Ryan ChartrandKobe, Schmobe.
Celtics, Schmeltics.
This column is siding with Tim Donaghy, the ex-referee convicted on felony gambling charges – including betting on games in which he officiated – and goes on the record accusing the NBA of conspiracy charges.
How else do you explain the Chicago Bulls, a city and team deprived of star power since his Airness stepped away after the ’98 season, landing the first pick in the upcoming draft with only a 1.7-percent chance of doing so?
And with that luck, they may have landed the rights to Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley, immediate impact players with the opportunity to bring championships back to the Windy City.
In a year when perennial powers like the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics have experienced resurgences and are on the verge of meeting in the finals for the first time since 1987, David Stern could not help himself, so he rigged the lottery to get his third-most storied franchise back to relevancy.
Don’t believe it? Put it in the books: Kobe Bryant and crew will emerge victorious over “the Boston three party” in an epic Game 7. If it goes down any other way, I’ll listen to Scarlett Johansson’s new CD on repeat until tip-off next season. (In all seriousness, what convinced the best female actress of our generation that becoming a double threat was a good idea? If I had to play a hunch, Natalie Portman had something to do with it.)
But don’t believe the hype. The revival of the most storied rivalry in NBA history is not compelling if the storyline is scripted.
In light of these circumstances, SLO Pitch is shining the light on a few stories that have gotten some play on the national airwaves but may have slipped under the average fan’s radar.
Manchester United defeated Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League final in Moscow on Wednesday. The match was the first European Cup between two English teams, and not just any teams at that.
The two squads have combined to win the past four Premiership titles in England, and “Man U” – as Manchester United is known to fans – is the most storied club team in English football.
Not to mention both are loaded with star players that easily eclipse the fame of a Tom Brady or Alex Rodriguez. Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United fittingly closed out a sensational season in which he scored 39 goals in 42 games with a header in the first half to put his team ahead 1-0.
Frank Lampard and Chelsea answered back to tie things in the first half, and the second was an intense defensive battle that ended 1-1, as penalty kicks ensued to crown the champion.
When Edwin Van der Sar blocked the sudden-death sixth attempt by Nicolas Anelka, Manchester United had won its third European Cup, the first since 1999.
Moving from the land of royalty to the sport of kings, Big Brown successfully followed up his Kentucky Derby win with a victory in the Preakness Stakes and now has only the Belmont Stakes left in his bid for the first triple crown since 1978.
My only question is how long until thoroughbred horseracing follows Nascar’s precedent and begins to paste advertising on the horses. Big Brown and UPS must be making a killing from the free publicity, so it’s only a matter of time until other owners follow suit.
From one historic possibility in racing to another, is this the year Danica Patrick puts it all together and wins the Indy 500? If she follows her breakthrough win in Japan last month with a victory at the Brickyard, it will be one of the biggest accomplishments in sports history.
Either way, even with the lack of intrigue left in the NBA Playoffs, there are plenty of options left for the sports fan. You just might have to dig a little deeper to find them.
Kory Harbeck is a journalism senior and a Mustang Daily sports columnist.