Bleacher Report - Articles by Dave Miller

Lakers-Magic: Poor Sports Show True Colors in Win Over Orlando

Dave Miller — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:22:14 -0400

Last night I watched a good part of the Los Angeles Lakers' 99-91 overtime win against the Orlando Magic in the NBA Finals.

Within minutes of the final buzzer, one of my close friends called to talk about the game.

Now to understand the mindset that he brought to the conversation, you've got to know that Cesar is a die-hard Laker fan.

One year as we were traveling in Mexico, he somehow found a family in a poor dusty village in Mexico that had cable and was able to watch Kobe and Shaq win one of their three championships together.

He lives and dies Lakers. So he was pretty upset when I said I was sick of this team.

Now those are strong words for a guy like me. I grew up with the Lakers. I cried year after year as the Celtics stuck daggers in our hearts, celebrated 33 wins, was in the arena when Magic dished off to Kareem to break Wilt's scoring record, and loved Showtime.

In sports parlance, I bleed Laker purple and gold. But not for this team.

Because they are bad sports—and it was all personified by one instance at the end of the overtime period. With the game effectively over, Laker Pau Gasol went up for a dunk and was fouled from behind by Mickael Pietrus.

Now I know this looked like a horrible foul to most, and the refs called it a flagrant violation. But Gasol was left standing.

This was little more than a playground cheap shot—certainly nowhere near as bad as the hurt former Celtic Kevin McHale or Bill Laimbeer of the Pistons used to regularly put on the Lakers and others.

My struggle comes from the response. With the game won, and the Magic's heart broken on their home court, Gasol went after Pietrus and earned a technical—essentially for bad sportsmanship.

This is my problem with these Lakers. For all the talent, ability, and their imminent championship, these guys are poor sports—and nothing disappoints me more in sports than poor winners.

It has been said that you can see the real character of a team displayed in how they respond to losing and adversity.

I think we saw this Laker team's character last night when they won.

This is a good team. They will be NBA Champions this year. I just don't like them.

They are poor sports and lousy winners.

Demons Continue To Haunt Mickelson as Comeback Fails

Dave Miller — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:10:46 -0400

I watched the Masters yesterday, more out of habit than anything else.

Let’s face it, the thought of Angel Cabrera slugging it out with the likes of Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell is not likely to send shivers down your leg.

So I was pleasantly surprised when I heard that both Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods were somehow in contention. If what I was hearing was accurate, this had the potential to be the stuff of legends.

Could Tiger overcome a tremendous deficit and win his fifth green jacket? Would Phil finally exorcise his Tiger demons and demand to be seen as one of golf’s all-time greats?

Mickelson opened with a blistering front nine that had Woods on his heels and the crowd sensing something special was about to happen.

After matching pars on the 14th hole, the stage was set. Both Mickelson and Woods were within just a few shots of the lead, coming up to the par five 15th.

This was Ruth getting ready to call his shot. Ali versus Frazier. Jordan in the last seconds against Utah.

Two of the games biggest stars, in the biggest tournament, looking to take the lead from a bunch of guys seemingly content to shoot par and watch their leads slip away.

Woods put his second shot close, but Mickelson drilled his approach and was within a few feet of the pin. A sure eagle and a share of the lead was his for the taking, with Tiger close behind and only three holes to go.

It was as if the rest of the field did not exist.

At that moment, The Masters was a playoff between Woods and Mickelson.

No disrespect to the rest of the field, but they were little more than window dressing, a warm-up for the main event. The chorus to Pavarotti.

After watching Woods miss slightly right along the same line, Mickelson flinched on a five-footer, pushing his eagle, the lead, and the tournament, wide left.

He settled for birdie.

After a par on 16, Mickelson had one last chance to turn up the heat on the leaders with another five-footer for birdie on 17. But it was not to be. Woods also failed to close the gap.

The mighty Caseys had both struck out, limping off the course after bogeys on the 18th hole.

We know Tiger will be back. After all, what can you say about a guy who battles his way around a U.S. Open on a broken leg, somehow winning the tournament?

But Mickelson?

Golf is a funny sport. You never know what effect a missed opportunity in a major can have on a player's psyche.

