Saints at 49ers Running Diary

Thought I would do a running diary tonight of the Saints at 49ers Monday Night Football game. These are the thoughts I was having at the exact time they were occurring.


8:30: Just turned it on ESPN after getting home from college. Well I missed Monday Night Countdown with Boomer, Chris Carter, and all those guys. Not too upset about that haha.

8:30: Drew Brees does his huddle fired up speech. Who doesn’t love Drew Brees? Drew Breeeeeeeeeeessss!!

8:31: Between Joe Buck, Al Michaels, Jim Nantz, and Mike Tirico I think Michaels and Nantz are on a level by themselves. Buck and Tirico I have never been big fans of. Oh and Brent Musberger is the best of any announcer for any sport. Period.

8:33: Alex Smith has to make plays tonight for San Fran to win. I don’t see it happening.

8:35: Five minutes into the broadcast and the cameras are still showing Tirico, Gruden, and Jaworski to preview the game. It’s 49ers vs. the Saints not the Super Bowl! Get the game going already!

8:36: The outro music going into commercials for ESPN is an instrumental of Kanye West’s flashing lights. That’s so 2008 ESPN!

8:38: Frank Gifford shows a flashback from a 1995 Monday Night game between the 49ers and the Vikings. I love Frank Gifford and I love flashbacks. Hank Williams and “Are You Ready For Some Football” on the other hand is a little tired for me. But it’s a million times better than the NBC Sunday Night intro with Faith Hill. That intro is so corny.

8:40: Mike Tirico just said Candlestick Park is one of the most historic sports venues of all time. I don’t quite agree with that!

8:41: 49ers take kickoff to midfield, but a holding call brings it back. Not a good start for the 49ers!

8:42: My dad: “Is Alex Smith any good?” Me: “No.”

8:43: The center just snapped the ball 15 yards above Alex Smith into the end zone for a safety. This game is going to be a blowout!

8:45: The punt off the safety does not even get to the 50. It will be Saints 16 49ers 0 by the end of the 1st quarter. Mark my words.

8:47: Crowd is completely dead right now. So much for this historic venue.

8:48: You know it’s bad for San Fran when Heath Evans takes a screen pass for 18 yards.

8:50: Touchdown Reggie Bush. Oh how I wish he did the Heisman pose for his TD celebration. That would have been classic. Saints 9 49ers 0.

8:57: Horrible call on 3rd and 2 and San Fran runs the Wildcat with Brian Westbrook?! What a dumb call!!! If you are going to run Wildcat in that play give it to your best runner Frank Gore. Not old man Brian Westbrook!

9:01: I hate that Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski are right now on their soap boxes defending Reggie Bush. Jaworksi said “I can’t believe Heisman winners didn’t come to his defense.” Gruden: “It’s a shame. I wish they would just leave him alone.” Give me a break. The man cheated. He lied and his family lied. He absolutely should have given back the Heisman, and he should have apologized, which he hasn’t done or probably will ever do. I have no sympathy for Bush. I feel bad for the USC players who are penalized now by not being eligible to win the Pac 10 or go to a bowl game. That’s where the sympathy should lie. Not some premadonna athlete who could not wait one more year out of college to get money in the NFL.

9:05: Meanwhile the 49ers just made a big stop on the Saints to get the ball back.

9:07: Cameras just showed the Banjo Guy in the stands for the 49ers fans. He is the equivalent of Buffalo’s Elvis, and Fireman Ed for the Jets. Absolutely love it.

9:09: Ball goes off the hands of Frank Gore and is picked off by Roman Harper. Looked like it was a bad pass for Alex Smith, and Gore had to reach for it. Very interested to see the replay coming back from the commercial.

9:11: Replays confirm what I thought. Horrible pass by Alex Smith.

9:12: Of course former QB Ron Jaworski is not willing to put all the blame on Alex Smith for the INT. Sorry Jaws that was entirely Alex Smith’s fault, not any fault of Frank Gore.

9:14: Another stop by 49ers defense. 49ers defense and the winds of Candlestick Park are keeping San Fran in this.

9:16: Thank God for instant replay and the challenge system. Refs just said a San Fran player touched the ball first on a punt and the Saints had the ball. Replay clearly confirms this is incorrect. In the 21st century what sport wouldn’t fully utilize HD instant replay to its fullest capacity? Oh yeah, the “American Pastime” of baseball. What a joke!

9:22: Saints calling timeouts here in the final seconds of to force the 49ers to punt the ball in the wind to end the first quarter. To me this is Overcoaching.

9:23: 49ers get the first down anyway. I’m sorry Sean Peyton but calling those timeouts was completely dumb.

9:29: We’re in an hour into this game. You know who I would like to see make a play right now? Michael Crabtree. He needs to make a play.

9:30: Josh Morgan right now is the only guy for the 49ers offense making plays. Just had another catch to get San Fran past midfield.

9:31: You know for all the talking he does, and all the money he makes Vernon Davis could make a play right now too.

9:34: Great catch and run by Frank Gore for a TD. We got a game here. And Drew Brees is struggling right now too. Saints 9 49ers 7.

9:38: Nothing like the TD, commercial, kickoff, commercial combo in NFL games. Gotta get that beer advertisement money!

