The Bengals used to lead the league in arrests, now they lead it in reality shows and will almost certainly lead it in celebration fines. They’ll be up there in compelling television as well. As I’ve said a million times, sports are simply entertainment and things just got more entertaining.

As far as the on the field impact goes, it will be fairly significant. T.O. is 36 and only had 55 catches last year. However, those passes were thrown by Trent Edwards and something called a Ryan Fitzpatrick as a member of the Buffalo Bills. Owens is just two years removed from a 1,000 yard, 10 touchdown season and just three removed from a 15 TD season. The dude can still play. I’d say he is 80% of what he used to be physically (though he remains in impeccable shape) but I also feel that his increase in age and slight decrease in ability has come along with a new sense of maturity. Is he still a diva? Sure. Is he a disruptive menace? I don’t think so. I believe he understands the situation. Meanwhile, Chad is right on his level talentwise. That gives the Bengals two tall, chatty receivers that will be tough to match up with man-to-man.

What I think is being oversold in all this hoopla is the stress that will be placed on Carson Palmer. Is it that stressful to have two great wide receivers? If you are truly an elite quarterback, you take charge and deal with any egos. Then, you simply throw the ball to open guys and watch them run into the end zone. The problem with this is that I’m not sure how good Palmer is. In fact, there’s a chance he’s the most overrated player in the league. Palmer once threw 32 TD’s to 12 INT’s and 28 TD’s to 13 INT’s in back-to-back years. But those years were 2005 and 2006. Since then, he got injured and upon returning has been immobile and utterly average. This is his last year to prove to me that he can again be an elite QB.

Either way, T.O. and Ochocinco are teammates and the world is a better place for it. (That sound you just heard was NFL analysts’ heads exploding)

Those and similar statements seemed to be the sentiments echoed by nearly everyone regarding Joba Chamberlain early in his career. Now, he is totally unreliable and some Yankee fans want to toss him in trades as a throw-in.

To me, the phrase “Joba Rules”, now indicates something new. Joba proves the number one rule of why so many people are obsessed with sports. Why so many people maniacally follow and think about something so trivial. Sports are actual drama. The script is not written. That is why we watch. That is why we are riveted.

If the script was written, we would’ve known where LeBron was taking his talents beforehand. Then we wouldn’t have followed every little report like it was gospel. If the script was written, Joba Chamberlain would be well on his way toward a Hall of Fame career rather than being a borderline major leaguer.

The thing about all this is that it can always change. We don’t know where Joba will wind up. Right now it looks like it’ll be as a nondescript player. But that ending is not yet written either.

(I did my best to write about baseball. Was I supposed to write about the 112th no-hitter this year? Doesn’t everyone complain that there is no scoring in soccer?)

However, many GM’s are clueless and players can’t control who they are drafted by. I suppose there is nothing wrong with someone choosing where they want to work. And the only leverage a player has is his ability. It’s not like Spencer Hawes can demand to play somewhere. You have to be a darn good player to put your kicks down and dictate terms. Chris Paul is that kind of player.

He’s the type of player that can get New York fans hopes up again (Paul has reportedly demanded a trade with NY and Orlando at the top of his list) even after just seeing the Miami Heat assemble the Mega Powers (+ Chris Bosh).

I know I praised Rajon Rondo throughout the playoffs and he is certainly nice but I was guilty of being caught up in the moment. When healthy, Chris Paul is the best point guard in the league. And he could be on his way to being one of the best point guards of all time. Statistically, only Magic Johnson compares to what Paul has done in his short career. We’re talking about a true franchise guy and a top five overall player in basketball. Unless you are not a fan of lead guards who have proven capable of dropping twenty-plus points on nearly 50% shooting while dishing out nearly twelve dimes a game (with a 4:1 assist to turnover ratio).

Chris Paul’s ridiculous handles (it’s like the ball is a Yo-Yo) allow him to get wherever he wants on the court. Why can’t he choose what court he plays on?
Besides, perhaps players controlling their situation isn’t as recent an occurence as we’re making it out to be…*Looks toward Magic Johnson and John Elway amongst others*

What animals should you avoid? Could Chris Paul be a Knick? And would you rather have a Heisman or a Kardashian? All these questions are answered in the latest podcast.

Listen FLLP Here

Based on Spike’s TV show of the same name, Deadliest Warrior: The Game takes seven combatants from the first season and the Roman Centurion from the second and pits them against each other in one of the most fun and brutal fighters to have come along in some time. With only eight fighters and five arenas to do battle in, this game works perfectly as a XBL title; available for 1000 Microsoft points (roughly $8).

The gameplay is near flawless as you can hack and slash your way through a difficult arcade mode to unlock new weapons and costumes for your favorite warriors or try your hand at proving that you are the deadliest in online versus and tournament modes. And trying to unlock new weapons can be surprisingly addictive due to each weapon having various attributes in terms of damage they can deal and the speed with which they can be wielded at so that it is unlikely you’ll have two exact fighters even if they are selected from the same class.

A unique aspect to Deadliest Warrior: The Game is the chance of a one-hit kill due to the realism the game focuses on (a spear through the face is an instant kill and for good reason). The realism that the game incorporates makes many fights faster than most fighting games, but this also makes you less likely to go in swords-a-swingin’ and make you think some before you actually attack. Include a simple, straightforward combat system that features high, mid, low, projectile, and signature attacks each assigned to their own button and Deadliest Warrior: The Game is the best kind of fighter, one that is easy to pick up but difficult to master.

The graphics are also very impressive. From limbs being hacked off and blood gushing around the arenas to the facial expressions of the warriors themselves, Deadliest Warrior: The Game is very pretty. There are a couple of minor glitches, but extra effects like dead bodies twitching at the end of each round more than make up for it.

There are some flaws to the game though. The game lags on occasion and the audio is very bland as a whole. It would have been nice if the game could have been livened up a bit with commentary from the hosts of the show, Geoff Desmoulin, Max Geiger, and Dr. Armand Dorian, or the show’s narrator Drew Skye. With only some generic music, roars of pain from the combatants, and the anticipated SFX of metal on metal leaves you wanting a little more from the audio side of things.

The plot is also non-existent really compared to your standard fighting game. It’s hard to critique it though since it’s the same premise as the show, to find out “who is deadliest?” In that aspect it has more of a simulation feel because the player really decides the storylines. What would happen if a knight took on an Apache? Or how about a samurai against a ninja?

Something that makes this game one of the best XBL titles out there though is the replay value. Aside from your standard online versus modes, there are promises of increasing the fighter roster as the show goes on and more medieval fighters are revealed. You could have a roster of 30 fighters before the show is done. If that happens, I would hope that the developers also include some new arenas.

The only other thing that fans of the show may be wondering is why all the fighters are of the medieval variety. Well, it wouldn’t be very fair to have Al Capone tear a Viking apart with his tommy gun now would it? Maybe they’ll come out with a sequel for modern warriors. I call dibs on the IRA!

Although flawed, Deadliest Warrior: The Game is a fun, unique fighter that is a bargain considering it is only going to cost you $8. Nevermind Limbo, Deadliest Warrior: The Game is the way you’re going to want to kick off your Summer of Arcade.

Ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best.

Graphics: 9.0: A couple of minor glitches crop up here and there, but twitching dead bodies and blood spurting by the bucketful more than makes up for it.

Audio: 5.0: Generic music, expected SFX, and no commentary take away from the overall experience unfortunately.

Gameplay: 9.5: Unique fighter aspects like one-hit kills and the ease with which you can pick this game up make it a great overall fighting experience. Lag does crop up on occasion though and that’s the only thing that keeps this from being perfect.

Plot/Plot Development: N/A: After giving it some thought, I list Deadliest Warrior: The Game more as a simulation and therefore plot is a non-factor.

Replay Value: 7.5: You have your standard online versus and tournament modes, but the promise of more fighters for download as the show continues will make you come back to this more often than typical fighters.

Overall (not an average): 8.0: A few minor flaws can’t overshadow the legitimately solid experience that Deadliest Warrior: The Game delivers and I know I can’t wait for the first batch of new fighters to be released.

Deadliest Warrior: The Game is available now on Xbox Live.

-Ray Carsillo

It is hilarious to me how the NCAA hands out these silly sanctions and does things like take away championships and awards. Do they really think people care? Is the general public going to take away a championship too or are they just going to remember who won? I’d say the latter.

Another thing these cockamamy punishments fail to accomplish is masking the fact that the NCAA is culpable in this corrupt mess. They, as well as the individual universities, benefit from the big programs, the star athletes and of course the money that college sports generate. They want to point fingers when it is convenient and have every one look the other way when it comes to their own involvement. It seems to me that they are just like anyone else involved in illicit activity; they’re cool with it until someone gets caught.

It reminds me of Major League Baseball during the steroid scandal. They had to have known something was going on but it was alright because people were watching. Then, as soon as the lid blew off, they pointed at Barry Bonds and said “It’s his fault! Blame him!”

Should college kids not get involved with all of this behind the scenes nonsense? Sure. That would be admirable. But can I blame them for partaking? Of course not. How many people, especially young guys (many who come from poor backgrounds), are going to turn down gifts, cars and cash, particularly when they know that the college is caking off of them? Yes, there is value in a free education and a chance to enhance one’s profile but let’s not pretend that is what college sports are actually about. They’re big business.

The only people I actually feel sorry for are the honest ones. Because it appears if you don’t cheat, you don’t win and there is something wrong with that. But that’s a problem with the entire institution, not just the players and agents.

(I also feel sorry for Reggie Bush. He’s lost two trophies this year: the Heisman and the Kardashian)

Finally…the Coop has returned to Lundberg.Me. Listen to find out about his remarkable transformation.

Listen Coop Here

I’ve attempted to avoid fandom for most of my life (sure, I have some rooting interests). It makes people crazy. They live and die with their teams. If they happen to be Yankees fans, their lives are literally better. The most negative memory a Yankee fan under 25 has is missing the playoffs…once!

I bring this up because Andy Pettitte got hurt and some are making it out to be a big deal. It is not. The Yankees still have four quality starters without Pettitte. They will be fine until he gets back. They’ve got an embarrassment of riches. People are hating the Miami Heat for being the new super team but most of the country has hated the Yankees for being a super team for most of their existence.

It is for this reason that the Yankees are the engine that drives baseball. Much like interest in golf wanes when Tiger Woods is not involved (because golf is boring), interest in baseball does the same when the Yankees are eliminated. Luckily for MLB, that generally only happens in the postseason, if at all.

I’m not a huge baseball guy. I don’t find it a compelling watch (see what I said about golf). Plus, I never grew up with a rooting interest. But when I moved to New York six years ago, I decided I should pick one of the local teams to quasi-root for. Guess what? I didn’t pick the Mets.

I like enjoying life.

–Being a Yankees fan is like being born a Trump or a Kardashian

–Being a Yankees fan is like being Chris Bosh right now

–Being a Yankees fan is like joining the cast of “Baywatch”

Generally, films that attempt to explore such topics have plot holes galore. You know, the kind of movies that have you saying “Wait, how come he can shoot tigers out of his fingertips in one scene but couldn’t do it when he was attacked by the mutated penguins?” or something along those lines. That is not the case in here. Everything that takes place is believable within the parameters of the world Nolan created. Anytime you are dealing with dreams, things tend to get complicated but at no point is the film difficult to follow. It manages to be entertaining and layered without bordering on dense.

The detailed script is only as good as its execution and the cast involved here runs the play as called and gains an extra couple yards (Are males capable of making non-sports analogies?). Leonardo DiCaprio is my favorite actor and he nails his role per usual, though his character’s brooding nature is a little bit too similar to his last one in “Shutter Island”. The rest of the cast shines as well. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is perfect as DiCaprio’s uptight partner, Tom Hardy chews up his scenes, Cillian Murphy brings the right mix of confidence and uncertainty to his part as the receiver of the inception and Ellen Page oozes exuberance as the upstart dream architect girl (that will make sense after you see the movie).

