Tour de France 2012

On a beautiful July day in the French Alps, a familiar scene began to unfold in the usually quite town of Saint-Etienne de Cuines. Thousands of people from all over the world began to line up along the narrow mountain roads with chairs, coolers, and flags in anticipation of seeing the riders of the 99^th Tour de France. ''This is my third time coming and I am really excited,'' said a fan from Norway next to several flags Norwegian flags she had planted in the ground earlier in the day.

I arrived approximately four hours in advance to get a good spot to see the riders arrive, but the streets were already full of fans. I was not too surprised as I was in a very popular location; at the beginning of an ''hors categorie'' mountain climb. The ''Col de la Croix de fer'', or the Iron Cross has inclinations of over nine percent at certain points, one of the steepest climbs in this years tour with a summit of over 6,500 feet. Being on the mountain gives fans the best opportunity to catch a glimpse of their favorite rider or the ''Maillot Jaune'' as the cyclists are not going very fast. The waiting portion of the day seemed to fly by due to the great atmosphere. Many fans were discussing the tour with each other, while others were wearing ridiculous outfits, and others were blaring out the tour live on their portable radios. This is a great way to interact with people from all parts of the globe and maybe even meet someone from your country.

A little over an hour before the cyclists would arrive the famed publicity caravan rolled into the village playing music and throwing out thousands of goodies to cheering fans next to the road. Dozens of intricately decorated cars paraded by giving away everything from candy, jerseys, hats, and even sausages. The publicity caravan began in 1930 as a way to help promote and fund the tour, it lasts about 45 minutes and gives away millions of items on a daily basis. This is a great way to bring fans together and provides for a great show to not only kids but adults as well.

Now that everybody’s hands were full with all types of items, the anticipation only grew as everybody could sense that the riders were getting closer and closer. Even when a tour vehicle passed by, fans jumped out of their seats looking around to see if a bike was in sight. Shortly thereafter several television and tour helicopters were in sight which meant that at any moment the riders would be racing by. In addition to this, cars belonging to the tour, teams, and the police began to pass by more and more frequently. It was only a few minutes later that we were witnessing the greatest bikers in the world participating in the most prestigious bike race. Fans were yelling, using their air horns, as well as waving their flags hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite rider in action. In a mountain stage the cyclists are spread out quite a bit so it takes about 20 minutes to see all of the participants. As soon as everyone had passed it was time to go home or for some move on to see the action again the next day.  

Camp Thabo Sefolosha 2012

Last week at had the chance to attend Camp Thabo Sefolosha 2012 It was a great experience and proved that Sefolosha though a rough defender on the court is a really classy guy. Follow the link to view the article!

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=226&articleid=20120711_226_B1_CUTLIN370407

CHECK OUT MY DAY WITH THUNDER GUARD THABO SEFOLOSHA!

