2012 - Page 76 of 114 - Last Word On Sports

The Real Reason Pacquaio Lost?

Posted on June 10, 2012November 5, 2021 by Mark Modeski

Sports are well-known for their share of bad calls; Machida v. Shogun 1, Maradona’s “Hand of God”, Brett Hull’s skate in the crease in Game 6 of the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals, and so on. Manny Pacquaio’s split-decision loss to Timothy Bradley last night will likely be one to join that list for generations to come.

Manny Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KOs) is widely considered to be one of the best Welterweight fighters/champions in pro boxing history. Pacquiao, or “Pac-Man” as he affectionately referred to by his fans, has had one heck of a run over the last number of years that has spanned nearly a decade, coming out with fifteen wins, and five belts in five weight classes; leaving him a stunning record total of eight belts. The only thorn that has been in his side has been a back-and-forth war of words with Floyd Mayweather Jr. – but, we’ll get back to that.

Last night Manny faced contender, Tim Bradley, who was by no means a write-off opponent, but victory was nearly assured for the boxing stalwart – if not, expected. Pacquiao was somewhat less active than Bradley, however, he was landing more punches, and more significant punches. After twelve rounds the judges (or at least two of them) felt that Bradley had done enough to secure the victory. Jaws around the world dropped in unison as the decision was read, and the arm of Bradley was raised.

The Reaction of fans, commentators and boxing experts, was swift and damning.

Bradley’s manager said that he scored the fight 8 rounds to 4 for Pacquaio.

Promoter Bob Arum called the decision, “Bizarre, So Bizzare”

Pacquiao said. “I didn’t listen to the announcement (from the judges) because I thought I won (with) all three judges.”

Howard Lederman called the decision “a crime” and “incredible”. He said the decision was “one of the worst in boxing history.” HBO’s scoring expert had the fight 119-109 for Pacquaio. Lederman may have even known the result was coming, calling out the qualifications of judges CJ Ross and Duane Ford before the fight even started.

Dana White called the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the worst Athletic Commission in the country.

Interestingly, there was a ton of late money or action on Bradley last night. At 2pm the money line for Bradley was -432. When action closed and the fight was set to begin was -397. A move of $35 on the money line this late before a major fight is huge, and while not unheard of, it should certainly raise suspicions. When you add it to an absolutely ridiculous judging decision, the question becomes whether this fight was more fixed than a WWE match.

So What is the fall-out from the fight? One name: Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The dream match-up that everyone has been anticipating to happen for years will now, in my opinion, almost certainly happen. The match itself has been held-up for years by unreasonable testing demands by Floyd – which have been tactics on his part to stall the fight with Pac-Man. Mayweather is widely considered to be one of the greatest pound for pound boxers in the history of the sport, and is ageing. A loss to Pacquiao at this late stage in his career would sully his legacy… at least in his mind.

With Pacquiao losing, Mayweather probably feels that the filipino is not the invincible machine he has been made out to be. So, while Pacquiao rebuilds over the next few months, and wins the re-match against Bradley (which he will almost certainly do), Mayweather will be planning in his prison cell like Lex Luthor, for what will most likely be billed as “The Biggest Fight in the History of Boxing”.

Note: Bob Arum has already announced a re-match between Bradley and Pacquaio for later this year.

… and that is the last word.

Feel free to post comments below.

Oh, to be Roy Hodgson Today

Posted on June 10, 2012November 5, 2021 by Michael Kovacs, ADMIN

“This is the top job in English football but I’m not naive enough to think it will all be plain sailing.” ~Roy Hodgson

Roy Hodgson has his work cut out for him. Isn’t that the understatement of the year.

When Hodgson was plucked from West Brom, who were rightly very sorry to see the man who brought them from the relative obscurity to their best season in well over 30 years, it wasn’t without much criticism. On the other hand, isn’t that the nature of being England’s manager? The job is as much about coaching footballers, assuring the best team available is on the pitch at the exact right times, as it is about being a combination of circus performer and Freudian psychotherapist. Let’s hope he can be a lion (rather, three lions) tamer with some degree of success, for his own good.

Hodgson’s position as Manager of England’s men’s national team was met with some hostility, not because he doesn’t have the experience, but because there was another who many felt was all but a lock to assume the role – “Dirty” Harry Redknapp. Sorry, couldn’t let that go. The Spurs boss has recently admitted he would have relished the opportunity, but was never approached by the FA. When Fabio Capello announced his resignation only hours before Redknapp’s acquittal, many football fans called for his immediate appointment. Even Harry himself publicly declared his interest. Whether the FA felt there were too many uncertainties about him, or they wanted to avoid unwanted negative press (yeah, cause they wouldn’t have that regardless of who the manager is) they were safer in choosing Hodgson.