Nick Adenhart Latest Victim Of Angels Curse

Dave Miller — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:18:42 -0400

Being a lifelong fan of the California Angels baseball team [now known as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim] has never been easy.

For most of my childhood, the team was a struggling second division team. With the exception of 1967, when they somehow managed to win 84 games, seasons above the .500 mark were few and far between.

And then, in 2002, they managed to pull off the miracle: The Angels were crowned World Champions. It was as if they had finally buried a curse that seemed to plague their very existence, both on and off the field.

Early on, players Minnie Rojas, Chico Ruiz, Bruce Heinbechner, and Mike Miley were all killed in tragic car accidents.

In 1978, star outfielder Lyman Bostock was shot and killed in a case of mistaken identity.

In 1982, after winning the first two of a best-of-three series playoff series against Milwaukee, the Angels fold and lose three straight.

In 1986, the Angels were one inning away from winning the American League Pennant and going to the World Series...until the Boston Red Sox somehow managed to win that game, and the next two to advance.

In 1989, the pitcher who gave up the crucial home run that cost the Angels the pennant in 1986, Donnie Moore, shoots his wife and commits suicide, unable to shake the demons from that game.

And then came 2002, the World Series win against the Giants, and it appeared the curse had been broken.

Until today.

Early this morning, after pitching six shutout innings against the Oakland Athletics, 22-year-old Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed in a car accident.

It is the latest in a long line of tragedies that have struck this franchise since its inception in 1961. The prayers of the baseball world go out to his family and parents, Jim and Janet Adenhart.

Major League Baseball Has Its Own Mortgage Crisis

Dave Miller — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 04:45:22 -0400

The playoffs are upon us.

It is now time for everyone to write those columns explaining why their favorite teams will crush the opposition.

It is now time to think back to your childhood and how you grew up in this moment, watching, or listening to the greats of history shine on the October stage.

Names like Ruth, Berra, Ford, Koufax, and Robinson. Mays, Gibson, Lolich, and Rose. Carter, Brett, Schilling, and of course, Reggie.

It is time to grab a brew, sit down on your couch, with your kid next to you, and share the greatest game in the midst of its annual run to the Fall Classic.

More than any other sport, baseball is a product of history. Shared history that is passed on from generation to generation.

To sit with someone that was able to see Ruth play is a gift. To share that moment with your son or daughter is a blessing.

Yet today, baseball seems to be leaving those moments behind. A shared bond between generations is no longer as important as money to the decision makers in Major League Baseball.

It all started with Charlie Finley, former owner of the Kansas City/Oakland A’s. Finley was the owner that proposed playing World Series games at night to increase audiences and drive up ratings.

Sadly, it worked—in the short run.

Ratings increased, money was rolling in, and everyone was happy.

Except the average fan.

Nighttime baseball, while holding some advantages, also had one big inherent weakness—it cut kids out of the mix.

Baseball now is televised at a time when families are putting their children to bed. As the length of games stretches past midnight, it is increasingly difficult to justify keeping kids up at night when there was a full day of school coming tomorrow.

Baseball mortgaged their future with night baseball and we are now seeing the results.

Drive around most small cities in America today and the kids outside play soccer, not baseball.

The bond has been broken. The sacred bond between sports generations that for the most part only existed in baseball.

The inheritance has not been passed on, because it has been lost.

Turn on the news and they will drone on and on about the financial crisis hitting Wall Street.

Major League Baseball has a crisis of its own—a steadily eroding fanbase, stemming from the inability of kids to grow up watching a World Series.

Connecticut Adults Whiff In Little League Baseball Scandal

Dave Miller — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:10:33 -0400

Jeremy Scott, pictured above in an AP photo, is too good for Little League. At least that is what league officials are saying.

In a sport known for parental excess, youth baseball has finally crossed the line.

Apparently there are rules against being too good.

Nine-year-old Scott has been banned from competition because no one in the league can hit his fastball.

You see, the parents of the kids with somewhat lesser abilities, and league lawyer Peter Noble, are mad that their spoiled brats cannot win when Jeremy pitches.

