Moylan's meltdown

The Atlanta Braves, sparked offensively by former Pirate Nate McLouth (3-5 with a HR), took a 6-3 lead into the 7th inning against Pittsburgh. Then came Peter Moylan and his 5.40 ERA. The Braves reliever gave up 4 hits and allowed 3 earned runs in a very poor performance out of the bullpen. Atlanta had a firm grasp on this game, until Moylan was allowed to put his Australian fingerprints on the baseball. The Braves led 5-1 after 5 innings. Kenshin Kawakami gave up 2 runs in the 6th, but Moylan's 7th inning meltdown cost him a chance to win his 4th game of the season. This one is headed for extra innings, as Chipper Jones just missed a walk off homerun. Rafael Soriano is on the mound for Atlanta.

Blue Jays and Braves Game 2

After a thrilling one to nothing victory on Friday, the Atlanta Braves hope to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays tonight. Derek Lowe is on the mound for Atlanta. Chipper Jones (toe) and Yunel Escobar (hip flexor) are not in the Braves lineup. So far, the game is scoreless in the second inning. A one out single by Lind brings Scott Rolen to the plate. But, a double play ball retires the side.

Prado, Francouer, and recent call up Diory Hernandez will bat for Atlanta in the second. I'll be following the action. Look for some updates in the comments section. (As I type this, Prado grounds out. Francouer singles to center. 1 on with 1 out for Hernandez, who hit .355 for the Gwinett Braves. A 5-4-3 double play off the bat of Hernandez ends the inning).

Magic Vs Cavs

Last night, LeBron James saved his Cavaliers from an 0-2 deficit in the eastern conference finals. With 1 little second left and the Cavs down 2, James hit a legendary 3 point shot to give his team the victory. So, the series is tied at one win apiece. Orlando needs to shake off this loss. There's no reason to let this setback deflate their spirit. By winning game 1, the Magic put all of the pressure on Cleveland.

On Sunday, this best of 7 series shifts to central Florida, where the Magic can recapture control of this battle. But, in order for that to happen, Dwight Howard needs to get his hands on the ball. The 6-10 center from Atlanta is unstoppable in the post. Cleveland may have LeBron James, but they don't have an answer for Howard. Give him the ball! In game 2, Dwight scored a scrawny 10 points, but accounted for 18 rebounds. He touched the rock once in the 4th quarter. That is unacceptable. The Magic must put their fate in the hands of their best player. Ilgauskas can't defend him. Neither can Varejao or Ben Wallace. Orlando can win this series, if their offense flows through Dwight Howard.

Braves Vs Blue Jays

Kenshin Kawakami faces Roy Halladay. Toronto was sent down in order in the 1st. Garrett Anderson just struck out, as Atlanta has a man on 1B, with Brian McCann at the plate. 0-2 to McCann. Just missed a double down the left field line. The Braves aren't just struggling on the field (20-20), their attendance has been dismal this season. Can't help but notice a LOT of blue seats in the outfield. 1-2 on McCann, as he fouls off a pitch from Halladay. Single by McCann puts runners on 1st and 3rd with 2 outs. Rios almost made a great diving catch. Kelly Johnson strikes out to end the inning. If this game gets interesting, I'll post some updates in the comments section.

Chipper Jones is day to day with a toe injury. I'll also be keeping an eye on game 2 of Orlando vs Cleveland in the NBA playoffs. Speaking of that, I've gotta change channels while Toronto bats. Vernon Wells just grounded out. Hope Kawakami keeps up the good work. Go Braves!

Lillian Grace

Sometimes, sports need to take a backseat to reality. It's easy to get consumed by wins and losses, but what really matters in life? My brother James and his wife just welcomed their second daughter into this world. A father couldn't ask for a more perfect blessing, than the 5 pound angel James proudly holds in his arms. Welcome to Sandersville, Lillian Grace. Your dad is a great man, but his choice in college football is suspect. Whenever he says, "Go Jackets," counter with a Goooo Dawgs, sic 'em!! Life is much better as a Bulldogs fan. Trust me on this one. Uncle Bud raised me right.

Magic Vs Cavs

Can Orlando stop LeBron James? Only if they injure him. But that doesn't mean the Magic can't compete with Cleveland. LeBron James is the best player in the league, but Dwight Howard can be one of the most dominant forces in basketball, on any given night. What Orlando must do, is shut down LeBron's sidekicks. Point guard Mo Williams (17.8 PPG) and shooting guard Delonte West (11.7 PPG) are two of the most underrated players in the NBA. Either of these guys can and will score at ease, when defenses collapse around James. That puts a tremendous burden on Orlando's backcourt. If the Magic hope to defeat the Cavs, it must be done with defense, especially from their guards.
In the frontcourt, Dwight Howard is going to be a factor. A 6'10 X factor. Although big Z is 7 feet 3inches tall, he lacks enough athleticism to contain the 23 year old All Star from Atlanta. Ilgauskas will constantly be in foul trouble throughout this best of 7 series. So will Varejao and any other Cav attempting to defend Dwight Howard.
As far as forwards go, that brings us back to LeBron. His uncomparable talent gives Cleveland a huge advantage in this series. James is very Jordan-esque, because of his willingness and ability to make his teammates better. The 6'8 forward averaged 7.2 assists per game during the regular season.
How can Orlando stop the Cavs? They must contain Delonte West, Mo Williams, and Wally Szczerbiak. Every shot these players take must be contested. LeBron is gonna do what LeBron is gonna do. You can't stop that. What you can do, is counter punch with Dwight Howard.

