The Best Month in Sports, Part 4: The NBA Playoffs

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Well, it has certainly been an emotional week throughout the country. With the explosion that rocked Texas and of course, the bombings in Boston and the manhunt that followed, the people of the United States showed once again that during tough times, we can come together. And while sports are meaningless compared to the events that dominated the news this week, they can provide us an outlet when the real world becomes too much to bear. But more than that, they can also serve as the setting for a lesson in solidarity, to show that no matter our personal differences, we can unite when adversity strikes and there was no better example than what happened this week. So before I get to the NBA playoffs, I would like to add one thing to The Best Month in Sports category this year and simply call it The Best Moment in Sports and it was brought to us from the fans at the Boston Bruins-Buffalo Sabres hockey game that took place only days after the bombings at the Boston Marathon and if you haven’t seen or heard it yet, please click on the link and you’ll realize how special it was. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbHMRpdk3_4

So with all that being said, the best month in sports rolls on with the start of the NBA playoffs and this year once again brings no shortage of storylines. Is there anyone that can stop the Miami Heat? We know this for certain. It will not be the Milwaukee Bucks. Sorry Milwaukee. We’ll stay in the East which brings us a great matchup between New York and Boston. The Knicks have not been relevant in a long time and Boston is hanging on for one final run. Throw in the whole Boston/New York rivalry and it should make for a great series but I see the Knicks being too much for the Celtics. The Bulls and Nets should be a physical series but neither one of these teams is poised to make a deep run in the playoffs. And then there’s the Pacers and Hawks, which two or three people outside of Indianapolis and Atlanta may watch. The Pacers are a good team that may be one of the only teams that may be able to take Miami to the limit in the East, along with New York. However, I am picking Miami to come out of the East once again. They are just too complete of a team. They have two of the best ten players in the world in LeBron and Wade and when Chris Bosh is your third option, you’re a dangerous team. They play great defense and have so many guys that can shoot the three when LeBron penetrates and dishes and I don’t think there’s a team in the East that can beat them four times so look for the Heat to return to The Finals.
The Western Conference brings us a lot more intriguing matchups in the first round. James Harden returns to OKC to take on the Thunder and he’ll bring Linsanity with him (remember when we bought into that). Houston may get a game but the Thunder should ease through this series. The Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors should be an intriguing matchup as some of the league’s best young talent finally get to showcase their skills on the big stage. Can the Clippers and Grizzlies bring us another great series? After last year’s 7 games, I am anxious to see this matchup again as Lob City tries to become the dominant team in LA. And yes, as a Lakers fan, I saved them for last. It’s my blog so I can do that. I’ve watched all year as this team tried to get healthy, tried to get on the same page, tried to find something to get this team going and it really never came. Kobe Bryant played like a monster this year and if this team had a better record should be the MVP. But when it seemed like things were finally coming together towards the end, Kobe goes down as did the hopes for making any noise in the playoffs. The Spurs are waiting and the Spurs are good. They’re well coached, have veteran leadership and are set to make another deep playoff run. As much as I would love to see the Lakers win, I just don’t think they have enough but this is the beauty of the playoffs, you just never know. I still think that OKC will give us a rematch in the finals with the Heat, but the Western Conference side of the playoffs are going to be great.
I could sit and break down each round so much more than I did right there, but you can find that kind of thing anywhere. I didn’t put this category into this series just to put it in. I put it in because I love playoff basketball. The games get so much more intense. The energy level is higher than it is during the regular season and if you look closely, you might actually see some teams play defense. It’s just a different type of basketball. Most of the historic moments in the game’s history don’t come from the regular season. The regular season can turn a good player into a great player but the playoffs can turn a great player into a legend. So as the best month in sports concludes, the road to the NBA Finals has begun.

Thank you for reading The Best Month in Sports series. It was a lot of fun to write so I hope you had fun reading it.

The Best (and Worst) Baseball Movies

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Over the years, Hollywood has given us countless movies about the great game of baseball. Some have been great; think The Pride of the Yankees, A League of Their Own, and Moneyball. Some have been just awful; think The Scout, The Fan, and Summer Catch. Some have been for the kids; think Angels in the Outfield, Rookie of the Year, and Little Big League. Some have been simply entertaining; think Mr. Baseball, The Bad News Bears, and The Rookie. Then there are those that are unforgettable, so to coincide with today’s release of the Jackie Robinson biopic, 42, which has the potential to be one of those unforgettable classics, I recently asked my readers to vote on their favorite baseball movie. I will post those results below, followed by the worst 5 baseball movies, and conclude with my personal top 5 favorites. So without further delay, the Top 5 Baseball Movies as voted by you.

