Midseason Report: The National League

     This year has made for some intriguing baseball. There have been plenty of fun storylines to go around in baseball and this year plans on being one of the best seasons in history. We've already reached the midway point of the 2013 season, so it's time to take a look at how each team has done so far and what's to come. Let's start off with the National League.

NL East: Dubbed as being one of the weakest divisions in baseball during the season, the NL East has been a one-team show consisting of just the Atlanta Braves. Pitching is also the name of the game in this division. At the current rate, it seems to likely stay that way even if Bryce Harper returns for the Nationals.

1. Atlanta Braves: The Braves started off the season 12-1 thanks to Justin Upton. They've maintained their stranglehold on the NL East thanks to their bullpen, which has the best ERA in the MLB at 2.70, and their rotation, which has the 4th-best ERA in baseball at 3.42. Fun fact for you: no Braves pitcher has thrown a complete game this year. Anyways, this division is Atlanta's to lose if their pitching holds up. Also, good news for Braves fans: "El Oso Blanco" Evan Gattis is eligible to return to the lineup on July 3rd. Must Fix: The Bravos' lineup must cut back on the strikeouts. Only Houston (749 SO to Atlanta's 716) has whiffed more at the plate than the Braves. The Upton brothers have combined for a whopping 177 SO this season.
2. Washington Nationals: The Nats mainly have Jordan Zimmermann (11-3, 2.28 ERA, 0.92 WHIP) to thank for keeping them above .500 at this point and their playoff hopes aren't looking all that bright. The club is 29th in runs scored with 282 runs this year. Even when Bryce Harper returns, he can't be the only bat carrying the lineup. Must Fix: The Nats have Jayson Werth back and are getting Harper back very soon, so their lineup needs to start producing. Otherwise, Washington's playoff hopes will hit a wall.
3. Philadelphia Phillies: Left fielder Domonic Brown (.866 OPS, 21 HR, 57 RBI) has been a pleasant surprise for the Phils this year and second baseman Chase Utley (.284, 11 HR, 30 RBI) has bounced back. In the rotation, ace Cliff Lee (9-2, 2.59 ERA, 115 SO, 0.97 WHIP) has been solid along with Kyle Kendrick (7-4, 3.46 ERA). If Cole Hamels (2-11, 4.58 ERA) can turn it around, then this club could make some noise. Must Fix: Philly's bullpen ranks 29th in ERA at 4.56 and is 28th in opponent's BA at .268. Jonathan Papelbon (15 saves, 2.05 ERA, 27 SO in 30.2 IP, 0.88 WHIP) has been as good as advertised, but the set-up men have been lackluster. If the Phillies are in contention by late July, they should look into trading for some arms in the bullpen, namely White Sox RP Jesse Crain (0.74 ERA, 19 holds, 46 SO in 36.2 IP).
4. New York Mets: Behind the stellar young arm of Matt Harvey (7-1, 2.00 ERA, 132 SO, 0.85 WHIP), the Mets have become very optimistic about their future. On the hitting side, Third baseman David Wright (.304, 12 HR, 41 RBI, 14 SB) has been stellar. Must Fix: New York needs to not only build a rotation around Harvey, but build a lineup around Wright. The Mets are dead last in team BA at .230 and 28th in OBP at .296. The Mets also need to get their bullpen fixed.
5. Miami Marlins: One positive note for the Fins is that they're 7-3 in their last ten games. Jose Fernandez (4-4, 2.98 ERA, 84 SO) has been a nice surprise for Miami with his slider and Jacob Turner (1.76 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 27 SO) has looked solid in his six starts this season. But knowing how this franchise is run, these players will be on the trading block in the future. Must Fix: Everything else. Oh, and Giancarlo Stanton turning it around helps as well.

NL Central: What appeared to be a two-team race between St. Louis and Cincinnati before the season began has turned out to be one of the toughest divisions in baseball. The best record in baseball at 50-34 belongs to the Pittsburgh Pirates (!!!!), while the Reds and Cardinals have not disappointed. With the way that the other two divisions in the NL are playing right now, the NL Central could very well take both wild card spots in the National League.