9:41: On 3rd and 10 Reggie Bush gets a big first down off a screen to the Saints 30. He’s not a great every down RB, but in the open field Reggie Bush is hard to stop.

9:42: Patrick Willis just laid out Reggie Bush. That is football right there baby!!!

9:46: San Fran is keeping Drew Brees in check right now, really frustrating him. Dare I say Mike Singletary is outcoaching Sean Peyton right now?! Yes I will say it. I’m shocked right now.

9:49: Frank Gore is a beast out there right now. If Brett were here he would say “where did he go to school?” Yes Brett The U.

Frank Gore tore it up tonight for the 49ers.

9:51: Once again Josh Morgan with a catch. Michael Crabtree where are you?

9:53: Vernon Davis with a big play to get the ball to midfield. And you know what Alex Smith has really bounced back since that int in the 1st quarter.

9:56: Just saw my favorite SportsCenter commercial of all time. Jim Kelly baby!!! 

9:57: Josh Morgan with another big catch to the Saints 30. Michael Crabtree who?!

9:58: 49ers seem to want it more on offense right now. Defense getting pushed and seeming to go through the motions. Frank Gore just had another beast run of 20 yards to the Saints 10.

9:59: Pass to the fullback, and Delanie Walker just fumbled it. What a tremendously bad break for the 49ers. The mark of a good team is getting breaks when you need it. The Saints just got a big break.

10:07: ESPN goes to the Toyota Halftime Report with Chris Berman. At this exact same time the 49ers are retiring Jerry Rice’s number. I would much rather watch that then watch Chris Berman talk really fast for three minutes on the same NFL Week 2 highlights I have already seen 10 times. Why do networks always have to drown us out with these same old halftime shows? Show me Rice’s jersey getting retired LIVE. That would be awesome!

10:11: I hate these ESPN Sports Science segments. Just show me Jerry Rice getting his number retired please!!! These Sports Science segments are sooooooo corny!

10:20: Loved the highlights of Rice getting his number retired. Loved his red jacket. Just wish I saw it live!

Sweet jacket! Would have loved to have seen this live on tv!

10:22: Drew Brees has struggled but is still 11 of 16 for 104 yards and a TD. Those would be monster stats for Trent Edwards.

10:24: Big catch on third down by Colston to get the ball past midfield. Colston is such a good wide receiver. Underrated in my book.

10:26: Great sack by Patrick Willis. I see why he’s a 99 in Madden 11.

10:31: Finally Michael Crabtree made a nice catch, pushed the B button to make a spin move, and took it to the 50. Welcome to the game Michael Crabtree!

10:31: Alex Smith throws a bomb to Vernon Davis to the 10 yard line. Here come the Niners!!!

10:32: San Francisco has to get a TD here in the red zone. Anything less would be a huge disappointment.

10:33: Frank Gore pounds it to the 2. Huuuuge 3rd and Goal here.

10:34: Some guy named Anthony Dixon runs it in for the lead. 49ers 14 Saints 9. 49ers are dominating all aspects of this game. If I’m Sean Payton I try to pound the ball with Pierre Thomas, and mix in screen passes with Thomas and Bush. That will keep San Fran and Patrick Willis off Brees, and help Brees from having to throw long passes in this Candlestick wind, which he is struggling with greatly.

10:40: And what’s the first play for the Saints? Screen pass baby. And a helmet to helmet hits gets the Saints the ball to the 49ers 38.

10:42: Screen pass to Reggie Bush on third down for 15 yards. As badly outcoached as Sean Peyton was in the first half, he is showing why he is such a great coach and play caller here in the 3rd quarter.

10:43: If I’m the Saints I do not throw it downfield right now at all until the 49ers can stop these screen passes. Brees is still struggling mightily to throw it downfield, and 49ers still struggling to stop the screens. It’s not rocket science people!

10:47: Colston big catch to the three. Man is he good.

10:49: Pass on 3rd and Goal to David Thomas for a TD for the Saints. That is how a champion responds. Saints 16 49ers 14. Also I agree with Sean Peyton going for 1, instead of going for 2. Save going for 2 point conversions for the 4th quarter.

10:51: Just saw a commercial for a 3D movie about flying owls that talk, protecting some secret. What has the world come to?!

10:53: Well San Francisco came out of a commercial timeout and had a delay of game, because Vernon Davis was not on the field in time. Sean Peyton has definitely outcoached Mike Singletary here in the last half of the third quarter. Or as I would like to put it a “return to normalcy.”

10:56: Johnathan Vilma with a great tackle to stop Frank Gore a yard short on 3rd down. Thank that 3 and out on the delay of game and the incompetence of Vernon Davis/Mike Singletary.

10:56: A great 30+ yard punt return by Reggie Bush to the 49ers 40 to end the 3rd quarter. The 49ers are in real trouble right now.

10:58: Miller Lite just made fun of guys who wear sunglasses at night at a bar. Way to get out of my wheelhouse Miller Lite. Ain’t nothing wrong with wearing shades at night Miller!

11:01: Big stop by the 49ers. Big FG by Hartley for the Saints. Saints 19 49ers 14.

