RIP

Sad week. Lots of celebs dying. Ed McMahon starting things off on Monday or Tuesday. Then Thursday morning Farrah Fawcett passed due to cancer. Thursday at 6:15, The King of Pop Michael Jackson died of a heart attack. Finally, Sunday, pitchman Billy Mays died of a heart attack in his sleep. RIP to them all.

End of June Post

June has been a lean month as far as posts go, and I am sorry for that. Between work and school, blog time has disappeared. Hopefully it will get better soon. Here are some thoughts on the month of June in sports, and some predictions as we enter July:

- Yao's career might be over, according to team doctors. Personally, I will be sad if it is. Yao has become a charming NBA personality, and a perennial All-Star. It'd be a shame if we couldn't enjoy seeing him on the court anymore.

NBA Draft Thoughts:

- I cannot believe the Wizards traded the #5 pick for backup guards Randy Foye and Mike Miller. When both Ricky Rubio and my boy Jonny Flynn fell to 5, I hope Ernie Grunfeld was crying. There is a reason this team is one of the worst in the NBA. Now we don't have a point guard or depth at center. Great job guys.

- More on Flynn and Rubio. Still not sure what the Timberwolves were thinking, but I feel really bad for Jonny. He is getting overshadowed by Rubio trade rumors, when Jonny was the most NBA-ready guard in the draft. Would have loved it if the Wizards took him, or if another team trades for him.

- Steal of the draft goes to (surprise) the San Antonio Spurs. Getting DeJuan Blair in the second round is amazing (the Wiz passed on him...). Along with trading for Richard Jefferson, the Spurs might have had the best draft week. They got more physical, younger and more explosive. Look for them to challenge to Lakers for that top spot in the West.

- NBA free agency begins this week, and whoever lands David Lee will put themselves in a great position. I'd love to see him in Washington, but we can't afford him. However, the Thunder need a presence down low to go along with Durant, Westbrook, Green and 1st round pick James Harden. That's an extremely talented young starting 5.

Baseball Thoughts:

- The Nats are still awful, but played pretty well against teams from the AL East. Taking 4 of 6 from the Yankees and Blue Jays was great. Pounding the Red Soxs one game was just perfect. I wish I had been there for that one. As the All-Star game approaches, look for Nick Johnson to get traded for a reliever or two, unless we realized that we don't have an heir-apparent at 1B.

- It will be nice to watch Zim play in his first All-Star game.

- Manny is coming back soon, and will bring in money for the Dodgers. I just hope that the steroids cloud doesn't quickly pass over him like it has those that freely admitted they were using.

- Not sure what has happened to the Mets. I know, they are injured, but any team with Johan and David Wright should be over .500.

NFL Thoughts:

- Its June... Nothing is happening in the NFL aside from Favre's flip-flopping.

Tennis anyone:

- Wimbledon is going on right now. Venus looks unstoppable as always on grass. Roger looks like he is going to break the record. Sorry to both of the Andys, it just isn't in the cards.

More soon

FHF and Other Thoughts

This week's FHF winner has been winning alot recently. He won his second straight NHL MVP last night. He is Jesus on hockey skates- Alex Ovechkin. He is simply the man, the best player in the NHL and the face of hockey. And soon, hopefully next year, he will bring the Cup back to DC. Congrats on all the awards Ovie.

Other Thoughts-

- The Nats won 2 of 3 from the Yankees in the Bronx. We have had 8 quality starts this month, the most important stat in baseball according to my friend Todd. For a rotation of 4 rookies and a second-year pitcher, that is great. It gives me a lot of hope for the future.

- Another Nats note. The firesale will begin pretty soon, but I expect the only guy we get any value for is a healthy Nick Johnson. If we get some good middle relief for him, I will be happy. Maybe unload Kearns too.

- Another NHL observation: Anyone else think that Evgeni Malkin sounds like a Russian version of Andre the Giant?

More later.

Super Mario and Baseball

A pretty funny thing I stumbled upon today at work. It is a list of baseball teams if they were Super Mario enemies. Enjoy.

Why Does God Hate the Nationals?

Just a quick one- I challenge anyone to watch the highlights of today's Nationals-Rays game and tell me that the good Lord does not hate the Nationals. I mean, how freak of a bounce was that off of 3rd to score the winning run? Its not fair I tell you.

