<TBODY _yuid="yui_3_1_1_9_1308247529682268"><TR _yuid="yui_3_1_1_9_1308247529682267"><TD style="FONT-FAMILY: arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt" id=yiv1456296432drftMsgContent _yuid="yui_3_1_1_3_1308247529682274">Dallas did it right. Unlike their fellow finalists, the Mavericks waited until after they won the NBA title before holding their championship celebration.
A crowd of 10,000-plus season-ticket holders on Thursday were treated to a classy ceremony inside American Airlines Center. Dallas owner Mark Cuban toasted his 15-man team that played selfless basketball and displayed excellent sportsmanship.
Credit goes to Dallas executive Donnie Nelson, President of Basketball Operations, for surrounding 13-year veteran Dirk Nowitzki with teammates possessing the skill sets necessary to win an NBA championship. Defensive anchor Tyson Chandler and little-known pest J.J. Barea, the tallest and smallest players on the Mavs' roster, served as key pieces to the title run, players for which the Miami Heat had no answer.
The indoor party followed an outdoor parade that weaved through the streets of downtown Dallas. An estimated crowd of 250,000 fans endured temperatures in the 90's to see a glimpse of the players who brought the NBA city its first title in the 31-year history of the Mavericks.
The Mavs were not only the NBA champs, but also the "pointspread kings" of the 2011 postseason. Dallas finished the playoffs an amazing 16-4-1 against the spread.
Miami, the oldest team in the league, has a lot to learn both on and off the court. Similar to the presumptuous "Presentation Party" last July, the early celebration of a 15-point lead in Game 2 of the NBA Finals proved premature and immature.
HOCKEY HOEDOWN.....Tomorrow, the city of Boston will follow the Dallas script when it honors the newly-minted Stanley Cup champion Bruins with a parade of their own. This is old hat for Boston sports fans who are set to witness their seventh parade over the past nine years, celebrating sports championships in all four major sports (three for the Patriots, two for the Red Sox and the latest one for the Celtics in 2008).
However, this is new ground for the latest generation of hockey fans in Boston. Not since 1972, in the days when hockey legends Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr roamed the historic Garden, have Boston hockey fans celebrated a Stanley Cup title.
Saturday's loudest ovation will be reserved for Boston goaltender Tim Thomas, the Conn Smythe trophy winner who became only the second American in a league dominated by Canadians (Brian Leetch was the other) to win the NHL award presented to the top performer of the entire postseason.
MY BAILIWICK.....For the 15th consecutive season, I'm following the WNBA on a nightly basis. Slightly more than ten percent of the regular season is complete after 21 of 204 games have been played. I'm 1-4 against the spread with EOG selections and 2-5 out of pocket. I'm optimistic things will change for the better/bettor and soon you'll read my three WNBA selections from tonight's attractive card.
After previewing the six Western Conference teams last Monday, here's a thumbnail sketch of the half-dozen Eastern Conference clubs in what shapes up as a highly-competitive race for the conference title (teams are listed in projected order of finish):
INDIANA.....Any team with Tamika Catchings is going to play hard every night. The Fever play aggressive defense without fouling, a secret to success at any level of basketball. Indiana has committed only 55 fouls in four games (13.75 per game), fewest in the WNBA. I like the addition of sleek forward Tangela Smith to the starting five.
CONNECTICUT.....Mike Thibault rarely gets outcoached. Love the way his team shares the basketball. Point guard Renee Montgomery is small, but tough-minded. The Sun is the deepest team in the WNBA. Lots of crafty role players.
ATLANTA.....Guards Harding, Castro Marques and Lehning are soft, but versatile superstar Angel McCoughtry covers for their defeciencies. The defending Eastern Conference champion Dream (EOG contributor Mammon last year predicted a breakout season for the Atlanta franchise) opened the season by blowing second-half leads in three of their first four games. McCoughtry missed two of the three losses with a sprained knee. She's back now, but she's not quite one hundred percent.
CHICAGO.....Look for the Sky to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. New coach and general manager Pokey Chatman was a shrewd hire. Chatman coached Sylvia Fowles at LSU and also coached Epiphanny Prince in the Euroleague. Fowles is the best post defender in the league and Prince is one of the WNBA's best at creating scoring opportunities late in the shot clock.
