Griffin, Freeman, Pacquiao, and random observations on the wonderful world sports

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



---There he was, posterizing young Knicks center Timofey Mozgov en route to a spectacular 44-points, 15-rebounds, 7-assists performance on Friday night. Blake Griffin continues to have an amazing rookie season. However, lost amidst the Griffin domination is this sobering fact from Clipperville: The Clippers, despite Griffin's near-triple-double, lost again, falling to an atrocious record of one win and thirteen losses.



---As the great Bill Simmons noted recently, even the great Blake Griffin is starting to wear the frightened look of dismay that comes with being a member of the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clips have some terrific talent. With Griffin, Eric Gordon, Eric Bledsoe, and Al-Farouq Aminu, there is absolutely no rational explanation for the Clippers' 1-13 start. A paralyzing culture of losing permeates the Clippers franchise. Once again, the Clippers have a talented team that also happens to be far and away the worst team in basketball.



---Every year, the Spurs are overlooked and dismissed as a symbol of old age. Every year, the San Antonio Spurs defy their critics. Prior to the season, I wrote that the Spurs were essentially done with contending for titles. Wrong again. Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli, and company are off to an 11-1 start, and they have every intention of making another deep run into the playoffs. The Spurs are the best-run organization in all of professional sports. In the aftermath of Tony Parker's less-than-shocking pending divorce from Eva Longoria, many made the laughable assertion that the Parker-Longoria split would be a worrisome distraction for Gregg Popovich's team. The Spurs are too focused, too motivated an organization to be affected by such an occurrence.



---Thank you Rudy Gay! Gay's exemplary play continued on Friday night as he hit a game-winning, fade-away buzzer-beater over the outstretched arm of LeBron James to give the Miami Heat yet another loss. The supposedly mighty Heat are now 8-5, and underwhelming performances are now a frequent sighting for Miami. Gotta love it!

---Meanwhile, in Portland, Greg Oden is out for the season. Sigh.

---On to the NFL now, which featured incredible drama in Week 11. In the Meadowlands, Mark Sanchez and the Jets garnered yet another thrilling win in the final seconds. In Foxboro, Tom Brady and the Pats edged Peyton Manning and the Colts in another compelling edition of football's best rivalry. And in Philadelphia, Michael Vick continued his brilliance, leading the Eagles to a tight win over the New York Giants. Sanchez, Brady, and Vick will dominate the quarterback conversation today, and rightfully so. However, there is one quarterback of a playoff-caliber team that is getting completely overshadowed. Ladies and gentlemen, Josh Freeman deserves more respect.

---The Tampa Bay quarterback is the leader of the surprising Bucs, who thumped the 49ers on Sunday (Ouch) to improve to 7-3. Freeman lacks the stardom and name recognition of Brady, Manning, Vick, Roethlisberger, McNabb, Romo, and pretty much every other QB in the league. However, Freeman is quietly having a tremendous season. It's about time the nation starts singing his praises.

---Having the Lions and Cowboys always play on Thanksgiving Day is a tired tradition. I will gladly watch the games on Turkey Day---after all, football is football---but it is time for the NFL to showcase some fresh blood on Thanksgiving Day.

---On to college football now, where the BCS is an absolute disgrace. I know it seems like I am beating a dead horse on this issue, but it cannot be said enough: Oregon, Auburn, Boise State, and TCU all have a legitimate argument that they belong in the title game, yet two of those teams are bound to get screwed by computers. Meanwhile, in the Pac-10, Andrew Luck and the Stanford Cardinal are in danger of getting bypassed for the Rose Bowl, and that is a shame.

---The awesomeness that is college basketball is now underway, and here is my Final Four prediction: Kansas State, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse.

---I will end with an appreciation of Manny Pacquiao. Pacquiao is absolutely amazing, bringing a level of excitement to the world of boxing not seen since the days of Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield. Now if Floyd Mayweather would just accept the challenge, that would bring the sport to an even higher level of excitement. C'mon Floyd, take the risk: A Pacquaio-Mayweather fight is what the nation is waiting for.

Around the Association

Hoops fans, gather round the computer. Here are my musings on the best sports league in the world, the National Basketball Association:

---So, in order to break the all-time regular-season wins record held by the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls, the Miami Heat will have to finish this season with a record 68-5. The Heat may well get their act together and have a great season, but there chances of being an historically great team are all but dead.

