Preds passion
We told you we were unabashedly on the bandwagon with the energy and magic that the Nashville Predators have created with this magical playoff run.
We watched a large chunk of last night's game. It was the first one we have watched a majority of and the Preds won. Yes, a couple of long-time Preds fans were convinced that my presence was a jinx.
So it goes.
Couple of things:
Pekka Rinne is a different dude in Nashville than he was in the first two games in Pittsburgh. Maybe the entire defensive effort was more complete. Maybe the energy lifted Rinne and his mates to a different emotional place. But it was real and it was spectacular.
Secondly, why do we dislike bandwagon fans? And we've been prone to take that stance in previous scenarios, but now, as an admitted bandwagon rider, we're curious about the disdain for those late to the party who just want to enjoy the party.
Yes, the long-time - and often long-suffering - fans who trot out their 1999 throwback sweaters and T-shirts deserve to enjoy this. But in the kingdom of fandom, isn't more the merrier kind of the baseline logic?
The city's embrace of this - Bridgestone is the hottest ticket in the NHL, and the city's been paved with people when the Preds play - has to make it more enjoyable for all fans, new and tried-and-true, right?
Whether you know icing from glaze or not, cheering for and enjoying the Preds right now is not about tenure or tradition or transparency. This is about sports. The magical moments when great players do things that make complete strangers believe the impossible is plausible. The awe-inspiringl grace and excellence of athletes sharing their wondrous gifts together that produces success that makes an entire state - and even region - joyful.
That's the best thing about sports, and about all of us. And shouldn't we all be welcome to cheer for that? (Hey if you're a Penguins, fan, that's cool too.)
Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant, left, drives on Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James during the second half of Game 2 of basketball's NBA Finals in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, June 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) Finals
Game 3 of the Warriors' coronation is Wednesday.
The Warriors have run roughshod over the Cavaliers in the first two games, winning each by more than 20.
ESPN's analytical folks have the Warriors with a 98 percent chance to win these NBA Finals. Golden State opened as a two-point favorite for Game 3 at Cleveland. Heck, when polled, several Vegas handicappers said these Warriors would be favored over Michael Jordan and the 1995-96 Bulls.
Yes, the Cavaliers faced this exact same scenario last year against this same opponent. But this is not that same opponent. This team added Kevin Durant,.
Durant had to know that his decision, his status and his offseason would be determined by his play in these playoffs in general and this Finals rematch in particular. And he's done everything possible to make sure there are no questions or criticisms to this point.
It's hard to feel like the question remaining is when, not who, when it comes to this title.
Yes, LeBron James is the best player on the planet, and yes, we'd expect him to do some other-worldly stuff that may get the Cavs a game or two. But considering the Warriors are 29-1 in their last 30 and 14-0 in the playoffs, even with James, it's hard to see anyone beating Golden State four times in five games.
In truth, we're curious about the over-arching question about whether this is good for the NBA or not?
Before we offer that on the True or False part of the show, we will remind everyone that sports fans love dynasties. How do we know this?
Well, the overnights for this series may surprise you.
Game 2 of the Finals on Sunday night catapulted the start of these Finals into rare air. According to Fast Nationals from Nielsen, the series is averaging a live audience of 19.6 million with almost 19.2 million of them watching on ABC. The average Sunday night was more than 20.1 million across all platforms.
This is the largest average audience through two games for an NBA Finals since 1998, when some dude named Jordan was involved.
FILE - In this Dec. 4, 2016, file photo, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick warms up before an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears. Spike Lee said on Instagram Sunday, March 19, 2017, that it was "fishy" that Kaepernick, now a free agent, hadn't been signed." (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File) A case study
The most attention-getting name on the NFL free agent market has been Colin Kaepernick.
The former San Francisco 49ers starter who had 16 TD passes to only four picks last year for a dreadful team opted out of his contract and hit the open market. It was a risky - and in retrospect, expensive - decision and he is still looking for a new team.
