Announcement

The Firm will be taking the next week off. When we return the blog will have a new name, new format, and different content. Stay tuned

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Oh Wow!

To deny that today's UEFA Champions League final was anything but extraordinary would be idiotic; the grace and sublimity with which the game was played will rarely be equaled. From Ronaldo's header to Petr Cech's save during penalty kicks, it was an excellent game to watch.

Mock Draft

Da Bulls won the draft lottery, and that means that it is time for the Firm's lottery pick mock draft.

1: Chicago - Derrick Rose: They need a point guard and Rose is the best one since Chris Paul.

2: Miami - Michael Beasley, Kevin Love, Eric Gordon, O.J. Mayo, and Brook Lopez: The Heat need help.

3: Minnesota - Brandon Rush: With the Heat taking five guys, Rush seems like a good idea.

4: Seattle - D.J. Augustin: Why not get another superstar from Texas to up your total number of players to two.

5: Memphis - Pau Gasol: They'll try ripping off the Lakers the way they were duped before.

6: New York - Not Eric Gordon: They don't need another former U of Indiana guard. The last one was bad enough.

7: L.A. Clippers - A refund for Shaun Livingston.

8: Milwaukee - Another Michael Redd

9: Charlotte - Try getting MJ to come out of retirement.

10: New Jersey - Get the Carmelo trade done or....there is no or.

11: Indiana - Bring back Reggie Miller.

12: Sacramento - Leave Sacramento

13: Portland - someone who won't blow a knee in August.

14: Golden State - Roy Hibbert: The Warriors need a big man.

Celtics nicknames

With the Boston Celtics advance into the Eastern Conference Finals yesterday, we thought that it would be fitting that the Firm gave each Celtic a nickname that describes their playoffs thus far.

Paul "Cavalier Killa" Pierce
Kevin "The Iceman" Garnett
Ray " I got no legs to stand on" Allen
Kendrick "The other big guy" Perkins
Rajon "No respect" Rondo

Eddie "Tougher than a " House
Leon "I'm actually talented" Powe
Sam "Air Ball" Cassell
James "Post up" Posey
PJ "AARP" Brown
Glen "Six foul" Davis
Brian "Remember Me" Scalabrine

Big Things coming

Stay tuned for a massive post on Arlen Specter this week

The weekend review

Whoa Nelly! This past weekend was an amazing one for fans of a multitude of sports.

The Preakness Stakes: Most people wanted to see if Big Brown's Kentucky Derby win was a fluke; It wasn't. The colt obliterated the field at the Preakness by 5 1/2 lengths. His jockey, Kent Desormeaux didn't even have to use his whip. Big Brown is amazing and three weeks from now could make history. However remember this name: Casino Drive.

David Stern didn't sleep a wink this weekend as he prayed for two of his four piece dream playoff to come into shape. The Pistons were already locked in, and then the Lakers won at Utah to seal up that series, and then came Boston-Cleveland. In a game that will be remembered for decades to come, Paul Pierce and LeBron James went off. Pierce had 41, LeBron had 45 and all 18,000 plus fans in attendance stared in awe as both future hall-of-famers traded lay-up for lay-up and point for point. The game was back and forth throughout the afternoon and once the dust settled David Stern was able to exhale as the Celtics advanced through to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Sidney Crosby wants a Stanley Cup, Gary Bettman wants Sidney Crosby to win a Stanley Cup, and The Firm wants to see Pittsburgh win a Stanley Cup. All three will happen as Crosby's Penguins destroyed Philadelphia 6-0 to take the series 4-1. The only question now is; Who will they play?

Kasey Kahne won the Sprint All-Star Race. We at The Firm would like to congratulate him on winning a race that doesn't count.

In the world of baseball; Barry Zito continued his extremely consistent season and Hank Steinbrenner found out the hard way that he shouldn't have passed up on Johan Santana.

And finally; to all boxing fans, remember this name: Yuriorkis Gamboa

The week that was

The past week was jammed packed with an historic feat and an historic week.

Until this week Asdrubal Cabrera was an also-ran. A middle of the road second baseman who makes his living playing for the Cleveland Indians had his name etched into the record books by turning the 13th unassisted triple play in baseball history.

