Chalking up the loss now: What's up, Lakers!?!

Tonight the Los Angeles Lakers head to the World Famous Madison Square Garden.  Even when the Knicks were terrible, and even during the 3-5 seasons of disappointing Laker basketball in my 30 years, MSG games were always something different and something to feel excited about.  NY vs. LA.  The established primary US city vs. the city that continues to erode the primary city's importance.  East vs. West.  Biggie vs. Tupac.  Tonight's game feels much different.

Forget the fact that the Knicks are undefeated at home this year.  Forget the fact that D'Antoni is heading in to coach his first game against his former team.  Forget the fact that two future Hall of Famers are not playing.  After all, this isn't about playing against a hot team, isn't about taking time to implement an offense, and isn't about a lack of chemistry on the offensive end or of offensive production components.  We can look back at various stretches of the 2003-04 season to draw comparisons, and at no point did the Lakers look as lifeless and beatable as they do right now.

The game isn't until 5 on the West Coast tonight, but I'm already recouping from what will be the Lakers' fourth straight loss.  Of course I'm still going to tune in and hope that they actually show up and play, but I also try to be a realist.  There is no heart, and no fight in this team (exemption, Kobe), and they are absolutely going to miss the playoffs at this rate.  With four future Hall of Fame first-ballot inductees.

It's gut check time, Lakers.  I know fans are giving you the excuse of blaming the front office, but I don't buy the whole notion of pigeon-holing a professional basketball coach into a single, monochromatic style.  Phil and Jerry are exceptions, not the rule, so a Mike D'Antoni team can play defense.  Any other excuse is complete B.S. and needs to be treated as such.  Better defense leads to run-and-gun offense, so the two can absolutely compliment each other.  Maybe we run Shell Drill all damn practice to drive the point home, but the latest disappointment in Cleveland clearly shows that it's time for everyone in the locker room to have a long look in the mirror and ask themselves what they are doing to earn their paycheck.  Mitch has done plenty, so don't let him (and the rest of us) down.

Bright Sunny March Days: The Calm Before the Storm

Welcome to LA, where the first full week of March is about as calm as the month gets for us Angelenos.  Yet there's a lot to get or be excited about.  The first and foremost is which, it's Southern California in March.  We're forecasted for 81 here in Long Beach, today, and it's still supposed to be the standard 72 and sunny in the South Bay tomorrow.  In Chicago it's 39 today, but hey, a nice 57 and windy tomorrow.

Then there's baseball.  Ah, baseball.  In March, it's just anticipation in town, as the Dodgers and adopted Angels gear up in Arizona for Opening Day in April.  Basketball is in the second half of its season, and the Lakers and Clippers prepare for the stretch-run of the NBA regular season.  The hockey playoff picture begins shaping up, spring football at the universities is arond the corner, and of course, March Madness looms large.  There's even this little even next weekend known as the Los Angeles Marathon.

But this week, the first full week in March, with wonderful weather, the home teams are out of town and the marathon is on the backburner.  This week, as the country brims with anticipation of bracketology, is Championship Week.  And in LA, that means the Pacific Life Pac 12 Championship at Staples Center.  Unfortunately for LA, both USC and UCLA have been eliminated in the early rounds, but Staples and LA Live are still teeming with action as the semis continue tonight, and both the men's and women's championships tomorrow.

I'll be on hand tomorrow, and will be sure to get some photos of the festivities to share.  There's always something going on in LA on the weekend, and this weekend, it's the Pac 12 Tournament!

So Cal Sports Check

Last week, Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers deservedly took home the Cy Young award.  This week, Matt Kemp of the Los Angeles Dodgers was undeservedly snubbed of the NL MVP Award.  However, showing enormous character, Matty just smiled, shook his head, signed his PHAT contract extension, and gave the classic 'wait 'till next year' statement.  We can't Matty.  We can't.  We're super-hyped and so proud of what you've done this past season despite the McCort mess that we're already on the edge of our seats in anticipation of March.



From postseason accolades to lost season lammentation: Though the decertified players and the league have supposedly resumed talks today in anticipation of striking a deal that would get Christmas games on the docket, I'm not holding my breath.  I started back in June with the solidified mindset that we would have a repeat of 1998-99 and have about a 50 game season.  That middle-of-the-road, should-have-been-realistic view is finally turning sour to despair, as I stare at the towel that was this season while I ball it up, ready to throw it in.  The media really needs to stop with the false hope thing on this one.



This Saturday at the Colliseum, the Los Angeles Civil War gets underway at 4pm with the 9-2 USC Trojans hosting the 6-5 UCLA Bruins.  Since USC is not elibile for anything that counts, UCLA will claim the Pac-12 South with a win and go on to play in the Pac-12 Championship game.  Who'd have thunk it?  Of course if they lose, Rick Neuheisel should polish that resume quickly.



Finally, since there's on pro ball being played and nothing to get excited about on that front, let's turn to the excitement of NCAA Hoops!  My Alma Matre, Santa Clara Universtiy, is playing tonight at the Anaheim Convention Center against Oklahoma after taking out New Mexico in a 79-76 overtime thriller on Wednesday.  It's still early in the season, and yes, the Broncos got waxed by UCSB in their first true game of the season, but they were sure to take out their aggression against San Jose State and continued the impressive play on Wednesday.  Tonight's game is a 9pm PST on ESPN 2. 

Glendale Discourages Tennis

My wife and I registered for (and of course, got) tennis rackets, something we thought would be fun to do together.  On our mini-moon to Vacation Island, we enjoyed our time on the court, despite the swarm of bees that came cruising through.  And it was clear we would need to play more, because I owed her for the swift ass-kicking she gave me.

Growing up in Moorpark, I was used to shooting hoops right by the tennis courts at the parks.  I didn't play tennis, but knew that I always could go play a game if I had a racquet on me.  In fact, there was a summer that a bunch of us would head over and mess around on the tennis courts after basketball practice.  Point being, at the public city parks, the courts were always open.

However, upon searching for a place to brush up on my swing and avenge my loss, it was impossible to find a place in Glendale that did not charge court fees.  Being a basketball recreationist myself, court fees are something I just am not familiar with.  Furthermore, I couldn't make sense of why there were court fees to play tennis and not basketball at the Glendale parks.

Of course, and probably due to the fact that there are fees, there was nobody playing on the courts at Freemont park.  However, there actually were a few people playing at Glorietta park, though there were still court fees.

I'm having a real hard time swallowing this for more than a few reasons.  First, if they start with tennis, is basketball next?  Second, isn't that discrimination?  Third, isn't that discouraging people from exercising?  Fourth, isn't this a public park? Fifth, I live in this City; why aren't tax dollars covering this?  And finally, why are you charging and where is the money going?

C'mon, Glendale!  LA's got plenty of free courts, and so does Long Beach.  What gives?