Baseball's Golden Voice Headed to Cooperstown

Every time the San Francisco Giants take the field, I tune in to the radio to hear someone give vivid, elegant, pitch-perfect descriptions of the action on the baseball diamond. I tune in to the radio to hear someone with an encyclopedic knowledge of baseball history, an undeniable passion for the game, a wonderful sense of humor, and an irresistibly jovial personality. I tune in to the radio to hear Jon Miller. Miller-----who works Giants games with Dave Flemming, Duane Kuiper, and Mike Krukow, a group that comprises the best broadcast team in baseball-----has been the Voice of the Giants since 1997, following his years with the Orioles, A's, Rangers, and Red Sox. And "The Big Kahuna", the nickname affectionately given to Miller by Mike Krukow, is unparallelled in his greatness. As a diehard Giants fan, it is a great honor and pleasure to listen to his dulcet tones on a nightly basis.

This Sunday in Cooperstown, Miller-----who is known nationally for his exemplary work alongside Joe Morgan and Orel Hershiser as the voice of ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball, a position he has held for 21 years-----will be enshrined in Baseball's Hall of Fame. Miller is a class act and a consummate professional, and this honor could not be more well-deserved. Miller has a lot in common with fellow Hall of Fame broadcasters. He has Ernie Harwell's masterful storytelling ability and conversational style. He has Vin Scully's sense of humor. And it is only fitting that Miller is part of the Giants family, because he conjures memories of Russ Hodges and Lon Simmons, two great Giants broadcasters whom Miller listened to as a kid growing up in the Bay Area. However, Miller is also unique in his greatness. No broadcaster expresses a more refreshing display of honesty. During a Giants-Diamondbacks game in 2003, Miller was stunned by the unprecedented baserunning struggles of Ruben Rivera, which led him to famously exclaim: "That was the worst baserunning in the history of the game!". This type of sheer candor makes Miller such a relatable and endearing presence to the fans.

Needless to say, Miller has also been defined by his magnificent calls of baseball's signature moments. Giants fans will always fondly remember his superb calls of Kenny Lofton's pennant-winning base hit against the Cardinals in Game 5 of the 2002 NLCS, and of Barry Bonds' 756th home run. Jon Miller thrives on these historic moments. So as he gets ready to be inducted into Cooperstown this weekend, I would like to say the following: Thank you Jon for the extraordinary grace, class, charm, and intelligence that you bring to the game of baseball. Congratulations. You are the very best.

Major League Baseball Second-Half Predictions

As we get ready for the Midsummer Classic in Anaheim, here are my division-by-division predictions for the second half of the baseball season:

NL WEST: Look for the GIANTS to win this division. Yes, this is a completely biased pick from this lifelong, diehard Giants fan, but I am genuinely optimistic and confident about my team's chances. Tim Lincecum pitched very well in the first-half, but he is capable of pitching much, much better. He will do just that in the second-half of the season. In addition to Lincecum, the Giants have Barry Zito, Matt Cain, and Madison Bumgarner, all terrific starters. Jonathan Sanchez is the only potential concern in the starting rotation, but if he can improve on his control, he too can be a major asset in the San Francisco rotation during the stretch run. The bullpen was once a weakness for Bruce Bochy's team, but in recent weeks, the likes of Sergio Romo, Chris Ray, Santiago Casilla, Guillermo Mota, Jeremy Affeldt, Denny Bautista, and All-Star closer Brian Wilson have pitched beautifully. And the once-stagnant offense has experienced a significant resurgence in recent weeks, thanks to the remarkable play of young catcher Buster Posey, Aubrey Huff (should be an All-Star), Andres Torres, Juan Uribe, Travis Ishikawa, and Freddy Sanchez. If Pablo Sandoval can get his act together at the plate, the Giants will be in business. As you can tell, I am ecstatic about the second-half for my beloved Orange and Black. Let's go Giants!!!!!

