Lo Cain is a hell of a drug!!!

Lorenzo Cain's incredible baserunning is a good part of the reason that there was no chance for a game 7 for the Blue Jays in the ALCS, of course there are numerous reasons why the Kansas City Royals are back to back American League Pennant winners, though this run from first to home off a single was a big part of it tonight. It also shows the determination of this team to get back to the World Series, it shows a hunger for something they feel they left on their plate last year, and it is a demonstration of what they will do to win it all and stop the drought since 1985. The fact that Davis could get out of the jam in the 9th with runners at 3rd and 1st with no outs is incredible all on it's own, though add the 45 minute rain delay and an extra 15 to 20 minutes waiting for the bottom of the 8th to finish up is jaw dropping, sure he has been a starting pitcher in the past but he is a closer these days and these things do make an arm a bit cold. To be fair the Blue Jays played a stellar series and nothing was given, though that speaks volumes to the talent and chemistry this Royal's team possesses. The Mets will be a difficult opponent, though I have every faith in the Royal's small ball approach, and their powerful bullpen, I do expect a good series, though I do have KC in 6 games as the AL team has home field advantage. This game 6 was the reason I watch baseball especially in October, and I expect some more nail biter's in the World Series, and on that note, Panda out!!!

Marty McFly can do nothing to reverse Cubs curse

Even on Back to the Future day the Cubbies had as much luck winning the Pennant as per usual, the brooms were out, and the sweeping did occur, nothing can really be said but it is a shame, well at least that this Panda's picks for the World Series have been disrupted. Though I still think the Royals will pull through and win the AL pennant, it is a shame my pick for the winner of the NL pennant got swept and in good fashion as well, the Cubs closest game was a 4-2 loss in game one of the series. We can blame pitching, the long ball, or simply the fact that the Mets played better baseball through the series, and this is why I cannot wait for the World Series to commence, though there is the slight issue of the Blue Jays, and who can be certain that they will not win the next two games, I for one think it will be too difficult for them to win two straight against a team that last year fought their way from the wild card all the way to the World Series, only to lose in 7 games to a Madbum led Giants team that has had great victories on even years. Harry Caray is probably singing take me out to the ball game from his grave wishing it was still the seventh inning stretch to give the cubbies another chance to win the pennant, but it will be for not, as no amount of DeLorean's going 88 miles per hour will change the fate of the cubbies in 2015. Congrats to the Mets for all the wasted champagne for they will lose in the next round, which is of course the World Series, and on that note Panda out!!!

Smurfs fail in first round against Mets

As an eternal Dodger hater this game 5 win by the Mets brings me nothing but joy, though in the end we must dissect the mistakes that led such a well paid team to fail at home in an all or nothing game. Sure we could blame the pitcher who allowed the runs, though this is not the true reason for the loss, in the post season your offense has to be able to score more than 2 runs, especially if you scored those 2 runs in the first inning, this team has for years paid for great hitting that is not clutch, and say this only out of respect for Magic Johnson, otherwise I would keep my mouth and pen quiet. They even brought the cheap cunt Utley out of suspension to fail as well in this all important game, though when you slide dirty they have to wait until the game is on the line to bring you in otherwise you will get hit by a pitch. We all know the team with heart won this series, the biggest mistake was of course when no one covered third and Daniel Murphy stole third after a walk, funny how a game can change so easily when you don't pay attention, but this is how the Dodgers seem to act in the postseason every year they make it. Now it is time for the champagne though not for the Smurfs, it will be a fun series to watch between the Cubbies and the Mets, though LA will have to watch it like the rest of us, except for them the beer may taste a bit bitter. This will be fun watching two matchups, both in the AL and the NL that seem to be a bit of a rarity, but this is what we love about the race for the World Series, and in the end it usually comes down to a great hit, a bad pitch, or simply a great team effort, and on that note Panda out!

