Random Observations on the Wonderful World of Sports

In the words of the great San Francisco Chronicle sports columnist Scott Ostler, here are my deep thoughts, cheap shots, and bon mots:

---Manny is staying with the Dodgers. Yes, as a diehard Giants fan I would have loved to have him, but I hope that we will make Manny regret his decision to re-up with the hated blue.

---I will be attending all three Giants-Dodgers games at AT&T Park in August, and I will be loudly booing Mr. Ramirez. Go Giants!

---If the Giants can get decent offensive production to aid the spectacular pitching, then I still like our chances in the NL West.

---Meanwhile, Kurt Warner is staying in Arizona, contrary to some rumors that had Warner interested in joining my Niners. C'mon Kurt, was the intensity of Mike Singletary too intimidating?

---It has been a rough year for my Warriors, but the youth movement brings confidence for next season. I'm especially hopeful about the potential of Anthony Randolph. He is still a raw rookie prone to occasionally mind-numbing mistakes, but he is a tremendous athlete who plays with an unyielding tenacity reminiscent of Kevin Garnett and Dennis Rodman.

---If you haven't noticed already, I started this week's edition of Random Observations with my thoughts on my favorite teams. We now return to impartial musings.

---LeBron James and Dwayne Wade showed why they are the two best players in the NBA on Monday night, dueling back and forth in a game of anything you can do I can do better. However, lost amid the dazzle of the two superstars was Mo Williams' 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. LeBron is the best player on the planet, but Williams is a big reason why the Cavs are serious championship contenders.

---Next challenge for Mike Brown's team: Friday night in Boston in a possible preview of this year's Eastern Conference Finals. I'll take the Celtics in a squeaker.

---While we're discussing the Eastern conference, let me give some thoughts on the Atlanta Hawks. This young team is dangerous, and the Celtics, Cavs, and Magic should not overlook them. With Josh Smith, Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams, Al Horford, Mike Bibby, and the underrated Zaza Pechulia, the Hawks will be a force to be reckoned with come playoff time.

---Can somebody answer this for me, because I'm having a tough time figuring this one out: Why isn't Tony Parker ever mentioned in the MVP discussion? Is it because too many men are jealous of his marriage to the jaw-droppingly sexy Eva Longoria?

---Then again, he's a Spur, and in the NBA, the San Antonio Spurs translate into "The Most Overlooked Team Ever".

---The Oklahoma City Thunder are the best 15-46 team in the history of the game, and I mean that as a compliment. Kevin Durant has proven why Portland made a mistake in drafting the injury-plagued Greg Oden, becoming one of the game's elite players. The Thunder also have a blossoming star in Jeff Green. They are much closer to being a winning team than most people realize.

---Oklahoma City may be a legitimate playoff contender as soon as next season if they land Blake Griffin, who is dominating the Big 12 in nearby Norman.

---It's getting close to the most wonderful time of year for a sports fan, March Madness. Selection Sunday is a little over two weeks away. If the season ended today, I believe the number one seeds would be UConn, Pittsburgh, North Carolina, and Memphis.

---Sorry Notre Dame, but with the seventeen-point loss to Villanova on Monday night, Luke Harangody and company officially killed their chances of receiving a tourney bid. That is unless they win the Big East tournament, but that's about as likely as O.J. Simpson winning the Nobel Prize.

---I'll finish by handing out my award for Sportscaster of the Month. The award goes to Doris Burke. Burke's masterful performance as an ESPN color commentator for NBA and college basketball games should pave the way for more female broadcasters to follow in her footsteps. Burke shatters the ignorant stereotype that women shouldn't be sports broadcasters. Keep us the good work, Doris.