Since his arrival in Miami LeBron James has become the target of the media, fans and even some of his NBA peers. The former Cleveland Cavaliers star utilized his free agent status to the max, linking up with Dwayne Wade in Miami to be joined later by Toronto Raptors free agent Chris Bosh.

I know it’s one think to dislike a team, but to hear and read some of the irrational statements being spewed about teeters on the edge of all out hate.

(Andrew Innerarity/REUTERS)

No matter how the deck is stacked against the Miami Heat in these 2012 NBA Playoffs, they’ve managed to complete the royal flush.

The hate train began its trek in New York City, with the Knicks and their fans looking for a first round upset until Iman Schumpert tore his ACL in Game 1,  putting a dent in the Knicks chances. Amar’e Stoudemire extinguished all hope with a left hook to a welcoming glass case after the Knicks dropped Game 2.

So it was on to Indiana for round 2, where the Heat lose Chris Bosh in Game 1 with an abdominal strain and Bosh did not return for the remainder of the series.

The upstart Pacers took it upon themselves to come at the Heat verbally and physically, much to the delight of fans who wanted to see the Heat, Get what was coming to them. What started out as chirping, turned physical real quick. It started with the Pacers Louis Amundson opening up a cut above the eye of Miami’s Udonis Haslem in Game 4. Tyler Hansbrough would do the same to Dwayne Wade in Game 5 drawing a Flagrant 1 foul. Moments later Haslem would level Hansbrough with a hard foul that drew another Flagrant 1. Not to be outdone Heat center Dexter Pittman dropped LeBron James antagonist Lance Stephenson with an elbow to the throat prompting a third Flagrant foul in the game. Stephenson gave  James a choke sign after James missed a technical free throw in Game 3.

Four fouls, four players and two Heat players suspended. Why suspend any one? No fights broke out – just good physical ball.  Of course the Indiana faithful figured that this was an automatic ticket to Game 7  with the Heat front court short two players.

Funny how the lead antagonist Danny Granger stayed clear of the paint area unless it was for a breakaway dunk. The NBA’s newest fake tough guy talked the entire series and rented space in no one’s head but his own. Mind games don’t win in the NBA Playoffs – ask your GM.

The Lineup:

NYPD broke no laws in surveillance of Muslims (CNN).

Dwight Howard has something to say (Chris Sheridan Hoops).

The Last Of A Dying Breed: Kevin Garnett (TSFJ).

Black Music Month in Philly, come on through (Facebook.com/Events).

Santonio Holmes III and Long Foundation bowling to fight Sickle Cell Disease (Santonio Holmes Foundation).

Interview with Music Legend Kenny Gamble (Black Economic Development).

This is some B.S.! Young man loses five years of freedom for nothing (Mercury News).

Three children found abandoned in Portland, Oregon. (CNN).

Mother strangles, drowns twins attempts suicide (NBC 10).

Two innocent teens shot during graduation party (NBC 10).

Suspect in Etan Patz murder to make court appearance (CNN).

We must protect all of our children in these perilous times…

The memories are coming back. Seems like Game 7′s are a must have in this rivalry…

Look, the Celtics are getting up there and that injuries are mounting doesn’t help. The Sixers capitalized by taking it straight to Boston. Philly had a 42-16 points in the paint advantage and beat the C’s 82-75. So, if Philly wins in Boston Saturday, will the TD Bank North Garden crowd shout “Beat Miami! Beat Miami!” if Miami finishes off the Pacers tonight?

The Sixers brass has done a great job of making the moment bigger.  When Allen Iverson presented the game ball, the Wells Fargo Arena became a different place. That Julius Erving and Allen Iverson were in the same building…in Philly…was historical. Imagine the picture if Wilt and Barkley were present. Yeah, I’m definitely Philadelphia dreaming…

In the beginning moments, Philly ran, they threw lobs…and despite having two careless turnovers in the first few possessions, Boston was put on notice that the pressure would be on veteran legs. Young legs would determine the outcome. Brandon Bass (2-12 for 8 points) would not be the relief a less than 100% Boston team would use to steal another game in Philly. Paul Pierce would be doubled at ever op (still had 24). It took 20 shots (9-20) for Garnett to get 20 points. Ray Allen’s (9 points. 4-11) ankle would not allow him to stay will Evan Turner’s (12 points) dribble drives to the cup. The Sixers drove and drove and drove. Iguodala (12 points, 6 boards) hit two more big free throws and had a vicious dunk that got the crowd hype. They held the Celtics to 33% shooting. Boston had just 5 bench points…all coming from Mickael Pietrus. Lou Williams had 11 of the bench for Philly. Boston did out board Philadelphia 48-37. Philly was just 16-28 (60.7%) from the line while Boston was 20-23 (87%).

Most importantly, the Sixers gave Rajon Rondo different looks and he did not play well. He was 4-14 for 9 points and 6 assists. He did have 9 rebounds. Boston missed Avery Bradley’s energy on both ends. Doc Rivers on his play:

“I don’t know. He wanted to play well. I think he attacked early and missed some shots. He probably got caught in between himself because he saw the offense wasn’t working. I thought he was trying to orchestrate the offense and try to go, and he probably got caught in the middle tonight. It happens, but he’ll be better.”

Philly didn’t shoot much better at 45%, but they controlled the 3rd quarter (Brand and Collins have stressed how great the Celtics have been in the 3rd period) and also the 4th. 1-9 from the arc usually doesn’t get it done but somehow the Sixers prevailed. Jrue Holiday’s star is rising and rising. He played great defense (Did you see the charge he took on Allen?) and his 20 points led the Sixers balanced scoring (5 in double figures). Elton Brand spoke of how Holiday, Turner and Lou Williams attacked:

“The way Jrue, Lou, Evan attacked it really helped us out. We got favorable whistles. We were attacking. They called the fouls. We went up there and knocked down our free throws. Andre [Iguodala] knocked them down when we needed them. We felt that we could do that. We felt that we could attack in that pick and roll. We made them pay for that.”

In my opinion, it was Elton Brand’s fight that got it done. He scored 13 and grabbed 10 boards and every one he pulled down, he did so with a purpose. He did not want this to be his last Sixers game and he played like it. The city should be proud to have such a Sixers warrior. He does it all for the team. A leader on and off the floor. Brand continued:

“The last game we shot over 50 percent, played well, and we were only up three points. Tonight, we were down a few points, but I thought we played well. We came out and played great in that third quarter and I think the Boston Celtics were the best team in the third quarter during the regular season so it’s always been a pivotal quarter for this series. We played well, hit some shots, played some good defense, and that’s when we got our lead.”

EB On Game 7: “Yeah. It’s a Game 7, and if we would have won the Atlantic, had a better record, it could have been at home. Everything’s a learning process, and we’re seeing how imperative it is to have home court advantage. We shifted the series with the Bulls, and we could finish them out here at home. Now we’re going on the road and we have to get a win out there. It’s going to be tough. We know we have to battle, but we’re going to have to try to find a way.”