Also this week the Cleveland starting pitchers threw over 45 consecutive scoreless innings. Impressive.

Getting a blade up

I would say that Oscar Pistorius got a leg up today, but that would seem inappropriate. You see, Pistorius is a double-amputee who had both of his legs amputated below the knee when he was less than a year old. While some would say that being a competitive athlete of any sort with that sort of hardship would be an accomplishment, but Pistorius isn't a normal athlete. He was defeating able-bodied men in sprinting events around the world. Those wins however can't compare to today's decision by the international track and field governing body (IAAF) that said that Oscar could compete for a spot in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Not the Paralympics, the Olympics. In a sport ravaged by rampant steroid use to the point that it has become an international joke it's refreshing to know that their is still a true track and field athlete. Even if he doesn't have a leg to stand on.

Predictions

With the sports landscape in its typical state of chaos your friends at The Firm decided to look into the crystal ball and tell you what is coming next.

1. The Tampa Rays WILL make the playoffs in 2008.

2. Matt Ryan will develop into one of the best quarterbacks of this era.

3. The Florida Marlins will defeat the Boston Red Sox in 6 games to win the 2010 World Series.

4. The Celtics will win the NBA championship with a playoff record of 16-12.

5. BMW-Sauber will get its first race win in 2008.

6. Big Brown will win the Triple Crown.

U$C

Over the past three years two of the biggest athletes ever to attend USC have been accused of taking thousands of dollars under the table. Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo both lived the high life. Taking in about 250 and 30 thousand dollars respectively from agents and runners in the forms of cars, clothes, and in Bush's case; a house. With all of the gifts and money going around it's hard to imagine that these guys are amateur athletes, but they are. While Bush is in more trouble, Mayo's case brings up an important argument; What the hell is the student-athlete? They don't exist anymore. The students are the ones who go to class and earn a degree while most of the big time collegiate athletes are just that: athletes. Most means the division one superstars like Mayo, Michael Beasley, and Derek Rose who are one and done. They don't have to pass the spring grade check; after Christmas they can in essence become a professional athlete without the money. If the NCAA wants to bring back the "student-athlete" they have to change their rules about amateurism. But how?

The top 100 rules: Part 2

This is part 2 of the Top 100 rules series. Sorry that it's a day late.

85. If you live in Boston you should be able to correctly pronounce "Yastrzemski" by the age of six.

84. Never eat coffee cake before a wrestling match.

83. Don't mourn the end of Shea Stadium; it isn't worth it.

82. If you can tie your shoes it means that you have three times the mental capabilities of John Madden.

81. Vote Brady/Cassel '08

80. Guys, don't use the women's restroom; just because you're drunk doesn't make it right.

79. Boxing isn't better than MMA and MMA isn't better than boxing; so stop arguing.

78. Don't wear purple uniforms; they are awful.

77. Don't say that you picked Appalachian State over Michigan; we know that you didn't.

76. Don't pick your March Madness bracket based on stats, trends, and records; you'll lose to the secretary who picks based on the cutest mascots.

75. From Red Sox fans to Neil Diamond; you're welcome.

74. Don't change your name to "Ryan Leaf"; it shows that you have no self-esteem.

73. If the person singing the Star-Spangled Banner takes more than two minutes they should be forcibly removed from the playing field.

72. To talented high school athletes: Don't go to Ohio State or Florida State if you intend on getting an education. Grass growing 101 and Basket weaving 203 can only take you so far.

71. Don't bet on pro wrestling.

Part 3 will be up in a week

The Celtics precarious position

The Celtics can win the NBA title. A lot of people are picking them to do just that; however most of those same people thought that the Celtics would do one thing that they have yet to do, and that it win a game on the road. The Celtics could actually win the championship without winning a game on the road, but the odds of that happening are slim. So why has a team that won 31 road games in the regular season lost all four of them in the post-season? The answer: experience. Pierce, Allen, and Garnett have very little playoff experience which has shown during their games away from Boston. They are very unsure of themselves in all aspects of the game, especially when shooting the ball. In all four of Boston's playoff games thus far they have been too pass happy. The extra pass has killed numerous possessions for the Green this post-season and I don't think that it will get any better. So what happens when we lose at home?

