Showing posts with label basketball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label basketball. Show all posts
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Cavs Make History, Really Are That Bad
The Dallas Mavericks helped the Cleveland Cavaliers become an answer to a future Trivial Pursuit question in that the Lebron-less Cavs have lost 25 straight games, setting an NBA record. The funny thing is the team broke its own record of 24 games, set in 1982.
Following the loss, Mavs Guard Jason Terry, likely trying to be kind and soften the blow to Cavaliers’ fans, stated the team’s record wasn’t a reflection of how bad they really are. He backed up his claim with the fact that the Mavericks had several chances to put the game away but the Cavs refused to go away, ultimately losing by only three points.
While the Cavs have been competitive the last four games, keeping the final score within seven points or less, the last 36 games show nothing but failure for Ohio’s NBA fans.
Starting the season off, the Cavaliers went 7-9 proving that without Lebron James they were an average team. However, since that time they have had only one win and their losses range from close finishes to complete meltdowns. The following is a breakdown of the past 36 games.
Feb. 7 – at Dallas – L – 99-96
Feb. 5 – Portland – L – 111-105
Feb. 4 – at Memphis – L – 112-105
Feb. 2 – Indiana – L – 117-112
Jan. 31 – at Miami – L – 117-90
Jan. 30 – at Orland – L – 103-87
Jan. 28 – Denver – L – 117-103
Jan. 25 – at Boston – L – 112-95
Jan. 24 – at New Jersey – L – 103-101
Jan. 22 – at Chicago – L – 92-79
Jan. 21 – Milwaukee – L 102-88
Jan. 19 – Phoenix – L – 106-98
Jan. 15 – at Denver – L – 127-99
Jan. 14 – at Utah – L – 121-99
Jan. 11 – at LA Lakers – L – 112-57
Jan. 9 – at Phoenix – L – 108-100
Jan. 7 – at Golden State – L – 116-98
Jan. 5 – Toronto – L – 120-105
Jan. 2 – Dallas – L – 104-95
Jan. 1 – at Chicago – L – 100-91
Dec. 29 – at Charlotte – L – 101-92
Dec. 28 – Orlando – L – 110-95
Dec. 26 – Minnesota – L – 98-97
Dec. 22 – at Atlanta – L – 98-84
Dec. 20 – Utah – L – 101-90
Dec. 18 – New York – W – 109-102
Dec. 17 – at Indiana – L – 108-99
Dec. 15 – at Miami – L – 101-95
Dec. 12 – at Oklahoma City – L – 106-77
Dec. 11 – at Houston – L – 110-95
Dec. 8 – Chicago – L – 88-83
Dec. 7 – at Philadelphia – L – 117-97
Dec. 5 – at Detroit – L – 102-92
Dec. 4 – at Minnesota – L – 129-95
Dec. 2 – Miami – L – 118-90
Nov. 30 – Boston – L – 106-87
Among those 36 games, the Cavaliers won only one and scored 100 points or more in eight. Of the 35 losses, they finished within 10 points in 16 games, and among those only five games ended with the Cavs losing by five points or less. Of the other 19 losses that saw a point differential of 11 or more, the worst loss was by 55 points to the Lakers on Jan. 11. Another seven games were lost by 20 points or more.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are just not being competitive and I truly feel sorry for that team now that Lebron has left. Truly it should be the fans we feel sorry for, who are being spared to death not only by the Cavs, who have only been to the NBA Finals once in their entire history where they were swept in four games by the San Antonio Spurs, but by every sports franchise the city has to offer. Since 1964, when the Cleveland Browns won an NFL Championship, a title has never been achieved in any major sporting arena.
Following the loss, Mavs Guard Jason Terry, likely trying to be kind and soften the blow to Cavaliers’ fans, stated the team’s record wasn’t a reflection of how bad they really are. He backed up his claim with the fact that the Mavericks had several chances to put the game away but the Cavs refused to go away, ultimately losing by only three points.
While the Cavs have been competitive the last four games, keeping the final score within seven points or less, the last 36 games show nothing but failure for Ohio’s NBA fans.
Starting the season off, the Cavaliers went 7-9 proving that without Lebron James they were an average team. However, since that time they have had only one win and their losses range from close finishes to complete meltdowns. The following is a breakdown of the past 36 games.
