NBA 13: The Show Part 9 (The Finals, Game 7)

Thursday, June 20, 2013, 7:05 PM PDT at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, New York

Line Score

Angels: 3, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0; 4 Runs, 8 Hits, 1 Error

Yankees: 1, 0, 0, 0, 3, 0, 1, 0, X; 5 Runs, 13 Hits, 1 Error

Win: Joba Chamberlain Loss: Scott Downs Save: Mariano Rivera

Home Runs

Angels: Mark Trumbo

Yankees: Derek Jeter

So the Yankees, as proxies for the New York Knicks, have won NBA 13: The Show.

It was another come-from-behind victory, but not quite in the same vein as Game 6. Things got going almost immediately with Mark Trumbo hitting a three-run home run into center field to put the Angels up 3-0 in the top of the 1st. The Yankees could only answer back wit a Derek Jeter solo shot to make it 3-1 after 1. In the 5th the Angels added on a run off of a Mike Trout sac fly that brought in Chris Iannetta. But in the bottom half of the fifth the Yankees were able to level things. First came Mark Teixeira's double to right, bringing in Derek Jeter to make it 4-2. Then Curtis Granderson grounded to right for a 2 RBI single that brought in Alex Rodriguez and Teixeira to make it 4-4. With things even again, it was just a matter of which pitching staff would fold first. The Angels' staff was the one to break, as they gave up a run in the bottom of the 7th. Derek Jeter came in to score as Mark Teixeira grounded into a double play. David Aardsma was able to hold off the Angels' batters, and Mariano Rivera came in the 9th inning to close things out.

For the Yankees, starting pitcher Andy Pettitte went 6 innings, giving up 6 hits, 4 runs (all earned), and one strikeout with a 6.00 ERA. Derek Jeter finished 3-4 with a home run and an RBI.

For the Angels, starting pitcher Jason Vegas went 5 innings, giving up 11 hits, 4 runs (all earned), and threw 3 strikeouts, finishing with a 7.20 ERA. Mark Trumbo went 3-4 with a homer and three RBIs. Mike Trout went 2-3 with an RBI.

Random NBA Player of the Week: Marcus Liberty

Marcus Liberty is a 6'8" forward from Chicago. In high school, he was legendary. His freshman year he led Crane High School to a frosh-soph title. He then transferred to King College Prep for the rest of his high school career, where he led them to a title in 1986 and a second-place finish in 1987. His 143 points in the '87 tourney set an Illinois Class AA record. In '87 Liberty was an McDonald's All-American, Illinois Mr. Basketball, and Parade Magazine Player of the Year. This illustrious high school career led him to being voted one of the "100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament" in 2007.

After high school Liberty moved on to the University of Illinois. He was ineligible his first year, but his sophomore year he was a part of the 1988-89 "Flyin' Illini" squad that made it to the Final Four. After three years in Champaign-Urbana, Marcus entered the draft. He went 42nd overall in the 1990 NBA Draft to the Denver Nuggets.

Liberty was a role player for a 1991 Nuggets team that was known for scoring a lot of points (league-best 119.9 ppg) as well as giving up a lot of them (league-worst 130.8 ppg). Marcus would average 6.7 in his first year in 76 appearances. His productivity would go up his second year, as he averaged 9.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He even recorded five double-doubles, though they all came in losses. While Marcus saw improvement, his team did not. In two seasons the Nuggets went 44-120. Year 3 saw a new coach for the Nuggets: Dan Issel. The team - as well as Marcus - showed promise. Denver went 36-46 while Liberty average 8.1 points and 4.3 boards a game. Heading into 93-94, one would expect both the Nuggets and Liberty to continue the upward trajectory.

Well, the team did, eventually making it to the playoffs in '94 as an eighth seed and knocking off the top seeded Seattle Sonics. However, Marcus was traded at the beginning of the season, unable to enjoy the team's fortune. He went along with Mark Macon to Detroit for Alvin Robertson and a conditional 2nd round draft pick that was never used. Marcus would only play 35 games for the Pistons, averaging 2.9 points and 1.6 rebounds.

Liberty wouldn't make it back to the NBA after '94, instead embarking on a whirlwind eight years that saw him in the CBA, Greece, Turkey, Puerto Rico, Sweden, Japan, the old IBL, the Philippines, the IBA, the Dominican Republic, and Chile. Marcus Liberty ended his basketball career in 1992.

NBA 13: The Show Part 8 (The Finals, Game 6)

Tuesday, June 18, 2013, 7:05 PM PDT at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, New York

Line Score

Angels: 0, 0, 1, 0, 2, 1, 0, 3, 0; 7 Runs, 10 Hit, 0 Errors

Yankees: 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 2, 2, 0, 2; 8 Runs, 16 Hits, 0 Errors

Win: Clay Rapada Loss: Ryan Madson

Home Runs

Angels: Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton

Yankees: Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez

...and we'll see you Thursday night!

A roller-coaster ride ends with a walkoff 2-run RBI single that ties the series up at three games apiece and sets the stage for Game 7 in the Bronx.