Harry Caray's ghost vision rings true tonight

What do we have left when it comes to true sports hero's, not much, so my love of Harry Carray is completely normal, and no one should convince certain gravesites of anything otherwise. On a another note the Cubbies are trending, and the only reason that is great, is they are now in the NLCS, which means better champagne if they win the series, though in all seriousness, they better focus for the Smurfs or the Mets, for if they don't the Mets might win the World Series and that would be a bit discomforting for them, seeing the high prices for champagne these days. We all love a bit of jest, though predicting the world series winner is not as easy as I would like to make it look like, who cares, they say,though it is surprising how many would like the pick, it is okay I will give it to me, oh wait, I mean you. It will be, that team with the best defense, most impressive offense, and of course the great pitching we knew they had all season, oh, and the ability the manager had to switch at the perfect time, god, why didn't we know all along. Such a strong team, built from wonderful ownership, and epic managerial staff, how else could they have brought up from their minor league teams at key points. Well we all know it was the best team that must be left unspoken, and on that note Panda fucking out!!!!

The hope is over for the Giants, though still fuck the Dodgers!!!

We all struggle with so many things in life, I keep mine simple, misplaced love, alcoholism, and running out of beer, there might be a few other things but I would hate to go too deep in my writing. So the last bits of hope are gone for the Giants this year, I will never give up on my team, but reality has set in like the words you never want to hear from a Giants reporter who once represented the love that glowed in your heart for this team that might as well own your soul. We will forever be Giant, though we cannot always win the World Series as we have become spoiled to expect, our one hope must be that the Dodgers fail miserably this year in their playoff hunt, no pennant, no trophy, no motherfucking champagne, because fuck the Dodgers that's why, they deserve nothing, and this particular Panda is hoping they get nothing, money does not pave your way to the promise land. We shall all carry on, me with a bit of whiskey and beer to lighten the load, and for the rest, well do what you do, keep it real, don't buy the bullshit, and have original thoughts, because that is the only way to live and exist. If you question what is real, at least you have a bit of a platform to start from, and by the way, most of this that you see is not what this Panda would call real, find your heart, keep your soul, and on that note Panda OUT!!!

She was my heart, but she was not my red panda

I have known love from time to time, it is an evil mistress and I never trust her until I let loose, this was one of those times, I hate myself for letting it happen, she was wonderful, full of sarcasm and joy, yet I suppose she wasn't mine. I wish she was still part of my heart, yet she cracked a part of a perfect Panda, we will never know what could have been, she will always own a piece of my heart, though she will never know my soul as I would've loved her to get to know. She was my breath, she was the taste I felt through the first touch of food to my tongue, the ecstasy that I would feel from nothing more than the sound of her voice, she made me feel like I was more than a man, I can't help but hurt from this loss, though I will recover, however hard it may be. I will miss her until the end of days, but she apparently was not the one, the whiskey may ease the pain but time is the only thing that will heal this pain. I can't wait for the moment the hurt doesn't kill, and that moment I see her face and doesn't hurt, she will leave my life with nothing but respect though I will always remember the shattered heart she left me with. On that note Panda out.

Feel the Bern

I get it this is not a sports post, though y'all better blast some Hank Williams and forget sports even exist for a slight moment, sorry but this Panda might be lacking a bit of PBR and Jim Beam at this early hour, and where the fuck is the door. This Bernie Sanders seems like the kind of character HST would follow and tear apart, yet in the end would be in full support of, though how can we believe in truth anymore in politics, is he really the one that can spur these cunts into a real vision of democracy or are we puffing a bit too much imagining a bit of truth in this game of lies. Is it truly the time for a bit of fun we've been missing in a political system which is supposed to be objective, or did we all do too much LSD when we were in our prime, I certainly don't care due to the fact that this man speaks sense. I certainly am in full support, yet feel I am in a dream reading his words, we shall certainly see if he can make a majority vote for a slightly crazy, yet honest human for the most powerful position in the world. Either or, it is just a game we watch to see if the corporate world really has full control of our souls, so my advice to you all, dear Panda lovers, is to keep your soul close and your guns a bit closer. For trusting the government is your first mistake, and trusting the process is even worse than having 352 mistakes after the first, so I wish you well and dear Panda Buddha God prease forgive me my actions if Trump is elected. On that note Panda fucking out!!!!