1. Pittsburgh Pirates: Ladies and gentlemen, the team with the best record in baseball right now. No, your eyes aren't deceiving you. The Pittsburgh Pirates are number one in the MLB right now. Their rotation has thrown twelve shutouts this year while holding opponents to a .232 BA, tops in baseball. They also currently have one of the better closers in the game in Jason Grilli (27 saves, 1.72 ERA, 59 SO in 36.2 IP, 0.85 WHIP) right now. They also have base-stealing threats in Andrew McCutchen (16 SB) and Starling Marte (22 SB). Must Fix: While the Pirates do have a couple of bag swipers, their offensive production is their weak spot. The Bucs are 5th in the MLB in strikeouts at 674 and McCutchen (.293, 9 HR, 41 RBI) and Marte (.287, 26 RBI) are the only bats in the lineup that are batting above .280. This could be a problem for Pittsburgh if their pitching collapses in the second half.
2. St. Louis Cardinals: The Cards boast the best rotation in the majors with the likes of Adam Wainwright (11-5, 2.22 ERA, 114 SO, 0.99 WHIP), Shelby Miller (8-6, 2.79 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 101 SO), and Lance Lynn (10-2, 3.52 ERA, 98 SO, 1.16 WHIP). The St. Louis lineup has been just as impressive; the Cardinals have four players (Yadier Molina, Carlos Beltran, Allen Craig, and Matt Carpenter) hitting above .300 right now. They're even outstanding fielders, committing only 31 errors this season. Must Fix: There really isn't much to fix for St. Louis aside from some bullpen help.
3. Cincinnati Reds: Hitting for a good average doesn't really matter to a good majority of this lineup. First baseman Joey Votto (.326, 14 HR, 38 RBI) is the only Red hitting above .300, yet second baseman Brandon Phillips (.268, 11 HR, 61 RBI), right fielder Jay Bruce (.278, 18 HR, 56 RBI), and center fielder Shin-Soo Choo (.268, 12 HR, 28 RBI, .418 OBP) have all been productive for the Reds' lineup. Keep in mind that the Reds are tied for 3rd in the majors in BB with 291 walks. Cincinnati also has the 3rd-best ERA for starting pitching in the majors at 3.34 while having 506 IP. That's all thanks to the one-two punch of Mat Latos (7-2, 3.03 ERA, 103 SO) and Mike Leake (7-3, 2.52 ERA). Must Fix: The Reds are batting .199 from the catcher position this year with only 5 HR and 29 RBI. There aren't many catchers on the trade market, but the best fit would have to be Milwaukee's Jonathan Lucroy (.268, 8 HR, 42 RBI). 
4. Milwaukee Brewers: Losing Ryan Braun to a thumb injury hurts and it's shown in the last four to five games for the Brew Crew. They're 8th in baseball in batting average at .260, yet they're 21st in runs scored with 316 runs. Braun's presence in the lineup is greatly missed. Must Fix: Again, this lineup isn't the same without Braun in it, especially with runners in scoring position and two outs. The Brewers have only scored 76 runs in this situation, ahead of just Seattle (66 runs).
5. Chicago Cubs: Things are looking up for Cubs fans as their pitching not only has the eighth-best WHIP in baseball (1.24), but also the fifth-best opponent's BA (.243). Travis Wood (2.85 ERA, 1.00 WHIP), Jeff Samardzija (3.34 ERA, 123 SO), and Scott Feldman (7-6, 3.46 ERA, 1.14 WHIP) have all made Theo Epstein look like the genius that he is. Must Fix: They've already fixed their Carlos Marmol problem, who has accounted for three of the Cubs' 16 blown saves this season. Just save the lead when it matters the most.

NL West: This division has been the most topsy-turvy division in baseball this season. San Francisco and Los Angeles have fallen to the bottom of the division while Colorado and San Diego are in 2nd and 3rd place respectively. Somebody's going to win this division, but it looks like a down year for the NL West.

