Missing Showtime

You might as well call me old school right now, but it's hard to understand how my peers who grew up in Los Angeles like I did could be such big fans of this current Lakers team, especially when we spent our childhood gloriously watching a team prance to five NBA titles in 10 years -- beating real teams with real stars and not taking days off. These 2009 Lakers play with a sense of entitlement and I am stumped as to why. They took a day off in an embarrassing Western Conference semifinal loss to Houston on Sunday and now fans are fired up after a 40-point Game 5 win over the undermanned Rockets. Remember, this team is lacking two All-Stars in Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. We ain't exactly talking about the Fo-Fo-Fo Sixers here. This edition of the Lakers takes plays off, coasts for stretches of minutes off and tends to get bored with opponents and I am still trying to figure out why. Why such a sense of accomplishment for a roster filled with players feeding off Kobe Bryant?

Has Sasha Vujacic been spoiled by his success? I am not sure why. He's averaged just over five points per game over five seasons. Luke Walton doesn't have any championship rings. Neither does Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol or Jordan Farmar. The lone Lakers who have tasted that championship champagne are Bryant and Derek Fisher, so theoretically, the rest of the Lakers should be hungry for that success, not allowing 5-11 Aaron Brooks scorch them for 34 points, including an alley-oop to end a quarter. Before fans start celebrating a semifinal win over the Rockets, let's hope that these Lakers learn a little something from their predecessors about pride. Let's face it, the Bad Boy Pistons, Larry Bird Celtics or Dr. J 76ers aren't out on that court. We're talking Von Wafer and Luis Scola. The Lakers are capable of much better and until I see it, I will dream of Showtime.

What might have been in Seattle?

This blog is a personal one for me, because for three years I watched these two guys combine to make the Sonics at least respectable and potentially a playoff contender with the right compliments. Now, Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis are facing each other in the NBA's Eastern Conference semifinals between the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic, far removed from their Seattle past, fighting for an NBA title. Meanwhile, Seattle is an empty NBA shell, with no team, no hope for a team since the state legislature voted down a potential bill that would have refurbished KeyArena and only memories to grasp to.

If the Sonics had retained Allen and Lewis -- Allen was traded and Lewis signed with the Magic within four days in June 2007 -- perhaps Seattle would still have basketball. While Oklahoma City -- formerly the Sonics -- prepares to be a contender in perhaps 2013, Allen and Lewis are seizing their opportunity for championship success now, which is the only thing that really matters. How many times have we seen teams that were supposed to be juggernauts in the future and it never materialized. Chicago was supposed to resurrect the Jordan days with Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler. How did that work out?

Dallas was supposed to push Houston, Utah and San Antonio in the mid and late 1990s with Jamal Mashburn, Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson, but those three couldn't get along. Fact is, that preparing for the future is a smart move but never guaranteed. Proven commodities such as Allen and Lewis potentially bring a much bigger return than unproven rookies who may never reach their potential. Seattle learned that the hard way.

This series is beyond ridiculous

What happens when to talented teams with little discipline and two below average coaches face each other? You get the Atlanta-Miami series, which reached another low point Friday when the Heat beat the uninterested Hawks 98-72. How in the world can two teams come out so consistently flat for a damn playoff game? General manager Rick Sund retained coach Mike Woodson for this season and if Atlanta loses this series, it's quite possible he could be out as coach. The Hawks can't seem to hold their attention on winning back-to-back playoff games since they have become somewhat of an Eastern Conference factor. This club has Mike Bibby, Josh Smith, Joe Johnson, Al Horford and Flip Murray. Atlanta shot 37 percent and the Hawks and the Heat are taking turns being terrible. Somewhere, LeBron James is playing his Kid-n-Play CD and giggling at the possibility of playing either opponent in the second round.

There may not be a less anticipated Game 7 than Sunday's Heat-Hawks game in Atlanta. NBA playoff basketball has to be better than this.

And I'm changing paragraphs because that Game 7 does not deserve to be in the sam sentence as Bulls-Celtics Game 7 on Saturday.

Be Like Lorenzen? Yep, that's right

Now anyone who knows me knows that I am totally against all of these not-ready-for-prime-time college basketball players leaving school early and joining the NBA. Most of these kids simply can't cut it or just want to join the NBA because they have watched too many LeBron James highlights and think the league is a right. It's not, it's a privilege. You have to be able to play, work hard without much supervision and learn the NBA game without getting caught up with the women, nightlife and family obligations. It's not easy, but if you are going to leave early and stymie your growth for the sake of an early paycheck, do it like Lorenzen Wright.