A very professional Doug Collins post game:

“Well, gutty win to say the least. Thirty-three points at halftime with five missed free throws and I think about nine turnovers. It sure wasn’t an offensive masterpiece.

Our defense was tremendous. Held them to 16 points in the paint after 50 in Game 5. Took away a lot of those dunks and layups that they had. Second half, we only had three turnovers that gave them four points.

Third quarter has been a decisive quarter in every game of this round. Points in the paint, we wanted to get to the free throw line tonight, we did. I wish we could have been a little bit better, but we made them when it counted at the end. Dre [Andre Iguodala] stepped up, made a couple big ones. Jrue [Holiday] made a couple big ones and we’ve given ourselves a chance.

Game 7. That’s all we wanted was to win tonight and give ourselves a chance to go into Boston and see what happens on Saturday in Game 7.”

Ron and I both picked the Sixers in 6. Obviously the series can go either way and Boston will have a decided advantage being the game is in Boston and also that they will be afforded an extra day of rest. The sports nation seems to be counting this Sixers team out because of a preconceived notion the team lacks a superstar. It may also be that Boston’s big three has every bit of NBA experience and skill needed to become champions. I wonder how many pundits actually watched Sixers games. Could it be they are simply repeating what they think is true of Philadelphia? We’ll see Saturday.

Last night Allen Iversonreturned to Philadelphia to a maddening ovation prior to the Sixers Game 6 match up against the Boston Celtics. It was enough to almost take me there emotionally. Of course there are those that want to take jabs at his alleged financial troubles. As for me, I was just happy to see him in that red, white and blue once again.

Why do we love Allen Iverson so much?

 The Second coming of A.I - He should’ve never been traded!

There are a few reasons why fans in Philadelphia and beyond share such an affinity for Iverson:

• His humble beginnings are something that many of us can relate to in some form or another. Just coming up with the deck stacked against him the way it was is enough to garner respect from anyone.
• Standing at about 5’11″, Iverson is far from a physically imposing figure blending right in with the rest of us.
• Iverson’s passion is something that I marvel at. Whether he’s laying into a reporter or letting his emotional guard down, shedding tears as he donned a Sixers jersey a second time, Iverson has always kept his heart in the display window.
• Bucking the system may be one of the reasons Iverson’s NBA career was shortened. Whether it was not backing down to against Michael Jordan, his dress code or practice issues Iverson marched to his own beat. Not caring how it sounded to anyone else.
• It didn’t matter if he came in at six in the morning, missed practice and arrived just before tip-off, if Iverson was in uniform he gave us all he had, all the time. Never dogging it, and after his antics got old, we were still willing to live with it because we knew he was worth it.

The Lineup:

Cole Hamels is on the road to the riches (ESPN).

Shaq reportedly will meet with Magic officials about team’s GM job (Orlando Sentinel).

Why is the GOP concerned about President Obama’s spending record (Huff Post).

Who is the NFL’s best in the clutch (NFL.com).

New Orleans newspaper making cuts and shortening publication (New York Times).

Government taking steps to combat food stamp fraud (Black America Web).

Converse and Undefeated unveil the Summer Jack Purcell edition (The Sports Fan Journal).

New York Urban League hosts 47th Annual Frederick Douglas Fete  (Black Gives Back).

Heat’s Haslem and Pittman suspended for Game 6, no Hansbrough? (NBA.com).

NFLPA filing collusion claim (SI.com).

North Korea preparing for nuclear tests (CNN).

Shook Ones equates to Tim Duncan and the Spurs? Nah!

It really does seem like they’ve been doing this forever. Not this, mind you. Not this level of offensive excellence, but this quiet, understated march towards the Larry O’Brien trophy while the eyes of the basketball world are on flashier teams in bigger markets – like Lob City, for instance. Chris Paul having Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan as his personal dunk muses, capable and willing of ridiculous feats of aerial derring-do. And what did the Spurs, the habitually boring Spurs do to this team? The same thing they did to the Seven Seconds or Less Suns too many times to count. They dismantled them, broke them down with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of skill. When it was done, it was a sweep and no one was surprised, no one batted an eye and no one thought about it.

And yet, if you asked them honestly, would they care? Would they mind the attention of the basketball world to be on them, to notice their brilliance? To proclaim them this generation’s answer to dynasties from eras past? I know the answer, I knew the answer before I even asked those questions. And, if you search your mind, so did you. The Spurs have never been about attention,  fame or welcome parties. They get in, do their job, and get out. So why don’t we respect that ethos, that do your work and go home ethic?

Easy. It’s because we have always, for whatever reason, thought of the Spurs as boring. It’s a combination of things. The Riverwalk. Greg Popovich. Their unwillingness to whine about their station in the NBA’s power structure. But mainly, it’s about the 2 great stars in the San Antonio firmament: Robinson, and Duncan.

Here’s the thing. We talk all the time about what we want or what we don’t want out of athletes. Usually the we want list goes something like this: play at a high level, never cheat yourself or your game, be fundamentally sound and contribute in the community. All of those things, every last one, are Robinson and Duncan. And yet we find ourselves yawning every time we see them in big postseason series, desperate to see the new thing, the flashier thing. Even if, as they have only been all too happy to prove flashier is not always better.

But why? That’s the big overarching question. And the truth is this: What we say we want and what we ACTUALLY want are two different things. And to illustrate this point, I will use a quote from one of my great personal heroes.

“Water can flow or it can crash. Be like water my friend.” – Bruce Lee.

We want teams and players who will crash for us. We want the explosive personalities of the Showtime Lakers, or the diamond-sharp intensity of the MJ Bulls. In short, we want to be compelled. We want to be drawn to our champions.

The Spurs, on the other hand flow. They just are the same sort of quiet international-influenced excellence they always have been. And maybe that’s the problem. Maybe we were never ready to tolerate a dynasty like this, to tolerate a dynasty influenced to this degree by two European players like Parker and Ginobili. I’m not sure.

But whatever the reason, here’s the point. While we debate who is the greatest player of this era, the true greatest player of this era just keeps on going, keeps on leading the greatest team of this era. In silence and perhaps without the appreciation he and they deserves, but they just keep on going.

(World.comphotos)

The 2012 NBA Playoffs have produced its share of excitement, punctuated by comebacks, last second shots and physical play. What it the playoffs haven’t given us is that classic series. Although the conference finals give us what we’ve tuned in for, I did some thinking and came upon one of the best conference semifinals in recent memory.

What is your most memorable NBA playoff series that didn’t decide the NBA Championship?

(Associated Press)

The 2001 Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors is my choice for one of my most memorable series. The Sixers were winners of the Atlantic Division and had completed a trade with the Atlanta Hawks to acquire Dikembe Mutombo. The Sixers who were 41-14 at the time of the trade were in cruise control and were able to put the division away rather easily finishing with a record of 56-26.

Allen Iverson had arguably his best season averaging 31 points per game en route to his only league MVP in the process. Larry Brown and Aaron McKie would win Coach of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year, respectively.