11:05: Alright Alex Smith you have done pretty good so far. But now is where you earn your money. Time to shine.

11:06: As long as Frank Gore makes big runs than Alex Smith does not need to pass. Makes me wish I took Frank Gore #3 in my fantasy draft instead of Maurice Jones-Drew.

11:07: Frank Gore with a gutsy screen pass catch and run for 9 yards, including picking up his own fumble at the end. Big 3rd and 1 here at midfield for San Fran. Run it with Anthony Dixon and get the first down.

11:08: San Fran goes deep to Vernon Davis and gets a pass interference from the Saints to the Saints 23.

11:09: Passed tipped and intercepted by Tracy Porter. NFC Championship, Super Bowl, Monday Night Football, Tracy Porter makes the big plays in the big games.

11:10: Right before that pick, Jon Gruden had the line of the night. He said “if I had a body like Vernon Davis I would be at the beach every day.” As Austin Powers would say “horny bugger!”

11:11: Saints should keep doing the same thing. Screen passes, pound the ball with Pierre Thomas, and run this clock.

11:12: Or maybe not. San Fran shuts down the screen pass on first down, and stops Pierre Thomas running on second down. Mike Singletary is hanging in there in coaching with Sean Peyton.

11:13: San Fran with a big 3 and out stop. Get that ball back to San Fran and Frank Gore who has had a solid 10 minutes of rest.

11:14: 8:45 to go Saints 19 49ers 14.

11:14: Speaking of dumb commercials, how bad are those Ray Lewis Old Spice Commercials?! How much did Old Spice have to pay that murder for him to do these lame commercials?

11:20: Finally Alex Smith looked like the old Alex Smith. Flustered and indecisive. 49ers punt the ball and Reggie Bush fumbles it and nearly gives it back to the 49ers. Saints 19 49ers 14 6:58 to go in the 4th quarter.

11:25: Another great 3 and out for the 49ers defense. The defense gets an A for so far, considering who they are playing.

11:26: Once again the Saints get a break. 49ers punt return man Phillip Adams fumbles the ball, and the Saints pick it up. Great teams get the great breaks. In many ways the 49ers are giving this game to New Orleans.

11:29: Biggest play of the game is coming. 3rd and goal at the 3. 49ers have to hold the Saints to a FG to have any chance of still winning this game.

11:29: Saints call a timeout. 2:33 to go Saints 19 49ers 14. Reggie Bush carted off with an injury from that fumbled punt return. Looks like his leg. All I have to say is one word. Karma.

Karma.

11:31: Now the 49ers call a timeout after the Saints call a timeout. Any credit I gave Mike Singletary for coaching moves he made earlier in this game means nothing now. All he’s a glorified high school coach who has nice speeches, but can’t time manage and is bad at X’s and O’s.

11:32: 49ers stop the Saints on 3rd and Goal led by who else, Patrick Willis. Like a mad man Mike Singletary runs to the end zone to signal a timeout.

11:33: Hartley makes the chip shot FG. 2:12 to go Saints 22 49ers 14. 49ers only have one timeout and the 2 minute warning left, instead of two timeouts and the two minute warning. Check minus for Singletary. And how smart does Sean Peyton look for not going for 2 late in the third quarter with the score 15-14 Saints and settling for the 1 to make it 16-14. Now the 49ers have to score a TD, AND make a 2 to just tie the game. Check plus for Sean Peyton.

11:36: Alex Smith gets it to Vernon Davis at their own 35 yard line as the two minute warning comes.

11:38: Chances I watch the GMC Postgame Show with Stuart Scott and Matt Millen? 0%.

11:39: Alex Smith runs for 12 yards and a first down towards to the 47.

11:40: Josh Morgan with a great catch to the Saints 40. 1:47 to go.

11:41: Alex Smith hangs out Vernon Davis to dry, as he was tripled covered.

11:41: Screen pass to Frank Gore who takes it to the 21. 1:34 to go.

11:42: Alex Smith wisely scrambles to his left, and takes it to the 9.

11:43: Frank Gore takes it in on a draw for a TD on second and goal. Now time for the two point conversion. Saints 22 49ers 20 1:19 to go.

11:43: Vernon Davis catches the pass with his feet in the endzone, but it looked like the ball did not cross the plain. Refs say no conversion.

11:44: Replay is hard to tell. Bad job by ESPN going to a lame Miller Lite commercial right now. This is the time where you stay with the action and show us 10 different replays so us fans can make a call. Right now I have no idea if Vernon Davis was in or not based on the two quick angles I saw. Now they are showing that Saints vs. Jets woods commercial. Somewhere Kase is saying “f$!% you Mark Sanchez.”

11:46: Back to the action. Refs still looking at the replay. The ESPN Maxx Zoom looks like the ball crossed the plain. I would give the 49ers the 2 here. Jon Gruden thinks it should be a two as well.

11:47: Refs give Vernon Davis the conversion. Saints 22 49ers 22 1:19 to go. Saints have two timeouts left.

11:48: I have to say it. Great drive by Alex Smith. Frank Gore and Josh Morgan did their parts too.

11:50: Pierre Thomas breaks a tackle, takes it to Saints 39. Then catches a short dump pass and takes it to San Fran’s 48. Saints call timeout. 43 seconds to go.

