Been busy lately, so let’s try and catch up on some things. Steve Kerr? All I have to say is that it’s about time he got to play against a zone defense. The Finals might be ok as both teams can get out and run. The question will be can Kenyon Martin contain Duncan? Of course, we have to wait to see any of these games as I think they get started with the series in a month or so.

The Devils have solved Jiggy so far in the Cup Finals (which by the way is the coolest trophy in all sports). Let’s hope RI’s own Keith Carney can lead the Ducks back. How bout Marty Brodeur? No, not the two great games, I’m talking about having an affair with his sister-in-law. He really got jiggy with it. Na na na na na!

All the hubub about Annika playing was just too much. She played well and more of the LPGA players should get shots to play with the men. It didn’t prove anything to anyone and all sports are about the ratings and the money (see ACC expansion).

The Pistons fire Rick Carlisle to hire Tony Kornheiser’s favorite camp counselor and I ask why? After all the moving around Brown does, what makes Detroit think he is better suited than Carlisle. Let’s go to the tale of the tape to compare this year’s Pistons to the ‘01 Sixers:

Philly Detroit
Scorer Iverson Hamilton
PG playing on one leg Snow Billups
Defensive SF Lynch Curry
Big man who can’t score Mutombo Wallace

Well I think Detroit made a bad move here as the players can’t help but wonder what Carlisle did wrong. I say that Van Gundy ends up in Houston, Silas goes to Cleveland, NO hires Fratello, Washington gets Cleamons and Philly hires who knows.

"Mr. Bryant. Your tee time is scheduled for 9:30." Ah yes. The NBA Finals without the Lakers and MJ. Good stuff. Now maybe there will be some suspense over who wins. Could the Spurs and Nets face off in the "Battle for Jason Kidd". How about AI vs Doug Christie in "The Thug vs Mr. Whipped" or Dikembe vs Bradley in "Battle of Big Scrawny Guys who can't Score"? The possibilites are endless folks...just use your imagination.

I admit to being scared last night. As I watched Shaq pushing around Malik Rose, I wondered aloud to why Kevin Willis wasn't getting some minutes. Five seconds later, Bill Walton says the same thing. My girlfriend and her brother looked at me with concern. Is it possible that I think along the same wavelength as the Big Deadhead? That's enough to give everyone the shivers.

No need to talk about the ACC-Big East until after the weekend. I sense some big surprises coming up and the power of college football might be shifting. Good thing I have those front row tickets locked down.

News and notes from the 315:

Looks like the ACC thing is stalling. The new rumor is the Big East splitting into 2 conferences- one for all sports and one with just the basketball schools. They would probably add Temple, Cincy and maybe Louisville to the football fold. The wildcard is Florida State moving to join Miami, but the jury is still out on this one. I think that BC is the team making everyone nervous-what do they really bring to the table?

Gotta love the NBA. Kobe, Shaq and AI got all the calls this weekend to even up those series. Too bad for Webber-now he can't pass the ball with the game on the line. I am praying for Manu to take over so I don't have to watch another Lakers Finals sweep.

I wish Walton was doing commentary on the Survivor finale, so I could hear "That's terrible" after that fixed voting. How could that group vote for Jenna by that many votes? I think this could be the beginning of the end for the show....and what was up with the guy riding the jet ski into NYC? Awful, awful stuff.

Gotta love the way the Ducks are getting "Giggy" in the playoffs. His save the other day was unreal.

My fantasy team is back to .500 thanks to a big week from Chipper, Thome and Adam Dunn. Now if I can get some pitching again, I can make a move to the top of my division. I will leave you all with one last word- "No-mah!!!!"

Have I told you how much I love Kobe Bryant? 38 shots to get 37 points- wow I am impressed. So what he hits a couple of late 3's. The Spurs couldn't make a shot in the 2nd quarter, yet Kobe-Wan kept "forcing" some terrrr-ible shots. Boo-hoo Rick Fox is hurt. The Lakers should be rolling over people because Shaq is unstoppable. San Anton was actually playing Malik Rose against Shaq w/ only slight help and LA kept neglecting the big man. Well look at the archives and you will see that I have been saying Spurs for a while. Gotta love Manu!

Now I usually defer on NBA-related things to The Rog, but last week we had a debate about T-Mac. Of course after I defend the guy and say he is the best player in the league the Magic drop 3 straight. Maybe I should learn to never doubt the opinions of The Rog, but I would still take T-Mac over Kobe. (in case you can't tell, I don't like Kobe)
I can actually get into the NBA now that the playoffs are rolling. Hope bout my SIxers? DC is looking like it's 1988 and he is cleaning the glass for the Orangemen and dishing it to Sherm Douglas to start the break.

Over in the NHL, you gotta love that Anaheim is winning, but you gotta hate that they are still called "The Mighty Ducks". Remember my RI championship connection from a couple of weeks ago- well the Ducks have Keith Carney from Pawtucket on their roster. That's a bad omen for the rest of the league. Put some money on the Flyers dumping Roman Checkmanek this offseason. That guy is one step away from having a breakdown in the middle of a game.

My fantasy team has tanked the last two weeks. Derek Lowe is just getting shelled and I really need someone to get hot. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

American Idol tonight- the marine has to go. Can Ruben rebound after last week? What lame celebrity judge will they have? Someone get Morris Day and Jerome on the phone- now that would be classic. I can hear it now "Clay, you sing real well, but you need to wear a bright yellow coat with a tiger print collar..Jerome bring me my mirror." If you saw Britney Spears on Punk'd last night, you're probably wondering how great it would be to have a ppv spelling bee between her, christina and anna nicole smith. Cute girl, but could she be any dumber? I had to laugh that she was sporting an Eminem hat after all the smack he's talked about her. I know that if someone said countless things about me, I would run out and wear their merchandise. Watching her and Christina makes me realize that I will never recover the brain cells lost in trying to fathom their idiocy.

Head over to The Modeles site to get info on buying their cd and catching them live.