Short & Quick

Toughness
After further analysis, it’s clear why the Boston Celtics advanced to the 2010 Finals – mental and physical toughness – something the Cleveland Cavaliers lacked.

We knew the “overrated” Magic didn’t have the toughness to advance this year, but we were in the weeds (geographically too close to the team) too much to realize Cleveland also lacked similar toughness.

My bad – I should have caught it earlier – like last year after the Orlando debacle. Toughness and grit can’t be measured. It’s either in your make-up or not –both as an individual and as a team.

The Cleveland Cavaliers were the best team in basketball in back-to-back years in the regular season. However, they simply lacked toughness to get it done when it counted most.

How do I know this? Once is an anomaly, while twice in two years is a clear pattern.

Unfortunately, Cleveland fans are used to this after watching the Indians consistently flame-out in the post-season due to lack of an ace/clutch hitting and ofcourse the "soft" Cavs taking it on the chin in April and May year after year back in the Mark Price era.

Remember, when they could never get that key rebound when they needed it most? I loved watching those Cavalier teams, but they clearly didn't have that "it" needed to put them over the top.

You don’t get anything for dominating the regular season. That is, unless you like hanging up division banners/pennants. That gets old quickly.

Lakers In 6
Look for the Lakers to win in 6 – too much Kobe coupled with too much frontcourt length/talent. As we stated when he first became a Laker – the addition of Ron Artest should also make a difference in what should be a tough, physical series, especially at the defensive end.

MVP
By the way, I think until LBJ wins a title, calling him the best player on the planet is in great doubt. Yes, I was the first to say he was the best player in basketball three years ago. However, since then, the Cavaliers' front office has done just about all it could to surround him with the appropriate pieces to win that first elusive title. Simply put – LBJ & his teammates failed.

We can’t argue anymore he doesn’t have help. No, he doesn’t have Scottie Pippen, but well over 120 wins the past two regular seasons indicates to me there was certainly enough talent to reach the Finals either in ‘09 or this season.

All the players and Mike Brown must take some responsibility, but if you call yourself “The King,” you have to take the most heat.

This is a roundabout way of saying Kobe Bryant is the best player on the planet – and he cements that fact if his Lakers beat the Celtics. Yes, Bryant has more help than James, but he plays in a tougher conference and he has a handful of rings already. Meanwhile, the King has no rings - nada! Those are undisputable facts.

By the way, something tells me this coming off-season, while James is running around with 50 cent, a dollar and a quarter and/or Usher, Bryant will quietly be in the gym working on his game. Personally, like Bryant's reclusive nature. Perhaps that's because he reminds me of me - not interested in attention. As for LBJ, go work on your post-up game please.

Yes, I’m being very critical of LBJ – but he deserves all of it and more – especially after his non-engagement performance in game #5 versus the Celtics. He’ll never live that down in my book.

Admiration
I do admire the Celtics for overachieving. Doc Rivers and company have gotten the most of this team when it counted most – that’s admirable. That's my favorite characteristic in sports - overachievers/getting the most out of yourself or your team. You simply can't ask for mre than that.


Free Agency
There are morons out there who have stated LBJ’s best bet is landing in Chicago – a talented young team with an outstanding point guard (Derrick Rose). Wrong!

Rose needs the ball in his hands 90% of the time to be effective. He’s not a shooter, he’s a scorer/slasher. Wherever he goes, James will dominate the basketball. In the Windy City, that will make Rose a much less effective player. Idiots.

One more time – if James is serious that all he wants is to play where he can win, then it’s a no-brainer – stay in Cleveland, where you have produced the league’s best record 2x in a row and have an owner willing to spend whatever it takes to make you happy.

Of course, I am the cynical kind – thinking for the past several years that James wants most to be the center of attention – THE pop culture icon if you will. I have said from the start he'll follow CC to the Big Apple. I hope I am wrong.

Speaking of Overachievers
My head coaching list consists of three in the following order – Hubie Brown, Mike Fratello and Scott Skyles (who is already employed). All have one key element in common I admire most in a coach – they get the most out of the talent they have.

And no, I don’t want some Hall of Fame college coach – not even coach K. It’s a totally different game at this (NBA) level, beginning with having to deal with men instead of kids.

And I could care less coach K has experience coaching the Olympic team. Last time I checked in the NBA, you don’t play Slovenia in a best of 7 come May.

Grady Sizemore
I can’t think of a player in ML baseball whose stock has dropped so much the past two years. He didn’t have a good year in 2009 and was hurt. He got out of the gate slowly once again in 2010 and then got hurt again.

Look at the bright side, if he keeps this up, the Indians might actually be able to afford him come his free agent season. Then again, they might not want him at that price for what he produces.

Super Bowl
I hope it is 10 below in 2014 when New York/New Jersey hosts the Super Bowl. That’s just a bad idea - Period. Look, I’m a traditionalist, but it just makes sense on numerous levels to play the Super Bowl in warm weather or inside.

Indians & Dry Heaves
If you want to throw up sometime, I have a way to make it happen. Go online, download and write down the names of the players Mark Shapiro and company acquired for CC and Cliff Lee. You’ll have the dry heaves by the fourth name you jot down.

How that guy has kept a job for so long is beyond me. His farm system hasn’t produced much talent, his major trades have been less than productive (to be kind) and his free agent acquisitions have been mediocre at best. And I didn’t even go into just one post-season appearance in a relatively weak division in nine years.

As GMs go, the guy (Shapiro) is the Matt Millen of Major League baseball.

And the team complains about fan apathy. Why should anyone care when the owner keeps people in charge who have a de ade long track record of ineptitude at various levels (farm system/trades/free agent pick-ups/WLs).

I believe strongly in being patient – but this is ridiculous.

Bring up all the damn kids at least!

World Cup
Yes, I will be watching some of the World Cup starting June 11. You are stunned I knew when it started aren’t you? Call me a freak – I don’t care.

I usually root some for the Italians while picking a small African nation or a facsimile thereof to cheer for as well.