He was being courted by the Seattle Seahawks as a back-up to Russell Wilson last week. It was a move that made a lot of sense, considering Wilson and Kaepernick have a lot of the same skills.
"Colin's been a fantastic football player, and he's going to continue to be," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll told reporters about the decision. "At this time, we didn't do anything with it, but we know where he is and who he is and we had a chance to understand him much more so. He's a starter in this league. And we have a starter.
"But he's a starter in this league, and I can't imagine that someone won't give him a chance to play."
Maybe that plays a part. The Seahawks have committed a lot of money to Wilson and if you bring in someone that may push him, well, that could get awkward. So they signed Austin Davis, who assuredly will not push Wilson for starting reps.
Maybe Kaepernick is looking for starter's money. Third-handed reports that come with the "from an unnamed source close to Kaepernick" have said their demands are very meager and they have not had many calls.
Now for the elephant in the room. You know, that elephant right there on the sideline kneeling during the National Anthem.
The New York Giants owner came out last week and said bluntly that he had heard from more fans about their distain for Kaepernick's protest last year than anything else involving a player. (And remember the Giants re-signed their kicker after he was charged with domestic violence.)
To pretend that Kaepernick's protests are not part of this is doing a disservice to the discourse. But to jump from point A of the protest to point R that is racism is just as flawed. When people look for jobs, there are a large number of things that go into it. For those in the public eye, popular opinion matters.
It's why Tim Tebow gets at-bats in the minor leagues.
It's why the Kardashians have a TV show.
It's why a lot of today's country music stars look like boy band members in ball caps.
And it's why all the talking heads are repeating, "It's an outrage that Austin Davis and Blaine Gabbert have jobs and Kaepernick doesn't."
It's not an outrage. It's business.
If Kaepernick's skill set was so off the charts that you believed he was the piece to get you to the Super Bowl, then maybe you roll the dice and hope the winning will replace the season-ticket holders who canceled.
But why invite that public outcry for a guy who in a perfect world, you hope holds a clipboard all year?
This and that
* Bartolo Colon was shelled. Again. Colon faced the Phillies on Monday. He got 11 outs and allowed seven hits and eight earned runs. The Phillies entered Monday's game at SunTrust Park 19-35 overall and 7-21 on the road. We're starting to think Colon would have a tough time against the Signal 11-13 all-stars.
* Jalen Rose, the former member of the great Fab Five Michigan basketball quintet, is getting a sit-com. It debuts tonight on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. We'll see if it takes off, but we will say this, we enjoy Rose's views and opinions on basketball and think the Jalen and Jacoby radio show is pretty strong.
* Major props to Baylor School grads Stephan Jaegar and Harris English, who qualified for the U.S. Open on Monday. Here's a strong write-up from TFP all-around ace David Paschall.
* TFP ace sports columnist Mark Wiedmer has a fun take on Peyton Manning being too smart to run for office. In it Weeds describes Manning's unending popularity here in the Volunteer State: "Heck, forget two words. He is THE most recognizable single word in the state. Peyton. Enough said."
* This is a tough deal. An 8-year-old girl soccer star was not allowed to play in a tournament because she looks like a boy. Thoughts?
* Finally, we love Ric Flair, who apparently broke his hand punching a mouthy Warriors fan. Here's the story with his InstaGram post that read: "One Warrior Fan down! Left hand still good...Be in the Land on Wednesday! Rihanna, Move over and Let the Naitch show you how it is done! No Pain No Gain! Lets do it Cavs.....WOOOOO! @cavs"
Today's question
We have come to enjoy our True or False Tuesdays.
We mentioned Weeds' column so we'll start there.
True or false, Peyton Manning is more popular than Dolly Parton in the state of Tennessee.
True or false, you don't like bandwagon fans.
True or false, these Warriors would be Jordan's Bulls.
True or false, you would stop cheering for your NFL team if they signed Colin Kaepernick.
True or false, you could beat up Ric Flair.
Go, and enjoy the day.