NL CENTRAL: This race, between the Reds and Cardinals, could very well go down to the final weekend of play. It is imperative that Cincinnati get off to a fast start after the All-Star break in order to restore their confidence, which has to be wavering after four gut-wrenching losses in Philadelphia to end the first-half of the season. Still, I like Dusty Baker's REDS to win the division, especially if Joey Votto continues to put up monstrous numbers. Also, there is the sentimental factor for Giants fans: Dusty Baker will always retain a fond place in the hearts of Giants fans everywhere. St. Louis has all the big names (Pujols, Carpenter, Molina), but they have performed with an evident lack of chemistry all season. It will take a far more consistent day-to-day effort if Tony LaRussa's team is to find their way back into the postseason.

NL EAST: After sweeping a hotly competitive four-game series against the Reds, the two-time reigning National League-champion Philadelphia Phillies are starting to show signs that they can claw themselves back into postseason contention. With the likes of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and Roy Halladay, Philly is going to be in this race the rest of the way. And eventually, I expect them to surpass the overachieving Mets. But when all is said and done, the Atlanta BRAVES will win the division. Bobby Cox' team has been a joy to watch all season long, and if Jason Heyward can stay healthy the rest of the way, they will be playing October baseball.

NL WILD CARD: The PHILLIES are too good to not make the postseason.

AL WEST: I'm sticking with my prediction that the RANGERS will win this division. New acquisitions Bengie Molina and Cliff Lee will, I believe, bolster them into the postseason. But I must admit, getting swept in four games by the god-awful Orioles is an embarrassing way to limp into the All-Star break. Texas is going to have to avoid such lapses in the second-half if they are to hold off the dangerous Angels. Mike Scoissia is one of the best managers in baseball, and his team will be a formidable threat in the second half. One team that will not be a threat is the Seattle Mariners. It is astounding how the Mariners get worse every season, even though they have a seemingly improved roster year-in and year-out. With the extraordinarily talent of Ichiro, Felix Hernandez, and Chone Figgins, there is no excuse for Seattle's ineptitude.

AL CENTRAL: This is going to be one hell of a race the rest of the way. The Tigers and Twins will put up a game effort, but in the end, the division crown will go to the hottest team in baseball right now, the Chicago WHITE SOX. By his standards, Ozzie Guillen has been relatively shy on outbursts this season. Perhaps that's because his team has been playing so incredibly well. Led by All-Star Paul Konerko, the Sox are responsible for the baseball excitement in Chicago this season, as the Cubs are having a down year. The White Sox will have to deal with the absence of Jake Peavy, who is out for the season due to injury. But they have more than enough talent on the pitching side, led by Mark Buerhle, to suffice.

AL EAST: Another magnificent three-team race. Those who expect the Rays to fade just haven't been paying attention. Evan Longoria, B.J. Upton, David Price, and company are a legitimate American League contender. The Red Sox enter the All-Star break in remarkably good position for a team that has had to persevere through some truly unfortunate injuries (Dustin Pedroia, Victor Martinez, Josh Beckett). However, the YANKEES are just too good. Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and company will be familiar faces in October.

AL WILD CARD: You expect Tampa to fade? No way. The RAYS will be back in the postseason.

So there you have it. I like the Giants, Reds, Braves, and Phillies to make the postseason in the National League. In the A.L., I like the Rangers, White Sox, Yankees, and Rays. And remember......................GO GIANTS!!!!!!!

Bad Move, LeBron

Here are my quick takes on LeBron James' decision to join the Miami Heat:

---And just like that, LeBron James ripped the heart out of the city of Cleveland. By announcing that he would jump ship to Miami, where he will play alongside Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh next season, LeBron confirmed our suspicions of him being a quitter. LeBron showed flashes of all-time greatness in the 2007 East Finals against Detroit, but in the last two postseasons, LeBron played with no clutch gene, and at times, he displayed a noticeable lack of effort. Making matters worse, he never expressed any sort of remorse for his poor play. Rather, he adopted the attitude of arrogance and rationalization. LeBron could have shown some admirable class and humility by deciding to return to Cleveland to deliver that elusive championship to the millions of fans that were so good for him. Instead, LeBron took the easy way out, and he will be justifiably hated by sports fans in the state of Ohio for years to come.

