Tag: ESPN

NBA Trade Rumors Swirl Around Super-Team Tornado

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

jimmy butler

Apparently this is what it’s all about. Who can build the most Super, Super-Team of them all?? As the dust settles from the Golden State Warriors steamrolling through the NBA Playoffs, en route to their 2nd championship in 3 years, everyone is trying to ‘keep up with the Joneses’. And since Kevin Durant declined his player option on Monday in order to re-sign with the Warriors, the dynasty is in full effect.

According to Chris Haynes of ESPN, Durant will take a $4 million “pay cut” to give the franchise the flexibility to keep their roster intact. So, why doesn’t everyone just play for free?? Players make so much money in endorsements their NBA salaries are fairly insignificant anyway. Then the NBA can rename the East All-Stars the Cavaliers and the West All-Stars the Warriors. Isn’t that where we’re headed anyway?!

Side Note: Who fires their General Manager 3 days before the NBA Draft?!

2nd Side Note (?): Who fires their General Manager without consulting their superstar, Lebron James?!?!

Oh, that would be Cleveland Cavaliers owner, Dan Gilbert. Ya know, the guy who ran Lebron James out of town 7 years ago. Well evidently he had so much fun running the best player of this generation out of town the first time, he plans to do it again. Really, really smart….

Lebron had reportedly been lobbying for Cavaliers’ General Manager, David Griffin’s job prior to his firing. So now, it looks like the Cavaliers are trying to make amends. We must build a Super-Team so powerful that Lebron James will never leave again. Fasten your seat belts and lock your doors because we’re entering Rumor Town.

The latest rumor in the NBA Super-Team Saga is the Cavaliers are looking to complete a 3-team trade for Jimmy Butler. Reportedly, the Cavaliers don’t have enough assets to complete this trade with the Chicago Bulls, so they’ve gotten the Phoenix Suns thrown into the mix. If this rumor holds true (which rarely is the case), the trade would look as follows:

  • The Suns would receive Kevin Love (and I’m assuming something else)
  • The Bulls would receive Eric Bledsoe and the 4th overall pick
  • The Cavaliers would receive Jimmy Butler

These talks are preliminary, as their are many other teams involved in the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes. This is assuming the Bulls are even looking to trade Butler in the first place. I know it’s hard to believe, but some reporters will make up trade rumors just to get attention. Crazy, right??

Jimmy Butler is one of the best two-way players in the NBA. If the Cavaliers can pull off a trade of this magnitude, they would be a few role-playing big men away from being real contenders for a championship. *Not fake contenders like they were last year.

Another big name, who’s actually on the trading block, is Paul George. George informed the Pacers he would become a free agent following the 2017-2018 season. While I can’t imagine the Indiana Pacers are thrilled about losing a top-20 talent, they should appreciate George saying, “trade me now, so you don’t get left empty-handed”. Because no one wants to lose Shaquille O’ Neal to free agency……

Nice work Orlando Magic.

Paul George has expressed his desire to play for the Los Angeles Lakers. They have young prospects and draft picks to offer, so it is a plausible scenario. However, the rumors now involve the Los Angeles Clippers, the Boston Celtics, and the Cavaliers. George will undoubtedly be dealt sooner rather than later. The only question is; Where??

Thursday’s NBA Draft should be exciting, as many players could be on the move. No matter what each team does, they will operate with only one thing in mind; create the next Super-Team.

How do you feel about Super-Teams in the NBA?? Like them, love them, or hate them?? Let your feelings out in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

What Is This Amateur Hour?!?!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 12 Comments

sport-preview-conor-mcgregor-v-floyd-mayweather-640x427

What a joke!! Rather than being some super-hyped, super-fight, this should be the laughing stock of sports. Floyd Mayweather Jr., one of boxing’s most accomplished fighters ever, is coming out of retirement to fight Conor McGregor, the UFC’s ‘flavor of the month’. Well, I guess it’s true what they say..every man has his price. Granted, in this case, the price is really freakin’ high. Mayweather is projected to make approximately $100 million for 36-minutes of “work”. For a second I almost forgot Mayweather’s nickname is “Money”. McGregor is projected to make slightly less, however, I’m sure he’ll rest his oversized, Irish head just fine on that fancy pillow when he brings home approximately $75 million.