The future's uncertain and the end is always near

As the clock ticks closer to six thirty in the morning, and the garbage truck makes it's racket coming up the street, the drunken mind fights for life and this panda has only one thing on his mind. A sip of an old mixed drink of mine, (mostly cheap sake and a bit of cheap beer, I call it a sixteen sixty sake). In fairness, a stressed out sports fan needs a bit of juice to continue through the love and pain that life and sports can bring. At this moment it is uncertainty, the uncertainty of politics that always seem to seasonally correspond to the uncertainty of sports, and this particular sport would be Ducks muthafucking football, or as Vice sports would report it Division 1 College Football, well first off Vice sports can go fuck themselves, I never thought reporters could get worse but congrats to Vice they found a fucking way. This is important so I will not dilly dally on the lack of good journalism in an age where it should be twice as easy to create, I will delve into the lack of media coverage two of the most important parts of this fall season are getting. It is mind blowing that neither the Ducks, a team that was so close to the title it hurt an entire nation to see Urban Meyer lift a trophy instead of Mark Helfrich, or a great politician such as Bernie Sanders, a man who has always spoke of equality between humans in general, fixing the tax irregularities that billion dollar corporations abuse, and refinancing how America spends it's tax dollars, I don't know maybe spending a bit more on health care, perhaps education, oh and how about a little less on military action, or as the rest of the world calls it War! So what, I'm a recovering political junkie, drinking my worries away in the city of lights, the place where most American greats had to experience at sometime, some of them even died here, it doesn't mean I won't revel in the possibility of Oregon going to the playoffs for the second year in a row, though this season for the Ducks is as uncharted as the possibility of a sane human, being elected to the most powerful position in the world, the beauty of this is that the Ducks have an excellent coach with a good track record, and everyone thinks it will be impossible for them to get to the promise land without Mariota at the helm. For Bernie camp, no one trusts a man of his "mad" principles to run this country, yet any asshole who wants to throw it to the wolves is easily elected, though why let that stop you, it is a fact that if you run hard and fast you can be the one to win the race, also the rest look like feed for the slaughter though maybe I touched the LSD one too many times and have a different take on life. Though the facts are in the Ducks will have a bit of a learning curve to deal with, yet I believe they can overcome it, to be fair the Coaches Poll has them ranked fifth, and the AP has them at seventh, so I believe the American world agrees with this panda for once, though we shall see, for me it's back to my sixteen sixty sake, as always go Ducks, and on that note Panda out!!!

What is the true impact of deflategate?

I get it, I truly do, everyone hates cheaters, though is the chess match we call football, just a big game of who can get away with whatever they can? This panda understands, better than most, the bitter taste of loss, and the pain of failure when you are so close to the desired goal, yet we would have to consider ourselves childish if we would agree with the NFL on this overly dramatic dance that they have us intertwined within. This is utter bullshit, Rodger Goodell is blaming a team, (if they are actually guilty) for things he should have under control in the league he is commissioner of, if I did this at my job I would be fired or at least docked pay. Last time I checked the Ref is the last guy to hold the ball before the snapper gets his hands on it, is it not too much to ask to make sure it's a ball that can actually be used? Penalize the Ref not the QB or the team, it is the biggest abuse of power, and it's counterintuitive if you want this successful sport to grow. I know I have never been a fan of Goodell but this is crossing a line I just cannot understand, I am starting to be convinced he wants to kill the NFL before he retires. I look up at the starlight and realize this so called man has no soul, he is simply a cancer eating it's way through a sport I love and crave to watch to maintain my sanity, this evil cunt must be stopped before he destroys one of the greatest sports the world has ever known. This panda certainly hopes Tom Brady wins in court against this asshole, for it will be a small step towards ridding the NFL of this horrible parasite, we must stay strong and not allow this waste of oxygen to steal our sport from us. I urge you all to support Tom Brady in his fight against the dark side, well unless you are a Seahawks fan, then please read my post from the fifth of february and then go fuck yourself. We all have to fight for our NFL, it is time to rise to protect what is ours, and on the note Panda out!!!

After trouble with a writer's block like illness, the Sports Panda returns triumphantly to the typewriter!

