Hope you are locked and loaded for a fun holiday weekend.
From the "Talks too much" studios, thanks for all those who have served our country on this Memorial Day weekend.
Cavs grab Game 1
It's to imagine Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals going much worse for the Atlanta Hawks.
They started quickly - and LeBron James got two quick fouls - but it imploded in a 97-89 loss. And to make matters worse Demarre Carroll injured his knee and his status is unknown.
(Side note: With Carroll not on the floor and the game still in doubt in the final 40 seconds, James went from halfcourt to the rim in like four strides and this happened.)
James was great after the sluggish start, making 7-of-9 shots in the second quarter as the Cavs pulled even at halftime. He finished with eight rebounds and six assists. He now has totaled more than 30 points, five rebounds and five assists in a record 62 playoff games.
He and the Cavs also got a red-hot performance from J.R. Smith, who made eight 3s and scored 28 points.
If Carroll misses extended time, it spells real trouble for Atlanta.
If any of the Cavs' role players find success like Smith did in Game 1, the Hawks' best chance at an NBA title in their history in Atlanta will done before the end of next week.
If Atlanta can't muster anything better than 4-of-23 from 3 like it did in Game 1, they are cooked. As a extra measure of three-point importance: James attempted only one 3 Wednesday night. He's shooting in the teens from long-range in the playoffs and better than 50 percent from inside the arc.
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More Patriots
A couple of interesting developments in DeflateGate.
First, as the NFL players association gets bent out of shape about Roger Goodell hearing Tom Brady's appeal of the suspension, there's an important fact the NFLPA needs to remember: Goodell hearing all appeals was part of the most recent collective bargaining agreement.
It's a fact that Darrelle Revis accurately points that the union needs to blame the union for not standing tougher about that fact during negotiations.
Secondly, reports coming from the Boston-area media have the worm turning inside the Patriots complex.
There's a growing belief that Robert Kraft's decision to withdraw the Patriots' appeal was made because Brady may not have been completely forthright. Boston columnist Ron Borges even says that coach Bill Belichick never really bought Brady saying he had no idea about the whole enchilada.
Interesting.
Oh, and did you hear? They have moved the extra point back. Thank God for the stewards of the game. We are all going to be OK. We have fixed the extra point. Up there with the TV remote and the snap on cord for a baby's pacifier that keeps it from falling on the floor when it falls out of their mouths, fixing the extra point is among the greatest inventions in the history of the free world.
Book your flight Roger, the Nobel Peace Prize is assuredly within reach now that we have solved the social injustice that was that dastardly extra point.
Somewhere William Wallace is shouting, "Freedom."
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Interesting take
OK, we think Bryce Harper is a superstar talent. And kind of a jerk.
He's OK with the combination, which we have to admit, we kind of respect. Being a jackwagon can cost a star athlete millions, and if dude is comfortable in his own stinkpants skin, well, there you go.
Some of it has to be chalked up to his aging on a national stage and at a rate too quick for almost anyone.
Remember, Harper graduated high school early and played a season of junior college baseball during what likely would have been his junior year in high school so he could get drafted No. 1 overall a year early.
It's really easy to forget that he just turned 22 because he's in his fourth year in the majors.
And it's starting to come together. He's hitting .333 and leads the league in homers (15) and RBIs (37).
He's also tied atop the majors with two ejections, the second of which came Wednesday, after which he said that "40,000 people didn't pay to see the ump."
He's right, too. Crass and over the top, but also correct.
We are at an interesting time in which the umpiring and refereeing of all our sporting events is under more and more scrutiny.
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This and that
- Apparently from the feedback, we are among the few regulars around these parts who were sad to see Dave Letterman hang 'em up Wednesday. Here's the star-studded help he got with his final Top 10.
- Among the biggest ripple effects that truly has changed our society is our over litigious nature in which everyone sues anyone for anything at any time. Two of the latest examples are Al Sharpton's daughter suing the city of New York because she stepped in a hole and sprained her ankle. For that, she's asking for $5 million. Then there's this story, that a woman sued a collection agency for falsely taking her to court over a $1,000 debt that actually belonged to someone else. OK, maybe she needed the court's help for the matter and there was likely some cost and time spent and maybe even some anguish on her part. But she sued and was awarded almost $83 million. Egad.
- Tiger Woods and Mark Cuban played poker. Apparently Tiger won. What would the stakes have to be for those guys - both are billionaires - to feel the gambling rush of actually winning and losing?
- The Braves won 2-1 over the Rays on Wednesday. Williams Perez looked really good in his first start. He went five innings and allowed one hit with seven strikeouts. Say this about this bunch, the Braves have assembled a collection of young arms that can run it up there.
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Today's questions
We have three.
First, did you send a mailbag question? Well, we're waiting.
Second, speaking of ejections earlier, today is Bobby Cox's 74th birthday. Rushmore of Bobby?
Today is Mr. T's 63rd birthday. Rushmore of Mr.?