Only 3+ months to go...

Yes, I realize it's only the end of May. But the end of May means we are close to June, which means we are close to summer, which means that college football isn't THAT far away. Sure, we have the NBA playoffs, regular season MLB, and a (hopeful) trip to Omaha to bide our time over the next few weeks. But who are we kidding? It's all just a way to occupy our time until Louisiana-Monroe rolls into town. Yes, it's only the end of May, but I can see the sun starting to break through the clouds. Only 3+ months to go until the hibernation period is over once again.

I also realize the picture above really has nothing to do with the 2009 football season. But holy hell, that's an awesome picture. Look at Stoops in the white shirt in the background with his hand held to his head, thinking "remember when I used to own these guys? That seems like a lifetime ago."

In any event, I figured it would be a good time to record some pre-summer predictions for the 2009 season. Without putting too much thought into it (hell, we still have plenty of time for that), here are my game-by-game initial impressions. I'm not really going into detail re: matchups or opponents' strengths/weakness. More just my general thoughts on how the schedule plays out.

Louisiana-Monroe (Austin, TX) - ULM is not an absolutely terrible team, but they aren't real good either. They were 3-4 in the Sun Belt last year and handed Troy their only conference loss of the year. However, when matched up against power conference teams, the Warhawks didn't fare so well. Losses at Auburn (34-0) and Ole Miss (59-0), although they did play Arkansas very close in Little Rock (lost 28-27). Of course, Arkansas was absolutely dreadful in September last year, so that's more an indictment of Arkansas than anything else. We absolutely thrashed that Arkansas team in one of the worst beatings I've seen vs. another BCS school. SEC! SEC! Anyway, this will likely be your typical early season blowout. ULM did beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 2007, but that ain't happening here. Pre-summer prediction: Texas 55 ULM 6.

Wyoming (Laramie, WY) - Wyoming sucks. They were 1-7 last year in the Mountain West and will be playing their second game under new coach Dave Christensen when we roll into Laramie. Christiansen was the offensive coordinator at Mizzou last year. I seem to remember having some success against them last year. Remember what I said about our massive beating of Arkansas being one of the worst I've seen vs. another BCS school? Well, repeat that here. That first half vs. Mizzou last year was pure magic. In any event, there won't be any Jeremy Maclin or Chase Coffman to help Wyoming in this one. I would expect something similar to last year's UTEP game in El Paso. We'll look sloppy at times and Wyoming will be fired up for the biggest thing to ever hit Laramie, but it won't really matter in the end. Pre-summer prediction: Texas 45 Wyoming 14.

Texas Tech (Austin, TX) - One day, someone will have to explain to me why Tech agreed to move this game to mid-September. They are breaking in a new QB and learning to play without that beast at WR. So why not go ahead and move your toughest game of the year from November up to September? Great idea! Not that I'm complaining, obviously. I fully expect this game to be a revenge bloodbath after last year's debacle. It still makes me nauseous just thinking about it. Seriously. But yeah, this game could get ugly, mostly because I think Tech is due for a regression to the mean after last year. They had a nice year with a nice run in October, but were they really any different than the usual Texas Tech? Upset a good team at home, beat A&M, but fail to show up when the chips are really down. The only difference for Tech in 2008 was that they didn't lose that one head-scratcher. They almost did - vs. Nebraska and vs. Baylor. This year, I have them pencilled in for a Tech-tastic 8-4 season, including a blowout loss in Austin. Pre-summer prediction: Texas 49 Tech 24.

UTEP (Austin, TX) - This game has letdown written all over it. Uninspiring opponent? Check. First game after an emotional game the week before? Check. Last game before the bye week? Check. I think we go through the motions in this one, which is fine so long as nobody gets hurt. Honestly, I wouldn't mind moving this game to El Paso again. That was really cool last year (much cooler than I had anticipated prior to heading out to El Paso). In any event, I envision a methodical beatdown of the Miners. Pre-summer prediction: Texas 52 UTEP 16.