---If you think I'm exaggerating the heartbreak that Cleveland is experiencing right now, then how do you explain the videotape of Cavs fans burning LeBron's jersey, or the videotape of Cavs fans breaking down in tears in the aftermath of James' announcement?

---If LeBron was going to jump ship, he should have at least made the announcement in a more tactful, private manner. That was an embarrassment of riches last night. A one-hour, primetime television special for a guy who has never won anything??!! That, my friends, is the epitome of selfishness. You're not that important, LeBron.

---Kudos to Cavs owner Dan Gilbert for expressing such remarkable, unprecedented candor in his jaw-dropping rant against LeBron last night. Was Gilbert an emotionally drunk prisoner of the moment? Of course. But his statement was indeed based in truth, and he deserves credit for showing the type of unbridled honesty that is so rarely seen in sports. Cavs fans should be encouraged by the fact that they have such a passionate owner.

---Meanwhile, there is absolutely no guarantee that the Miami Heat will even be the favorites to win the East next season, let alone the NBA championship. Obviously, a LeBron-Wade-Bosh trio is awfully intimidating, but three great players does not a title make. When Boston won their title in 2008, they had a myriad of productive bench players (Eddie House, P.J. Brown, Leon Powe, James Posey) and a burgeoning young point guard in Rajon Rondo to assist the Big 3 of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett. When the Celtics won the East this past season, the Big 3 became the Big 4 as Rondo blossomed into arguably the most exciting Celtic since Larry Bird, and bench players like Rasheed Wallace and Tony Allen were big assets in the playoffs. So besides the Big 3, who does Miami have right now? Mario Chalmers? Danny the Ball Boy? Pat Riley has a lot of work to do.

---The Bulls would have been a much better fit for LeBron.

---Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov (love him) was right when he said that the move to Miami weakens the LeBron brand. By deciding to play alongside two fellow stars in Wade and Bosh, James is essentially admitting that he is unable to lead a team to the promise land. No matter how many championships LeBron wins with the Heat, he should never, ever be mentioned in the same breath as Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, or Kobe Bryant.

---I admit that I was wrong about LeBron. As my blog entries over the years show, I used to view LeBron as the epitome of unselfishness. Boy has that changed.

---However, despite my anger regarding LeBron's decision, I strongly disagree with the notion that this serves as a hit to the NBA's reputation. The NBA remains the best league, with a stunning array of young superstars (Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Derrick Rose) who do indeed symbolize class and unselfishness. The league is in a great place right now.

---And finally, I can't wait until LeBron makes his return to Quicken Loans Arena as a visitor with the Heat. The boos will be music to my ears.

LeBron, Youkilis, Nadal, 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:



---LeBronathon 2010 continues, and just when it was starting to appear as if LeBron was going to stay in Cleveland, things got infinitely cloudier yesterday, as James had a second meeting with the New York Knicks. Perhaps LeBron was intrigued by the possibility of playing alongside Amare Stoudamire, who is widely expected to sign with the Knicks in the coming days. Here's hoping that common sense prevails for LeBron, and that he stays in Cleveland.



---Look, I absolutely love New York City, and I believe that the NBA would benefit from having a successful team in the Big Apple. But after two consecutive seasons of underwhelming postseason performance, LeBron owes it to the city of Cleveland to stay put. He is far and away the face of that struggling city, and if he were to leave, he would destroy the spirit of Cleveland. Pardon me for getting melodramatic, but I honestly believe that LeBron James would be making an egregious decision if he bolted elsewhere. Conversely, he would be making a wonderful, classy decision if he decides to stay with the Cavs.



---And it's not as if LeBron won't have a chance at winning the title if he stays in Cleveland. With LeBron, the Cavs would be in the mix for a championship again next season. Not to mention the fact that they have an outstanding new coach in Byron Scott, a coach with far more basketball savvy and intelligence than Mike Brown can ever dream of having.