MVP of the weekend

This weekend their were tri-MVPs: Timothy Bradley, Felipe Massa, and the Utah Jazz. Bradley went into England and shocked the boxing world by upsetting Junior Witter by split decision. The Firm scored it 118-109 for Bradley whose sixth round one-punch knockdown of Witter iced the win for the new champion.
Felipe Massa's convincing win in the Formula 1 Turkish Grand Prix today vaulted him back into the race for the world championship. After his horrendous start in Australia and Malaysia Massa has been able to run his season around to the tune of 28 points in three races.
The final weekend MVP were the Utah Jazz. They weren't supposed to be tied with the Lakers 2-2, but they are and the team that Charles Barkley picked to win the West might do just that.

The NHL's dream

The NHL is hurting. Gary Bettman has turned the once popular league into nothing more than a sideshow for the few die-hards that have Versus. However there is a light at the end of the tunnel for the league; a Detroit-Pittsburgh final is a strong possibility this year. The NHL would be ecstatic to see two of its big three young stars, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, take on the league most historic franchise; the Detroit Red Wings. While it won't skyrocket the league's TV ratings or help boost its overall perception amongst Americans today, a Detroit-Pittsburgh Stanley Cup final will lay the groundwork for a future hockey "Renaissance" in America.

Reminder

The Firm will be taking the day off tomorrow but we will return for Mother's Day.

Where did the class go?

What happened to class in sports? In today's age of steroids, lies, unruly fans, and distrust, it seems hard to believe that sports were once considered upstanding, classy activities. In the last two weeks Paul Pierce was fined for flashing a "gang" sign, Ryan Perrilloux was dismissed from the LSU football, Derek Fisher was booed ruthlessly booed during his return to Utah, and Ozzie Guillen went off again on the press. What happened to the "class act" like John Wooden, Vince Lombardi, and Reggie Miller? They all went away once rap and the "gangsta" image took over. Then it became the norm to get arrested for drug use, crimes, and assaults. Hell, the Cincinnati Bengals have made a contest out of it. It's sad that sports were once much more enjoyable; when we didn't suspect every single successful player of being on drugs or turned a blind eye towards things like Pac-Man Jones or Ryan Perrilloux because they are the "norm". Goodness gracious sakes alive, where did the class go?

Turkish Grand Prix preview

The Formula 1 world championship reconvenes at Istanbul Park this weekend for round five of the World Championship. Heikki Kovalainen is back in the second McClaren after his horrific crash two weeks ago in Spain. Even though Kovalainen is back don't expect him to finish on the podium; expect to see one of the Ferrari's atop the podium at weekend's end, but look out for BMW-Sauber as they are improving week after week and could spring the upset. Also, congrats to Reubens Barrichello on his 257th consecutive start.
Firm's Pick: Kimi Raikkonen

Thursday Night Thunder

Game 2 of the Celtics-Cavaliers series is tonight at 7:00 on TNT. Expect the total opposite of Game 1. LeBron is going to go off with 34 points while Ray Allen and Paul Pierce will each surpass 20 points. It will be a much higher scoring affair, and it's going to have a strange ending.
Firm's Pick: Celtics 108 - Cavaliers 103

Wednesday's picks

It's all about the NBA playoffs again tonight.

Detroit Pistons @ Orlando Magic, 8:00 on TNT, Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Detroit leads 2-0.
Even with the crowd behind them and a monster game from Dwight Howard, the Magic will be pushed to the brink of elimination.
Firm's Pick: Pistons 96 - Magic 89

GAME OF THE DAY: Utah Jazz @ Los Angeles Lakers, 10:30 on TNT, Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals, L.A. leads 1-0
It will be an extremely physical affair. It will turn into Williams-Boozer vs. Kobe-Gasol. At least for tonight, the Williams-Boozer duo will be too much for the Lakers.
Firm's Pick: Jazz 91 - Lakers 83

All KG all night

So what if the Hawks took the Celtics to seven games; it's a new series with Cleveland, and the Celtics did what they have done throughout the playoffs. They won at home. Kevin Garnett scored 28 of the Celts 76 points; that's 37% of the Celtics points. As The Firm said earlier, it would be imperative for the Celtics to stop Lebron, and they did just that. Lebron couldn't get going at all and finished with less than 15 points. But I think that it will be differnt on Thursday night.