Feb. 7 – at Dallas – L – 99-96
Feb. 5 – Portland – L – 111-105
Feb. 4 – at Memphis – L – 112-105
Feb. 2 – Indiana – L – 117-112
Jan. 31 – at Miami – L – 117-90
Jan. 30 – at Orland – L – 103-87
Jan. 28 – Denver – L – 117-103
Jan. 25 – at Boston – L – 112-95
Jan. 24 – at New Jersey – L – 103-101
Jan. 22 – at Chicago – L – 92-79
Jan. 21 – Milwaukee – L 102-88
Jan. 19 – Phoenix – L – 106-98
Jan. 15 – at Denver – L – 127-99
Jan. 14 – at Utah – L – 121-99
Jan. 11 – at LA Lakers – L – 112-57
Jan. 9 – at Phoenix – L – 108-100
Jan. 7 – at Golden State – L – 116-98
Jan. 5 – Toronto – L – 120-105
Jan. 2 – Dallas – L – 104-95
Jan. 1 – at Chicago – L – 100-91
Dec. 29 – at Charlotte – L – 101-92
Dec. 28 – Orlando – L – 110-95
Dec. 26 – Minnesota – L – 98-97
Dec. 22 – at Atlanta – L – 98-84
Dec. 20 – Utah – L – 101-90
Dec. 18 – New York – W – 109-102
Dec. 17 – at Indiana – L – 108-99
Dec. 15 – at Miami – L – 101-95
Dec. 12 – at Oklahoma City – L – 106-77
Dec. 11 – at Houston – L – 110-95
Dec. 8 – Chicago – L – 88-83
Dec. 7 – at Philadelphia – L – 117-97
Dec. 5 – at Detroit – L – 102-92
Dec. 4 – at Minnesota – L – 129-95
Dec. 2 – Miami – L – 118-90
Nov. 30 – Boston – L – 106-87
Among those 36 games, the Cavaliers won only one and scored 100 points or more in eight. Of the 35 losses, they finished within 10 points in 16 games, and among those only five games ended with the Cavs losing by five points or less. Of the other 19 losses that saw a point differential of 11 or more, the worst loss was by 55 points to the Lakers on Jan. 11. Another seven games were lost by 20 points or more.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are just not being competitive and I truly feel sorry for that team now that Lebron has left. Truly it should be the fans we feel sorry for, who are being spared to death not only by the Cavs, who have only been to the NBA Finals once in their entire history where they were swept in four games by the San Antonio Spurs, but by every sports franchise the city has to offer. Since 1964, when the Cleveland Browns won an NFL Championship, a title has never been achieved in any major sporting arena.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Not quite the most wonderful time of year – but it sure is close
When I first got into football two years ago – my gateway sport into all things sports related – I found at the end of the season as the Super Bowl approached my friends groaning about what a terrible life they would lead once football wasn’t there every week.
Following the first season I bought into this mentality that football reigned and everything else was filler until the preseason came around. My sports brain went into a comatose state until August when fantasy football talk started up again and the gridiron game was back in full swing. It’s funny how the people you call friends and rely on most for pertinent information regarding your personal life can be so horribly wrong.
There is so much to look forward to following the post-season of football, which I have fully taken advantage of this year.
The Super Bowl came and went on February 3 but that was not the end of sports as we know it for early 2008. By this time, basketball and hockey are in full swing with many fans starting to get an idea of what the playoffs will hold and a few teams wondering whether a post-season will present itself depending on how close the competition is in their conference – which has been compelling for the Western Conference.
March continues basketball and hockey action but sprinkles in college athletics as the NCAA Tournament – more appropriately known as March Madness – begins. Although it isn’t until the middle of the month when the tournament starts, there are plenty of conference tournaments deciding the fate of several teams on the cusp of receiving a ranking high enough to be selected. Even teams not making March Madness still find their way into the less popular event – the National Invitation Tournament.
The end of March and beginning of April is the time when sports fans are bombarded with action as March Madness is in full swing, professional basketball and hockey are still going strong and the baseball season starts up.
I’ve always found baseball to be a slow sport, especially when watching it on television, but I now appreciate it as a thinking game. The players in the infield and outfield and the runners on base are sort of pawns in a chess game between the pitcher and batter.
It is quite enthralling to see a runner in scoring position with two out and sweating it out as the pitcher has to either strike out the batter or force him to put the ball in play where a defenseman can get an easy out.
Another joy of April is that’s when the playoffs for basketball and hockey start. The Dallas Stars have shown they will be a force to be reckoned with and we can only hope the same for the Dallas Mavericks as they take us on a rollercoaster of emotions since losing the 2005-2006 NBA finals to Miami.
A sport some find boring but I recently learned to enjoy watching – or I should say re-learned to enjoy watching – is tennis. My friends and I took up the sport recently as a way to get some exercise and enjoy the night air at our local park. This isn’t my first foray into the world of tennis however. My mom used to watch tennis a lot when I was a kid and I remember having to suffer through the sport when all I really wanted was the television so I could watch a cartoon or play a video game.