I may not quite be as over the top with praise as some have been (I’ve heard several people call this the best film they’ve ever seen) but I was certainly a satisfied customer (really liked, didn’t LOVE). And judging by the loud gasp let out by the crowd as the closing credits hit, so were most audience members. One thing is for sure, Nolan and the actors involved successfully created a new chapter in sci-fi lore; the stuff dreams are made of (cue cymbal crash).

In the end, “Inception” is more “Matrix” than “Memento” and there is nothing at all wrong with that. (Leonardo DiCaprio is just a tad bit better than Keanu Reeves.)

I used to get irritated with the good ol’ gunslinger’s attention seeking antics but then I realized that people (including myself) care. Now it seems like a right of passage for the offseason. When I see Brett Favre smirk like only a true American hero can and hear the media begin to fawn over and speculate about him, I realize that football season is right around the corner.

I think many tend to forget that sports are a part of the entertainment business. They hold athletes to a different standard than they do actors or other entertainers. But the truth is that athletes are nothing more than reality TV stars. And the bottom line is that if you are watching or talking about them, then they’ve done their job.

In television, Summer is the slowest season. The same generally holds true for sports. Luckily, this year, LeBron James’ decision kept me entertained long enough to see Brett Favre make his own decision (again). I predict that Brett takes his talents, puts them in a pair of Wranglers, brings them back to Minneapolis and proceeds to sling the ball around like a little boy playing ball in the back yard while having more fun than it is possible for any person to have.

(Attention Media: Stop talking about Brett Favre’s ankle…You don’t need no darn ankle to gunsling!)

As a result, I’m not going to spend this space praising and lionizing George Steinbrenner. Dude seemed like a royal pain in the ass. Dude also seemed like a major micromanager and I can’t stand micromanagers. But in spite of that, dude will go down as the greatest owner ever (I enjoy the fact that I just referred to George Steinbrenner as dude three times).

George Steinbrenner ditched Cleveland for New York before that was the obvious decision, buying the Yankees for less than $10 million. And after a lengthy period of learning on the job and making fans feel like they were in for a prolonged period of failure, he got it and turned the New York Yankees into the biggest brand in the history of American sports.

Yes, he was demanding and probably drove some employees insane. However, he always spent more than the necessary money and the same demanding nature that was likely infuriating also forged a personality that did not accept failure. Dude was going to win, no matter what. And isn’t that the most important trait an owner can have? (The answer to that rhetorical question is yes.)

He transcended the sport by entering into the realm of pop culture but it’s what he accomplished within the sport that will be his ultimate legacy. If you’re a Yankees fan, your quality of life is greater than that of a fan of another team simply because you expect to win all the time. No matter where you are, if you walk down the street, you are almost guaranteed to spot someone sporting a Yankee cap. And that is what George Steinbrenner leaves behind…the New York Yankees. Not a bad way to go out.

George Steinbrenner, not Bruce Springsteen, is the real Boss. Word to Tony Danza and Rick Ross.

(I was going to make a “Didn’t George Steinbrenner die five years ago?” joke at some point but I thought that would be in poor taste so I put it in parentheses here instead.)

Batman is interesting because of Bruce Wayne’s tortured past. Spiderman is interesting because of Peter Parker’s regular guy struggles and vulnerability. Iron Man is interesting because Tony Stark is awesome. The Hulk is not interesting because of Bruce Banner. The Hulk is interesting because of the Hulk. That’s what people want to see. In fact, I’ve found the comic book Hulk at its best in one of his incarnations where he is permanently transformed but possesses Banner-like intelligence.

I would hope that the writer(s) of Avengers realizes this. To me, the only logical way to handle the Hulk character in this movie is to have him be a threat to the Avengers at some point. I don’t care if it is because of mind control or just misplaced rage but there better be a giant scene where they have to take him on. We better see Hulk vs. Thor and Hulk vs. Iron Man; or more simply put Hulk vs. the rest of the cast.

If there isn’t a scene like that, I’ll be mad. Hulk kind of mad. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry kind of mad. I might even smash.

(I had a meeting with Marvel’s editor-in-chief Joe Quesada amongst others a while ago and I fully trust that they understand this and truly care about how these characters and movies come across. Have I mentioned that I can’t wait until Avengers comes out?)

Just like we’ve never seen anything like the LeBron James free agent farce, (You think these guys signed three year deals together after their rookie contracts by accident? They always wanted to play together. Pat Riley just made the unlikely possible. If not for Eddy Curry maybe it actually would’ve been in New York. We’ll never know), we’ve never seen anything quite like this team. They’ve got two of the three best players in the league, two of the three most unstoppable offensive weapons and their third best player just happened to start for Team USA.

Another thing we’ve found out through all this is exactly who LeBron James is. We’ve always wondered if he was the next Magic or the next Jordan. He’s neither. Think about it. He’s the next Shaq or Wilt. The most physically dominant but not quite the alpha dog we imagined him to be. Perhaps when you are so much more gifted than everyone else you don’t have to develop that kind of personality. Because if he had it, he’d certainly be in New York. That seemed like his destiny. His true destiny was to play alongside someone who does have it and dominate the NBA together.

People have called him the Robin to Wade’s Batman. He’s more like Batman’s Superman. The only thing is, Batman has super powers too. It’s like Iron Man and the Incredible Hulk. In fact, I don’t truly know what it’s like because we’ve never seen anything like it.

It’s a New World Order.

(Bosh is Wonder Woman by the way)

LeBron joins NWO
They are the NWO
Absurd Heat Welcome Intro

We officially learned something about LeBron James. He’s not wired like Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s just disappointing. He obviously doesn’t care about being the best player ever. (He does like attention.)

LeBron chose winning, having fun and playing with his boys. He also damaged his overall legacy in the process. I won’t knock anyone for making a decision that makes them happy but I wanted to see him carve out a unique identity and resurrect basketball in New York. He chose the easy route. He made the wrong call. It boggles my mind that he doesn’t think the same way I do.

The NBA now has an evil empire that everyone will either root for bandwagon style or against fervently (likely futiley). I don’t buy the argument that this Miami Heat “Super Best Friends” team won’t mesh. They have LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. I can’t imagine anyone stopping a squad with both those guys. They are unselfish, unguardable and the ultimate combination. The most talented player ever with a guy who possesses the killer instinct the other lacks. Then you throw in a multi-talented big man in Chris Bosh to boot. Hopefully the rest of the league can catch up. (The discussion I heard right after was about “which teams could possibly beat the Heat?”) I doubt it.

One thing I’ll say for New York (since the city has waited two years for this let down). If you don’t want them, they don’t want you. I was out interviewing people on the street right after the decision was rendered. They want players who want to be here (like Amare Stoudemire) and are confident that the Knicks will rise again. (Foolish confidence maybe. The organization hasn’t exactly proven itself to be, you know, good.)

In the end, LeBron just isn’t built for New York. At least without his “Super Best Friends”.

*A couple other notes from this saga*

-These guys had this planned and those free agent meetings were basically a sham.

-I loved the idea of the TV special, just not the way the organizations weren’t informed about the decision. I’d understand if they were ticked about that.

-You can’t accuse LeBron of not wanting to win. If this team formed in New York, Knicks fans would be ecstatic. *Points in the direction of Yankees fans* I think people just believe Miami doesn’t deserve it and New York does. However, the Heat are certainly going to be must see television. I’ve never had a better time watching basketball than watching these two go to work for the “Redeem Team” and now everyone will be captivated by this traveling circus.

-What the league really needs is the number one market back.

-Pat Riley finally got that piece of the Knicks he always wanted.

-Stephen A. Smith is the one “reporter” who emerged from this a winner.

-LeBron owes Cleveland nothing. It wasn’t his choice to be drafted there. He gave them a good seven years and took that team as far as it was built to go. Also, Dan Gilbert is an idiot. Maybe he should take some responsibility for this. LBJ is gonna drop a 100 on the Cavs for that letter. I do feel bad for Cleveland fans. So did James, even if he didn’t choose the best way of showing it (he chose a horrible way instead, whether he realized it or not).

-Chris Bosh is the luckiest man alive. (Though he is pretty good at basketball in his own right.)

-People will hate but all three of them are likable guys. They’re young dudes from a new generation that grew up playing ball with their friends who happen to be other great players (AAU). They just decided to take it to the pro level. (LeBron clearly relishes the comraderie he had with his high school team.)

-Somehow it kind of felt like a full, wrestling-style heel turn (that means turning bad in wrestling jargon). The Miami Heat are the NWO.

-Kobe Bryant is now the dragon slayer. This is the best thing that could have ever happened to him in his chase of MJ.

Three things scare me about the Miami Heat reports. 1. The rumor that LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh made a pact to play togther at the Olympics. 2. Pat Riley. 3. A Daily News article last week quoting a 2nd-tier free agent who said LeBron asked him if he’d be willing to take less money to join the “Dream Team”.

Several things also keep my hopes up. A quote from the New York Post today saying that someone from the James camp said “You guys should be writing about the Miami Heat.” That sounds like a ploy and a smokescreen. Another thing is that “sources” have been wrong throughout this process. Finally, it just doesn’t make sense for his brand or his legacy. It will be tough for him to be considered the best ever going to Wade’s team. And you know Nike doesn’t want him going to the 44th market in the country. A market that is apathetic about its sports.

I also think it’s a bad decision for the NBA. If those three unite in Miami, there’s only a few teams to care about. The regular season becomes moot and many people who were enthralled by this saga will be turned off by the result.

I’m batting 1.000 on free agent predictions thus far. I really hope this isn’t the one I got wrong.

You all know what I believe. And now I believe it’s been that way through this entire process. What I think we are watching is the greatest example of modern mass media manipulation ever. LeBron’s team (remember when he was criticized for who he aligned himself with, well, that was wrong) has purposefully leaked information to certain people and outlets to get people talking about various scenarios and to involve multiple teams in the chase. The latest example of this was the LeBron is pushing for Chris Bosh to come to Cleveland reports. To me, that screams, “I did my best but they couldn’t put the talent around me.” It seems like an exit strategy.

The plan has definitely got the desired reaction as well. Media members are outraged. What I find hilarious about that is that he is fueling their jobs, raising their profiles and making the NBA a better league. This isn’t Hoosiers, it’s the entertainment business. He’s trying to build his brand. LeBron James is a basketball player but he wants his brand to mean more than that.

That’s why leaving is the only logical option. The news cycle continues if he goes somewhere else (especially New York). Many people will turn on him. But he could have the largest market on planet Earth behind him. And he will have handled the situation like a man. He isn’t going to break up with Cleveland via text message or leave in the middle of the night like Art Modell. He’s going to do it to their face with proceeds going to charity. He’s going to put Akron on the map like he’s always said he would and continue to enhance his profile in the process.

I can’t imagine that news of his decision won’t leak before tomorrow night. But they’ve kept everything tight-lipped thus far. And now with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade officially teaming up in South Beach, the logical choice remains the place that he’s always been rumored to be headed. Going to the Heat to join his super best friends would lessen his brand and the Chicago Bulls are Jordan’s brand.

The throne at Madison Square Garden remains empty.

One of the most difficult things in this process has been whittling down what we felt were the most worthwhile games to look at, so we broke it down into four videos. The first video is a compilation featuring online and DLC games with the following three videos being a summary of the rest of the best from each day. For the games that we had to cut for the sake of time, I apologize tremendously. I also wish we could have given every game we did feature their own special video.

On that note, without further ado, below is the culmination of my three days at the L.A. Convention Center for E3 2010. I hope you all enjoy.