Top 100 rules and advice for sports fans: Part 1

There are several ways in which we as sports fans could help better the experience of attending an athletic event.

100: If you are over the age of 16 don't constantly yell out your favorite player's name during the game in an attempt to grab his attention. You disturb the people around you and you look like an idiot.

99: Don't be an idiot and enter the bathroom through the "Exit" doorway. You'll be sorry.

98: Never tell a drunk fan to shut up EVER!

97: Always buy tickets from a scalper with counterfeit money.

96: At baseball games, don't intentionally hit a beach ball onto the field. It delays the game and designates you as "That moron in section 41".


95: If someone says "I love going to Dodgers stadium.", don't ask "Who plays there?"

94: Don't go to a game if you plan to spend more time at the Bud Light stand than in your seat.

93: Remember; it's Wrigley Field not Wrigley Stadium.

92: If you have more fingers than teeth, then you are not a NASCAR fan.

91: Don't streak.......especially if you're ugly.

90: Don't run over three dozen children in order to get a foul ball; it'll get you on the news.

89: Don't ever say that you watched a game when all you did was watch the game highlight on ESPN. It makes you a liar and degrades real sports fans everywhere.

88: If you're a Ray Bourque fan, don't wear those moronic half Bruins, half Avalanche jerseys; you look like an idiot.

87: Don't wear a Kansas City Royals uniform in public; it shows that you have extremely low standards.

86: Don't ever say that the Clippers are the best basketball team in Los Angeles; it's a blatant lie.


Stay tuned for part 2 of the top 100. It'll be out by Monday.

Game 1

Tonight is game one of the Eastern Conference Semifinal series between the Cavaliers and the Celtics. It should be interesting to see how the Celtics combat Lebron James on just two days rest.
Firm's Pick: Celtics 97 - Cavaliers 89

Oh crap I saw Craig Hansen

Why did the Red Sox call up Craig Hansen? He is by far the worst pitcher on the staff with no visible skill what so ever. He looks mean and his fastball gets up in the high nineties; that's it. If you time the fastball, then you beat him. The Red Sox don't need another young pitcher. Lester, Bucholz, Papelbon, and Delcarmen, are all we need. You are only as good as your weakest link, and Criag Hansen is a pretty weak link.

Shut up Hank Steinbrenner

Please shut up Hank Steinbrenner. We know that you don't like Red Sox Nation and that you think that your Yankees are the best thing since your birth. Sorry Hank, but they aren't. Your Yankees are sitting at the bottom of the American League East, your up and coming ace is out until July, A-Rod is on the disabled list, you dropped the ball on Santana, and you're an idiot. Oh, by the way; those Red Sox that you hate so much are leading the division. So shut up Hank; you're don't have your dad's charisma, baseball smarts, or ability to run a franchise. So sit down and shut up.

Monday's Picks

We got two game 2s to start the first full week of May.

Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons, 7:00 on TNT, Game 2 of Eastern Conference semis, DET leads 1-0.
Expect more of the same from the Pistons tonight. All they have to do is stop Howard and they will take a commanding lead in the series.
Firm's Pick: Pistons 88 - Magic 81

GAME OF THE DAY: San Antonio Spurs @ New Orleans Hornets, 9:30 on TNT, Game 2 of the Western Conference semis, NO leads 1-0.
Remember this name: Robert Horry
Firm's Pick: Spurs 94 - Hornets 92

The NBA is happy....for now

Well, the NBA can breathe a sigh of relief. The Celtics advanced, the Lakers and Hornets are ripping through the playoffs, and Lebron is still playing. It should be common knowledge by now that the NBA wants a final four of Lakers vs. Hornets and Celtics vs. Pistons. The rekindling of the old rivalry in the East and the Kobe Bryant - Chris Paul match-up in the West would make David Stern the happiest man alive.
However, the nightmare of all nightmare's for the NBA is still a possibility. If the conference finals were Spurs-Jazz and Magic-Cavaliers, then David Stern would be loading a .357 and placing it in his mouth. No one wants another Spurs championship, and a Jazz-Magic finals doesn't have the same cache as a Celtics-Lakers final. You try comparing Orlando and Salt Lake City to Los Angeles and Boston. You have a theme park and Mormons vs. L.A. and the birthplace of America. It doesn't compare.
Let's hope that the NBA gets their wish.