---I am taking great joy in Miami's early season struggles, so perhaps I am overreacting to their shaky, 5-4 start to the season. However, Erik Spoelstra's team has some serious, serious flaws. Their biggest weakness is a complete lack of depth, as evidenced by the home loss to the Celtics on Thursday night. In that game, Dwayne Wade was shockingly off, and while LeBron was terrific, the Heat had no one to help him. With the exception of Eddie House and the injured Mike Miller, Miami has an ineffective supporting cast. Compared to the remarkable depth of Boston and Orlando, Miami's supporting players are stunningly soft.

---Judging by Chris Bosh's underwhelming play so far this season, it's about time we stop calling the Heat "The Big 3".

---Meanwhile, kudos to Paul Pierce for coming up with this brilliant shot at LeBron after the Celtics beat the Heat for the second time this season. Pierce, via twitter, said the following: "It's been a pleasure to bring my talents to South Beach." Hey-ohhhhhhhh!

---After a sluggish start, the Utah Jazz are finally starting to hit their stride, thanks to remarkable resilience on the road. On Tuesday, the Jazz rallied from 22 down in the second half on the road to beat the aforementioned Heat, thanks to a 46-point masterpiece from Paul Millsap. The very next night, the Jazz rallied from 18 down in the second half in Orlando to stun the Magic. In the aftermath of these two incredibly impressive wins, I am thoroughly convinced that the Utah Jazz are back on track to finish near the top of the West again this season.

---The sterling play of Jerry Sloan's team is almost enough of a temptation for me to declare Deron Williams the best point guard in basketball. However, there is another point guard in New Orleans who is every bit as worthy of that title. Chris Paul has been brilliant this season, and he is the primary reason why the New Orleans Hornets are the only remaining undefeated team in basketball.

---As amazing as CP3 is, however, the Hornets will need to continue to receive superb productivity from Emeka Okafor if they want to truly contend in the West. Okafor is playing the best basketball of his career, and the Paul-Okafor duo is starting to conjure memories of the Paul-Chandler tandem that was so unstoppable a couple of years ago.

---Prior to the start of the season, I was merciless in my criticism of the Hornets, and I gave them essentially no chance to contend. So far at least, that prediction has been a giant swing and a miss on my part. They still need to show me more to eradicate my skepticism, but there is no denying that the Hornets have looked phenomenal this season.

---Maybe Carmelo Anthony will stay put in Denver after all. Maybe, just maybe, the 'Melo trade rumors were much ado about nothing. Granted, Denver embarrassingly yielded 144 points in a blowout loss to the Pacers on Tuesday night, but they responded with a passionate performance last night against the Lakers, handing the defending champions their first loss of the season. Carmelo poured in 32 points and 13 rebounds, and he sounded genuinely elated in his post-game comments, a notable contrast to the disillusionment he exuded in the offseason. Personally, I would love to see Carmelo stay in Denver, because when George Karl's team is at full strength, they are a joy to watch. Now, it appears as if 'Melo may indeed stay in a Nuggets uniform.

---'Melo was the MVP for Denver last night, but the Nuggets would not have won that game had it not been for the excellence of Ty Lawson and J.R. Smith. Lawson is an exhilarating young star-in-the-making who flustered the Lakers with his lightning-fast speed and athleticism. J.R. Smith, meanwhile, sparked the defining rally of the game with some clutch threes in the fourth quarter. Smith was undaunted by the defensive presence of Kobe Bryant, and his unapologetic swagger is key to the Nuggets' success.

---As if the incessant injury woes of Greg Oden weren't enough, the Portland Trail Blazers are now forced to deal with the shaky right knee of Brandon Roy. Roy, the Blazers' best player and one of the ten best players in the game, has asked the Blazers for less playing time due to a right knee injury. Nate McMillan's team is thus faced with a frustrating dilemma. Obviously, Roy's health is of utmost importance, but in the loaded Northwest Division and in the loaded Western Conference, the Blazers can't really afford to limit Roy's playing time. Can't wait to see how Nate McMillan handles this situation.

---I will end with some praise for Michael Beasley. Beasley caused quite the stir in the offseason when he declared that the T'Wolves are the team to beat, and he still deserves to be derided for that laughable claim. But Beasley deserves credit for backing up his words with his play on the court. Beasley, who underachieved in his time with the Heat, is finally showing great promise. He has been great for Kurt Rambis' team. The Timberwolves are really, really bad, but if Beasley continues to improve, the Kevin Love-Beasley duo could signal a bright future for the Timberwolves.

Musings on the National Football League

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

---What a magnificent game between the Colts and Eagles yesterday in Philadelphia. In addition to being a huge win for the Eagles, it also served as one of the finest performances in Michael Vick's career.