The fireworks started early with Robinson Cano blasting a two-run homer to right in the bottom of the 1st, making it 2-0. It seemed like starting pitcher CJ Wilson would be in for a tough day. However, he would go on to post four scoreless innings before allowing two more in the 6th.

In the meantime, the Angels spent their next five innings clawing back into the lead. Mike Trout was the one to put the team on the map. First, things got going in the 3rd when he hit a line single to right, bringing in Alberto Callaspo and putting LAA on the board. He then came back up in the 5th and notched a two run homer, giving the Angels the lead. Josh Hamilton then came in the next inning and hit a solo shot of his own to make it 4-2 after 5 1/2 innings.

However, the Yankees bats knew what time it was a promptly responded. In the bottom of the 6th Alex Rodriguez hit a two-run homer to right to level the score at 4. The next half-inning Derek Jeter hit an RBI double to bring in Kevin Youkilis and Ichiro and give the Yankees back, 6-4.

But the Angels just wouldn't go away. Pujols hit an equalizing home run to left field. Two batters later, Howie Kendrick grounded into a double play, giving Josh Hamilton time to advance home from 3rd base. Heading into the bottom of the 8th, the Angels had the lead back, and seemed to be on their way to winning the NBA 13: The Show Championship.

But the Yankees had just enough offense left in them in the bottom of the 9th. After a Brett Gardner groundout, Francisco Cervelli (who would be replaced by pinch runner Edgar Nunez), Ichiro, and Jeter were able to loaded the bases. Tasked with bringing in at least the tying run, Robinson Cano swung away. But he was unsuccessful, striking out while chasing a 1-2 low changeup. The Yankees were down to their last out, Alex Rodriguez. Down to his last strike, he hit a grounder that was just fair down the 3rd base line. This allowed Nunez to come in for the tying run and Ichiro to come in for the winning run.

Instant Classic.

For the Yankees, A-Rod finished 3-5 with a home run, 4 RBIs, and a strikeout. Derek Jeter went 4-4 with a walk, a double, a stolen base, and 2 RBIs. Starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda with five innings allowing six hits, 4 runs (all earned), a walk, posting 4 strikeouts, and finishing with a 7.20 ERA.

For the Angels, Mike Trout went 2-4 with a walk, a strikeout, a homer run, and 3 RBIs. Erick Aybar went 3-5. Starting pitcher C.J. Wilson went six innings, giving up 8 hits, 4 runs (all earned), a walk, and 4 strikeouts. He finished with a 6.00 ERA.

So there will be a Game 7 Thursday in the Bronx. Andy Pettitte and Jason Vargas will face for to determine which team will be the NBA 13: The Show champion.

NBA 13: The Show Part 7 (The Finals, Game 5)

Sunday, June 15, 2013, 6:05 PM PDT at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, California

Line Score

Yankees: 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0; 1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors

Angels: 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 2, X; 4 Runs, 5 Hits, 0 Errors

Win: Jered Weaver Loss: C.C. Sabathia

Home Runs

Yankees: Mark Teixeira

Angels: Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Chris Iannetta

After allowing the Yankees to get back into the series with two wins in Anaheim, the Angels were able to regain control with a complete game pitching performance by Jered Weaver. In 9 innings, Weaver gave up only one run on one hit; a Mark Teixeira home run in the 5th inning.

For the Yankees, C.C. Sabathia put up a decent performance, but it wasn't enough in comparison to Weaver's mastery. C.C. went six innings, giving up two runs on three hits. Two of those three hits were homers. Chris Iannetta was the first to strike, knocking a solo shot in the 3rd. Albert Pujols took his own personal trip around the bases the next inning. Joba Chamberlain came in the 7th in relief, but provided none when Mike Trout hit a two-run home run in the 8th inning. David Aardsma was immediately brought in to close out the half-inning.

The Angels now have a 3-2 lead in the series, with a chance to close things out in the Bronx on Tuesday. CJ Wilson will face off against Hiroki Kuroda. When these two took the mound in Game 2, both pitchers were able to shut down the offense as only one run was scored between both teams. However, that one run was scored by the Angels.

NBA 13: The Show Part 6 (The Finals, Game 4)

Thursday, June 12, 2013, 6:05 PM PDT at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, California

Line Score

Yankees: 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 5; 6 Runs, 7 Hits, 0 Errors

Angels: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 3, 0, 2, 0; 5 Runs, 7 Hits, 2 Errors

Win: David Aardsma Loss: Ryan Madson Save: Mariano Rivera

Home Runs

Yankees: Robinson Cano, Kevin Youkilis

Angels: Albert Pujols

For the Angels, it was the longest 9th inning ever...

The Angels were unable to close out the Yankees to take a three games to one series lead, losing 6 to 5. Coming into the 9th down 5-1, the Bronx side bombed two homers in opposite directions to take the lead back. David Robertson and Mariano Rivera came in the bottom of the 9th to seal the deal and tie the series a two games apiece.