(Associated Press)

The Sixers would dispatch of the Indiana Pacers in four games before facing the Toronto Raptors who finished 47-35 and were led by the dynamic Vince Carter who averaged nearly 28 points per game in the regular season. The Raptors were coached by Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens

Both teams were similarly built - consisting of a primary scorer, surrounded by a supporting cast of role players and above average defenders. The series would go back and forth as Iverson and Carter exchanged 50+ point games as two of the NBA’s brightest young stars gave fans their money’s worth each night.

The series would go into the waning seconds of Game 7, Vince Carter missed an 18 – foot jumper, putting the Sixers in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks in a classic seven-game series.

The Lineup:

Larry Bird chimes in on his Indiana Pacers (NBA.com).

Police handcuff 7-year old student with learning disabilities (Alter Net).

White supremacist gets 40 years for 2004 Arizona bombing (Black America Web).

Racism in UK schools, up 50 percent (BBC Radio).

Former Detroit Lions receiver Johnnie Morton sues NFL over concussions (Pro Football Talk).

African-American leaders blast NAACP’s support of gay marriage (CNA).

LA Kings to play for Stanley Cup (LA Times).

Jerry Sloan wants to coach again (Salt Lake Tribune).

Buffalo Bills to add more games in Toronto (Buffalo News.com).

DidierDrogba to leave Chelsea at the end of June (SI.com).

Lolo Jones struggles with keeping her virginity (People.com).

Uh…Where’s Jerome? Jesse Johnson was a bad boy too!

Should the league suspend Haslem for this foul?

Growing up and seeing how physical the NBA was in the 80′s and 90′s, last night didn’t phase me. I don’t care how the NBA has cut down on physical play because of the Malace in the Palace (Metta World Peace explains what happened at length).

The NBA is a physical sport and that’s why fouls are called. Things will happen from time to time especially in the playoffs where familiarity definitely breeds contempt. No need for the media and fans to overreact in a society that thrives on physical confrontation in and outside of sports (car wrecks, hockey fights, bean balls, football hits, brawls in the stands (see hockey vid link), MMA, thirst for boxing knockouts). Please don’t turn basketball into this pansy sport where everyone and their Moms will be permitted to waltz down the lane and throw it down your throat like Barkley. I’m not condoning players putting opponents down with the intent of hindering them from continuing their careers, but just like in any other sport, if you go after a team’s star player, you should expect retaliation. Put your head on a swivel as soon as you leave the scorer’s table. The hard fouls are part of playoff basketball…especially when refs seem to swallow whistles the minute the NBA regular season ends. Dexter Pittman’s elbow to Lance Stephenson (regular season interview posted with him soon) was over the line but Lance knows damn well why he caught the shiver and it’s a major reason why he didn’t go down. His pride wouldn’t let him and most definitely he knows the rules. Simple as this: The Pacers came into the series with the intent of intimidating the Heat. Why not try it? Miami was the prohibitive favorite. Huge talent disparity (superstars) right? Do what you have to do to get in Miami’s head and get that win. Danny Granger was the catalyst (ankle injury pretty much wraps it up for Miami) . It no longer worked after Miami got sick of it in Game 3. Now Indiana is the hunted. We’ll see how the crowd and the Pacers respond in Game 6.

The NBA Western Conference Finals on TNT will begin Sunday, May 27, at 8 p.m. ET when the San Antonio Spurs host the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the best-of-seven series.

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TNT NBA Tip-off presented by AutoTrader.com

Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith

Barkley on Heat forward LeBron James: “If Miami Heat are going to win the championship, he’s got to be the leader because he makes everyone better.”

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Indiana Pacers (83) @ Miami Heat (115) – Miami leads the series 3-2

Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play) and Steve Kerr (analyst) with Craig Sager (reporter)

Kerr on the Heat’s aggressiveness: “Since that Game 3 loss, the Heat have realized they had to play faster and with more of a sense of urgency. They are on edge now and it is showing in their sense of activity on offense.”

Kerr on the increased level of physicality of the Pacers/Heat series: “I think it is a sign of where this series is. This is a sign that Miami actually takes Indiana seriously, I don’t think they did for the first couple games of the series. Now they know they are in for a fight…literally.”

Kerr on Stan Van Gundy being fired as head coach of the Orlando Magic: “If I need a coach, I’m getting on the phone with Stan Van Gundy. He is one of the best in the league. I’m not sure if he wants to get right back into it but, if he does, he should have plenty of opportunities.”

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Sprint Halftime Report

Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith

O’Neal on Haslem’s flagrant foul against Hansbrough: “I respect UD for sticking up for his teammates. That is old school basketball like we used to do.”

Smith on the Miami Heat in Game 5: “Overall, defensively Miami is better [tonight]. Their hands are active; their bodies are active which is getting them fast breaks.”

**** **** **** ****

Kerr on the injury to Pacers forward Danny Granger: “Granger is huge for this team. Granger’s ankle is of utmost importance to this team. He is their best three-point shooter.”

Kerr on Miami feeling the pressure to perform at home during the Playoffs: “I think a lot of teams playing at home in the Playoffs feel that pressure a little more. You can feel the anxiety of 20,000 people in the building. But when you are on the road, you tend to be a little looser, play a little faster. With all the scrutiny that Miami has received over the years, there is no doubt that they feel that extra heat.”

Kerr on Heat guard Dwyane Wade’s offensive ability: “He is so acrobatic and strong and elusive when he gets to the rim. That is Wade at his best.”

Kerr on Heat forward LeBron James: “He’s been phenomenal in this series. I thought in a weird way that when the focus was on Dwyane Wade in a couple of games it took the pressure off LeBron and he was able to just play.”

Kerr on Pacers Danny Granger not returning to Game 5 due to the ankle injury: “He’s their leader. For a young club…when their leader goes down on the road, Game 5…that is tough to bounce back from.”

Kerr on Haslem being fined for the flagrant foul against Hansbrough: “The more I think about it and the more replays that I’ve seen; I would be shocked if Haslem is playing in Game 6. When you think about [Metta] World Peace getting suspended seven games for the elbow to the head [of James Harden], this was arguably just as dangerous. I’m guessing he is suspended for the next game.”

Kerr on the Heat’s defensive prowess: “I think that is what makes this team so scary. It is not just Wade and James offensively and their potential. It is the defense. Any team this deep in the playoffs has to have the ability to make four or five stops in a row during a game. We have seen it with the Spurs and with Oklahoma City, that’s why these teams are here.”

Kerr on Indiana losing to Miami by 32 points: “We will get to see how this young team responds [for Game 6]. This is such a valuable experience for a young team. You get to see the ups and downs of a playoff experience. This team is stunned by the onslaught of this Miami team.”

TNT’s Cheryl Miller interviewed Heat guard Dwyane Wade after the team’s 32-point win

Wade on his performance in Game 5: “I felt good today. I was in a groove and I let the game come to me. No question this was a total team effort but it is good for me to get two games in a row like this.”

Wade on Game 6: “Game 6 is going to be physical. This team has a lot of pride, their crowd is going to be ready and they are going to come out with a lot of energy. I think we are ready for that but we’ll see.”