What costs 126 million dollars and does nothing at all?

This guy

http://www.redwoodcitydailynews.com/pics/padn/400xN/rcdn/2007-8-24-08-24-kass

Celtics won

The Celtics obliterated the Hawks 95-66 to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now while all of you are probably sick to your stomach because the Hawks to us to seven games you are forgetting the most important thing, WE WON. This was probably the best thing that could have happened to the Celtics. Every sports publication picked the Celtics to sweep the Hawks, but the Hawks didn't play along and broke the Celts aura of invincibility. Now we can go forward in the playoffs as just another team in the East rather than as the team in the East. I think that they will beat the Cavaliers in six games and continue on to the championship. So stop worrying Boston, everything is all right. Its not like the Celts have to play the Giants next.

MVP of the week

The MVP of this past week has without a doubt been..............Didier Drogba of Chelsea FC. http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2007/writers/arash_markazi/03/23/on.scene/p1_Drogba.jpg

His two goals against Liverpool in the now classic second leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal cemented his status as one of the best strikers in the world today.

The Dan Lowry 400

If ever there was an ending to a race that pissed off every member of NASCAR nation, it was this one. With Dale Earnhardt Jr. leading with less than ten laps to go, Kyle Busch got underneath his left rear quarter panel and spun Junior around. In the chaos, Clint Bowyer shot under Busch and wound up coasting to victory as thousands of Earnhardt supporters jeered Busch with slurs and one-fingered salutes. While I think that Junior was probably spun out intentionally by Busch, I don't feel sorry for him or his fans. He is at best a mediocre driver whose whole career has been forged from his father's achievements, and yet thousands of boozed up drunks from the Carolinas think that he is the second coming. He isn't; get over it.

De la Hoya did what he was supposed to do....sort of

Oscar De la Hoya defeated Steve Forbes by unanimous decision to set up a potential second fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr in September. The three judges scored the bout, 120-108, 119-109, 119-109. We at the Firm scored the bout 117-111. De la Hoya controlled the tempo for most of the fight, but he was never able to hurt Forbes. Forbes landed only in one punch increments while De la Hoya was landing in combinations. The best punch of the fight was a perfect counter left hook landed by Forbes to the tip of De la Hoya's chin during the tenth, and most exciting round of the fight. While De la Hoya won the bout with ease, we were left with more questions than answers.

Reminder

The Firm will return around midnight tonight with our analysis of the Dan Lowry 400, the Oscar De la Hoya - Steve Forbes fight, and all of tonight's other events.

Kentucky Derby round-up.

It's been a few hours since the 134th Kentucky Derby, and what a race it was. Big Brown had the perfect race. He looks like a bona fide Triple Crown horse. The question is can he recover in time in time for the Preakness in two weeks. The Firm's pick of Colonel John got hung up in mid pack and finished in a dissapointing sixth. However the lone filly in the field, Eight Belles, stole the show. She finished an astounding second, and grabbed the hearts of everyone in attendance. Sadly she was dead two minutes later after both of her front ankles gave out during her cool down lap. While we here at the Firm want to congratualte Big Brown on his amazing victory, we also want to remember Eight Belles.

Who the hell let Rajon Rondo shoot the ball?

Who the hell decided to let Rajon Rondo take the ball down the court at the end of the Celtics-Hawks game tonight? With sharpshooters like Ray Allen and James Posey on the floor Rondo became the third option to shoot. Once Atlanta realized that it was going to be Rondo's shot, they eased up on defense forcing Rondo to take the shot. If you look at the last five seconds again you'll see that Rondo looked more lost than me at a Weight Watchers meeting. His desperation thirty foot air ball didn't have to happen. But what would I know?