This may be the most predictable fight in boxing history, but before I tell you what’s going to happen..I bring you the details:

When: Saturday, August 26th, 2017

Where: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas

Weight Class: Light Middleweight (154 pounds)

Rules: 12-Round Boxing Match (duh!)

For those who thought this could potentially be a Mixed Martial Arts fight, allow me to laugh in your face, HAHAHAHA. Sorry about that. If you thought Floyd Mayweather Jr. was going to come out of retirement to get his face kicked in, you were sorely mistaken. UFC and Boxing, despite their similarities, are 2 completely different sports. And that is the part people DO NOT understand. Conor McGregor can talk all the trash he wants, but the fact is, he has ZERO chance in this fight. ZERO. As in Nada. Zilch. Diddly-Squat. But Dave, what if he catches him with a……Nope, not gonna happen. Hell, McGregor isn’t even regarded as the best boxer in the UFC (Stipe Miocic probably holds that honor).

While this may become the greatest money making spectacle boxing has ever seen, in reality, it’s an amateur-hour special. Floyd Mayweather Jr. is 49-0 as a professional boxer. McGregor is 0-0. The fact that the Nevada State Athletic Commission is actually sanctioning this fight is ridiculous, but hey, money makes the world go ’round.

Tale of the Tape

Mayweather                                                                                         McGregor

Age: 40                                                                                                    Age: 28

Height: 5’8″                                                                                           Height: 5’9″

Reach: 72″                                                                                             Reach: 74″

Boxing Record: 49-0                                                                       UFC Record: 21-3

Now, I will give you a step-by-step breakdown of the fight. You can print this out, carry it around for nearly 2.5 months, and follow it during the fight as if it were a textbook. This fight will go like Mayweather’s last fight (which was almost 2 years ago already – 09.12.15), and the fight before that, and the fight before that. Mayweather will very occasionally hit McGregor with precise jabs, and then dance around McGregor for the majority of the 36-minute bout. If Mayweather finds himself REMOTELY close to danger, he will give McGregor a nice little hug until the referee separates the love birds. McGregor’s frustration will become glaringly visible. The only wild scenario I can picture, and this would be AWESOME, is if McGregor loses his cool in like the 6th round and just roundhouse kicks Mayweather in the face. He’d be disqualified of course, and Mayweather would most likely be unconscious, but that would be Must-See TV!!

Expect the Pay Per View cost to be the same as Mayweather vs. Pacquiao ($100), and expect the fight to start past your bed-time (probably 10:30/11:00 P.M. EST). Also expect, and heed my warning, to be really disappointed you spent $100 bucks on this dumpster fire. Mayweather has only knocked out 1 person in the last 19 years, and McGregor is still trying to figure out how to get his boxing gloves on (they’ll fight with 10-ounce gloves).

Now, as we speak, you can bet on the fight. The opening line on the fight is Mayweather (-800) and McGregor (+500). These odds are WAYYYYYYYYY too low. If I was a betting man, I’d be betting my life savings on Mayweather in a Unanimous Decision (which would bring him to a perfect 50-0). But Dave, I can get 5 to 1 odds on McGregor to pull off the upset. Yeah, and I can use $100 bills as toilet paper, but I don’t….

If someone else is buying, I’m watching, otherwise I’ll wait for ESPN’s highlights the following morning.

What do you think the result of this fight will be?? Are you crazy enough to think McGregor can win?? If so, PLEASE tell me in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

 

 

 

The Sports World’s Amazing Weekend

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

crosby

When it’s 95 degrees outside, you can either go to the beach or do what I did. Yup. I sat in an air conditioned living room and watched sports all weekend. As my Boston people would say, “That was wicked smart.” It was a good weekend to reacquaint yourself with the special a** groove in your couch, because the sports world was busy. Let’s start with the most important (but probably least watched) sporting event of the weekend:

STANLEY CUP FINALS

Following a bad loss in Game 5, the Nashville Predators were happy to head home. Prior to Game 6, the Predators stood an impressive 9-1 in their home arena in the playoffs. Unfortunately for the Predators, the Pittsburgh Penguins handed them their 2nd home loss. The Penguins broke a scoreless tie 58 minutes and 35 seconds into the game, scoring what would be the game winning goal. They would add an empty-net goal 1 minute and 21 seconds later, securing a 2-0 victory. And just like that, the Pittsburgh Penguins became the first team in 20 years to win back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships. Sidney Crosby (duh) won the Conn Smythe Trophy (MVP of the Playoffs) for the 2nd straight year. I don’t normally talk about shoulda, woulda, couldas..but ah..what the hell. The Predators actually scored in this game. Just 1 minute and 7 seconds into the 2nd period, Colton Sissons had a goal erased by a quick whistle. The goal shoulda counted, but we can’t go back in time. Also, Sissons and fellow Predator, Filip Forsberg, both hit the post in the 3rd period. That sucks! I feel for the Predators, as their run through the playoffs was fun to watch. Better luck next year!

NBA FINALS

No sweep. No history. Well, history was still made, just not by the Golden State Warriors. The Cleveland Cavaliers finally won a game (137-116), and they did it in historic fashion. When so many changes are made to the record books, a list is necessary:

  1. The Cavaliers scored 49 points in the 1st quarter
  2. The Cavaliers scored 86 points in the 1st half
  3. The Cavaliers made 24 3-pointers
  4. Lebron James recorded his 9th triple-double in the Finals (breaking Magic Johnson’s record)
  5. Dahntay Jones became the 1st player to get a technical foul from the bench in the NBA Finals (I don’t actually know if this is true – but I think it’s really funny)
  6. Lebron James passed Michael Jordan for 3rd all-time in points scored in the NBA Finals (trailing only Jerry West and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)

Heading into Game 4, the Golden State Warriors were looking to become the 1st team in NBA history to sweep through the playoffs at 16-0. If they win Game 5 they will still be in rarified air. They will join the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers and the 1983 Philadelphia 76ers as the only 1-loss teams to win a championship.

All you Lebron fanatics can pump the brakes. Don’t expect the Cavaliers to hit 24 3-pointers and score 137 points again. You can also expect Lebron, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love not to combine for 94 points again. The Cavaliers are David Wells. They are capable of throwing a Perfect Game, but they aren’t bringing home a Cy Young Award anytime soon. Expect the Warriors to roll in Game 5. 124-111. Warriors win another title. Book it.

U.S.A. VS. MEXICO

Soccer?! Yes. We are going to talk about soccer. Have you ever seen anyone happier to end in a draw before?? That is the question to ask following a draw between U.S.A. and Mexico on Sunday night. You’d think U.S.A. had just won the World Cup. The two nations squared off in a CONCACAF World Cup qualifying match. The match was played in front of 87,000 screaming fans in Estadio Azteca, the famed stadium in the heart of Mexico City. Michael Bradley of U.S.A. scored a shocking goal (from about 40 yards out) just 6 minutes into the match. But, thanks to incredibly poor defense by U.S.A, Mexico tied the match in the 23rd minute when Carlos Vela ran untouched for what seemed like 8 miles before putting home a left-footed strike from just outside the box. The match would end in a 1-1 draw. Maybe there is reason to celebrate, as the U.S.A earned just their 3rd win or draw in 22 tries playing in Mexico City. Pop the champagne……?

AARON JUDGE FOR MVP

Before you laugh, check out the numbers. If the MLB season ended today, Aaron Judge would be the Rookie of the Year and MVP. That hasn’t been done since Ichiro Suzuki in 2001. Aaron Judge is hitting .344 with 21 home runs and 47 r.bi.’s. Yup, that would give Judge the lead in the Triple Crown. Plus, Judge’s Yankees are in 1st place in the American League East with a record of 37-23. PLUS, Aaron Judge hits baseballs really, really FAR. Yes, that baseball really travelled 496 feet. That would be the longest home run since ESPN began tracking distance in 2009. The Yankees are now riding a 5-game winning streak. In their last 5 games, the Yankees have scored a total of 57 runs. That is insane!! This offensive outburst is still being done without future 1st baseman Greg Bird. As good as the offense has been, it is the pitching that has the Yankees in 1st place on June 12th. C.C. Sabathia’s resurgence has been the untold storyline of the Yankees’ season. Let’s hope it continues.