Colorado (Austin, TX) - After a bye week, conference play starts with the Buffs in Austin. DA-RELL SCOTT! Good times. I'm not really sure what to expect from Colorado this year. They were really disappointing last year. Things looked promising early when they beat West Virginia, but everything crashed down to Earth after we pasted them in Boulder. Looking at their 2009 schedule, I wouldn't be totally shocked if CU rebounded with a 7-5 type season this year. They have to play @ Texas and @ Oklahoma State in conference play, but every other conference game is at least winnable for them. They do have some talent offensively with Stewart, Scott, and Josh Smith. Unfortunately, Cody Hawkins sucks bad and their defense is nothing to write home about. It won't matter in Austin anyway. Pre-summer prediction: Texas 37 Colorado 13.

Oklahoma (Dallas, TX) - I could write a novel on this one, so I'll just try to keep it brief. Fuck them. As for some actual discussion, we should know a bit more about the Sooners through the month of September. I fully expect them to beat BYU (in Arlington) and Miami (in Miami), but those will be tests. I'll be very curious to see how the new OU OL holds up, especially in Miami. Without question, OU is loaded at QB, RB, and TE. But that OL stands out like a sore thumb. They are starting four new guys, including guys like Stephen Good and Ben Habern who haven't really played much at all yet. And behind the starters, they basically have nothing. It's going to be an issue for OU in 2009. On defense, they should be in good shape. What's the over/under on when Ryan Reynolds' knee gives out? I'm not crazy about OU's secondary, but that's been the case for the last six years or so. In the front 7, OU will be as good as it gets. All in all, OU should be very good in 2009, but I think they lose a couple along the way. They do have to play vs. BYU (in Arlington), at Miami, vs. Texas, @ Kansas, @ Nebraska, @ Tech, and vs. Oklahoma State in Norman. Do you think they lose two of those? I probably do. Fuck them. Pre-summer prediction: Texas 27 OU 21.

Missouri (Columbia, MO) - I think Mizzou will be just another one of those mediocre Big 12 North teams in 2009. They were nothing special last year, but now they have to play without Daniel, Maclin, Coffman, Ziggy Hood, and William Moore. Good luck with that. Playing in Columbia is one of those tricky spots that could bite us if we aren't careful. Something similar to playing KU in Lawrence last year. But if you get up early and put your foot on their throat, it ends up being just another day at the park. We usually play lights out the week after OU, so I would expect that again in 2009. Mizzou plays Nebraska and at Oklahoma State during the two weeks before we show up in Columbia, so Mizzou won't exactly be fresh either. They may be desperate and keep it close for a while though. Pre-summer prediction: Texas 38 Missouri 20.

Oklahoma State (Stillwater, OK) - Well, this is the tricky one. Does Stillwater 2009 = Lubbock 2008? This game is going to be a real bitch. If Oklahoma State gets by Georgia in the season opener (really looking forward to that one, by the way), I fully expect them to be undefeated when we show up on Halloween night. Ugh. OSU loses Pettigrew on offense, which is undoubtedly a huge loss. That guy was a beast both in the passing game and running game. Even so, I'll take Robinson/Hunter/Bryant as the best QB/RB/WR combo in the nation next year. They also return Okung at LT, so it's not like they are totally rebuilding their OL either. On defense, it's another story. I like the Bill Young hire, but that defense won't be anything terrific in 2009. Regardless, it should be good enough to keep OSU in the Top 15 most of the year. The real question I have with OSU is whether they will show up when the lights are brightest. There's no reason they shouldn't beat Georgia to open the season, but I remain skeptical. And I'll remain skeptical on whether they can beat us in what's sure to be a nationally televised game on October 31. That doesn't mean I'm not already nervous as hell about this one. Pre-summer prediction: Texas 38 Oklahoma St. 34.

Central Florida (Austin, TX) - As long as nobody gets hurt and I don't have to listen to Milli Vanilli during a rain delay, I will consider this a victory. Of course, this game represents another reason why Tech was absolutely crazy to agree to move our game to September. Instead of having to face Tech after a stretch of OU/Mizzou/Oklahoma State (all away from Austin), we get to play Central Florida. How great is that? Needless to say, I expect a sluggish performance in this one. Probably something similar to the Baylor game from last year. As long as Kevin Smith doesn't have any more eligibility for UCF, I think we'll be fine. Pre-summer prediction: Texas 49 UCF 17.

