Halftime Hype

Will the United States leave the World Cup with their heads held high? Not necessarily, but there are numerous reasons why they should. When the United States initially arrived in South Africa, the experts predicted the Americans to reach the Round of 16, but not surpass it. When they stepped off the pitch after their game versus Algeria, the pundits were scrambling to revise their predictions. However, with a 2-1 loss to Ghana's "Black Stars," the Stars and Stripes will have to wait another four years to defend the legitimacy of U.S. Soccer.

When asked if the tournament was a success, U.S. Coach Bob Bradley said, “I think the first thoughts for all of us are simple. We felt that in the first round we showed a lot of good qualities, you get through the first round and give yourself a chance now to go far. We felt that we had that ability and we’re disappointed that we didn’t get past this game and continue to test ourselves.”

Immediately after the game, there were plenty of "what if'" scenarios. What if Bob Bradley had chosen the same starting lineup that he used against Algeria? You know, the only one that didn't concede an early goal in the World Cup. What if U.S. striker, Charlie Davies, who was injured in a devastating car accident last year, was healthy and available for the World Cup? He has certainly been a savvy goal-scorer for U.S.A..

What if Robbie Findley had sent the ball through the net instead of shooting right at the keeper during his dangerous one-on-one sequence? Simply put, the U.S. advances. What if Oguchi Onyewu, who suffered a patellar tendon rupture after a World Cup qualifier last year, was 100% and able to play in the game versus Ghana? His height and big frame are always an asset. What if Jozy Altidore was not substituted after 90 minutes? After all, he had created some dangerous plays.

What if the United States had won? Then it would have made the quarterfinals and played Uruguay, probably the most favorable quarterfinal match-up one could ask for. Soccer fever in the U.S. would have been even higher than it already was during the group stages. The United States could have gone farther than England!



After awhile though, one realizes that the "what ifs" are an exercise in futility. The team's journey leaves as much disappointment behind as it does excitement. Some said this was the best U.S. team ever. However, in the next four years, new players may emerge for U.S.A. and the squad's young players will gain more experience and confidence.

At the end of the day, one has to thank U.S.A. for the memories. Fans won't forget Day 1, when the United States showed it's ready to play with a 1-1 draw against the country who created the sport, England. Nor will they forget the sheer joy of rallying down from 2-0 at halftime to finish with a tie, an incredibly historic feat. Nothing will replace Landon Donovan's "magic moment," which likely added millions to the U.S. bandwagon. The words of commentator Ian Darke will always ring in fans' ears: "Donovan has scored! Can you believe this?!...You could not write a script like this!" The reactions to Donovan's goal in the 91st minute were truly memorable.

Whether Bob Bradley will be involved in the United States' future is questionable, but it seems like he grasps the reality of it all. “We always understand the responsibility we have as a national team to show how far the game has come in the United States, to fight for respect. We certainly felt that we moved things along with our performance in the Confederations Cup. As we went through the first round, we felt that we were continuing to go in that direction. But it comes down to every match now that gets tested over again, for tonight all we can do is look hard at ourselves and continue to try to move the game forward.”

Although the U.S. concluded its run in the Round of 16, the team's lasting impact is as though the Americans finished first. Whereas the Yanks had been the butt of jokes when it came to soccer, they proved to be more than mediocre. Additionally, millions of Americans have recently come to enjoy the game of soccer and support the United States, notably Bill Clinton. If people had disregarded the United States' bid for a World Cup in 2018 or 2022 before, now it is at least a reasonable possibility. U.S. Soccer still has a long way to go before it becomes a powerhouse, but it is definitely a team to be reckoned with. Thank you, United States.

With the Lakers winning their sixteenth championship, holding a massive parade, and questions over Phil Jackson's future, it's easy to forget about L.A.'s "other" team. The Los Angeles Clippers have seemingly always operated in the shadow of the Lake Show ever since the team moved to Los Angeles in 1984. However, there is reason to believe that (relatively) happy times are just around the corner - which made me wonder what the happiest Clippers fan was thinking. Of course, I am referring to Clipper Darrell.

As predicted at Halftime Hype, the Lakers won in 7.