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Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai

Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith

Barkley on hard fouls: “I have no problem with hard fouls but when you can actually hurt somebody, that’s when you cross the line. I’ve hit guys because I didn’t want them to get a basket, and I was trying to knock the hell out of them, but I know that I can’t hurt them.”

At 33 years of age and 16 seasons deep into his Hall of Fame career Kobe Bryant’s game has remained at an MVP level and he is still in the conversation as one of the NBA’s best. This season Bryant averaged 27.9 ppg. 5.4 rpg. and 4.6 assts.

I was asked this question earlier today and I thought I would ask the readers. Name an NBA player who has maintained a high level of play after 15+ seasons and/or the age of 33?

I decided to run through some numbers of players for the sake of argument. Note that I took Jordan’s final full season before his first retirement and I did the same with Magic Johnson.

Michael Jordan - 15th Season (28.7 ppg., 5.8 rpg. 3.5 asst)  At Age 33- 29.6 ppg. 5.9 rpg., 4.5 assts.)

Magic Johnson - 1990-91 season, played 13 seasons (19.4 ppg., 7.0 rpg., 12.5 assts.)

Larry Bird - Age 33, played 13 seasons (24.3 ppg. 9.5 rpg., 7.5 assts.)

Patrick Ewing - 15th Season (15.0 ppg., 9.7 rpg., 1.4 blks) At Age 33 (22.5 ppg., 10.6 rpg., 2.4blks.)

Shaquille O’Neal 15th Season (21.9 ppg., 9.4 rpg., 1.7blks.) At Age 33 (23.5 ppg., 10.8 rpg.,  2.1 blks.)

Karl Malone 15th Season (25.5 rpg., 9.5 rpg.,  3.7 asst.) At Age 33 (27.4 ppg.,9.9 rpg.,4.5 assts.)

Hakeem Olajuwon – 15 Season (18.9 ppg., 9.6 rpg., 2.5 blks.) At Age 33 (26.9 ppg., 10.9 rpg.,  2.9 blks.)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 15th Season (21.5 ppg., 7.3 rpg.,  1.8 blks.) At Age 33 (26.2 ppg., 10.3 ppg., 2.9 blks.)

*Bill Russell - Age 33, played 13 seasons (11.9. ppg., 17.7 rpg.)

*Wilt Chamberlain - 15th Season (13.2 ppg., 18.6 rpg.) At Age 33 (14.8 ppg., 19.2 rpg.)

*There was no record kept for blocked shots at this time

The Lineup:

Salary cap penalties for the ‘Skins and Cowboys upheld (SI.com).

Help Warren Moon help our children (Jocktalk).

Coach Marc Jackson is excited about the Golden State Warriors move to San Francisco in 2017 (Instagram).

No bomb on North Carolina bound airliner (CNN).

Browns Scott Fujita denies bounty charges (SI.com).

Should Deron Williams stay or go… he isn’t even sure (New York Post).

LeBron James calls Danny Granger’s tactics “stupid” (Pro Basketball Talk).

SEC Conference looking to add its own network (CBS Sportsline).

Hip and thigh pads now mandatory in the NFL (The Sporting News).

The top ten NBA players P.J. (Post Jordan) (The Sports Fan Journal).

Ladies and Gentlemen, The Greenwood, Archer and Pine Street Band…

Chatting with Hall of Famer Moses Malone and Earl Cureton…who were honored as well as other members of ’83 Championship Sixers team earlier this season…

African-American athletes make up for more than 66 percent of the players in the NFL and 82 percent of the players in the NBA. In 2006, a study conducted by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport showed 95 percent of sports editors, 87 percent of assistant sports editors, 90 percent of columnists and 87.5 percent of sports reporters were white. Of the 303 newspapers that participated in that study, only three African-American and four Latinos were sports editors. Among columnists only 19 were African-American, 3 Latino and 2 Asian. The numbers aren’t much higher for women – 5 percent editors, 13 percent assistant editors, 7 percent columnists and 10 percent reporters.

This piece is dedicated to the memory of Eric Daniels. Eric was an avid reader and supporter from the inception of The Starting Five and remained with us as long as his health would allow. Eric pushed us to think and excel as writers and although there were times when opinions and thoughts differed, Eric remained true to his standards. Thank you Eric for your support, encouragement as you become our inspiration moving forward.

Not exactly sure how much the needle has moved either way in the years since that study, but judging from my view there’s reason to shout.

Anti- N*gger Machine

I found very early in the sports journalism game that not having a formal education is not as big an obstacle as being African American for advancing in the field. I’m good enough and smart enough - I’m just not sure if the establishment wants too many of my race in heavy rotation.

The majority of credentials issued to print media and “stand alone media”- which The Starting Five falls under – are white. Is this indicative of the population or more about perspective? More than enough media credentials exist to accommodate Philadelphia sports media for every game, every night. For reasons that have become obvious, writers at The Starting Five are asked to jump through special hoops. Hoops not existing for other affiliates -  such as constantly following up with emails and phone calls just to make sure our requests didn’t slip through the cracks for that event. We have to be especially detailed in what we do because the slightest oversight could be a tripwire to being on the outside looking in. The lack of African-American journalists in locker rooms across the country denies writers like myself the ability to give the reader more than just what occurred in the game the previous night. When I’m sitting with a player minutes before he goes to work, I realize that he has a life. A life with real issues in the same real world that we all live in. An athlete having a bad day or not wanting to deal with a common media member can go from being unhappy with his contract to just being a jerk altogether. In the case of any African-American athlete, that speculation is tenfold.

If a white dominated press has shaped America’s view of the African-American athlete in a negative way for decades, it would seem African-American journalists would seek to change that perception by giving the public more than what is just commonly written. Instead those same common writers fear stirring the pot, and are just as happy to piggyback a story instead of digging beneath the surface as they well should.

And that is where many African-American sports writers in the position to make a difference have failed to give America an alternative view of the Black Athlete.

A priority should be placed on developing young African-American writing talent outside of what is done here at The Starting Five. Can’t just play the game, African-Americans have to write the game as well.

The credentialing power lies within the public relations structure of sports franchises - people who are in my opinion taught to adhere to a certain quota of non-white reporters regardless of the outlet. In my interaction with these individuals, their intentions are evident, “Put a lid on the pot before it boils over.” I’m sure that their pre-season briefings are hypothetically, “Remember, we can’t control who they put on the floor or in the stands, but our power lies in who we have talking to these guys (players) and the less that it looks like a North Philadelphia street corner, the better.”

For the most part PR representatives are about their work and could care less about who’s covering what. Naturally, there are a few who use their false sense of authority to put their bigotry on display in the most subtle of tones. It can come in the form of accommodating TSF for games during the season – the majority being games vs. teams lacking a superstar or an approval for one playoff game in a seven game series. Try swallowing that pill when a writer – African-American or white -  is credentialed for the season, doesn’t show up until the playoffs and is still accommodated. It’s only because TSF is trying to break through that we roll with the punches. To these public relations folk, walking around with a non-laminated 3×5 card around your neck with name and affiliation scribbled with a Sharpie, is a privilege and we’d better take it with a smile or get to steppin’!