With the Davis Cup being played out throughout the year, the quarterfinals were held this past weekend. The French Open is scheduled for May and June with Wimbledon following in June and July.
Golf fans can also get excited during the month of April because the Masters gets under way, giving everyone their first chance to see Tiger Woods attempt to dominate the field, which did not happen this year. As a true fan of many sports I spent much of my weekend wondering how Tiger was doing and who the leader was – due to being out of town camping I had no access to this information until Sunday. I spent the final day flipping between the Masters, the Texas Rangers and the Davis Cup Quarterfinals.
By the way, to the guy who says he is a golf fan but would rather go fishing or find something else to do if Tiger isn’t in the hunt on the final day of a tournament, that isn’t a real fan of the sport. That means you are a Tiger Woods fan, not a golf fan.
For those of you who complain about the absence of football this time of year, I say get over it and enjoy the surplus of sports that is offered. You are missing out on some seriously great action.
Following the first season I bought into this mentality that football reigned and everything else was filler until the preseason came around. My sports brain went into a comatose state until August when fantasy football talk started up again and the gridiron game was back in full swing. It’s funny how the people you call friends and rely on most for pertinent information regarding your personal life can be so horribly wrong.
There is so much to look forward to following the post-season of football, which I have fully taken advantage of this year.
The Super Bowl came and went on February 3 but that was not the end of sports as we know it for early 2008. By this time, basketball and hockey are in full swing with many fans starting to get an idea of what the playoffs will hold and a few teams wondering whether a post-season will present itself depending on how close the competition is in their conference – which has been compelling for the Western Conference.
March continues basketball and hockey action but sprinkles in college athletics as the NCAA Tournament – more appropriately known as March Madness – begins. Although it isn’t until the middle of the month when the tournament starts, there are plenty of conference tournaments deciding the fate of several teams on the cusp of receiving a ranking high enough to be selected. Even teams not making March Madness still find their way into the less popular event – the National Invitation Tournament.
The end of March and beginning of April is the time when sports fans are bombarded with action as March Madness is in full swing, professional basketball and hockey are still going strong and the baseball season starts up.
I’ve always found baseball to be a slow sport, especially when watching it on television, but I now appreciate it as a thinking game. The players in the infield and outfield and the runners on base are sort of pawns in a chess game between the pitcher and batter.
It is quite enthralling to see a runner in scoring position with two out and sweating it out as the pitcher has to either strike out the batter or force him to put the ball in play where a defenseman can get an easy out.
Another joy of April is that’s when the playoffs for basketball and hockey start. The Dallas Stars have shown they will be a force to be reckoned with and we can only hope the same for the Dallas Mavericks as they take us on a rollercoaster of emotions since losing the 2005-2006 NBA finals to Miami.
A sport some find boring but I recently learned to enjoy watching – or I should say re-learned to enjoy watching – is tennis. My friends and I took up the sport recently as a way to get some exercise and enjoy the night air at our local park. This isn’t my first foray into the world of tennis however. My mom used to watch tennis a lot when I was a kid and I remember having to suffer through the sport when all I really wanted was the television so I could watch a cartoon or play a video game.
With the Davis Cup being played out throughout the year, the quarterfinals were held this past weekend. The French Open is scheduled for May and June with Wimbledon following in June and July.
Golf fans can also get excited during the month of April because the Masters gets under way, giving everyone their first chance to see Tiger Woods attempt to dominate the field, which did not happen this year. As a true fan of many sports I spent much of my weekend wondering how Tiger was doing and who the leader was – due to being out of town camping I had no access to this information until Sunday. I spent the final day flipping between the Masters, the Texas Rangers and the Davis Cup Quarterfinals.
By the way, to the guy who says he is a golf fan but would rather go fishing or find something else to do if Tiger isn’t in the hunt on the final day of a tournament, that isn’t a real fan of the sport. That means you are a Tiger Woods fan, not a golf fan.
For those of you who complain about the absence of football this time of year, I say get over it and enjoy the surplus of sports that is offered. You are missing out on some seriously great action.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Axe 'Em Jacks
The Stephen F. Austin State University Men's Basketball team just won the first game in the Southland Conference Tournament and will go on to play tonight's winner between Northwestern State and Southeastern Louisiana. Many readers who have stumbled upon this blog are probably scratching their heads saying "the what conference?" Well I don't care what you say. This is exciting stuff for ex-Lumberjacks because our football team sucks and this is all that we have going on that is special right now. I am extremely excited about this outcome and can't wait to see what the results are for tomorrow night's game.
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