Heat Win Pivotal Game 3

In another game that came down to the wire, poor free throw shooting and turnovers cost the Oklahoma City Thunder a chance to take a 2-1 lead on the road losing 85-91. LeBron James led the charge again with 29 points and 14 rebounds despite shooting 11-23. Dwyane Wade also had another good game pitching in with 25 points and seven rebounds. The Thunder started out the game strong but contrary to the previous two games, the had trouble late in the fourth quarter. They only managed six points in the last three minutes of the game. Kevin Durant led the way for the Thunder with 25 points and Russell Westbrook had 19. Here is a breakdown of each teams performance.
Miami Heat
The Heat stuck with the game 2 game plan which was to get the ball into the paint. Their first five made shots  were all layups or dunks. They shot 50% in the first quarter. This tactic was very effective getting the Thunder in foul trouble and scoring points. Over 80% of Miami points were scored either in the paint or at the free throw line. The second half was a little bit different story. Miami only shot 33% from the field as OKC made the proper adjustments to shut down the easy points in paint but also got to the line. The Heat seemed to initially struggle to this response as the Thunder started out the third quarter on a 10-4 run. But one of the deciding factors was the defense applied to Durant in the fourth quarter as he only scored four points. Miami deserves a lot of credit for making the right changes, forcing the ball out of his hands. Also the Heat shot 90% from the foul line in the fourth quarter helping to seal the victory. Until Oklahoma City finds a way to stop this new Heat offense then I have no reason to believe that they cannot win the title. Compared to game 1 they look more aggressive and confident which have proven to being important factors. By bringing the ball in the paint you are either going to score, not score, or get fouled. The Heat have excelled in scoring as well as at the free throw line. Also Dwyane Wade giving Lebron support from a scoring stand point has been very helpful making the defensive match ups even harder. This was by far not Miami's best performance but made just enough plays down the stretch the grab the series lead.
Oklahoma City Thunder
This young Thunder team has to be very disappointed in themselves after letting game 3 slip away and here are some key points. 1. Miami only shot 37% for the game. 2. Miami had nine turnovers in the fourth quarter alone. 3. Thunder had a 10 point lead in the third quarter. OKC shot themselves in the foot in the second half. The Thunder were the best free throw shooting team in the NBA during the regular season so they have absolutely zero excuse to shoot below 65% on the biggest stage, the NBA finals. That is going to have to change or else OKC is in big trouble. Kevin Durant for the second game in a row got in foul trouble. This was crucial in the third quarter as he only played half of it and while he was on the bench the Heat went on a 16-7 run. The rest of the Thunder team played well including Westbrook who had 19. My next issue is that James Harden did not have a good game. Kendrick Perkins was the third leading scorer, if this team wants to beat the Heat, Harden has got to step up. He only had 9 points for the game OKC will not win if Perkins is the third leading scorer. Another important stat to look at and partial blame should go to Scott Brooks is getting away from Durant. In the fourth he only attempted six shots. In order for the Thunder to win game 4 they will have to play better in late (like game1 and 2), make free throws, and James Harden has to be a factor. Give credit to Scott Brooks for a great game 3 start and staying big most of the game to keep Miami out of the paint. The Thunder are not broken they just small fixings.

Lebron James and the Miami Heat outlast Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City came storming back from a double digit deficit in the fourth quarter as they looked to steal another game from the Heat, but Lebron James would not let that happen. James scored six big points in the final minutes to secure a 100-96 win. It was clear from the opening tip that Miami was going to put up a fight, jumping out to an early 18-2 lead on the road, thanks to great defense and aggressive offensive play. Dwyane Wade returned to his old self scoring 24 points on 10-20 shooting. The Thunder cam out very sloppy and put it together in the fourth quarter but by then it was too little too late. Here is a quick analysis of both teams in game 2.
Miami Heat
It was evident early that the Miami Heat had a new strategy entering game 2. They were not afraid of taking it to the basket which proved to be the difference maker. Getting points in the paint and swinging the ball around led to 45% shooting in the first quarter. No matter what defensive adjustments were made by OKC they seemed to still put up points. Being aggressive not only led to shots but to free throws and putting the Thunder in foul trouble. The Heat shot 25 free throws in total which really set the tone for the game.On defense they looked great as well only allowing Kevin Durant to score six points in the first half. Oklahoma City shot 34% in the first half and allowing 0 fast break points. A key factor that and big difference from Game 1 is that Lebron James got help from his supporting cast. Chris Bosh had 16 points and 15 rebounds. Dwyane Wade had 24 which took pressure off LeBron and put more pressure on the Thunder defense opening up shooting opportunities. Battier was also monumental scoring 17 points on 6-8 shooting. He also had a huge bank shot three as the shot clock was winding down late in the fourth quarter. It was finally good to see Miami and a big moral boost close out a game because it seemed as though they would let this one slip away. Lebron James was great scoring 6 points and had the dagger with 2 free throws that put the game out of reach with less than a minute left. James was 12-12 on free throws. With this victory the Heat have taken away home court advantage from the Thunder and look poised to take the series lead back in South Beach.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The new bad habit for the Thunder cost them this game. Just as in game 1 they came out in the first quarter looking flat, unorganized, and completely lost. There is plenty of blame to go around including coach Scott Brooks but my main issue in game 2 was Russell Westbrook. He was 1-7 in first quarter and as a point guard played selfish. As a point guard your main priority is to find the open man, and if you are having an off night you especially need to pass the ball. He finished 10-26 and 27 points. The Thunder got in foul trouble early which is another reason they could not get going offensively. They were lucky to only be down 12 but that was in large part due to James Harden and Serge Ibaka who played great in the second quarter. Harden had 17 at half but only finished with 24. The fourth quarter was great especially from Durant who scored 16 points and led the charge. He made seven shots in a row which really turned the tide in favor of OKC. But defensively missed assignments and offensive rebounds were hard to recover from.Missed free throws was also a rare mistake from the Thunder as they shot 73% on free throws. Depsite all this Kevin Durant had a chance to tie the game with 9 seconds left but missed a 10 foot floater from the baseline. It was maybe a foul, questionable no call but it was just too little too late. In order to win game 3 the Thunder MUST come out ready to play. Thought hey play good from behind the Heat proved they can withstand the comeback. I also think Westbrook has to differ to Durant more and get him more shots. The Thunder bench has to play better as they did in game 1 with Scott Brooks making better changes. Apart from the big 3 the Thunder only had 16 points that has got to change. Game 3 will be huge for both teams in order to gain momentum. This has been a back and forth series but both teams know how to slow each other down. It will come down to who will apply it. Bench play and defense are two factors to watch for Sunday night.