Early on, there wasn't much offense to be had with a Brett Gardner double in the 4th bringing in the only run in the first five innings. It was until the bottom of the sixth that the bats really got going. Albert Pujols hit a 2 RBI grounder to left to put the Angels ahead. This was shortly followed by a Mark Trumbo RBI grounder to center to pad the lead 3-1. Pujols would strike again in the 8th with a two run homer to center to make it 5-1. LAA looked like they were on the verge of taking a 3-1 series lead. All they had to do was close out the next half-inning.

But some things just aren't that easy.

Things started off with Sean Burnett walking Curtis Granderson then giving up a Kevin Youkilis homer run to left, closing the gap to 5-3 Angels. Ryan Madson was then brought in, and things seemed to be back to normal with two quick outs.

Then things fell apart. Ichiro grounded to Madson, who was able to corral the ball, but was too slow to volley the ball to first for the final out. Then Eduardo Nunez, who came in the 8th to pinch-run for Derek Jeter, hit a flying single to right. This set the table for Robinson Cano to knock a three-run shot to center field, giving the Yankees the lead back for good 6-5.

Albert Pujols lead the way in hitting for the fallen Angels. He went 2-4 with a homer and 4 RBIs. Kevin Youkilis lead the way for the Yankees, going 2-4 with a homer and 2 RBIs.

With the series level, it's now a brand-new ballgame. We'll see Jered Weaver and C.C. Sabathia return to the mound for a crucial Game 5 on Sunday in Anaheim.

Game of the Week: Nets vs. Spurs 6/15/03

Ten years ago tomorrow...

The Spurs were in the Finals, Jason Kidd was the floor general for the Nets, and ESPN/ABC was wrapping up its first season airing the NBA and the lowest-rated Finals ever (though that would be topped four years later).

Nowadays, the Spurs are in the Finals, Jason Kidd has become the bench general for the Nets, and ESPN/ABC is still airing NBA games, though the ratings and coverage seem to have gotten better. Funny how some things change and others stay the same after a decade......

Today's video brings up Game 6 of the 2003 NBA Finals between the New Jersey Nets and the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs lead the series 3 games to 2 after a 93-83 victory in East Rutherford two days prior. San Antonio manages to close out Jersey in the game 88-77, winning their second ever NBA title. The Boxscore can be found HERE.

For San Antonio, a then-young Tim Duncan messed around and almost got a quadruple-double. However, the Finals MVP had to "settle" for a triple-double, netting 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists, and 8 blocks. In what was his final NBA game, teammate and twin tower David Robinson put in 13 points and 17 rebounds. Stephen Jackson had 17 points.

For New Jersey, Jason Kidd lead the team (of course he did) with 21 points and 7 assists. Kerry Kittles was behind him with 16 points, while a then-spry-and-athletic Richard Jefferson added 13. 

The 2003 Finals would wrap up ESPN/ABC's first season airing NBA games (and ABC's first since 1972-73), taking the reins over from NBC. The 2003 NBA Finals would set a record low in ratings, with a 6.5 average rating share for the series. It was the first single-digit rating share since the 1981 Finals between the Rockets and Celtics (6.7). As bad as that was, the record would be bested (or worsted?) by the 2007 Finals between the Spurs and LeBron's Cavaliers (6.2). You could look at a myriad of reasons for the series' low ratings: bad play (the Nets' offense was deplorable), lack of star power, too much going on in the coverage department (such as having Joel Siegel on the halftime show reviewing summer movies). But since this series, the NBA on ESPN/ABC has seen better days.

Footage is from ABC with Brad Nessler, Bill Walton, and Tom Tolbert on the call; Michelle Tafoya and Stuart Scott on the sidelines.

Random NBA Player of the Week: Marty Conlon

Marty Conlon was a forward/center from White Plains, New York. He played college ball at Providence. The 1987 team he was on as a freshman went to the Final Four. He averaged 14.7 points and 7.6 rebounds his senior year. Marty went undrafted in 1990 but found a training camp spot on the Sacramento Kings. However, he was let go before the season began. He spent the 1990-1991 season in LeMans, France and with the Rockford Lightning of the CBA.

That summer Marty signed with the Seattle Sonics, which would mark the beginning of a nine-year NBA journeyman career. Conlon would go on to play for the Sonics (1991-1992) Kings (1992-1993), Hornets (1994), Bullets (1994), Bucks (1994-1996), Celtics (1996-1997), Heat (1998), Celtics (1999), and Clippers (1999-2000).

Through it all, his best year came in 1994-1995 with Milwaukee, when he averaged 9.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game and played in all 82 games.

After his season with the Clippers, Conlon finished out his career with five more years in Europe. He played for teams in Italy, Greece, Spain, and Ireland. He was also captain of the Irish national team. He last played for Carpisa Napoli of Italy in 2005.

NBA 13: The Show Part 5 (The Finals, Game 3)

Tuesday, June 10, 2013, 6:05 PM PDT at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, California

Line Score

Yankees: 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 3, 0, 0, 0; 5 Runs, 8 Hits, 1 Error

Angels: 1, 0, 0, 0, 2, 0, 1, 0, 0; 4 Runs, 14 Hits, 1 Error

Win: Andy Pettitte, Loss: Jason Vargas, Save: Mariano Rivera

Home Runs

Yankees: Kevin Youkilis, Mark Teixeira

Angels: Mike Trout (2)

The runs finally came in for the Yankees, as they were able to stave off an 0-3 series deficit with a 5-4 victory in Anaheim.