RAFAEL NADAL

And last but not least….words you’ve heard many times before. 10 times now to be exact. Yes. Rafael Nadal won his 10th French Open title. What words could I possibly find to explain the greatness that is Rafael Nadal?? I don’t know, but I’ll try. He is the best clay-court tennis player ever. We have never seen a player this dominant at anything..ever. Not Wayne Gretzky on ice. Not Bill Russell on the hardwood. And no, not Tom Brady on the gridiron. Rafael Nadal dominates clay like nothing we’ve ever seen. Think about this. Nadal just won the French Open without dropping a set in the ENTIRE TOURNAMENT!! The finals was about as anti-climatic as they come. He defeated Stan Wawrinka 6-2, 6-3, 6-1. At age 31, Nadal is finally healthy again, and that means only one thing..the sky is the limit.

With all these fantastic sporting events on TV this weekend, what did you watch?? Tell me what was on your TV in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

I Think We’ll Call This One….ConcussionGate

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 4 Comments

gisele

 

Apparently being a 5-time Super Bowl Champion, a multi-millionaire, and the best quarterback of all-time doesn’t qualify you to wear the pants in the family. Tom Brady is married to retired Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen. Oh yeah, she kept her maiden name. Despite having a net worth of approximately 180 million dollars, Brady is also NOT the bread winner in their household. Gisele’s net worth is an estimated 360 million dollars. Think they have enough money? Anyway, the point is, Tom couldn’t keep Gisele from ‘spilling the beans’ on national television.

On Wednesday, Gisele was interviewed on “CBS This Morning”. To see the cringe worthy portion of the interview, click here. Gisele blurted out that her husband had a concussion last year. She went on to say that he’s had multiple concussions in his career. Riiiigghhttt….Only problem there is Tom Brady has never been diagnosed with a concussion before, nor have the words head injury and Tom Brady ever collided on an injury report. If you follow the NFL or the New England Patriots, you know they are a big fan of filling up the injury report. Julian Edelman..you stubbed your toe? You’re on the injury report. Rob Gronkowski..you spiked a gallon of milk on ESPN again and some milk splattered on your thumb? You’re on the injury report. The Patriots have also been known to bend the rules from time-to-time, so this is a very intriguing revelation.

So, did Gisele just blow the doors off a concussion cover-up?! Yup, you guessed it, I’m going to tell you what I think. Here are the 3 possibilities for what this means:

1.) The most likely scenario is Gisele accidentally dropped the concussion bomb on live television. This will likely lead to a lengthy investigation by the NFL and could bring us flashbacks of ‘DeflateGate’ by introducing ‘ConcussionGate’. Yayy!!

2.) This next one is for all you conspiracy theorists out there. Is it possible that Tom and Gisele did this on purpose? Because the only thing better than attention….is more attention.

3.) And finally, there is the possibility that she just doesn’t know what she’s talking about. This is the least likely possibility (as well as the most insulting), but how could she possibly let the c-word fly?? That’s the holy grail of curse words in the NFL. Tom Brady probably saw that interview and was like, you gotta be kidding me….you don’t let me pee standing up, and now you do this?!?! ‘C’mon Man!

The initial question asked of Gisele was in response to Tom Brady’s ESPN interview earlier in the week. Brady said that Gisele wants him to retire, but he went on to say that he still feels great at 40 years old. And if he feels this good at 45 years old, why wouldn’t he still be playing football? Well Tom, nobody beats father time. And apparently neither Tom or father time will decide when it’s time to retire: “She makes decisions for our family that I’ve got to deal with. Hopefully she never says, ‘Look, this has to be it,'” Brady said “My wife and my kids, it’s a big investment of their time and energy too.”

Listen, I am a huge supporter of women’s rights, equal pay, and the empowerment of women. But, I also don’t believe relationships should be run or controlled by one person. That goes for men and women. Relationships and marriages only work if there is open communication and compromise. But I guess Tom Brady is living proof of ‘happy wife, happy life’.

Do you think Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are covering up concussions?? Tell me what you think in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

 

 

Kelly O Who?!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

celtics-oust-wizards-nba-2017

Do or Die. Sink or Swim. Win or Go Home. I’m runnin’ out of expressions for Game 7 here……..