1. Arizona Diamondbacks: The D-Backs are in first place thanks to the likes of Paul Goldschmidt. The first baseman is having an MVP-caliber season batting .306 while hitting 19 home runs and 67 RBIs. What's more impressive is that the team has gone 85 games without being shutout. Arizona's also a great fielding team, having only committed 36 errors on the season with a .988 fielding percentage. Must Fix: Arizona's 4.17 starter ERA is actually very deceiving. Patrick Corbin (9-0, 2.22 ERA, 85 SO, 1.00 WHIP) has been the Diamondbacks' best starter hands down. Philadelphia's Cliff Lee might be a bit of a reach, but Houston's Bud Norris (3.35 ERA, 71 SO) is a good option as is Milwaukee's Kyle Lohse.
2. San Diego Padres: Shortstop Everth Cabrera (.305, 31 SB, .382 OBP) has been a great catalyst for this surprising ballclub. He has a good chance of making it to Citi Field for the All-Star Game in a few weeks. The Padres (69 SB) have the most stolen bases in baseball as a result of Cabrera. Their bullpen also has some great arms with the likes of Luke Gregorson (2.60 ERA, 12 holds, 1.01 WHIP) and Dale Thayer (3.44 ERA, 14 holds, 0.98 WHIP). Must Fix: This is a young ballclub that just needs time to develop. They won't make the postseason this year, but they'll be a contender in a few years. They have one of the best farm systems in baseball right now, so they have a bright future ahead of them.
3. Colorado Rockies: Colorado has also been a pleasant surprise thanks to the likes of left fielder Carlos Gonzalez (.296, 22 HR, 60 RBI, 15 SB) and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (.347, 16 HR, 51 RBI, .413 OBP). Right fielder Michael Cuddyer also has a 27-game hitting streak for the 6th-best offense in baseball. As a matter of fact, this team's fifth in the majors in stolen bases with 62. Must Fix: They need Tulowitzki to come back from his rib injury and return to the same form that he's had for much of the season. They could sneak into the playoffs as long as Tulowitzki continues to produce for the Rockies.
4. San Francisco Giants: The defending champs have underwhelmed this season, sitting three games under .500 and going 2-8 in their last ten games. Catcher and reigning MVP Buster Posey (.322, 12 HR, 48 RBI) has been good as advertised, but the rotation hasn't. Madison Bumgarner (8-5, 3.08 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 107 SO) has been the best pitcher on this staff this year, but Matt Cain (5-4, 4.29 ERA, 101 SO, 1.07 WHIP) is starting to come around. Must Fix: This team won the 2012 World Series on the backs of Cain, Bumgarner, Ryan Vogelsong (2-4, 7.19 ERA, 40 SO in 2013), and Barry Zito (4-6, 4.53 ERA, 1.70 WHIP, 59 SO this year). What's more is that former Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum (10-15, 5.18 ERA, -2.0 WAR last year) had a terrible season in 2012 and this year is no different. Lincecum's 4-8 with a 4.64 ERA and a WAR of -1.0. Vogelsong's been out with an injured pinky and Zito and Cain have underperformed. In short, the staff must find their groove.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers: Yasiel Puig (.436, 7 HR, 16 RBI, .467 OBP in 101 AB) is this year's Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw (2.08 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 118 SO) and Hyun-Jin Ryu (6-3, 2.83 ERA, 87 SO) have been one of the best one-two combos in baseball. So why are the Dodgers in last place? They've been hampered by injuries to the likes of Carl Crawford, Matt Kemp, and Ted Lilly. They've also been unable to score runs, for they're 28th in the MLB in runs scored with 288. Must Fix: Los Angeles needs to avoid any more injuries and they need to get healthy as soon as possible. Considering that the rest of the NL West is down, the Dodgers just might be within shouting distance of 1st place by the All-Star Break..

Revised Predictions

• NL East Champ: Atlanta Braves. Unless Washington (Or Philly) finds some offense and catch fire or the Braves collapse, then this division is Atlanta's to lose.
• NL Central Champ: St. Louis Cardinals. Perhaps the most complete team in the National League.
• NL West Champ: Los Angeles Dodgers. Many ifs, however. If Puig keeps tearing up the league, if Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier return to his All-Star forms, and if Hanley Ramirez continues his offensive production (to name a few), then the Dodgers will make a run. This division is currently up for grabs, so it could also be Arizona, San Francisco, or even Colorado.
• NL Wild Cards: Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates. The Reds are balanced and the Pirates are here to stay thanks to their pitching.