---As for Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, I think that they will both end up in Miami. If this does occur, the Heat will be a major force in the Eastern Conference.



---The one team that looks to be on the outside looking in right now as far as free agents are concerned is Chicago. Too bad, because with the likes of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, the Bulls are one premier free agent away from contending for a championship.



---On to baseball now, where the All-Star rosters were announced yesterday. The two snubs that bug me the most are Cincinnati's Joey Votto and Boston's Kevin Youkilis. Votto is the number one reason why the Reds are having such a surprisingly good year, and Youkilis has become the top offensive force for the Red Sox in the wake of David Ortiz' decline.



---I also think that Stephen Strasburg should be on the team. I don't understand the argument that Strasburg has to "earn" his way on the All-Star team. Excuse me, this game decides home-field advantage in the World Series! If you want the National League to win this game, you want Strasburg on your team. And in terms of fan excitement at an All-Star Game, who would you rather have, Strasburg or Tim Hudson?

---Allow me to pause for a little prayer: Please God, Please, May the Giants Start Playing Winning Baseball. Enough Torture Already.

---Normally, I try to veer away from the political on this blog, but I was appalled by Tony LaRussa's public declaration of support for Arizona's controversial immigration law. Now I vehemently disagree with LaRussa's stance on this issue, but that wasn't why I was appalled. Rather, I was shocked that LaRussa would say something that would risk alienating his relationship with his own players, like Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina. It will be interesting to see if any tension arises in the Cardinals clubhouse as a result of LaRussa's statement.

---Congratulations to your 2010 Wimbledon Champion, Rafael Nadal. Nadal is clearly the best player in tennis right now, as I think it is relatively safe to say that the Roger Federer era is winding to a close. Federer appeared astonishingly pedestrian at Wimbledon, and it would be somewhat of a surprise if he is a top contender at next month's U.S. Open.

---If this is indeed the end of the Federer era, we should all stand up and applaud his legacy. Federer will be forever mentioned in the same breath as Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Rod Laver, John McEnroe, and Bjorn Borg.

---And finally, a quick appreciation of U.S. soccer star Landon Donovan. I haven't really watched any of the World Cup, but I am aware of the significance behind Donovan's historic goal against Algeria. Furthermore, I was impressed by his wonderfully entertaining appearance on the "Late Show with David Letterman". Nice job, Landon!

Live-Blogging the 2010 NBA Draft

Hello everybody, and welcome to my running diary of ESPN's coverage of the 2010 NBA Draft. It's one of my favorite sports nights of the year, so with no further ado, let's get this party started! (I apologize in advance for any grammatical or spelling errors that may occur, as I will be moving at a fast pace. Also, all times are in Pacific Standard Time):





4:16: Mark Jones interviews Gordon Hayward. Hayward comes across as a wonderful, classy guy, but I fear that he is just going to be another Adam Morrison-Tyler Hansbrough type in the NBA. Should have stayed at Butler.





4:17: DeMarcus Cousins handling himself well in interview. The former Kentucky Wildcat has been known for his immaturity, but I would love to have him on my team. Too talented to pass up. As a diehard Warriors fan, I desperately hope that Cousins falls to number 6.





4:22: The ESPN graphic of notable free agents features the likes of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Dirk Nowitzki, Amare Stoudamire, and........David Lee? Lee is indeed a terrific player, but he shouldn't be mentioned quite in the same breath as LBJ and D-Wade.





4:23: My last column on LeBron was based in anger, so let me make this clear: I love LBJ, but he just needs to adopt a bigger clutch gene in big games. But there is no denying that he is the most important free agent we've seen in a long, long time.





4:25: Kudos to ESPN for bringing aboard a "capologist", former Blazers executive Tom Penn, to make sense of this salary cap confusion.