Apparently he is so good that opposing coaches would rather forfeit the game than have their players face him.

So what did the league do in response to these opposing teams?

Did they sanction them for not playing? Did they take away another win? Did they penalize them in any way?

Nope. But they did disband Jeremy's team.

That's right. Instead of teaching our kids to work hard and improve, they are teaching them to run from tough competition. They are teaching kids that competition is only good when you can win.

Call me stupid if you want, but I find that idiotic. Whatever happened to doing your best, holding your head up and letting the chips fall where they may?

Can you imagine teams refusing to play the Dodgers in the '60s because Sandy Koufax was pitching? He too was literally unhittable, but no one forfeited against them.

Maybe Tiger Woods should not be allowed to return to the PGA after his rehab. After all, he is clearly the best golfer around.

I'm still amazed anyone risked their egos getting in the pool to swim against Michael Phelps.

For all you supporters of the New Haven, Connecticut Youth Baseball League, and their lawyer, Peter Noble—you have blown it.

You let your kids down and have succeeded in making the words of the Little League pledge, "I will try hard... but win or lose, I will always do my best." ring hollow.

Nice job, you just struck out!

Jim McKay: The Thrill Of Victory...The Agony Of Defeat

Dave Miller — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 04:10:52 -0400

Growing up in the 60s, sports were an important part of my life. You see for me, and the majority of the other 40 or so kids who lived on my street, instead of video games and surfing the web all day, you played sports. Outside. In the sun. Boys, girls, young, or old.

It didn't matter. When you left the house in the morning until you returned sometime before dark, you lived and breathed sports. Often, the entire day was consumed with things like baseball, football, badminton, or even croquet.

Except on Saturdays at 3:30. That's when we all headed inside for a little break to watch "The Wide World of Sports."

It was ESPN before ESPN. This was where I learned about the boxer Cassius Clay, later Muhammad Ali. Where I watched golf and became a fan of Arnold Palmer. Where I spent Saturday afternoons watching stuff like barrel jumping, figure skating, auto racing, and of course, the lumberjack championships.

In short, if you could compete, Wide World of Sports covered it, all hosted by Jim McKay. He was also the voice of the Olympics for ABC Sports, winning an Emmy for his coverage of the 1972 Munich Massacre.

Jim McKay died this week. His voice forever silenced for all of us. But I can imagine that somewhere in the heavens today at 3:30, just like the Saturdays of old, the games will begin.

Athletes from all time will once again hear the opening music and the familiar "Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport…the thrill of victory…and the agony of defeat…the human drama of athletic competition…This is ABC's Wide World of Sports!"

And while those athletes ready themselves for a little celestial competition, all the regular folks will sit down, grab a cold one, and wait to see the skier dude crash one more time.

Jim McKay, rest in peace. You will be missed.

NBA Playoffs: Losers Don't Deserve Spots

Dave Miller — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:50:43 -0400

File this under I’m mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore!

With apologies to those of you living in cities with losers for basketball teams, if you can’t win at least 41 games, why do you think you belong in the playoffs?

Anyone with half a brain can figure out that if a team loses more games than it wins, it doesn’t belong in any kind of playoff, except maybe for the worst team in the NBA.

But apparently David Stern, the owners, players, and everyone else connected with this farce thinks differently. What else explains why the NBA hasn’t figured out that the best system would take the top 16 teams, regardless of location?

But then that would deprive some folks in the East of the chance to root for their precious team. Well, I’ve got news for you, Philly, New Jersey, Atlanta, and the rest of you Eastern wannabes. Your teams SUCK and have no business being in the playoffs at the expense of better clubs in the West. At least not this year.

Has the NBA become like Saturday afternoon soccer leagues where they don’t keep score so kids' egos won’t be damaged by losing? Are we now giving out Little League participation trophies in the form of playoff spots? It sure looks like it.

It used to be you had to win to make the playoffs, in any sport. But with the increasing amounts of money out there, compromises were made. Owners and league offices saw that a few extra games added a ton to the bottom lines. So second place teams were added. And then wild card teams.

And then they sold their integrity. Somehow setting up a system where you could play an entire season and still have losers involved in the post season. Only the totally inept were counted out.