On the eve of battle with rivals from France, Hodgson has several important decisions that will shape this tournament. The problem is that no matter what he chooses, he will garner his fair share of critics. First, while not a decision and more of an issue, this slight, or perceived slight, of Rio Ferdinand won’t seem to go away. The former England captain has 81 caps for the national team, yet has not figured into Hodgson’s plan for the Euros. Ferdinand has made no attempt at hiding the fact that he is disappointed, and I can’t really blame him. Even as Cahill received the news that he would have to forego the Euros due to injury (more on that later), Ferdinand was still not given the call. Hodgson basically explains this by saying his respect for Ferdinand is as a starter, and not a bench player to come on in injury situations. Please, that is just asinine. Why would you want to make that decision without talking with the player first? Basically, if England’s defence is exposed, which is entirely possible as I scan who I perceive as the starting XI, Roy is setting himself us as a huge fall-guy. Forgive him, he knows now what he does.

If that were the only issue it would be simple, but not so. As has been reported by every footy fan, newspaper, magazine, blog, vlog, glog (I have no idea what a glog is, but I’m sure there is one), England faces several key injuries heading into tomorrow’s tilt. Three stand out as particularly troublesome; Frank Lampard, Gary Cahill and Gareth Barry. Basically, the middle of the field is all but obliterated (Okay, I’m being a wee bit melodramatic). With Cahill out, and replaced by Martin Kelly, England loses an important centre back, perhaps the most talented, who would have been better able to contest the strong French attack. I shudder to imagine tomorrow’s onslaught. Lampard brings a heap of international experience, and like him or not, an attacking mid is a nice thing. Finally, Gareth Barry’s absence as a holding mid will be missed also, whether you like him or not – which I assume is the latter.

Which brings us to our attack. With Rooney missing the first two contests because of a no-no in past competition, who is best suited to fill the void? Hodgson has three choices; Welbeck, Carroll, and Defoe. We know Defoe is the least likely to open up vs France, which leaves us with Welbeck and Carroll. I would be quite surprised if Welbeck didn’t get the nod. Either way, the squad needs the ability and assertive play of Rooney if it hopes to go deep in this tournament.

It’s not easy being England’s manager. Kudos for Roy trying to downplay what must be the height of anxiety. While I am merely a football drone watching from abroad, I certainly don’t need a magnifying glass to know that Roy Hodgson is damned if he does, and damned if he doesn’t.

…until tomorrow, lads.

Car Flags – Watching Euro 2012 from Across the Pond

Posted on June 10, 2012November 5, 2021 by Andy Cunningham

With Euro 2012 underway, I am reminded of why international soccer drives me crazy.

Now, not much bothers me in terms of international soccer tournaments themselves. In fact, the Euro and World Cup are two of my favourite sporting events. The players are not the reason for my rage, although the diving cowards on the pitch (who hit the ground faster than any of Tyson’s opponents ever collapsed after a stiff uppercut), do infuriate me a little.

What bothers me is the lack of respect fans have to the country that they choose to live in. Humour me for a minute…

I remember during Euro 2004, I was living in England, watching a particular game – I believe it was England vs. Croatia. A win would assure one of these teams that they would move on. In the flat I was living in there was a television set up in the common room. Another famed LastWord writer was living there as well. We went to watch the game and sitting opposite us was a South African woman.

Now this woman out of the blue starts cheering for Croatia. I couldn’t believe it. The two of us questioned her on why she had chosen to live in England for so long and receive all of the benefits the country has given her, yet openly cheer against them.

To our utter surprise, she revealed she “hates England”, and “just likes the value of the money when translated back to South Africa”. It was a shame to hear her, considering all England had done for her and her family. The healthcare, living conditions, and financial benefits, had seemed to be all but be forgotten as she cheered out of hatred against a country that prevented her from having to worry about her safety each and every day. Now, by no means is England the nicest country around, and in my opinion there are better places to live (I have a British background, mind you), but to say you hate it?

Now that I got that story off my chest, I want to turn my attention to my greatest source of rage during international tournaments – the lack of national pride (concerning soccer) in my home country, Canada.