Individual Matchups:

Centers:
Orlando- Dwight Howard 6-11 265 lbs, 20.6 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 2.9 BPG *(Has recorded 33 blocks in 12 playoff games and is averaging 16.6 rebounds per game during 09 post season).
Cleveland- Zydrunas Ilgauskas 7-3 260 lbs, 12.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.3 BPG

Power Forwards:
Orlando- Rashard Lewis (SF-PF) 6-10 230 lbs, 17.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 0.6 BPG
Cleveland- Anderson Varejao 6-11 260 lbs, 8.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 0.8 BPG

Small Forwards:
Orlando- Hedo Turkoglu 6-10 220 lbs, 16.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.9 APG
Cleveland-LeBron James 6-8 250 lbs, 28.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 7.2 APG

Shooting Guards:
Orlando- Mickael Pietrus 6-6 215 lbs, 9.4 PPG, 1.2 APG
Cleveland- Delonte West 6-3 180 lbs, 11.7 PPG, 3.5 APG

Point Guards:
Orlando- Rafer "Skip to my Lou" Alston 6-2 175 lbs, 11.7 PPG, 5.3 APG, 1.4 SPG
Cleveland- Mo Williams 6-1 190 lbs, 17.8 PPG, 4.1 APG, 0.9 SPG

Game 1 will be shown on TNT at 8:30 ET on Wednesday.

Only in Atlanta

Only in Atlanta, will you ever hear the home crowd start chanting MVP for an opposing player. With under a minute remaining in game 4 of the Hawks/Cavs series, the "fans" inside of Philips Arena sunk to a new low. As LeBron James and the Cavaliers sent Joe Johnson and his "kind of quit" Hawks home for the summer, an unmistakable chant of MVP erupted from the crowd. Why is Atlanta such a pathetic sports town? I'd say it starts with the fans. The "fans" in this city are the absolute WORST in all of America. These are the same people who, prior to the Mike Vick era, used to fill up the Georgia Dome and tenaciously cheer for visiting teams.
These are the same people who give standing ovations to Albert Pujols, any time he single handedly defeats the home town Braves. It goes beyond respect for opposing players. The "fans" in this town have no integrity or loyalty. There is no home court in Atlanta, because these "fans" suck!

Where's the Swagger?

To succeed as an athlete, one must have a certain attitude or swagger. Sounds like Hawks captain Joe Johnson has lost his. Following a game 3 loss to the Cavs, Johnson had this to say to the media:

"I don't know what we've got left. Hopefully, we'll play with a little fire, and not let them close it out on our home court. But I don't know."

Sounds like a man who is defeated and willing to concede the series to Cleveland. This is the leader of this current Hawks squad. After stating that the team "kind of quit," in the second half of game one, I thought Johnson learned something about letting such a pathetic statement loose. Clearly, he has not. This is not the mindset of a competitor. It's kind of the attitude of a "quitter."

Humor me for a moment. This team is in the playoff fight of their lives, and the team leader doesn't know what they have left? Are you kidding me, Joe Johnson?! He hopes his team will play with a little fire...and not let them close it out on our floor... What? How bout this, Joe Johnson? MAN UP, win game 4, and prepare to do battle in game 5?!!

There's no need to even mention the possibility of Cleveland closing out the series, unless you've given in and accepted that as your fate! Absoulutely unacceptable, number 2. Where's your mind at? You don't throw in the towel during the NBA playoffs!! Yes, Atlanta has it's back against the wall and their main nemesis is the MVP of the league. I get that. But, anything can happen, if you fight, believe in yourself, and continue to...FIGHT! This "woe is me" attitude is sickening, detrimental, and deflating to a team of young guys looking to Johnson for leadership.

Hopefully, they shut their ears to his words and listen to those of Mike Woodson. "Do we throw in the towel for Game 4? Hell no, we shouldn't do that. I'm going to push our guys to make sure they don't throw in the towel. Because if we force another game, anything can happen."

Good luck, Woodson. I just hope you can get Johnson to un-quit!

Who is Aaron Brooks?

Watching the Rockets cruise to victory over the Lakers today, I could only wonder...Who is Aaron Brooks? He ain't the former Saints QB. This Aaron Brooks plays for Houston and scored 34 points, as the Yao-less Rockets tied their series vs the Lakers at 2 games apiece. The final score was 99-87, as Houston crushed LA on Mother's Day. Kobe Bryant finished with just 15 points in a subpar performance. Although he's phenomenal, when slashing to the basket, Bryant made zero trips to the free throw line. That is astounding.

BTW, NBA says officals failed to blow the whistle on an intention foul, right before Carmello Anthony hit a devastating 3 point shot to sink the Mavs. What's the point? The game is history and Dallas is on the brink of elimination. I'd love to hear a Mark Cuban soundbyte. Of course, he's probably laying low after shoving that cameraman.

To learn more about Aaron Brooks, click the title of this post, or just watch ESPNNEWS.

Happy Mother's Day, ya'll!

Hawks Vs Cavs Game 2

It's early, but Atlanta does not look good tonight. Hopefully, Joe Johnson's squad doesn't "quit" in this one. Looks like Cleveland is about to run the Hawks out of the gym. A 20-5 onslaught has put the Cavs up 32-17 in the second quarter. How much fight is left in the Hawks? If this one gets interesting, I post some updates in the comments section. If not, have a good night ya'll.