The first video was my online/DLC game special that features looks at the new Deadliest Warrior game from Spike Games that comes out next Tuesday, DCU Online from Sony Online Entertainment, QuickHit.com and their brand new NFL license, and Blacklight: Tango Down from Ignition Entertainment.

Our first day at E3 was a special day overall and had us see some spectacular looking games for consoles. Our video of Day 1 features Tron and Epic Mickey from Disney Entertainment, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow from Konami, and Test Drive Unlimited 2 from Atari.

On the second day of E3, console games and their peripherals were well represented once more as we looked at Vanquish from SEGA, Shaun White Skateboarding and Ghost Recon: Future Solider from Ubisoft, WWE All-Stars from THQ, and the new Wii Exercise Bike from Big Ben Interactive.

On the last day of E3, we had a chance to look at some of the most hyped games for consoles and some sweet accessories when we looked at Call of Duty: Black Ops and Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions from Activision and some sweet products from Nyko and iGUGU.

Videos by Jared Bodden

-Ray Carsillo

LeBron and his people are still in the midst of performing the greatest case of mass media manipulation ever. He has literally created sports talk; the same sort of hypothetical discussions we’ve always had but for real. We will all remember this forever. Some have already dubbed it the “Summer of LeBron”. Think of it like a film. If he goes back to Cleveland, it’s nice but anticlimactic. It’s a made for TV movie. If he comes to New York, it’s a blockbuster. The reaction will be enormous and he’ll have a chance to create a unique legacy and become immortal by bringing basketball back to the number one market.

Now, forget all those grand possibilities and just think about the facts for a second. “Sources” and “reports” have ruled the Knicks out. But what about the real stuff? What about LeBron flirting with New York for two years? What about him professing his love for Madison Square Garden? What about Nike giving out free hot dogs to everyone outside the Garden at a Knicks-Cavs game (they don’t do that other places)? What about LeBron apartment shopping in the city? What about the absolute look of joy on Mike D’Antoni’s face after their initial meeting? (The guy looked like he peed a little in excitement like small dogs do.)

And most importantly, what about the Knicks having a second, secret meeting with LeBron’s agent on Saturday while LeBron was meeting with the Bulls and Cavs? They obviously didn’t want that to get out and notice how quickly Donnie Walsh spoke to ESPN to put out the fire, especially when rumors of a third meeting on Sunday began circulating. It appeared as if he wanted to downplay the whole situation. As far as I know, no other team had a meeting with LeBron’s agent while LeBron was meeting with another team. That is the realest thing that has happened in this whole ordeal and I can’t believe no one is talking about it.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot…what about Amare Stoudemire? He would immediately be the best player LeBron has ever played with and the thought of them running the pick and roll (the most fearsome in history) is tantalizing. (I also just happened to notice the two of them wore matching Yankee hats to different public events.) The roster not being good enough argument no longer applies. Stoudemire, Gallinari and Chandler comprise a better supporting cast than any he has had with the Cavs. Plus, the Knicks have cap flexibility going forward.

I genuinely feel sorry for Cleveland fans (though I thought the Cavs guilt-based video was cheap). I do. But he gave them seven years. It is time for him to move on. New York is the only logical choice. It is his destiny.

(He should probably consider getting a restraining order against me while he’s at it.)

You can accuse me of being too overly obsessive regarding this topic and you’d be right, except I imagine I’m in a crowded club (you know, the type of club LeBron James frequents in New York). I can’t even organize my thoughts.

Here’s what I do know, no one knows anything. LeBron is still playing the greatest hand of poker ever. Here’s another thing I know, the New York Knicks have put themselves in a position of power. There’s a reason they’re being bad mouthed…because they are a legitimate threat. They’ve also made the most aggressive play of free agency thus far by seemingly adding Amare Stoudemire to the fold.

Amare makes their roster at least as attractive as Chicago’s (and it’s a better fit for LeBron too). In a normal Summer, he’d be the prize of free agency. We are talking about a first or second All-NBA level power forward. Plus, he’s only 27 (for those with concerns about his knees, he’s played four seasons since microfracture surgery; he’d make a good case study for how it works). Most importantly, he’d be the best player LeBron has ever played with.

Another thing this “move” (it isn’t final) does is take a chip off the board. Now, Chicago and Miami are both in danger of striking out. If Chris Bosh goes in a sign and trade to Houston, Dwyane Wade is very much in play. He will not return to the Heat without help. At that point, he’d choose between the Bulls and the Knicks. If he and Bosh wind up on the same squad, then how can LeBron justify staying on the Cavs with a depleted roster?

Donnie Walsh has spent two-plus years preparing for this moment and it shows. The fireworks tonight are nothing compared to the metaphorical ones this story is generating. This is likely the first and last time we’ll ever see some something like it. Enjoy it while it lasts.

The Knicks finally got their chance to get in a room with LeBron James and part of their presentation reportedly included a study from Interbrand which outlined how LeBron could make somewhere between one and two billion dollars if he signed in New York. That is several hundred million more than he can make anywhere else according to the study.

Mike D’Antoni, who was glowing after the meeting, attempted to talk shop with James and sell him on the basketball aspect of the organization. I would guess this included what type of players he imagines around LeBron and how his system would be fit for the King. I’m certain Donnie Walsh had basketball on the mind as well, pitching LeBron on what kind of teammates he could surround him with using the team’s remaining cap space. D’Antoni was quoted saying they could put a championship caliber team around him right away.

Finally, I would bet the rest of the presentation dealt with the legacy he could shape playing in the big city. How he would immediately be the biggest player in franchise history and how winning a title(s) in New York would make him immortal.

The Knicks best pitch is truly that they can present him money, fame, legacy and the ability to build a winning team. I don’t know if any other franchise can offer that combination.

This plan may (if you believe reports, it almost definitely will) prove to be a failure. However, I truly believe it was the right plan. And I truly believe Donnie Walsh took his best cut. Let’s hope he made contact.

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At least I know that midnight is only hours away. At least then there will be tangible info. And the more I think about it, the faster I think all of this is going to go down. LeBron once said “July 1st is going to be a very, very big day.” Chris Bosh tweeted yesterday “After all these years…just 24 hours left.” This will not drag out. It may even happen tomorrow.

I just have no idea what “it” is going to be. I’m a damn pendulum. I could see the heartstrings pulling LeBron back to Cleveland. I could see his infatuation for New York (and/or Jay-Z) and carving out a unique legacy bringing him to the Mecca. I recall rumors back in 2008 that LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Bosh made a pact that the three of them would play together come this Summer. So, I certainly can see them winding up in Miami. The only team I really think has no chance is Chicago (of course, that means they are definitely in play).

I’m biting my nails like LeBron James right now. I just hope the result is something I can be happy with (I’m not totally sure how I’ll feel about some of the scenarios).

C’mon LeBron!

Ray Carsillo’s Geek Stuff is our source for all things video game and comic book related. Ray is a geek.

These guys have such a unique opportunity. They can literally shape the landscape of the NBA. And I think they’re aware of it. I keep going back to some recent comments from LeBron. I can’t get past them…

“It will be fun to get all the free agents together and figure out a way how we can make the league better.” In 2009, he said, “I think the league is doing just fine. But with the Knicks being good, the Celtics being good, the Lakers being good, it makes the league that much better. I’m talking as a fan now, please understand that.” Notice that he says “make the league better” in both instances.

These guys understand the magnitude of the situation. They know that they can revitalize franchises. They can go in pairs and create brand new rivalries. They can take the high the NBA is riding and turn it up to 11.

Yes, they are “Super Best Friends.” But they might look better facing off as “Super Best Frenemies.” (I hate that word but it was a fun sentence to write.)

The one thing we do know is that LeBron is not going on a tour as was previously reported (he knows what these cities are like). The teams are going to him. They will be doing it on his terms. Doesn’t seem too difficult to see who holds the power in this free agent market does it? We had speculated that the “Super Best Friends” (Bron, Wade, Bosh, Stoudemire, Johnson etc.) would have a summit. Now, the more important summit will take place with just one guy, in Akron (that’s in Ohio by the way).

Fans and reporters can interpret this situation anyway they want but the bottomline is that all the relevant teams will sit in front of LeBron and make their pitch. Heck, Donnie Walsh and the Knicks have been preparing for this moment for more than two years. They better know what they are going to say by now. And even if James is strongly leaning one way, the other competitors will have their chance. They’ll have a shot to sell him on their basketball team and what other advantages their destination offers. He has no choice but to listen.

We are going to hear one-hundred and twenty billion different reports speculating where the “Super Best Friends” will wind up between now and Thursday. I refuse to believe any of them until press conferences or public comments are made, ink hits paper and the King holds court in front of the teams that shedded so much salary for the chance to become his new kingdom.

I’m a witness who isn’t sure what to make of what I’m witnessing.

I’ve decided no one knows what they are talking about. Yes, the Chicago Bulls cleared more cap space. No, they do not currently have enough to offer two full max deals (as has been reported). Yes, they certainly improved their positioning heading into the free agent frenzy. No, they did not guarantee that they sign LeBron James.

There is only one thing I’m sure about after all this shakes out…the Eastern Conference will return to power. And that’s a good thing. I prefer my basketball to be of the grimey East Coast variety rather than the flashy West Coast style. I’m confident that by the end of the Summer, the Eastern Conference will have surpassed the Western Conference as the dominant force in the NBA landscape.

Chicago already has Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose in place. They now have about $30 million more to spend. Pat Riley currently only has two players under contract and can pitch South Beach and possibly teaming up with Dwyane Wade and another guy. New York has two max slots, the best city in the world and a chance to become a legend to try and revitalize a moribund franchise. And New Jersey has cash, a pending move to Brooklyn, a billionaire-playboy owner and of course, Jay-Z to help them get pieces to improve on a league worst record.

Throw in an aging but still competitive Boston team and a still to be reckoned with Dwight Howard led Orlando Magic and the Eastern Conference will return to where it should be, on top. That much I know.

I’ll stop pretending I know how it’ll all shake out though…(I hope it’s Joe Johnson and Carlos Boozer to Chicago; Dwayne Wade, Amare Stoudemire and Rudy Gay to Miami; Dirk Nowitzki to Phoenix and Bron and Chris Bosh to New York.)

Chris Rock once famously said, “No man has led more black men to the promised land than Coach Pat Riley.” It appears that he’s attempting to do so again.

I was feeling pretty good about LeBron James coming to New York (I still do to a degree) but you can’t deny that the aura of Riley could be a potential lure for the “Super Best Friends” (2010 free agent class). Especially now that the Heat have cleared another $3 million in cap space following a trade yesterday.

Miami now has nearly enough space to offer two max deals, in addition to possessing Dwayne Wade’s “Bird Rights”, meaning that they can go over the cap to sign Wade. The Miami Heat could conceivably sign D-Wade, LeBron and Chris Bosh. They would have no one else on the roster but that wouldn’t really matter. And you’d have to think that Riley would take himself out of the front office and put himself back on the bench if this were the case.

Miami is a sexy situation. There’s Riley, the beach, the night life and no state taxes. However, there’s also an apathetic fan base and the fact that it is Wade’s town. Ultimately, I don’t see the above scenario going down. I do see Miami loading up though.

In a perfect world, Wade gets his co-star in South Beach and LeBron gets the same in New York. Those two guys go to war every time they play already, it’d only make it sweeter if it reignited the Heat-Knicks rivalry.

They’ll be playing together if Coach Pat Riley has his way.

I often hear people say they hate cats. I don’t understand the logic. Cats are like miniature lions and tigers. They move the same way. They have the same mannerisms. They are the apex predators on the planet. Even house cats will deliver their owners a mouse or bird carcass as a sign of affection. Plus, they don’t require constant maintenance and attention like dogs do and some cats are even sweet (having a dog is like having half a kid…I do like dogs by the way).