Baylor (Waco, TX) - We need to be careful here. I know it's Baylor and I know the odds of us losing this one are slim, but I'm just saying. Robert Griffin is legit. They also have some skill guys on offense who can play. On defense, they are nothing special, although they do have a couple of scrappy, Scott Derry types at LB and in the backfield. It's quite possible that Baylor is 6-3 at this point in the season, so they'll be ready to play. How many times in the past have we had that one November blunder or scare that almost derails our season? 1998 - Tech in Lubbock. 1999 - A&M in College Station. 2001 - A&M in College Station. 2002 - Tech in Lubbock. 2003 - Tech in Austin. 2004 - KU in Lawrence. 2005 - Oklahoma St. in Stillwater. 2006 - KSU in Manhattan. 2007 - A&M in College Station. That's what was so remarkable about 2008. We never had that hiccup game. Baylor could be it in 2009. Pre-summer prediction: Texas 35 Baylor 24.

Kansas (Austin, TX) - Todd Reesing is still around? He and Desmond Briscoe make a nice little combination (emphasis on the word little for Reesing). However, KU just doesn't do much for me. I expect them to start the season 6-0 with a cushy schedule through mid-October. They may even be ranked fairly high when they host OU on October 24. That will annoy me when OU destroys them and gets credit for beating a highly-ranked undefeated team. After that, KU's second half schedule gets a bit tougher. They could win 7 or 8 games and find themselves in a middle-tier bowl, which should be great for KU on a yearly basis. While I respect that program and think Mangino can coach, they just don't have the horses to put up a real fight in Austin. Pre-summer prediction: Texas 41 Kansas 13.

Texas A&M (College Station, TX) - I'm really tempted to say this will be a battle, especially considering that we have had to work for it at Kyle Field in 1999 (loss), 2001 (4th quarter win), 2005 (ugly win), and 2007 (loss). Only 2003 was a beatdown and that Aggie team was absolutely pathetic. However, I've just seen absolutely nothing from Mike Sherman to make me think he has any ability to put together a competitive team. Seriously, what a horrendous hire. Look at 2008. Loss to Arkansas State, close win at New Mexico, destroyed by Miami at home, squeak by Army at home, annihilated at Oklahoma State, beaten soundly by KSU and Tech at home, wins at Iowa State and vs. Colorado, and then a 3-game losing streak to end the year with epic destructions by OU, Baylor, and Texas. Where is the upside there? It's not like the talent is suddenly going to get much better either. They could go 7-5 or 6-6 this year, but that prediction doesn't include any inexplicable horrific losses (which A&M has made a habit of enduring lately). If things really fall apart for them, I could really see a 1-7 conference record with the only win being vs. Iowa State. So, aside from it being a rivalry game on the road to close out the regular season, I see no reason to predict a real close game vs. Texas. Pre-summer prediction: Texas 38 A&M 17.

I'm not even going to predict the Big 12 Championship or bowl game at this point. Safe to say, I have us playing at Jerry World in early December and then likely in Pasadena in early January. But the official prediction will come once August rolls around. Just a couple more months...

A Shout Out

Okay, this post is part shout out to (our first?) regular blog reader and part homage to a fantastic baseball guy. Is there any better coach in MLB than Dave Duncan? The Cardinals are in first place in what is, in my opinion, the second-toughest division in baseball, and their rotation is: Kyle Lohse, Todd Wellemeyer, Joel Piniero, a Chris Carpenter that has more cuts in his arm than a suicidal 15-year old girl, and Adam Wainwright. They have gone through 3 closers in 40 games, and their best pitching prospect went Jean Claude Van de Velde...and is now a power hitting outfielder! Yet they are in first place. How is this possible?

Imagine if they were to go out and trade for Peavy! He would be a good fit: National League team, but not in the West. They have a surplus of Major League ready young guys who can be traded. They are undoubtedly going to be competitors for the NL crown. St. Louis is a crazy baseball town (which seems like something that would appeal to Peavy). I could see that actually working. How good would that team look then?!!