NEW YORK.....I like the hire of new head coach John Whisenant. The defensive-minded coach led Sacramento to a WNBA title in 2005. Don't be surprised, though, if Whisenant and team leader Cappie Pondexter clash over philosophies. Pondexter's shot selection is questionable at best and Whisenant will attempt to limit her freedom. Just like the real world, divas are always difficult to manage or maintain.
WASHINGTON.....The Mystics miss Alana Beard and Monique Curry. Both starters are sidelined by injury. Little or no hope for this poorly-coached team that fails to take care of the basketball and refuses to defend the rim or the paint.
FRIDAY'S BEST BETS.....Play Minnesota -4.5 over Atlanta (let's trust the open-court skills of Augustus and Moore), play Chicago -4 over New York (the Sky is a new and improved team; rookie Vandersloot's long-range shooting skills and the mere threat of her three-point shot frees the middle for Fowles to operate) and play Indiana +7 over Seattle (the hard-trying Fever will relish the opportunity to measure themselves against the defending WNBA champs).
GOLF PREDICTIONS.....Barry Holthaus, my broadcast partner on EOG's Internet radio show titled "Winning Wednesdays," recommended a pair of head-to-head matchups for the U.S. Open this weekend at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland. Holthaus, a former high school golf champion and accomplished golf handicapper, felt Luke Donald offered value at -145 over Phil Mickelson. Holthaus also liked Steve Stricker at -120 over Hunter Mahan.
Arturo O'Connor, better known in Forumville as "Viejo Dinosaur," went on record with his top five finishers for the 2011 U.S. Open. "Viejo," who plays golf four times a week and sports a 13-handicap, thought Phil Mickelson at odds of 14-1 (price secured from a local in Philly) was the tournament's best bet. Arturo's top five finishers looked like this: Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, Nick Watney, Hunter Mahan and Dustin Johnson.
You can access at your convenience last Wednesday's one-hour podcast devoted to sports and sports gambling at www.vegasallnetradio.com. Next week's guest is whormoan, a respected handicapper and gambler who rarely makes a move without having the best of it.
COMING MONDAY.....A question-and-answer session with EOG's head moderator King Revolver as he previews the upcoming Wimbledon tournament set to begin June 20.
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A crowd of 10,000-plus season-ticket holders on Thursday were treated to a classy ceremony inside American Airlines Center. Dallas owner Mark Cuban toasted his 15-man team that played selfless basketball and displayed excellent sportsmanship.
Credit goes to Dallas executive Donnie Nelson, President of Basketball Operations, for surrounding 13-year veteran Dirk Nowitzki with teammates possessing the skill sets necessary to win an NBA championship. Defensive anchor Tyson Chandler and little-known pest J.J. Barea, the tallest and smallest players on the Mavs' roster, served as key pieces to the title run, players for which the Miami Heat had no answer.
The indoor party followed an outdoor parade that weaved through the streets of downtown Dallas. An estimated crowd of 250,000 fans endured temperatures in the 90's to see a glimpse of the players who brought the NBA city its first title in the 31-year history of the Mavericks.
The Mavs were not only the NBA champs, but also the "pointspread kings" of the 2011 postseason. Dallas finished the playoffs an amazing 16-4-1 against the spread.
Miami, the oldest team in the league, has a lot to learn both on and off the court. Similar to the presumptuous "Presentation Party" last July, the early celebration of a 15-point lead in Game 2 of the NBA Finals proved premature and immature.
HOCKEY HOEDOWN.....Tomorrow, the city of Boston will follow the Dallas script when it honors the newly-minted Stanley Cup champion Bruins with a parade of their own. This is old hat for Boston sports fans who are set to witness their seventh parade over the past nine years, celebrating sports championships in all four major sports (three for the Patriots, two for the Red Sox and the latest one for the Celtics in 2008).
However, this is new ground for the latest generation of hockey fans in Boston. Not since 1972, in the days when hockey legends Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr roamed the historic Garden, have Boston hockey fans celebrated a Stanley Cup title.