Being such a multicultural and diverse country is a great thing, but people need to realize they are Canadian, no matter what they look like or believe in. They chose this country for a reason.

Earlier this year I attended a Canadian National Team game against St. Lucia at BMO Field in Toronto. I was in disbelief that there were more St. Lucian fans at a game involving Canada. To be clear, there is nothing wrong with cheering for a team representing your heritage, but when you are now a Canadian, living in Canada, should you not cheer on your country?

The thing is, people from all over the world come here for the job opportunities (as did my family) and all the health benefits, etc. But think about this; these people are now Canadian, and came here for a stronger economic system, yet they cheer against our very own up-and-coming soccer stars. By losing, our team gets less recognition, which means less tickets sold, jerseys sold, television time and national recognition. This directly affects our economy. This extra money could go into our cities and economy, along with our soccer development programs, yet the people who came here for the benefits are cheering against not only our team, but also the economy they came her for, indirectly.

So finally, I arrive at the real point of my frustration – car flags!

Why on earth would people who have moved here feel the need to drive around with a country’s flag that they chose to abandon? Of course you should be proud of where you are from, but don’t forget where you are now. To fly a country’s flag on your car, and not have the country’s flag you live in beside it, seems imbecilic to me.

I understand Canada is not in the Euro, therefore you can’t cheer for them in that tournament specifically. But who will you cheer for during the Olympics, for example? Even our television networks are advertising for other countries instead of promoting our own country in lead-up to the next Olympic games. This Country lacks the pride a country should have.

I don’t see Canadian flags flying during international tournaments we participate in, but I do see plenty of international flags during those same events. Do yourself and our country a favour and fly the flag of whatever background you have, but on the opposite side of your car, fly the flag of the Country you live in, the one you decided was better than the country you left. Show some pride in the future and be proud of who you are, regardless of where you live.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

.. and that is the Last Word.

NHL Draft Prospect #63: Dillon Fournier

Posted on June 10, 2012November 5, 2021 by Ben Kerr

Selected 48th Overall by the Chicago Blackhawks.

Dillon Fournier is a veteran of the draft game. The Montreal native was the first overall pick in the 2010 QMJHL draft, taken by the Lewiston MAINEacs. When the team folded following the 2010-11 season, Fournier was made the 1st Overall pick in the QMJHL dispersal draft, this time going to the Rouyn-Norenda Huskies. After making great strides in his sophomore year, at both ends of the ice, Fournier had to be shutdown for the year in early March as a lingering shoulder issue required surgery, and Fournier became yet another victim of the 2012 Draft Injury Curse.

Defense
Born Jun 15 1994 — Montreal, PQ
Height 6.01 — Weight 160 — Shoots Left

2010-11	Lewiston MAINEiacs	QMJHL	60	3	11	14	38	9
2011-12	Rouyn-Noranda Huskies	QMJHL	52	9	29	38	59	-8

Fournier is an excellent skater. He has good top end speed and quick acceleration. He uses his edges well and makes tight precise turns and pivots. Defensively, his plus-level skating allows him to take additional offensive chances in the QMJHL and still recover defensively.

Fournier is an offensive minded Dman. He loves to rush the puck and is a very good stickhandler, and is adept and protecting the puck. He has good vision and makes crisp accurate passes on both the breakout and in the offensive zone. He has a hard wrist shot and a good release, but could stand to improve on its accuracy. His slapshot gets decent velocity but can also be a little wild. We would however like to see him use it more. Fournier is an intelligent player who understands when to pinch and when not to, and almost always makes the smart play in the offensive end of the rink.

Fournier’s defensive game is still a work in progress. At 6’1″ he has a decent sized frame for a defenceman. However, at just 160 lbs, he really needs to bulk up. This is especially evident in board battles, and when Fournier is guarding the front of his own net. He is often overpowered by opposing forwards, and needs to rely on his stick checking ability to prevent scoring chances. He definitely tries hard though, so the added bulk would be a big plus. Unfortunately for Fournier it will be difficult to add a lot of bulk this offseason due to having to rehab the shoulder. This could mean it will have to wait a while for Fournier to gain the strength he needs. Fournier is a decent enough positional defender, and works hard, so we think this is an area of his game that will improve.

Fournier is an intriguing NHL prospect. He is a good puckmover and can be an offensive weapon. His skills fit in well with the current NHL game, and we believe that he has top 4 potential. We’d compare Fournier’s maximum potential as being able to develop into a player similar to Joni Pitkanen of the Carolina Hurricanes.