If you think losing teams in the playoffs are good for sports, your head must be on backwards. The fact that they rarely win or upset a favorite is beside the point.

The playoffs are supposed to be a reward for a season well played. And if you do well there, you might, just maybe, be crowned a champion. The best of the best.

If an Eastern Division team manages to win the title this year, that win will be tainted because they will be playing in a protected bracket. It is just common sense. If a majority of the better teams in the NBA reside west of the Rockies, the winner of that division will be more beat up on the road to the finals.

Wouldn’t we all rather see the best 16 teams in the playoffs, regardless of their location?

Weekend Wrap: Quick Takes on the Wide World of Sports

Dave Miller — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 08:16:46 -0400

Memphis is worthy, but Texas is probably better...

I think Dean Smith and John Thompson are pretty pleased...

Judging by how upset folks are that their team got passed over yesterday; just imagine an NCAA Football Playoff system...

Arizona State got jobbed. I guess head to head competition doesn’t mean much these days...

I can't believe Billy Packer could have been any more ACCentric Sunday...

Nice to see Verne Lundquist still working. Professional, classy, understated...

I won’t worry about the Laker’s big 33 until Houston gets to 28 wins...

I thought you had to have a winning record to get into the playoffs. Maybe we can just count Philly, New Jersey, or Atlanta out now and save time...

David Stern is on his knees at this very moment praying for a Lakers/Celtics final...

It’s a shame the Dodgers felt they had to leave Vero Beach. The ghosts of Jackie, Sandy, Duke, and Roy must be sad...

Imagine the numbers for mere mortals Mays and Aaron had they used steroids...

In his prime, Mays was the best in the game, bar none...

It’ll be interesting to see how the offensive categories look at the end of this baseball season...

Whatever happened to the stolen base? You can only wonder what Lou Brock or Ricky Henderson would make in this inflated salary market...

Tiger just may win them all. He’s that good...

Remember when Mickelson said Tiger had inferior equipment? I guess he got that figured out...

Does anyone really care that this is an Olympic year? Thousands will visit, but I don't know who will be watching...

I don’t know if they are athletes, but a great bowler is something to watch...

Nice to see the IRL and CART kiss and makeup. Indy should be great this year...

MMA is fine, but does anyone else miss boxing as it used to be? Louis/Schmeling, Holmes/Norton, Leonard/Duran, and of course, Ali/Frazier...

Finally, I wish USC would find a player named Hamm just so I could write about a tandem of Hamm and Mayo once in my life...

Why We'll Really Watch the Super Bowl

Dave Miller — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 03:14:08 -0500

With all the political talk heating up, I hope you have not forgot about what really is important to the American people.

This weekend more Americans than ever will gather the family, chips, soda, and beer for the most American of events, The Super Bowl. This year features the Cheatin' Patriots, trying to become only the second team in NFL history to finish undefeated, the 1972 Miami Dolphins being the first.

Returning to the big game for the first time in the post Parcells era will be the underdog New York Giants. Giants receiver Plaxico Burress has taken a page from the Joe Namath playbook and guaranteed a victory for the underdogs. We'll see about that.

One thing is certain. If history is a good guide, then the first half will be fairly close, the halftime show will stink, and this years favorite, the New England Patriots, will pull away in the second half, ending any prayer we had of seeing a competative game.

But take heart. Amid all of the FOX Television cross promotions, Red Carpet entrances, crowd shots, and other assorted non football stuff, we will still have what has truly become Must See TV—the commercials.

Come on, you know it's true. A lot of you watch the game for the commercials. Why else is the game kept on late in the fourth quarter after the outcome has been decided? Because you are hoping to see your favorite commercials one more time.

Joe Greene tossing the jersey to the kid. The Go Daddy girl. Cat herders. Apple Computers. Budweiser horses. This is the stuff that legends are made of, great ads. Because the game is seldom very good.

So this Sunday, forget about Hillary, Barack, McCain, Mitt, and Mike. Join the rest of America—overeat, lay around on the couch, watch a dull game, knock back a couple of beers, and enjoy some great commercials.