I wish I had a tiger. I would never own one because that is retarded but the thought is very appealing. Who is better than you if you’re walking down the street with Battlecat on a leash? The answer is no one.

Oh and one more thing…don’t shoot the cats that kill or bite their owners. Perhaps they did nothing wrong and shouldn’t be domesticated. Yes, tigers and lions are just like house cats on a larger scale but this means if they decide to play or scratch or bite, you might die. It comes with the territory.

Chris Rock said it best. The tiger didn’t go crazy, it went tiger. And tigers (and all cats) are awesome.

Cats>Dogs

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Ray Carsillo’s Geek Stuff is our source for all things video game and comic book related. Ray is a geek.

Is it odd that I am deathly afraid of Lady Gaga? Because I am. She frightens me. I don’t know whether to dance, become aroused or vomit when I see one of her videos. It is way too confusing.

I can’t quite put my finger on why she makes me feel so uncomfortable. Perhaps it is because she straddles the attractive line. Is she attractive, ugly or just odd looking? I am not sure. I am sure that I cannot look at her for an extended period of time and that my newest nightmare is being involved in a staring contest with her. She has weird bug eyes.

At this point, with “New Moon” having irreparably damaged them, Lady Gaga is much more frightening than vampires. I believe she might actually suck my blood. And what’s even scarier is that I would probably be dancing to “Poker Face” while she does it. That is a catchy tune.

Forget the fact that he was just 6-24, Bryant is now in such rarified air that it isn’t right to mention such stats (Like I just did; I’m a jerk). Kobe now has one more ring than Tim Duncan and Shaq (which he was quick to mention) and will likely go down as the best player of that era. He now also belongs in the top five-ish players ever discussion. I wouldn’t put him above Magic as the best Laker ever yet but the fact that there’s an argument is testament to his greatness. He’s now just one ’ship behind Jordan and chasing hard. He might get there, as long as a certain superstar Spaniard (who was arguably their best player in three of the four wins) remains at his side. Kobe Bryant deserves to be mentioned in his own class at the moment. He’s earned it. He’s holding the title.

Another guy who deserves a class for himself is Phil Jackson. If you try to knock his accomplishments, you are simply hating. Hard. The big homie of Zen now has a ring for a toe. He’s proven adept at managing various personalities (notice how he only sells certain players out to the media) and massaging the egos of some of the greatest to ever do it. Two of whom are borderline sociopaths. For my money (that’s like six dollars), he’s the greatest coach in the history of sports.

It was a great Finals for the NBA and the biggest Summer in league history is now upon us. With the Celtics aging (that squad deserves kudos by the way), it has never been more apparent that the Eastern Conference is ripe for the taking. If LeBron can find his Robin, then we might just get the matchup we’ve all been waiting for this time next year.

Won’t that be fun. (And Kobe, I’m sure Shaq will tell you that it tastes good, if not a little bitter.)

The above paragraph is the reason I love the series format. Rather than there being just one game, you get to see momentum shift, opinions change and storylines evolve. And if things work out perfectly, as they have in these Finals, then it comes down to one game anyway.

The NBA is enjoying a renaissance and tonight will be the haymaker that kicks off the most important Summer in league history. If you’re not excited about tonight’s game, you don’t like basketball. Legacies and history are on the line.

Kobe Bryant could enter the top-five ever discussion and could even replace Magic Johnson as the all-time greatest Laker. Kevin Garnett could usurp Karl Malone’s or Charles Barkley’s spot in the minds of some. Paul Pierce could cement his spot as a memorable postseason performer. Phil Jackson could add yet another ring (he’ll have to decide which toe to put it on) and keep or lose his undefeated record after going up 1-0 in a series. Doc Rivers could go from respected to lauded. Pau Gasol could take his firm place as the best big man in the NBA. Rajon Rondo could get the ball rolling on a potential Hall of Fame career. Kim Kardashian could make an appearance on camera.

All of these things could happen. That is the beauty of a game seven. I love this game. Here are my official predictions…

–Rasheed Wallace will complain about the first foul call against him.

–Kobe Bryant will fix his face into a scowl.

–Kevin Garnett will fix his face into a scowl

–Nate Robinson will react to every made basket like it’s game seven of the Finals.

–Adam Morrison will not play.

–Paul Pierce will fall to the floor in a heap and act like he’s dead.

–Ron Artest will do something befuddling.

–We will see a game that lives up to the hype.

–The Boston Celtics will win their second title in three years.

It’s for this reason and the savage hypocrisy that is the NFL contract why I never fault a player for trying to get paid after outperforming his current deal. That is certainly the case for Darrelle Revis. If NFL owners can tear up a contract because a player didn’t meet their standards or got injured, then why can’t a player do the same if he’s proven his worth?

Revis is protesting his contract by sitting out plays at mini-camp. He wants to be the highest paid cornerback in the NFL. He is the best cornerback in the NFL (you can argue he is the best player period). I don’t see the problem with this. It isn’t his fault that the Raiders set the market high with Nnamdi Asomugha.

According to Revis, the Jets offers haven’t included guaranteed money. If true, that is ridiculous. Guaranteed money is why guys renegotiate contracts. As I outlined before, the rest of the contract is totally up in the air. You never know when someone is going to get injured or a team is going to decide to get rid of them. Guaranteed money is all they have.

Yes, football players make a lot of money. They also give up their physical well being so that we can be entertained. The NFL is one of the biggest cash cows on Earth. The least owners can do is take care of the guys who truly deserve it.

You must pay in advance if you want to visit Revis Island.

That Boston defense is the ultimate truth teller. It will eventually wear the opponent down and reveal the truth…that the Celtics are the best overall team in basketball. They’ve held the high powered Lakers offense under 100 points in four straight games now. Los Angeles had scored 100 or more in the eleven contests prior. That defense is not going away and even when Kobe Bryant has it going from ridiculousness (that doesn’t make sense but does at the same time), he’s not exactly breaking them down and the Lakers aren’t exactly playing to their strength of dumping the ball down and playing inside-out.

Boston’s defense, depth and unselfishness is proving something else as well. Just like LeBron before him, Kobe cannot beat the Celtics by himself. Take a look at these numbers…

LeBron against the Celtics in round two: 26.8 ppg, 45%, 9.3 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 4.5 turnovers

Kobe against the Celtics in the Finals: 30.2 ppg, 42%, 6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 4.2 turnovers

Looks like two guys performing admirably against a great defense. However, James was killed for how he played despite the fact that his supporting cast had games where they combined to shoot 21-55 (game two), 20-49 (game four) and 20-52 (game six). The Lakers supporting cast last night? 18-52. No matter how good these guys are, they aren’t going to beat a truly great team on their own.

This Boston Celtics core has never been eliminated at full strength. We’re starting to see why in these Finals. They are tougher, deeper and better than everybody else. The Lakers are the defending champs and a supremely talented squad. Still, I get the feeling that even they realize, they are no Boston Celtics.

*Kobe Bryant has averaged 21ppg on 38% shooting and is 6-8 in fourteen career elimination games…I firmly believe that record will fall to 6-9 come game six.*

Ray Carsillo’s Geek Stuff is our source for all things video game and comic book related. Ray is a geek.

Rivers seems like such a good and honest dude. He appears to be the kind of guy who will set expectations for you and lay them out clearly. He looks like the kind of guy who will give you constructive feedback. He’s the kind of guy you just want to play for.

Exhibit A of this is the play of the large infant Glen Davis and the spastic Nate Robinson or Shrek and Donkey as Robinson referred to them. Both of them are emotionally unique. Big Baby is known to tear up and clearly has an unusual amount of energy (which Lamar Odom and the rest of the Lakers frontline cannot handle). Nate Robinson needs to be tranquilized at times. Doc knows how to manage them both. That is a skill.

He left Shrek and Donkey in for an extended period of the fourth quarter in lieu of Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo. He trusted them. That’s probably something they’re not used to, particularly Robinson, who was vilified by Mike D’Antoni as a member of the Knicks. They rewarded him by dropping 30 points and ensuring that this soon to be classic NBA Finals would be knotted up at two games a piece.

Not many coaches have the guts, instincts or gravitas to make that decision. Doc Rivers does. I’d run through a wall for the guy and I’ve never seen the point in running through walls. He’s quite simply a fantastic coach.

And oh, by the way, I told you about lil’ Nate. Word apppp!

Ray Carsillo’s Geek Stuff is our source for all things video game and comic book related. Ray is a geek.

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I’ve been guilty of accusing him of being overmatched against the elite point guards. I’ve said he was too slow and couldn’t stay in front of them. What I forgot is that he has four rings, that he’s been a critical cog in every championship Kobe Bryant has ever won and that he is cold blooded. He is cold as ice *Rick James voice*.

Remember, this is the same dude who saved their season by nailing a shot with .4 seconds left against the Spurs in 2004, the same dude who hit the game tying three with 4.3 seconds left last year in game four of the Finals against the Magic and then proceeded to can the tie breaking three with 31 seconds left in overtime. The same dude who strikes fear in his opponents any time the ball leaves his hands in an important spot.

I formally apologize to Mr. Fisher. I will never, ever accuse him of being done again because he’s seemingly never done hitting critical shots and his 11 points last night could be what we look back on as the deciding moment of this year’s Finals. Not only did he step up when Boston’s defense was suffocating the Lakers but he also created offense. Usually he just cans jumpers. Yesterday he wrote yet another chapter in his playoff heroics.

Derek Fisher and Robert Horry deserve a special place in history as Hall of Fame role players. Every team ever would get better if it added one of those two clutch bastards.

I’d let Derek Fisher shoot an apple off my head with an arrow. I’d let him do it blindfolded if it was the end of the fourth quarter.

On Recovery, Slim reaches out to a bevy of producers for the first time in his career. The result is unique for an Eminem record but despite various craftsmen, the album has a unifying pop-rock sound; a sound that is probably the right fit for the current age and demo of his fanbase. While his last effort Relapse (which he trashes here…I liked it) had a playfully dark and maniacal tone, this one establishes a new direction right from the jump with the banging “Cold Wind Blows.” It is vintage Eminem. The second track, “Talkin’ to Myself” is a brutally honest self assessment that even depicts jealousy toward other rappers. The album hits a speed bump after that with the bland “On Fire”, the generic and forced “Won’t Back Down”, the sort of fun but ultimately unnecessary “W.T.P.” and the contrived Black Sabbath sampling “Going Through Changes”.

But while most albums blow their loads early nowadays, this one recovers (get it?) as it goes along. And the mid to latter portion is filled with standouts that rank amongst the best of his career. “Seduction” is a bouncy pleasure in the vein of “Superman” (notice his use of the Jay-Z “AW” ad lib…I’m still trying to figure out his intention here). The Just Blaze produced “No Love” somehow samples the Night at the Roxbury theme without being corny. Lil’ Wayne sounds right at home on the track, Em is Em and the whole ordeal makes me bob my head like a hooded out Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan. Eminem’s singing on the chorus is the only thing keeping it from being perfect. “Space Bound” is a love song and it is one of the best he has made. The hook is just about as infectious I’ve ever heard. I’m singing it right now. “25 to Life” is a metaphor track about his relationship with hip hop and it’s a goodie. The lone Dr. Dre contribution “So Bad” is hard as hell and Rihanna sounds absolutely glorious on the surefire hit record “Love the Way You Lie”.

Now on to the problems. There are two major ones. Marshall’s insistence on singing corny emo hooks (didn’t they clown Ja Rule for crooning?). I mentioned the one on “No Love” but the most egregious example is on the Proof tribute “You’re Never Over”. I wish Proof didn’t die so I didn’t have to hear this song. It sounds like a parody. The hooks bring several songs down a notch. The other major stumbling block is the constant use of his “angry flow”. Sometimes I want to say “why do you keep yelling at me!” while I’m listening. It hurts my brain. The overuse of this is comparable to the silly accents (which I enjoyed at times) on Relapse. The songs where he varies his delivery are some of my favorites. The remainder of the album I failed to mention ranges from pretty good (“Almost Famous”) to forgettable.