It becomes more frustrating when I’ve done my due diligence as a writer only to have to knock a little harder and longer the next time out. Working twice as hard as the next guy because I’m from a stand alone site focusing on the African-American athlete is a given, and that is the story of most of our African-American lives. I would like just as much attention paid to me for reasons to keep inviting me back as they have reasons for wanting to keep me out. Coverage of a game usually begins after leaving my 9 to 5. I’m usually one of the first from the media showing up at the arena, first in the visitor’s locker room and one of the first with an inquiry in the post game presser. I remember the first time I asked a question in a press conference and I noticed heads turning because it was someone other than who they would’ve expected asking a question and it wasn’t nothing slow pitch softball. That was a great feeling because the elephant in the room had just stood up. And while none of those writers felt threatened by my presence, I viewed each one of them as a measuring stick and a soon to be a notch on my belt each time their pens touched paper after I made an inquiry to a coach or player. That was my victory and validation that I was in the right place.

With Hall of Fame NBA legend, Dominique Wilkins…

One benefit I never paid much attention to was actually building a professional relationship with some of the players. Sometimes I’m greeted openly in the form some dap and a shoulder hug instead of eyes rolling skyward and a player dipping into the training room when I show up. Quite naturally, some white reporters give the scene that it must be a Black thing  expression, while the PR representative wanting to keep me out is seething inside.

“False media, we don’t need do we?“

There’s no doubt African-American athletes would welcome more Black press into the locker rooms. Someone they relate to in ways that a white reporter would not understand (this is a Black thing). Could a white reporter relate to Allen Iverson about walking through sewage-filled floors before becoming a generational icon in the NBA? I doubt it. For the greater part of his career, the only thing reporters seemed to worry about was the number of practices Iverson brushed off in a week, or which Philly club he and his entourage…I mean posse occupied the night before. Should any writer worth his/her salt feel comfortable writing a story that they have trouble understanding on any level? Yes, they should. The Struggle is the calling card of today’s African-American athlete no matter how they’re viewed by the rest of the world. The majority of those covering them have no clue of any struggle and are not about that life. If reading ten stories about Iverson’s upbringing, nine will sound the same, while the one with the most passion and sensibility never makes it to print.

Why did we find out nearly a year later that Terrelle Pryor signed Ohio State memorabilia for money to keep his mother and sister off the street? African-American and also white journalists lambasted Pryor for bringing down the Ohio State program. Pryor was also seen as costing Jim Tressel his job but it was Tressel who was oblivious to the actions of his star player and African-American journalists failed to dig deeper in getting to the root of Pryor’s dilemma. So what happens? A young man’s reputation is ruined and he’s left to pick up the pieces and continue on his own the best way he knows how – falling back on those same survival skills that cost him his collegiate career. Where white reporters see the cars, expensive clothes and jewelry and think Pryor is in it for himself, African-Americans who aren’t journalists have the instinct to look one layer beneath the surface and see that there is a 90 percent chance that this kid is sending money home. He is sending money home to keep a younger brother from falling victim to the streets or a baby sister from running with the wrong guy.

The relationship between African-American athletes and white reporters is awkward at best and at the end of the day that player is reluctantly emptying his soul to someone whose color represents the root of his struggles. Hypothetically he may say to himself: “A white man fired my dad to hire another white man and because of that a white man cut our lights off. My white coach took me in only because I could dunk a ball like no one else and wants to cash in later. Now this white reporter wants me to give him a lily-white story of my struggles so he can make some green to feed his white family.” It’s hard to build any sense of real trust when every door that was closed in your life was at the end of a white hand.

It’s equates being at Augusta National on Masters weekend, having five minutes with (name white golfer here) and that conversation last all of 15 seconds. Reason: there is no common ground between that golfer and myself. Color plays a role but it isn’t the sole reason. His first thought is hypothetically, “What does he know about golf?” I can’t relate to the that golfer being a child of privilege. Nowhere in our timelines can we ever relate to one another on a socio-economic plane, so in his conscience I’m already inferior to him and his way of life. Being on the grounds of Augusta where I’m welcomed reluctantly even as a journalist solidifies his feeling.

If professional sports incorporates a plantation philosophy, then the American sports media is the last line of defense between the African-American athlete and the level playing field non-existent since our arrival on slave ships to America.

The lack of diversity in the press rooms and locker rooms around the country is a simple game of divide and conquer. As long as there are people in the press seeking to reinforce stereotypes about African-American athletes as opposed to a respectable percentage that mirrors the African-American presence in sports, it only highlights the problem. Black athletes will continue to be conditioned to the white hand at the end of every microphone or recorder which becomes a whip of recorded words held against him if he/she chooses to get out of line.

That playing field will be hard to come by as long as the majority of reports and columns read have the same opinion and bias. If there’s only one side to the story, how can an intelligent opinion develop? It’s almost conditioning the reader to not think for themselves or outside of the box they’ve become accustomed to. So, when it comes down to an opinion of an African-American athlete, he’s already stereotyped and placed in the all too familiar categories: pampered, selfish, childish and troubled with an attitude problem before the story hits the web or your newsstand.

My goal as a writer is to continue to seek the good in every athlete (and scrutinize when needed), instead of mimicking the lazy and all too tired narrative seeking to disparage the African-American athlete first and ask the right questions later. The reputation and image of the African-American athlete is of the utmost importance because it has been misunderstood, misconstrued and mismanaged from Jack Johnson through LeBron James.

“I’m a Sixer for Life.” –Doug Collins

In a few hours, the Philadelphia 76ers will battle their forever rival Boston Celtics.  The Eastern Conference semifinal series is tied two games apiece yet that the Sixers can win the series is considered by many to be nonsense.  But somebody like Willy Wonka or Don Quixote once said a little nonsense now and then is cherished by the wisest men.

Entering their first-round series against the No. 1 seed Chicago Bulls not many predicted a Sixers’ upset.  Despite Derrick Rose’s torn ACL suffered in Game 1, few still gave the 76ers a chance to beat the Bulls.  After Bulls’ center Joakim Noah was sidelined with an injury during Game 3 never to return, still, not many expected them to pull out the series.  In the clinching Game 6, the Bulls were thought to have pushed the series to a Game 7 until Andre Iguodala’s rebound and mad rush up the floor drawing the foul and sinking both free throws in the waning seconds.

Everybody was tossing around the Bulls injuries likes asterisks of freezing drops of water.  But buckets of cold water couldn’t knock the smile off Sixers’ head coach Doug Collins’ face.  Genuine happiness can’t be faked or easily destroyed.  With his young grandson at the podium and through the aged lines of Collins’ face who joined the Sixers as the number one overall draft selection in 1973, the smile said you can’t rob my joy.  Take those asterisks the same place you take excuses, which are the tools of ignorance and build bridges to nowhere.

Collins knows the fragility and vagaries of success.  He arrived in Philadelphia fresh faced out of Illinois State immediately after the Sixers suffered the most losses in NBA history posting a record of 9-73 in the 1972-73 season (worst percentage until this past season’s Charlotte Bobcats record of 7-59).  But the cruel weight of the world including sports had perhaps already begun to shape him prior to joining the faltering franchise.

