Sports Weekend

Okay, we had the Belmont Stakes, the finals at Roland Garros, and game #2 of the NBA finals all going on over the weekend. Let's recap shall we?

NBA Finals

Personally, I can't see why anyone can cheer for the Lakers as long as Kobe Bryant is on that team. Sure he's talented with the rock, but could there be a worse teammate in the history of the sport? Talk about throwing people under the bus! This is Kobe's hobby.

And who could forget the rape trial in Colorado a few years ago? Kobe was actually miffed that the jet the team got to fly him back and forth from LA to Colorado wasn't a "high-enough profile jet." I guess even among the jet-set there is "Jet Envy."

Last summer he was holding the Lakers hostage by saying, "Get me more players or trade me." I'm sure the front office of the Lakers loved that. I just don't ever recall MJ or Magic ever saying that and those are the guys Kobe wants to be compared to.

How about the way he got rid of the Big Diesel? Shaq was still performing at a high level but Kobe wanted the Lakers to be "his" team.

And whats the deal with the way he tries to act cool and does that thing with his tongue on the inside of his mouth? You know what I'm talking about.... Part of Kobe being Kobe is that he can't smile and must start each answer to a question with, "You know....."

Boston's up 2-0 and as much as I dislike "Title Town" (3 Super Bowls wins and 2 World Serious wins all this decade is a bit nauseating), I am pulling for them. I like KG very much. The guy is a class act and a great teammate. Ditto for Ray Allen. I hope they close it out in a sweep.

Roland Garros

This is actually the correct name of the tennis event that is often incorrectly called, "The French Open."

I've had the good fortune to attend this event 3 times in my life. Each time it just gets better. When I watch the matches on TV I always get a tinge of nostalgia and wish I was back there again.....wearing my beret and speaking French.

This year, like the past three years saw Rafael Nadal destroy the competition. The 22 year-old kid didn't lose a set and is now 28-0 at RG. Playing Roger Federer, arguably one of the greatest tennis players ever, Nadal lost 4 games. Granted, the red clay of RG is Federer's least favorite surface, but Nadal has beat him in the finals 3 years in a row now. Federer usually extracts his revenge on the slick grass surface of Wimbledon or the hard courts of the US Open. This is a great rivalry - appreciate it.


The Belmont Stakes

I'm not a fan of horse racing, but the fact that a horse comes along every now and then capable of winning the triple crown makes even non racing fans follow along.

The fact that Big Brown's trainer said that winning the Triple Crown was a "forgone conclusion" didn't endear him to anyone else in the horse racing community. Since BB lost, there's been all this chatter about the horse not being himself (????). In fact, the owner of the horse has ordered BB to have bloodwork done, x-rays, etc.... The horse lost - get over it. Now I fear that when the Celtics beat the Lakers, Kobe will use this same excuse, "I just wasn't myself."

US Open this week. I get to wrestle with the crowds on Friday.