Why Do I Follow the NBA?

There are lot of people a generation older than me that have lost touch with the NBA. They no longer keep up with it. The league they followed as kids is no longer enjoyable to watch. It's not fun anymore. I never imagined I would go down that path as well. I never imagined I would fall into the same category, but after tonight's Game 3 of the 2010 NBA Finals I am there.

This has nothing to do with me rooting for Boston or my loathing of Lakers it has to do with the sport of basketball. It has to do with watching the highest level of a sport and realizing that the game is not decided by the players, or coaches, but by the referees.

You think the NFL, college basketball and football are bad? Please! You have not experienced the NBA. You have not "enjoyed" a basketball game where at the end of the night you really asked yourself, "Did Team A ever have a chance tonight?"

I have always stood by the NBA. People have bashed it and strayed away, but I have stood by it. I am a loyal fan. I believed the league had good intentions and would let the players decide the outcome.

In the summer of 2008 the scandal of former NBA referee Tim Donaghy hit its peak. Donaghy reported that Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals was called in a way that favored the Lakers. Plain and simple: NBA referees cheated. Donaghy took the fall and the NBA swept the mess under a rug. Donaghy was the outcast. The NBA said he was the lone person involved in this operation. We, the fans, were lead to believe that officiating was fine now that Donaghy was brought to justice.

Foolishly I actually believed this.

But after Game 3 tonight I am again faced with the reality that the league has not changed. The ticky-tack fouls are always coming and the referees always control the outcome of the game. And tonight in Boston it was disturbingly evident. The offensive foul on Kevin Garnett in the final thirty seconds of the game was yet again another confusing call by the NBA referees.

David Stern has done a lot for the league from expanding the teams, to globalizing it to the world, but I can not for the life of me understand why he, year after year, keeps the same group of referees on the court. Does a 58 year old man have the same eye sight as a 30 year old? The NBA thinks so. Donaghy has been prosecuted, but still the NBA's games remain heavily influenced by the officials. They really make you think as the viewer, "Now why should I think things are being called fairly again?"

I want to believe the league has integrity and is being fair, but I all too often experience games where the referees play a huge part. Basketball is an aggressive sport. Stern wants to remove that and in turn he has created a league that centers around favoritism towards star athletes all while making the game a free throwing shooting contest.

The officiating in 2010 NBA finals has not been bad, not it has sucked. It has painful to say the least. This continuous presence of a terrible officiating crew night in and night out of the NBA has drained me of my motivation to watch anymore NBA games. I was anxious to watch a Celtics/Lakers series. I was anxious to see a rematch of the Finals from two years ago, but after Game 3 I could care less. I am lost for words as to why I keep coming back and defending this league.

David Stern will continue to ignore the fans and continue to implement a style of basketball that drains the sport of emotion and aggression. I still believe the league fixes games and after tonight's game I have no reason to think otherwise.

Watching the NBA is not fun anymore.

The Lure of Overcoming a 3-0 Deficit

The idea of the 3-0 deficit is pretty incredible to grasp. A team loses three straight games, then turns it on and wins four straight? It's the most removed thought. Admit it - your team is down 3-0 and the only thing entering your mind is, "We couldn't even win one lousy game?" or "Coach needs to be fired!" In the history of the NBA, MLB, and NHL playoffs only four times has a team ever recovered from a 3-0 deficit. In 1942 the Maple Leafs came back in the Stanley Cup Finals to beat the Red Wings. 33 years later the New York Islanders pulled off the same stunt. In 2003 the Red Sox famously did it against the Yankees and this year the Philadelphia Flyers rallied against the Boston Bruins. Though through it all no team has ever pulled off in the NBA. It remains untouched. Only 3 times out of 93 series that were 3-0 has a team even FORCED a Game 7. (I'm probably one of seven people my age that actually knows these three series.)

(Note: Of those three series that did go to a Game 7 never has the team that trailed 3-0 had Game 7 on their court. Orlando does.)

This is what the Orlando Magic are up against. History. The basic logic that no way can a team in a professional league win three straight, then lose four straight. It's so far removed it's laughable. Yet in the span of only a couple days that thought has slowly transformed into a possibility. The once flawless Boston defense has lost its edge and in turn momentum has shifted to the Sunshine State.

This series and it's current state reminds me a lot of 1996 NBA Finals between the Chicago Bulls and Seattle SuperSonics. Now without looking at the obvious differences (Paul Pierce is not Michael Jordan among other things) there are similarities that I think will hold true to this series as well.

In 1996 the Chicago Bulls had the best record in NBA history (72-10). The Bulls were 11-1 going into the Finals. In Game 1 Chicago won by 17, Game 2 by four, and the critical Game 3 (much like Orlando) Chicago cruised to a 22 point victory. Seattle was assumed dead. (Sound familiar yet?) But in Game 4 Seattle showed up and won by 21, in Game 5 the Sonics again overcame the Bulls and prevailed with an 11 point victory.

