The Big Boys' Final Four

A couple of months ago basketball fans were treated to March Madness. The pomp and pageantry of the single elimination, win or go home, six-game path to crown a College Basketball National Champion is spectacular, indeed. The NCAA Tournament keeps fans on the edge of their seats, and glued to TV sets, and big screens all over America for three golden weekends, culminating with the Final Four weekend, and the battle for the Championship on the first Monday night in April.

There are some who declare it is the greatest “event” in all of sports. And granted the thrill of watching favorites wilt under pressure; of seeing fans roar lustily for the underdogs, as long as their team is not the favorite, is a sight to behold. This years Tourney brought tiny Davidson College into the spotlight for the first time in several decades; at least on this level.

Of course, while many so-called purists cling to the college version of the Final Four as the apex of the sport, others, including me, beg to differ. If you believe, as I do, that the best basketball players in the world form a unique and superior cadre of athletes, and you concede, that by and large, the NBA is populated by the crème de la crème of these physically gifted titans, then it is all but certain that the real Final Four is underway now.

For high drama and suspense, the college game may equal, and occasionally exceed the NBA, because in the single elimination format used in the college game, a number of underdogs always manage to advance. Lightning in a bottle does happen. However, it seldom strikes twice. Yet this year’s Davidson squad proved to be the exception to the rule, winning three times over favored teams, and coming within a play of upsetting a fourth, and advancing to the Final Four at the Alamodome.

It was great theater. But was it great basketball? If subjected to the rigors of the seven-game series the NBA uses, it is doubtful Davidson, or other underdogs would enjoy the success they do in college tournament play. Over multiple games, designed to pit a higher seed against a lower seed, with an odd number of games, and the majority played on the higher seed’s natural home court, talent usually prevails, and the “better team” wins.

In addition to the talent factor, or perhaps because of it, during the course of multiple games, more adjustments are made by coaches and players. This year’s NBA playoffs have been eagerly anticipated by fans of the game. The current Final Four is composed of a compelling quartet.

In the East, the team with the best record in the NBA this year matches up with a team that has made it to this point, the Conference Finals, six consecutive times. This series, between the Boston Celtics (best record) and the Detroit Pistons (six straight Conference Finals) is tied 2-2.

In the West, the defending Champions are matched against a reinvented and revitalized squad that was the last team to win multiple Titles in succession, winning three in a row. The Los Angeles Lakers (the last team to win 3 Titles in a row) edged the San Antonio Spurs (defending NBA Champs) last night to take a commanding 3-1 series lead, with the next game scheduled for Los Angeles.

Adding to the buzz for game 5 will be spirited discussion about an official’s non-call as time expired. Lakers’ point guard, Derek Fisher made contact with Spur’s reserve Brent Barry on a last second 3-piont field goal attempt. Had Barry made the shot, or the three free throws awarded if he missed, with a foul called, the Spurs would have won the game. Making 2-3 free throws would have tied the game and sent it into overtime (in San Antonio). Barry shoots over 40% from behind the 3-point arc, and 85% from the free throw line.

In a statement after the game, Spurs’ coach Gregg Popovich said, “If I were an official I wouldn’t have called that.” However, Joe Crawford’s officiating of the game is sure to be brought up in conversation. Crawford has a well-documented contentious history with the Spurs, including having had an argument with Popovich during the Conference semi-finals.

Many observers believe a rematch of the classic 80’s match-ups between the Celtics and Lakers, the two winningest franchises in NBA history, will provide a great Championship series. If that comes to pass, the Celts, because of their NBA best, 66-16 record, have earned home court advantage. In fact the Eastern Conference is home to the top two teams in the league, record-wise. So, whichever team prevails between Boston and Detroit will have home court advantage in the Finals, and host up to four games, against either Los Angeles, or San Antonio.

Since 1985, the NBA has used a 2-3-2 Finals format, meaning if the series goes 5 games or more, the middle three games are played on the Court of the lower seeded team. This reduces cross country travel for longer series, but also puts pressure on the team that opens at home to win both games. Not doing so puts them at risk of having to win a game on their opponents’ or not getting to return home and to use their home court advantage.