Overall, Eminem proves once again that he may be the greatest pure spitter of all time. And while his ability to craft a perfect record and consistently re-playable songs may still come under question, the standouts here are unquestionably great. Recovery is worthy of his legendary status, even if it is not legendary in and of itself.

Best tracks: “Cold Wind Blows”, “Seduction”, “Space Bound”, “No Love”, “25 to Life”, “So Bad”, “Love the Way You Lie”

Earlier this season, I told anyone who would listen that he had become the Boston Celtics best player (this is a message for any kids out there, when you are right about something, repeat it ad nauseam so everyone knows). Nobody believed me. More importantly, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen didn’t believe it either. There were actually trade rumors surrounding him before he signed his extension (five years $55 million, probably the best contract in the league).

Then, something happened. The big three had an epiphany. They realized if they were going to get a second ring, Rondo was going to have to take them there. He became their leader. And he ran with it. He’s still running. He Forest Gump’d it.

What is so impressive about him is how under control he is while still moving at a frenetic pace. He gets them in their sets, he plays lockdown defense, he rebounds, he pushes the tempo and he looks like E.T. The guy is literally all over the place. Sometimes when I’m watching him play, I wonder if he has multiplied and there are actually multiple Rondo’s on the floor. Then I realize it’s just him. But one Rajon Rondo is more than good enough.

I would have never thought I would type this heading into this season or even this postseason…Rajon Rondo is the best point guard in basketball…scratch that…Rajon Rondo is one of the best players in basketball, period.

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Ray Carsillo’s Geek Stuff is our source for all things video game and comic book related. Ray is a geek.

Ray Carsillo’s Geek Stuff is our source for all things video game and comic book related. Ray is a geek.

Another thing that stood out for me about last night and was the impetus for this stupid situation gimmick (I’ll stop soon, I promise), was watching Nate Robinson play meaningful minutes in the NBA Finals. It’s amazing what a new situation (almost done) can do for someone.

Nate was called a clown, a sideshow, selfish and immature during his tenure with the Knicks, many times deservedly so. But he was always a good basketball player. No average player comes off of a 14-game stint on the bench to drop 43 points. Robinson was and is an absolute athletic freak. He was just in a bad situation (doh!).

These sorts of things happen all the time. Another former Knick, Jamal Crawford, was the most tenured player without a playoff berth. This season he was the sixth man of the year on a team that went to the second round. He just needed a new situation (only one more).

Seeing Nate Robinson out on the court last night made me realize that he will impact the Finals in some way. He was +10 for Boston last night and looked quicker than the Lakers trying to check him. He will go off in one of these games and it will change some people’s perception of him. That my friends, is the situation (the end).

1. Kobe Bryant–No brainer. Kobe is looking at a possible vengeance season and perhaps a spot amongst the top five players ever to play the game. He has been a maniacal killer this postseason and is clearly the top mamba in this series. However, he will find Boston’s D (as he did two years ago) a drastic step up from the resistance offered by Utah and Phoenix.

2. Rajon Rondo–This was the hardest selection to make. I can’t argue with Pau Gasol here but Rondo has been transcendent this postseason, on both ends. He will be particularly valuable in the Finals because he’ll euthanize Derek Fisher should Fish check him. And if it’s Kobe, that’ll take away from Bryant’s offense.

3. Pau Gasol–One of the best big men in the game. He doesn’t change things on the defensive end like Dwight Howard but his all around skills are second to none. People talk about this being Kobe’s team. It is, though Gasol is very much the co-star. (I may have to apologize for not putting him second.)

4. Paul Pierce–Like the rest of Boston’s future Hall of Famers, he is trying to cement his legacy. Right now said legacy features some iconic postseason scoring performances and aggressive defense against the likes of LeBron and Kobe. Boston’s hopes depend on him scoring on Ron Artest and hounding Bryant on the other end. Hopefully he won’t need a wheelchair this time around.

5. Kevin Garnett–KG doesn’t quite have the old spring in his legs. What he does have though is disturbing energy and determination. His jumper will help on the offensive end and his ability to jaw at and rough up Gasol will be huge on the defensive side. Garnett has a chance to vault into the top two or three power forwards ever discussion. Anything is possible!

6. Ray Allen–Just when you think he is done, he keeps making big shots. Kobe or Fisher is going to have to run around a ton of screens to keep up with Ray-Ray and I’d be shocked if he doesn’t hit some key buckets that help swing this series. Plus, he’s always done an outstanding job checking Bryant.

7. Lamar Odom–Perhaps the most versatile forward in the game. When he plays well, the Lakers win, period. However, he’s shown throughout his career that he’s never going to be totally consistent. It’s harder to keep up with the fluctuations in his performance than it is to do the same with his wife’s family.

8. Ron Artest–He could either save or submarine this series for LA. I don’t know which one it is going to be. Will he shut down Pierce or shut down the Lakers chances with bad shots?

9. Andrew Bynum–Super talented but super injury prone. He should be higher on this list. He’s not.

10. Kendrick Perkins–Not a great player but a rare one. It’s tough to find a post defender of his stature.

That’s five Lakers and five Celtics in what is sure to be a super competitive and super entertaining series. My prediction? I think the matchups favor Boston and they are more battle tested. The Celtics got through two tough teams in Orlando and Cleveland. The step up in competition will be too much for the Lakers to overcome.

Boston in six…

Listen to how he says it. All he did was rephrase the question as an answer and he sounded more like a guy not trying to hurt anyone’s feelings. I think it is going to be very difficult for him to leave Cleveland. It is going to hurt. I also think he has already decided that is what he is going to do.

He talked about being “comfortable” there. You shouldn’t stay some place because it is comfortable or safe. If he had said exciting and promising, that would be a different story. But his excitement seemed to be reserved for other comments, like…

“If u put me and Bosh on the same team, if you put me and Wade on the same team…a lot of teams would be much better.”

And

“It will be fun to get all the free agents together and figure out a way how we can make the league better.” (Just for fun, check out these comments from 2009, “I think the league is doing just fine. But with the Knicks being good, the Celtics being good, the Lakers being good, it makes the league that much better. I’m talking as a fan now, please understand that.” Notice the use of the word better in both instances? Shout out to RealGM board members for the reference.)

And maybe most telling

“No, I cannot play forever. And that is absolutely right. But the team that I go to or — or, you know, whatever the case may be, will have an opportunity to win championships in multiple years and not just because of LeBron James.”

Sounds like a guy who knows he needs a co-star (which can’t happen with the Cavs) and more importantly, a guy who is ready to move on.

Heck, he’s not even worried about the fact that his departure will turn Cleveland into a barren wasteland.

“As far as saving the city economically, I can’t get too involved. I can’t let that be a decision of mine or what I do with my future.”

Ok. I lied. I did spend some time on it. I love the guy and the story, what can I say?…WITNESS

But what would happen if the two biggest Marvel teams were to square off? (There actually was an X-Men vs. Avengers mini-series at one point but it wasn’t written by me and like in all of those type of deals, they eventually teamed up)…

Much of this would depend on whom the rosters consisted of, as both teams have had various members over the years. For the sake of this argument, many of the iconic players will be included. That means Xavier, Cyclops, Jean, Wolverine, Storm, Colossus, Nightcrawler and Beast for the X-Men and Cap, Iron Man, Thor, Ant-Man, Wasp, Hawkeye and the Scarlet Witch for the Avengers.

The Avengers major advantage comes in their pure power. While Cyclops’ optic blasts can shatter moutains, Colossus is made steel, Storm can control the elements and Wolverine is nearly impossible to kill, they can’t match the overwhelming force that Thor (not to mention Iron Man) brings to the table.

However, the X-Men have a major advantage of their own, mental powers. Both Professor Xavier and Jean Grey possess the ability to get inside your head. They are the two most powerful telepaths on the planet (at least the imaginary comic book planet) and just the two of them could theoretically take apart the Avengers from the inside out. The only thing that could possibly stop them is Tony Stark’s ingenuity. He may be able to cook up a fix, even in the heat of battle. Or Xavier could wipe his mind clean before he got a chance to. Either one.

There is one huge or should I say incredible tipping point that I haven’t mentioned…the Hulk. The Hulk was a member of the original Avengers and will also appear in the upcoming movie. With him, they are just too powerful to stop. You aren’t taking down Hulk and Thor, mental powers or not (especially when an enraged Hulk has already fought through Xavier’s abilities).

In closing, I’ll narrowly give the edge to the X-Men sans Hulk. With Hulk, the Avengers assemble and annihilate them.

Ray Carsillo’s Geek Stuff is our source for all things video game and comic book related. Ray is a geek.

The thing that makes Kobe special is that he is certainly aware of all this. The “Black Mamba” is not a well adjusted person. He’s an abnormally competitive and borderline insane. He’s also an absolute killer. And he may just be in the process of proving a bunch of people right and another group of people very wrong (including me).

I’ve always given Bryant his proper due. I’ve said he’s one of the ten or so greatest of all time. That he may be the best shot-maker ever. That he’s the second best shooting guard ever to suit up. This year, he could be making those statements conservative.

Not only would a title this season give him five rings. (That’s just one away from Jordan if you’re counting. You are. He certainly is.) But it would give him another set of “moments.” If the Lakers hoist up the title this season, if he’s able to do to Boston what LeBron couldn’t, we’ll point to these playoffs as “the moment” Bryant shut all that LeBron is the best player in the world talk down. We’ll also point to these playoffs as “the moment” he separated himself in the Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe argument.

We’re talking about top five of all time territory here. True greatness. I for one don’t think the Lakers will beat the Celtics. I like the matchups for Boston too much and LA hasn’t seen a defense like theirs yet (I’ll get into all this later). However, I can’t wait to see him go for it and win or lose, he’s already moved up another notch in my book (which remains unwritten).

This is a man who wants rapped to the deceased Michael Jackson (you think Jacko’s face has decomposed yet?) “I know you in heaven, I hope to see you next year”, who went on Jimmy Kimmel in his underwear and who, last night, forced Craig Sager to rep Queensbridge.

You never know what is going on behind his eyes. And I’m not sure I ever want to find out. Congratulations Ron Artest, you truly are one of the most interesting men in the world.

Artest’s shot dropped last night. Meanwhile, this morning, another of the more interesting people around reemerged as Kanye West dropped his comeback single today.

Say what you will about Kanye, gay fish or not, the dude grabs attention with every new release. This one is no different. Homeboy hit us with a certified heat rock. The beat is just stupid. I’m dancing right now.

I’m looking forward to seeing Kanye attempt to steal the spotlight once again. I’m looking forward to his album more. Kanye West is truly one of the most interesting men in the world.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not one of those David Stern conspiracy theorists. That line of thinking is retarded. If you are reading this and you buy into that nonsense, I suggest you invest some time partaking in rational thought. If Stern was Vince McMahon-esque, I’m fairly certain LeBron James would still be in the playoffs and I’m just as certain he’d be facing Kobe Bryant in the Finals.

I also have some reservations about laying the kind of criticism on the officials that I’m about to. Basketball is a tough game to officiate. And the players don’t make it easier between flopping (Anderson Varejao, Manu Ginobilli), acting like they were just slashed by a grizzly bear on every hit (Paul Pierce) and making faces that look like they just tasted sour milk and watched their girlfriend make out with another dude at the same time (Kendrick Perkins). Sometimes the refs do an excellent job. Really, if you think about it, any well-called game is a commendable accomplishment.

