Random thoughts at the start of May

[SabresRule]

It's the beginning of May- thankfully, I'm almost done with school for this year and summer is soon coming- so it's time for some more random thoughts!

1. These NBA Playoffs, IMO, already are off to an interesting start. At the start of the season, who would have thought that Houston, Denver, Dallas, and Atlanta would be in round 2, while the Spurs and Pistons would be one-and-done? (I'm sure ABC TV executives are thrilled)

2. As a sports fan watching the playoffs, there are few things more interesting than to watch a team blow a 3-1 series lead or come back from such a deficit. (I can't even imagine what it was like for Sandra in games 5-7). What it's like to be on either side of a team being up 3-1 only to lose the last three?

3. Is the new Yankee Stadium going to become the American League equivalent of pre-humidor Coors Field or the early years of Minute Maid Park? It was amazing to see Cleveland win those two routs- I shudder to think what'll happen when Texas or the Phillies visit there.

4. If you were to be a music artist, what would your stage name be?

5. Given what has happened to the Golden State Warriors recently, is it safe to say that their playoff win over Dallas in 2007 was a one-hit wonder?

6. What's the weirdest odd job you've ever worked?

7. Right now, what is the strongest and weakest division in baseball?

8. When will the NBA MVP winner officially be announced?

9. When is the NBA Draft Lottery going to take place?

10. Given what has happened to the Suns and Hawks in the last few years, maybe Joe Johnson made the right decision after all.

11. Here's an odd NBA tidbit- this will be the first time since 1997 that the Spurs will not make the Western Conference Finals in an odd-numbered year (1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007- and they also got there in 1995)

12. Why is it that everyone makes a big deal about Super Bowl commercials, yet nobody cares about commercials that air during the NBA or Stanley Cup Finals?

13. What's your favorite baseball stadium food?

14. For this year's Stanley Cup Finals, there'll be a broadcasting change- NBC will broadcast games 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7. Normally, it's VERSUS with games 1-2. This year, there's a change- just want to get the word out.

15. The end of May means that high-school proms are coming up
(mine had mixed success- I got to dance with a lot of pretty girls, but the food was so bad I stopped at Arby's on the way home). Any of you guys recall your high-school proms?

16. I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the amazing save made by Caps goalie Simeon Varlamov in the Pens/Caps series.

[youtube]01Ow7Kxaqb4[/youtube]

17. Where's the best place to get a good milkshake?

 

[Ramy]

17. Where's the best place to get a good milkshake?

Crisp Dairy Treat in Ashland, KY

 

[SamCdbs]

1 - There is nothing interesting about the NBA, ESPN's pet sport. Massive overcoverage grossly disproportional to the sport's popularity, as always.

2 - See #1.

3 - Like much of what happens in NY, its just people drawing conclusions based on what happened in a month. Coors Field has a scientific reason to be different, the altitude. Yankee Stadium III is across the street from the first two Yankee Stadiums, at sea level. Maybe this month will be different, but the Law Of Large Numbers teaches us that when we have a few years' worth of data, the place will be average.

12 - Because 1/8th and 1/15th as many people are watching. No one makes new special commercials for these events.

13 - The pizza in Cincy is great.

15 - My town is small enough that it is impossible to eat out any Saturday night in May, because any restaurant above Denny's level is full of prom dates.

17 - Any UDF outlet.

 

[Ramy]

13 - The pizza in Cincy is great.

The Chili is good too, Skyline Chili that is.

 

[cybok0]

13. What's your favorite baseball stadium food?

Gyros.:



17. Where's the best place to get a good milkshake?


Steak and Shake or Red Robin nationally. Mary's Tastyland here locally.:

 

[HD MM]

1. These NBA Playoffs, IMO, already are off to an interesting start. At the start of the season, who would have thought that Houston, Denver, Dallas, and Atlanta would be in round 2, while the Spurs and Pistons would be one-and-done? (I'm sure ABC TV executives are thrilled)

Interesting stat: With the Spurs and Pistons out, the Cavaliers are the ONLY team in the NBA to have made it past the first round of the Playoffs in each of the last 4 years.