Weekend Picks & Predictions

This weekend is loaded with good games and big events.

Friday

FIRM'S PICK OF THE DAY: Game 6 Boston Celtics @ Atlanta Hawks, 8:00 on ESPN/Comcast Sports Net, Celtics lead series 3-2
The Celtics can clinch with a win, but after what happened in games 3 & 4 in Atlanta I am going to pick the Hawks.
Firm's Pick: Atlanta 93 - Boston 86

Cleveland Cavaliers @ Washington Wizards, 7:00 on ESPN2, Cavaliers lead series 3-2
This game is going to be even better than game five. The Wizards will come out hot and they aren't going to stop, but Cleveland will keep pace throughout and Lebron will end it with a clutch shot in the last minute.
Firm's Pick: Cleveland 101 - Washington 99

Saturday

Kentucky Derby, 6:00 on NBC
Take five minutes out of your day and watch the race.
Firm's Pick: Colonel John

Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons, 7:30 on TNT, Game 1 of Eastern Conference semis
Detroit is going to win. It's that simple.
Firm's Pick: Detroit 88 - Orlando 76

San Antonio Spurs @ New Orleans Hornets, 10:00 on TNT, Game 1 of Western Conference Semis
This is a great match-up. The Hornets have the better guards, but the Spurs have the better inside game. New Orleans wins based on home-court advantage.
Firm's Pick: New Orleans 91 - San Antonio 80

FIRM'S PICK OF THE DAY: Oscar De la Hoya vs. Steve Forbes, 10:00 on HBO
This is going to be a good fight. Oscar is trying to earn a second shot at Floyd Mayweather, and Forbes is trying to gain the respect that he deserved as lightweight champ. There is going to be lots of stars, lots of fans, and a good fight.
Firm's Pick: De la Hoya W by Split Decision.

Dan Lowry 400 @ Richmond International Raceway, 7:00 on FOX, Round 10 of the NASCAR season
400 laps on a 3/4 mile oval is going to produce lots of wrecks and differing strategies. It's going to be wild.
Firm's Pick: Jeff Burton

Sunday
There are multiple opportunities for game 7s of NBA series's to be played on Sunday. If any do occur I will update accordingly.

Idiot of the week

Hands down the jackass of the week is this guy.

http://perceptiononline.com/perceptionisrealityblog/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/roger-clemens.jpg

Ryan Perrilloux how could you?

Ryan Perrilloux is got to be the dumbest football player in America. With only a few months before he was to become the starting quarterback for the defending national champion, LSU Tigers he got thrown off of the team for failing a drug test. This was only the most recent addition to Perrilloux's rap sheet; he had been involved in fights and was connected to a counterfeiting ring. How dumb is this guy? He was on the verge of becoming a national star, and now he is going to be that guy that twelve years from now we'll see playing Arena Football.

Daily question

Where were the first Olympics in America held?


The first person to comment with the right answer and gives their name will be entered into a drawing for a special prize.

Oops

New York Yankees up and coming 21-year old pitcher Phil Hughes will be out until at least July with a stress fracture of his rib. Sorry Hank Steinbrenner, maybe you should have left the Ortiz jersey embedded in the concrete.

Daily Fact

The first college football game was contested between Princeton and Rutgers in 1869. Rutgers won 6-4.

Celtics-Hawks

Are the Celtics for real? After destroying Atlanta again at the Garden we yet again begin conversing about our second round opponent. Well, first we have to beat Atlanta, and in Boston we have a reputation for calling it over before it is over, (i.e. Super Bowl 42). We have to finish the series convincingly. We can't drag the series out to seven games. We have to show the NBA that we can win a meaningful game on the road, and Atlanta is not that good of a team. Rajon Rondo and Eddie House have to contain Mike Bibby and KG and Perk have to keep Horford and Johnson from driving to and own the key. Those can be done easily, but our shooting percentage...God Forbid we make a shot in the second half. In game four the Celts missed 13 consecutive shots at one point during the second half. If we want to make a run to the title we have to start playing like this year's Celtics, not last year's Celtics.

Hello

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