Now let the Pinkie get you ready for some hoops action. Uh Yump.

The New York Knicks were supposed to battle the Miami Heat for the Eastern Conference title. Turns out that the Indiana Pacers are the ones who will be facing the Heat. Carmelo Anthony played great in the series, but one person does not a team make. Jason Kidd was M.I.A., J.R. Smith’s highlight was his elbow that got him ejected during the series against Boston, and Amar’e Stoudemire spent more time on the bench than he did on the court.

Roy Hibbert’s block on Carmelo’s dunk attempt in the second half of the game which was sick, but that block was almost a microcosm of the Knicks season. As much as Carmelo accepted the fact that the team was on his shoulders, it was too much for just one player for the whole NBA season. If that dunk connected the Knicks could have swung the momentum in their favor and could have forced a Game 7. Yet the dunk was blocked and with it was the Knicks season.

After the game a dejected Anthony said, “It’s tough. We all know what was the goal that we had set. Everybody wants to go to the championship, win a championship. That’s the ultimate goal.”

The Knicks had a 92-90 lead when Anthony leaped for the baseline dunk. Hibbert’s block stopped the Knicks run.

On the block Carmelo said, “It was a helluva block. It kind of shifted the momentum a little bit at that point.”

Hibbert said, “That’s why they pay me the big bucks.”

Now the Knicks will pack up shop until next season, which starts to pose many questions about the Knicks future. Will the old veterans like Stoudemire and Kidd be back? What will happen to J.R. Smith? Can the Knicks add some force in the middle by getting a powerful center in the offseason?

The Knicks were a win now type of team, but they didn’t win so now it is back to the drawing board. Plus the Heat, Bulls, and Pacers will still be teams to be reckoned. New York will need to fix a lot of issues that these playoffs put on display if they are looking to be a contender in the East.

Iman Shumpert, who scored 19 points and helped start a third-quarter comeback for the Knicks looks to have a bright future in the NBA and hopefully for the Knicks they will keep him on the roster. The Knicks are in serious need of a makeover and will need younger and fresher legs to keep up with the top teams in the NBA.

Still I am not saying it was all about the Knicks. The Pacers did a great job of neutralizing the Knicks offense and out played them on the boards. The experts pick the Heat to win the Eastern Conference Finals in five, but I think the Pacers are healthy and did win the regular season series 2-1.

“We’re not satisfied with where we’re at,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. “We feel like there’s no ceiling on this team this year.”

I am curious to see if the Pacers can use the same recipe for success as they did in the regular season. The experts are upset that it won’t be a New York Miami matchup, but if anyone was watching these playoffs it is clear that the best two teams made it to the Eastern Conference.

Browsing through the web, I came across this article from Athlon Sports about ranking the best college hoops recruiting classes since the year 2000. Since John Calipari’s arrival at Kentucky, I was sure he and the Wildcats would be on the list a few times. Jim Boheim (Syracuse), and  Jim Calhoun (UConn) have three appearances each. Bill Self (Illinois/Kansas) and John Calipari (Kentucky) each have 3 appearances, with a 4th pending a performance review:

Here are the comments made about each class and their ranking:

Calipari #1 2011 Kentucky
The class: Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marquis Teague, Kyle Wiltjer
John Calipari’s best recruiting class produced a dominant regular season team (38-2, 16-0 SEC), the national champion and the top two players in the NBA Draft. Anthony Davis joined Kansas’ Danny Manning and UCLA’s Lew Alcindor as the only players to win the the Naismith Award, to win Final Four Most Outstanding honors and to go first the NBA Draft. Kidd-Gilchrist was a second-team All-American and the second overall pick while the point guard Teague was the No. 29 pick in 2012.

Boeheim #3 2002 Syracuse
The class: Carmelo Anthony, Billy Edelin, Matt Gorman, Gerry McNamara
Before one-and-done players were commonplace, Anthony had one of the best freshman seasons in college basketball history, leading Syracuse to the national title in 2003. After averaging a double-double and earning NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors, Anthony went on to be the third overall pick in the NBA Draft after LeBron James and Darko Milicic. McNamara stayed all four years to become a beloved player for Syracuse, vociferously defended by Jim Boeheim in a famous tirade.