2. As a sports fan watching the playoffs, there are few things more interesting than to watch a team blow a 3-1 series lead or come back from such a deficit. (I can't even imagine what it was like for Sandra in games 5-7). What it's like to be on either side of a team being up 3-1 only to lose the last three?

As an Indians fan, this brings up horrid memories of the 2007 ALCS against the Red Sox. I attended Game 4 in Cleveland when we went up 3-1. Following the game, there were mass celebrations in the streets. A World Series was just about a foregone conclusion. Then, the unthinkable happened...

4. If you were to be a music artist, what would your stage name be?

The Wa Wa Wahoo's or The James Gang. Wait, the later is already taken.

6. What's the weirdest odd job you've ever worked?

One year in High School I worked at a Haunted House at the local amusement park. I had to undergo hours of make-up and costume design before I rehearsed my scare tactics for that day of work.

7. Right now, what is the strongest and weakest division in baseball?

At this point, I'd have to say the AL West is the weakest while the NL Central is the strongest.

8. When will the NBA MVP winner officially be announced?

Not sure. Soon I think.

9. When is the NBA Draft Lottery going to take place?

June 25th.

10. Given what has happened to the Suns and Hawks in the last few years, maybe Joe Johnson made the right decision after all.

He sure did. The Hawks are an up-and-coming team with a lot of young talent. The Sun has set in Phoenix.

12. Why is it that everyone makes a big deal about Super Bowl commercials, yet nobody cares about commercials that air during the NBA or Stanley Cup Finals?

Bigger audience for the Super Bowl. Plus the SB is a 1 day event, where the NHL, NBA and MLB have a 7 game series to determine their Champion.

13. What's your favorite baseball stadium food?

A classic Nathan's Hot Dog smothered in Cleveland's own Bertman's Original Ball Park Mustard.

15. The end of May means that high-school proms are coming up
(mine had mixed success- I got to dance with a lot of pretty girls, but the food was so bad I stopped at Arby's on the way home). Any of you guys recall your high-school proms?

I attended Senior Prom with the Prom Queen. I definitely felt like a big shot at school afterwards.

17. Where's the best place to get a good milkshake?

The locally owned ice-cream joint dives always seem to have the best.

 

[CharlesO]

1. These NBA Playoffs, IMO, already are off to an interesting start. At the start of the season, who would have thought that Houston, Denver, Dallas, and Atlanta would be in round 2, while the Spurs and Pistons would be one-and-done? (I'm sure ABC TV executives are thrilled)

The first round had some interesting matchups that helped the NBA, plus the Bulls/Celtics series that turned into a classic(but the so-so game 7 stops it from being the all time best IMO). The second round has too many bad matchups, the Rockets, Hawks and Mavericks are all fodder in this round.

3. Is the new Yankee Stadium going to become the American League equivalent of pre-humidor Coors Field or the early years of Minute Maid Park? It was amazing to see Cleveland win those two routs- I shudder to think what'll happen when Texas or the Phillies visit there.

Accu-weather has already described the problem, even though the field has the same dimensions the stadium bowl is "U" shaped rather than the old stadiums "V" shape. During strong west winds(Spring and Fall) the ball will carry to right field. The winds become more southerly in the Summer so the effect won't be of an issue.

5. Given what has happened to the Golden State Warriors recently, is it safe to say that their playoff win over Dallas in 2007 was a one-hit wonder?

Don Nelson: The coach that returned and killed the Warriors in one-year.

7. Right now, what is the strongest and weakest division in baseball?

The AL West gets a mulligan with Angels injury issues, The NL West is the weakest. Arizona and San Fran has lite hitting offenses, the Padres will have fire sale by the trading deadline and Colorado is awful. The AL East is the strongest with Toronto being better than thought to compete with Boston and NY plus Tampa is showing signs of returning to last years form.

