Good endings
The NBA and NHL series were both decided early this week.
Golden State overwhelmed Cleveland in a six-game series to win the NBA title despite Lebron James playing incredibly well for Cleveland. It actually reminded me of the 2001 series between the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers where Allen Iverson tried his hardest to carry an inferior Sixers team over the hugely favored Lakers team. The Sixers were only able to win one game in that series.
For local Basketball fans, it was great to see a former Sixer Andre Iguodala earn the series MVP award. I think Cleveland will be the favorite in the Eastern conference next year as well once they get Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving back.
In ice hockey, the Chicago Blackhawks won the NHL Stanley Cup Title in a closely contested six-game series over the surprisingly competitive Tampa Bay Lightning team. I am very happy for former Philadelphia Flyer Kimmo Timonen, because he was traded to Chicago this season, giving him one more chance at age 39 to be on a team with a chance to win the Stanley Cup. Given what he had to go through with recovering from the blood clots this past off season, he deserved and received his wish.
It is the US Open week in golf. It will be a week like no other because very few people in the field have played a competitive round at the Chambers Bay course in Washington State. The course, a former gravel pit, looks more like a British Open course then a typical U.S. Open type course. With the extremely wide fairways and the crazy roughs, it will be very fascinating to watch.
Phil Mickelson says he loves the course and he is one of the best with atypical shots. This might be his last legitimate chance to win the career Grand Slam in golf. I hope he plays well. Fox Sports has the coverage instead of NBC for the first time. Look for the Fox robots hitting each other with Three woods during commercial breaks!
The Phillies don't deserve any coverage this week because they appear to be self destructing from within on most nights. They have had two stupid shouting matches out in public between the pitching staff and the coaches in the last week. They are clearly the worst team in baseball and that is very difficult for me to admit!
I got to make the trip to Philly for the game today and can say it was a sweet victory that keeps them from being reminded of losing streaks of the past. The surprise win was great but it's probably just a pause for the disappointments that I'm sure are yet to come.
