Cavs
LeBron James is 31. He's no longer in the prime of his career. That is a simple fact.
It also is a simple testament to his greatness as a player, since even a non-prime James is no worse than the second-best player on the planet. So James and his merry band of Cavaliers head to Golden State for Thursday's Game 1 of the NBA Finals, and the questions that linger this morning are more about meaning than match-ups. The wonderings center on perspective and outside pressure than picks and outlet passes.
What would a Finals victory mean for James at this stage of his career?
It's hard to put it into scope, considering the only other player to get NBA titles as the No. 1 option with two different teams was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and the 1980 NBA title came with Jabbar out with an injury in the clinching Game 6. (Yes, Shaq did it in L.A. and in Miami, but by the time he hit South Beach, that team belonged squarely to Dwyane Wade.)
It also would end an overarching title draught in Cleveland that would make James an all-time legend in the metropolitan area outside of his hometown of Akron.
As for James' legacy, a third title in a completely different setting would be a talking point of comparison for sure. It's extremely doubtful under the current structure of the league and the current state of the Cavs - nevermind his age and the considerable miles on his tires when you consider he's played a truckload of postseason games and quite a few international competitions - that James could ever get to Jordan's six titles.
That ship has sailed, especially with the missed chances in Miami. (Yes, Stewwie, the Spurs win over the Heat was legit, but the Mavs? How did that even happen?)
A series loss, though, could be as damaging as a win would be beneficial.
James has now been to six consecutive Finals and seven overall. We have never been in the camp of "Terry Bradshaw going 4-0 in Super Bowls is better than Tom Brady going 4-2" because that discredits the effort and execution it takes to get there. But other than his first Finals trip with a young and under-talented bunch of Cavs who were overwhelmed by the Spurs, James has been the alpha dog of the far-and-away favorite to represent the East in the Finals.
And another empty trip - especially if they get whipped - adds bricks to the walls from which the anti-James camps are lobbing their insults.
Yes, Steph Curry is the two-time MVP, and his role on the record-setting Warriors this year can't be overstated in terms of value and productivity. He was the most efficient player in the league and most valuable. That's a scary combination.
But James is still the best player. Ask yourself this: Which player in the league could jump to any team and adapt the easiest?
Curry was amazing in a perfect system for his skill set. His shooting and handle were maximized by the stretched floor and the smaller lineup the Warriors have incorporated. That in no way is a slight against Curry. In fact, it's a tip of the visor to the Warriors for figuring out their biggest strength and working the game around that.
Curry is a historic shooter. His combination of range and quickness makes his 3-point shot the most unstoppable single offensive weapon since Jabbar's skyhook. And in today's analytical metrics, his accuracy makes it even more valuable.
Still, put on any other team, James instantly fits in and becomes the focal point. Maybe Curry does too, but his setting has allowed his numbers and importance to skyrocket.
Curry's skills are excellent; James' gifts - and they have sometimes been viewed as underachieving at times - are still unparalleled. James is the best player of his generation.
And this NBA Finals could signal the extenuation of that era or the sprinting into the next one.
Alabama Coach Nick Saban watches his players during spring NCAA college football practice, Saturday, April 2, 2016, at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Vasha Hunt/AL.com via AP) MAGS OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT Saban-Harbaugh
Nick Saban is not a fan of a lot of things.
Imperfection. Lack of effort. Media types asking questions about stuff, especially any detail involving point spreads or overmatched money-game opponents. Go ahead and add satellite camps to the list. Saban went off on them at the SEC spring media days.
He made a clear point to say that he was not blaming Jim Harbaugh for it, but the Michigan coach fired back.
It's really a bunch of hooey to begin with. The SEC and the ACC are completely against satellite camps because they all other schools to set up events in the South where all the best players are. All the rest of it - even Saban's accurate claim about the high school football coach being the last in school coach of prep athletes that matters the most in the decision-making process of recruits - is layers upon the argument.
What can't be argued, though, is the more camps out there that attract the most coaches, mean the most exposure for players trying to get scholarships.
The people who benefit the most from this overhyped tee-teeing contest that has been satellite camps are the fringe players and the smaller-conference schools. Both of those groups conversely maximize the bang for their buck by traveling to the big-boy satellite camps.
There are more players and schools there. Period. So the lower-star recruits and the smaller-sized schools can meet under the flag of THE Ohio State or whomever.
Saban's arguments had a point, but the side of his discussion is simple. The more you open the recruiting gates to the schools outside of the South, the more difficult it will be to hold all the talent in the region.
So Harbaugh has made this a rallying point, and it has served him well.
But his vested interest is about getting better players to Michigan. His hand-wringing concerns about the small schools or the low-ranked recruits again is a layer around which his talking points are wrapped.
In truth, we'd love to hear what Saban or Harbaugh or the next coach in line things about what truly are the biggest problems in the sport. And if they say location of recruiting camps, well, then they all are so far in outer space that they need the kind of satellite.
Chicago Cubs' Anthony Rizzo watches his RBI double during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, May 30, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty) Cubs-Dodgers
Got kind of interested in a regular-season baseball game last night.
Cubs-Dodgers with Chicago pitcher Jake Arrieta looking to continue his magical run.
Arrieta failed, despite allowing no runs and all of two hits in seven sterling innings. The Dodgers' pitchers were aces too in the 5-0 win that ended a streak of 24 consecutive starts for Arrieta in which his team won the game.
That's crazy to think about.
Yes, there's a lot of luck in that too, since Arrieta tied the mark set by Kris Medlen of all people. Medlen went 23 consecutive starts without the Braves losing a game in which he started.
Arrieta, though, is more about domination. He's 9-0 this year with a 1.54 ERA that shares the NL lead with some dude named Kershaw.
The last regular-season game Arrieta took the ball and the Cubs lost was a 5-0 decision against Philadelphia on July 25, 2015.
And while luck certainly helps, Arrieta was in complete control. Here are his totals for each month since that lost to the Phillies:
August 2015 - six starts, 6-0, 0.43 ERA
September 2015 - five starts, 4-0, 0.45 ERA
October 2015 - one start, 1-0, 0.00 ERA
April 2016 - five starts, 5-0, 1.00 ERA
May 2016 - six starts, 4-0, 2.08 ERA (he got a no-decision Tuesday night)
So since he took the loss on July 25 of last year, he is 20-0 with four no decisions (he made one July start last year after the loss to the Phillies). His ERA is 1.01 in 169.2 innings.
Wow.
This and that
- Thought this was pretty cool, and there are a few surprises among the ESPN Fame 100. That said, Bryce Harper is the top-ranked baseball player at No. 71, and that shows real issue with the game's connection in regard to star power.
- Congrats to Jacob Huesman for signing with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL. Go get 'em.
- Saban was not the only one in the spotlight at SEC media days. Butch Jones was asked about the comparisons between his program and the much-maligned Baylor situation since each has dealt with numerous domestic assault allegations. To be fair, Jones certainly appears to have handled it infinitely better than the leadership at Baylor. Here's today's cover of the events from Downtown Patrick Brown and ace sports columnist Mark Wiedmer. Thoughts?
Today's question
Had some great feedback from yesterday's questions. Thanks for that.
Today, Morgan Freeman turns 79.
Rushmore of Morgan Freeman movies - and dude has been aces in a lot of things folks.
Good luck, and don't forget the mailbag