10. Given what has happened to the Suns and Hawks in the last few years, maybe Joe Johnson made the right decision after all.

Joe Johnson is the reason the Suns are fading, he didn't want to be the third/fourth banana in Phoenix so he forced his way out. The Hawks are pretenders in the East, will be lucky to win a game against the Cavs and only will face them by beating a one-man show in Miami.

13. What's your favorite baseball stadium food?

Safeco Field in Seattle doesn't have one main vendor for the Stadium, so they have everything from BBQ to Thai, Sushi to Brats....not stuck with always eating the same. A couple of the Spring Training Stadiums had some great stuff(Peoria and C'back Ranch). But a good loaded hot dog with fries for quicky hits the spot, just too bad the Chase Field's hot dogs are bland. :sad

14. For this year's Stanley Cup Finals, there'll be a broadcasting change- NBC will broadcast games 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7. Normally, it's VERSUS with games 1-2. This year, there's a change- just want to get the word out.

I was actually surprised that NBC stuck it out in yesterdays 3OT game, it went into Primetime on the East Coast.

17. Where's the best place to get a good milkshake?

Jack in the Box has some pretty good shakes at reasonable prices.

 

[mccoyrj]

1 - There is nothing interesting about the NBA, ESPN's pet sport. Massive overcoverage grossly disproportional to the sport's popularity, as always.

13 - The pizza in Cincy is great.

:up

The Chili is good too, Skyline Chili that is.

:down Cinnamon in chili is girlie food.

 

[HD MM]

1 - There is nothing interesting about the NBA, ESPN's pet sport. Massive overcoverage grossly disproportional to the sport's popularity, as always.

:down

Depends on what you consider "disproportional to the sport's popularity". Because your home state doesn't have a franchise doesn't make it unpopular.

I've read plenty of facts that show the NBA is the 2nd most popular sport in the Nation.

 

[boomer69]

:down

Depends on what you consider "disproportional to the sport's popularity". Because your home state doesn't have a franchise doesn't make it unpopular.

I've read plenty of facts that show the NBA is the 2nd most popular sport in the Nation.

Don't waste your time trying to argue with him...He's one of those on this board who think his opinion is the gospel, and if he doesn't like something, it has to be a bad thing!!!...

Good ol' Sam...never let the facts get in the way of a good story!!!...

 

[Ramy]

:up

:down Cinnamon in chili is girlie food.

Says you.

 

[SamCdbs]

I never said the NBA is bad.

Hire a nerd and buy him a couple of dozen stop watches. One for each sport.

At the end of a yearly cycle, every other sport will have received coverage on ESPN in about proportion to its ratings. The NBA will have been mentioned at least 40 times more than its ratings justify.

 

[satjay]

2. As a sports fan watching the playoffs, there are few things more interesting than to watch a team blow a 3-1 series lead or come back from such a deficit. (I can't even imagine what it was like for Sandra in games 5-7). What it's like to be on either side of a team being up 3-1 only to lose the last three?

I have been on both side, its sucks, becouse you are one game away and at times you acutally see the series slipping away even when you are up 3-1!


5. Given what has happened to the Golden State Warriors recently, is it safe to say that their playoff win over Dallas in 2007 was a one-hit wonder?

I would say its a product of that offense that being in a zone, kind of like what happend to a hot college team tourament time




12. Why is it that everyone makes a big deal about Super Bowl commercials, yet nobody cares about commercials that air during the NBA or Stanley Cup Finals?

All the commercial people put a superbowl effort into the commercial, viewing is a bit more for the superbowl

13. What's your favorite baseball stadium food?

Comerica Park makes this awsome super nacho dish!!


17. Where's the best place to get a good milkshake

Big boy makes a great mikeshake!

 

[riffjim4069]

16. I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the amazing save made by Caps goalie Simeon Varlamov in the Pens/Caps series.

[youtube]01Ow7Kxaqb4[/youtube]

It was mentioned in this post. I am surprised nobody else mentioned both saves.