11:50: Can Garrett Hartley get a shot to be the hero tonight for the Saints?

11:52: Brees throws it up and Colston makes a remarkable catch over the middle to the 18. Is Colston a top 10 NFL WR? I say yes. 18 seconds to go.

Drew Brees made the plays when it mattered the most.

11:53: Pass to Shockey to the 14. Saints call timeout with two seconds left. 49ers clock operator tries to pull a fast one and run all the time off, but the refs aren’t buying that.

11:53: You think Mike Singletary wish he had that timeout back he wasted so he could try to ice the kicker right now?

11:54: False start penalty on Saints. Move them back 5 yards.

11:55: Hartley kicks a duck that somehow goes down the middle. It might have been deflected. Saints survive and go to 2-0.

11:55: It was a low kick that was deflected at the line. Yet somehow, someway, in that wind, it went through. Another break for a great team. Saints 25 49ers 22. Saints 2-0, 49ers 0-2.

11:56: What I learned from tonight. Great teams get great bounces and that mantra held true for the Saints tonight. The Saints are 2-0 even with the Saints offense still struggling a little. That is a very good sign for New Orleans. Alex Smith has moments where he shows why he was a 1st pick in the draft. He will also show you moments why he has been mediocre to average the past 6 seasons. For every good coaching move Mike Singletary makes, he will make an equally dumb (or worse) coaching move. For a guy (Mike Singletary) who preaches discipline the 49ers are a very undisiplined team. The 49ers are 0-2 yet still might be the best team in the NFC West.

Kofod

Running Diary of Stephen Strasburg's Pitching Debut and Game 3 of the 2010 NBA Finals

This is my running diary of what I was thinking as I watched Stephen Strasburg’s opening debut against the Pirates, and Game 3 of the 2010 NBA Finals.

 

6:35: Put the TV on MLB Network. Crowd is packed; all the cameras are on Strasburg. Bob Costas is doing the game so you know it’s big. Haven’t been this excited to see a baseball game since the Red Sox/Yankees 2004 ALCS.

6:38: Prediction for Strasburg. 6 1/3 innings pitched, 5 hits, 1 ER, 6 K’s.

6:46: Nick Swisher is doing a tutorial on how to hit a baseball with Harold Reynolds using a tee ball stand. I feel like this is a video for a 10 year old little leaguer. Does not belong on a pregame show for a game like this. Do better MLB Network!

6:52: My dad will be at the Nationals at Indians game on Sunday where Strasburg is expected to make his next start. The ticket he has for that game is $50. He said if someone offers him $400 for it he’ll take it, and go to a bar and watch the game. Can’t say I blame him.

6:54: Bob Costas, John Smoltz, and Jim Kaat are going to call the game. 3 guys who know baseball. Should be a good broadcast.

6:59: Bob Costas talking about Strasburg and then black…DirectTV says game is a blackout. Why?! Because we get Fox Sports Pittsburgh broadcast. So I go from Bob Costas to some Pirates TV announcers I never heard off. What a letdown!! Thanks a lot DirecTV.

7:00: My dad knows who the Pirates Color Analyst is…it’s Tim Neverett a former player. My dad says watch he has a terrible lisp. He’s absolutely right. He whistles his S’s. Just awful. Thanks goodness the Fox Sports Pittsburgh broadcast is in HD at least!

7:05: Strasburg warming up at the mound! Almost time!

7:06: First pitch. Ball outside. Second pitch ball. Neither close. Fans still booing. Third pitch line drive to the shortstop. Out.

7:07: Crowd is still standing. Flashbulbs off cameras.

7:08: Groundout to first for second out. One thing I like about Strasburg. He takes very little time in between pitches. Gets the ball from the catcher and almost immediately throws it back.

7:09: K to end the inning. He can throw the heat, but he has a nasty curve too. Crowd is jumping. With Strasburg, Bryce Harper, Ovechkin, McNabb, and soon to be John Wall there seems to be a revival for sports in D.C. Good for them.

7:12: Pirates pitching, Nationals now hitting. Who cares get me Strasburg again.

7:14: Ryan Zimmerman hits a HR for the Nationals. Crowd not nearly going as crazy as they did for Strasburg’s 1st inning strikeout. 1-0 Nationals.

7:15: Commercial for Pirates. PNC Park on September 5th will have a statue of Bill Mazeroski unveiled outside the Pirates PNC Park. He hit the game winning Game 7 World Series Home Run over the Yankees.  Narrator says the statue represents the “Greatest Sports Moment” in Pittsburgh history. Not sure it is. Greatest Pirates moment yes! But isn’t the Immaculate Reception, Super Bowl IX, Super Bowl X, Super Bowl XIII, and Ben Roethlisberger’s bathroom stall incident (haha) all bigger moments. I think of Pittsburgh as more of a Steelers town than a Pirates town.

7:19: Strasburg fell behind 3-0. Then threw 3 straight strikeouts, including a 99 mph fastball for a strike 3, with the Pirates batter swinging like a fool. Damn he’s good.

7:21: Strasburg throws 100 mph for strike 2. Crowd goes wild. Then throws nasty slurve for strike 3. 3 straight K’s. Crowd is delirious.

