The Starting Five

Just when it looked like everything was about to settle down it looks as if another major college power is on the move to another conference. Athletic officials at Florida State University are considering a move from the ACC where they have been since 1991 to the Big 12. There has been no formal discussion between Florida State and Big 12 officials.

What’s your feeling on the steady realignment of the college sports landscape?

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(Photo: Wilfredo Lee / AP)

LeBron and LeBron James Jr. with Senior’s 3 MVP trophy in 4 years…

Saturday, LeBron was presented with the MVP award many knew he would be awarded with. Sunday in Miami, after a slow first half start, James and Dwyane Wade outscored the Indiana Pacers themselves in the 2nd half (42-32) to win 95-86.

At the Fed Ex Forum in Memphis, Chris Paul and the Clippers defeated the home squad 82-72 in Game 7. The season ends with disappointment for the Grizzlies, who were expected to contend for the Western Conference Championship.

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Looking at the four major sports in the United States each commissioner is faced with some sort of dilemma that could pose a long-term effect on the respective sports league that he governs. So my question today is which sports commissioner has the toughest job and why?

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(Photo by Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press)

Beans got his Lakers soldier back and combined with Gasol silencing everyone, LA now moves on…

Happy Mothers Day ladies. Thank you for everything you do. We love you. Also, RIP Eric Daniels. Thank you sir for the rock you were. We do this for people like you.

For all the talk about the Los Angeles Lakers, they sure did step up in a 96-87 Game 7 win over Denver. The Nuggets now get much needed rest before they embark on a fishing trip (Chuck’s Mom is hilarious). Much of the pre-game drama surrounded Magic’s comments about the job status of Lakers head coach Mike Brown. How ridiculous that was and it seemed typewriters everywhere steamed and rocked until they broke loose paper strewn with soap opera like opinions of something having nothing to do with an actual Game 7. The Lakers won buoyed by the return of Metta World Peace. Gasol had 23 points, 17 boards, 6 assists and 4 blocks in shutting everyone up measure. MWP had 15 and 5 in 44 minutes and Andrew Bynum had 16 points, 18 boards and 6 blocks. If this team ever gets it together they are going to the Finals. Straight up.

As far as the Celtics 92-91 Game 1 win over the Sixers, Rajon Rondo had his 8th career playoff Oscar. He had 13 points, 17 assists, 12 boards (5 offensive) and 4 steals. His foul line jumper, IMO, won it. Black Pharoah took no prisoners. His 29 points and 11 rebounds were a statement to the NBA world that he isn’t done. Andre Iguodala did step up like I thought he would in my piece and hit big shots late. He had 19 points 6 boards, 6 dimes and 2 steals but the rest of the team went tight and the Celtics stole a game that should have been stolen. The teams shot the same from the field (36-82 for 43.9%) but the Celtics hit 18-19 from the line, while Philly was 14-20. I like Ron, had the Sixers in 6. Still do because I think in a 7 game series, injuries and age will become a factor.

To the TNT notes…

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The Philadelphia Sixers and Boston Celtics are meeting in the NBA Playoffs for the 19th time (most in NBA history) with the Celtics leading 11-7. The NBA’s greatest rivalry is now passed on to a new generation that has yet to experience a feud that goes back to 1953. This is the first playoff meeting of the two teams since 2002 after meeting four times in the 1980′s

Here is my preview and prediction…

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Iguodala celebrates after his free throws won Game 6 and closed out the Bulls in the first round…

The montane forest in this the season of the lockout dropped fans off peaks fast and slow. Andre Iguodala and the Philadelphia 76′ers season were associated with Everest like highs and near Death Valley like lows. Iguodala has caught much heat in a city starving for its Sixers to become again the NBA mountainous. There was a minor step taken last night giving the Sixers a seminal moment of relevance, and that Andre held every last Philly fan’s breath in his free throw making hands was how it was supposed to be. Each generation of Sixers team has had a star that in some form captivated the entire league and gave the city sports wide credibility. They were the mountains moving giving everything they had to get the next win. Whether or not the Sixers have success in the next round against their historical rival the Boston Celtics depends on how this current version of Philadelphia rock gathers his new found experience points and builds the grains of moment by playoff moment consistency.