---I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I am a big Michael Vick fan, and I am rooting for him to succeed. I have been thoroughly impressed by the sincere, mature manner in which Vick has expressed his remorse regarding his dogfighting past, and I am thrilled that Vick is performing at such a high level for the Eagles. Vick's dominance on Sunday against Indy was absolutely thrilling to watch. Keep up the great work, Michael Vick!

---As big as that win was for the Eagles, however, they should not be considered the favorites in the NFC East. That honor belongs to the New York Giants. After a rocky start to the season, Eli Manning, Brandon Jacobs, and company are now firing on all cylinders. The G-Men went into the hostile environment of Qwest Field and steamrolled the Seahawks. The Giants have as good a shot as any team to make it back to the Super Bowl.

---Another team that is playing superb football: The Oakland Raiders. The Raiders defeated the Chiefs in overtime yesterday in a richly compelling battle. In recent years, the Raiders have been in total disarray, a dysfunctional organization under the wrath of irascible owner Al Davis and hot-tempered head coach Tom Cable. Now, however, the Raiders are a legitimate contender in the AFC West, and the Black Hole is rocking yet again. Yesterday's atmosphere in Oakland was spectacular, conjuring memories of the Rich Gannon-Tim Brown days.

---Yesterday's Raiders-Chiefs game featured one of the most amazing receptions in recent memory: Jacoby Ford making a game-saving catch at the tail end of the fourth quarter to allow for Sebastian Janikowski to send the game into overtime. A remarkable play by Ford, a catch that was of David Tyree-type difficulty.

---Yes, I am a diehard 49ers fan, but at the risk of angering my fellow members of Niners Nation, I must admit that I am happy the Raiders are doing well. The Raiders' resurgence is great for the Bay Area, and as a Bay Area native, I am rooting for them to succeed. If the Niners continue to falter this season, you can reserve my place on the 2010-2011 Silver and Black Bandwagon.

---Last week's elections may have been a disaster for the Democrats, but it was nothing compared to the stunning train-wreck that is the Dallas Cowboys. Sunday night's 45-7 embarrassment at the hands of the Packers was a new low for the Cowboys. It seems to me that the 'Boys have quit on their coach. Thus, it is time for Wade Phillips to be replaced. Seems like a really nice guy, but he is too soft a coach to succeed as a head coach in the NFL.

---Don't let that 27-24 win over the Cardinals fool you. The Minnesota Vikings are still a team rife with dysfunction. First, there was the Brett Favre cell phone scandal. Then, there was the Randy Moss craziness. And now, rumor has it that Coach Brad Childress had a near-physical altercation with WR Percy Harvin. Sunday's win does not change a thing for the Vikings. Brad Childress has lost control of his team, and the Vikings have no shot to reach the playoffs.

---My guess is that the Bucs, fresh off a tough 27-24 loss to the Falcons, will now start to fade, but there are still two significant reasons for Bucs fans to remain optimistic. Those two reasons are quarterback Josh Freeman and Coach Raheem Morris. Freeman may have stumbled a bit on Sunday, but he is bound to have a stellar NFL career, and Morris is a terrific, charismatic coach whose energy is reminiscent of former Bucs Coach Jon Gruden. The future is bright for Tampa Bay.

---I will conclude with a plea to the national sports media: Enough with the Cowboys. They stink. The NFL is full of compelling stories. This year, the Cowboys are not one of them.

Around the Association

Alright hoops fans, gather round the computer. Here are my musings on the best league in all of sports, the National Basketball Association:



---Here is something I haven't said in a while: The New York Knicks are really good. Seriously. Anybody still doubting this fact need look no further than last night's thoroughly convincing road win in Chicago. The Knicks dominated a Bulls team that many people, including myself, expect to contend for a championship this season. Mike D'Antoni's lightning-fast offense was in full effect, as the Knicks put up 70 points in the first half. Dare I say that the Knicks are an absolute lock to make the playoffs this season?



---Obviously, the additions of Amar'e Stoudamire and Raymond Felton will pay enormous dividends for the Knicks. But New York's secret weapon may well be Danilo Gallinari. Gallinari was a lights-out shooter last night, and he was perfect from downtown. If Gallinari can maintain that smooth shooting touch from outside the perimeter, he may well conjure memories of former Knick Allen Houston, one of the most underrated shooters NBA history.