7:22: Base hit by Andy LaRoche. Strasburg is human.

7:25: Strike 3 looking. 4 K’s in two innings for Strasburg. Unreal.

7:28: Ivan “Pudge” Rodriquez gets a double for the Nationals. Had no idea he was still playing. Had no idea he was still alive haha.

7:37: Strasburg K’s the guy looking to start the 3rd. 5 K’s. My 6 K prediction is looking way too low right now.

7:38: Another K. 6 strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings. Unreal.

7:39: Ground out to 3rd to end the inning. During that entire top of the 3rd the Pirates GM was on to talk about their draft. Didn’t listen to anything he said. Couldn’t Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh have him talk when the Pirates are pitching? Bob Costas where are you!?!? Thanks again DirecTV!!!

7:52: Base hit by the Pirates to start the 4th. Fox Sports Pittsburgh’s cameras show crowd shots of tons of fans in Strasburg #37 shirts. Pirates color analyst Tim Neverett with his lisp thinks the Nationals might have had a giveaway previously to give away shirts. No way!!! Every one of those shirts was paid for I guarantee it! Nationals will profit on Strasburg. What a dumb thought! Where is Bob Costas?!?!?!

7:54: Another base hit. 2 men on now. Wow. Strasburg in his first ever MLB jam.

7:57: Broken bat double play. Two men out, man on 3rd.

7:58: Delwyn Young hits a 2 run HR!!! Holy cow. Pirates up 2-1. We got a game folks!!!

7:59: Pop out to end the top of the 4th. Through 4 innings Strasburg has allowed 2 ER’s, 4 hits, and has 6 K’s.

8:06: Pudge Rodriquez hits a base hit. Man on 1st and 3rd for Nationals with one out. Rodriquez is hitting .331 for the season. Someone test him for steroids!!!

8:07: Pop out to Lastings Milltedge. Throws out the guy at home. Pirates 2 Nationals 1 after 4 innings.

8:10: K to start the inning. 7 strikeouts for Strasburg.

8:11: Did you know you can vote up to 25 times a day for your favorite Pirate to go to the All Star Game? Well according to Fox Sports Pittsburgh you can. Is there ONE Pirates fan out there that is doing that?!?!!?

8:15: Strasburg strikes out the Pirates pitcher to end the inning looking. 8 strikeouts for Strasburg through 5 innings.

8:26: Strasburg strikes out the first two batters to start the 6th inning. 10 K’s. This guy is already a CY Young candidate hahaha!!!

8:28: Strasburg strikes out the side! 11 K’s in 6 innings! I don’t care if this is the Pirates this is still very impressive!

8:33: Adam Dunn crushes a 2 run homerun in the second deck of the right field outfield. 3-2 Nationals. I’m pumped, I want a win for Strasburg!

8:35: Josh Willingham hits a solo homerun. 4-2 Nationals. The way Strasburg is pitching that should be enough. Unless the bullpen blows it.

8:49: 12th Strikeout for Strasburg. 5 K’s in a row. For many pitchers this would be a performance for an ages. For Stephen Strasburg it’s his first start!!!

8:50: 3 strikes in a row for the second out! 13 K’s now. This is amazing!!! The NBA game has a lot to live up to now!!!

8:51: Another 3 strikes in a row! 14 K’s. My dad said it best. “He’s so good for baseball!” Yes this can only help the sport raise it’s popularity. I hope he comes out for the top of the 8th. He hasn’t even thrown 100 pitches yet!!

8:54: Strasburg is being pitched hit for. His night is over. Stats for the night for him is 7 innings pitched, 4 hits, 2 earned runs, and 14 strikeouts. He lived up to the hype and then some. Hopefully the Nats don’t blow this game.

8:58: NBA Finals intros going on right now on ABC. Alright NBA Finals Game 3 let’s go!!! What a great night for sports!

9:01: ABC has had the same stupid montage opening for every NBA Finals game for the past 5 years. It’s so lazy. Man I miss the days of the NBA on NBC…The music was so good, the coverage, everything. Though Breen, Van Gundy, and Jackson are great announcers for ABC.

9:02: KG will play very well tonight. That’s my prediction. I’m saying it right now!

9:06: ABC shows Doc Rivers pregame speech. Phil Jackson is a better coach, but I love when Doc Rivers speaks. I would run through a wall for that guy!

9:07: Awesome move by KG for the first basket!!! Great start to my prediction.

9:08: Oooooohhhhhh!!!!!! Alley oop to Garnett! Heeeeeeee’sssss baaaacckkk!

9:08: Another alley oop to Garnett!!! This could get ugly real fast!!!!

9:11: Nationals got through the top of the 8th allowing no runs. Still 4-2.

9:12: Rondo has his A game tonight!!! 12-5 Celtics. Kobe may need to bring out his selfish shoot everytime game out tonight!

9:16: Ray Allen or Reggie Miller who’s the better all time player? I say Allen, but it’s real close.

9:19: Love the Kobe Sucks chant as Kobe shoots free throws at the line. And Bill Simmons didn’t even tell them to say that!

9:22: 2 fouls on Rondo. This will be a good game. Awful call on Rondo’s 2nd foul. Fisher playing great D on Allen so far too.