In three days the series went from an absolute sweep to "can it really happen?" status. This is exactly what's going in with the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics. The lure of seeing an NBA team come from 3-0 is all too tempting to witness. Despite consecutive wins the Magic (and Sonics) remained two games away from the advancing.

Michael Jordan, the greatest player to play the game, was on a team that flirted with giving up a 3-0 lead. The talks of a championship, surprisingly, were halted because of his team's shocking back to back losses in which they lost by an average of 16 points. The point is the Boston Celtics are the same victim of the same spell. But more so than the 1996 Bulls (which did win Game 6 despite a 5 of 19 shooting day for Michael Jordan) the Celtics do have a real chance of losing four straight.

How Game 6 turns out is directly parallel to how the Boston Celtics look back at their disturbing Game 5 loss. Do they learn from it and rebound or do they foolishly bury their heads in the press clippings and start to listen to the voices of history they are up against?

The Implications of Game 6 Between the Cavaliers and Celtics

At only 25 years old LeBron James is already at a critical point in his career. After the embarrassing 120-88 loss in Cleveland to the Boston Celtics the fate of LeBron's career remains at center stage. Like never before King James will be bearing the pressure. This is more than a playoff game, this is the fate of a franchise, the league and more importantly a tell-tale sign of LeBron James and who he is as a basketball player.

On one end is the city of Cleveland ready to experience the worst yet again. The last time the city of Cleveland won a sports title was in 1964 and with recent luck that does not seem to be changing. On the other end are the potential suitors for LeBron James. Does LeBron James return to Cleveland after yet another humiliating finish to the season? After seven years why should LeBron think things will ever change?

And finally there is LeBron. All the scoring titles, all the MVPs and all the amazing games LeBron James has played in his career hold little value to the importance of Game 6. This is what LeBron James was brought into the league to do.

First he was the young junior in high school who grazed the cover of Sports Illustrated. Next he was the young rookie in 2003 making a name for himself in Cleveland. Now he is the superstar who, on his best team in his career, is one loss away from elimination.

This was the season for the Cavs. The season it all came together. Not like the past ones, no this season was going to end with LeBron at the top. The Cavaliers had the best regular season records so there was reason to believe this would happen.

For the past 24 hours every media outlet has chastised (rightfully so) the performance of LeBron James and the Cavaliers in Game 5. His work ethic, his style of play and his dedication have all been scrutinized.

It's gut check time for LeBron. Now more than ever his back is against the wall. To his fans and his critics Game 6 is a testament to the player he really is. The voices of being overrated will only get louder if LeBron puts up another lackluster effort.

But if he regains his form and shows his ability on national television in the biggest game of the 2010 NBA playoffs so far than we all will believe again.

On Thursday night we will all be witnesses.

Why Would Dwyane Wade Stay in Miami?

The Summer of Free Agency is almost upon us. After all this is supposed to be the offseason where everyone switches teams. The most intriguing story is where or not LeBron James resigns with the Cleveland Cavaliers. It's fun to ponder, but honestly I think King James will be staying in the Rock 'n' Roll Capital of the World.

That leads us to the next biggest commodity this offseason: Dwyane Wade.

In recent days I have been thinking constantly about Wade's situation this summer and whether or not he will leave. The more I think about it the more I have to ask: why would Dwyane Wade stay in Miami?

In 2006 the Miami Heat won the NBA title after trailing 2-0. The city of Miami was on center stage and we all had reason to believe things would only get better for Wade and the Heat.

We were only right about one. Wade got better, but the Heat got worse. In 2007 the Heat got swept in the first round by the Chicago Bulls. In 2008 the Miami Heat would finish an embarrassing 15-67. In 2009 the Heat would again lost in the first round losing in seven games to the Atlanta Hawks. And finally in 2010 the Heat lost in the first round in five games to the Boston Celtics.

I know the city of Miami must be a dream to live in. The weather is terrific and the women are gorgeous. But how far does that go when your team is consistently underachieving and you are not? After his seventh year in the NBA Wade is averaging incredible stats. (25.4 ppg, 6.6 apg, 4.9 rpg)

Here are the three biggest issues with the Miami Heat.

First is the supporting cast. All too often in the Boston series Wade was having a good game only to see his team fall because of a lack of a supporting cast. The only way the Heat avoided a sweep was because Dwyane Wade had, up to this point, the best individual performance of the 2010 NBA playoffs in Game 4. (46 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds). Even more troubling for Miami is the lack of development in former No. 2 pick Michael Beasley's game. He career stats do not tell the full story (14.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg). Beasley's offense is sporadic, his defense is not crisp (he struggled greatly with Glen Davis) and his overall rebounding is nothing to write home about. In the series he averaged 10.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

The second issue has been with Miami's front office and their lack of making a move to get a player to help the Heat in the playoffs. Earlier this year it seemed like Amare Stoudemire was headed for Miami. Unfortunately (and foolishly) the Heat would not give up Michael Beasley. Unless some metamorphosis begins to take place in Beasley's game, I can not see him ever being the threat Stoudemire is on the court.

Okay that's fine. They missed one. Sure it was a big missed opportunity, but hey it's only the third year of the Beasley Project. Maybe he comes around.