Now if I told you that Lorenzen Wright had made nearly $54 million in his career, would you believe me? You should because it's true. A player who has averaged double figured in scoring three times in 13 seasons is financially set for life. The key to the NBA is longevity and hanging around for that second and third contracts and that's what these youngsters don't understand. Just ask Patrick O'Bryant or Mouhamed Sene or Rashad McCants or Chris Taft. They made absurd decisions to leave college -- or international play in Sene's case -- for the NBA and they are either out of the league or barely hanging on. None of these guys are 25. Wright is still collecting a check at 33 for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Why? Because he's a center, bigs last longer in the league and he learned how to do one thing well -- rebound.

The question for these youngsters is whether you want the quick check that the rookie contract will provide or do you want to be set for life? Wright left Memphis as a sophomore, perhaps a year too early, but he became a fierce rebounder and team player and realized he was never going to be a superstar, a rare example of humility amongst a professional athlete. So perhaps instead of asking LeBron or Kobe about staying power, these early entries with delusions of grandeur should ask Lorenzen. If you are going to arrive early to the NBA, you might as well stay a while.

Seahawks need to take Crabtree

OK, well the NFL Draft is Saturday, finally. All the hype is going overboard, considering most of these guys never made the expected impact. Let's face it, the NFL is the most inexact of the professional sports draft because most of the players never reach their potential. The league's stars are littered in the lower rounds and regardless how much NFL scouts examine prospects, they always seem to miss the gems. It's hard to believe some of these guys still have jobs.

The Seahawks have the fourth pick and could put all of us to sleep by taking linemen Eugene Monroe (Virginia) or Jason Smith (Baylor) or they can take a chance -- not much of one, really -- and nab Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree, the best player in the draft. Now, I probably would have suggested Crabtree stay in college another year because redshirt sophomore receivers generally take a while to produce (See, Robinson, Koren), but Crabtree is a physical beast and produced at the college level, emerging as the best receiver as a freshman. The Seahawks haven't had a game-breaking player since Joey Galloway, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh is a reliable receiver but not a game breaker. It's about time Seahawks GM strayed away from his conventional wisdom -- taking overrated lineman, undersized cornerbacks -- and went with the most proven player. We need a little excitement here in Seattle. Let's get Crabtree here.

Acknowledging Greatness

If you haven't seen HBO's "Thrilla in Manila," it's a must see for boxing fans, Muhammad Ali fans and definitely those of us who grew up during the Golden Age of heavyweight boxing, the 1970s. It's amazing more than 30 years later how much disdain Frazier still has for Ali and even Larry Holmes throws a jab at The Greatest by saying he was overrated as a boxer. What each legend fails to realize, however, is how much they have profited by being part of Ali's lore. How much would we talk about Joe Frazier now if there wasn't Ali attached to it?

And the painful fact for both Frazier and Holmes is that their greatest boxing victories each occurred over Ali. Let's look at Smokin' Joe's career: Just ask yourself, what quality opponent did Frazier really beat besides Ali in their "Fight of the Century." Remember, Frazier only fought 37 times and his most notable victory other than Ali came over Jerry Quarry or Jimmy Ellis, both second-rate heavyweights. Ali made Frazier and Frazier's remarkable night in March 1971 defined not only his career but his life. You have to credit Ali for a portion of that respect.

Now to Holmes. As we did with Frazier, let's look at Holmes' biggest win other than beating a 38-year-old Ali in 1980. I can still remember my uncle believing Ali was pulling the rope-a-dope until about the 10th round. OK, Holmes' biggest wins besides Ali are over an overrated Gerry Cooney, aging Ken Norton, hard-hitting but little else Earnie Shavers (and Ali beat a younger Shavers in 1977) and contenders such as Mike Weaver and James "Bonecrusher" Smith. Not exactly, Dempsey, Tunney and Jack Johnson. So while it is easy to be critical of Ali because of his current state, Frazier and Holmes have to acknowledge that Ali has put more money in their pocket and notoriety to their name than anyone else.

The Greatest has that kind of power -- still.

Let's remember Lyman Bostock

The tragic death of Angels rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart conjures memories of another Angel player who tragically died in August 1978 after being shot in a car by a jealous husband of one of the car's passengers. Bostock was just 27 years old. After struggling his first month of a large free-agent contract with the California Angels, Bostock offered to give his salary back to management. He was talked out of that by team owner Gene Autry. He batted .336 for the Minnesota Twins the previous season and could have emerged as one of the game's great hitters. It was a tragic loss and we should be reminded that athletes, despite their status and affluence, are not beyond the brutal realities of life. Keep Lyman Bostock and Nick Adenhart in your thoughts.