FHF

I have decided to give this week's FHF award to Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. The Stasch is awesome. However, it is also about to get bounced from the NBA Finals. Big meltdown last night, 3-1 Lakers with 2 out of the next 3 in LA. So enjoy this Stan, cause you aren't getting that trophy.

The NBA Finals

The NBA Finals are currently going on, with the LA Lakers up 2-1 on the Orlando Magic. Unfortunately I have not been able to watch this series. But from what I have heard, it is Pau and Lamar who should be getting most of the credit. They are scoring and keeping Dwight "Superman" Howard from taking games over. In their game three loss, however, Kobe decided he would win it on his own. Not smart Mamba. Pau is an all-world player, and Odem is no slouch. No one ever won a ring alone, and you should know that. Go out there, play as a team, and you should be able to dominate.

As for the Magic, I think they have reached their peak. The Lakers are a tough matchup for them. They can't shoot 62% every game, and Howard isn't able to control the game like he could against Cleveland. I say they are one piece away, like a really good shooting guard. My prediction, Lakers end it at home in Game 6.

Signing Strasburg

My Washington Nationals drafted the greatest pitching prospect ever, Stephen Strasburg of San Diego State. His agent, Scott Boras, is rumored to be asking for a $50 million contract, or more than Washington franchise player Ryan Zimmerman is making, for a pitcher that has never played in the MLB. Here are the 5 things I suggest the Nats do with Mr. Strasburg:

1.) SIGN HIM! Details on the contract next, but you have to sign him if you are the Nats. You failed to sign Aaron Crow last year, and you have a reputation of being cheap. Sure, you offered Tex $200 million, but he didn't take it. You showed your fans you are willing to spend, so do it. Even if it means $50 million.

2.) Here is how I think the contract should work. $50 million guaranteed is too much to ask for if you are Boras. The record is Mark Prior's $10.5 million. I say double it. Offer him a 3-year $21 million contract with 3 years of arbitration. No college kid will pass that up. Who can leave $7 million on the table? If he does really well, those arbitration years will provide him with even more money, or the chance to negotiate a huge second contract. Furthermore, add in incentives. If, in a given season, he leads the Nationals in wins, he gets an extra million. If he wins 20, give him an extra $5 million. If he wins the Cy Young, an extra $10 million. That way, if he lives up to the hype, he will be making much more than what Boras is asking for. If he flames out after a few years like Prior, the Nats aren't stuck with an unmovable contract. It works best for both parties.

3.) Do not bring him straight into the majors, but don't leave him in the minors. If he goes 3-0 in AA, bring him up. If he doesn't, let him come up in September when the roster gets bigger. When he is up in Washington, use him out of the bullpen. See what kind of stuff this kid has at the major league level. Tampa Bay has done it this way with David Price, the Yankees with Joba Chamberlin. We have to as well.

4.) Once he signs, MARKET THE HELL OUT OF HIM! He will put fans in the seats. Get his face out there. Put it in the subways, on TV, in the paper. Put him between Zimmerman and Dunn in a publicity shot.

5.) Watch his arm and his pitch count. ESPN's Steve Phillips is worried about his delivery, says it is a little too much like Prior and not enough like Verlander. If you can't fix it, keep the kid on a pitch count till he can handle the Major League schedule.

There you go Nats. Get it done.

300

A week later, and I am still in awe of Randy Johnson. I was lucky enough to be there at National Park when the Big Unit won his 300th game. He pitched a gem, though his bullpen almost gave it up in the 8th. At the end of the game, all of those who were braving the downpour were chanting "Randy, Randy" as the Giants wrapped up a 5-1 win. I have never rooted harder against my favorite baseball team. I was afraid we would win and deny me a chance to see history.

Johnson's win brought about a great deal of speculation on if we will ever see a 300 game winner again. I am going to say yes, in the persons of CC Sabathia and Roy Halladay. Both are young and extremely talented. If they pitch to their early 40s and average 15 wins a year, they will reach 300. Also, if he continues to pitch into his 50s, 46 year old Jamie Moyer could reach it. He just passed 250 and is on the defending World Series Champions. Just keep playing the Nationals, and you'll get there Jamie.

Again, congrats to The Big Unit. I have been a fan my entire life, and being able to witness 300 was an honor.

Where Have I Been?

Man, I have missed alot of time on here. Sorry. Between work and grad school, don't have much time to share my sports views and insights. I promise a big chunk of writing today and tomorrow.

FHF

Short FHF this week. About to head out to bars for the birthday. Randy Johnson wins this week. A picture later.