Kevin Durant leads Thunder past Miami in game one of NBA Finals

The Oklahoma City Thunder came back from a 13 point deficit in the first half to defeat LeBron James and the Miami Heat 105-94. It is not the way the Heat wanted to start their finals campaign after failing to win it all last year. Early on it seemed as thought the Heat had the advantage as Shane Battier led the charge hitting three 3 pointers in the first quarter. Miami was very hot in the first half from the field shooting 52% from the field and 60% from three. However the second half charge was a complete team effort from the Thunder. Durant and Westbrook alone outscored the entire Heat team in second half 41-40. The fourth quarter was the Kevin Durant show as he scored 17 to secure the Thunder victory. Here is a short analysis of both teams.
MIAMI HEAT
Miami got out to a quick start looking very sharp on both ends of the ball. They forced 4 turnovers and led by as many as 11 in the first quarter.. In the first half they shot over 50% from the floor and only had four turnovers. Lebron James led in points at the half with 14 and he would finish with 30. In the second half however, things began to fall apart. Most of it on defense.Coach Eric Spoelstra should have put LeBron on Kevin Durant because Durant went savage. LeBron is a very good defender who is very physical and very long. It was a big mistake on the part of the Heat. Also in the second half Shane Battier and Mario Chalmers stopped scoring which put even more pressure on the big three. Besides LeBron the others (d-wade and Chris Bosh) did not play very well. They were not aggressive and shot poorly from the field.The Heat lacked intensity and did not seem to want it as much as the Thunder. Now the fourth quarter as we all know is not Lebrons best so it is important that Dwyane Wade take over and he did not. He only had seven points and Chris Bosh only had two. In order to win game two the Heat have to regain the intensity they had in the first quarter of game 1 and Dwyane Wade HAS to get going. He has to put up big numbers or else the Heat will not beat the Thunder. This is very unusual of him to play so poor especially on the big stage. He went a poor 7-19 from the field. The reason why they were up at half was because of bench play which is a great sign for the Heat because it will take the ENTIRE Miami team to beat OKC.
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Besides getting out to a very slow start the Oklahoma City Thunder looked spectacular last night on their home floor. Kevin Durant (36-8-4) and Russell Westbrook (27-8-11) led the way. Kevin Durant was nothing short of impressive getting 17 in the fourth quarter. An aspect of this game that really impressed me was the play from others besides the big three. Thabo Sefolosha was an absolute monster guarding Dwyane Wade and LeBron James getting them out of rhythm and forcing turnovers. Derek Fisher also played well, well enough to get more minutes than James Harden. His veteran leadership was evident and he played a big role in the Thunder comeback. Nick Collison played like a beast, even though it may not appear on the stat sheet but his presence in the paint was crucial. He scored 8 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.Once the Thunder got going it was no stopping them in second half. They were +18 and only had two turnovers.  I am not sure if it was nerves but they looked jumpy and unorganized but got it going as the game went along. An overall great performance from OKC as they looked poised to take the title. An important aspect that needs to improve is James Harden. He was only 2-6 with 5 points. At this point this is not a mjor concern but something to be aware of.