Some Pet Peeves That I Have

     There's always a certain thing that annoys some people. That's what is called a 'pet peeve'. Everyone has a nuisance that torments them to no end, whether it be from someone cracking their knuckles, someone's personal hygiene, or leaving the lid on the toilet seat up. Allow me to share with you some habits that bug me.

• First pet peeve of mine is when I was working at Wendy's and there was always some obese person ordering two Baconator meals with medium/large fries, five Jr. Bacon Cheeseburgers, and at least two Bacon Deluxes. These usually amounted to $40+ orders and it took us a LOOOOOOOOONG time to prepare all of the time. As a result, it would cause a long line of cars to follow if we didn't pull the person. Almost 100% of the time, these people with the $40+ orders were really obese. In other words, people who don't have any sense of frugality or living a healthier lifestyle with these shenanigans drive me nuts. Usually, $15-$39 orders would annoy me quite a bit. But when it gets to more than $40, then I lose more faith in humanity than usual. Unfortunately, I can't control what choices they can make so it drives me even more insane.
• Another pet peeve of mine is one that some of you know that I have. It's when people feel the need to go 10+ MPH over the speed limit on the road. Usually it's some douche that's in his Ford Mustang GT, a senior citizen, a frumpy soccer mom in a mini-van, or an idiot on their cellphone texting or talking. 
• One pet peeve that I have is when people talk to me about things that I care about... For long periods of time. Sorry, but I don't have time for your useless banter. I don't care about your speaking classes or what life was like back in your day (Apparently, I'm the one with Autism). If it's not important, then I don't care. So shut up if you don't have anything critical to say.
• My final pet peeve is when people sound like they're from the movie Fargo. Nothing more repulsive than someone who sounds like they came from British Columbia. Here's a good example of what I mean:

 

This accent is also a big turn-off if any chick talks with it.

     

     So there you have it. Those are my pet peeves and they may or may not be yours. I hope that I didn't unleash a pet peeve of yours!

Quick Notes: June 24, 2013

     Here are some quick notes of the events that happened within the past week or two:

• The Boston Celtics traded head coach Doc Rivers to the Los Angeles Clippers for a 2015 1st-round pick. The Clippers will sign Rivers to a three-year deal worth $21 million. This marks the first time that the Clippers have had a better head coach than the Lakers.
• Wimbledon is just underway and there's already a major upset. Rafael Nadal lost in 3 straight sets to unranked Belgian Steve Darcis in the 1st round. In other words, good news for Roger Federer.
• The Miami Heat defeated the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 by the score of 95-88 to win back-to-back NBA titles. LeBron James was named the NBA Finals MVP for a second time. And yes, most Heat fans actually stayed for the full 48 minutes of the game.
• Police have issued an arrest warrant for New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez after an acquaintance of his was murdered on last week. Police also searched his home after it had been discovered that Hernandez had destroyed his home surveillance system. But on to a brighter story in Beantown...
• The Stanley Cup Finals are going on and they haven't disappointed. Not only is this an Original Six matchup, but three of the five games played so far have gone into overtime (Including a 3-OT Game 1 thriller). Speaking of Game 1, it averaged 6.358 million viewers for that game, the most to watch Game 1 of a Stanley Cup Final since 1997. If you're not watching this, then you're missing out.

Shit Sports Fans Say

     So I've been cruising around some online sports forums and I couldn't help but notice some of the unique and creative commentary on the forums. So I'm going to share with you some of the more innovative comments left on these sites. I must warn you: Some of these comments can be offensive to certain denominations.

• I really want to throw some girls down a stairway  
  -Lance stephenson
• I have never seen so many virgins in one place in my life.
• If Amare Stoudemire were a horse, he's be shot already.
   