After all the hype, one of the most-storied series in NBA history, an epic duel between a mix of star-studded individuals known as the Los Angeles Lakers against a seasoned and unified cast referred to as the Boston Celtics, finally concluded. When the smoke cleared and the confetti dropped, it was official: the 2010 championship caps and t-shirts were being handed to the Lakers. Kobe Bryant had "one more than Shaq." Ron Artest somewhat successfully filled Ariza's void. Derek Fisher may be aging by the minute, but he proved that his leadership continues to make a dramatic impact. Lamar Odom, whose versatility is the basketball equivalent to a Swiss Army knife, didn't let a marriage to a reality TV star get in the way of on-court ambitions. Pau Gasol was anything but a "softy." However, this championship was special equally as much for its statistics (#16, Kobe's fifth, etc.) as for its journey.

I remember attending a Lakers game the year right after Shaq had been traded. It was April 17, 2005, the last home game for the Lakers. The Mavericks were in town to play Kobe & Co., who didn't make the playoffs for the first time since the 1993-94 season. The Lakers were down by quite a bit, rallied, but still ended up losing by two, 114-112. It was after that game, and several times throughout the course of that season that I wondered what Charlotte Bobcats fans have been pondering for years, "Why should I continue supporting this team?" There was no particular indication that things would get better. Phil Jackson was on hiatus, calling Kobe "uncoachable" in a book he published about the '04 season, The Last Season. With Rudy Tomjanovich's resignation and assistant Frank Hamblen's miserable tenure as interim head coach, things couldn't have gone worse. But unlike Charlotte Bobcats fans, I had an answer to my question: These are the Los Angeles Lakers. They are practically the identity of the NBA. Kobe Bryant, one of the most talented basketball players ever, is on our team. A super-rich owner is pulling the strings. The legacy and significance of this team is just too great. Things will turn around."

And they did. Nevertheless, it's almost funny to think about how things, indeed, could have gone much worse. The organization was on the verge of collapse when Kobe demanded "bring new players in, or I'm out." During his rampage, he also declared that he was open to the idea of playing on Pluto, which would subsequently lose its status as a planet. With tensions flaring, it would have been so easy for General Manager Mitch Kuptchak to abide by Kobe's demands and indeed "ship Bynum's a-- out" or outright trade Kobe. At the time, Kuptchak was one of the most despised - and misunderstood - men in Los Angeles. In fact, at a season-ticket holder event, one fan asked the GM to resign. I don't know how he kept going, but he did - and God bless him for it.

Mitch Kuptchak slowly and secretly repaired the roster. Phil Jackson was back on the sidelines. Kwame Brown and Smush Parker were gone. Derek Fisher was back. Trevor Ariza was acquired. Andrew Bynum developed - making Kuptchak look like a genius for drafting him. Kobe eventually won an MVP award. The Lakers would advance to the NBA Finals, and #24 found yet another source of motivation: Shaq's amateur rap taunting the Black Mamba ("Kobe, tell me how my a-- taste"). Two Lakers championships and a couple NBA Finals MVP trophies later, the stakes have reversed. Two years it ago, as Kobe has admitted, Boston was clearly the better team. This year, as the record shows, the Lakers held the upper hand.



Although the end result of this season and last season were the same, the unique paths to the title were quite different. In '09, the Lakers actually seemed to care about the regular season. This year the Lakers played like high school seniors: as long as your results/grades aren't too poor, you could still get to your destination (the college you want to go to, in the case of a high school senior; the NBA Finals in the case of the Lakers). Last year, the Lakers were also under more pressure to win a ring. Frustration was mounting and Kobe could not let another year go by without adding jewelry; that ring belonged to the Lakers. This season, it was "been there, done that. Don't stress about this loss; focus on the title." Still, in both circumstances the Lake Show finished as the best in the West.

Despite winning a championship in '09 and '10, the two Finals' series differed immensely. The Orlando Magic didn't pose a threat at all to the Los Angeles Lakers. All-Star and starting point guard Jameer Nelson was injured for part of the series and Dwight Howard just couldn't do it all by himself. All the talk of Kobe not being able to win without Shaq was all gone. After seven long years, L.A. could finally raise another banner. On the other hand, this year was all about defending the title and proving that the previous championship wasn't a fluke. There were whispers about how far Boston could have gone if Garnett wasn't sidelined for part of the playoffs. Kobe and the Lakers proved they would have none of it, though. They sealed the deal by earning another ring after Game 7. Now, Kobe has surpassed the man who, to him, was nothing but a Big Bully.

The main difference, however, was Ron Artest. Plenty of folks doubted how effective he could be when he first came to Los Angeles. Even Kobe wasn't sure if Ron could replace Trevor's role. Regardless, word on the street was that Phil Jackson had lobbied for the acquisition. In hindsight, Ron didn't have a particularly memorable season. He was lost on the offensive end and had a big defensive game seemingly once every blue moon (do people still use that expression?). He was an "enigma" as Andy Garcia narrated in the documentary of the Lakers 2009-2010 season, The Association.