4:27: Proposed trade sends Kirk Hinrich to the Wizards. This move is meant to clear cap space for the Bulls in hopes of signing LeBron, but they are going to miss Kirk Hinrich, a solid, reliable player in this league.





4:32: Here comes the commish. I love David Stern, but I get a kick out of the rowdy New York crowd always booing him. The boos are a reminder that the draft is here. It's music to my ears.





4:34: John Wall is a lock to be the top pick, and rightfully so. Wall is going to be a star. However, I actually think Evan Turner is going to be an even better pro.





4:35: Flashback of the last time the Wizards had the top pick. Kwame Brown? I think I saw him working at Wal-Mart earlier today. Somewhere, Michael Jordan is cringing. Not his finest hour.





4:36: If they can survive a year without any roster dysfunction, the Wizards have a chance to be a playoff team next season.





4:37: Jay Bilas, best draft guru in all of sports by far. Take that Mel Kiper, Jr.!





4:38: Congrats to John Wall! No surprise there.





4:40: With John Wall and Stephen Strasburg, exciting times in the world of D.C. sports.





4:43: Next up: Philly. If the Sixers don't take Evan Turner, it will make the Kwame Brown decision look like a stroke of genius.





4:44: The Sixers make the right call and take Turner. Playing alongside Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young, Evan Turner is going to be a superb fit in Doug Collins' system.





4:45: Now things get really interesting. The Nets, now under the leadership of new coach Avery Johnson and new owner Mikhail Prokhorov, are on the clock. My best available, in order of preference: DeMarcus Cousins, Greg Monroe, Derrick Favors, Wes Johnson. I would be thrilled if any one of those guys lands with theood pic Warriors.





4:46: Last year at this time, I chose DeJuan Blair and Ty Lawson as my sleepers. Here's hoping I get it right again this year. My draft sleepers this year? Maryland's Greivis Vasquez and North Carolina's Ed Davis.





4:48: The Nets select Derrick Favors from Georgia Tech. Great player, good pick, but will Favors be able to coexist with Brook Lopez in New Jersey's system?





4:51: So far, no sightings of any crazy draft night suits. All of the players so far have been dressed in relatively conservative fashion.





4:53: Nets fan at Madison Square Garden spotted with a vuvuzela. Oh God.





4:54: The T'Wolves select Wesley Johnson from Syracuse. Terrific pick. Minnesota GM David Kahn has a ghastly reputation, but he deserves credit for making the right call.





4:56: Johnson sporting the first flashy suit of the night. Very stylish. Love it.





4:57: Now the question is, will Ricky Rubio ever come and play with Minnesota?





5:00: With the fifth pick, the Kings select DeMarcus Cousins. Kudos to Sacramento for taking a risk on Cousins, despite his maturity problems. Cousins will have a tremendous NBA career.





5:02: Ok, Golden State, we must take Greg Monroe!!! Please Larry Riley, don't mess this one up.





5:04: I'm very nervous.





5:06: The Warriors select Ekpe Udoh from Baylor. Uhhhh, this is cool, I guess. I really wanted Monroe though.





5:07: However, the fact that he led the Big 12 in blocked shots is an extremely encouraging sign. The W's are in desperate need of a solid defensive presence, so I like this pick after all.





5:08: I apologize to Ekpe Udoh for my initial skepticism, because I really am happy that he is coming to the Warriors. Hopefully Udoh will provide a defensive spark to the offensively minded W's. Welcome to the Bay Area, Ekpe!





5:11: Last Warriors note: I love our new retro logo.





5:13: The Pistons select Greg Monroe from Georgetown. If you've been reading, you know that I love Monroe, best passer in the draft.





5:16: The Clippers are on the clock. Here's hoping they select somebody this year who will actually play next season (Sorry, Blake).





5:18: The Clips take Al-Farouq Aminu out of Wake Forest. Aminu, I think, has a chance to have a more fulfilling career than Blake Griffin when all is said and done. Also, awesome glasses!!!