Example number two is John Salmons. Salmons was released by the Chicago Bulls earlier this year and later picked up by the Milwaukee Bucks. Why didn't Miami make a run at him? Salmons showed during last year's epic Chicago/Boston first round series he is a playoff warrior. The Heat of could have gotten him rather cheaply and in the process given Miami a proven scorer in the playoffs.

But Miami stood still. They stayed with their team and in turn they completely, 100 percent jeopardized Dwyane's Wade future in Miami. Here's the thing: it's not like the Heat are barely missing out of getting to the NBA finals, no it's more troubling. The Heat can not get past the first round. It's been four years since Wade and company have survived a postseason series. Think about that. One of the game's best players has not been past the first round since 2006.

The final reason Dwyane Wade has to leave is the appeal of his hometown team. The Chicago Bulls are definitely going to be going out shopping for a superstar this offseason. What superstar wouldn't want to walk in to Chicago? You have a young point guard beyond his years in Derrick Rose as well as a rebounding, defense machine, down low, in Joakim Noah. Both of these men will sacrifice minutes, shots and spotlight time to win. Tell me that's not appealing - play in your hometown with a team one player away from being a serious title contender. It's the perfect fit. Unless the Miami Heat manage to pull in a big superstar of their own (Chris Bosh?) I can not see a reason for Wade to stay behind. Also what in the recent past gives Wade reason to think the front office can pull off such a deal?

Wade is already seven years deep into his career. Hate to say, but he is reaching the halfway point. He already got Miami a title. He needs to think what is best for his career. Miami is a great city, but lately the franchise has not shown the ability to put playmakers around one of the NBA's best. Wade needs to see this and not the wheelbarrow of money Pat Riley and Co. will offer him.

Dwyane Wade needs to sign with the Chicago Bulls.

2010 NBA Playoffrs Preview

I probably would of had this preview out a little earlier had their not been so much chaos involving the seeding for certain teams. The NBA Playoffs - the time period where yet again the American public can witness the impossible. This past year I came to realize that no matter how frustrated I get with the lopsided officiating in NBA games sometimes, or the over-commercialization, I will always follow the NBA. I will always be submerged in the playoffs and I will always think I know what I'm talking about when it comes to who will win what and why.

Eastern Conference Playoffs

1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 8 Chicago Bulls

Back story: The season series between these two teams is 2-2 with LeBron sitting out the last Bull win. Cleveland comes into the playoffs having rested their key players, while Chicago comes after having won six out of their last eight games. Yes, there are the individual performance that will prove valuable. LeBron James has to continue his domination on the court that he showed during the regular season where he averaged just about 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists per game.

On the other end is Derek Rose. In Chicago's last six victories Rose has averaged roughly 28 points per game. If Rose can not get going the Bulls will be lying on the mat before the round even begins.

The only way Chicago can stay with Cleveland is if the team has good team defense, gives Cleveland only one shot a possession, and establish a post presence. In Chicago's victory early in the year Cleveland only had a slight advantage in points in the paint. In Cleveland's seven point victory later in the season, again the points in the paint where close. But in Cleveland's 14 point victory the Cavs had a 46-20 points in the paint advantage.

What Will Happen: Chicago had a nice run to make the playoffs, but that's where it stops. Even if the Bulls somehow managed to play terrific defense they're still in trouble when it comes to guarding LeBron James. James has been known to increase all his stats during the playoffs. Also, add in the fact that Shaq is back in the lineup and you have another big problem for Chicago on the front court. (No pun intended). Derek Rose will perform terrifically, but it will not be nearly enough. The Cavs win a relatively close Game 1, blow out Chicago Game 2, and have another easy win Game 3. In Game 4 Chicago loses one right at the end. Right now the Bulls don't have the horses to hang with Cleveland.

Cavs in 4


2 Orlando Magic vs. 7 Charlotte Bobcats

(Side note: This needs to be done. ASAP. The New Orleans Hornets need to give Charlotte their name back so they can once again be the Charlotte Hornets. Then the Bobcats need to send their name to the Utah Jazz. Then the Utah Jazz need to send the Jazz name back home to the New Orleans Hornets. We would have the Charlotte Hornets, the Utah Bobcats, and the New Orleans Jazz. Come on tell me why this would not work.)

Backstory: The Magic's run to the Finals last year put the entire franchise on the spotlight. Sure the team had been doing good, but maybe the Magic were farther along than any of us imagined. After getting dismantled in the Finals by LA, Orlando spent the off season upgrading the roster. To help not only get the Magic back into the Finals, but to win it Orlando added some personnel. Matt Barnes (8.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and Vince Carter (16.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg) are the two biggest names to join the Magic.

For the first time in the franchise's history the Charlotte Bobcats will be playing in the postseason. The Bobcats' defense leads the league in least points allowed. Leading the way for the Bobcats are Gerald Wallace (18.2 ppg, 10 rpg) and Stephen Jackson (21.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg). Charlotte thrives a tough half court defense and is led by journeyman head coach Larry Brown. Having an offense with no one single threat gives the Bobcats a chance.

