Sports in Title Town

In the past several days there have been a few incredible and entertaining events in sports.

-- The Boston Celtics are embroiled in a classic NBA finals with the Lakers of LaLa. The Lakers are basically a team of unknowns to non-NBA followers except for this Koby Bryant guy. He was the partner of Shaquille O'Neal a couple years ago and since Shaq left, Bryant has been a cry baby deforce. He stammers about leaving and screams at his teammates. Bryant is obviously basing this entire championship run by his TEAM on his own selfish legacy.

On Thursday night the Lakers held a 20 point lead in the third quarter.... and lost. They fell down three games to one and faced extinction going into Sunday night. Bryant was stunned and the rest of his no-name team furious and crying. The crowd filled with pissant actors and faux fans went home quietly as well.

-- Speaking of the NBA, can anyone with a straight face tell me that the officials are not in control of every game all the way? They let muggings of illegal proportions go unfouled to any team that has more than a 10 point lead and then call hang nail fouls down the other end. They don't need a corrupt accused ref to be telling us what is sooo obvious to begin with. The NBA makes the WWF look real.

-- On Saturday, we see the Red Soxc playing in Cinncinati for the first time since the1975 World Series. Holding a slim lead, closer Jonathan Papplebon blew it with a gopher ball in the 9th after third basse coach Demarlo Hale ran Mike Lowell into a Bonnie and Clyde ambush at the plate. The game was a throw back to crazy days and enjoyable, especially when hometown boy Kevin Youlilis and Cocc Crisp went back to back to seal the win and closer number two, Craig Hansen finished it off.

-- Later on Saturday, one off the greatest sports legends of the modern world, Tiger Woods played perhaps the most inspiring round of golf in his life at Torrey Pines in the 108th US Open. Limping around on a newly reeconstructed knee, Woods struck 2 eagles and several lengthy putts to take a 1 stroke lead going into Sunday. His pain on many shots was evident and those who saw his performance witnessed pure guts.

-- Sunday afternoon saw the Red Sox pummel the Reds 9-0 and secure once again the best record in baseball despite the fact they are playing without sluggers David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez as well as starting pitcher Diasake Matsuzaka. Boston is deep and plays with the confidence that a defending World Champion is supposed to play like.

-- The US Open on Sunday saw Tiger Woods trailing most of the day as he lost 3 strokes on the first 2 holes. He scrambled all over the place, again grimacing on every shot as his left knee twisted, glued to the carpet by his spikes. On the 18th hole, needing birdie to tie for an 18 hole playoff, he sent his drive into a trap, his second into the rough, his third above the hole 14 feet away on a slippery slope. From the scorers table, leader Rocco Mediate could only watch helplessly as Woods drained the putt to force the playoff. Classic.

-- The spectrum crossed between Tiger Woods and Koby Bryant is mammoth. Woods plays an individual sport needing to perform on a weekly basis to maintain his status. Bryant ignores team concept in order to prop himself up and maintain his legacy. The Red Sox exemplify what the Celtics did Thursday night: They play hard and under whatever conditions exist, they persevere with unwavering confidence....