Then there are the other times, when they are atrocious, which is way more often than it should be. They have a tendency to take control of the game, in an extremely negative way. On some of these occasions they just call fouls for the sake of calling fouls and don’t allow the game to get into flow. Other times, they dole out technicals for barely anything. It appears in these instances as if they are making the game about them and metaphorically waving around their little referee.

I think this has happened for a couple reasons. One, the image hit the league took after the Ron Artest incident at the Palace. The NBA didn’t want that to be perpetuated so they gave refs the power to undercut players and as a result took the emotion out of the game. Baseball players are allowed to put their hands on their hips and shake their head and yell like an idiot for 30 seconds before they get tossed. If a basketball player swings his arm in disgust, he gets T’d up. The other problem is that many of the officials are just too old and stubborn. The stubborness comes from not wanting to be showed up. This leads to a quick whistle. The oldness just leads to missed calls; either because they are too slow to get to the play or just can’t see clearly.

It is not a crisis yet. But if the league wants the name Tim Donaghy to go away and if they just want the best product possible, they’ll consider revamping the officiating and maybe even bringing in a whole new breed of refs.

It’s a tough sport to officiate. It’s also tough to stomach some of the officiating. (And for the record, I hate baseball umpires too.)

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The Orlando Magic won game four against Boston in spite of Vince Carter, not because of him. He refused to drive toward contact and instead shot weak fadeaways (that would be his finishing move if he was a pro wrestler). He “guarded” Paul Pierce with about as much vigor as Courtney Love in a detox center. It was thoroughly disgusting to watch.

22.9 points per game, 22.5 points per game and 20.5 points per game. Those are the career scoring averages of Carter, Pierce and Ray Allen respectively. Statistically and skill wise, not much separates the three. In fact, Carter probably had the talent to have been better than both. Instead, he preferred to pretend to die whenever he was touched by an opposing player. The difference between the other two and winceanity comes from behind the numbers on the front of their jerseys. Pierce and Allen want it. Carter wants no part of it.

Ray Allen and Paul Pierce are future Hall of Famers. Vince Carter should be, according to the numbers that is. There is no way he actually belongs there. Maybe he should be allowed to get close and then fadeaway but that’s about it. He was benched in favor of J.J. Redick and Matt Barnes. Enough said.

I will remember Vince Carter as the greatest dunker I have ever seen. I will not remember him as one of the greatest players I have ever seen. And that is kind of sad. Not as sad as watching Vince Carter quit in big moments though. That level of sadness is tough to match.

Vince Carter was good at dunking…

The greatest dunk contest performance ever…

The greatest dunk ever…

Ray Carsillo’s Geek Stuff is our source for all things video game and comic book related. Ray is a geek.

Ray Carsillo’s Geek Stuff is our source for all things video game and comic book related. Ray is a geek.

–Amare Stoudemire and his cool guy goggles went off in game three against LA. He is still a 1B, not a 1A though. There are three 1B’s available this Summer (LeBron and Wade are the 1A’s). Stoudemire, Chris Bosh and now Dirk Nowitzki (I’d put Amare third on this list). Dirk has spent most of his career as a 1A and was nearly a championship caliber one at that. But I think his true role might be as a super number two. He opted out of his contract. We’ll see if he feels the same way by what team he chooses to sign a new one with.

–FYI…Johan Santana is still an excellent pitcher. I am compelled to mention this because I feel like homeboy is getting slighted by the New York media. Yes, he gave up 10 runs to the Phillies earlier this year but he’s only given up 15 in his other nine starts. The guy is still good at getting people out.

–Another quick thought on baseball. Nothing is more overrated than a baseball manager. Do people actually think changing managers will make a drastic difference in a team’s play? Their entire job is just not to screw things up. They don’t have as much influence over the game as they are given credit for. I bet the top skipper in the league is only worth a few actual wins.

–Seven people saw “MacGruber” this weekend. I wasn’t one of them. I won’t judge the movie without seeing it but the 90 second sketch never made me laugh, so I’m frightened by how I might react to the 90 minute version.

–”Lost” and “24″ are done. I’ve seen one episode of the former. It seemed like the writers could write their way in or out of anything. If someone dies, their body can become a host for somebody else or they could just go back in time or something. I’m sure it was good, I just don’t watch much TV (and no dramas). As for “24″, Wolverine would whip Jack Bauer’s ass.

–I saw Danica Patrick whining about her car the other day. I love her. She seems like such a little bitch. And she is a racecar driver. That is a good combination.

With the advent of better and better technology and picture quality, sports on television has never been better. HD makes the old school viewing style its bitch. And I, like many people, now wonder, why should I pay to go to a game? You have to travel, deal with trains or traffic, sit in mediocre seats (unless you’re a baller), and eat overpriced and gross food. I’d rather eat my pubic hair than most stadium food. And my pubic hair doesn’t cost twenty dollars.

Also, if you are really interested in watching every aspect of the game, TV provides the best opportunity to do so. At the game you may have an obstructed view and you don’t get a clear explanation on what is taking place in certain situations (where a ball is placed, a foul call, etc.). At home you can sit in comfort, come and go as you please and benefit from the expanded coverage you get from major network broadcasts.

Don’t get me wrong, going to a game can still be a fun experience. Something to do with your buddies every now and again. And there is also nothing like catching a special athlete and environment in person. I have a Knicks credential, do you think I’m not in the Garden when LeBron or Kobe is in town? It’s also impossible to replicate the feeling of an arena shaking and coming together as one. But when you weigh out all the factors, TV comes out on top. Fairly easily.

Don’t agree with me? Then why do the two most recent and top notch stadiums (Cowboys and Yankees) feature giant HD television screens. Even when you’re at the game, it’s sometimes better to watch it on TV.

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The Prince of Persia series of the last generation of consoles was one of the most successful and critically acclaimed series to come out during its era and so it was no surprise that Ubisoft would want to somehow continue it on the current generation of consoles. The problem was that there was really no room to continue the story after it was so perfectly tied together with its final chapter. The solution? An interquel! Thus, we have the Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands.

Naturally, the only place to expand on the trilogy would be in the seven year gap between the first chapter in the trilogy, The Sands of Time, and the second chapter, The Warrior Within, since the third chapter, The Two Thrones, took place immediately after Warrior Within and left no room for expansion (unless they wanted to go more in-depth about the Prince and Kaileena’s relationship on that boat of theirs… probably not a lot of gameplay there, but it might’ve provided for some interesting mini-games). In order to leave more room for later expansion and maybe the return of the Warrior Within’s nemesis, the Dahaka, Forgotten Sands takes place immediately after Sands of Time.

Now that we’ve banged out the timeline continuity, let’s get into the actual story. Our young hero, still not nearly as jaded as we would find him to be in Warrior Within, is sent by his father immediately after the events of Sands of Time to meet his brother, Malik, in the hopes that some of his leadership skills would rub off on our young prince. Upon arriving in his brother’s kingdom, the Prince finds Malik’s capital under siege and immediately puts to use his infamous agility as he begins to scour the city for his brother.

Once he catches up to Malik, the Prince finds that Malik is so desperate to win the battle, knowing that his forces have been nearly wiped out, that in a last ditch effort before retreat, Malik reveals to the Prince an ancient seal he has inherited. This seal supposedly will unlock the gates to a mystical sand army that the once great King Solomon had control over. Malik figures if he could control the army, he could turn the tide of war. It wouldn’t be much of a game though if Malik’s plan came to fruition.

As soon as the seal is inserted, it snaps in two as sand begins pouring out into the treasure room of Malik’s palace. The Prince, once again played by Yuri Lowenthal, quips that it always seems to be sand as only he and Malik are saved from the gruesome fate of being turned into sand statues by the remaining magic in the two halves of the seal. The Prince must now find a way to re-imprison the sand army that is running havoc around Malik’s city while discovering the secrets of King Solomon’s ancient city.

If you are a fan of the Prince of Persia trilogy from the last generation of consoles, then you will absolutely love Forgotten Sands. The Prince flows just as smoothly as ever as he uses his infamous agility to still hop along walls, columns, and flagpoles with as much as grace as in any previous game in the trilogy. There have also been new fighting mechanics added to the game as the Prince now uses not only his entire body and environment as a weapon with his typical jump kicks and acrobatic swinging sword somersaults, but several new powers that he acquires over the course of the game.

There is still the classic rewinding of time introduced way back in Sands of Time, but now there is also the ability to control the elements of wind, water, fire, and earth as the Prince’s new medallion made out of his half of the seal allows him an entire new power set. This new power set also allows for brand new puzzles for the Prince to traverse. Abilities like being able to freeze and unfreeze water has the Prince bouncing back and forth between frozen water ropes and trying to perfectly time when to turn waterfalls into walls and back. Also, being able to reverse time for not only the Prince, but also structures in the environment, creates a whole new challenge in terms of “looking before you leap”.

These new powers also help in the pumped up fights that the modern consoles can handle. There are times now where you are facing entire rooms full of twenty or thirty sand soldiers now, instead of only five or six like in most points in the original trilogy, so being able to call up stone armor or create a whirlwind around the Prince can really help even the odds.

The game also shines in terms of graphics on modern consoles. Never has a Prince of Persia game (even compared to the one that came out in December of 2008) looked so good. From facial expressions to Malik’s collapsing palace, Forgotten Sands is a visual gem. When you throw in a fantastic score and great voice acting from all those involved, including Yuri Lowenthal returning as the voice of the Prince, and this game’s peripherals are top-notch.

Of course, no game is perfect though. Even with all the great gameplay elements of the original trilogy successfully being ported over to this new chapter along with some tremendous additions in terms of puzzle solving, the game still has a couple of faults. Some irritating mid-jump glitches can make the already frustrating traps even more difficult to traverse.

More frustration comes through with the fact that even though the new systems can support more enemies, many of them are just as simple minded as ever and fall like bowling pins as they are knocked over by the agility of a well-trained Prince. The lack of enemy A.I. helps contribute to the fact that the story mode should only be about a 10-hour romp for most experienced players.

Another weak point of the game is that there isn’t much to keep you playing this beyond the short story mode. There isn’t even a hard mode. There is a second mode called “Enemy Tides” that you can unlock after beating the story mode where you try to defeat eight waves of enemies as quickly as possible, but you’ll be so experienced with your powers by the time you finish the game that you should blow through it on your first try with little difficulty. There are some collectibles and the hopes of powering up your Prince more to maybe bring you back for a second playthrough, but this is unlikely.

After having several intense playing sessions with Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands I have to say that if you are a fan of the series, then this is a must pick up. If this is your first foray into this series, I would recommend a rental first, but this is still a game that most every action/adventure gamer should enjoy.

Ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best.

Graphics: 10.0: From the smallest grain of sand on the ground to Malik’s collapsing palace, and with spectacular faces and models for all the characters, Prince of Persia: Forgotten Sands is one of the best looking games out there now.

Audio: 10.0: Spot-on SFX, a fantastic score that perfectly sets the mood, and superb voice acting from all those involved, including the return of Yuri Lowenthal as the Prince, and the game is a treat for your ears.

Plot/Plot Development: 9.0: I admit that I was a little hesitant with the fact that the newest Prince of Persia game was going to be an interquel, but the folks at Ubisoft did a really good job tying it into the first game. The only problem I have with it is that I would have liked to have seen a tease of the Dahaka at some point since he is such a major force in the Prince’s life later on.

Gameplay: 8.0: The gameplay is very good and the action is as always tremendous in a Prince game. Unfortunately, poor enemy A.I., some glitches, and only 10 hours of gameplay knocks this down a little.

Replay Value: 4.0: This is where the game really falls flat. The “Enemy Tides” survival mode was a nice idea, and I’m sure there will be a little DLC later on, but no hard mode and a minimal of collectibles in the story mode will keep you from playing this after getting through the story.