Tensions were running high Monday night in TD Garden as the Boston Celtics played host to the Washington Wizards for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The nerves were visible right from tip-off, as the first 5 field goal attempts came up empty. Players from both sides quickly settled in, and the points began to pile up. Despite looking like the better team throughout the 1st half, the Celtics trailed 55-53 at halftime. The Celtics were carving up the Wizards defense one backdoor cut at a time, but the Wizards had 4 players in double figures by halftime.

And that was the Wizards’ biggest problem. They ended the game with only those 4 players in double figures. Now, Bradley Beal did all he could, absolutely lighting it up in the 2nd half, finishing with a game-high 38 points. It’s hard to beat the Celtics 1-on-5 though.

Enter John Wall: John Wall did his best James Harden impersonation (minus the ridiculous beard) Monday night. When the game mattered most, Wall was nowhere to be found. Wall went scoreless in the final 19 minutes of the game, missing all 11 of his shots. He also added a turnover and a goaltending violation in there for good measure. Nice work John!

And then there’s Kelly Olynyk. Who?! Yes, Kelly Olynyk, the unlikely hero of Game 7. While Isaiah Thomas played an outstanding Game 7 (29 points and 12 assists), it was Olynyk who put the nail in the coffin. Oh, you want the score?? It’s coming don’t worry. How else can I get you to read this far down on the page?? Olynyk hit one timely shot after another, providing 26 points off the bench. And now, the Celtics have the great pleasure of hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. I guess we’ll finally get to prove the rest vs. play for the #1 seed theory……..

That, or the Cavaliers will win in 6 games. Either way. Either way is fine.

Oh by the way, the Celtics won last night 115-105. Thanks for reading all the way down here!

AND NOW, I’M GOING TO GO OFF ON A DON LAGRECA STYLE RANT:

I always wanted to black-out from rage. Anyway, here goes nothing:

I personally hope Lebron loses in Boston in Game 7 so everyone can blame the Cavaliers resting during the regular season. I CAN’T STAND NBA players resting throughout the regular season!! I understand the season is long, and grueling, and players deal with injuries, but NEWSFLASH: That’s why the league builds rest days into your schedule. Do NBA players ever think about anything other than themselves?? Do they think about the parents who saved up enough money to take their kid to see Lebron James for the first time?? Only to find out Lebron needs to “rest”. “Oh no, Lebron’s not hurt son. He just had a tough week. You know his butler was off this week, so he personally had to carry his millions to the bank. He must be tired from all that heavy lifting.” GIVE ME A BREAK!! NBA players are multi-millionaires because of fans like that. We, the fans, ARE the demand that put millions of dollars in NBA players’ bank accounts. So when your healthy, play. When your team is on the schedule, play. And when you step onto that hardwood every night, remember, there’s a kid in the stands watching you play for the very first time.

Man, I’ve never rooted for Boston before. This is awkward.

Do the Celtics have a chance in the Eastern Conference Finals? How do you feel about the resting epidemic in the NBA? Let me know in the comment section below.

Also, tune into ESPN tonight @ 8:00 P.M. to watch the NBA Draft Lottery show. Let’s see if the Knicks’ luck can get any worse. Immediately following the lottery, you can see Game 2 of the San Antonio Spurs vs. the Golden State Warriors. Should be an ugly one with no Kawhi Leonard. Expect an angry Gregg Popovich..again.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

There’s No Better Way To Spend Mother’s Day Than Watching Sports….Right?

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

jeter

First things first. Happy Belated Mother’s Day to all the mother’s out there. I hope you all enjoyed your day. My mother has always been an inspiration to me, and I want to thank her for everything she has ever done for me. I also want to wish my wife a beautiful Mother’s Day as well.

Derek Sanderson Jeter intentionally chose Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 14th) for his number retirement ceremony. He said he wanted to honor his mother and to thank his entire family for driving him to success. Jeter’s ceremony went exactly like everything went in his career; PERFECT. The same unfortunately can’t be said for the game that followed (the Yankees lost 10-7 to the Astros). Jeter had his number 2 retired, received his plaque that will rest amongst other Yankees’ greats in Monument Park, and then was handed the microphone.