Saturday's loudest ovation will be reserved for Boston goaltender Tim Thomas, the Conn Smythe trophy winner who became only the second American in a league dominated by Canadians (Brian Leetch was the other) to win the NHL award presented to the top performer of the entire postseason.
MY BAILIWICK.....For the 15th consecutive season, I'm following the WNBA on a nightly basis. Slightly more than ten percent of the regular season is complete after 21 of 204 games have been played. I'm 1-4 against the spread with EOG selections and 2-5 out of pocket. I'm optimistic things will change for the better/bettor and soon you'll read my three WNBA selections from tonight's attractive card.
After previewing the six Western Conference teams last Monday, here's a thumbnail sketch of the half-dozen Eastern Conference clubs in what shapes up as a highly-competitive race for the conference title (teams are listed in projected order of finish):
INDIANA.....Any team with Tamika Catchings is going to play hard every night. The Fever play aggressive defense without fouling, a secret to success at any level of basketball. Indiana has committed only 55 fouls in four games (13.75 per game), fewest in the WNBA. I like the addition of sleek forward Tangela Smith to the starting five.
CONNECTICUT.....Mike Thibault rarely gets outcoached. Love the way his team shares the basketball. Point guard Renee Montgomery is small, but tough-minded. The Sun is the deepest team in the WNBA. Lots of crafty role players.
ATLANTA.....Guards Harding, Castro Marques and Lehning are soft, but versatile superstar Angel McCoughtry covers for their defeciencies. The defending Eastern Conference champion Dream (EOG contributor Mammon last year predicted a breakout season for the Atlanta franchise) opened the season by blowing second-half leads in three of their first four games. McCoughtry missed two of the three losses with a sprained knee. She's back now, but she's not quite one hundred percent.
CHICAGO.....Look for the Sky to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. New coach and general manager Pokey Chatman was a shrewd hire. Chatman coached Sylvia Fowles at LSU and also coached Epiphanny Prince in the Euroleague. Fowles is the best post defender in the league and Prince is one of the WNBA's best at creating scoring opportunities late in the shot clock.
NEW YORK.....I like the hire of new head coach John Whisenant. The defensive-minded coach led Sacramento to a WNBA title in 2005. Don't be surprised, though, if Whisenant and team leader Cappie Pondexter clash over philosophies. Pondexter's shot selection is questionable at best and Whisenant will attempt to limit her freedom. Just like the real world, divas are always difficult to manage or maintain.
WASHINGTON.....The Mystics miss Alana Beard and Monique Curry. Both starters are sidelined by injury. Little or no hope for this poorly-coached team that fails to take care of the basketball and refuses to defend the rim or the paint.
FRIDAY'S BEST BETS.....Play Minnesota -4.5 over Atlanta (let's trust the open-court skills of Augustus and Moore), play Chicago -4 over New York (the Sky is a new and improved team; rookie Vandersloot's long-range shooting skills and the mere threat of her three-point shot frees the middle for Fowles to operate) and play Indiana +7 over Seattle (the hard-trying Fever will relish the opportunity to measure themselves against the defending WNBA champs).
GOLF PREDICTIONS.....Barry Holthaus, my broadcast partner on EOG's Internet radio show titled "Winning Wednesdays," recommended a pair of head-to-head matchups for the U.S. Open this weekend at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland. Holthaus, a former high school golf champion and accomplished golf handicapper, felt Luke Donald offered value at -145 over Phil Mickelson. Holthaus also liked Steve Stricker at -120 over Hunter Mahan.
Arturo O'Connor, better known in Forumville as "Viejo Dinosaur," went on record with his top five finishers for the 2011 U.S. Open. "Viejo," who plays golf four times a week and sports a 13-handicap, thought Phil Mickelson at odds of 14-1 (price secured from a local in Philly) was the tournament's best bet. Arturo's top five finishers looked like this: Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, Nick Watney, Hunter Mahan and Dustin Johnson.
You can access at your convenience last Wednesday's one-hour podcast devoted to sports and sports gambling at www.vegasallnetradio.com. Next week's guest is whormoan, a respected handicapper and gambler who rarely makes a move without having the best of it.
COMING MONDAY.....A question-and-answer session with EOG's head moderator King Revolver as he previews the upcoming Wimbledon tournament set to begin June 20.
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