The Lakers appear to have all but assured themselves of holding up their end of the bargain. Losing three straight games to the Spurs at this point, two of them in Los Angeles, seems improbable. The Celtics who have been tough at home, look forward to two games at home in what amounts to a 3-game series now. Their chances to advance look good.

Bring it on; Go Lakers! I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday.


http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/spursworld/2008/05/game_4_spurs_vs_lakers.html

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The Last Lion!

In an odd sort of way, death, or the prospect of dying (even the prospect someone else will die), is a great equalizer. It often transcends natural barriers such as age, race, class, and even political affiliation. For example, upon learning that Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy has a malignant brain tumor, Senator John McCain is quoted as having said Tuesday, "I have described Ted Kennedy as the last lion in the Senate," a tearful McCain said on his campaign bus in Florida. "And I have held that view because he remains the single most effective member of the Senate."

Wow, it is really difficult to fathom McCain making such a statement about one of the patriarchal figures of the Democratic Party, and the contemporary face of the American Liberalism movement, as we know it today. In fact, were it not for the unfortunate circumstance of Senator Kennedy’s recent diagnosis, it is fairly easy to envision the presumptive Republican nominee for president maligning Kennedy with the same fervent zeal he does the man Kennedy endorsed for president, Barack Obama.

By no means am I writing this piece as a premature obit for Ted Kennedy. It just seems McCain’s comments constitute pandering, for no reason. While Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton also made statements lauding Kennedy and the legacy he has constructed, they have not only both shared in that legacy, but both actively contributed toward building and expanding upon Kennedy’s work.

Senator Obama said Tuesday that it is "heartbreaking" to hear that Sen. Edward Kennedy is suffering from a brain tumor, crediting the ailing lawmaker with making it possible for him to run for president. Also Tuesday, Senator Clinton said that Kennedy's "courage and resolve are unmatched, and they have made him one of the greatest legislators in Senate history."

McCain, alternately, has been, as an ardent supporter and extension of George W. Bush, the antithesis of Kennedy. I admit, I do not know Mr. McCain, but from this vantage point, his comments seem contrived and unauthentic. In that light, it would seem he has done his party, himself, but more importantly all prospective voters, a rank disservice.

In a fit of election overload, I decided not to discuss the details of the Road to the White House this week. However, I would be remiss if I did not mention three points, quickly. First, Hillary won Kentucky in another anticipated walk-over, 65% to 30%. Second with 84% of precincts reporting, Obama’s lead in Oregon was 58% to 42%; not bad for a guy who is white voter-challenged vying in a state that is over 90% white, and less than 2% black. Perhaps Oregon whites just don’t work hard enough to know better. Third, despite the Kentucky drubbing, Obama’s camp announced that Barack had won enough Kentucky delegates to secure an absolute majority of pledged Democrats, well before Oregon polls closed. (Two weeks and three primaries left).

In thinking about a topic for this week, I considered the Democratic Primaries, the R. Kelly Sex Tape Case, and Senator Kennedy. There were no really new developments with the primaries. While the whole R. Kelly thing is titillating, it’s just getting started. If there is a story worth sharing, it will unfold at some later stage of the trial. The Kennedy story was already the most compelling of the three, but the McCain contribution took it over the top, considerably, for me.

That’s it; I’m done. Holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday.


http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/20/candidates.reax.kennedy/index.html

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Mountain State Says Clinton...Big!

Exultant after a huge win in West Virginia, Senator Clinton vowed to stay in the race for the democratic nomination for president, saying, “I am more determined than ever to carry on this campaign until everyone has had a chance to make their voices heard." Meanwhile, Senator Obama is quietly laying claim to more Superdelegates; adding 27 since last week’s better than anticipated showing in North Carolina.

In spite of the rejuvenated spirit emanating from last night’s victory, Senator Clinton eliminated the previously bruising rhetoric from her victory speech, and while noting she and Senator Obama have “had a few dust-ups,” she acknowledged they both were committed to bring America new leadership that will renew America’s promise. She confided, in closing, “I will work my heart out for the Democratic nominee.”

