Dom's Dish - Friday, June 1, 2007
Every once in a while, we are witness to someone growing up in a big way. For those that were lucky and smart enough to keep on the Cavs/Pistons game, you probably are still in awe as much as I am. It was not a 70 or 80 point performance, however that was LeBron James' moment. For all the criticism from game 1 of the series when he passed the ball for the last shot (in a loss), and for not drawing enough contact in game 2 (in a loss), last night more than made up for it, and might have gotten his team over the hump and into the NBA Finals in this, only his fourth year in the league. Simply amazing - LeBron scored 29 of his team's last 30 points! ARE YOU KIDDING? Detroit couldn't stop him. No matter who defended, 'Bron was on his game, jab-stepping for a jumper, spinning for a fade-away jumper, rolling off a screen for a three, weaving through the lane for jam...unbelievable. Aside from the number (23) and the obvious athleticism and similar shots (fade-aways, etc), there isn't much similarity. That is, MJ had Pippen and a shooter. Last night and all season, LeBron has had to play like Kobe - score the points so his team can win. I'm not going to make predictions as to what his career will be way down the road, all I can say is - I hope you are watching intently when you can. There's the chance his career as "King" could trump all before him...
With the Giants coming to town, which Phillies team will we see this weekend? One that pounded the Braves or couldn't hit the starting pitching of the D'Backs? Considering the Giants have almost as much of a closer issue as we do, having traded Benitez yesterday, one never knows. Now if only Barry were going to play Sunday afternoon, I have some extra batteries I need to get rid of....you take away all of the fun.
Ron Mexico's flight landed for good. Air Tran Airlines has ended its relationship with Michael Vick. AirTran won't say why, however things like his water bottle incident and his publicist blaming ATA for Vick missing a meeting before Congress might have soured the relationship. Speaking of dogs, I wonder if he has a Chihuahua?
Did you hear the Kobe interview? Talk about depressed! How about Stephen A. Smith? I still swear his speech varies too much. When he was interviewing Kobe he was coaxing him and "talkin brotha" to him. Then he appears on SportsCenter with some white dudes and talks like an educated journalist. Either way, he sure does interview well. With all of this Kobe drama though, there's crazy rumors - Kobe to Dallas; Jermaine O'Neal to the Lakers, Marcus Camby to the Lakers, Kobe to the Bulls? Kobe to the Knicks? So you got lied to Kobe? I still don't think the average American that makes his weekly salary in 6 months and has been lied to by their bosses about promotions and mergers will understand or feel bad for him.
Billy Donovan - the baby-faced coach of the two time champs Florida Gators, has left college to go to the pros. Will he finally be the one to follow in the footsteps of a Larry Brown and be as successful in the pros as the college ranks? I can tell you one similarity - Green$$$. $27.5 million for a 5 year contract in Orlando? Oh, and I get to coach Dwight Howard? I'll take that check.
I actually parred a hole last weekend! I came close a few other times, in the last and only 8 times I have been out on the golf course prior, but this time it was a par 3. Maybe not the greatest of feats - for one with great feet - but a personal accomplishment nonetheless. A frustrating game at times, I know I will never make the pro tour, so alas I have not (yet) broken a club on a bad shot. Although I was very inconsistent - 300 yard drive straight as an arrow off the tee, followed by a 5-iron 75 yards hooking off WAY right, it was a good time, and not bad for a $130 pair of clubs from Sports Authority and a bunch of balls that my grandfather "stole" from near his house. Tiger, you're safe for now...
From the thoughts we've all had but not voiced section:
So, what is it with plumbers and bathroom designers? You would think that along with making sure that the toilet flushes and the pipes don't leak that they would consider the bathroom sink. I'm not talkin the kitchen sink or anything that sophisticated, I mean the bathroom sink. Ok, airplanes are one thing, aside from that, in the world we live in, there is no excuse for no using space appropriately. Ala, the bathroom sink. Is it really too much to ask that if you spend thousands o dollars on bathroom fixtures that you might consider the spout and side of the actual sink? Case in point, you piss on your hands, by mistake of course (unless you have a nasty case of "athlete's hand" you're trying to get rid of) and you go to the sink to wash the nasty yellow stuff off your mitts. You turn the water on, wet a hand or two, grab for some soap, then go to wash, only to be "side blocked" by the damn sink!!! Come on! The bowl of the sink is like 16" across and the spout can't even reach 3 inches over the front side of the bowl? What is this? For the love of goodness people, can you create a sink in which washing your pee-stained hands won't interfere with the sides of this large bowl that has been touched by poo-stained hands before us? Come on, you know that's happened to you once....weren't expecting the tp to be that fragile...ah well. Anyway, let me check the design of your bathroom. The only thing worse is heading to a bathroom at a party that doesn't even have hand towels to dry your hands after washing them. You do wash your hands once in a while, right???
Around the Balls:
Corn-hole- In interesting new drunk game news, while in Chi-town, I was able to play an interesting little ditty that involved getting "my bags" in a "corn hole". Props go out to my "partner" Matt Engle of the Lakeview part of Chicago for his efforts to make the Dom/Matt team the champs of this game. We sure corn-holed those other guys and gals!
No more Around the Balls this week....they're sore.
Program Alerts:
LeBron goes for the closeout at home, Saturday night 8:30pm
Yanks / Sox - can NY climb out of the basement?
Roger Clemens makes his first start in Chi-Town on Monday. It's June, he's already made how much by 4pm today?
French Open - Men's Tennis - Can Federer win any and will he and Nadal have another showdown?
Links:
http://www.cornhole-game.org/