5. The Natural-8%
T3. The Sandlot-16%
T3. For The Love of the Game-16%
2. Bull Durham-20%
1. Field of Dreams-28%

Quite the impressive list, folks. Well done. And I would agree with 3 of your top 5.

TOP 5 WORST BASEBALL MOVIES
5. The Babe– I like John Goodman just as much as the next guy, but this portrayal of The Great Bambino was a joke.
4. Mr. 3000– Bernie Mac, you are missed by many but movies like this are missed by nobody.
3. Major League: Back to the Minors– What an awful way to end a trilogy, even if it’s always nice to see Scott Bakula at work.
2. Ed-Matt LeBlanc and a chimpanzee-is there anything else to say?
1. Hardball-Here’s what some studio executive thought: You know what would make a great movie? We make Keanu Reeves the coach of an inner-city baseball team. But this executive isn’t the problem: the person who greenlit the movie is. Just awful.

MY PERSONAL TOP 5 FAVORITE BASEBALL MOVIES OF ALL TIME
5. The Sandlot-If you read my article on what baseball means to me, then you know that baseball was my first love. And this movie is so symbolic of how I felt as a kid. Summers spent outside playing baseball with your friends. Excellent work and honestly, when you’re frustrated how many times in your life have you said “You’re killin’ me Smalls”?
4. Major League-“Forget about the curveball Ricky. Give him the heater.” One of many classic lines from one of the most quotable baseball movies of all time. A true comedy classic.
3. 61*-Billy Crystal wowed me with this story of the 1961 homerun battle between Roger Maris and the great Mickey Mantle as they chased the record of Babe Ruth. If you haven’t seen or heard of this movie, I highly recommend giving it a watch, if for nothing else to see that Barry Pepper should have done better with his career.
2. The Natural-Roy f’ing Hobbs.
1. Field of Dreams-This is one of those movies that if I come across it on television, I’m in it until the end. It’s got everything one could want. Drama, comedy, baseball, ghosts, and of course, James Earl Jones. The speech he gives towards the end of the movie gives me goosebumps every time, immediately followed by the lump in my throat that comes with “Dad, you wanna have a catch?” Time after time, just amazing.

Thanks to all those who voted. I had a great time covering this topic and I hope you enjoyed it as well.

The Best Month in Sports, Part 3: The Masters

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After a spectacular national title game in the NCAA tourney and baseball storylines beginning to take shape, the best month in sports rolls on with my favorite event of the year, The Masters. As I am every year when this tournament comes around, I am excited to start listening to the talk of azaleas, pine needles, and Magnolia Lane, the 330 yard drive that leads into the host of this first major of the year, Augusta National Golf Club. I’m ready to listen to the talk of the Eisenhower Pine, Hogan Bridge, Rae’s Creek, the Nelson Bridge, the Sarazen Bridge, and of course, the green jacket which will be awarded to the victor of this great event late Sunday evening.
First played in 1934, The Masters has served as a battleground for some of the most legendary tournaments in golf history and a showcase of golf’s greatest players. The early days brought wins from Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson (2 green jackets), Sam Snead (3 green jackets), and Ben Hogan (2 green jackets). Those names alone would be enough for any tournament, but the Masters moved on to bring wins from Arnold Palmer (4 green jackets), Gary Player (3 green jackets), Tom Watson (2 green jackets), and the immortal Jack Nicklaus (6, yes I said 6 green jackets: still a record). The 80’s started with the first of two green jackets for Seve Ballesteros and ended with the first of three green jackets for Nick Faldo, the last of which came in 1996 after Greg Norman’s historic Sunday collapse. The modern era began the next year in 1997 as the whole world watched Tiger Woods capture the first of his four green jackets in historic fashion. The 2000s saw Phil Mickelson break through and win his elusive first major with a clutch putt on the 18th hole, his first of three green jackets. The greatest players on the game’s greatest stage: quite a list.
And the moments, my goodness, the moments. Palmer in 1960. Jack in 1986. How many times can Greg Norman lose the Masters in disastrous fashion? Phil’s 3-inch vertical in 2004. Tiger’s unbelievable chip on the 16th in 2005. Even last year brought a wonderful moment when Bubba Watson hit a “how the hell did he get the ball to move like that” shot in the playoff to win his first green jacket. The list goes on and on and on as do the storylines each time The Masters comes around. And this year will be no different. Can Tiger finally get his 15th major after a nearly five year drought? Is Rory ready to slip on his first green jacket? Can Lee Westwood ever win the big one? And the list goes on and on.
So sit back and get ready for the best event in sports. 72 holes of golf action that promises to deliver high drama, the roars of the classiest crowd in sports, and more memorable moments that will live in golf history forever. The world’s best players on the world’s best golf course. The Masters is upon us and all I need now is Jim Nantz to get it going: Hello friends…