At the 1972 Olympics held in Munich, tragedy struck when 11 Israeli athletes were killed by Palestine group called Black September but the games went on including the basketball gold medal game. In that game, Collins, after almost being knocked out falling into the basketball stanchion, scored the go ahead points for USA by swishing two free throws with three seconds.  However, there was the controversial ending that allowed the Russians to get three attempts to inbounds the ball and eventually score the winning basket.  Forty years later, Collins nor any of the Americans have accepted the silver medal.

Moving on, Collins along with players like George McGinnis and Julius Erving led the Sixers in four short years after posting the worst record in league history to the 1977 NBA Finals.  Up 2-0, things fell apart like the 1958 novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe and a similarly named Roots album.  Sixers’ center Darryl Dawkins and Portland Trail Blazers’ enforcer Maurice Lucas went to blows and a wild Dawkins hook landed on his teammate Collins’ grill.  Momentum shifted and never came back to the Philly as it lost four straight.

Injuries began to plague Collins and he finished his career sidelined out of uniform in the 1981 Eastern Conference Finals against the Celtics.  Again, the Sixers raced to a series lead.  This time up 3-1, but the Sixers fell in Game 7 in the old Boston Garden.  That was Collins last game as a player.

Collins transitioned to coaching and his first head coaching job was with the Bulls with third-year rising star Michael Jordan.  However, he was fired after three years at the helm, the last in which the Bulls reached the Eastern Conference Finals.  His assistant, Phil Jackson, stepped in and would lead the Bulls to six titles in eight seasons.

Success and failure both came his way as coach of the Detroit Pistons with Grant Hill.  Then with the Washington Wizards coaching Jordan in his final stint as a player, it was like lovers trying to rekindle some old magic that didn’t work the first time.  Many, maybe even, Collins assumed his coaching career was over and his basketball days would finish in the booth as an analyst.

But brought back home, Collins hears opportunity knocking and not only has he opened the door but has taken that visitor hostage.

The life of Terrell Owens has taken another dramatic and potentially dangerous turn. The former All-Pro wide receiver has been reported to be friendless and near broke. After spending last season in an indoor football league, Owens is looking to make one last run at making an NFL roster.

After burning bridge after bridge is T.O. sadly, O.T. (Out of Time)?

The most disturbing sign of Owens’ latest misfortunes was his appearance on the ‘Dr Phil Show’. Owens was confronted by three of the four women with whom he has had children. All have stated that Owens has not been there for the children physically and most recently financially.

And of course the scene played out with a tongue-lashing from Dr. Phil, leaving Owens in tears as he recounted the lack of a relationship that he had with his father and how this wasn’t the way it was supposed to be.

Owens got the reality show that he always wanted – but for all the wrong reasons.

So weeks later Owens has stated that he wants to either join his former team the San Francisco 49ers or the Oakland Raiders in a last-ditch effort to salvage his career and make good on whatever financial commitments he has made with the mothers of his children.

We all know that beneath Owens’ showtime facade is a wounded soul – we’re all that in some shape or form. Watching Owens on that show reminded me of the suicide attempt (something Mizzo wrote in ’06) that was reported to be an allergic reaction to medication. Was Owens trying to kill himself that night?

Sadly, we now know what Junior Seau was trying to do when his SUV plunged down a 100-foot cliff in 2010. I don’t want the same answer for Owens a year or ten years from now.

If the NFL never listened to Terrell Owens before, they better be listening now, The blood of Mike Webster, Andre Waters, Dave Duerson, Junior Seau and dozens more is crying out from the ground for them to do so.

The Lineup:

 Tim Tebow poses with half-dressed Jezebels for Twitter, photo is later asked to be removed (USA Today).

Monday morning NFL news (Pro Football Talk).

The Top Ten Players in the Post-Jordan Era (TSFJ).

Michigan basketball unlikely to embrace its tarnished past in 2013 (Detroit News).

Former Rutgers student faces deportation in spying on gay roommate (CNN).

Join sportscaster James Brown in the fight against hunger (AARP).

AK-47 50/50 on his return to the NBA (I am a GM).

Cowboys first-round pick Morris Claiborne won’t be ready for June minicamp (The Red Zone).

The light just went off for Joe Flacco (Pro Football Talk).

Former Olympian and NBA Bob Boozer passes at age 75 (Pro Basketball Talk).

Trailer for new film honoring NYC Hoops (Black Fives).

Here are your 2012 Billboard Music Award Winners (That Grape Juice).

R.I.P. Andy, Maurice and now Robin Gibb

Since 2005, the NBA has instituted that the minimum age for rookie eligibility is nineteen,  provided the player meet certain criteria as written in the CBA. The same rule remains in place even after the latest CBA was ratified during the lockout last season.

There is a concerted effort being made by the NBA and NCAA to increase the age of eligibility to twenty.

The exodus of five Kentucky underclassmen from the chow line to the first round of the NBA Draft is the final straw in what has become a series of one and done auditions for a number of college freshman. From Derrick Rose to John Wall and now Anthony Davis looks to cash in as a mega-talent after spending one season as Kentucky’s star in his NBA dress rehearsal. Davis will be joined by teammates Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Fr.), Marquis Teague (Fr.), Terrance Jones (So.) and Doron Lamb (So.). There are a total of nine freshman projected to be selected in the first round, five as lottery picks, eight players are either juniors or seniors.

In 2008, the Milwaukee Bucks Brandon Jennings played for a season overseas upon graduation from high school. In that time no other high school player of note has followed in Jenning’s footsteps. If the NBA does decide to take away another year -there may be a larger contingent of young players headed abroad, especially in the cases of players who are faced with financial hardships at home. A move that the NBA would not be able to block. All of this leads back to the age old question of should there be financial compensation for college players? If the NBA is placing  a time gauge on potential employment the NBA needs to protect their investments financially. Failure to do so puts these young men in tight situations where the best decisions aren’t always made.

Today’s Lineup:

Eagles sign RB LeSean McCoy to five-year extension (Philly.com Sports).

The Sheila E.drummer Daily (Paper.li).

Jacksonville Jaguars remain in hunt for ‘Hard Knocks’ (Pro Football Talk).

Steve Blake  and wife receive death threats via Twitter (Pro Basketball Talk).

New Air Jordan I release (NIKE Blog).

Here’s some weird science on DeMarcus Cousins (SacTown Royalty).

Common added to Rock the Bells concert (i.Contact).

Angels Tori Hunter joins son to refute charge of sexual assault (ESPN).

Saints Jonathan Vilma going after Roger Goodell now (NOLA. com).

ESPN has a second ’30 for 30′ on the way (New York Times).

Ms. Summer your music leaves me childhood memories of my aunts dancing in the living room for hours…you will be missed!

KG imposed his will on the young Sixers

Celtics ran back in the past and stole the Sixers Game 3 livelihood. Simple as that. Black Pharaoh went the hell off, talked trash (to himself and others) and the C’s regained home court advantage with the 107-91 win in Philly. The last couple of minutes in OKC were disturbing. The Lakers just lost focus…something you don’t expect from a veteran team. As far as the last shot, yes, Steve Blake was wide open, but with 5.7 left on the clock, an entry pass to Bynum under the basket isn’t a better option?