After stressful bouts against aces Jered Weaver and CJ Wilson, Jason Vargas seemed like a change of pace for the Yankees. Vargas would go 5 2/3 innings, giving up six hits, four runs, and three walks. After 4 runs wasn't enough in Game 1 and being shut out in Game 2, it seems the Yankees got enough run support for Andy Pettitte to get him and the team a victory.

The game was a thriller, with the two ties and four lead changes. Things got going with a leadoff solo shot by Mike Trout. In the next half-inning, however, Kevin Youkilis responded with a solo homer of own, making the game level again. The Yankees then took the lead 2-1 in the next inning off of an RBI single to right. Things seemed to die down for a couple of innings until Mike Trout knocked a 2-run shot to left to give the Angels the lead again 3-2.

In the top of the 6th, however, the Angels would give up the lead as Mark Teixeira hit an equalizing solo shot to right. After a Granderson pop-out and a Youkilis double, the day was over for Vargas. Reliever Scott Downs was unable to stem the tide, as he would walk Brett Gardner then give up an RBI double to Francisco Cervelli. When the half-inning was over, the Yanks had taken a 5-3 lead.

The Yankees would hold the lead the rest of the way and were able to fight off charges in each of the Angels half-innings. Despite getting 6 hits and a walk in the final of third of the game, the Angels were only able to produce one run from it.

For the victorious Yankees, Kevin Youkilis went 2-4 with a home run and a double. For the Angels, Mike Trout paced the team with a 3-5 outing. He hit two home runs, bringing in three RBIs.

The Angels now lead the series two games to one. Game 4 will be in Anaheim on Thursday, with Phil Hughes and Tommy Hanson scheduled to face off.

Danny and Gary Took Over, and LeBron Just Watched

To those that aren't into sports, Gary Neal and Danny Green are names that would not seem mean much. But last night in San Antonio, those were names of two men that essentially set The World on fire and gave their team, the Spurs, a two to one lead in the NBA Finals.

The Spurs hit a Finals-record 16 threes, with Gary and Danny accounting for thirteen of them. This lead them to the third-largest margin of victory in Finals history, with the 36-point drubbing falling just behind Game 7 of the 2008 Finals and Game 3 of the 1998 Finals.

I was in awe of this performance by the Spurs, and more specifically by Danny Green. In these first three games, he just hasn't missed. Of the 30 shots he has attempted in this series, 23 of them have been threes, and he's made 16 of those threes. That new hotness has allowed Danny Green to become this series's leader in scoring with 56 points.

Now, Danny Green being really good at hitting threes isn't new, but it's always fun to see a given player get hot from outside. That is what has happened to Mr. Green, and you better believe I was going crazy last night by the third made three. The following four had me over the edge. At the end of the night I was shocked he only went 7 for 9, as I honestly thought he went 107 for 109.

Now, to the Heat. That performance was so sorry they should apologize to their fans, the city of Miami, and their family for it. Erik Spoelstra was rightfully disgusted (I like that he left the Big Three in the game for a little longer then you usually leave starters in a blowout), but the players also said the right things. "It's just one game, no matter how many points it's by", said LeBron. He's right. To say that this game is an automatic indictment on how the next game will go would be a false statement.

But, boy, did they look bad in this game. As a team, the Heat shot 40.8% from the field. But while the offense was down, the defense was really bad. Besides the obvious fact that they gave up 113 points, it just seemed like they weren't challenging shots or getting those key boards to give themselves the upper hand. Whenever a Spur put up a shot, Miami players wouldn't even close out on them, they would already start heading down the court. And the team was housed in rebounding 52 to 36.

With the team's lack of size, the ability to drive the lane cut out by the Spurs D, and the struggles of the Big Three, that small-ball is being heavily exposed. While essentially playing 4 on 5 worked against the Thunder, it won't fly with a veteran team like the Spurs.

Lastly, I live in a city where the hate for LeBron runs deep. Honestly, a good amount of the NBA Finals's ratings out of the Chicago market is mostly from people wanting to see the Heat lose. This dislike can lead many Chicagoan to spout untrue generalizations about him as a player and a person. And then in comes me, who looks at stats a lot, to seem like a LeBron caper (a person that defends, or "saves" a person. Like a superhero, who would wear a cape) by comparison.

But in this game, Game 3 of the 2013 NBA Finals, I think all the hate he gets is justified. LeBron James is the best active player in the NBA (don't argue, just accept it), and there was no reason for him to be as passive as he was in this game. The 7 for 21 he shot and the 15 points he scored that show up on the box score does not tell the story of how ineffective he was for this team.