• ~~~~~~~~~~~~_¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦_¦¦____¦¦ 
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  ~~~~~~_¦¦¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¦ 
  ~~~__¦¦¦¦ Cargo: Fail Whale
  ___¦¦¦¦¦¦ Destination: New York 
  ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦_________________________¦ 
  ¯(@)¯¯¯¯¯¯¯(@)(@)¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯(@)(@)¯¯?
• Never understood why Rihanna dated JR. The Knicks never beat anyone.
• If george hill doesnt play... can i eat his pregame meal?
  --melo
• blaming other people for your failure is a female trait
• So Lebron walks into a bar. And the bar gets called for a foul by Joey Crawford.
• Melo got out of the first round, his legacy is now complete. 
• "I pulled a piece of belly fat from myself, and then Raymond Felton was born"
  -Carmelo Anthony
• LaLa's side boyfriends > Melo's assist total
• Woodson is racist, no white boys allowed on the court
• Golden State Warriors Lineup Just Announced
  PG Joey Crawford
  SG Joey Crawford
  SF Joey Crawford
  PF Joey Crawford
  C Joey Crawford
  Coach: Joey Crawford
• Regardless of who comes out of the West.....the Lakers still got swept. Again.
• I have inside information that LeBron traveled.
  -Mark Jackson
• I want Shaq to ridicule Kendrick Perkins into retirement
• Order of life:
  1. Humans
  2. Animals
  3. Plants
  4. Inanimate objects
  5. Heat fans
• What if I told you about the disappearance of 10 Heat fans en route to Cuba.
  -ESPN 30 for 30
• Sorry Melo we ran out of chicken
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• death from fire ants>watching nascar
• RACHEL NICHOLS LOVES BBC
• What if I told you Heat fans cheated in ESL classes?
  -ESPN 30 for 30.
• Im guessing rachel nichols gets passed around nba lockerooms like water bottles
• I'd give Rachel Nichols the D
• Lets just all agree on one thing. That every one of us absolutely despise the heat.
• WHERE DOES Z-BO EAT?......AT PERKINS
  
  ¯      __  _¦¦¦_ ..... Grizzlies 
  _¯¯¯_   _¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¯ 
  ¦    ¦  _¦¦¦¦¦¦  ¦¯ 
  ¦    ¦  ¯¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦_ 
  ¯_   ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¦¯¯¦¦¯ 
    ¦  Thunder __¯   ¦¦¯ 
  ¦_______¦    ¦¦¦__  
• OKC's 2 biggest attractions. Thunder games and the "Now Leaving Oklahoma City" sign  
• Durant used to star in those "feed the children" commercials. He was the one with the fly on his eye.
• KD bench presses cheetos. 
• David Stern should be forced to be the Pelicans mascot.
• PATRICK BEVERLEY Needs to be printed on Grizzlies next t-shirts
• The last black person in OKC
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• BREAKING: D Rose just announced he will be available for game 7
• Angelina Jolie's new bra has more support than Durant.
• Durant will have plenty of time to help that Asian lady around the house.
• That Asian woman wants Marc Gasol to clean her gutters instead.
• "WHAT IF I TOLD YOU A BLUE TOWEL COULD SCORE 4 POINTS IN A NBA GAME"
  ESPN 30 FOR 30
• NatitudeNLeastBEAST11 was the the first child ever concieved by fertilizing an egg with the DNA extracted from his mother's mouth.
  That's all for me. Tip your bartenders and waitresses. Good night.
• When LBJ farts, all the Heat players run over to catch a whiff
• How many feminists does it take to change a light bulb?
  11.
  One to change the light bulb and 10 to start the "Victims of Darkness" support group.
• Biff Maple LOTS OF WOMEN WANT TO BREED WITH ME
  Tell your mom "no means no" (cause she won't listen to me anymore)
• Bandwaggoners - just rub one out and take a nap
• I've been using a website called sports betting ripoff. I lost my life savings in 60 days. My wife left me, and my house is going into foreclosure. You can find the same results by flushing your money down the toilet.  
• Gentleman I have a confession..me and Island Genius spent the night cuddling...he's a really good listener 
• LOL at Russian Rocket.
• spaulj's favorite color is blew. 
• Keep Calm and Bergeron!    

 

 

Watch This: Young Singing Phenoms

     The 2013 NBA Finals introduced us to some bright young singers. Behold 12-year old Julia Dale and 10-year old Sebastian De la Cruz. Dale sung the U.S. national anthem for Game 1 in Miami, while De la Cruz sung the anthem for Game 3 in San Antonio. Watch and listen at how phenomenal these two kids sound.

Unusual Sports Plays

     There are certain times in sports where there's an unorthodox play. There's always that one instance where you either stand up in awe or you scratch your head, thinking "What just happened?". These events rarely happen in the sports world and are usually discussed amongst social circles in infamy. Here are some of these plays.