Jeter, as always, kept it classy San Diego. Jeter thanked everyone there is to thank: mother’s everywhere (especially his own and his wife who is a soon-to-be mother), coaches, teammates, and last but not least Yankees fans. I felt the most memorable part of his speech was this: “You know, you play here in New York for 20 years,” Jeter said. “I learned that time flies, memories fade, but family is forever and I’ll be eternally grateful to be a part of the Yankees family, so I can’t thank you guys enough. Thank you very much.” Who could say it better? None other than ‘The Captain’.

On the basketball side of things, Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals had families all over the world late for reservations. What started as a 25-point deficit for the Golden State Warriors (on their home court), ended as a painful, gut wrenching loss for the San Antonio Spurs. Not only did they blow said 25-point lead, but they lost their best player (Kawhi Leonard), again, to an ankle injury. The Warriors didn’t wait long to pounce on the opportunity. They immediately went on an 18-0 run and outscored the Spurs by 23 following Leonard’s early exit. The Warriors won 113-111 to grab a 1-0 lead in the series. Leonard’s status remains up in the air but it doesn’t look promising. Game 2 will be played on Tuesday night at 9:00 P.M. on ESPN.

You can tune in to TNT tonight at 8:00 P.M. to watch Game 7 of the Boston Celtics vs. the Washington Wizards. The winner gets the esteemed honor of being pummeled by Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. After a thrilling game 6, won by John Wall’s heroic 3-pointer, what kind of drama will tonight’s game bring? I say we get another tight one, Celtics 104-Wizards 100. Book it!

What did you think of Derek Jeter’s ceremony? Who will win Game 7 of the Celtics vs. Wizards game? Let me know in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

 

Yankees Continue Their Winning Ways

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

aaron judge 2

A lot can change in 30 games. Doubters can become believers. Casual fans can become die-hard fans. And kids can become adults. That is exactly What has transpired With the 2017 New York Yankees. The ‘baby bombers’ have lost their diapers, skipped past the pull-ups stage, and jumped right into boxer briefs. They are shattering expectations one home-run at a time.

After Monday night’s 10-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, the Yankees now hold Major League Baseball’s best record (21-9). This is following a 1-4 start to the season, so the Yankees have actually gone on a 20-5 run in their last 25 games. That’s insane! Anyway….

They continue to Win decisively, as 13 of their 21 victories have been decided by 3 runs or more. The Yankees, led by a powerful offense, have become no stranger to the long ball. No team has hit more home runs per game than the Yankees. They currently average 1.66 home runs per game, having hit 50 in their first 30 games. Yup, you guessed it. Aaron Judge leads the team with 13 home runs.

Prior to the season their starting pitching staff was riddled with question marks. These questions have all been answered with the affirmative, so far. The Yankees pitching staff ranks 4th in e.r.a (earned run average – 3.52) and 1st in b.a.a. (opponents batting average – .227). We knew their bullpen would be stellar, and it has been, but many expected their starters to falter. Well outside of C.C. Sabathia’s last two starts, the Yankees’ starting pitchers have been very good. But hey, pssst….guess what the Yankees did in C.C.’s last two starts?? That’s right..they Won.

Your level of success is often measured by expectations. Every year, the machine at ESPN asks 35 of their baseball experts to predict the playoffs for the upcoming season (click here to check it out). As you can see, only 1 expert (Steve Wulf) picked the Yankees to Win the American League East Division. And I think these expectations, While appropriate, are exactly what the Yankees needed. The young core of the new look Yankees didn’t need the pressure of trying to live up to the 1998 Yankees. Who could anyway right?? This Yankees regime may have gone from sellers to buyers in just one year. But, as the season flips the calendar from June to October, and the Yankees continue their Winning Ways, pressure will mount naturally. The question is, how Will Aaron Judge and his young brethren handle the pressure?

As a life long Yankees fan, nothing Would make me happier than a historical World Series run, but I am one of the few realistic Yankees’ fans that has ever existed. As fun as this team has been to watch, and as good as I think they will be for years to come, I expect the other shoe to drop at some point during the season. While I don’t expect them to implode, I do expect them to come back to reality, slightly. Between the pressure that inherently joins us in August and September and the inevitable peaks and valleys of a marathon baseball season, I see the Yankees finishing as the 1st Wild-Card Playoff Team. Don’t jump me yet! Just keep Watching Yankees games, keep reading DaveTalksSports.com, and check back in September so I can say ‘I told ya so!’