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(Andrew Weber/US Presswire)

One year after being ousted from the Ohio State football program for his participation in a payment scandal, Oakland Raiders quarterback  Terrelle Pryor speaks out on his involvement and his reasons for why he signed game-worn uniforms and other OSU memorabilia.

His relationship with the Ohio State University has been severed as he has been banned from associating with the school for five years.

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It happens to everybody, Everybody. Irrelevant of who you are, how much money you make or how many trophies you have in a case at home. There will come a moment, despite the bluster and the bravado, where you step in that ring or on that court or on that ice and you know. You just know, it’s over. The only question is this: How are you going to deal with it when that moment comes? Floyd Mayweather will eventually have to ask himself this question. But for the man who was in the co-main event, that question is already here and has been here for quite a while. The only question is this: Does he know it, and will he get out before he really does serious damage to himself?
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(Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images)

You won’t see more emotion out of Miller…the LA Kid than what you see right here…

The playoffs are heating up. Wills are apparent. Coaches buckle down. Media is antsy. Players are feeling what is to come and fans are appreciative. Last night, we saw it all…the drama, the Black Mamba, the home crowds and unappreciated point guards…

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(Joy R. Absoln/US Presswire)

I’ll be the first to say that I’ve been critical of Josh Hamilton’s off-the-field actions in recent years about his substance abuse and that is largely because Hamilton’s transgressions are measured differently for obvious reasons. That doesn’t keep me from the realization that Hamilton is one of the best players in baseball for some time now.

Last night the Texas Rangers left fielder became the 16th player (14th since 1900) to hit four home runs in a game. Hamilton joins Lou Gerhig, Chuck Klein, Pat Geary, Gil Hodges, Joe Adcock, Rocky Colavito, Willie Mays, Mike Schmidt, Bob Horner, Mark Whitten, Mike Cameron, Shawn Green and Carlos Delgado.

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It’s arguably the greatest rant in sports history, after the Philadelphia 76ers were outsted of the 2001-2002 playoffs when Allen Iverson met with the media for a season-ending press conference. What they got instead was Iverson at his best unapologetic and unrelenting.

(Howard Simmons/New York Daily News)

As the New York Knicks fought off the Miami Heat and elimination on Sunday it came with a price as the team lost point guard Baron Davis with a partial tear of the right patella tendon, Davis also completely tore his right ACL and MCL tendons. This is the second guard that the Knicks have lost in this series, combo guard Iman Schumpert tore his right achilles tendon in Game 1 of this series. With the team down to two point guards and Amar’e Stoudemire literally on the mend the Knicks are down to Carmelo Anthony the defense of Tyson Chandler and little else.

Gotham is looking for a hero to force Game 6…

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Saturday night, Floyd Mayweather used his power and speed to gain an early advantage bruising Miguel Cotto before the champion rallied in the middle and late rounds to bloody Mayweather- setting the stage for a  great finish.  Mayweather would capture the WBC Super Light Middleweight title by a unanimous decision to go along with any other title that he weighs in under.

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(Debby Wong/US Presswire)

Dude…uh…why were you just standing there? You know you’re gonna hear it from Beans…

Interesting day of NBA playoff basketball. There was a fan that just walked on the floor in Denver, a straight beat down in Boston, an electric Madison Square Garden in the marquee game and a team doing what it’s supposed to do in Philly.

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The Sixers lost many games late this season…behind these clutch free throws, that dubious fact was not to be last night…

In a series where few are speaking in terms of a number one seed vs. a number eight, the Philadelphia 76′ers gained home court advantage in defeating the depleted Chicago Bulls 79-74. Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes the stars. In Game 2, Philly won because of a 36-14 third quarter. Last night it was a 28-14 fourth. This was a game the Sixers most likely had to win if it were to have a chance to move on to the second round. Probably the biggest playoff win since the Sixers went up 2-1 on the Magic in ’09. I’ve  been lucky to have covered both. Last night was incredible and in the words following, I tried to give you the game through my eyes. There is video of Julius Erving’s press conference as well. Big news for Philadelphia 76′ers fans.

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