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Boston Celtics (107) @ Philadelphia 76ers (91) – Celtics lead series 2-1

Announcers: Dick Stockton (play-by-play) and Chris Webber (analyst) with David Aldridge (reporter)

Celtics forward Paul Pierce on the Big Three staying together: “I pretty much know that this group won’t be together next year. It was almost not together in the middle of this year. Management is looking towards the future. Maybe I have one or two good years left…same with Ray [Allen] and K.G. [Kevin Garnett]. There is a real sense of urgency right now to get this thing done.”

Webber on 76ers forward Andre Iguodala: “Philadelphia has one point guard out there. I don’t care what position he is on paper, but his name is Andre Iguodala. He gets everyone involved, he’s their best finisher, and he needs the ball in his hand to keep everyone involved.”

Webber on what could be the Big Three’s last season together: “This could be their last year together. When you play with guys knowing it’s their last year [together], you give an extra effort. Don’t think that [Bosh’s] injury in Miami doesn’t affect their thought process as well. All teams feel that when they get to the next round, they can win.”

Webber on the Celtics getting aggressive play from their best players: “They are getting aggression from their best players and they love that. As long as the Big Three are doing fine, it doesn’t matter with the rest of the team, they can catch up. You want those guys being aggressive to lead the way for the rest of the team.”

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Sprint Halftime Report

Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith

Barkley on the 76ers struggling when the game slows down: “If [the Sixers] get in the open court in the first quarter, it’s beautiful music. When you slow them down into a half-court offense…they don’t have a [go-to] guy. When the game slows down, the Sixers struggle.”

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Webber on the Celtics: “The Celtics defense is great and it gets better as the game goes along.”

Webber on the 76ers needing to find their identity: “It’s funny how you forget your identity as a team when things get a little tight. The Sixers got this far by driving the ball, offensive rebounding and hustle plays…not with jump shots but by doing the little things. The Sixers have to get back to playing ‘Sixers basketball.’”

Webber on Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo: “I love watching Rondo. The way he gets people involved. He’s the second coach on the floor making wonderful decisions and he plays tough defense.”

TNT’s David Aldridge interviewed Celtics forward Kevin Garnett following the game

Garnett on their defense in Game 3: “We were fueled by our defense. In order for us to win this series, we’re going to have to play solid defense. As we got turnovers and stops, we fueled that into offense.”

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Los Angeles Lakers (75) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (77) – Thunder lead the series 2-0

Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and Reggie Miller (analyst) with Craig Sager (reporter)

Miller on Thunder sixth man James Harden: “He’s always going to attack that paint area…he lets you know that he’s not afraid of contact.”

Miller on how the Lakers need to play better on the road: “For a team like the Lakers, that has championship aspiration, they’re road record isn’t great. They need to find ways to go into hostile environments like Oklahoma City and steal games.”

Miller on Lakers reserve Jordan Hill: “He is ‘found money’ for Mike Brown and the Lakers. [Jordan] Hill has been fantastic throughout the playoffs for the Lakers.”

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Sprint Halftime Report

Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith

Barkley on how the Lakers can beat the Thunder: “[The Lakers] have to keep it a half-court game. That’s the only way they can beat OKC.”

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Miller on the Lakers improved defensive effort in Game 2: “The Lakers have done a nice job of maximizing their defensive effort, being aggressive and forcing the Thunder out of their comfort zone.”

TNT’s Craig Sager interviewed Thunder forward Kevin Durant following the game

Durant on the Thunder’s comeback in Game 2: “We kept our composure. [The Lakers] are great at throwing the ball inside and playing off their big fellas. Their defense was unbelievable tonight but we stuck with it. We got some stops and I was able to make some baskets.”

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Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai

Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith

O’Neal on the maturity of OKC: “Even for a young team with two minutes left, they showed poise. The game could have been over; they could have put their heads down but they showed a lot of poise so the Lakers may be in trouble.”

Barkley on the Lakers state of mind after losing Game 2: “They have got to be mentally discouraged because they probably played a perfect game. This is going to be tough for them to overcome.”

Barkley on the Lakers recovering from the loss of Game 2: “As we mentioned after Game 1 it is better to get blown out because you can forget about it. But when you are up seven with two minutes to go on the road and you lose, it is devastating. They are not the best team this time. I think when you have the best team, you can always come back. But they are a much older team now.

O’Neal on the Lakers playing Game 3 at home: “Their mentality is ‘we gave this game away, we are going home and we know what to do.’ They are down, but they are not really down because that Game 3 is going to be important.”

Barkley on Larry Bird as Pacers President of Basketball Operations: “He’s really quiet; he doesn’t like all the hoopla and all the attention so I didn’t foresee him going into this business. But I’m happy for him because he is a great guy.”

We know that during the NBA playoffs the unspoken “no layup” rule quietly goes into effect, seeking to shut down high wire acts and slashers at a premium. With some of the “extra” that has gone on during the regular season and playoffs is the NBA getting too physical?

To counter that point, the art of flopping has drawn the ire of many, including The Starting Five’s own Michael Tillery who sees red anytime a center tries to get his Oscar on. Flopping has extended itself from the paint area to almost anywhere on the floor. Seven-foot men at 300+ pounds flopping like fresh caught catfish isn’t cool. What’s worse is that the referees fall for the flailing arms every time – over-exaggerations that would anger the any WWE superstar.

Well, it’s gotten to the point where NBA commissioner David Stern has considered flopping a “legitimate concern”. Now while I think that the flopping could be policed better by the officials (there are three sets of eyes out there) I don’t think this takes precedence over some other potential rule changes.

Today’s lineup:

Are the Saints going overboard in the season-long tribute to coach Sean Payton (SF Gate).

NFL players knew the job was dangerous when they took it (The News Herald).

Eagles and Ravens looking to take pay from Jason Peters and Terrell Suggs (Pro Football Talk).

Good cholesterol? I don’t think so (Real Clear Science).

We don’t die - we multiply! Minorities count for majority of U.S. births (CNN).

‘Terminator 3′ actor Nick Stahl missing (CNN).

Coffee drinking linked to longer living (CNN).

Go-Go legend Chuck Brown passes away at 75 (Black America Web).

Ohio’s Ted Williams writes book chronicling his struggles and triumphs (Black America Web).

Ex-Houston cop found not guilty in teen beating (Black America Web).

Chuck Brown and The Soul Searchers were always there when you needed to get the block party or cabaret jumpin’…R.I.P. Godfather!

This cat keeps going and going and going and going…

Not a fan of the San Antonio Spurs robotic genius flow. I wanna see sick athleticism all over the floor coupled with skill and clutch play. That being said, the Spurs rock you to sleep slowly with precision and mishaps are at a minimum. With Tim Duncan playing the way he is at this advanced NBA age, if the Spurs are hoisting the trophy in June, do not be shocked. They beat up on the Clippers last night. The Parker/Paul match up was a wash, so Tim Duncan took over and became a major factor in the Spurs 108-92 win in Game 1.