What Will Happen: I am glad to see the Bobcats finally get into the playoffs, but the magical run ends rather quickly. Orlando is a terrific rebounding team, while the Bobcats are in the bottom half of the league. Add in playoff experience and Orlando's deadly three point shooting and you have the reason why the Bobcats will struggle. Larry Brown's team will try and slow it down, but Orlando plays that game as well. The Magic score 102.75 while only giving up 95.26. That 7.48 difference is the largest in the league.

Magic in 5


3 Atlanta Hawks vs. 6 Milwaukee Bucks

Backstory: The Bucks season remaining one of the more surprising this year. Without Michael Redd for much of the season the Bucks managed a 46-36. In the months of February and March the Bucks went a combined 21-8. After a late season acquisition of former Chicago Bull John Salmons, the Bucks started to look like a sleeper in the playoffs. Then it happened. Andrew Bogut, the starting center averaging 15 points and 10 rebounds, got injured and put out for the playoffs. Milwaukee already was an average rebounding team, but now that task will be even more difficult.

The Atlanta Hawks are right on the heels of the Magic and Cavs. A team once happy to be in the postseason looks to make more noise. The growth of Al Hortford has been impressive as well as Joe Johnson and Josh Smith's, but the one thing that impressed me the most was the resurrection of Jamal Crawford. Crawford the University of Michigan after his freshman year. For much of his career he has been on losing teams and has often been marked an NBA bust. But things changed this year for Crawford. He is shooting a career best 44.9%, all while taking fewer shots. Having a sixth man who is averaging 18 points and 4 assists is crucial come playoff time.

What Will Happen: The loss of Bogut is huge because with Hortford (9.9 rpg) and Josh Smith (8.7 rpg) banging on the glass is a big disadvantage. I just do not think Ersan Ilyasova (6.4 rpg) and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (5.5 rpg) will be enough to win the battle on the glass. Plus, Ilyasova and Mbah a Moute are not seen as an offensive threat the way Bogut was meaning more defense will be played on other Buck players like Salmons and Jennings. Milwaukee will sneak out a couple games, but winning the battle on the glass, plus the presence of key playoff veteran players (Mike Bibby especially) will prove to be too much.

Hawks in 6


4 Boston Celtics vs. 5 Miami Heat

Backstory: The Celtics come to the playoffs after a season of ups and downs. Two years removed from a title the Celtics remain a coin-flip team. One night the squad can take down the league's best team (Cavaliers), while another night they can fall to the worst (Nets). Rajan Rondo has emerged as one of the game's best point guards, yet the age of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen is beginning to show. Heck, even through Paul Pierce in there. One of the biggest concerns for the Celtics has been their tendency to lose big leads in games. Against the Cavs the Celtics were playing their best game of the year. The team was up by 22. Toward the end of the fourth the Cavs had reclaimed the lead. The once steady defense of Boston had evaporated again. Rondo has had to carry the team during certain games when he should be getting more help. And do we even have to mention that pathetic effort displayed by the once respected Rasheed Wallace.

The Heat come in after having won 12 of their last 13 games. Dwyane Wade is averaging 26 points, while Michael Beasley is beginning to take form (14.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg). Their defense gives up only 94 points a game as well as allow opponents to only hit 43% of their shots. With Wade being a free agent this summer it's safe to assume he will be giving it all plus one for this series.

What Will Happen: Of Miami's 12 wins towards the end of the season only three were against teams currently in the playoffs. Despite their up and down season, Boston has remained strong on the defensive end. Knowing Wade is Miami's bloodline Doc Rivers will attack him from the get-go. Boston wants to put the ball in a young player like Beasley's hands. Sure he is averaging 14.8 points per game, but can he pick up some slack when Wade is having serious trouble. Wade is an all-star and will keep Miami in the series when they seem out. I like Boston taking a 3-1 lead only to have Miami tie it up. With Game 7 in Boston, the Celtics put the clamp down and Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett play like their old selves.

Celtics in 7


Western Conference

1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. 8 Oklahoma City Thunder

Backstory: The Lakers finished the season on a sour note. They come into the playoffs having lost six of their last nine. Yes, there were times Kobe Bryant was not playing, but still this Laker team has looked out of sorts. The 91-88 loss to the Trailblazers was the most surprising. For the first time all year the Lakers lost a game after going into the fourth quarter with the lead. Even more shocking was Kobe missing shots late in the game.

The Thunder enter the playoffs for the first time since getting to Oklahoma. Kevin Durant, 21, is the youngest player to ever win the NBA scoring title (30.1 ppg). The inexperience of the Thunder remains a factor. The average age is only 23 years old. Behind Durant is Russell Westbrook (16.1) and Jeff Green (15).

What Will Happen: Inexperience may have been irrelevant when the Warriors beat the Mavericks back in 2007, but that's not the case here. It's one thing to get into the playoffs and be matched up against an experienced squad, it's another thing to be matched against the defending champs. The Lakers have been hearing for the past week why they are not going to win the title. Add in the criticisms Kobe has been getting about his play lately and you have the reason not only that LA will win, but that Kobe will put up huge numbers.