To frame the conversation contextually, after 51 primaries and caucuses, this is just Mrs. Clinton’s second landslide victory. So while she will get most of West Virginia’s 28 pledged delegates, it is Senator Obama who leads in total delegates, by about 175. According to the Obama campaign’s assessment, he needs to collect 148 more delegates during the remaining primaries, to reach the 2,025 needed for nomination.

There are five primaries remaining, all of which will be conducted over the next three weeks, culminating June 3rd, with democratic voters in Montana and South Dakota, going to the polls. South Dakotan republicans will also vote that day. Montana republicans caucused on Super Tuesday (February 5, which seems like eons ago).

Indeed, it seems almost everyone who is counting, has conceded the democratic nomination to Senator Obama; apparently even Mrs. Clinton (No word yet on the former President). But none of that means all the issues of importance have been put to rest. In fact at this point, questions abound. For the purposes of consideration in this week’s post, I submit that there at least three areas of significant non-consensus remaining on the table. Each of these questions has numerous proponents and opponents.

In order of ascending importance (1 being least important; 3 being most important), they are, in my opinion:

1. Should Senator Obama help Senator Clinton retire her campaign debt?
2. Should Senator Obama consider/select Senator Clinton as his vice president?
3. Will Senator Obama be able to attract enough “hard-working white" voters to defeat
Senator McCain in the General Election?


As I consider question 1, I am mindful that the rules of politics typically approximate those of big game hunting; to the victor go the spoils. But presidential elections often have mitigating circumstances. In other words, there are precedents for such magnanimity.

The campaign to secure the party’s nomination is often a robust, if not bruising affair. To heal the party, and create an overarching air of amity, unity, and esprit, successful candidates have been know to create opportunities that help their opponents reduce or eliminate campaign debt. My gut reaction is this is totally inappropriate in this instance. At the start of the campaign, nearly a year and a half ago, Mrs. Clinton was the probative favorite, and as she noted earlier in the campaign, Senator Obama was a guy who was known for having given a speech…in 2004.

This is the same Senator Clinton, whom after 11 consecutive primary and caucus defeats, trailing in votes, behind in primaries won, and having raised less money, threw out an olive branch by suggesting that she and Senator Obama should form one ticket, with her in the lead. After this gracious gesture, she would later describe Obama as arrogant, elitist, and out of touch.

After thinking about the matter, I concluded, with some reluctance, Senator Obama should indeed work with Mrs. Clinton to help eradicate her debt. He has consistently promoted a message of Change We Can Believe In. He has also opined we must be the change we want to see. I suppose if he truly wants to see the political process improve, he must lead by example, and show us the way.

Question number 2 is much simpler for me. No! Not an angry no; not a vengeful no; not a filled with righteous indignation no. Just say no…and leave it at that!

Question 3 is really the Mother of all questions for the entire election if you accept the media’s current refrain. Interestingly, this theme is also eerily similar to last remaining vestige of Clinton relevancy in this campaign. All the other big ideas, central themes, and erstwhile compelling arguments have fallen by the wayside as her once promising prospects slowly faded into submission, drowned out and totally washed away by the relentless stream of improbable Obama primary victories.

Senator Clinton posits that her primary victories in “big states,” and her consistent advantage in the “hard-working white” demographic, ostensibly the magic that propelled her to victory in those states, makes her the stronger candidate. Therefore, she is the best choice to take on, and defeat Senator McCain in the General Election in November.

She and former president Clinton, and her/their supporters maintain that she should be the candidate, and that if not the candidate, she at least needs to be on the ticket for Senator Obama to have a chance to win in November. After all, it is about winning in November, is it not? That’s the question my friends pose. You can be sure, after last night’s thrashing, which was, incidentally, about what the experts predicted, you can be sure there will lots of insistence that the results underscore Obama’s weakness, and validate Clinton’s ascendancy, or rather her worthiness. All the while you can also note that Superdelegates will continue their inexorable movement toward the Obama camp.