The Oklahoma City Thunder steal game 5

What the Thunder were able to do in San Antonio against the Spurs in a very pivotal game 5 was just brilliant. Ever since going down 2-0, Scott Brooks and his players have made an incredible turn around. This is a new team led by none other then Kevin Durant and he came up big last night scoring 27 points. He did get off to a slow start having only five points at half but he came to play in the second half driving hard to lane, creating shots, and hitting shots off the screen. San Antonio had a hard time stopping him and Harden, which prevented them from capping off their comeback.
The big three for the Spurs each had a great game themselves combining for 72 points and at times Manu Ginobli looked unstoppable. He scored 13 points in a row including 3-4 on three pointers. But their Achilles heal was not getting much from the bench and struggling to make defensive stops. The Spurs bench only scored 22 points and Stephen Jackson had 13. Lack of productivity off the bench has been a concern for the past three games but the Thunder also deserve credit for preventing this. They are rotating defensively at a very high level. There are times where they do give up the open shot but the way they move around the court has greatly improved. Tim Duncan who played very well finished with18 and12 while Tony Parker finished with 20 points.
Shooting wise the Thunder have been fabulous. Shooting 56% in game four and 50% in game five. The Spurs which were so successful in getting the Thunder out of their rhythm have now lost that edge, the little dose of ''nasty'' that Spurs coach Popovich wanted in game two seems to have disappeared.
The fourth quarter was one for the ages as both the Thunder and the Spurs battled desperately trying take a 3-2 series lead. The Thunder had the edge going into the fourth quarter as they ended the quarter on a 9-0 run.Then with 5:07 left, Oklahoma City was up by 13 but then the Spurs came roaring back getting within two with just over one minute left. Russel Westbrook was a major reason for this run as he turned the ball over three times and bringing the total to 16 turnovers.The last minute however was the Harden show as he put the dagger in the Spurs on a three point rainbow over Kawhi Leanord. He had 12 in the fourth quarter and finished with 20. Westbrook had 23 points. The Oklahoma City big three played very well doing what they do best. Scoring and creating havoc for opposing defenses.
Overall the Thunder have been great these past three games. It is amazing how they have found flaws in a Spurs team that had previously won 20 games in a row. People even began about talking about them going undefeated in the playoffs so major props to Scott Brooks and his team for making the adjustments.Game 6 is now a must win. This will be their best chance to close out this series at home where they have been spectacular this year. The defense needs to stay aggressive preventing the Spurs from getting into their rhythm and the offense needs to move the ball around and continue to be aggressive.Other players need to step up as well such as Ibaka, Fisher, and Sefolosha. It is clear that this team has matured and have confidence which is why I think the Thunder will reach their first final winning in a close game 95-90.

Who Dat/Dirty Bird Weekend

Kobe or Lebron? Give me Kevin Durant

Almost two months into the season and I have noticed an ongoing trend that disturbs me. As I scroll through through sports websites and channels, Kevin Durant is constantly overshadowed by other players. Some of these players are great such as Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, thus I understand, but when you begin to mention Chris Paul for MVP I now have a problem. Why is he not the topic of conversation when it comes time to talk about the NBA? Why is he rarely talked about on the major networks? I am going to try and figure this out. Kevin Durant is the two time defending scoring champ in the NBA, winning with an average of 29 points per game. He won rookie of the year in 2008, he has been named an All-Star three times. Last year he led the Thunder to the western conference semifinals. All of the credentials are there, just as much as and even more then most players. And when it comes to clutch situation forth quarters, no one can compare to the poise and smoothness of KD. We may all remember the shot against the Dallas Mavericks on December 29th. If you are still not convinced this week he made several big shots in the last moments of the game against Portland and Golden State. When it comes to big shots/game winning shots he has risen to be one of the best. Now that we are familiar with some of his credentials it is evident that he should be in discussion when talking about the best in this sport. Is it because he plays in a smaller media market? Oklahoma City is the 45th biggest media market in the United States, a lot smaller then Miami, New York, or Los Angeles. Or maybe it is because he does nothing wrong, or does things to bring attention to himself? Kevin Durant is a class act and a great representative for the game, always acting responsibly and helping out in the community. Regardless of a reason, it is a shame that Kevin Durant is often left out in basketball conversation. He has raised a franchise from the bottom to the second best record in the NBA. He is a great player that I feel his talents are flying under the radar, but if you ask me, I would hands down without a doubt pick Kevin Durant over any other player in the NBA because he can do it all, when it matters, on and off the court. He is a game changer, he can shoot from the perimeter, post up, drive it to the goal, and even create his own shots out of nothing. You can play your best defense, have a hand in his face and he will still score. I would say along with Ray Allen he is the best shooter coming off of a screen. Unlike Lebron, you cannot get in his head, if he misses shots, he will continue to shoot, and of course step it up when it matters. At age 23 old and being one of the most, maybe the most versatile players in the league,Kevin Durant is only going to get better. And that is scary.