• Miguel Cabrera Gets a Base Hit Off of an Attempted Intentional Walk (June 22, 2006):

 

       Long before he won the Triple Crown and won the 2012 AL MVP with the Tigers, Miguel Cabrera was wrecking havoc with the Florida Marlins. Cabrera got a single off of Baltimore Orioles pitcher Todd Williams in the Top of the 10th to give the Marlins a 6-5 lead. Florida went on to win this game 8-5.

• Martin Brodeur Scores a Goal Against the Carolina Hurricanes (March 21, 2013):

        This wasn't the first time that the New Jersey Devils goalie has scored. He scored a goal in a regular season game against the Montreal Canadians in 1997.

• Kevin Na Scores a 16 on a Par 4 at the 2011 Valero Texas Open:

        The South Korean professional PGA player also scored a 10 on the 12th hole at the Masters. Look up "Kevin Na can't swing" on YouTube and you'll see how he's able to etch these scores on his scorecard.

• Mark Sanchez and the Infamous "Butt Fumble" (November 22, 2012):

        This fumble was the epitome of the 2012 regular season for the New York Jets. Marred by quarterback controversies and constant media coverage (Most of it being on Tim Tebow), Gang Green finished 6-10 that season and missed the playoffs.

• Mike Tyson Bites Off Evander Holyfield's Ear (June 28, 1997):

        As a result of chomping off a bit of Holyfield's ear, "Iron Mike" had his boxing license revoked by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and was fined USD $3 million plus legal costs. However, Tyson did go on to make a cameo appearance in The Hangover and he even has his own animated series coming on Adult Swim.

Putting Them In Their Place

     This week was certainly one to forget for both Sidney Crosby and LeBron James. The respective poster boys of the NHL and the NBA have faced a great challenge in their sports. Yes, they already have a ring on their fingers. But winning one title won't cut it for these two "Second Comings."
     Often compared to "The Great One" Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins was touted as "The Next Big Thing" in Canada before he was 18. He was the youngest NHL player and the only teenager to win the Art Ross trophy, leading the NHL with 120 points in 2006-2007. He also won the Hart Memorial trophy that same year and the Lester B. Pearson award, becoming the seventh NHL player to win all three awards in one year. The center for the Penguins was the first NHL rookie to record 100 points and 100 penalty minutes in a season and the youngest NHL captain to win a Stanley Cup. But this year has been a tough one for Crosby. After breezing through the first two rounds with 7 goals and 8 assists, Crosby was held to a -2 plus/minus rating and zero points as Pittsburgh was swept by the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bruins were much more physical and tough than the Ottawa Senators and the New York Islanders were and kept Crosby from getting any good shots off.
     LeBron's prodigal story is a little more well-known. The comparisons between Michael Jordan and LeBron are non-stop and seem to be a perennial topic on Sportscenter. LeBron is notorious for "The Decision" in which he abandoned his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, to "take his talents to South Beach" and join up with the likes of Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. Many critics pointed out that Jordan never left the Bulls to "buy himself a title" and was the best player on his team. However, James is a nine-time NBA All-Star, four-time NBA MVP, 2004 NBA Rookie of the Year, and is the Cleveland Cavaliers' all-time leading scorer. The Miami Heat star was also the 2008 NBA scoring champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist. His career PPG is 27.6 and his career RPG is 7.3. However, LeBron ran into an experienced San Antonio Spurs team that could not only outrebound the Heat, but could also score in bunches and defend. In spite of grabbing 18 rebounds in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, LeBron was held to 7-16 shooting and 18 points in Miami's 92-88 loss. Historically, LeBron is 2-9 lifetime against teams from Texas in the NBA Finals, so the Game 1 loss is not as surprising as it would seem.
     Both Crosby and James are entering their primes, so there's still plenty of time to win another title. But as this postseason in the NBA and NHL has shown, it can be a humbling experience for these two poster boys. If Crosby and James are to be in the same class as Gretzky and Jordan, they'll have to be clutch players when it truly matters.

Watch This: Amazing Shots/Trick Shots

     Take a look at some of the most amazing basketball shots taken and some trick shots that are extremely difficult to duplicate. These videos will leave your jaw on the floor.