Speaking of reclamation projects, did you notice that Lamar Odom is in fact not dead? Who would have thought?! If he plays like he did in Game 5 throughout the rest of the playoffs, you can just put the Lakers name on the Larry O'Brien Trophy now.

Today is Mr. and Mrs. Penny's 5th anniversary, and it sure would be a good present if the Lake-show would book a trip to the NBA Finals.

The Golden Pipes of Bob Costas

Dodgers and Cubbies tonight on The Network. Called by the esteemed duo of Bob Costas and Dan Pleasac (who I think does an excellent job on MLB Tonight). Costas calling a Dodgers game brings back the memories of those old playoff series that were on NBC.

As an aside, it is interesting to note that the Dodgers have not lost when they play on the same day that the Lakers have a playoff game. Wish I could say the same thing for the Lakers.....

Un-Doc Like

You know you are good when this is considered an off night:


Halladay
IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
7.0 8 3 3 2 5 1 2.63

Not this Again

I don't know that I can take another playoff series like this.

I thought after Game One the Lakers were in a great position. The Thuggets seemed a much better matchup for L.A. than the Rockets, and the Lakers seemed to have the intensity that was lacking against Houston. I could even live with the swiss cheese defense because of the up-and-down nature of the game.

After Game Two, my feelings are totally reversed. The Nuggets are exploiting every Laker weakness. I really am not sure Pau is tough enough to win an NBA championship, notwithstanding his fantastic skill level. Fisher is a shell of himself, and that is an insult to shells everywhere.

What concerns me most is the propensity for blowing leads. Yes this is the NBA and yes teams are always making runs, but the Lakers show no killer instinct at all. That is troubling. I foresee a tough, tough Game 3 in Denver, and then pray that L.A. can bounce back in Game 4. No matter what, though, I am going to be a wreck all series.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Landing in sports purgatory couldn't have happened to a more deserving Sooner. Have fun with the worst organization in sports, Blake!

Roids or Not, the Guy Can Rake

Much to the joy of Team Stockel -- A-Rod homers in his fourth straight.

Did the Mets throw that game?

I'm not sure I've ever seen a team give away a baseball game in one inning quite like that. Let's examine.

Top 11th: NY Mets
- R. Martinez lined out to center
- R. Castro lined out to left
- R. Church singled to left
- A. Pagan singled to deep right center, R. Church out at third

The Mets appeared to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the 11th on Pagan's gapper to the wall. Church scores from first base easily - except for the fact that he clearly missed third base on the way home. I've never seen a base runner look so guilty. The Dodgers quickly picked up on it, tagged the base, and the inning was over. A horrendous mistake by an established big-league player, but shit happens, right?

Bottom 11th: LA Dodgers
- M. Loretta walked
- X. Paul safe at first on center fielder C. Beltran's fielding error, M. Loretta to third, X. Paul to second
- J. Pierre intentionally walked
- R. Furcal flied out to left
- O. Hudson reached on fielder's choice, M. Loretta scored, X. Paul to third, J. Pierre to second on first baseman J. Reed's throwing error

This is where things get crazy. After Loretta leads off with a walk, Xavier Paul hits a routine fly ball to left center field. Beltran and Pagan converge on it, both of them making it there in time to catch the ball. Beltran clearly calls off Pagan, but the ball falls innocently between them. Hmm. Beltran picks it up and rifles it into the infield. There's now runners on 2nd and 3rd with nobody out. The Dodgers then intentionally walk Ted Williams.....err....Juan Pierre to load the bases.

The Mets then bring in Beltran to play a 5th infielder spot. Furcal flies out to shallow left and Loretta decides not to test Pagan's arm. Hudson then hits a ground ball directly to Jeremy Reed, who has an easy throw home to get the force out and preserve the tie. Of course, Reed throws it five feet wide of the catcher. Loretta scores and the Dodgers win.

Sheesh. I'm only half-joking about the possibility that the Mets "black-soxed" it last night. However, the alternative for the Mets ain't all that appealing. A little league team would be embarrassed by that 11th inning. The Dodgers will certainly take it though.