I get that he wants to facilitate and get teammates involved in the game. But at some point, when your teammates aren't coming through, you as a great player need to take things into your own hands. Realistically, most players can't turn on that switch. If an opponents' defense shuts you down, then you're just going to have a bad game. But LeBron isn't most players, and we've seen him activate Beast Mode time and again. Why he doesn't do it more, and why he didn't do it in this game, baffled and annoyed me. I feel like the Heat would be better served if (they got a capable center in the offseason and) LeBron was just a little more selfish when the chips are down.

But we'll see what happens in Game 4 on Thursday. Will the Heat make the necessary adjustments? Or will the Anonymous Dynasty continue to reign on and rain threes?

Yessir, Yasiel

The first time I had heard of him was during the White Sox's first spring training game this season. The Sox were playing the Dodgers, and announcers Ken Harrelson and Steve Stone were discussing this prospect from Cuba named Yasiel Puig. "Hawk" was going on about all the comparisons he was drawing; Sammy Sosa, Bo Jackson. As big a homer as Harrleson is, it was interesting to see him bigging up another team's prospect.

As a basketball fan, I've heard people compare prospects to the greats all the time. If I had $5 for every really good college or high school player that was supposed to be the next Jordan, I could probably buy first level tickets to a Giants-Dodgers game. So when I heard Puig being compared to Bo Jackson, I waved it off as yet another too-high expectation set for a young prospect.

But after just a week, Yasiel has met that bar and jumped over it.

Eight games into his young career, he is batting .500 with 4 homers and 10 RBIs. He got those 10 RBIs in his first five games, which tied a record with two other players. Oh, and then there's the fielding plays. Those sweet, sweet fielding plays. In this first week and change, the Cuban defector that scouts only had four workouts to learn about has been impressive in his major league debut.

For the sake of baseball I hope that Puig goes on to have a legendary carry. I have a bit of pause though, as I can be cynical at times. The two players he tied that record with? Danny Espinosa (2010) and Jack Merson (1951). Espinosa is currently playing for the Nationals, hitting below the Mendoza Line. Jack Merson only played three seasons in the majors. I feel like Puig's abilities is what would separate him from the fate of those two gentlemen, but I'm basically just hoping that the good times don't stop rolling for Mr. Puig.

Now, if only the rest of his team could make the turnaround. A lot of the guys who were supposed to be carrying this team are injured or slumping. Yasiel has brought a some electricity back to Dodger Stadium, so it will interesting to see if this invigorates the 27-36 squad from rising out of the NL West basement.

NBA 13: The Show Part 4 (The Finals, Game 2)

Sunday, June 8, 2013, 7:05 PM EDT at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, New York

Line Score:

Angels: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0; 1 Run, 6 Hits, 0 Errors

Yankees: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0; 0 Runs, 6 Hits, 0 Errors

Win: C.J. Wilson, Loss: Hiroki Kuroda, Save: Ryan Madson

Home Runs:

Angels: None

Yankees: None

All the Angels needed was one run to take a 2 games to none lead over the New York Yankees. The run came in the top of the 7th when Howie Kendrick hit a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing Albert Pujols to tag up and score.

The Yankees did have a couple of chances to tie the game, but they couldn't close the deal. One instance came in the bottom of the 5th, when a Kevin Youklis hit down the first base line and over the fence had to be reviewed by the umpires. It was eventually called a foul ball and Youk would go on to strike out swinging. A second instance came in the bottom of the 6th. Derek Jeter was called out at the plate after attempting to come home from second off of a Alex Rodriguez single.

In the end, though, it was a pitcher's duel. For the Angels, C.J. Wilson worked 6 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and striking out five. For the Yankees, Kuroda worked 7 innings and gave up five hits, while striking out three. Ryan Madson came in for the save and pitched one inning, striking out all three batters he faced.

Game 3 is on Tuesday Night in Anaheim.

Game of the Week: Mountaineers vs. Tigers 3/19/92

This is a bizarre game I came across a couple of years ago. It's a matchup from the First Round of the 1992 NCAA Tournament East Regional between the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Missouri Tigers. The game was played in Greensboro, North Carolina, and on this day there was apparently severe weather in the area, including a tornado touching down 20 miles from the arena. The lightning that came with these storms caused three separate outages; two late in the first half, and one late in the second half. What would have usually been a two hour game was stretched to three hours and two minutes with all of the delays.

In the end, Missouri came out victorious 89-78, but would go on to lose in the next round to Seton Hall.  Future NBAer Anthony Peeler lead Mizzou with 25 points. Chris Leonard paced WVU with 25 of his own. You can see the Box Score HERE.

Footage is from CBS. Mel Proctor and Dan Bonner are on the call, with Lesley Visser working the sidelines.

NBA 13: The Show Part 3 (The Finals, Game 1)

Thursday, June 6, 2013, 7:05 PM EDT at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, New York

Line Score:

Angels: 0, 1, 1, 0, 1, 2, 0, 0, 2; 7 Runs, 10 Hits, 2 Errors

Yankees: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 4, 0, 0, 0; 4 Runs, 5 Hits, 0 Errors

Win: Jered Weaver, Loss: C.C. Sabathia, Save: Ryan Madson

Home Runs:

Angels: Josh Hamilton, Alberto Callaspo, Peter Bourjos

Yankees: Alex Rodriguez

On a rainy evening in the Bronx, the Angels were able to take Game 1 behind a good pitching performance from Jered Weaver. Weaver pitched five strong innings before giving up three hits then a grand slam in the 6th. C.C. Sabathia struggled in this outing, giving up five hits in five innings, including two solo homers; out to Josh Hamilton and another to Peter Bourjos.