---As for the Bulls, that was an extremely discouraging effort. I was baffled by Tom Thibodeau's refusal to put Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah back in the game late in the fourth quarter. The Bulls, thanks to some timely threes from sharp-shooter Kyle Korver, were making a significant run, but Rose and Noah remained on the bench during crunch time. Thibodeau probably wanted to save Rose and Noah so that they could be fully healthy for Thibodeau's return to Boston tonight against the Celtics. But it was certainly surprising to see Chicago's two best players as bystanders with the game on the line against the Knicks.



---After the Knicks earned a stellar road win, the Oklahoma City Thunder followed suit in Portland, beating the Blazers in a thrilling, overtime affair. Fresh off a complete dud against the Clippers the night before, a game in which Kevin Durant looked shockingly human, the Thunder responded with a gutsy, resilient performance at the Rose Garden last night.



---Durant responded nicely after his poor performance against the Clips, but last night's MVP for OKC was Russell Westbrook. Ladies and gentlemen, it is official: Westbrook is one of the game's best point guards.



---In Boston, controversy is surrounding notorious trash-talker Kevin Garnett. After last week's dominating win at the Pistons, Pistons' forward Charlie Villanueva took to his twitter page, accusing K.G. of calling Villanueva a "cancer patient" during the game. K.G. denied the accusation, saying that he called Villanueva "cancerous to your team and to our league." Oh ok, well that's better.

---Look, I believe K.G. when he says he did not call Villanueva a cancer patient, as that would be one of the most heinous, tasteless pieces of trash talk ever utterred. Still, K.G.'s version of what he said is still over the top. I love the intensity and passion that Garnett brings to the table night and and night out, but his incessant trash talking is tiresome and foolish. K.G. needs to realize that when his team is up by 20-plus points, there is no need to unleash any cruel verbal diatribes toward Charlie Villanueva.

---Villanueva, however, also deserves criticism in this incident. The fact that he made such an accusation through his twitter page showed a stunning lack of class. There was no need to bring this incident into the public spotlight. If Villanueva truly had a problem with K.G., he should have handled it with K.G. directly, behind closed doors.

---The Wizards haven't exactly looked all that sharp to start this season, but John Wall has been absolutely brilliant. Prior to the start of the year there seemed to be a growing consensus that Blake Griffin would be Rookie of the Year. Not so fast, my friends. Nothing against Griffin---who has indeed been outstanding, the lone bright spot for the Clippers so far this season---but after watching him play, my money is on Wall to win R.O.Y., especially if he can somehow find a way to bolster the Wizards into the playoffs.

---If the San Antonio Spurs are to overcome their age to contend in the West this season, they will need major productivity from young Tiago Splitter. Splitter's NBA career is off to a decent start, but he is still a raw talent. Splitter needs to be a fast learner in the NBA if San Antonio wants to ascend back to the top of the Western pack. Because as great as Tim Duncan is, he is not going to be able to play the same amount of minutes that he once did.

---Once again, I am overcome with gleeful optimism regarding my beloved Golden State Warriors. Monta Ellis has been sensational, Dorell Wright has been a wonderful surprise, David Lee has been solid, Reggie Williams continues to improve, and with a healthy Steph Curry, the Warriors are going to make noise in the West! Not that I'm biased or anything.

---My two least favorite teams, the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, are also the two best teams in the NBA right now. Kobe Bryant has been frighteningly great, as always, and Phil Jackson's team looks poised for another three-peat. In South Beach, the Big 3 is finally starting to hit their stride. Bummer. One can only hope that the Lakers and Heat fall apart, but that appears unlikely.

---Terrific article on ESPN.com by the great J.A. Adande on Nuggets Coach George Karl. Karl is a superb coach and a class act. The deeply moving article is a must-read.

Euphoria in the City By the Bay: The San Francisco Giants are World Series Champions!

What a moment, what a night. When Edgar Renteria blasted a towering three-run home run off Cliff Lee in the seventh inning to break a scoreless tie, you could feel an entire city collectively holler screams and tears of gleeful joy. When Brian Wilson recorded the final out of the 2010 World Series, those sounds of happiness only grew louder and more emotional. As a lifelong, diehard Giants fan, I can honestly say that this is one of the greatest nights of my life. The San Francisco Giants are 2010 World Series Champions. That has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

From the very outset of the 2010 season, nobody gave the Giants a chance. Even when the Giants clinched the National League West, they were viewed by many as nothing more than a charming cast of misfits. But throughout the postseason, Bruce Bochy's team proved to the world that they belong atop the baseball pantheon. The beautiful thing about the 2010 Giants is that they epitomize the true meaning of "team". Unlike the Giants of years past, with Barry Bonds as the clear face of the franchise, these Giants had multiple heroes. On any given night, any given Giant could deliver heroics. And that sense of teamwork made this Giants season sweeter than any other in Giants history.