As always feel free to leave your comments below and follow me on twitter @lastwordBKerr

…. and thats the Last Word.

Shogun cut from the UFC?!?!

Posted on June 9, 2012November 5, 2021 by Mark Modeski

… Well not really, but according to Dana White, Shogun Rua would have rather been cut from the UFC than have to fight prospect, Glover Teixeira. Why you might ask? Well apparently the real reasons for this are known only to Shogun. Theories are beginning to circulate, so let’s get to the crux of the matter.

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua was originally slated to fight Thaigo Silva at UFC on Fox 4; however, Silva was forced to withdraw due to an injury. Almost as quickly as Silva withdrew from the match noise started to build about a replacement opponent. Dana White favoured upcoming Brazilian fighter, Glover Teixeira.

Teixeira is a new name within the UFC, having just made his debut not more than a month ago at Mir v. Dos Stantos. At that event, he submitted Kyle Kingsbury with a spectacular arm triangle. However, Glover Teixeira is no new name to MMA having defeated some reputable names in his twenty career fights (18-2): Ricco Rodriguez, Marvin Eastman and Kingsbury to name a few.

While Shogun denies claims that he would rather be cut than face Teixeira, Dana White is adamant that this was the case. There are two theories that could explain this.

The first theory is that Rua refused to fight someone who was not a top-ten fighter. This one is a little hard to swallow, since Thiago Silva is arguably not a top-ten fighter, and his new opponent (Brandon Vera) is nowhere near a top-ten fighter.

The second theory, and more likely one in my opinion, is that Shogun feared losing to someone outside of the ten who really doesn’t have much of a name. Glover Teixeira, as noted previously, while not a big name has fought some credible fighters and has sixteen finishes to his eighteen wins. Shogun is in desperate need to string together some wins, and a loss to a fighter such as Teixeira would have a detrimental impact on his stock. Vera, his new opponent, is in the UFC only by default (was cut after his loss to Thiago Silva, but allowed back in after Silva tested positive for a banned substance), and has not looked like a top-ten fighter for several years.

It is unfortunate that Shogun will not be facing Glover Teixeira, because this would have made for a great match. If the rumour is true, as Dana White claims it to be, this fan’s respect for Rua has dropped significantly!

… and that is the last word.

Robin Van Persie the Right Man for Juve?

Posted on June 9, 2012November 5, 2021 by Luciano Giuliano

It is pretty much yesterday’s news that Juventus had trouble scoring goals in Serie A during the 2011-2012 season despite winning the Scudetto. Now that the Old Lady is back in the Champions League, she desperately needs to reinforce the squad in order to take on the best of Europe as well as continue to challenge for the Italian championship. The recent focus of directors Giuseppe Marotta and Fabio Paratici as well as head coach Antonio Conte during this transfer campaign has been to find a guarantee upfront who will pop in goals when the opportunities arise.

One of the most discussed frontrunners is Holland and Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie. RvP had a fantastic season with Arsenal scoring 37 goals in all competitions, which has been by far his best year as a Gunner. There is no doubt that the Dutch International is a great talent capable of scoring goals with his head and his skilled feet. When called upon in the EPL and Champions League, he has not disappointed – well, this year at least. He has been injured in past seasons and was not able to put up such a large number.

Is he the right man for Antonio Conte’s tactics? Conte loves versatile players and prefers to have those who sacrifice themselves for the better of the team, running back to defend as well as putting in 100% effort when attacking, thus requiring a lot of running. Does RvP fall in this category? The Dutchman seems to have more characteristics of a centre forward similar to Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Although a quality striker, he is not the ideal versatile player Conte prefers.

Arsenal’s established price tag thus far has been €30 million and the Juve target would like an annual salary of €7 million per season plus €1 million in bonuses, which is something that the Old Lady is not entirely willing to pay. The transfer fee is high considering he is 29 years old. The Bianconeri are hoping to land Van Persie for less than the asking price and are willing to pay the player €5.5 million a year, which is not a bad deal. The Bianconeri administration will be watching the centre forward closely while he represents the Netherlands in EURO 2012. Much is expected this time for RVP to perform and prove he is capable of leading his team to glory.

Recently, major hints of RVP’s decision to join Juventus have been dropped by his father, Bob Van Persie, who stated that there is no point for his son to join Spanish giants Real Madrid or Barcelona as there is too much competition and no room at these clubs to grow. He has also ruled out a move to rivals Manchester City seeing that Robin prefers not to play for another English club. Therefore, this leaves Juventus as the most probable option at the moment.