The Angels started the game by scoring five unanswered runs in the first six innings. The Yankees finally answered back in the bottom of the 6th by getting the bases loaded. This set the table for an Alex Rodriguez grand slam that brought the Yankees within one. LAA was able to essentially put the game away in the top of the 9th when Alberto Callaspo knocked a two-run homer to left field.

For Los Angeles, Callaspo finished 2-4 with a home run, a double, 4 RBIs, a walk and two fielding errors. For New York, Alex Rodriguez went 1-4; his lone hit being the grand slam.

Game 2 is on Sunday in the Bronx, with CJ Wilson and Hiroki Kuroda scheduled to take the mound for their respective squads.

NBA 13: The Show Part 2 (The Results Post)

Over the past week I embarked on a weird experiment where I would simulate the NBA Playoff bracket using professional baseball teams. I left The Show's default rosters alone in this simulation. To keep from getting the same results, I cycled through the first four pitchers of each teams starting rotation and alternated home teams in a 2-2-1-1-1 format. I simulated up to the Finals, which I will reveal to you game-by-game.

Here are the results of the first three rounds. Scores in parantheses are listed [series winner's score-series loser's score]:

FIRST ROUND

EAST

#1 Miami Marlins def. #8 Milwaukee Brewers 4 games to 1 (5-4, 5-4 (10), 7-10, 2-1 (11), 1-0)

#4 New York Mets def. #5 Chicago White Sox 4 games to 2 (3-2, 2-6, 5-0, 9-10, 1-0, 3-2 (10))

#6 Atlanta Braves def. #3 Indianapolis Indians 4 games to 0 (8-4, 2-0, 5-0, 7-0)

#2 New York Yankees def. #7 Boston Red Sox 4 games to 2 (8-2, 5-6 (10), 3-0, 3-4 (12), 3-1, 4-2)

WEST

#8 Houston Astros def. #1 Oklahoma City RedHawks 4 games to 2 (0-5, 13-8, 7-4, 5-6, 9-5, 4-0)

#4 Los Angeles Angels def. #5 Memphis Redbirds 4 games to 2 (6-2, 6-0, 7-3 (11), 4-6, 5-8, 4-2)

#6 Oakland Athletics def. #3 Colorado Rockies 4 games to 1 (3-1, 13-8, 7-9, 2-1, 4-1)

#7 Los Angeles Dodgers def. #2 San Antonio Missions 4 games to 0 (13-0, 4-1, 10-2, 6-3)

SEMIFINALS

EAST

#1 Miami Marlins def. #4 New York Mets 4 games to 3 (6-8, 3-0, 1-5, 1-9, 7-6, 5-2, 5-4)

#2 New York Yankees def. #6 Atlanta Braves 4 games to 1 (9-0, 3-4 (14), 5-1, 12-2, 8-4)

WEST

#4 Los Angeles Angels def. #8 Houston Astros 4 games to 0 (13-4, 5-1, 4-0, 3-2 (10))

#6 Oakland Athletics def. #7 Los Angeles Dodgers 4 games to 1 (4-1, 7-5, 7-2, 1-5, 7-2)

CONFERENCE FINALS

EAST

#2 New York Yankees def. #1 Miami Marlins 4 games to 0 (3-0, 12-0, 3-2, 8-7)

WEST

#4 Los Angeles Angels def. #6 Oakland Athletics 4 games to 3 (2-1(11), 1-0, 1-7, 6-7 (12), 3-2, 1-4, 8-0)

So it will be the Yankees and the Angels - representing the Knicks and Clippers respectively in the exercise - facing off in the finals. I'm not particular surprised that the Heat and Spurs aren't facing off like they are in real life, considering their proxies (the Marlins and the Missions).

A lot to unpack from these first three rounds, and I'll just spill my thoughts out in bullet-point form:

• First off, a sadface for my White Sox not getting past the Mets in the First Round [ :-( ]. Considering the season the Sox have had so far though, I'm not too surprised. But the Mets? C'mon man!
• I'm also not surprised that the minor league teams didn't last. A couple of teams did put up a fight, though. The RedHawks gave the sorry Astros a scare by taking 2 games, including Game 1 5-0 behind a strong pitching performance by Erik Bedard. The Memphis Redbirds also went down swinging against the Angels, as they were able to stave off elimination by taking Games 4 and 5. Looks like the PCL has some pretty scrappy teams down there.
• The Marlins/Mets series was particularly intense, with The Fish coming back from down 1 game to 3. Game 7 came was settled by a walk-of homer by Giancarlo Stanton. How cool is that? And how very Mets of the Mets to blow that series lead. Payback for beating my Sox!
• I was excited when I initially had the Yankees and Red Sox slotted to face off. The series delivered, though the Red Sox really had to scrap for those two victories. The road since for the Yankees has been a bit easier, taking down the Braves (which I thought would be closer) and housing the Marlins (of course).
• That Angels/Athletics series was another good one. The Angels really sent a message in Game 7, though, as Jered Weaver pitched a shutout and the LA hitters were able to give him run support and then some.