Self #5 2006 Kansas
The class: Mario Chalmers, Micah Downs, Brandon Rush, Julian Wright
Rush and Chalmers were the keys to Kansas’ first national title in 20 years when the Jayhawks won the 2008 championship. Chalmers hit the game-tying three-pointer to send the title game against Memphis to overtime before winning NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors. Rush was a three-time All-Big 12 selection. A year earlier, Wright, Chalmers and Rush won 33 games en route to the Elite Eight. Downs played one season at Kansas before finishing his career at Gonzaga.

Calhoun #6 2001 Connecticut
The class: Ben Gordon, Emeka Okafor
Gordon and Okafor led Connecticut to a national title as juniors in 2004 to cap a 33-6 season. A shot-blocker extraordinaire, Okafor was a consensus All-American and the second pick in the NBA Draft after Dwight Howard. Gordon followed his teammate as the third overall pick.

Self #7 2002 Illinois
The class: James Augustine, Dee Brown, Aaron Spears, Deron Williams
A class recruited by Bill Self enjoyed most of its success under Bruce Weber. Brown and Williams led Illinois to a 37-2 season in 2004-05, reaching the national final that year. The Illini, though, lost to the North Carolina team led by May, McCants and Felton. Brown was a consensus first-team All-American in 2005 while Williams was a second-teamer that year. Williams left for the draft where he was selected third overall, but Brown stayed for his senior season to become a second-team All-American.

Calipari #12 2009 Kentucky
The class: Eric Bledsoe, DeMarcus Cousins, Daniel Orton, John Wall
Calipari’s first class at Kentucky would be outdone by later classes both in the NCAA Tournament and in the NBA Draft, but this was a dominant class nonetheless. This class went 35-3 overall and 14-2 in the SEC before falling in the Elite Eight to West Virginia. All four were first round picks — Wall at No. 1 overall, Cousins at No. 5, Bledsoe at No. 18 and Orton at No. 29.

Calhoun #16 2003 Connecticut
The class: Josh Boone, Charlie Villanueva, Marcus Williams
The class produced three first-round draft picks, but the core of teams that were bounced in the second round in 2005 and by George Mason in 2006. All were role players for the 2004 title team.

Calipari #17 2010 Kentucky
The class: Terrence Jones, Enes Kanter, Brandon Knight, Doron Lamb
This haul lacked the oomph of the class that preceded it (led by Wall) and the class that came after (led by Davis), but formed the nucleus of a Final Four team even without the ineligible Kanter.

Boeheim #19 2010 Syracuse
The class: C.J. Fair, Baye Keita, Fab Melo, Dion Waiters
Waiters (fifth overall) and Melo (22nd) were first-round picks. Fair and Keita played in the Final Four.

Boeheim #20 2007 Syracuse
The class: Jonny Flynn, Donte Green, Rick Jackson, Scoop Jardine
The class produced first-round draft picks (Flynn and Green), regular season success … but unfulfilled promise in the NCAA Tournament.

Calhoun #22 2006 Connecticut
The class: Jerome Dyson, Curtis Kelly, Stanley Robinson, Hasheem Thabeet
Led by 2009 Big East Player of the year Thabeet, this class produced three starters on the Huskies’ Final Four team in 2009

Self #23 2008 Kansas
The class: Marcus Morris, Markieff Morris, Travis Releford, Tyshawn Taylor
Marcus Morris was a 2011 Big 12 Player of the Year, Markieff was selected one spot ahed of his brother at No. 13.

Calipari #25 (or better) 2013 Kentucky
The class: Aaron Harrison, Andrew Harrison, Dominique Hawkins, Dakari Johnson, Marcus Lee, Julius Randle, Derek Willis, James Young
Calipari may have outdone himself by landing six of the nation’s top 15 prospects.

Self #25 (or better) 2013 Kansas

The class: Joel Embiid, Conner Frankamp, Brannen Greene, Frank Mason, Wayne Selden, Andrew Wiggins

Becks recently announced his retirement from the soccer world, and at 38, it was certainly time. He began professional football at the age of 17 when he made his debut for Manchester United in 1992 in a League Cup match. He played on 6 Premier League champion teams and helped lead the Red Devils to a Champions League title in 1999. That same year he won the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year. He has also won domestic titles at Real Madrid in La Liga, MLS titles for LA Galaxy, and even finished his career raising a cup for France’s PSG in Ligue 1. David Beckman is a decorated mid-fielder who played at the top level of soccer domestically and on the international level for over two decades. These accomplishments are remarkable yet this alone would not make him the most important player during his time, much less ever.