1st Half Thoughts

I am watching on DVR, so this is a little late in coming, but .... damn that was quite a first half. Pau finally looked like he wasn't up all night drinking mojitos and screwing eurotrash women, Ariza is about one step away from turning this into a gang war, and Kobe is just sitting back letting everyone else take over.

Can't ask for much more as a Laker fan. Still need to play defense, but the defensive effort so far looks strong. What is it about home cooking?

And not to be lost on this day.... Clayton F'ing Kershaw!! No-hitter through 7! Dodgers win 12-5 with the scrub lineup in! Looks like it could be a glorious sports day in the Penny household. Laker Girl is giddy.

Dare to Nightmare?

There is too much potential for a loss for any Laker fan to feel comfortable on this Sunday morning. At this point, I am done with predictions, done with analysis, and done with the semblance of understanding what makes these Lakers tick (or not). In some ways, I am reverting to pure fan status, just waiting with anticipation for the game, which I will watch either with glee or outright depression. I don't know that I like this better, but a Game 7 with a clear underdog is definitely what sports is all about.

That said, looking at this game on paper it would certainly suggest that the Lakers should bounce back. But as they say...

Good thing I have the Dodgers and Fish to tide me over until Showtime!

The Reports of My Demise are Greatly Exaggerated.

I have to admit, I was cursing the baseball gods, breaking stuff, and generally burning things in effigy after the 1-3 post-Manny start. I had lost all faith. I had foresworn the gospel. I was a baseball Judas.

But I have reformed. The Dodgers can play! They do some good little things to win. They play good defense, and the pitching has been remarkably adequate. Don't let the record fool you, the Phillies are a good team and taking 2 of 3 in Philly is huge. Beating Volstad in Florida is no small feat either, given that guy's stuff. And now they face Andrew Miller and Jon Koronka, not exactly the aces of the Marlins staff.

The Dodgers have magically transformed into a "Moneyball" style force that relies on getting guys on base. I have been critical of Joe Torre, and the bullpen (both handling and personnel) remains a mess, but the Pierre, Furcal, Hudson sequence in the lineup really puts a lot of pressure on opposing pitchers and I think it is working for this team. I don't know how long they can continue to prevail like this once Pierre (inevitably) reverts to the norm of his performance, but so far this style of ball has worked and we need to give credit where it is due.

A Riddle, Wrapped In a Mystery, Shrouded in an Enigma

I have spent much of my day trying to understand what is going on with the Lakers. I think we can agree that the series really is about the team from L.A. (not to be too much of a homer). When they show up, they win by 40. When they don't, the Lamar High Redskins could beat them. So what is happening here?

I have come to some conclusions that you are free to tear apart:

1) The Lakers are young and inexperienced. This seems impossible given that they are, well, the Lakers, but this team is really not playoff tested. Beyond Kobe and Fisher, you have Gasol (whose first playoff experience was last year, when they cakewalked to the Finals and then were toasted by a real team), Lamar Odom (experienced), Trevor Ariza (2 playoff games last year), Bynum (no playoff games last year), Farmar (perennial backup, had a horrible playoffs last year), and Vujacic and Walton (experienced, but both struggling this year). The Lakers "best five" (Kobe, Fisher, Gasol, Bynum, Ariza/Odom) basically have no winning experience on the front line.

2) The Yao-less Rockets are a Horrible Matchup. Without Yao, there is no place to hide Bynum on defense. This forces the Lakers to play small-ball, which is not the strength of either this team or the triangle offense. The triangle relies on a good passing bigman in the post, but Gasol is struggling as a post player against smaller, quicker Rockets forwards. Bynum can't play on offense because he is a tremendous defensive liability against the mighty mite offense the Rockets are running.

3) The Lakers are Arrogant. This team succeeded in the playoffs last year when they were the underdogs and everyone thought they were a year away. This team struggled against crappy opponents in the regular season this year because they went in expecting to win even if they are not as sharp as they could be. This team is lacking a Garnett-type leader, a blue-collar, lunch pail type player who jerks them back into focus when they are coasting. The Zen-master is the exact opposite of this type of leader. He is trying to make them relax when it appears the problem is they are too relaxed.