So the Finals are set: New York vs. LA (well, Anaheim). Who will win it? Will it be the power hitting and tough pitching of the LA Angels? Or will it be those Legendary Damn Yankees? This series will be simulated alongside the NBA Finals, with results revealed the next day. Game 1 is tonight.

Random NBA Player of the Week: Keeping Up With the Joneses

On Wednesday, Canadian NBA podcasters The Basketball Jones celebrated their 1000th show. The gang celebrated by using that episode to count down their 20 favorite moments from the show's 7-year history. Leading up to the episode fans did their own video tributes to the show. One of those fans was NBA TV's Brent Barry. In this video, he runs down every player surnamed "Jones" to have played in the NBA and ABA.

Here's the video:

Here are links to the stats of every player mentioned in the video:

Alvin, Anthony, Askia, Bill, Bobby (1974-1986), Bobby (2006-2008), Caldwell, Charles (1983-1998), Charles (1984-1989), Charles (1998-2000), Collis, Dahntay, Damon, DeQuan, Dontae', Dominique, Dwayne, Dwight, Earl, Edgar, Eddie, Fred, Hutch, Jake, James, Jimmy, Johnny, Jumaine, K.C., Kevin, Larry, Major, Mark (1983-1984), Mark (2004-2005), Nick, Ozell, Perry, Popeye, Rich, Robin, Sam, Shelton, Solomon, Steve, Terrence, Wah Wah, Wali, Willie, and Wil

NBA 13: The Show

For the past two months, the NBA Playoffs have been charging along. At times it's been entertaining, at others not so much, but tomorrow we will begin the final round.

For about a month, I have been a proud owner of a PlayStation 3 as well as three video games for the system. One of those games is MLB 13: The Show, the baseball game so great that it was actually the catalyst for me becoming a PS3 owner.

At some point in the recesses of my mind, these two concepts intertwined into one cooky idea.

What if I ran an NBA Playoff simulation, but replaced the NBA teams with their baseball counterparts?

It was weird, sure, but I kind of wanted to see where it lead, and I had the technology to find out. So I looked at the playoff bracket, switched out with whatever MLB or MiLB team is in that city and simulated using MLB 13: The Show.

Here are the teams I used for this experiment. I explain some of my executive decisions in parentheses:

EAST

1. Miami Heat = Miami Marlins

8. Milwaukee Bucks = Milwaukee Brewers

4. Brooklyn Nets = New York Mets (since both teams reside on Long Island)

5. Chicago Bulls = Chicago White Sox (both are owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and I'm a Sox fan, so....)

3. Indiana Pacers = Indianapolis Indians (AAA)

6. Atlanta Hawks = Atlanta Braves

2. New York Knicks = New York Yankees (The more popular teams in NYC in their respective sports)

7. Boston Celtics = Boston Red Sox

WEST

1. Oklahoma City Thunder = Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA)

8. Houston Rockets = Houston Astros

4. Los Angeles Clippers = Los Angeles Angels (the two less popular teams in LA in their respective sports; Clippers also played select home games in Anaheim in the mid to late 90's)

5. Memphis Grizzlies = Memphis Redbirds (AAA)

3. Denver Nuggets = Colorado Rockies

6. Golden State Warriors = Oakland Athletics (since both teams are neighbors in Oakland. Some years down the road I'll have to use the Giants, though)

2. San Antonio Spurs = San Antonio Missions (AA)

7. Los Angeles Lakers = Los Angeles Dodgers (The more popular teams in LA in their respective sports; Laker legend Magic Johnson has stake in the Dodgers)

With the teams set, I dove into my simulation. I left The Show's default rosters alone in this simulation. To keep from getting the same results, I cycled through the first four pitchers of each teams starting rotation and alternated home teams in a 2-2-1-1-1 format. All I had to do was sit back, watch, and write down the final scores.

Results coming up in the next Gamer's Journal post...

Six Women of Color That Would Be Great at Play-by-Play

In the play-by-play division of the Broadcasting Industry, women are still underrepresented in the booth. By extension, women of color are pretty much non-existent. Looking through the major sports networks and major sports teams, there are only a handful of ladies "on the call", and approximately none of them are non-white.

Now I don't see this as a huge conspiracy; I understand that since Gayle Sierens got the ball rolling in 1987 when she called an NFL game for NBC, it has been a slow process in having women move to the play-by-play position in the booth. While I can think of numerous women -regardless of race- that sports teams and networks should hand the headset over to, below I have come up with six minority women that I think would be great for the job (listed alphabetically).