Yet, David Beckham more importantly became a brand off the field. He has become a fashion icon, a Pepsi pusher, and a fragrance in himself!

His marriage to Victoria Adams, aka Posh Spice, was another boom to his career and marketability. The couple has been found on magazine covers since their union in 1999 and has helped the soccer player amass a fortune of nearly $300 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Why does his off the field activity make him so important? His on field play would have been enough to make him known in soccer circles and soccer homes. Yet, his looks and ability to capitalize on it have made him a household name across the world. People who have never watched a match, or quite possibly a sporting event know who David Beckham is. His impact financially for clubs has been apparent as clubs have paid just for him to wear their uniform in his later years, as evident with his stints at Milan and Paris Saint-Germain. Though serviceable as a mid-fielder, it was well known that his appearances would draw fans and sell merchandise. Sometimes you hear that a person’s contributions are immeasurable, but Beckham’s actually are measurable.

Soccer in the United States has been a holy grail, in the fact that it’s popularity has always seemed to escape the mainstream but the sport has continued to seek it out. There have been soccer legends like Pele who have captured the public’s attention but that soon waned after the initial novelty wore off. Beckham’s introduction to the MLS in 2006 with LA Galaxy is quite possibly the most important act for the sport in America. There had been serviceable players in the league that enjoyed notoriety but never a culture icon. His arrival marked a change on the landscape of the American sports world. Richard Luker, a social scientist, marks that professional soccer is the 2nd most popular sport in America behind only Professional Football in 12-24 yr olds.

Beckham’s impact can also be seen in the MLS with the number of teams, salaries, and attendance all increasing dramatically since his arrival. More shocking is the creation of stadiums in the league from 2 to 13 since 2006. Much like the Yankees existed before Ruth and Yankee Stadium was the “House that Ruth Built”, can the MLS and it’s growth be known as the “League that Beckham Built”?

The overall and lasting impact of David Beckham’s career in America will not be known for years to come but the growth of the MLS and ESPN’s continued involvement in soccer programming point to soccer finally having a foothold in America. He has possibly done what others before could not do…make soccer a prominent sport in the world’s most coveted market.

There have been many instances where Phil Jackson was asked who he thought was better, Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant. Since Jackson coached both superstars he would know better than others who try and weigh in on this issue. When he coached MJ they won six NBA titles together and just one less when Phil was in L.A. with Kobe.

Countless times he was asked and as per usual Phil would give a noncommittal answer. It was almost as if the media was waiting for Jackson’s true answer like a woman waiting for her boyfriend to propose. Well Jackson finally popped the question…. er I mean answered the question in his new book called “Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success.”

Overall Jackson believes that Jordan is better than Kobe. In his book he says that Jordan was a better leader than Bryant.

In his book Phil writes, “One of the biggest differences between the two stars from my perspective was Michael’s superior skills as a leader. Though at times he could be hard on his teammates, Michael was masterful at controlling the emotional climate of the team with the power of his presence.  Kobe had a long way to go before he could make that claim. He talked a good game, but he’d yet to experience the cold truth of leadership in his bones, as Michael had in his bones.”

Okay so Jordan one Kobe zero. One the defensive side again votes in the direction of MJ. Jackson in his book says, “No question, Michael was a tougher, more intimidating defender. He could break through virtually any screen and shut down almost any player with his intense, laser-focused style of defense. In general, Kobe tends to rely more heavily on his flexibility and craftiness, but he takes a lot of gambles on defense and sometimes pays the price.”

Jordan two, Kobe zero. Switching to the offensive side of things Jackson again prefers Jordan’s overall offensive production. Jackson compares them as he writes, “Jordan was also more naturally inclined to let the game come to him and not overplay his hand, whereas Kobe tends to force the action, especially when the game isn’t going his way. When his shot is off, Kobe will pound away relentlessly until his luck turns. Michael, on the other hand, would shift his attention to defense or passing or setting screens to help the team win the game.”

Jordan three, Kobe zero. Even though Bryant did try to follow in Jordan’s footsteps with the he played on the court and even the way he spoke to the media. The two were different in how they interacted with their teammates.