Overall (not an average): 8.0: A fantastic game to play through the story once, but unless you are an established fan of the Prince of Persia series you should rent this before full out buying it. Still though, this is at least a must experience for every action/adventure fan out there.

Prince of Persia: Forgotten Sands is out now for Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii, PSP, and Nintendo DS.

-Ray Carsillo

Can someone explain to me why Chicago is the best situation for him? Because they have two good players? One of whom who wouldn’t be a great fit next to James (Derrick Rose) because he needs the ball in his hands and isn’t a good spot up shooter. LeBron needs to play with shooters and finishers but most of all he needs a co-star who can do both of those and run the pick and roll with him. He needs his Pau Gasol. Chris Bosh is the best fit for that spot.

New York has the most flexibility to completely change the roster and get Bron the sidekick he so desperately needs to go with the acclaim he craves. They can offer him the best of both worlds. New Jersey (Newark, Brooklyn, whatever) can also surround him with more talent than Chicago right away (depending on what pick they land in tonight’s lottery). And I wouldn’t rule out a sign and trade with a contending team that hasn’t been brought up much (Dallas? Though I don’t know what they could offer in return. But LeBron can make more money via sign and trade and Cleveland would at least get something in return. That sign and trade speculation about the Bulls is rubbish though. Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich? I’d turn that down on principle.)

I honestly believe a bunch of these pundits are rooting hard against the New York area. Because to say that a championship quality team can’t be built here right away is ludicrous. The NBA is a two-star league and LeBron just spent the last several years carrying a team devoid of other stars on his back. Remember, the Cavs have lost 12 of the last 13 games he has missed. Without him, they are the Knicks, or worse. And the Bulls just don’t make sense, from a basketball or a carving out a unique legacy stand point.

In related news, LeBron reportedly called Eddy Curry about working out together this Summer. Answering the phone regarding LeBron’s work out request was the most exercise Curry has gotten in the last two years.

Much like everyone else, I thought they were old. Kevin Garnett looked like he had a peg leg. They went just 10-11 in their last 21 games. Then something happened. Or maybe nothing happened. Maybe they were just biding through the season (they did start 23-5) waiting for the playoffs to start. Whatever the case, they have their fire, intensity and swagger back. They look just like they did two years ago.

The defense is moving on a string. They made LeBron James look mortal, just like they did to James (35% shooting) and Kobe Bryant (39%) en route to the title. They’ll do it again this year. Don’t forget, when healthy, this team has never been eliminated from the playoffs and they actually took Orlando to seven games without the services of Kevin Garnett a season ago. And they still have the best top four players of any team in the league with three aging but still effective hall of famers and an emerging superstar in Rajon Rondo.

Then there are the match-ups. Dwight Howard will not have a good series against Boston. No one in the league guards him better one-on-one than Kendrick Perkins. This allows the other guys to close out on the Magic’s shooters. Plus, Rondo is picking up Jameer Nelson full court which will help to negate what was one of Orlando’s biggest advantages in the earlier rounds. And if they wind up facing Los Angeles? Forget about it. KG will get in Pau Gasol’s head with his physicality, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce both can check Kobe admirably and Rondo will euthanize Derek Fisher until Phil Jackson is forced to switch Bryant on him.

The Boston Celtics winning the 2010 NBA Championship? I didn’t think it was possible a few weeks ago. But like the Big Ticket famously said, “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!” Except possible is not the appropriate word. Probable is more like it.

It’s remarkable how far he has been able to take them. The Cleveland Cavaliers are deep, yet filled with role players. They are also not built for the future. At all. Mo Williams is erratic as all hell. They’re cap space is being eaten up by Anderson Varejao (an excellent piece but not a difference maker) and Antawn Jamison (a 34-year-old who has proven to shrink in big situations). They are simply old and ok. Even the best ever have had help. Kevin Garnett said it best, “we knew we were going against one guy.”

Magic and Bird played with some of the best teams ever. Michael had Scottie, Kobe had Shaq and Gasol. Shaq had Kobe and Wade. Duncan had Robinson and then Parker and Ginobili. You get the point. To the same point, I’m taking Boston to win the title. They have KG (who will frustrate Gasol, plus, they went seven games with Orlando without him last season) and then Paul Pierce (who will guard Kobe well), and then Ray Allen (who spreads the floor and defends) and then Kendrick Perkins (who guards Dwight Howard one on one better than anyone in the league) and then, most of all, Rajon Rondo (who will force the Lakers to put Kobe on him in his evisceration of Derek Fisher).

Anyway, LeBron James must now realize that he can’t win in Cleveland. You could see it on his face. His legs were tired from doing everything and his team basically quit. The Celtics fans were chanting “New York Knicks”, “New York Knicks”. That end result is more of a possibility than it ever has been. The Knicks can surely give him help. Right away. The best he’s ever played with (the same can be said for a couple other teams, including Hov’s squad).

July 1st could mark the end of the city of Cleveland and shift the entire landscape of the NBA for years to come. At least if LeBron realizes what I think he does.

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The initial Iron Man flick captured the imagination of the audience for a few reasons (in my opinion of course…my opinion counts here). One, Tony Stark was tailor made for movie audiences and Robert Downey Jr. absolutely owned the role. That doesn’t change in the sequel. The character still rules and I can’t imagine anyone else playing it now. Two, the origin story was essential to the plot development. The audience could clearly understand why Stark built the Iron Man suit. “Iron Man 2″ lacks that genuine build up. Three, it was the most realistic looking super hero movie. Everything that happens on film felt like it could be happening in reality. The sequel keeps that alive.

Two out of three ain’t bad. While “Iron Man 2″ is not quite as compelling as its predecessor, it is still a ton of fun. And the payoff in this movie is greater than the climatic battle in the first. Good performances (Downey Jr. owns, Sam Rockwell also shines as Justin Hammer and Mickey Rourke brings interest to a mundane character)? Check. Good action (War Machine’s introduction, the final battle and especially Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow shine)? Check. Respect for the source material (Captain America, Thor and S.H.I.E.L.D. provide fanboy eye candy)? Check.

“Iron Man 2″ will be unfairly compared to the first film. It is very difficult to replicate the magic of capturing a character perfectly initially. But that doesn’t mean this movie isn’t a success. Just like comic books, each Marvel movie should be viewed as a different issue. This one is really fun, breezes by and sets up the future without feeling weighty.

Avengers assemble! (I can’t believe they are actually pulling this off.)

Taking place six months after the end of the first movie, we find the world loving Iron Man. It seems that Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is on top of the world and no one, not congress, not the US Armed Forces, and not rivals like Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) can take him down. Unfortunately, the thing that has helped Tony rise to the glorified status he has reached, is also killing him. The miniature arc reactor in Tony’s chest is slowly poisoning him and the more he uses his Iron Man suit, the faster the poison spreads throughout his body.

Meanwhile, a physicist named Ivan Drako (Mickey Rourke) is plotting his family’s revenge from the confines of a shack in Siberia. Drako blames Stark for his family’s poverty and will stop at nothing to hasten the process of Stark’s death. Using blueprints that Ivan’s father helped Tony’s father develop and researching Tony’s own work on the arc reactor, Ivan makes his own miniature arc reactor. Instead of creating an entire suit of armor though, Ivan designs a simple harness that can be hidden beneath his clothes and two energy conducting whips that can uncoil at a moment’s notice from the harness.

As Tony privately counts down his last days and races for a cure to the poison in his chest, he must also contend with rivals and enemies he doesn’t even know he has yet. It looks like Tony will be forced to call for a little help from his friends.

Iron Man 2 is a great new chapter in the canon that Marvel is creating with their motion pictures, but is not as good as the original Iron Man. Robert Downey Jr. is Tony Stark. There is no acting involved, he just is. The way he delivers his lines is brilliant and I can’t think of a better actor to personify a character. The humor delivered by Downey and several of the other characters like Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) though is a little dry and predictable at times.

A major problem I had with the movie was the development of Whiplash/Ivan Drako and how they took two villains from the comic book canon and combined them poorly into one. Whiplash was nothing but a common thug in the comics and the Russian with a vendetta who stole Stark’s technology was the Crimson Dynamo. I appreciate that Marvel was trying to modernize the character since the whole “Communist Russia” that inspired the Crimson Dynamo is gone, but they could have kept the character and only changed his history some. Plus, the huge red armor would have probably looked cool.

Continuing with my problems with the character development, let’s look at War Machine. Don Cheadle was a great choice to replace Terrance Howard and he pulled off the Yin to Robert Downey Jr’s Yang perfectly, even if I would have liked to see a little more interaction between the two. My problem was how War Machine came about. Justin Hammer took stolen armor and modified it? That’s so far off course from the comics I can’t even start to dissect where they got that idea from, but I hated it. And why in a movie full of AC/DC music, was the song “War Machine” off the Black Ice album not used?

Speaking of great casting, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow/Natalia Romonova. Wow. I loved watching Scarlett in a skin-tight black cat suit doing flips and kicking butt. Only thing I had a problem with, as a diehard fan of the comics, is that they didn’t go much into her background and they never once referred to her as Black Widow, but it was understandable because she was more of a minor character in this movie.

A minor gripe I have is the fact that the scene from the commercials where Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) kisses Tony’s helmet and chucks it out the back of the airplane has been cut. Is this just something to save for the DVD or was there a legitimate reason that you purposely cut a scene you were using in your major TV ads?

My final complaint is that the last fight scene was anti-climatic compared to the 20-minute slugfest from the first film. Although fun and entertaining, the best fight scenes came in the middle of the movie with the suitcase suit (which was awesome) and made the end scene look like they were tying up loose ends.

On the positive side, it was nice to see that all these extra characters that were introduced were not forced into the series, but were eased in. The casting was spectacular for all these characters, as well, from Garry Shandling as the primary US Congressman against Tony to Scarlett as Black Widow. Also, the special effects were top of the line as expected. I always “geek-out” whenever I see Tony use those three dimensional computer models with JARVIS, his suit A.I. and butler.

All in all, minor complaints aside, Iron Man 2 is a fun, fast-paced action/adventure/comedy that does its predecessor justice, but does not surpass it. Well done by Marvel overall and I would strongly recommend that any fan of the first movie check out Iron Man 2.

Iron Man 2 gets 7.5 out of 10.

I really thought that Iron Man 2 was a solid movie, so I was hopeful that the game wouldn’t be a total screw up.

What I’ve noticed from many recent games based on movies is that they try to extend the story portrayed in the movie, either as events leading up to the movie, or events immediately following the movie. Two recent examples of this that come to mind were Terminator: Salvation and GI Joe. Iron Man 2’s video game, a third-person shooter/action/adventure title developed by Sega, falls into the “after the movie” concept.

The game opens up with Tony’s archives building being attacked by robot drones. Immediately Tony and Rhodey scramble to the scene and try to quell the chaos with repulsor beams and mini-guns blazin’. For the most part they are successful, but after checking all his files, Tony finds that part of his original program for JARVIS, his electronic butler and suit A.I. program, has been stolen. Knowing what could happen if that A.I. fell into the wrong hands, Tony and Rhodey start following a trail of breadcrumbs to find the culprits.

A simple comic book plot that ties well into the canon that the movies seem to be developing, the villains in the game are new adaptations of classic Avengers/Iron Man villains. Advanced Idea Mechanics (A.I.M.), Roxxon, Crimson Dynamo, and Ultimo all make appearances in a much deeper plot than is initially revealed in the opening level of the game and is done in a way that makes sense for this new movie universe, but stray far away from the comics. For example, Tony Stark in this new universe now creates Ultimo, one of the most formidable of villains of the Avengers and originally created by Hank Pym. An interesting account of these classic characters, but purists will flip over this for sure.

So, the plot may be workable, but a story alone does not a great game make. This game from a technical standpoint feels rushed. The graphics look like they were something from the last generation of consoles. NPCs looked cartoony and out of place and the backgrounds were bland at best.