Lakers in 5


2 Dallas Mavericks vs. 7 San Antonio Spurs

Back story: Rick Carisle showed his success in Detroit was no fluke. Behind Jason Kidd the Mavs relied off one of the league's best records. Dallas comes in with a roster filled with Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki, Caron Butler, Erick Dampier, Brendan Haywood, and Jason Terry. One of Dallas's biggest weapons lies behind their ability to put so many lineups out on the floor. Small ball? No problem. Need to control the glass? No problem.

Last year marked the first time in Tim Duncan's career that San Antonio got eliminated in the first round. This year the Spurs can get payback. For much of the year the Spurs struggled to move up the standings. Despite having finished as a No. 7 seed the Spurs start to look like their old selves. Manu Ginobili's welcome back party has sent shivers to every opponent.

What Will Happen: The Spurs want to make one more stand. Who else would be better to start their journey the team they have played four times in the playoffs since 2000? In the past Duncan's defense remained critical, but lately we can all see that wear and tear is beginning to take place even for the Big Fundamental. Dallas's ability to put out many line ups gives them an advantage that will prove critical in this series. Dirk knows this might be one of his last chances to make a run at a title. Alos, San Antonio does not have a stopper like Bruce Bowen anymore. Who can stop Dirk?

Mavericks in 7


3 Phoenix Suns vs. 6 Portland Trailblazers

Back story: The Suns finished the season as the league's hottest team. The team won 17 of their last 20 games, including a ten game winning streak. Just when you thought the Phoenix Scoring Machine was dead it had a resurrection.

The Blazers have easily had the worst luck this year. Again Greg Oden goes out with an injury...as well as Joel Przybilla...and now Brandon Roy. Despite all the bad luck the team is still in the playoffs. Portland remains a half court defense that slows the ball down while Phoenix speeds it up. Whoever wins this battle wins the series.

What Will Happen: The Suns have to knock an opponent out five minutes in to the game. During the last day of the regular season the Jazz started to make a rally. After spending 20 seconds getting a good shot Utah scored. Then Phoenix came down and buried a three. Then Phoenix stole the ball and buried another three. Just like that the rally was squashed. When Phoenix is on they can only be stopped when the opponent has a big time scorer. Brandon Roy's absence will hurt.

Suns in 6


4 Denver Nuggets vs. 5 Utah Jazz

Last year's playoff run for the first one for the Nuggets to go back the first round since 1994. We know now that Denver has the potential to run the tables. Carmelo Anthony seems to get even better in the crunch time each game. He shoots an incredible 60% during crunch time. Behind Chauncey's leadership, Nene's emergence, Kenyon Martin's defense this team has all the ingredients to make a run.

After an average start to the season the Jazz have turned it around. Andrei Kirilenko is more valuable than his 11 points and 4 rebounds per game suggests. Him, along with the rest of the Jazz strive to play great defense. Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer look more and more like Stockton and Malone every year.

What Will Happen: The Jazz were embarrassed in their last regular season game at home. The Suns were able to score at will. Sure it's the Suns, but still the defense of Utah remained one of their stronger points. I see issue with going with Utah because their play is simple, add in the fact Carmelo is on a different level compared with anyone else on the court and that's why I go with Denver.

Denver in 7

Hell Has Frozen As Saints Win Super Bowl

We have all waited for this. Every Saints fan out there has patiently waited for this moment. It is the single most imaginary idea we could ever comprehend. The idea that someday the New Orleans Saints would win the Super Bowl. Someday all the stars would align. Someday Hell would freeze.

The most gratifying thing about this victory is how it rewards those lifetime fans. I always think about my dad. He has been following the Saints since they first came to the NFL in 1967. I think about the stories he would tell me on how as a kid he would passionately watch the team each Sunday...only to be disappointed by another loss. The losses were so common and frequent that as my dad would tell me he just got use to losing and watching the Saints fail in the end. As my dad would tell me he had to put the Saints in a place that they could not hurt him like they had done countless times in the past. He, along with some many other life long Saints fans, had to become accustomed to the team losing a game right at the team, the team giving up the Hail Mary when a win seemed definite, and a team missing an extra point moments after one of the greatest plays in NFL history took place.

But that all changed Sunday. It died. Even before the game my dad told me that his brothers and him officially said the old Saints were dead. Beating the Vikings killed the past. All my dad ever wanted this season was for the Saints to get to the Super Bowl. Winning it? Yes, he wanted it, but it was still so far removed from reality. I think when it finally did hit him it was euphoric. I watched the game down on Bourbon Street while my family watched it up in Ohio so I never got to watch the game with my dad. But from what I heard when the Saints did win my dad was the same little kid that grew up watching the Saints every Sunday. Only this time he was not disappointed.

