.
If Bayern brings their best game, especially the offense with players like Gomez, they will definitely have the upper hand against Chelsea. Even though they lost to Chelsea last time they met, this year they are much better suited to win.
Baron Davis' knee injury threatens his career
On April 31st during the third quarter of the New York Knicks' win against the Miami Heat Baron Davis had an injury to his right knee that made him leave the game on a stretcher. The injury left the Knicks without a starting point guard. However, it is not their only problem. An MRI showed a tear in Davis' patella tendon. The injury is estimated to recover in a year but, the injury is so severe it leaves the rest Davis' career at risk.
This may be the end of Davis' long career. He was first noticed as an outstanding point guard at UCLA. He suffered from a torn ACL and had to stay in college for another year due to it. However, he came back the next season with the explosiveness he had before the injury, making him the third overall draft pick of the 1999 NBA draft.
His NBA career started off with the then Charlotte Hornets and he was quickly noticed by fans as an outstanding player. He was an NBA All-Star twice with the Hornets, once in 2002 and another in 2004. Also in that year, Davis led the league in steals. He was then traded to the Golden State Warriors, where he led the league again in steals in 2008.
He battled battled from a herniated disk in his back, which was the cause of him being traded to three teams in the last three years. However, the injury he suffered from in April is career threatening but, he it does not affect him emotionally. Knicks' coach Mike Woodson said in a conference call, ''The one thing he did say is, 'Man, hey, I tried to give you all I could,' and I have a great deal of respect for players that work for me."
Davis' injury is estimated to recover in one year but, his one year contract with the Knicks ends. Since the contract is over he will become a free agent. His knee injury would make him slower on the court after the recovery which will be preventing him from being signed by another team. This is probably the last of Davis we will see in the NBA.
This may be the end of Davis' long career. He was first noticed as an outstanding point guard at UCLA. He suffered from a torn ACL and had to stay in college for another year due to it. However, he came back the next season with the explosiveness he had before the injury, making him the third overall draft pick of the 1999 NBA draft.
His NBA career started off with the then Charlotte Hornets and he was quickly noticed by fans as an outstanding player. He was an NBA All-Star twice with the Hornets, once in 2002 and another in 2004. Also in that year, Davis led the league in steals. He was then traded to the Golden State Warriors, where he led the league again in steals in 2008.
He battled battled from a herniated disk in his back, which was the cause of him being traded to three teams in the last three years. However, the injury he suffered from in April is career threatening but, he it does not affect him emotionally. Knicks' coach Mike Woodson said in a conference call, ''The one thing he did say is, 'Man, hey, I tried to give you all I could,' and I have a great deal of respect for players that work for me."
Davis' injury is estimated to recover in one year but, his one year contract with the Knicks ends. Since the contract is over he will become a free agent. His knee injury would make him slower on the court after the recovery which will be preventing him from being signed by another team. This is probably the last of Davis we will see in the NBA.
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