9:23: Garnett 4 for 4. No surprise to me lol!

9:23: Garnett is going strong to the basket. 5 for 5.

9:25: Nationals get the win 5-2. Good for Strasburg, good for the Nationals, good for the fans, good for the city of Washington D.C. Baseball is alive and well in Washington D.C.!!!

9:29: Ray Allen 0-5 so far tonight. So if he stinks tonight does that mean he will have another epic performance in Game 4?

9:33: In the offseason Rajon Rondo should practice shooting 1,000 free throws every day. He just badly bricked two. A guard needs to make free throws on a more consistent basis than what he does.

9:35: Dumb foul by Rasheed Wallace at the end of the 1st quarter.

9:37: Alright Paul Pierce I think it’s about time for you to step up.

9:40: That NBA Finals commercial just came on. My dad on seeing Dr. J; “Is he dead?” Me “No.” My dad “Are you sure?” Me “Yes.” Safe to say my dad was never a Sixers or Dr. J fan.

9:43: Lakers 31-17. It’s not a good sign when Shannon Brown is making wide open shots.

9:45: Doc Rivers “We need to get stops.” Nate Robinson “Yeah” nodding his head and looking at everybody. No one responds to him. Know your place Nate.

9:52: Garnett 6 of 8 from the field. LA up 37-26. When will Paul Pierce join the party?

9:57: My dad loves Rondo’s green shoes. Some “Celtic Magic” he says. Yeah my dad has always been a Celtic fan. He knows Bob Cousy and Larry Bird are still alive haha.

9:59: LA is up 41-31 and Kobe really hasn’t done a whole lot yet. Great sign for the Lakers.

10:01: Kobe is 2 of 8 from the field and 0 of 3 from 3. 6 of 6 from the foul line. So he is getting to the line, but he can’t buy a bucket right now.

10:03: Jeff Van Gundy “Your best player shouldn’t be your best liked” talking about Kobe. I couldn’t agree more with him. Kobe and Jordan are winners, yet there teammates hated them. Dwight Howard is a goofball on the court, and has underachieved. And you know what. LeBron is similarly a well liked guy. What has he won so far?

10:06: Lakers up 46-35 after a great hustle play by Kobe. Boston needs to keep this lead 10-12 by halftime. Can’t let the lead get out of hand.

10:09: Kobe is in the game now. Beautiful layup he just made.

10:09: Garnett is keeping Boston in this game.

10:13: Doris Burke looks like she needs a 72 hour nap. Baggy eyes and a very tired look to her all the time.

10:14: LA up 52-40 at half. Boston is still in this game.

10:19: If TNT’s NBA studio crew of Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley is the porterhouse steak of TV sports studio crews the ABC NBA studio crew of Stuart Scott, Jon Berry, Michael Wilbon, and Magic Johnson are the rotten bologna of TV sports studio crews. Stuart Scott tries to be too cool with the “what’s up y’all” line he always has. He should stick to SportsCenter. Michael Wilbon is much better on PTI than on this show. Much more lively with PTI. Jon Berry says nothing relevant. And Magic Johnson is a much better personality than he is a studio guy. Sorry to say that but it’s true.

10:35: Ray Allen bricks another shot. In Game 4 he will score over 30 points. I am saying it now.

10:36: Would it be too much to ask that Boston have ONE game where Rondo, Allen, Pierce, and Garnett all have good games?

10:37: Pierce with a 3. He’s alive! LA up 54-45.

10:40: Garnett goes to the basket hard and gets fouled.

10:41: Garnett makes both free throws. Lead cut to 56-49.

10:43: I will say the refs are much better tonight so far. Not nearly as ticky-tacky as the refs were in the first two games.

10:45: The new Kobe Nike  commercial is just stupid. I don’t get what it means at all!!!

10:53: Boston hanging around. 60-53 LA.

10:57: Nicholas Cage with another crappy movie coming out. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice preview just came out on a commercial. This will be one of the 5 worst movies Disney has ever made easily.

10:59: Kobe’s got the points, but he really isn’t playing that good tonight. He just missed another shot.

11:00: Tony Allen is a great presence off the bench. LA up only 5 now.

11:01: And just like that Kobe makes a 3.

11:02: Tony Allen off the fast break. Huuuuugeeee 3rd quarter for him!!!

11:03: Lakers 67 Celtics 61 after three quarters. Who will be the star to step up in the 4th quarter? My prediction?!?! It will be Rajon Rondo, with a little Kevin Garnett, and Big Baby sprinkled in. Boston comes back from 17 to win an epic game. I hope I’m right.

11:05: These Grown Ups NBA Finals commercials are awful. Chris Rock, David Spade, Kevin James, and Adam Sandler have no chemistry in these commercials. And why is Sandler wearing a green t-shirt underneath his New York Knicks Willis Reed jersey?!?! That does not match at all!!! Wouldn’t a stylist in the commercial shoot have told him this?

11:08: Big Baby!!! Lead cut to 4!

11:09: Boston crowd is so much better than a LA crowd. Yelling bullshit after bad call on Rasheed. Boston crowd is alive right now in the 4th quarter.

