81 Luff Balloons??!!??

I woke up on Monday morning after watching the NFL Conference Championships on Sunday. Like much of the regular season this year, I ignored the NBA's scores from the previous day, even though I am the biggest Laker fan since Fletch.

First, let me say I am one of Kobe's biggest apologists. Watch him play, sometime, really watch him. You cant say he isnt one of the best all around players ever. You cant, he's that good..

"Did you see Kobe last night," a friend asked me excitedly. I figured he put up another 55 on someone. Little did I know he put 55 up in one half.

Wait a dang minute? 81 points?

Nah, cant be. 4 overtimes, right? Nope, he did it regulation. Dude sat half of the 2nd quarter, even.

Let me say that again, cause its been 4 days and I still dont believe it. 81 points in an NBA game.

Michael used to do that right? Nope, he never even hit 70. I guess Kobe doesnt want to be like Mike. Kareem? nope. Baylor, nope? Robinson? Nope. Shaq? Nope. AI? Nope.

KOBE? YES!

Only Wilt, in an era where he could score at Willt (pardon the pun), and he shot 32 FT's. Kobe shot 20 FT's in 12 less minutes than Wilt played in his game of 100 pts.

I think Reggie Miller said it best on PTI the other day. Anyone who criticizes this performance is doing it out of pure jealousy. Plain and simple.

Hate on Kobe all you want. I did my share of Michael hating back in the day. However, dont get lost on the fact that he scored 81 pts in 41 minutes while shooting over 50% from 2 and from 3 point range. 18-20 from the foul line. His 1st two misses in over 2 weeks.

If it wasnt the best scoring performance in NBA history outside of Wilt scoring 100 (I personally think its even better than Wilt's), I would like to see the better performance.

Sorry, not much funniness to this post, but I still cant believe my eyes. 81 points. Good Grief.

NFL Thoughts and Musings

You are probably asking - "How can the NFL be in the hottest part of its season and AOQ has stayed silent on all NFL related topics?" Well the silence is being broken today.

This Super Bowl matchup should quite any banter about whether or not the NFL is rigged. The fact that the Seattle Seahawks are still standing puts to bed any possibility that the league sets things up the way they want them. There are like 3 people who care about the Seahawks outside of their 53 man roster - Steve Largent, Brian Bosworth, and Kurt Kobain. Ok, so that really only makes it 2. Enough said about the Super Bowl - on to topics people care about.

Someone said to me the other day - in the midst of my rantings about the Bears - "At least your team got in the playoffs." Let me tell you something. I've been around a long time, and your team making the playoffs doesn't mean crap. Especially this team - I mean lets be honest, a defense like that comes along about as often as a blockbuster CD from Hootie and the Blowfish. If your defense is giving up less than 10 points a game, and you don't make the playoffs...you should be banned from football. Period. The Akili Smith lead Bengal Offense could have taken this team to the playoffs, so don't give me that crap about "at least." At least I didn't kick you in the neck after saying that.

Colts...what is there to say man. I'm seriously not even going down that road, because there is nothing to rehash. Apparently it isn't a New England jinx - it is just a playoff mental block, because they will do this crap again next year. Win 96 games in the regular season...get beat up in the playoffs. No possible way this team shouldn't be in the Super Bowl. This is how you spell choke...

C - Can you please block someone?
H - Hey Tarrick Glenn - you can't move until the ball is snapped. New rule this year.
O - Oh hey, Polamalu just made another tackle.
K - Kickers are so useless.
E - Every freakin year man.

Parting thought - whoever is in charge of giving Jake Delhomme his ridelin is doing a piss poor job.

I'll give ya respect

If you had to quantify it - what would be the absolute maximum amount of respect an individual or group of individuals could be shown? Would it be bowing to their every request, and no longer making them earn anything - but simply giving them what they desire because we respect them so much? Maybe sectioning off a portion of the country, and making the person or persons the absolute supreme ruler of that part of the land...and they will answer to no one.

That might not even be enough for Tom Brady and the Pats - I think they are looking for the U.S. Government to set up a religion that will deify them, and then mandate their worship on the people of this country.

Let's assume that Tom and the boys are somewhat rational for the time being, and that they are looking for supreme respect within the realm of professional football (which seems to me should be the boundaries of the respect they earn.) What else could anyone involved with the NFL or its production possibly do to show these clowns more respect? Every time you change the channel - all you get is, "Tom Brady is the most clutch performer since Davy Crockett," or "If I was a woman, the only man I would want would be Tom Brady," or "Bill Belichick is probably the smartest being to be born since God."

Everyone in the media says this stuff and backs this line of thinking - EVERYONE.

What more can we do Tom? Tell me what I can do for you, to give you more respect. I am planning on not sending my children to school when they come of age, and just setting up a film room in my basement where they can watch game tapes of you and your brilliance. I am also planning on moving the family in the offseason, and setting up shop on your front lawn so that we can all bask in your aura.....and maybe, just maybe glean some of your perfection just by being so close to you.

Don't come around here with that crap Tom. Homey don't play that.

Maybe if you do something like going to Iraq and restoring all peace, or curing AIDS in Africa, or ending Castro's reign in Cuba - maybe something like that could warrant MORE respect than you have right now. But until then, shut your pie hole.