What do you think? Will the Yankees continue to win at this rapid rate, or will they cool off as the summer heats up? Tell me in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my Writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as Well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

I Went To A Fight And A Basketball Game Broke Out

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

kellys fight

FIGHT!! FIGHT!! FIGHT!! FIGHT!! Reminiscent of two kids in a parking lot after school, fellow students circling, screaming for action, there was always immense build-up for a fight. There were, however, rarely any Mike Tyson haymakers landed. Usually Jimmy and Tommy would shove each other to the ground and maybe wrestle around for a minute until a teacher came to break it up. Yeah, that was last night. That’s what the Boston Celtics vs. Washington Wizards ‘fight’ was. There may be ‘bad blood’, as ESPN’s lead story would have you believe, but there were no tough guys ready to throw down. There were no Shaq size punches thrown. Only guys like Kelly Olynyk floppin’ around like a fish, and Kelly Oubre Jr. sayin’, “hold me back ref, hold me back!”

In the 2nd quarter, Kelly Oubre Jr. took exception to a screen Kelly Olynyk set on him. This made Oubre Jr. mad. After Oubre Jr. picked himself up from a masterful flop, he charged at Olynyk like a bull. Oh it looked nice, especially for T.V., but it was about as anti-climactic as Batman and Superman realizing their mothers share the name Martha. Wait, your name is Kelly?! No way man, my name is Kelly too!! We should be friends. Okay, sounds great! Oubre Jr. was immediately ejected from the game, and could face a suspension for Game 4.

The flippin’ and floppin’ didn’t stop there. In the 4th quarter, Brandon Jennings flopped about 17 times before getting in Terry Rozier’s face. Once again, no punches were thrown, however both players were ejected after double technical fouls were assessed. Game 3 saw 3 ejections and 8 technical fouls (including 1 on Wizards’ coach Scott Brooks). This is the most technical fouls in a playoff game since 2013. This behavior is a result of this season’s previous altercations between the Celtics and Wizards. To see a quick recap click here. I think Isaiah Thomas summarized it best: “We don’t like them, and they don’t like us.” Well said toothless wonder.

Oh, by the way, there was a basketball game played last night. The Wizards rolled past the Celtics 116-89. The Celtics now lead the series 2-1. Isaiah Thomas was held to just 13 points on 3 of 8 shooting from the field. Let me just say that the Celtics have ZERO chance in this series if Thomas only attempts 8 shots per game. I expect him to play better in Game 4, which can be seen on TNT on Sunday @ 6:30 P.M. EST. Each team has held serve, with the home team winning every game in the series so far. This series is only heating up so stay tuned. As a wise man once said, “A playoff series doesn’t start until a home team loses a game.”

Who will blink first and lose at home? The Celtics or the Wizards? Tell me in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

One-Liner Fridays

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

lebron haters

 

Helllllooooo sports fans!!  It’s Friday again.  I know you thought it would never get here, but the weekend is right around the corner.  I will get your weekend started a little early with a weekly segment I like to call: One-Liner Fridays.  You know how it goes.  Today, I will wrap up the past week in sports in One Line and One Line only.  Enjoy!!

 

You know the dog days of summer have hit you square in the face when GOLF is the most exciting thing on TV.

 

Oh no wait, I forgot, you can always turn on some WNBA action……

 

So I heard some clown on ESPN radio last night talking about how betting on the Mets to win the World Series this year (at 200 to 1 odds) wouldn’t be the dumbest thing that has ever happened before…….NO????

 

I mean I’m no rocket scientist, but I’m pretty sure laying that bet would put you in the running for dumbest person ever.

 

So Chad Johnson (yes Ochocinco), is playing in the CFL now, and he just scored his first touchdown the other day, but if you haven’t seen it check out the ref who is clearly not the hugger Derek Jeter is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EGDt07j7sA

 

I know I know, everybody just LOVES Lebron James again, but as you know from my article I know everyone read (https://davetalkssports.com/2014/07/11/lebron-james-returns-to-cleveland/), I’m not buying the bullcrap salad that he’s selling.