What do they know that the media does not? Nothing! Quite to the contrary, they know, as do the media, that the stage is set. It will be Obama-Mccain in November. Many of them probably wish it were different, but understand that when she had the chance to create a different outcome, Mrs. Clinton failed to deliver.

I honestly do not know the definitive answer to this question. I know Senator Obama has consistently confounded the experts, pollsters, spin meisters, and especially Mr. and Mrs. Clinton. I know he has raised record levels of money, motivated an historic number of new voter registrants, and energized America with his Vision for Change We Can Believe In. I know that he now stands upon the precipice of being the first black nominated for president by a major political party in the United States.

For now…that’s all I need to know! Holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday.


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Tar Heels Deliver for Obama

Last week Senator Barack Obama took the court with the University of North Carolina Tar Heels basketball team. The Solon did not fair too well. Reports say he played about 10 minutes in a pick-up game and failed to score a basket. You might say he was over matched. But not yesterday; Obama came back to the Tar Heel State in triumph as he scored a decisive victory of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, winning by a margin of 56% to 42%.

In what has been a challenging week for the junior Senator from Illinois, the media, his opponents, and many voters skewered Obama for his association with the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. In the dynamic, and ever-fluid world of political polling, the last 8 days have been particularly volatile, as various polls projected the race, which at one point Obama led by 20+ points, anywhere from less than double digits, to a dead heat, to a slight edge for Senator Clinton. That Obama was able to re-center himself, recalibrate his message, and reclaim much of his formidable lead in North Carolina was indeed a significant achievement.

So thorough was this political beat down that when the polls closed yesterday at 7:30 p.m., CNN called the race in Obama’s favor. The lead was huge and would never shrink. All of this was important because both candidates put a great deal of stock in winning, or in Senator Clinton’s case, at least making a competitive showing. She did neither.

The Tar Heels, especially blacks, 91% of whom voted for Obama, new voters, and those with higher levels of education, turned out in dominating numbers for Obama Tuesday. His message of populism, change, and can-do spirit resonated in a powerful way.

I took advantage of the opportunity check out the phenomenon that is Obamamania last Friday, in person. The Senator is usually impressive on TV, if not debating at a podium, in print, with two New York Times Bestsellers, but tapping into the electric atmosphere that is generated when Barack takes center stage in the midst of thousands, as I did last Friday, is truly on another level.

A skilled orator who delivered a captivating Keynote Address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention at the Fleet Center in Boston, Barack Obama has continued to perfect “the Art of the Speech.” His cadence, timing, and phrasing remind one of the Masters. He is at his best when given range to just free-style with the mic. He’s not King…but he is definitely very, very good.

So how good is he? He is so good, that in a week when he was publicly labeled just a politician doing political things, by the man he refers to as his former spiritual leader, absorbed intra-party attacks from his chief rival for the Democratic Nomination, sustained direct hits from the opposition party and its presumptive nominee, and withstood countless scathing analyses, editorials, assessments, interviews, and questions from the media, he merely responded with tenacity and quiet confidence by slam-dunking the opposition in the North Carolina Primary.

What is clear, and what really has been apparent for some time, is that Obama has an imposing lead in delegates. With six primaries remaining (West Virginia, Kentucky, Puerto Rico, Oregon, Montana, and South Dakota), which account for approximately 220 delegates, and with Obama leading by nearly 150 delegates, it’s not mathematically impossible for Mrs. Clinton to catch him; just immensely improbable. Estimates are she would have to attain around 70% of the vote in each of the six remaining races to catch Mr. Obama.

Could that happen? If there is a perfect storm, and Mrs. Clinton embraces the tenets of “The Audacity of Hope,“ and Mrs. Obama renounces the “Dreams of her Father-in-law,” and the Reverend Wright launches a City-a-Day Tour to re-enact his National Press Club tirade, beginning today, and Barack Obama, after being apprised of all those developments, opts to take a 30-day vacation, effective immediately…then maybe. In other words, no!

That’s it; I’m done. Holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday.


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