Renel Brooks-Moon
If you aren't a baseball fanatic, a Giants fan, or a Bay Area resident that likes old school urban music, then you probably aren't familiar with Renel Brooks-Moon. She is the public address announcer for the San Francisco Giants and has been since the opening of AT&T Park in 2000. She also is the host of Renel & Christie in the Morning on KISQ 98.1.

For one, I think she has a great voice that is made for play-by-play broadcasting. As a PA Announcer in Major League Baseball, she clearly has a deep knowledge of sport, considering she has had to call every Giants home game in this millennium. Outside of baseball, she's just a sports fan in general, so being called upon to do other sports wouldn't be a huge stretch for her either.

Her personality also shows not only in the enthusiasm of her calls at the park, but also when she does her radio show. Voice, personality, and knowledge: three key components for a good play-by-play announcer.

Here's a video of Mrs. Brooks-Moon being profiled by NBC Bay Area during last year's World Series run:


...and here's a video of her calling starting lineups for a recent Giants game:


Cari Champion
Cari Champion is the moderator of First Take on ESPN2. Anybody tasked with the job of wrangling that circus should be more than capable of following the action on the field. Before ESPN she did anchoring and reporting for the Tennis Channel as well as reporting for other entertainment outlets. She possesses a strong personality, a good sports accumen, and versatility through all of her anchoring and reporting roles. I think, with a little training, she would make a good play-by-play announcer.

You can catch Cari every weekday morning on ESPN2, so instead here's a reporting reel of her's I found on YouTube:


Ros Gold-Onwude
Ros Gold-Onwude is a former Stanford basketball player turned broadcaster. After just graduating in 2010, she has picked up a whole mess of gigs. This includes work for ESPN, the San Francisco 49ers, the New York Liberty, and even the D-League's Santa Cruz Warriors. She's done everything from reporting to hosting to game analysis. Why not add play-by-play to that resume?

Here's a demo reel of some work she did in 2012:


Cassidy Hubbarth
Cassidy Hubbarth is a studio anchor for ESPN. Her title is purposefully vague, as she may pop up on just about anyone's set from SportsCenter to SportsNation, depending on whatever show or segment her bosses need her to do. Before Bristol, she had gigs with Big Ten Network and Fox Sports South, among others. I think she has a strong voice for PxP as well as a great personality. The personality shows when she does stuff like SportsNation or SportsCenter. Doing things such as SportsCenter as well as her other jobs shows not only her versatility, but her knowledge of various sports. Seems like a winning combination to me.

Here's some clips of her hosting SportsNation alongside Christian Fauria:


Sage Steele
Sage Steele is a SportsCenter anchor, but has also done some studio hosting for events such as the NBA Finals and the Scripps National Spelling Bee. She also had done fill-in work on SportsNation and  First Take. It's all those jobs, as well as her previous work at Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic and at the local level, that convinces me she'd be perfect for play-by-play. Admittedly, however, I am concerned about how excited she can get in those dramatic moments, regardless of the sport. While I don't doubt the passion would be there, she seems a bit more reserved compared to the other women I have brought up in this article. If she's able to get up for the big moments, then I think she'd be great on the call.

I couldn't find a compilation or demo reel of her work, so here's a video of her from her YouTube account. Apparently ABC approached about a sitcom about her at some point. I'm not sure if that's been shelved or if it's in the works or what, but here's her video explaining why a show like that would be a pretty cool idea. I feel like this video is a good way of showing a bit of her personality as well as her ability to talk off-the-cuff, as one tends to in play-by-play work:


Maria Taylor
If you're a football or volleyball fan, then you may have heard of Maria Taylor. She works for ESPN, mostly as a college football sideline reporter. However, she also does game analysis for their women's college basketball and volleyball coverage. I think her voice and knowledge of these sports would make her a valuable asset in the play-by-play booth.

Here's a demo reel of her recent work:


Honorable Mentions:
There were several more candidates that I thought about adding, but I'm a little more on the fence about them:

• For instance there's Jemele Hill, a renaissance women in her own right over at ESPN. She has a podcast, she does college football sideline reporting, she's done First Take and has been brought for commentary on numerous other ESPN platforms. While she's versatile and knowledgable of various sports, it's the voice that kind of keeps me at bay. I feel like she's better suited giving analysis. 
• Prim Siripipat was also someone I considered, but in the clips of her I saw, she had a habit of stumbling over her words. This habit showed up in her days at CBS 4 Miami and even in a few ESPN clips. It makes me wonder how well she would keep up with the action during a game. 
• Stephanie Ready is a sideline reporter and occasional analyst for the Charlotte Bobcats. She also worked for Turner Sports for a time, but they seem to have parted ways for now. I thought about her, but I couldn't find enough clips of her online to verify my intuition, so I thought it'd be better to leave her off for now. 
• Lastly, there's LaChina Robinson, who has done her share of hosting, sideline reporting, and game analysis. I think it was her drawl that kept me from adding her to the main list. That's not necessarily fair to her, because I do like her work. But, hey, this is just a list. Nothing personal.

Podcast SC 3

Today I talk about the Heat/Pacers, the Blackhawks/Kings, and a little WNBA action