Super Bowl XLVI Preview

This Sunday one of the most anticipated rematches in sports history will take place as the New EnglandPatriots will face off against the New York Giants. As many of us remember these two teams faced off in 2007 as the undefeated Pats came in as a heavy favorite, but were not knocked off thanks to the heroics of Eli Manning and David Tyree. As the teams are putting the finishing touches on their preparations, there is no doubt that this will be a great game. Here are some keys for both teams that will be essential to attain the prized Lombardi Trophy:

New England Patriots

1. Rob Gronkowski must be healthy. It is widely believed according to sources that he will play which is good news, but the question now becomes how effective can he be on that ankle. He must not only

play, but play to high level, to help boost this offense. This season he had 90 receptions, amassing 1,327 yards, and 17 touchdowns. It is evident that he is probably their most explosive weapon.

2. How protected will Tom Brady be in the pocket? In order to have success on offense the Patriots will have to do an adequate job stopping this Giants pass rush. The Giants finished tied for third in the NFL

this season in sacks getting to the quarterback 48 times. The Patriots allowed 32 sacks during the season however Brady has only been sacked once during the playoffs. Clearly improvements are being made, but if Tom Brady does not have enough time to drop back and make throws then it could spell disaster for New England.

3. New York probably has the best core of recievers in the league. Victor Cruz, Mario Manningham, and Hakeem Nicks all had great seasons and post seasons. If they cannot be shut down then Eli Manning will pick apart this Patriots secondary. New England had the second worst secondary during the 2011 season allowing almost 300 yards a game. Just as the offensive line play has increased, so has the secondary. However they have not faced an elite quarterback yet who has the capabilities of Manning and an elite core of receivers.

New York Giants

1. Getting to Tom Brady will be huge in this game. As proven by other teams and the last time these two teams met in the Super Bowl, if Brady is pressured, New England cannot consistently move the ball. Justin Tuck, Chris Canty, and rising star Jason Pierre-Paul have made a habit of getting in the backfield but doing it on the biggest stage of the year is yet to be seen.

2. New York

will have to run the ball. Eli Manning is a great quarterback but just as in every great offense a good balance of both pass and run is key. The Giants though talented at the position but failed to average over 100 yards a game. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw will have to be productive because I am not sure that Eli can carry the offense alone.3. Shutting down Rob Gronkowski is going to be at the top of list on ways to shut down the New England offense. When these two teams met in the regular he only had eight catches for 101 yards and was not a big factor in the game. The New York secondary and linebackers will have to disrupt his game especially if he is able to play at full strength.

Prediction

This game will feature tow of the games best quarterbacks, Tom Brady, and E

li Manning, which will be exciting to see who outperforms who.These two teams met in Foxboro in week nine which was won by the Giants on a late drive 24-20. Thus, both teams are very familiar with each other yet now they are different teams. Since that game the Patriots have not lost again, winners of 10 in a row. The Giants barely got into the playoffs but just like their run in '07 they have caught fire at the right time. And it is for this reason that I am picking the New York Giants to beat the New England Patriots on Sunday because in the playoffs it is not who is the BETTER team but who is the

HOTTER team. New York had to get through three very tough games beating three great quarterbacks along the way. Their defensive line just as in week nine will cause a lot of trouble for Tom Brady, preventing a persistent offensive attack. Also Rob Gronkowski's injury will play a major role. The more weapons Brady has available the harder it will be for the Giants to make stops. But again the key is the Giants defensive line as they will also stop the run just like they have during the playoffs. Eli Manning has proven he can deliver on the biggest stages time and time again, now with three great receivers, New England will have trouble stopping the aerial assault, especially if New York can run the ball well. New England will be thirsty for revenge, for the '07 Super Bowl loss and ruining their perfect season but it will not happen this year.

Prediction

New York Giants 24

New England Patriots 20