The audio was unimpressive also. The voice acting was solid, but the dialogue was uninspired and I was disappointed that only Don Cheadle and Samuel L. Jackson lent their voices to the game (I hereby declare my love for Scarlett Johansson). The music lent to the game from several rock bands was good, but they didn’t get any AC/DC, which is a clear theme for the movies. I think that is proof positive that this game was rushed to hit store shelves along with the movie hitting theatres.

The biggest downfall of this game though is the gameplay. This game is chock full of glitches, the controls felt unnatural (especially the flying where you’re constantly crashing into walls or obstacles), and made the game much harder than it needed to be. Mind you, the difficulty of the game was somewhat impressive, but it wasn’t because of a good enemy A.I., but because of sheer numbers and health handicaps when you up the difficulty. And even then, you only have eight missions that should take most veteran gamers only 8-10 hours to complete on hard. On easy, this game isn’t even worth a rental since there is no strategy necessary when playing (out of curiosity, I played a few levels on easy after beating the game on hard, and it was a joke, especially in terms of being able to procure a lot of the achievements). Plowing in headfirst will almost always win the day.

Another weakness of the game is the replay value. If you actually enjoy playing this game, there are new armors and power ups that you can acquire by repeating levels. Also, in four of the eight missions you can choose between playing as War Machine or Iron Man to get a different feel between War Machine’s offense heavy strategy and Iron Man’s defensive minded maneuvers. Some kind of multiplayer or co-op mode with both heroes would have gone leaps and bounds for this game and because of that there is really nothing to bring you back to this game. I don’t even think there is enough to bring you to this game once actually.

When you sit back and look at this game with a careful eye, you see the framework for a very solid third person shooter/action/adventure game. Unfortunately, it looks like Sega, either of their own volition or pressure from Marvel, rushed this game, plain and simple. Every element of this game seems incomplete, from the graphics to the gameplay mechanics. It seems that Iron Man 2 has fallen into another summer blockbuster pattern: the corresponding video game is usually nowhere near the quality of the movie.

Ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best.

Graphics: 5.0: The models for people and villains are solid, but a lot of scenery clearly has a poor polygon count and seems incomplete or very basic at points. A very rushed job by the folks at Sega.

Audio: 6.0: The soundtrack was solid, but a lack of AC/DC was disappointing considering how important it was for the movie. Also, the fact that only two actors from a star studded cast signed on to do the game is a joke, even when they’re actors of Samuel L. Jackson and Don Cheadle’s calibers.

Plot/Plot Development: 6.0: Not a bad story that works well with the new universe created by Marvel’s movies, but die-hards of the comics will want to throw a brick through their TVs and use the game disc for some skeet shooting.

Gameplay: 3.0: Chock full of glitches and a poor control scheme makes this game a chore to play at best. Add in an uneven difficulty system and only about 10 hours of gameplay on the hardest difficulty and you’re looking at something that should be put on the scrap heap.

Replay Value: 5.0: There are only eight missions in the game’s story and only four of those allow you to choose which of the two heroes you want to play as. There are some weapons and classic armor to collect and some very easy achievements to acquire via replaying a few levels, but beyond that there is nothing to keep you playing this game.

Overall (not an average): 3.5: A rush job all the way around, Iron Man 2 is horribly disappointing and maintains the status quo of good movies often make bad video games. Only the most hardcore of fans should even rent this. No one should buy.

Iron Man 2 is available now for PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, and PSP.

-Ray Carsillo

Listen FLLP Here

Nash can probably sympathize with the plight of those affected. Despite being white, he is not from America. Many of his teammates and peers are also not from this country. But unlike many of the immigrants being targeted in Az., Nash likely has never faced any sort of persecution for his non-native status.

No one can tell me that race is not at the core of this debate. There was actually a GOP candidate who suggested putting microchips in illegals so that the government could keep tabs on them. His reasoning? He can put a microchip in his dog, why not a Mexican. Now not everyone is so extreme but many still seem way too eager to round up immigrants, even to the point of profiling, and kick them out of here. Would the same thing be happening if these illegals were Canadians? Nope. Canadians, like Nash, have white skin. That makes them honky (pun intended) dory.

The other argument is that they are taking American jobs. Wait, I meant, THEY TOOK EEERR JOBBSS! Yeah, I’m sure these guys are really crippling the American berry picking, gardening, floor cleaning and dish washing industries. I had the pleasure of working alongside many illegal immigrants while I was keeping myself afloat with restaurant jobs. Most of those guys either slaved away as a chef for 16-18 hour days or came from some day job as a mechanic to work nights washing dishes. And almost all of them did it with a smile on their face, even though they were hardly making any dinero.

Sure, maybe there needs to be some sort of reform to our policies. But downright bigotry is not the solution. I’m just glad Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns had the guts to take a stand in a culture that is way too neutered and politically correct. That’s all I’ve got to say on this issue. I’ll stop being political now, well, unless some Mexican takes my future radio and TV gigs.

Thor has numerous advantages in this fight. One being that he is a God. That is helpful. Iron Man can not hope to match the power of the God of Thunder. Thor is stronger, faster, can summon lightning and has a kick-ass mythical hammer. In a head-to-head battle there are few imaginary characters who can stand up against him. He and Iron Man are both Avengers and Thor has always been the heavy hitter within the team. That says something.

The man of iron does have one major edge over Thor though…intellect. Tony Stark is the man and a lot of that stems from his brain. He is able to be so charismatic and cocky because he is self-assured due to his genius. Don’t think that won’t benefit him in a battle. This is a guy who has specialized “Hulkbuster” armor tailored for a potential battle with the Hulk. And since Hulk and Thor are similar in power level (Hulk is strongest one there is but Thor is fairly close), I’d assume he would cook something up to square off with his blonde-haired foe. But would it be enough?…

I’m going to say no. I always call Thor, Superman and Hulk the triangle offense of super heroes because they are the three ridiculously powerful characters who are on an even playing field. Iron Man is a tiny notch below. As much as I love Tony Stark, the son of Odin takes this one.

“Money” showed he has a chin in the second round following perhaps the stiffest shot I’ve seen him take yet. Mosley (who is a naturally bigger and stronger guy than Manny Pacquiao) landed a big right hand that clearly had the undefeated Mayweather shaken. For a second I thought Floyd was going to get knocked down for the first time in his career. After that moment, the fight was over.

Mayweather adjusted, sized Mosley up and proceeded to obliterate him for the next ten rounds. I was literally laughing out loud (or lol’ing) as he put on an absolute clinic. If Shane enjoys getting punched in the face, then he had a terrific Saturday night. I’m not sure he even touched Floyd again the rest of the fight because any time he tried to do anything, a glove landed flush on his chops. It was as pure a display of skills and hand speed as you will see.

Floyd Mayweather proved why he is the best boxer in the world last night. He’ll do it again should he fight Pacquiao. I’m no aficionado but the guy is simply the best I have ever seen.

Orlando over Milwaukee/Atlanta in five: It doesn’t really matter who wins. The Magic are going to smoke them. The Bucks just aren’t that talented and the Hawks haven’t impressed me by struggling with the Bucks. Milwaukee plays hard but without Andrew Bogut they will be in trouble. Atlanta can’t match up with “Foul On You” (Dwight Howard) either. Orlando basically starts four All Stars; don’t be shocked if they win the whole thing.

Cleveland over Bostin in six: The Celtics have looked a lot better recently. Part of that is because they have played better. Part of that is because the Heat suck. Besides, the Cavs already matched up with the C’s in their prime. Expect Anderson Varejao to wreck a ton of havoc against Boston’s front line. And then there is the guy with the elbow problem. He’ll be dominant.

Los Angeles over Utah in six: The Jazz are good. Real good. But their big guys (Milsap and Boozer) are undersized against the length of Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom. The defending champs move on.

San Antonio over Phoenix in seven: I love the fact that Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant and Shaq are all still around and all in pursuit of title number five. I’ll take the Spurs and Duncan to get one round closer. But don’t sleep on the Suns. Maybe this is the year it works out for them. Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Grant Hill are seriously clicking right now. They’re going to need Robin Lopez to come back to make it happen though.

And for the record, Money Mayweather wins the fight by unanimous decision tonight.

I am a fan of many of the things the Dolphins have done recently. I love the fact that their management and coaching staff was creative in tailoring the offense to its personnel. It’s a breath of fresh air in a league full of stubborn and arrogant decision makers. But what their general manager did is one of the most egregiously insulting things I can ever remember. The nerve of that prick. In my opinion, it’s a fireable offense, regardless of his track record on the job.

I don’t care if the organization had questions about Bryant’s mother and her past (she had him at 15 and has admitted to selling drugs to support her kids). Or his past. Or anybody’s past. There are better ways to go about it. Here are some sample questions…

–Dez, your mother spent some time in prison when you were younger. What did you learn from that experience?

–People have questioned whether your past actions would impact your draft status (He got in trouble for failing to disclose to the NCAA the nature of his meetings with Deion Sanders; hardly a red flag for bad behavior.) How do you respond to that?

–When you first heard about the Michael Vick and Ben Roethlisberger situations, what was your reaction?

–How would you punish yourself if you were to get into trouble?

Those are all acceptable. What Jeff Ireland asked was not (under any circumstances). Not only was it inappropriate but it was irrelevant. What would his mother being a prostitute have to do with his ability to play football for your team? And even if she was, who is to say that a prostitute can’t raise good kids? I wonder if he would have asked the same question to a white player.

If Roger Goodell and the NFL are serious about their conduct policy, they need to hold management to the same standard they hold the players. There should be some sort of action taken. Here is my suggestion…

Put Dez Bryant and Jeff Ireland in a room together. Then, tell Dez he has five minutes to do whatever he would like to Ireland without worrying about repercussions. I don’t think Ireland would be too concerned about whether or not Bryant’s mom was turning tricks at that point.

One of these new ideas has been brought to light now as Chernin met with Microsoft executives a couple of weeks ago. The idea? An exclusive Xbox Live TV network.

Bloomberg News reported last week that in his meeting at Microsoft headquarters up in Washington, Chernin had suggested creating an entire TV network centered on the core of Xbox gamers. This 18-34 male demographic focused network would be distributed through Xbox Live. Chernin also discussed that it would likely cost users an extra $1-$2 per month ($12-$24 per year) to keep the station up and running and that he would co-own the rights with Microsoft.

With music, movies, and TV shows already being downloaded en masse by gamers online, an entire channel could be the next likely step in media evolution as we become more and more dependent on our game systems for various forms of content besides games. The big questions that immediately come to mind though are: what actual programming could we see on the channel and would Xbox Live users be willing to pay another $20 a year on top of the $60 they are already dropping on the online service?

In terms of content production, I have faith that Chernin already has several ideas for shows and programming, especially since his sons are writers for such shows as “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”. Not to mention that it would not be hard to get distribution rights for shows like “Pure Pwnage” and that Microsoft already has their own shows like “The Guild” and “Red vs. Blue”. If anything, this would spark an even greater independent creative drive for the system.

The biggest problems would come from the price raise. Personally, raising my Xbox Live bill by 25% would not be something I would be thrilled about, but in the end would be something I end up paying for because the service is just too crucial to me enjoying the system. I know many gamers who would not bend so easily though. A possible solution could be having third party developers help to fit the bill, especially those that rely on online content as much as we rely on playing it. This could have other ramifications though like seeing the rise of software prices so this also seems unlikely.

With Microsoft and Chernin refusing to comment on the meeting at the moment, only time will tell if XBOX-TV will become a reality. Microsoft has always tried to be at the forefront of new and exciting media, but if isn’t cost effective for the consumer, this may be one idea that is never realized.

Ray Carsillo’s Geek Stuff is our source for all things video game and comic book related. Ray is a geek.