There was no question about his desire to win, though. During the ring ceremony at the season opener, Artest stayed in the locker room, "sick to his stomach", according to his agent. As written in Lee Jenkins' article for Sports Illustrated, "It's not that he didn't want to see the rings (he downloaded photos of them onto his phone)...It's that he didn't feel he deserved the privilege. Even in the days leading up to the Finals, when ABC asked the players to pose with the Larry O'Brien Trophy, Artest refused to touch it." What's more, Artest, in a way, had predicted this championship long ago. After the Lakers lost to the Celtics two years ago, Ron met up with Kobe in the locker room - or more specifically, when Kobe was in the midst of a shower - and ensured that #24 wouldn't be let down again. Ron would come to the rescue. Indeed, he did. He stepped up in the playoffs, forced Durant and Paul Pierce into tough shots, and even had some notable offensive games of his own (Game 3 against Utah; Games 1 & 6 vs. Phoenix; Games, 1, 6, and 7 in the NBA Finals). Without him, who knows how Game 7 would have ended.

At the end of the day, the Lakers have won their sixteenth championship and fifth in the last ten years. Everybody made key contributions. Whether it was the dominant post presence of Pau & Bynum or the leadership and clutch shots by Fisher, Kobe's brilliance or Artest's stellar defense, General Manager Mitch Kuptchak's organization of the roster or Dr. Jerry Buss' willingness to open his check book, Phil Jackson's genius or Lamar Odom's acceptance of coming off the bench, there were many pieces to the puzzle. The quest to defend the title was a formidable trek and, as history will forever show, the Lakers were successful.

After months upon months of preparation, plenty of playoff games of enhancement, alas all the blood, sweat, and tears will be defined by a single game. The greatest rivalry in the NBA will conclude another chapter in its storied history in a mere 48 minutes of play. After four quarters, "there can only be one." Whoever wins tomorrow at Staples Center in Los Angeles is the 2010 NBA champion, simple as that.

What a great time to be a sports fan. The NBA Finals, now tied at 2-2, feature the greatest rivalry in the league. Simultaneously, the FIFA World Cup, arguably the largest sports stage in the world, is underway in historically significant South Africa. Among the more hyped match-ups is Team USA vs. England. From one perspective, there are plenty of differences between the Lakers facing off against the Celtics and the Yanks vs. the Brits. However, from another point of view, there are certain similarities.

First of all, there is a historical significance to each rivalry. With the United States and England, obviously you have the colonial period and the revolt from British rule. In that sense, USA vs. England is a clash between enemies. On the other hand, in modern times, the United States and England have been allies. Look no further than World War II, when Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Winston Churchill united to defeat the Nazis. In a way, it's kind of like competing against your best friend; it's a great feeling to hold the upper hand against a buddy, not to mention bragging rights.

With Boston and Los Angeles, the history lies in the actual competition between the teams. Jerry West once said that the Celtics-Lakers rivalry really wasn't a rivalry until the 80's, because the Lakers lost the first 7 match-ups between the two teams. Ironically, the Finals match-up in 2008 is what makes 2010 better; the rivalry now has a modern touch. In '08, fans and the media had to rewind two decades to justify the hype. Now, you just have to scroll back a couple years. In the words of Eminem, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers "chewed up and spit out and booed off stage"; the Lake Show had some ugly episodes.

In my opinion, Landon Donovan of Team USA also identifies with the Celtics' Rajon Rondo. Both are rising stars that have recently earned a lot of attention. Ever since Landon Donovan went on loan to Everton in the past year, he has caught the eyes of soccer pundits around the world. Similarly, in the last season and throughout the playoffs, Rondo has proven to be Boston's best player, when only a couple of years ago he was arguably the worst player in the starting lineup. In terms of skill, both are also exceptionally skilled at creating scoring opportunities for their teammates, as well as for themselves.

By the same token, I would compare England's Wayne Rooney to the Lakers' Kobe Bryant. Both are leaders and arguably the best players on their respective teams. If their teams aren't successful, as in they don't meet expectations, they will suffer the most. They are also both talented scorers, and though they have a vast repertoire, scoring is what they're renowned for.

Overall, England vs. USA and the Celtics vs. the Lakers are two very unique and historic match-ups that share some - not many, but some - similarities. Oh, and Game 5 of the NBA Finals and England vs. USA are both in the same weekend! What a great time to be a sports fan.