For much of my childhood I remained confident that one day the Saints would capture the ultimate prize. My friend Jonny, an avid Patriots fan, and I spent our entire childhood living and breathing football (we still do). We would play those Madden video games and win Super Bowls with our teams and hope that one day the Saints and Patriots would win the big one. Heck, I even made fantasy Saints Super Bowl moments in my head. In this fantasy world, the Seattle Seahawks were beating the Saints 15-13 and it was late in the fourth quarter. Seattle was fixing to score a touchdown to put the game away. The Saints would intercept a pass and return it for six points. The Saints would win 20-15 and become Super Bowl champs.

But it was only a dream. (How strange is it to see that last night the Saints clinched the game with an interception late in the game.)

I did find some salvation when Jonny's Patriots finally did win the big one in 2001. I remember being so excited that one of our teams actually won it. All Jonny's dedication paid off.

But I still craved that moment. I will admit I did lose hope when Hurricane Katrina happened. Things were so bleak that I began to leave my fantasy childhood world that they will win the Super Bowl someday and began to start to take a more cynical approach. It must of only been a year ago when Jonny and I had this conversation.

Jonny: "Saints will win the Super Bowl one year. It will happen."

Me: "No man they won't."

Jonny: "One year it will all just come together."

I remember being upset with him and how he was foolishly optimistic. But now as I look at it I can see it for what it is. Jonny was right. It all just happened. For one year it all just came together. All the hopes my dad and I had as a kid finally took place.

Finally, the Saints won the Super Bowl.

Who Dat.

Three Days Until Kickoff

One year ago the Arizona Cardinals made the improbable trip to the Super Bowl. I wrote an article about how important it was for the Cardinals to have made the trip. I highlighted the importance of every fan of every doormat team to root for Arizona because if the Arizona Cardinals can make it to the Super Bowl anyone can. Every Lion, Brown, and Saint fan saw that Super Bowl and saw optimism. That Super Bowl symbolized more than a team making the improbable run to the Super Bowl, it symbolized hope.

The Cardinals lost a heartbreaker to the Steelers, but still their impact was felt everywhere. I remember writing on my blog a phrase along the lines off, "after the Cardinals recent incredible run to the Super Bowl, I can not help but wonder when will the Saints make their run?"

Who would of thought that it would actually happen. By now insanity is settling in as I grow more and more anxious for the Super Bowl. I do my best to evaluate this game as much as I can. There's the part of me that sees Peyton Manning and how he's nothing short of a computer. How, when given the chance and time, he will pick apart a defense. I look at the fact that in his last two games against the Saints he has played incredible. In the last two games Manning has thrown for 9 touchdowns and his team has won by an average score of 48-16. I look at that, plus how this New Orleans Saints defensive unit lives and dies with the turnover. I take that all in and think Manning rarely turns it over. That thought scares me.

Then there's the other half. The half that sees Drew Brees and how last week was a bad game for him. When those games happen he comes out firing on all cylinders the next week. I see an Indianapolis defense that has some young cornerbacks as well as an All-Pro defensive lineman banged up. Then I hear it from everyone. Every media outlet, every radio station, every man on television (except a few)on why the Saints will not win, on why the New Orleans Saints got to the Super Bowl and that's all that matters. They are not here to win. I take that all in and I think to myself about the only thing that really matters when looking at this game.

They have a chance.

Fully Analyzing the Saints' NFCCG Victory

With the Super Bowl left then two weeks away I felt like it was appropriate to bombard my readers with articles daily. Earlier this week I touched on the aspect that indeed this Saints' season has been fairy tale-like and that I was curious as to how this team would go down on history. Tuesday I posted a letter from the devil detailing how Hell is freezing. Go figure. But for once let's breakdown the game.

GAME PLAY

Minnesota got New Orleans to play their game. The Vikings succeeded at slowing the game down and giving Drew Brees limited opportunities. Despite this, New Orleans did an excellent job on forcing turnovers. As oppose to most defenses, Gregg William's defense deals uniquely with putting a lot of emphasis on forcing the turnover. There's two sides to the story. One side states, "we gave you the ball," while the other states, "we just made a play."

At the end of the day this game was won by the defense. Drew Brees, honestly, looked like he had jitters most of the game. He was overthrowing wide receivers. I am sure a lot of this had to do with a constant pass rush, but still it was very unBrees. Yet with that said you have to say that the Saints kept the Vikings defensive line in check most of the game. Jared Allen did not have near the impact I thought he would. I was expecting him to have a couple sacks and a forced fumble.

I am sometimes blown away at Reggie Bush's decision making. He wants to score a touchdown so bad that he's willing to make an extremely stupid decision. The fumble before halftime highlighted my biggest issue with Bush. At times he shows a very low football IQ. He has to have more sense than to catch a punt with a guy right in front of him. You are quick Reggie, but not that quick.

One thing that aggravated me more than anything during the game was the Saints' inability to get 3rd and 1s. ABSOLUTELY PATHETIC. It must of happened three times during the course of the game. At times this team seems like it does better on 3rd and 10s than 3rd and 1s.