Juve is keeping all of their options open as they prepare offers to persuade other targets to join the cause. The Italian champions are showing a lot of interest in Edinson Cavani of Napoli. Italian newspaper Tuttosport reported this morning that the Old Lady has offered Napoli €40 million cash plus forward Alessandro Matri for the Uruguayan’s services – a very steap but much younger option as he is only 25 years old. Cavani is perhaps the more ideal candidate since he has already demonstrated his versatility for Napoli this season playing as both a striker and on the left side of a 3-man attack, and he knows the Italian league very well. As shown in the Champions League against Chelsea, he is also a player who sacrifices himself as he runs back to help the defence as well. He has scored 28 goals in all competitions this year.

No matter who Juventus ends up signing, he will no doubt be a great addition to the squad and will most likely provide the goals the Old Lady has lacked last season. Although, Robin Van Persie is an older but more affordable option, having to pay a little extra for an extremely motivated and equally talented individual in Edinson Cavani is the better way to go in my opinion for the reasons stated above. As a bonus, it will weaken a direct competitor for next year’s Scudetto.

Lastly, as a Juventus supporter, it is great to see such high calibre players being linked with the Old Lady again.

…and that is the last word.

Feel free to leave comments below.

Andrey Arshavin Turning Back the Clock

Posted on June 9, 2012November 5, 2021 by Michael Kovacs, ADMIN

When Arsene Wenger surprisingly decided to spend $15 million in 2009, most Gooners the world over were excited. You don’t have to be a fan of AFC, or even of the BPL, to know how stingy the Frenchman can be. Who were they getting for what was a record transfer for the club?

Andrei Arshavin was a highly qualified and greatly decorated midfielder from Russia, where he played for Zenit. During his tenure he won many accolades including the Russian Footballer of the Year. AFC fans had great reason to celebrate the transer.

The Russian had a great start to his life at the Emirates, in one match at Anfield, scored four goals. He wore the #23 shirt, formally held by Sol Campbell, very well. But over the past few seasons, he has fallen out of favour in Wenger’s eyes. He still had flashes of his former self, none more memorable than when he came on against Barca in last year’s Champions League match where he one-touched a screamer, sending the home-town fans into a frenzy. It might have been considered the goal of the year – at least to me.

Unfortunately, these flashes have been too few and far between to earn him regular time. Perhaps a low-point occurred in a home match with Manchester United, when Wenger brought him on to replace Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, sending the fans at the Emirates into a chorus of “boos” (followed by a chorus of booze).

Rumours of Arshavin’s departure were all over the Internet, subways and in little notes written in water-closets. The writing literally was on the walls. The Gunners made a deal for a loan with former club, Zenit, where Andrei finished this season. With his future with Arsenal in severe jeopardy, and whispers that time has caught up with him, Arshavin looked to the European stage as he captained his Russian side for the Euros, 2012.

On the opening day, Arshavin dazzled. It’s really that simple. If you watched the match you will have noted he was easily one of the best players on the pitch. He played his usual attacking mid role, drifting inside from the left, from a 4-3-2-1 formation. Doing so, he exposed the Czech defending, as they couldn’t seem to track his well-timed runs. Repeatedly, the Czechs allowed Kerzhakov to find open space in wide areas, while Arshavin and Dzagoev exposed the middle.

Arshavin was outstanding for Russia, looking like his former self. To watch him, it was easy to see the difference in his form compared with his last two seasons at Arsenal. He looked like that 27 year-old again.

Andrei Arshavin can play… just maybe not for Arsenal.

Until tomorrow, lads.

NHL Draft Prospect Profile #62: Calle Andersson

Posted on June 9, 2012November 5, 2021 by Ben Kerr

Selected 119th Overall by the New York Rangers.

Calle Andersson is a member of Farjestad’s Under 20 team in the Swedish Junior League. Andersson joins Hampus Lindholm and Ludvig Bystrom as an impressive bunch of Swedish defenceman available for this June’s draft. Andersson represented his country internationally last summer at annual Ivan Hlinka tournament and this year at the IIHF Under 18 World Championships, earning two silver medals in the process. The defender even scored a goal for Sweden in the Gold Medal Game at the Hlinka against Team Canada. Calle Andersson is the son of former New York Ranger Peter Andersson. Unfortunately Andersson spent the entire season in the Swedish Junior League so this report is based on his international play.