4) Vujacic can't shoot. It is easy to forget that this off-season the Lakers got rid of an energy guy (Turiaf) and resigned Vujacic for big money because of his great shooting in the playoffs. The Rockets are able to clog the lane and prevent Kobe from getting his shots in large part because no one is hitting any 3's (except Ariza, who is not exactly a feared shooter). Vujacic was supposed to play the John Paxson roll on this team, and instead he is playing the Luc Longley roll.

5) The NBA is Fixed. Okay, I just threw this in because I told Laker Girl last night when the score was 21-3 that, if I didn't know better, I'd say the Lakers were throwing the game. David Stern was in attendance after all.

As for Sunday....who the hell knows. At this point, I would be hard pressed to go against the Lakers with their backs against the wall -- but at the same time the Lakers have shown they cannot match the Rockets' mental toughness. If the Rockets get out to a lead I have no faith that the Lakers can mount a rally.

Making Houston Proud

Admit it. If you weren't a Lakers fan, you'd be pulling for the Rockets in this series. Frankly, it's ridiculous that this series is still a series. The Rockets toasted the Lakers in the 4th quarter of Game 6 with a lineup consisting primarily of Aaron Brooks, Ron Artest, Shane Battier, Carl Landry, and Chuck Hayes. No, I'm not kidding. At the start of this season, that was four bench players and Ron Artest for the Rockets. But now - somehow, someway - they have forced a Game 7 versus the vaunted Los Angeles Lakers.

How have they done it? Through some overused sports cliches: guts, grit, hard work, toughness. Usually, those descriptions are reserved for lazy television analysts to describe a team with non-glamorous talent. But here, they are actually applicable. It helps that the Rockets are facing an opponent that doesn't seem interested in putting forth maximum effort until they really have to. It also helps that said opponent, while tremendously talented on the offensive end, consists of a bunch of pillow-soft wusses on the defensive end.

I doubt the Rockets have much of a prayer in Game 7 on Sunday. The Lakers are clearly the superior team (and that's even if the Rockets had their two best players). But I bet the Rockets will show up and put up a good fight. For this Houstonian and bandwagon Rockets fan, how can I ask for more? This is a team that is easy to root for, doesn't make excuses, and gets everything out of what they have. In other words, a heck of a team. Go Rockets.

The Man

Well, you knew this post was coming. Halladay was brilliant on Tuesday vs. the Yankees, throwing yet another complete game. His final line against the Bronx Bombers: 9 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 103 pitches. At one point during the game, he had retired 17 Yankee batters in a row. His record now stands at a MLB-leading 7-1 with a 2.95 ERA.

In his 8 starts in 2009, Halladay has yet to last less than 7 innings in any of them. His IP totals for his 8 starts: 7, 7, 7, 8, 7, 8, 8, 9. He has seven walks over 61 innings pitched this year.

He has now received a decision in his last 25 starts (19-6 over that stretch). A true credit to his consistency in pitching late into every game he starts.

Since 2003, Halladay has 36 complete games to his credit. That is more than 20 major league teams over that same time period. Ridiculous.

Doc, I bow down to your greatness. You provide me three hours of joy every five days for which I am truly appreciative. He's the best thing to come from Canada since...um...Elisha Cuthbert? (Halladay is actually from Denver, but we don't dwell on details here at SLAE.)

Now THAT"s the way to start a roadtrip

Get 2 damn runs against Chan Ho -freaking -Park and lose to the Phillies. I am telling you, we will be lucky to go 20-30 without Manny.

Prediction Time

Some people see sports as a beacon of opportunity. Win or leose, there is almost always a next game, a next season, a next chance to prove you are good enough. I am not one of those people (at least, not this week). I see tonight as another chance for the Lakers to break my heart, kick me in the stomach, and stomp on the remnants of my Fandom. But that's just me.