When the Vikings got the ball with 2:37 and the score tied at 28 I began to dread the worst. Ironically the Vikings let the clock run down for a couple plays, but regardless they still kept moving the ball. (I remember thinking to myself during this drive, "Is Childress hoping for overtime?") To no one's surprise the Saints gave up a huge third down. I hate to say it but the defense on third down reminded me a little too much of John Chavis's LSU defense. The team needs to do a much better job of ceasing the moment and stopping the opponent on critical third downs. That 3rd and 7 was brutal to watch. If the Saints made the stop there they would get the ball back with just under two minutes and the ball around midfield. As the drive continued my worries increased. What surprised the most was the fact that on 1st and 10 at the Saints' 33 yard line Brad Childress ran back to back running plays. When you look back at those plays it makes you think two things a)Childress had no confidence in Favre fearing an interception was coming or b) he felt a field goal around 50 yards was a sure thing. I remember texting my dad on first down, "Saints' need a miracle." On 3rd and 10 Minnesota only needed seven yards to really make the field goal a gimme. After all the kicker, Ryan Longwell, made a 52 yarder last year in the Superdome. The 12 man penalty was a huge blow for the Vikings because it really got the Saints' crowd back into it. Still, with Favre at quarterback everyone was uneasy. I remember watching the play and thinking Favre was going to scramble for several yards and Longwell would then follow up with a 50 yard field goal. The thing that is interesting was what my dad said after the game. My dad told me how throughout the game Favre was threading the needle and becoming extremely close to throwing interceptions. Basically things were going his way if he only had one interception on this night.

As we all know Tracy Porter read Favre's eyes and saved the season for the Saints. The overtime drive was as gut-wrenching as it comes. The 4th and 1 dive by Pierre Thomas was as close as it gets. And the field goal could not have been anymore perfect. Just when it seemed all hope was lost the Saints, yet again, gave us reason to still believe.


ATMOSPHERE

The atmosphere in New Orleans was beyond anything I have ever experienced. LSU has won 2 National Championships in New Orleans, but this was more over the top. Why you ask? The answer is that the entire city was behind the Saints. Everyone. Every culture, every race was behind the New Orleans Saints. Even as I type this I get goosebumps because I have never seen a city 100 percent behind a team. The Superdome was electric the entire game. It reminded me of Tiger Stadium. When the Saints did win the game I will never forget the people around me crying. From an outsider's perspective it might be difficult to understand why some men where inclined to cry. In all, it's a combination of things. The Saints became a franchise on All Saints Day November 1, 1967. (Now you know why they are called the Saints). Despite the city's high hopes, lousy general managing caused years of frustration for the fan base. As I have stated before it took the Saints 13 years before they had a non-losing season, 20 years before they went to the playoffs, and 33 before they won a playoff game. Pretty grim. Now I do remember Jim Mora and how he put together some special teams, but at the end of the day their seasons all ended disappointingly. It was routine. We all became accustomed to losing.

The other key element as to why so many people where crying deals with Hurricane Katrina. Only five years ago 70 percent of that city was underwater. I distinctively remembering the very real possibility of the Saints moving. Even more remarkable is how the Superdome, the home of the Saints, was the epicenter of some of Hurricane Katrina's worst moments. Six people died in that stadium, four from natural causes, one from an overdose, and one from suicide. Things got so bad for one man during Hurricane Katrina, so unbearable, that he took his own life by jumping from the rafters. The city was in so much pain. You put that all together - the years of losing, plus the horror of Hurricane Katrina - and you have the reason why people broke down and cried after the Saints' win.

Prince of Darkness Writes Letter to City of New Orleans

(photo courtesy of DrTyger of TigerDroppings.com)


Dear City of New Orleans,

Hey it's me, Satan, the Prince of Darkness. Look this is kind of odd for me to be emailing you, but I have to get something off my back. Something is going on down here. Something I've never experienced. To put it boldly it's starting to, well, get cold down here. Just the other day I found myself sneezing. I really have no idea why it's getting chilly down here in Hell. Someone told me you guys are the people I should contact about this. Do you guys have any idea why things are getting cold down here? I mean in all honesty it gets colder every day. If I don't find the answer soon this place is going to freeze.

Hit me back,

Prince of Darkness

P.S. I have a Facebook account too!

How Does This Fairy Tale End?

Recovery is not always meant for the players on the field, sometimes, like last night's NFC Championship game, it applies to the fans as well. Moments after Garrett Hartley kicked the game winning field goal to put the Saints in the Super Bowl, I had to recover. I, along with 71,000+ fans, had to recover after screaming for four hours. The stress and uneasiness throughout the game was over, wiped away.

I told myself going into the game I would cheer and not submerge myself. I lied. Better yet, I could not stop it. And at the end of the day it was all worth it. The Saints beat the Vikings 31-28 in overtime and the fairy tale continued. But with this latest victory I have to ask the question- how does this fairy tale end?

The Saints have catapulted themselves into the Super Bowl to face the Indianapolis Colts. Countless time in the history of the Super Bowl teams have made the jubilant trip to the Super Bowl. Despite their loss in the Super Bowl the season was still marked a success. Indeed I do agree with that assessment because regardless of what happens on February 7th this Saints team will be remembered for years to come.