5:21: Aminu in his interview: "Uhhhhhh, they have some really smart dudes runnin' the team." Ummm, is he talking about the Clippers???



5:24: The Jazz have the number 9 pick thanks to a trade with the Knicks, and they select Butler's Gordon Hayward. Yikes. Look, Hayward had a tremendous college career, and he is indeed a very talented player, but the Jazz are likely to regret this pick.



5:25: Jay Bilas seems high on Hayward though, and I have tremendous respect for Bilas, so here's hoping Hayward proves me wrong.



5:27: I'm telling you, all these teams that are passing on Greivis Vasquez and Ed Davis are missing out on two truly special players.



5:30: The Pacers take Paul George of Fresno State. Don't know too much about him. Eager to hear Bilas' take.



5:32: Based on Bilas' description, I like George for the Pacers. Indiana needs a player with George's wingspan and length to play alongside Danny Granger. But 3 turnovers a game at Fresno State? That has to change if George is to thrive in the NBA.



5:34: Amidst all the Chris Paul rumors, the New Orleans Hornets are on the clock. If I'm the Hornets, I'm taking Patrick Patterson.



5:35: Back to CP3 for a second. The Hornets absolutely must retain Paul if they have any hope of winning in the forseeable future. Paul will go down as one of the greatest point guards ever. He's too good a player to let go.



5:37: Welcome to New Orleans, Cole Aldrich. As Fran Frischilla says, this is a low-risk pick. Aldrich will do nothing extraordinary in the pros, and he certainly won't duplicate the dominance he displayed at Kansas. But in new coach Monty Williams' system, Aldrich will be a productive asset.



5:40: Hold on a moment! First trade alert of the night! If the Hornets send Aldrich to the Thunder, that's a mistake. It is a terrific trade for the Thunder, though. Aldrich would be another excellent young player alongside Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, to name a few.



5:43: Jeff Van Gundy: "Aldrich should be traded if he compares Sharron Collins to Chris Paul." Haha gotta love the great Van Gundy.



5:44: Grizzlies take Kansas' Xavier Henry. Jon Barry: "Guess Rudy Gay is not going back." Or, the Grizzlies could be using Henry as a trade piece. We shall see.



5:46: If you are not moved by the family of Xavier Henry, then you are cold and emotionless.



5:49: The Raptors would be wise to choose a big man, because Chris Bosh already has one foot out the door.



5:50: The New York fans chant, "USA! USA!" as the Raptors pick approaches. I've said it before, I'll say it again: I love the rowdy draft crowd.



5:51: Fantastic pick by Toronto. Ed Davis is going to surprise people in the NBA. He will be great for the Raptors.



5:52: Completely unrelated sidenote: Those rappin' hamster videos are the most annoying thing this side of vuvuzelas.



5:55: Yao Ming back in basketball shape. GREAT news for the Rockets.



5:56: Patrick Patterson becomes the third Kentucky player selected, and we are only at pick 14.



5:57: By adding another terrific defensive player in Patterson, G.M. Daryl Morey has crafted one of the best defensive teams in the league. Most teams would be thrilled to have players with half-as-much defensive prowess as Patterson and Shane Battier.



5:58: Patrick Patterson rooting for Spain in the World Cup?! How can we let a Benedict Arnold like that into the league?!



5:59: Sorry, I will never let Rush Limbaugh touch my computer again.



6:01: Bucks take Larry Sanders, who is not present at Madison Square Garden. I always have high hopes for players that come out of VCU, an exciting and underrated college program. Last year, Eric Maynor was selected by the Jazz, and he had an excellent rookie season with Utah. Here's hoping Larry Sanders thrives playing alongside Brandon Jennings in Milwaukee.



6:05: With their second pick, Minnesota takes Nevada's Luke Babbitt. Solid pick. Man, there is a surprising amount of competent picks tonight. I'm waiting for a Darko Milicic-like disaster to spice things up a bit.



6:07: Right now, the only truly regrettable pick has been the Jazz taking Gordon Hayward. Other than that, I don't have many complaints.