 

But seriously, Lebron just placed first in the Harris Poll, which determines the most popular athlete in the United States, I bet The Joker wishes he could figure out how to go from the villain to everyone’s hero in just 1 year.

 

Which brings me to another basketball player, Carmelo Anthony, also known as the most generous and most selfless man in the world.

 

He’s not in it for the money man, he’s all about pay cuts.

 

This man took $7 million less on a 5-year, $129 million contract, if that is not a sacrifice that screams TEAM than I don’t know what is.

 

More basketball??

 

Okay.

 

I only have one thing to say to the Los Angeles Lakers: “HAHAHAHAHAHA….Carlos Boozer….HAHAHAHAHAHA….Jeremy Lin….HAHAHAHAHAHA….okay maybe that was more than one thing, but you get the point.

 

When Tracy McGrady got signed by the Sugar Land Skeeters (insert immature laughter here), I figured he would have a long, illustrious career….and I was right, he pitched 6 and 2/3 innings, recorded 1 strikeout, and then said I think I’ve had enough.

 

So he retired.

 

Major League Baseball definitely handled Derek Jeter’s final All-Star Game very tastefully, but man is that game terrible.

 

If it wasn’t for Derek Jeter, I think there would have been 4 viewers of that game (yea, I said 4).

 

The only thing worse than the All-Star Game itself is the Home Run Derby, that right there is 4 hours of my life that I can NEVER get back again.

 

Here is a simple formula of how to fix the Home Run Derby: you give Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, and Sammy Sosa a bunch of steroids and give them each their own personalized club (you know like a caveman club) and watch them bash 600 foot home runs for an hour, this way everyone’s happy and these clowns get 15 more minutes of fame….oh, and feel free to throw Jose Canseco in there if you want.

BarryBonds

 

Tiger Tiger Woods y’all is back, it’s crazy how much one man can effect an entire sport.

 

So now that the worst time of the year in sports is upon us is it too early to ask everyone’s favorite question: ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?!?! 

 

 

This has been another edition of One-Liner Fridays.  I hope you enjoyed it, and if you have a One-Liner of your own please post it in the comment section below.

 

If you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!  

 

One Liner Fridays

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

tanaka

Good morning everyone, and welcome to the end of the work week (for most of us).  Every Friday, I like to infuse a little humor into everyone’s lives.  Here you will find the past week in sports wrapped up in one line, and one line only.  Enjoy!!

 

No no no, it’s okay Lebron take your time, your decision probably doesn’t effect anyone else but yourself…..

 

Do you think that Chandler Parsons wakes up every morning and throws darts at a picture of Lebron James’ face?

 

Side note that is almost related to what we are talking about: Do you think Chris Bosh knows he is the ugliest man in the world??

bosh-face

 

All you could muster up was 41 consecutive scoreless inning pitched, Clayton Kershaw??

 

Man do you suck.

 

I just want to say something, I’m gonna put this out there, if you like it you can keep it and if u don’t just throw it right back, “I am ready to take Masahiro Tanaka’s spot in the Yankees rotation.”

 

Still wondering how someone can win a fight in just 16 seconds???

 

I would explain it to you, but I figured I’d just let Ronda Rousey show you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kp1iYmbWCo

 

Wait, you are going to subject us to more soccer??

 

NO!!!!!!!!

 

Which was worse, watching a 7-1 rout or watching probably the most poorly played World Cup Semifinal match in history resulting in 0 goals in 120 minutes??

 

Surprise Surprise, MLB has changed the format of The Home Run Derby….again.

 

They change The Home Run Derby more times than Richard Pryor changed wives (this guy got married 9 different times)!!!!

 

No story was more entertaining this past week than the fat bastard Yankees fan who is suing the Yankees and ESPN for $10 million because he decided to take a nap at a baseball game.

 

I’d continue to make fun of him, but I think his picture says it all:

fat man

 

Well this has been another edition of One Liner Fridays.  I hope you enjoyed them.  If you have a One Liner of your own you’d like to add, please leave one in the comment section below.  Thanks for reading!!

 

 

If you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!