I Got A Basketball Jones

It is one of the best times of the year. Last night the Redwings clinched the Stanley Cup. I don't know why, but I always seem to be watching when the Redwings win the cup. It's not because of Hanna. Hanna used to work for the wings. But last time I watched them clinch I was on an airplane and she wasn't with me. No, it's something about the wings. One thing is that they are the same team. These guys are old. Half that team was the same team that Hanna worked for eleven years ago. And what an amazing game. I am shocked that, even on the losing team, Fleury didn't win the Smythe trophy. He was awesome. And the game was awesome.

Tonight though.... Let me say the hype is worth it. No, this isn't Magic and Bird. Tony Cornheiser said tonight that Kobe is the only player in these finals who could have started on those teams from the 80s. And he's right. Kobe would start ahead of Michael Cooper. Kobe is that great. Kevin Garnet would have to start in front of either Bird or McHale. Sorry, but fat chance. Watching those great finals in the 80s is when I fell in love with basketball. Before the Kings came to Sac-town I became a Lakers fan, and to be a Lakers fan in the 80s was a lot of fun. The Lakers and the Celtics *are* basketball. They have 31 titles between them (Fifteen for the lakers, sixteen for the Celtics) and have met in the finals ten times, including seven times between 1959 and 1969 and three times in the 80s. This is as good as Yankees vs. Red Socks, only Celtics and Lakers get to play each other in the finals. This is the best thing to happen to basketball since Michael Jordan retired.

And oh! I would love to see it go seven.