With that said, I can not stop thinking about the "ghosts" of Super Bowl past. The unlikely Philadelphia Eagles made an incredible trip to the 1981 Super Bowl. Their story is lost after they lost to the Oakland Raiders. More recently the 1998 Atlanta Falcons who beat the Minnesota Vikings in an epic NFC Championship game. Again, their story, their legacy has been lost somewhat. The Tennessee Titans in 1999 came one yard short of tying the score. Despite their monumental effort what that team accomplished that year is somewhat forgotten. And finally last year when the Pittsburgh Steelers triumphed over the Arizona Cardinals.

The pinnacle moment in one's career is to say that you were number one. That your team was the best. I am thrilled New Orleans won the NFC Championship, but I want more. This fairy tale has been more amazing than anything I could ever have imagined and I do not want it to end.

So what happens next? Does the dream end? Does the team wake up or do the New Orleans Saints live happily ever after?

It's Been A Long Road for the Saints Fan

It's an abnormal feeling for the month of January to almost be over, yet the New Orleans Saints are still playing football. I, along with countless other fans are in the state of denial.

I have followed this franchise my entire life and the good memories have been very short lived. I can still vividly remember the Saints pulling out a 33-30 victory against the Miami Dolphins in Week 6 of the 1995 season. The victory, which I thought was so incredible at the time, pushed the Saints to an amazing record of 1-5.

For year's this franchise has specialized in finding ways to lose and revolutionizing the art of failure. My dad watched it growing up and I watched it growing up. I will never forget my dad telling me about the first game in Saints' history. Saints' John Gilliam took the opening kickoff back for a touchdown.

"Man, we really thought we had a team," my dad would joke.

We, the fans, just became use to it. Use to having seasons fall apart, use to seeing the Saints disappoint us again, and most importantly use to losing. We all became accustomed to the hearing the phrase "well if anyone could do that the Saints could" uttered for every hapless, mishap the team ever endured.

It took this franchise 13 years before they had their first non-losing season, it took 20 years before they ever made the playoffs, and it took 33 years before they every won a playoff game. Yet despite all that fans never lost hope.

Hope. Nothing describes the Saints fan better. Regardless of how bleak things looked fans have always continued to believe good times will eventually come to the Saints. The purest example of this is Hurricane Katrina. Every sign said the Saints were done in New Orleans and that the ship had sailed.

At the worst moment in the city's history, at the very time so many people lost their lives, people came together. They believed. Sure it did not make sense, but it represented more than rooting for a simple sports team. That team symbolized that the city would rebound and recover.

Now here we are on the brink of the New Orleans Saints' second NFC Championship game in four years. It's beyond incredible. I do not know what tomorrow holds in store for the Saints, all I know is the fans, like they have been doing since 1967 will be there and certainly enjoying it.

Breaking News: Jason Bourne Loses Basketball Game

It may very well be the story of the decade, better yet the story of the century. Numerous reports indicate that Jason Bourne, the ass-kicking special agent from the Bourne trilogy, lost a pick up basketball game in Miami, Florida Thursday afternoon.

Eye witness Louie Reese stats that Bourne challenged Miami resident Jeff Wittzelberg to a pick up game at the Sapphire Beach Courts.

"Bourne walked on the court and looked discouraged that all the baskets were taken up. To win the court he challenged the worst athlete on the court - Jeff Wittzelberg."

As Reese describes Wittzelberg was a balding man of 40 years old with a prominent gut and an embarrassing display of back hair. He height was a pathetic 5'4".

"For some reason Wittzelberg took up Bourne's challenge. It was silly no doubt, but maybe the chubby, bald, hideous man saw something."

And saw something he did.

In a game to ten by ones Wittzelberg quickly got jumped on 4-0, but the short, stocky bald man made his move.

"The left baseline, that's what Bourne's weakness was and Wittzelberg exploited it."

As Reese details, the game got really heated when the score was tied at eight a piece. After a missed shot Bourne claimed he was fouled, Wittzelberg took the rebound in for a layup to go up 9-8. For the game winning point the Wittomeister hit a leaning one hander by the right baseline to pull off the 10-8 victory.

"It was magical," Reese stated. "I wept a bit."

Despite the remarkable feat, Bourne insisted the Wittomeister stepped out of bounds. When other spectators sided with Wittzelberg all chaos broke loose.

"It was bad. There were about 20 of us watching the game. Once Bourne realized the audience disagreed with his call he attacked everyone."

Even now with a broken collarbone and a shattered wrist, along with a court full of weeping men and women (including Wittzelberg), as well as watching five people get beaten to death, Reese still idolizes the experience.

"To being a Detroit Lions season ticket holder to a passionate Los Angeles Clippers fan, I have seen my fair share of amazing sporting events, but today's game where the ugly man beat the special agent that takes the cake. Jeff showed us all today that it doesn't matter how many bad guys you kill, or how many times you sneak by security, at the end of the day if you can't beat a fat guy in pick up basketball you ain't squat."

Jason Bourne could not be reached for comments.