Not past five

ESPN has a poll this morning asking how many more games are left to the NBA Finals. Let me answer that question for you, "Not more than five." If you don't have a babysitter, get one. If you don't have a TIVO or DVR, get one. This is needed in case you attend church on Sunday evenings. If you don't live near a sports bar or own a big screen TV, find one or buy one.

On Sunday, Kobe Bryant is going to deliver a performance worthy of the NBA Finals MVP he will earn, an Oscar, Grammy, Emmy and a Tony award. This little odyssey began with the trading of Shaq, changing his number from 8 to 24, the subconscious anger felt by the public and the NBA anointing LaBron James, an unproven king by the way, its new face, the loss to the Pistons in '04, the loss to the Celtics in '08. Talk about getting your popcorn ready.

I'm not sure what to expect, but I promise it won't be pretty for the Magic. This beat down will be akin to waking up one morning and having great sex with your man, going off to work only to return home to an empty house and a Dear John letter indicating that your man wants a divorce. When the wife asks her man, why the divorce and why the great sex in the morning? He replies,” I got sick of the disrespect, and as far as the great sex, you'll never forget who I am--"The Man, the truth" (Kobe Bryant).

One Mo' Time Babygirl: Game 4 ("It's On")

"Outraged"

First, I am outraged by the rumors of firing Mike Brown. I would rather see the coach of the Denver Nuggets fired, but that is another story for another time. Second, Skip Bayless of ESPN is an idiot and should be fired for suggesting that Mike Brown be fired and that LaBron can’t win the big one with him at the helm.

LaBron didn’t get into the NBA finals this year because he came up against a better team in the Orlando Magic. During the regular season Orlando beat the Cavs 4 out of the six times they played. Also, LaBron’s supporting cast needs help. Get LaBron a better supporting cast, and I promise you the big game will come.

I was also outraged by Skip Bayless assertion that LaBron needed a coach of “statue.” He began to rattle off names like Phil Jackson, Larry Brown, and Pat Riley etc. Question? Can anybody tell me who these men were before Michael Jordan, the Pistons, and Magic Johnson? Perhaps, Skip Bayless didn’t name any African-American coaches because with the exception of the great Bill Russell, Black coaches have not been given the same opportunities, past or present, to get it right over a period of time as others have. I’ll say it, White coaches.

For Skip Bayless to suggest that LaBron was acting as coach during periods of the Orlando series is insulting, a slap in the first to Mike Brown, and not the first time a star player exerted influence. I’m sure Phil listened to Michael Jordan. Paul Westhead got fired because he refused to listen to Magic. Does one think Kobe doesn’t have some juice right about now? Think again.

I would agree that there needs to be some changes in the NBA, but not starting with the Coach of the Year—Mike Brown.

"Swept Away"

Not only is the bloom out of the closet, but the dustpan. If Orlando doesn't come out smokin' on Tuesday, this thang is a wrap. I'm not sure if Orlando is awed by the LA bright lights, the movie stars, Kobe or what. Questions? Why is JJ Reddick handling the ball. Why hasn't Dwight Howard received more playing time? This is a problem on all cylinders. Van Gundey and his staff need to get it together or the disrepect of what has been a great Orlando season will continue and deservingly so.