The Best Month in Sports, Part 2: The Return of Baseball

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The best month in sports continued this week with the start of baseball that matters. The first few days have already given us some great moments. The Triple-A squad that are pretending to be the Houston Astros played and won their first game in the American League, but then were almost victims of a perfect game the next night. Bryce Harper became the youngest player to hit two homeruns on Opening Day. It is always amazing to watch Justin Verlander at work. And don’t worry, if you missed any of the Yankees/Red Sox series, I’m sure ESPN will show every single game for the rest of the year. I could go on and on about what this season might bring, but if you’re looking for me to break down the league player by player, team by team, or division by division, then you’ve come to the wrong place. What I’d like to do here is explore why baseball is so special and what this game has meant to me.
Throughout the years, the game of baseball has certainly had its share of problems. From the color barrier to the steroid problem to work stoppages, the sport that once ruled the country has certainly taken a hit in popularity. Television ratings are down, as are attendance figures. Football has blown by it as the most popular sport in America. So why do I keep coming back every single year? What is it about baseball that makes me so sentimental?
Maybe it’s the fact that baseball was my first love. Maybe it’s the fact that one of the main reasons I know how to read is that I used to sit on my grandfather’s lap as a child as we read the Chicago Tribune to catch up on our beloved Chicago Cubs (yes I know, even more torture to myself). Maybe it was playing home run derby in the street with my friends until we couldn’t even see the ball. Maybe it was catching the end of a game on WGN when I got home from school. Maybe it was a 75 cent pack of Topps cards if my mom let me get them at the grocery store. Maybe it was a fun rivalry with my dad, a lifelong Cardinals fan, watching a weekend series at Busch. Maybe it’s taking a break from working in the yard, having a cold drink and listening to the game on the radio. Maybe it’s because that every time I walk up the ramp at Wrigley Field and see the scoreboard, the green grass, and the ivy, I immediately turn into my eight year old self again.
Or maybe it’s just the game itself. Maybe it’s a suicide squeeze. Maybe it’s a 5-4-3 double play. Maybe it’s a 95 mph fastball followed by an 85 mph breaking ball that buckles a batter’s knees. Maybe it’s a ball that’s certain to leave the yard until an outfielder reaches over the fence to bring it back. Maybe it’s watching a group of innocent kids in a little league game that play for the love of the game. Maybe it’s watching a minor leaguer in countless small towns throughout the country strive to achieve his dream of one day making it to the show. Maybe it’s watching your favorite big league ballplayer hit a walkoff bomb and seeing the joy on his face as he rounds third toward the mob that awaits him at home plate. Maybe it’s just watching the complexities within the simplicity that is the game of baseball.
Whatever it is, baseball is back. Will I be watching? Definitely.