6:10: Chicago on the clock. There is no doubt that aside from Cleveland, Chicago would be the best situation for LeBron. With Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and a couple of marquee free agents, the Bulls would be a legitimate title contender next season.



6:11: Still, I think LeBron should stay in Cleveland.



6:12: Bulls select Kevin Seraphin from France, first foreign player to be drafted tonight. According to Fraschilla's diagnosis, Seraphin reminds me of teammate Joakim Noah. I love Noah, but two Noah's on the same team??

6:13: The Thunder need a big guy. They already have so many talented, athletic guards.

6:15: Oh no, Sam Presti, why would you choose a guard? No disrespect to the very talented Eric Bledsoe, but OKC already has Durant, Green, Westbrook, and Harden! Foolish pick.

6:17: Potential trade would send Luke Babbitt and Ryan Gomes to Portland for Martell Webster. Big win for Minnesota.

6:19: It will be fascinating to see if Doc Rivers and Phil Jackson decide to stay in Boston and L.A. My money says both men leave.

6:22: So point guards really do exist, after all. Welcome to Boston, Avery Bradley.

6:25: James Anderson a smart pick by the Spurs. He'll be a solid backup, and a future heir, to Tony Parker for Gregg Popovich's team.

6:27: So my outrage over the Bledsoe pick for OKC may have been unwarranted. Bledsoe may be traded to the Clippers.

6:29: Craig Brackens is the big guy that New Orleans needs. Good pick.

6:32: Now that Portland is on the clock, let me just say that the Blazers were mindblowingly stupid in firing the terrific G.M. Kevin Pritchard.

6:35: If I'm Pritchard, I'm purposefully making a horrible pick just to stick it to the Blazers, as this is Pritchard's final night.

6:37: The Blazers should be ashamed of themselves for firing Pritchard.

6:41: Trevor Booker becomes the first senior selected tonight. G.M. David Kahn is surprisingly sane tonight.

6:42: Greivis Vasquez is still available. He is going to be a terrific pro, I'm telling you!

6:44: The Hawks take Damian James from Texas. Ferocious rebounder; should be nice fit alongside Al Horford and Zaza Pechulia in the paint for Atlanta.

6:46: Booker traded to Washington for draft picks.

6:50: Funniest shot of the night: Grizzlies fan mouthing, "I don't know who that is", in response to Memphis' selection of Dominic Jones. Priceless.

6:55: Second funniest shot of the night: Kevin Durant responding with a blank stare when the Thunder draft Washington's Quincy Pondexter.

6:58: The Nets are on the clock. Something tells me Mikhail Prokhorov is celebrating with gorgeous women and lots of money. Man I love that guy.

7:00: Looks like you should disregard my comment about Damian James fitting in nicely with Horford and Pechulia in Atlanta. Proposed trade would send James to New Jersey in exchange for Jordan Crawford. Don't really like that trade for either team.

7:06: Greivis Vasquez!!! Yes! Kudos to the Grizz. They will not regret it.

7:12: How about we just make the Kentucky Wildcats a new NBA team. Wow.

7:17: With the last pick of the first round, the Wizards select Lazar Hayward. Even more amusing, I love David Stern's bemused reaction to the raucous crowd. I love the NBA Draft.

Ok ladies and gentleman, that's all I have for this evening. If any major developments occur in the second round, I'll be sure to share my thoughts in the morning. But right now, I'm just going to sit back, relax, and enjoy the infamous Adam Silver serve as emcee to the second round. Good night everybody!

Isner-Mahut: Epic Classic at Wimbledon

As I write this, the longest match in tennis history is still going on, as the fifth set alone approaches its seventh hour. John Isner, the freakishly tall and lanky American, and Frenchman Nicolas Mahut, are locked in a 50-50 fifth-set tie. Let me repeat that: 50-50. FIFTY-FIFTY!!!!! And we thought the 16-14 fifth set between Roger Federer and Andy Roddick in last year's Wimbledon final was long.