11:12: Great layup by Rondo!!!! One point game!!!! 68-67 LA…Kobe can’t buy a shot right now!!!!!!!!

11:16: Another brick by Kobe!!!! I’m loving this!!!!! Tony Allen playing great D on Kobe!!!

11:18: Another shot by Kobe, another miss. What more can you say?!?!!?

11:19: KG with another bucket!!! One point game!

11:20: Green Shoes Rondo with a nice pass to Big Baby who gets fouled. Big Baby needs to make both these free throws.

11:21: Big Baby misses the first, makes the second. Ok, but two would have been better.

11:21: Bynum misses an easy put back layup. Uh-oh LA!!!

11:22: LA 74-70 5:40 to go…..We’re in for a very good finish.

11:23: How many takes do you think it took to do that Charles Barkley $2 Taco Bell meal commercial? I say no way it was over 3. Very little acting there. Yet Barkley still kills it! “Terrible!”

11:26: Big Baby with the basket and the foul!!! I said the Ticket Stub would be a sprinkle in the 4th quarter. I was wrong; he’s been the main desert! And he made the foul shot!

11:28: Ron Artest is in the NBA Finals! Good hustle play by him to knock the ball off of Ticket Stub. And another big shot by Derek Fisher.

11:29: Pierce for 3!!! LA 78-76

11:30: Kobe and Ray Allen will make one great house with all the bricks they’ve had tonight!

11:30: KG!!! LA 80-78

11:31: Every time Boston cuts it to a one possession game someone from LA comes back to make it two possessions again. This time it was Gasol. LA 82-78. If Boston could just tie it.

11:35: KG cuts it to two. Can Boston get a stop?!?!

11:35: Kobe finally makes a shot when it counts. That’s why he’s Kobe. Clutch when it matters.

11:36: Charles Barkley “Momma pick up the phone!”

11:37: Ball def. went off of Garnett’s hand. DAMMITT!!!

11:39: How the hell is that a jump ball?!?! Ball went off Odom!!! Get Boston the ball refs!!!

11:41: Allen couldn’t make the 3. 0-13 from the field, 0-8 from 3. Unbelievalbe. Then Fisher makes the bucket and the foul. MVP for LA is Derek Fisher.

11:42: LA 87-80 with 48 seconds left. Looks like LA will win. Damn!

11:44: Paul Pierce with a basket and foul.

11:45: Another review coming in the last two minutes…When did the NBA become the NFL?!?! I like that they do this though. You see this MLB?!?!?!

11:47: Good call on Garnett. Dumb foul by KG!!! Completely unnecessary!

11:48: 89-82 LA. Game over!

11:50: Final Lakers 91 Celtics 84.

11:51: I know Fisher has been through a lot, and that’s why he’s emotional…but it’s only Game 3 of the Finals Fisher. Still a few games left.

11:53: Boston needs all four of the Big 4 to show up in Game 4. Four for four in four would be the motto I would say.

11:55: So here are the two stats that kill Boston. Phil Jackson is 47-0 all time in series when winning Game 1 of a series, and the team that wins Game 3 of the NBA Finals in the 2-3-2 format when the series is tied 1-1 is 10-0 all time in the series. But you know what? No baseball team ever came back from 3-0 down in a series. Then came the 2004 Boston Red Sox. So I still have faith in the Celtics.

Kofod

Running Diary of Sunday at The Masters

Inspired by ESPN.com writer Bill Simmons who does this for sports events all the time here is a running diary of yesterday's final round of The Masters. What it is I write down the time (all Eastern Standard Times) of something that is happening and then my thoughts about them. All of this is coming from a guy who has always been a huge fan of Phil Mickelson and not liked Tiger Woods (way before all the stuff of the last 5 months). So enjoy.

1:55 : Goooooooooooooooooo Phil, booooooooooooooooooo Tiger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1:56 : As a side note how great of a sports day was yesterday (Saturday the 11th). In a 5 hour span you had Lee Westwood playing steady, Fred Couples turning back father time, Tiger imploding then fighting back to get to -8, and Phil making eagles left and right. Plus you had C.C. Sabathia taking a no-hitter into the 8th inning, and for me personally the Florida State football spring game was online (the first one without Bobby Bowden, and the return of Christian Ponder, who looked great by the way). The previous week' Saturday of the Final Four was nice, but yesterday was 10 times better.

2:04 : Is their anything better than hearing the Masters theme music, as you see the sights of Augusta on tv? So peaceful, so beautiful, so good.

2:30 : Horrible tee shot by Tiger! Dropped his club as soon as he shot it! Good luck hitting that out of the woods. I'm suprised Tiger didn't swear.

2:32 : Speaking of swearing I heard Tiger swear at least 5 times on television yesterday. So much for Tiger changing his bad behavior on the course.

2:33 : Over/Under on Tiger swearing today? I'll put it at 5. I'm taking the over!

2:34 : Tiger hit his tee shot past the woods, onto the 9th hole. That's still a tough second shot!

2:38 : Good enough second shot by Tiger. Could have done far worse.

2:40 : Does anyone in America want Lee Westwood to win? I know I don't. It seems everyone, here in the States, would either want Phil, Tiger, or Couples to win. Sorry chap!