Prediction:

Rockets 98

Lakers 104

Worlds Colliding

Ripping off other blogs is not a good way for SLAE to make a name for itself, but when the world of Longhorns and the world of Dodger blue collide, a blog post must be created. It is mandatory. See the following:

Kyle Russell is now just toying with the Midwest League. Over the past week he's moved to the top of the leaderboard in slug(.679), OPS(1.087), and wOBA (.451). Six home runs so far in May suggest he's ready for the next step up. He was already old for this league so let us see what he can do at the next level.

Light the Tower Orange

Something that should never go unacknowledged on SLAE! Way to fight back, Horns! Let's carry the momentum to Omaha!

Did I Actually Say Something About Ships Righting?

Happy Mothers Day! A sports day only a mother could love...at least for my teams (though nice sweep from the 'Stros, who again appear determined to embark on their annual "give hope to Houston fans without really any chance at winning the division" campaign).

What a shocking, embarrassing performance from the Lakers. My old rec league team Hebrew National could have beaten the Lakers yesterday. I am even more disturbed by the quotes I read in the L.A. Times this morning. The Lakers didn't seem embarrassed, distraught, shocked. I am astonished. Its like "we got beat by the Rockets JV team. Ho hum. Bring on the Cavs." What in the name of Pat Reilly is going on over there Phil?

And then...AND THEN!!...the Dodgers blow a 2 run lead in the 8th, and lose in extra innings to the Hated Ones. They fall to 1-3 post-Manny and embark on a road trip to the Phillies and Marlins. Ugh. At least Juan Pierre is producing for David in the Georgetown league.

On second thought, is there room on that Astros bandwagon?

Back on the bandwagon!

No McGrady? No Yao? No problem!

I'm not quite sure how the Rockets blew out L.A. in Game 4. I'm sure there was some emotional letdown for the Lakers after taking back homecourt advantage in Game 3 and finding out that Yao was out for the rest of the series. But geez, I sure didn't see that total beatdown coming. This Rockets team just continues to give you reasons to love and respect them. Makes me kinda wish I was really emotionally invested in these playoffs.

Game 5 should be interesting. You'd think the Lakers would have the clear, clear advantage. But if that game is close in the 4th quarter, the pressure is ALL on Phil's boys. There's just no way the Lakers lose to the pesky Houston Rockets without their two all-stars. Right?

Saturday Night is for the Ladies

Not like that...as this is an all ages blog (for now), but activities Saturday night did defer to Mrs. Matt (who has decided her cool blog name will be Laker Girl). The requested fare was The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a rambling romance dressed up in medical mystery that basically was about Brad Pitt and the women who love him. It pretty much sums up the high points of the movie when Cate Blanchett (who is no slouch in the looks department) wakes up in a hospital bed and looks at Pitt -- much younger since the last time she glimpsed him -- and says: "You're perfect," followed by me glancing at Laker Girl who nods, yes, he is. Ho hum.

All in all, cool artistry in the movie, and they did a great job recreating the years in which Pitt's through-the-looking-glass journey takes place, but there was something lacking. Not sure...maybe...oh yeah, a frickin' story! Even a scintila of conflict would have helped. But no, we are just left to stare longingly at Mr. Pitt, something that is not considered a pasttime here at SLAE.

Amazingly Zach Greinke v. Joe Saunders (1-0 Halos) was actually shorter than the movie! Greinke was not as sharp as he has been but not everyone can be Pitt-perfect. The Royals lineup is truly mediocre, and it speaks volumes about my fantasy team that I nonetheless picked up Billy Butler in a lame attempt at filling the hole left by Manny's (sniffle) departure.

World Back on its Axis ... Sort of

Its not been the best week to be an L.A. sports fan ... especially not one living in Houston, Texas. Going from an easy playoff series win against the Jazz for the Lakers and the best record in baseball for the Boys in Blue, to a Game One loss at the hands of the Rockets and the Fall of Manny was, well, not good.

At least now, the ships are starting to right:

And the catalysts are, of course, Kobe Bryant and...Eric Freaking Stults?

2 down, 48 to go

Well, the Manny suspension is 4% complete and the Dodgers have started out 0-2. And that's 0-2 with a bullet, considering the two losses have come at home to the Nationals and Giants. Yuck.

What's the prediction for the Dodgers' record during the 50 games without Manny? Put me down for 27-23.