On Wednesday in San Francisco, there will be a parade down Market Street. It will be the perfect culmination of a perfect season. So to the 2010 San Francisco Giants, I want to say thank you. Thank you for an incredible, unforgettable season. World Series Champions. Gotta love it.

Bumgarner, Rose, McNabb, and 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:

---Thank you Madison Bumgarner. The young Bumgarner delivered a masterful World Series performance for the ages in Game 4, dominating the Rangers over the course of eight shutout innings. It is remarkable to see a pitcher as youthful as Bumgarner display such incredible poise on the mound.

---Bumgarner's mastery has the Giants one win away from a World Series Championship. Just typing that gives me the chills. Yesssssssssssssssssss!

---So, are there still haters out there who say the Giants don't have an offense? With the exception of Game 3, the Giants have pounded Rangers pitching. I love Nolan Ryan, but every time the FOX cameras cut to an angry, morose Ryan, my heart fills with joy.

---One more win. That is all the Giants need to give the city of San Francisco one of the greatest moments in city history. Goooooooooooooo Giants!!!!!

---We now return to our regularly unbiased programming.

---On to the best league in sports now, the National Basketball Association. The big story of the weekend was the thoroughly convincing shellacking dealt to the Orlando Magic on Friday night, courtesy of the Miami Heat.

---After a listless opening-night performance at Boston, the Heat seemed to restore order in their home opener. D-Wade, LeBron, Chris Bosh, and company destroyed the Magic by 26-points, a terrible omen for Stan Van Gundy's team. Still, cool down Miami bandwagoners. It was just one game.

---While I still believe the Heat have depth issues, Erik Spoelstra has to be encouraged by the superb play of Eddie House. House has always been a reliable force off the bench, and he is a lights-out shooter. House will be a major factor for Miami this season.

---As for the Magic, it was a tale of two halves for Dwight Howard. I was delightfully startled by the overpowering offensive assertiveness of Howard in the first half against Miami. But just as soon as I was starting to get convinced that Howard had finally matured on the offensive end, Dwight reverted to his old, offensively inefficient ways in the second half.

---The Bulls' comeback win on Saturday night against the Pistons served as proof that Derrick Rose is blossoming into one of the game's best point guards. Rose was stellar down the stretch for Chicago, the key catalyst in a remarkable fourth-quarter comeback that left Detroit stunned and helpless.

---Saturday night's win for the Bulls was also a showcase for James Johnson. Johnson was all over the court, grabbing loose ball after loose ball and rebound after rebound. Very impressive play by the second-year forward out of Wake Forest.

---Huge win by the Utah Jazz on Sunday night at Oklahoma City. Just when I was starting to wonder if the Jazz were fiercely overrated after two terrible performances to start the season, Deron Williams and company crushed an outstanding Thunder team in a hostile environment on Sunday night. Sanity has been restored in Salt Lake City.

---On to the NFL now, where Mike Shanahan has some explaining to do. The Redskins coach inexplicably benched Donovan McNabb late in the fourth quarter of a 37-25 loss to the Lions. I have long been a Shanahan admirer, but I am baffled by the McNabb benching. Ummmmm, Coach, do you honestly believe that Rex Grossman is a better option at quarterback than Donovan McNabb?!

---Another person with explaining to do: Mark Sanchez. The Jets QB threw two interceptions in a sloppy performance that resulted in a 9-0 home loss to the Packers. I am still a Sanchez believer, but he needs to be a more productive leader on the field if the Jets are to be true Super Bowl contenders.

---Don't look now, but here come the Oakland Raiders. Tom Cable's team improved to 4-4 on Sunday with a win over the Seahawks, fresh off last week's 59-14 thrashing of the Denver Broncos. Call me crazy, but I think the Raiders will overtake the Chiefs to win the AFC West. Jason Campbell is a terrific quarterback, and Darren McFadden finally seems to be coming into his own in the NFL.

---Once again, the college football regularl season is thrilling and compelling. Once again, we are going to have more BCS outrage and controversy. Oregon, Boise State, Auburn, and TCU are all undefeated, and they all have a valid argument that they belong in the title game. So rather than deciding the champion on the field with a playoff system, college football will once again let computers run the show and rob at least two deserving teams of a chance to play for a championship. The BCS: Big Crappy System.