Phil says, “Michael was more charismatic and gregarious than Kobe. He loved hanging out with his teammates and security guards, playing cards, smoking cigars, and joking around. Kobe is different. He was reserved as a teenager, in part because he was younger than the other players and hadn’t developed strong social skills in college. When Kobe first joined the Lakers, he avoided fraternizing with his teammates. But his inclination to keep to himself shifted as he grew older. Increasingly, Kobe put more energy into getting to know the other players, especially when the team was on the road.”

I wonder what will be going in Kobe’s mind as he reads Phil’s book. These words from Jackson might just fuel Bryant even more while he is trying to rehab from when he tore his Achilles tendon. Not that Bryant needs anymore motivation, but Jackson’s words could be “bulletin board” material in Bryant’s house.

With that being said I totally agree with Phil. Each generation believes the players they watched were the greatest of all time. I grew up watching MJ and to this day I think Jordan is hands down the best basketball player in the history of the NBA.

What say you? Who is better MJ or Kobe?

You can follow J.J. on Twitter at @TrifectaBox, and I highly recommend that you do so. She knows how to pick ‘em. On our weekly radio show, the Sunday before the Derby, before he had even been entered into the field, she told us to be aware of Golden Soul. We all know the rest of the story. He finished in second and paid a ton.

Everyone who listened to our show cashed out, except for me of course. I figured out every way to be as close as possible without winning.

The first obvious question when it comes to the Preakness is Orb. We all know how excited Shug McGaughey is about the way he has been running in Pimlico, and McGaughey is not one to boast without reason for boasting.

But, should we be concerned about Orb starting on the rail. J.J. doesn’t think so.

“I’m not too worried about the one (gate) for Orb,” said Hysell. “The rail isn’t as devastating in the Preakness as it is the Derby. They might try to pin him in, but they tried that at Gulfstream and he still won. It would be a big concern if it was a shorter race, say a mile. These longer races, horses have plenty of time to catch up.”

When talking about horses that could challenge Orb, J.J. quickly points to Departing and Will Take Charge, simply because she likes their gallops in workouts.

I think you also need to take a look at ItsMyLuckyDay.

Goldencents had a rough ride in the Derby and J.J. doesn’t expect him to rebound at Pimlico.

“I don’t know what to make of Goldencents,” said Hysell. “It might have been the track at the Derby. It might have also been a referendum on the quality of California horses this year. He could rebound here, but so far his gallops here were just okay. He definitely will benefit from the smaller field, but the distance will be tough.”

So to answer the question, will anyone challenge Orb? It is possible, but the odds-on favorite will likely cross the finish line first and then challenge for the Triple Crown three weeks later.

Now the question is how can you win money on this race?

If you’re betting Orb, you are going to have to put some long shots in your exactas and your trifectas. Box Orb and either Will Take Charge or Departing as win and place in your tri and then pick four or five other horses to show. That bet will only cost around $10 and could pay decent cash.

The Derby was the race to win some big time cash and I missed my opportunity. Now we try to make up for lost time in a race where it will be much tougher to win cash.

Because of that, I say Go Orb! Let’s get that Triple Crown.

Jenna Fischer, UH YUMP!!

On Wednesday, NBA owners voted unanimously to reject the Kings’ proposal to move to Seattle. At the start of the second quarter of last night’s Grizzlies/Thunder game, commissioner David Stern spoke about the news and then addressed the possibilities of Seattle still getting a team.

He first spoke about what the Kings need to do to stay in Sacramento long term, “The next 24 to 48 hours there will be some negotiations, but obviously a building has to be built.”

On Seattle’s effort, “It was a very strong effort, with a strong group and a lot of work. Unfortunately, there can only be one winner. But, I think there’s a dialogue that we would like to continue to have with the city of Seattle, with the goal of eventually returning a team to Seattle.”

In the beginning, many NBA2Lou fans were upset about the Kings plans to relocate to Seattle. But, now with Seattle’s strong work and loss of the Kings, the commish is eyeing expansion, something I did not think would happen this soon, if at all.

If the NBA does decide to expand to include Seattle, the city of Louisville better be ready. The addition of Seattle would mean 31 teams and you can bet that Stern would look for a team to join the league with them so there will be an even 32.

Louisville has to be ready to step up to the plate if this opportunity comes to fruition. Mayor Greg Fischer met with Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson over a year ago. It would do him a ton of good to speak with him again after it appears that Johnson has saved the NBA in Sacramento.