The Rutgers Situation

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This month has always been my favorite in sports, but the Rutgers story that has gained national attention this week has tarnished it. For those who haven’t seen any of the footage that ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” obtained and ran a couple of days ago, click on the link to have a better understanding of what I’m talking about. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbaYqcMMZ6A
The footage is quite disturbing. It shows men’s head basketball coach Mike Rice repeatedly shoving players, screaming homophobic slurs, and time after time throwing basketballs at players during practice. And this isn’t just playfully throwing the ball at your buddy, but a grown man throwing balls at the knees, crotches, and heads of 18 and 19 year old kids.
Such behavior is completely inexcusable and Rice was justifiably fired this morning.
When the story broke, I really didn’t plan to write about it but the more I thought about it, the more I felt I wanted to as I had an experience in high school that involved a coach putting his hands on me. Granted, this incident pales in comparison to what happened at Rutgers but it made me think about it today so I wanted to throw my two cents in. When I was a sophomore, my basketball team played for the state championship. We lost the game and as the buzzer sounded, I happened to have the ball in my hands and being a 15 year old little punk who hates to lose, I kicked the ball up to the rafters of the arena in anger. Was it the mature thing to do? Of course not, but again, I was a 15 year old kid. As I walked to the sidelines to shake the hands of the state champs, my head coach grabbed my jersey and pulled me towards him as his other hand grabbed my throat and he yelled that there was no place for that kind of behavior on his team. He was right. I went back to the locker room, missing the medal ceremony and I never played for him again. I took my talents across town and he was soon replaced. Were my actions wrong in kicking the ball? Absolutely. But that did not give him the right to put his hands on me and the same can be said for the situation at Rutgers.
In a way, coaches are educators. Young men and women all across America look to them for guidance, to learn about the games we play, to learn about fair play, and to learn how to become better people. Mike Rice violated the trust of the parents that sent their boys to play for him. It’s okay to bring intensity to coaching. Some have made a career of it but this goes too far. Bob Knight thinks this behavior is out of control. So Mike Rice has been fired. Problem solved, right? Not even close.
When these tapes were first discovered last fall by the university, athletic director Tim Pernetti suspended Rice for three games and levied a heavy fine and the case seemed to be closed. It wasn’t until ESPN got a hold of the tapes and millions of people saw the footage that the decision was made to fire the coach. This is one of my biggest problems with this situation. Mike Rice should not be the only person who leaves Rutgers. AD Tim Pernetti and the university president Robert L. Barchi should follow. Mike Rice physically and verbally assaulted these young men. Pernetti saw the footage and did not take appropriate action until today when the whole world found out about it. Barchi also knew of the incidents in question and instead of taking action, he reviewed and renewed Rice’s $700,000 yearly salary, basically saying that physical abuse and shouting homophobic slurs isn’t that bad. This is a community that is still reeling from the story of Tyler Clementi, an 18 year old gay student who killed himself after being bullied at this same institution in September of 2010.
What message are you sending to that kid’s parents? Or for that matter, any parent that plans to send their child to Rutgers in the future.
Mike Rice was wrong and he’s been fired. So to Tim Pernetti and Robert L. Barchi: Step down. Do the right thing. Somebody in this situation needs to.

Vote now on your favorite baseball movie

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In a couple of weeks, the movie 42 hits theatres. The movie chronicles the amazing story of Jackie Robinson and how he broke the color barrier in the big leagues. It has the potential to be one of the great baseball movies, so before the release, I’d like to know what your favorite baseball movie is. I’ve listed some to choose from, but if you’d like to add one to the list, leave your pick in the Comments section. Click on the link for your choices. After a couple of weeks, I’ll give you the results and then give you my picks for the best and worst baseball movies of all time.

What is your favorite baseball movie?

The Best Month in Sports, Part 1: The NCAA Tournament

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Thank you to the first week of NCAA Tournament for proving my point. We have started the best month in sports and I’ll get back to this year’s action in a few minutes.
Over the years, this tournament has provided us with so many special moments. It started the Magic Johnson vs Larry Bird rivalry in 1979. It introduced the world to Michael Jordan in 1982. Only a year later, NC State shocked the basketball world by defeating a seemingly unbeatable Houston squad and provided us with one of the most unforgettable scenes as Jim Valvano ran all over the court just looking for a pile to jump on. (Quick note: If you haven’t seen the 30 for 30 special on ESPN covering this team, please give it a watch. It’s absolutely wonderful.) Villanova beating Patrick Ewing’s Georgetown team in 1985 remains one of the biggest upsets in history. Two years later, Keith Smart’s baseline jumper dashed the hopes of Syracuse as Indiana claimed yet another crown. Danny Manning puts on a show in 1988 as Kansas takes the title. Rumeal Robinson and Glen Rice lead Michigan to a title in 1989. The UNLV squad that started the 90s, Laettner takes down Kentucky, The Fab Five, 40 Minutes of Hell, Mateen Cleaves leading Michigan State, Melo leading Syracuse to a title as a freshman, George Mason’s improbable Final Four run, Mario Chalmers at Kansas, Shaka Smart leading VCU to the Final Four and last year, John Calipari leading Kentucky to the title to finally silence his critics. While these are legendary moments with legendary figures that will never be forgotten, they are only the tip of the iceberg. What makes this tournament so special are years like this one.
Yes, we have the big names back in the Sweet 16. Coach K and Duke, Izzo and Michigan State, Pitino and Louisville, the return of Indiana basketball as a threat. And history tells us that more than likely, the favorites usually do win. But let’s be honest, the fun and beauty of this tournament usually lies in the stories that develop over the first week and this year, there is no shortage of stories. Harvard wins their first tournament game ever. Wichita State lived up to their nickname, shocking No. 1 Gonzaga in the round of 32 to advance. But let’s face it, Gonzaga almost didn’t even make it that far as they were pushed by No.16 Southern in their first contest and they weren’t the only one. Kansas survived a scare as well, which leads me to believe that we are getting ever closer to the year where a 16 seed knocks off a 1 seed. The team I feel sorry for is La Salle. They had to fight just to play in the round of 64, beating Boise State in a First Four matchup, then beating Kansas State and Ole Miss by a combined four points and yet they’re not getting a lot of press. And the reason they’re not is because America has completely fallen for Dunk City and I’m on board.
Florida Gulf Coast University is exactly why the NCAA tournament is great. These are a bunch of kids that nobody has heard of that attend a university that has only existed since 1997 and what do they do? As a 15 seed, they completely take it to Georgetown, including probably the most exciting play of the tournament thus far. So what’s the big deal, we’ve seen that happen before. But instead of getting smoked in their next game as every other 15 seed has, they decide instead to run San Diego State and championship winning coach Steve Fisher out of the gym. And it is moments like these that have always made this tournament so special and it’s not only FGCU that I’m talking about.
I see it every year and I never get tired of it. These kids care. Whether it’s a senior on a losing team that knows he’s going to take off his uniform for the last time or a freshman that hits the big shot to send his team to the next round, these games are something that they will never forget. From tears of joy and triumph to tears of heartbreak and defeat, you can’t help but be swept up by the emotion that this tournament produces. And this is why we continue to watch game after game, round after round, and year after year. The Road to The Final Four has begun and what a ride it has already been. The Sweet 16 starts Thursday and only promises to bring more excitement and more drama.
The best month in sports is upon us. Enjoy the experience.