2:41 : Phil definitely got the loudest ovation. Loved the guy who yelled "you're an animal" right after he hit his tee shot. That's the sophisticated crowd at Augusta for ya!

2:45 : Tiger bogeys the 1st hole. Good!!!!!

2:48 : Westwood hit a branch! Oh could he implode today? This is a terrible start for him.

2:52 : Good for Westwood to escape with only a bogey on the 1st.

2:55 : David Feherty is awful! He calls every shot that hits close to the hole amazing, or fabulous before it rolls 20 feet past the hole! Please give me more Faldo and Nantz, and less Feherty!!!!

3:11 : Falling debree ruins Phil's birdie attempt! Don't tell me the Golfing Gods want Tiger to win!!!!!

3:36 : I don't know why but I really like K.J. Choi. P.S. Tiger is done!

3:47 : Tiger's mike I think is muffed. Haven't heard him swear once today. Good job by CBS.

4:00 : Tiger has his "Phil" moment with an eagle.

4:22 : May have spoken too soon. Tiger is back in it. Dammit!! Where is CBS to muff me?

4:31 : Choi, Mickelson, Woods, Couples all making huge shots! This back 9 will be unreal!

4:36 : Tiger at -9. Shame on me for doubting him.

4:44 : Huge up & down par save by Phil. Bad putting by Lee Westwood. You never want to 3 put in Augusta. Phil has the lead all alone!!!! 9 holes to go!

4:51 : K.J. Choi! Ties Phil! He's playing really well. And he's had to deal with playing with Tiger for four straight days. How can you not like this guy?!

4:57 : Tiger really needs another amazing shot. He needs to get at -10 to really put the pressure on all the other players.

4:59 : Another amazing up & down par for Phil at 10. Old Phil battling New Phil. Fascinating to watch!

5:00 : If Couples loses he can blame his putter. Can't miss gimmies at The Masters. My pick to win at 5:00? K.J. Choi.

5:03 : Seeing golf balls in all these exact spots in woods, or on greens makes me think one thing. Golf is the best sport in HD. You see every divot, leaf, bug, whatever. Football is #2, hockey is #3, and basketball is #4.

5:05 : When will K.J. Choi make a bad shot? It has to happen eventually right?

5:07 : I always hate it when Tiger says "Tiger" after a shot. Referring to yourself in the first person is so stupid and is one of the little reasons I don't like Tiger. Saying that though he made a great shot at 11.

5:09 : Anthony Kim making a run with birdies at 13 and 14. Who will win? A great couple of hours still to go!

5:29 : Phil takes the lead. Kase hates Phil and says he will blow up! I say no, he only does that at the U.S. Open. Choi is starting to make bad shots. Phil has the Masters right in his hands!

5:35 :  CBS has had a real problem covering the last few shots and following the ball. Or as Brett put it "Good fucking camera work you assholes CBS!"

5:42 : 13th hole. Like I told Brett, "No one pulls shots out of his ass like Phil Mickelson!" Shot of the tournament!

Phil's Miracle Shot at 13.

5:49 : Thank God Phil made birdie at 13. Should have had eagle! But -14 after 13 is still pretty damn good.

5:51 : Tiger just had the worst 3 putt you could imagine. Tiger just putted like he's Taylor. Drunk and in a hurry.

5:54 : Just when you think he's out, he stays partially alive. Sick of Tiger. Great par by Kim at 18. -12 might be enough if Phil can bogey a couple of the last holes.

6:10 : James, Neal, Brett, and Kase played 9 holes earlier today. Neal would like to note that Kase finished 4th out of 4 people. Kase says this is only the second year he's played golf. Neal says that's B.S. that Kase was on the 7th grade Modified Golf team. Yup, these are typical arguments Cassadaga boys have!!

6:19 : Phil's got it! Now don't blow it Phil!!!!!!

6:36: Too bad Tiger you didn't win. Boo hoo. Just think about one of those times you slept with a porn star to cheer you up!

Too Bad Tiger You Lost.

6:52 : He did it! Phil has won the 2010 Masters! At -16 that's one of the greatest performances in Masters history!

The 2010 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson!!!

7:00 : Seeing Phil hug his children and his wife Amy....what a moment! Tears down Phil's eyes, Amy's eyes, and probably millions around the world. Seeing different Facebook status of people saying how choked up they were at that moment. Moment's like that are what make sports amazing at times.

A touching moment. This was the first time Phil's wife Amy has been able to travel with and see Phil play golf since she was diagnosed with breast cancer over a year ago.

7:05 : Phil's get his third green jacket! Puts it on! The Masters Green Jacket ceremony is one of the best traditions in all of sports!

Phil gets his third Green Jacket.

7:10 : All the guys have noted the bad tan line Phil has on his forehead. His face is beat red, but his forehead is completely white (because he wore a hat). Everyone wondering why he did not wear a hat. I'm sure that's the last thing on Phil's mind right now.

7:30 : That's it. Phil takes the Masters. Tiger can go back to sex rehab or whatever stupid thing he's doing. That was a fun four rounds of golf, and a great Saturday and Sunday. Can't wait for the U.S. Open!

Go back to Sex Rehab Tiger!