In Miami, many today will question whether LeBron James should have been involved (TNT crew discuss) in last shot and also if Chris Bosh’s injury will derail the Miami Heat from NBA title aspirations. Both are fair questions and after last night’s 78-75 loss at the hands of the Pacers in Game 1, the Heat better get it together. Mario Chalmers said the last play was drawn up for him. I don’t have a problem with that. I do have a problem with LeBron missing free throws in a big spot and what made it worse was the shot of Pacers president Larry Bird. Can you imagine what was going through his mind as player after player clanked the first and then the second at the free throw line?

To the notes…

TNT’s coverage of the 2012 NBA Playoffs continues Wednesday, May 16, at 7 p.m. ET with a doubleheader featuring the Boston Celtics @ Philadelphia 76ers (Game 3) followed by the Los Angeles Lakers @ Oklahoma City Thunder (Game 2).

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Indiana Pacers (78) @ Miami Heat (75) – Series tied 1-1
Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play) and Steve Kerr (analyst) with Cheryl Miller (reporter)

Kerr on Miami missing Chris Bosh due to his injury and what it means to the Heat:“This is about defense…and Bosh is a big part of that.”

Kerr on the difficulty of playing the Heat:“You cannot beat Miami when they’re playing fast.”

Kerr on how difficult it is to play against the Miami Heat: “You cannot really sense how fast Miami’s defense is until you play against it. Indiana has to rely on its execution to try and create offense and I’m not sure if they [Pacers] are good enough.”

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Sprint Halftime Report
Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith

O’Neal on the Indiana Pacers 7’4” center Roy Hibbert:“He should be devastating with his moves. His attitude should be ‘I’m dominating.’ He should be more demonstrative with his moves. He should be more aggressive and he should go up to dunk it every time.”

Barkley on the key to the Pacers success in the series: “The key to the series [for the Pacers]…unless Danny Granger and Paul George play better, this team is not going to win.”

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TNT’s Miller interviewed Indiana Pacers forward David West following their win:

West:“We can’t celebrate over this. Our mindset is to win the series. We’re going to remain aggressive.”

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Los Angeles Clippers (92) @ San Antonio Spurs (108) – Spurs lead the series 1-0
Announcers: Matt Devlin (play-by-play) and Mike Fratello (analyst) with Marty Snider (reporter)

TNT’s Snider interviewed Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro following the first quarter of play:

Del Negro on the Clippers first quarter:“We don’t want to get into a track meet with them [San Antonio]. We’ve got to be smart.”

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Sprint Halftime Report
Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith

Barkley on the Spurs mental toughness:

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Fratello on the Spurs pace and acumen of play in Game 1:“When you [Clippers] are running low on energy, low on gas, it’s tough to keep up with the passing [of the Spurs].”

Fratello on the heightened expectations of the L.A. Clippers after acquiring Chris Paul:“He was the big reason why they have become so much tougher mentally and physically…once they acquired Chris Paul everyone expected, ‘Wow, Chris Paul, we’re going to win the whole thing.’”

TNT’s Marty Snider interviewed San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan following his 26-point, 10-rebound night in the Spurs win:

Duncan:“We expected to go ahead and attack the basket. Early on I was just trying to get the rust off and get it going.”

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Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai
Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith

Barkley on the Spurs momentum:“I felt the Spurs had a little too much rest. They started off pretty slow. But once the game got going they picked it back up and do what the Spurs do…win at home.”

O’Neal on the Spurs:“They have been together so long and have so much experience that nothing impresses them. They know what to do, they know how to do it and they know when to do it. That’s why it looks so easy.”

Smith on Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich: “He exposes what you can’t do. If you aren’t good at doing something, he is going to expose it. He exposes everything that other teams are weak at.”

Barkley on the rest of the Clippers/Spurs series: “Chris Paul is not going to dominate in this series. I see the Clippers winning one game because their flaws are going to show.”

TNT reporter Marty Snider interviews Clippers guard Chris Paul in the locker room after the game

Paul on what the Clippers need to work on:“We missed a lot of layups, we didn’t get to the free throw line enough. But we felt like there were some good things we did and we just have to stay the course.”

O’Neal on the mentality Clippers forward Blake Griffin needs to have:>“The mentality Blake has to have is ‘I have to outplay the almighty Tim Duncan.’ The Playoffs is where you make your name. Tim Duncan is a legend, if you want to be a legend you have to go at the legend and you have to take care of the legend.”

Barkley on the Clippers’ Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan:“It is going to be a learning experience for Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan because their flaws are really going to show this series.”

Five weeks into the Roger Clemens perjury trial and things have finally gotten juicy as Roger Clemens’ former friend and trainer Brian McNamee took the stand for the second day and revealed that he saved the waste materials from a previous Clemens injection and even injected the wife of the former pitching ace while he watched.

Brian McNamee’s testimony held the attention of everyone but a napping juror during his second day on the witness stand. McNamee recounted the 2001 visit to Clemens New York City apartment where he administered an injection and held the syringe, cotton ball and swap in a can until he returned home where it remained in a FedEx box.

While associated with Clemens, McNamee has seen his world fall apart, he is in the midst of divorce proceedings and has been unable to find work due in part to his involvement with Clemens. It was at his wife’s urging to keep the material because he was “Going down!”

In what turned out to be the bombshell of the trial, McNamee testified that during a 2003 visit to the Clemens home he administered an HGH injection to Roger’s wife Debbie in the couple’s master bedroom while Clemens was present. According to McNamee, Debbie looked at her husband, and said, “I can’t believe you’re going to let him do this to me,” and Clemens responded, “He injects me; why can’t he inject you?” Clemens has denied being present and said that Debbie was injected with out his knowledge or consent.

McNamee decided to go after Clemens full bore when Clemens made a comment about McNamee’s oldest son’s medical condition in a phone conversation. It was then that he retrieved the materials and turned them in.

Looks like Clemens might be stuck…

In other news:

Zappala won’t charge officers in Jordan Miles case (Post Gazette.com)

Akron students take ‘field trip’ to Miami to see LeBron named MVP (Ohio.com).

Kobe Bryant: Charges carry big risk (ESPNLA).

Junior Seau’s house burglarized (USA Today).

Deion Sanders Ordered to Pay Pilar Sanders $10.5K Per Month, $275K Legal Fees (ABC News)

Manny Pacquiao banned from mall for gay marriage comments (Orlando Sentinel).

College football recruiting 2013: Sporting News’ Top 125 prospects (Sporting News).

RIP Lena Horne, she was connected to Black Fives era of basketball (Black Fives).

J. Dilla’s Mom Launches Label for producer’s catalog (All Hip Hop).

Time for Pres. Obama to Pardon Jack Johnson (Loop 21).

The Ever Present Past & Future of Bryce Harper (TSPJ).

Beam Them Up, Scotty: Chinese Physicists Reportedly Break Teleportation Record (Time).

Locally owned radio station keeps it in the family, celebrates 62 years (KCTV5).