COMING SOON: THE BEST MONTH IN SPORTS, PART 2-THE RETURN OF BASEBALL

Upcoming Series: The Best Month in Sports

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Starting on Monday, I will be starting a series entitled “The Best Month in Sports”.  Just look at what this month has to offer. We are already being captivated by the madness that is the NCAA tournament.  Early April brings the return of baseball.  Soon after, one of my favorite events of the year occurs at Augusta National in the form of The Masters, quickly followed by the start of the NBA playoffs.  With each segment of this series, I’ll take a closer look at what makes each of these events so enjoyable.

One quick note: For you NHL fanatics, I did not forget about you. The reasons that I did not include the start of the NHL playoffs in this series are these: 1) This year’s playoffs do not fall within the month I’m referring to. But more importantly is 2) I am not going to pretend to attempt to write about a sport that I do not follow all that closely. Believe me, it would be an insult to you.  I can tell you, however, that even though hockey is not my favorite sport, there are few sporting events more exciting or more intense than a Game 7 in the NHL playoffs.

And one small rant.  This month does also not include the NFL.  I am completely aware that we live in a country where the NFL is king and when football season rolls around, I’m sure I will discuss it at length. I love football just as much as the next guy. But for now, I really don’t want to hear about it when there isn’t a game that matters for five months. If you want your fix, just turn on ESPN Radio in the morning and listen, believe me.  With so many other stories going on in sports, do I really need to hear a two hour conversation about how The Tuck Rule is finally going away?  The answer to that riddle is no.  We all know that Raider nation is still pissed off so how about paying some attention to something else.

I’ll talk to you all on Monday with “The Best Month in Sports, Part 1: The NCAA Tournament”.

About

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Welcome to The Luke Norris Experience. If you’re looking for a specific theme, you will not find it here. What you will find are my thoughts and opinions on a variety of different topics. I have many interests and when I feel like writing about something, I’ll write about it.

For the most part, I will keep things pretty light. I love sports and love talking about sports. To me, sports are a nice getaway from the pressures of everyday life, so some days that’s what you’ll get. I love movies and love talking about movies, so some days that’s what you’ll get. I enjoy music, theatre, comedy, and other forms of entertainment so some days, that’s what you’ll get.

There will also be times when I won’t want to keep it light. If the mood strikes, I’ll dive into the current state of our world. If I hear a news story that triggers an emotion, I’ll let you know how I feel about it. Some days I’m going to make you laugh. Some days I’m going to make you cry. Some days, I may really upset you with what I have to say.

I’ve never asked anyone to agree with everything I say, but my goal here is to at least make things interesting and entertaining for you. Enjoy the experience.