As I write this I watch the Thunder and the Grizzlies play. A Grizzlies team that briefly flirted with moving to Louisville and a Thunder team that has revitalized downtown Oklahoma City and put that city on the national map.

The time could be now for Louisville to live up to the billing of Possibility City.

If you haven’t checked Sheena’s feature on StraitPinkie.com, you need to do so by clicking here.

Now to some linkage.

Tiger and Lindsey Vonn discussing marriage? (Image CPR)

Owners reject Kings proposal to move to Seattle (Rumors and Rants)

Dirk wants Chris Paul or Dwight Howard in Dallas (Sports Kings)

Andrew Wiggins did not like Harrisons’ diss video on Vine (College Spun)

MLB’s 25 best players under the age of 25 (Athlon Sports)

Best and Worst of Monday Night Raw (With Leather)

Grading College Football’s 2013 new uniforms (Lost Letterman)

Is it time for pitchers to wear helmets (Midwest Sports Fans)

Hulk Hogan needed wheelchair at Vegas Airport (Busted Coverage)

Some yump action….

Miranda Kerr promotes makeup in a bikini (Moe Jackson)

Nikki Leigh’s bikini pics are amazing (Hollywood Tuna)

Carrie Underwood sizzles in Marie Claire (Popoholic)

John Calipari held a press conference this morning to discuss next season, and a little about Andrew Wiggins. He began the presser with this quote “What we’re about to undertake has never been done before.” No other team in the past has had this many freshmen that are expected to lead a program to a national championship. These freshmen are better than your average incoming college student. You already know their high rankings, all-american honors, state championships, and most valuable player performances. If you don’t, just take in a few YouTube highlight videos and you’ll get the gist of what we’re dealing with here. Even though they are only 18-19 years old, they are expected to come into college right away and mold into a super power. No pressure, right?

Starting Monday, Calipari and his staff will be going on a 2-day retreat to figure out how these kids need to be coached. All the talent in the world is at their fingertips, they just need to decide how to utilize all that talent and mold these raw athletes into the best team in the country. After all, they are already expected to be the #1 team in the nation because of their high expectations coming out of high school. Calipari notes that this team will have “alpha-males” that last year’s team didn’t have. Julius Randle was mentioned as one of thouese “alpha-male” players. Calipari called Randle an alpha-beast who will drive the team. Last season, nobody wanted to be “the” guy. Nobody wanted to take the big shot, who was going to step up? After Noel went down, the confidence of that team was so crushed. The leadership and swagger was gone in one bend of a knee. Calipari also notes that their may be 2 of these alpha-male players, not as many as people think.

Calipari had some serious high praise for Willie Cauley-Stein, saying he could be one of the best players he has ever coached. WCS is such a raw talent, and he needed another year. I’m personally glad to have him back in blue, and I’m excited to see how much better he will be. As for Kyle Wiltjer, Calipari just said “body needs to change”. The lack of strength is a huge void in his game, and causes him to be a liability despite his lethal outside shot. Calipari says Aaron Harrison should be, and will be demanded to be a lock-down defender. With both Harrison’s expected to start, coach hinted at the fact you may see much more dribble-drive motion out of this team. Calipari also made note that Jon Hood, Jarrod Polson, Willie Cauley-Stein, Alex Poythress, and Kyle Wiltjer are all on scholarship for next season.

When it came to Dominique Hawkins, Calipari noted his intangibles and his mental toughness. After last season, Calipari felt like he definitely needed one more mentally tough point guard. Hawkins more than fills that role for next year’s team. As for James Young, Calipari says Young can “flat out shoot it”. Young is a silky smooth lefty that has a deep outside shot and doesn’t mind attacking the rim as well. Marcus Lee? A pogo stick. He can get up, and make plays high above the rim.

When it comes to his comments about this team as a whole, he wants them to think about doing something nobody has ever done before. He wants them to think perfection, high expectations, and a national title. Calipari says he’s had a “gun to his head” for 20 years, and that’s when he is at his best. This team needs to take on this mentality, and sacrifice. More than any other team, coach says he will talk with this team about sacrificing. In conclusion, he had some parting words about Andrew Wiggins. Calipari said he was as confident about receiving his commitment before and after he committed elsewhere. In other words, he already has an amazing class. He would have loved to coach Wiggins, but he knows what kind of players he has already. Calipari noted Wiggins was a great kid, and he’ll be a terrific basketball player.