This instant classic at Wimbledon is a reminder of why tennis is such a beautiful, thrilling sport. No sport provides a tougher test of mental and physical fortitude. Isner and Mahut have been engaged in a game of anything you can do I can do better for nearly seven hours now, and neither has taken an extended break of any kind. No bathroom breaks, no breaks to heal any injuries with a trainer, nothing. Isner and Mahut have to be experiencing unprecedented exhaustion, yet they continue to persevere. This, ladies and gentlemen, is awesome drama.

In all likelihood, we will never see anything like this ever again, in any sport. Call me crazy, but I don't think we'll be seeing any 55-inning games in baseball any time soon. So while sports fans are often accused of being prisoners of the moment, it is impossible to exaggerate the historical significance of this Wimbledon battle. Now if you would excuse me, I need to go regain my breath.

McDowell, Kobe, Jimenez, 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:

---Congratulations to your 2010 U.S. Open Champion, Graeme McDowell. The Irishman became the first European in 40 years to win the U.S. Open. And as he himself referenced, Ireland celebrated by collectively downing pint after pint.

---On a day in which virtually nobody played well, McDowell exhibited remarkable poise and composure, remaining unflappable even in the face of his own struggles. The same cannot be said of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Dustin Johnson.

---After playing stellar golf on the back nine on Saturday to put himself in contention, Tiger was a disaster at Pebble Beach on Sunday. If Tiger doesn't win or come damn close to winning the British Open next month, the doubts will only grow louder as to whether Tiger has what it takes to surpass Jack Nicklaus' record. Phil Mickelson, meanwhile, faltered in yet another U.S. Open final round, and he is still searching for his first U.S. Open championship. And then there was Dustin Johnson. Oh Dustin.

---I don't want to beat up on Dustin too much, because he really did play outstanding golf in the first three rounds. But his collapse on Sunday was historically, epically awful. Somewhere, Jean Van De Velde was squirming.

---Back to Tiger for a moment, though. One positive aspect of Tiger's performance is that he seems to have adopted a more cordial, gracious attitude toward the fans, and that is a beautiful thing to see.

---On to basketball now, where the Los Angeles Lakers are your 2010 NBA Champions after beating the Boston Celtics in a thrilling, 7-game series. Loyal readers know that I hate the Lakers. But let me put my personal biases aside for a moment, and try to properly assess the historical significance of the Lakers' win.

---With his fifth championship, Kobe Bryant is undeniably one of the five greatest players in NBA history. With this championship, Kobe has surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabaar and Shaquille O'Neal on the all-time Lakers list. However, he still does not possess the title of Greatest Laker Ever. Nobody will ever surpass the great Magic Johnson in that regard.

---I will be vacationing in Los Angeles next week, and while I love visiting L.A., the site of the Lakers championship banners is going to sickening. Ugh.

---Shameless personal plug: The NBA Draft is on Thursday night, and TJB's Sports Universe is the place to be. I will be live-blogging the draft, so please stop by to see what I have to say!

---On to baseball now, where the year of the pitcher continues. Amidst the sea of superb pitchers, one stands out: Ubaldo Jiminez. Jimenez is off to a historically great start, and the NL Cy Young race is essentially over already.

---We keep waiting for them to pick up the pace, but as of now, the Philadelphia Phillies are a mediocre baseball team. With the Braves showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon, and the Mets playing solid baseball, Philly could be in major trouble, especially if Roy Halladay continues to lose.

---Shameless personal plug alert number 2: Wimbledon starts today, and I am so stoked. Tune in to this blog over the course of the next two weeks for coverage of one of sports' most elegant events.

---And finally, I will end with a comment on the Tim Donaghy of the World Cup, Koman Coulibaly. It's one thing for a ref to make an egregious call. Bad calls happen. But when that ref refuses to offer even the slightest semblance of an explanation as to why he made that call, a call that altered the outcome of an important World Cup game, then that is a major problem. Team U.S.A. got screwed.