Where was the King?

(Picture courtesy of nydailynews.com)

I can't sleep. I've been running through the possibilities of what is going to happen this off season for hours now. I can't stop. The speculation and suspense is killing me. I can't run away from it. Every T.V., every headline, every sports radio station are all focusing on LeBron James and what these next four months will bring. I've watched the replay all ready and have thoughts as usual (which I will get too), but what do NBA fans take away from one of the biggest "choke artist" moments in the leagues history (and yes even with a triple-double, LeBron choked. I'll get into that later)? What do fans of the Knicks, Clippers, Bulls, and Cavs take away from this performance? Was LeBron's body language enough evidence to show that he's leaving, or is he hurt beyond anyone's knowledge? Are the conspiracy theories right about LeBron in the sense that his pain medication was making him depressed/tired/lackadaisical/slow/careless? Just more questions I know, but let's break them down.

Starting with the first question: What do NBA fans take away from one of the biggest "choke artist" moments in the leagues history? Based on LeBron's unwillingness to take over that game and inability to demand that the offense goes through him, he's got to be leaving, right?  How can you come back to that team?  The best team in the regular season, once again ousted early in the playoffs.  LeBron and his team choked flat out, end of sentence.

I get LBJ had a triple double and that's fantastic, big ups to LBJ on that, but I guarantee if you watched that game with the volume off, you had no idea he had accomplished that feat. It was the quietest triple double I've ever seen. The other night when Rajon Rondo had his triple double, everyone knew when they were watching. He took over that game, facilitated the offense, and controlled the tempo.  He touched the ball for what it seemed, like every time down the court.  LBJ did none of that last night. Sure he had 10-assists, but he also had 9-turnovers.  He didn't have a dominating performance like so many superstars have done in crucial playoff games.  He was absent for minutes at a time during that game, especially in the fourth quarter.

Pooping a brick (and another, and another, and another)

(Picture courtesy of nydailynews.com)

How do I begin a post about LeBron James a day after one of the biggest stinkers in playoff history? How do I write about a guy who is rumored to have "interest" in the Chicago Bulls a day after his team went down 3-2 at home? How do I write about a guy that went 3-14 from the field for 15-points in the embarrassing 32-point loss of an important playoff series? How do I respect an MVP that flopped down on the bench, raised his hands in disgust, took himself out of the game by standing at the three point line, and played awful defense by letting Paul Pierce and Ray Allen waltz around the Q Center's floor like Ochocinco and Cheryl Burke. How does any NBA fan comprehend the giant "poop" (keeping this PG) he took on his coaches, his teammates, his fans, and the league itself?

I guess by asking questions like that and hoping that some of our readers can answer some of them for me.

With every logical question I could think of out of the way, I do want to begin on why LBJ played like a middle aged, fat business man who joined his offices basketball league only to cherry pick and turn the ball over. Are the whispers of the off season getting to loud for him? Is the weight of being Cleveland's god send, to much pressure? Is his elbow much, much worse than he is letting on? Does he finally realize that his team is not good enough, and that nobody on that team can carry him if he has a game or two like this? Is it his coach, who couldn't make the right sub-in move if Phil Jackson handed it to him himself? Is it a mixture of all of this (I guess I had more questions).

Taking it back, taking it all back

(Picture courtesy of fleersports.com)

That's right, after a long time away from the blogging world because of depression (due to the Chicago Bulls early exit from the playoffs and the Chicago White Sox underachieving) I am finally back with a statement of Tiger Woods proportions. I am here today to announce that I am taking back all previous comments about LeBron James.

Before any of you in the media ask any questions and before some of our readers question me as a person let me explain.

I take back all previous notions of crowning Kobe Bryant the best in the game today. I take back all previous comments about LeBron James being the Lo Bosworth to Kobe Bryant's Lauren Conrad. I take back all the late night arguments in local establishments. I take back all of my fist pumping and jaw jabbing about Kobe. Though I still would take Kobe if there was a few seconds left in the game with my team down by two, I will admit my decision is hard fought.

The Rundown

(Picture from http://www.elyriact.smugmug.com/)

I asked and I received.

Behind another glorious and extremely magical outing by Pooh-dini in the last two regular season games, the Chicago Bulls are back in the playoffs as the number eight seed and now three losses away from being eliminated.

Normally the playoffs would have me more pumped than Brock Lesnar after receiving a new shipment of horse steroids from Mexico, but there is one tiny problem. Standing in Joakim Noah's and Rose's way is the behemoth Cleveland Cavaliers and they flexed their giant tattooed muscles this afternoon.