Defense
Born May 16 1994 – Limhamn, SWE
Height 6.02 — Weight 201 — Shoots R

2011-12

Farjestad J20

Swe U20

Andersson is a very good skater. He accelerates quickly and skates with good top end speed. He has good agility and excellent edgework which allow him to make crisp pivots and tight turns. He is able to quickly change direction, and this quickness helps him to stop the opponents rushes. Andersson is also a fluid and quick backwards skater. He is well balanced and strong on his skates, which makes him tough to knock off the puck.

Andersson has some very good offensive skills. His point shot is accurate and he has a good release and onetimer. He has good hockey IQ and understands when to pinch or join the rush. Andersson is an effective stickhandler and protects the puck well from his opponents. His ability to handle the puck and patiently walk the line buys him extra time to make the smart play. Andersson has good vision, and makes crisp, accurate passes, both in transition and from the offensive blue line.

Andersson’s defensive game is unpolished. He will often go for the stick check when he should be looking to lay a hit on the opposition. He might be slightly underweight and could stand to add more muscle, but even if he does that, he is not an instinctive hitter. He certainly could use more strength in winning board battles in the defensive zone. Andersson also has a tendency to get out of position defensively by chasing the puck a little too much.

Andersson projects as a slick skating defenceman with offensive flair. We would compare his max potential to become a defenceman similar to Marek Zidlicky of the New Jersey Devils.

As always feel free to leave your comments below and follow me on twitter @LastWordBKerr

… and thats the Last Word.

What is going on here? Reffing in the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals

Posted on June 8, 2012November 5, 2021 by Andy Cunningham

Hmm… Where to begin?

Well for starters let’s hope this article isn’t half as bad as the officiating during the Eastern Conference Finals.

After watching the first six games of the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals, there is one thing for certain – the refereeing has been atrocious. Quite frankly I don’t even think “atrocious” can correctly describe what one might even consider to be “refereeing”

Several questions need answering; Are these refs trying to rig the games? Does the NBA want the powerhouse Miami Heat to make it the finals bad enough they would consider tampering with the officiating? Are money and television ratings a factor in the outcome?

After game two, I would have answered yes to all of those questions. It was especially true as I watched the fourth quarter in that contest and saw Dwayne Wade drive the paint, jumping up and leading with his right leg, doing his best imitation of a ‘Lyu Kang’ flying kick (from Mortal Kombat), whilst pushing Paul Pierce backwards and out of the way as Pierce had his hands up for the block. Clearly that was an offensive foul. In fact during the season you may have noticed the league crack down on this type of maneuver. Yet somehow with 47 seconds left in a close game, where Miami was only up by 2 points, Pierce gets fouled out, after receiving a ninja kick and called for a foul of his own. This call gave Miami a chance for a four point lead, although Wade would only sink one basket and Ray Allen would sink a trey to force overtime – an overtime that Boston’s Star, Pierce, could not participate in due to the call on Wade’s ninja-kick lay up.

After watching this game, I don’t know how anyone could not be screaming “Rigatoni”. Miami had a total of 47 free throws this game, compared to Boston who only got to the line for 29 attempts. Miami would go on to win the game in overtime and take a 2-0 lead in the series.

Fast forward to game four of the series and I am sitting here like a lost duck. Just when I was convinced some of the most fishy officiating in NBA history was going on, LeBron James fouls out of a game for the first time in four years. I mean, the call is one he got away with consistently over his career. Yet, the ref didn’t even hesitate to foul him out. So now I am left thinking that perhaps the refs are just that bad, and the bias I was certain of in game two, was just a whistle happy referee.

Over the next three games, all of which Boston won, each team got between 20-27 free throw attempts per game. Along with the wrath of the unique point guard, Rajon Rondo, Boston has started to show some life and are now one game away from taking the series and moving on to the NBA Championship. Following a monster performance by Lebron, the Heat would win Game 6, squaring the series and sending us to the all important Game 7.

Will the officials put an end to Boston’s dreams and have another officiating performance replicating game two, or have the men in stripes just completely cracked, and are set to resume blowing their whistles? I don’t know, am I alone in this? Have you been seeing it the same was as I have? After watching this series, I don’t think I have a clue where zebras came from anymore! (and the refs don`t even wear stripes).

As always you can leave your comments below.

… and that is the Last Word.

Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Year: 2012