We all as living beings struggle with addiction, obsession, and illness, though we sometimes can control these, many times it is better for the creative process to let it engulf you so you can fight your way back to have that first breath of fresh air. This particular Panda may get overly emotionally attached to the teams he writes about, and from time to time the page will dry of all its ink as his tears have stolen the liquid necessary to type the words, perhaps it isn't the best of traits for one that writes about sports, or it could be exactly what the stale world of sports writing needs. If you can feel the emotion in the words you read from the page, it would seem you would be more interested in the words that leap from the page to give you a sense of being truly involved in the game, it certainly doesn't matter the sport as long as the writer has a love that can bleed through his writing. To explain there came a time I couldn't write about a quite disappointing result in the NBA Finals, I attempted to distract with the MLB but the Giants weren't helping me much there, and as time continued to pass it became more and more difficult to dust the cobwebs off this Panda's writing paws. Now we have reached my favorite time of year in sports, I can write about the MLB push for the postseason, the beginning of the NFL, and last but not least the start of the NCAAF season, if I didn't hate the Buckeyes already, after last season now I really hate them and I don't care how many quarterbacks they have, they are overrated and that magic from last season has dwindled. Anyways, the Sports Panda has returned, come here for your obviously biased sports news with a sprinkle of facts, from time to time reading this blog may require a chaser, I know I usually need one when I write it, but I guarantee you will not be bored when you read from the pages of the Sports Panda, so let's get ready for another great football season. Oh, and for those of you that didn't read this last year or have forgotten I am originally from Oregon, GO DUCKS!!!!!

LeBron and Cavs look to take a 3-1 series lead in Finals

Tonight we have another matchup between the two best teams in the NBA, so far the series has been about as close to must watch as any NBA Finals series can be, we've seen some record setting play be LeBron, and some insane defense by the Cavaliers in the last two games. The Warriors are in a position being down in the series where they must be feeling a little desperate, though they are obviously an explosive offensive team, they have struggled a bit especially in the first half of each game, and the biggest issue is what shall they do about LeBron in this all important game 4. The Australian Matthew Dellavedova is the biggest surprise in this series, he has played amazing defense on the MVP of the league Stephen Curry preventing him from being as efficient as he can be, though we shall see if Delly sans coffee tonight can pull off another miracle, or will it be the Steph Curry and the Warriors who continue to not drop three games this season and even up the series at two games each. Personally I think the Cavaliers have an advantage tonight as home court will be loud, and they happen to have the best player on the planet wearing one of their jersey's, all that I am sure of is it will be another great game, and on that note Panda out!

The Trailblazers should hire Coach Tom Thibodeau immediately!!!

Okay, I get it the Blazers made the playoffs this year, it's not like they failed this season by any means, but I am sorry this team has been underwhelming year after year, if they make it past the first round it's a shock, and who ever knows if they will even make the postseason. Nothing against Terry Stotts, but I will never consider him a true NBA head coach, he has all the passion of a hibernating bear, and the strong voice of a junior high student forced into public speaking. I understand it's difficult to coach a team to success in the Western Conference, or is it? Could it simply be that the teams that make it to the finals have the combination of good coaching and talent that it takes in any Conference, League, or Sport to succeed. This Panda is under the impression that due to a serious lack of intelligence in the front office of the Portland Trailblazers, they have provided piss poor results even with talent that could rival a good percentage of NBA teams, what is one of the Blazer's biggest weaknesses? The head coach, he is a great coach for a team like the Sixers, Timberwolves, or maybe the Knicks, but Portland wants, no needs, a championship, and they won't get that from inconsistent results, they deserve a coach that can give them a no nonsense approach to each game whether or not their stars are injured. Now where in this power driven NBA would you ever find a coach that could give you a defensive minded outlook on each and every game, fuel a thirst to succeed through thick and thin, and feed a neverending hunger to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy, oh wait didn't some idiots in Chicago just fire some guy that can do all of that?
Yes, the rumors are true, Tom Thibodeau is on the open market, and most likely is, as we speak, being interviewed to be the head coach of an NBA team. So Terry Stotts does not really deserve to lose his job, it wouldn't be the first time a Paul Allen owned team was completely crazy about firing, hiring, or general management of things usually known to be simple in the front offices of professional teams. Anyways, it is the chance of a lifetime to pick up a Coach that has never missed the Playoffs as an NBA head coach, if it weren't for LeBron this guy might have a couple rings, Terry Stotts was fired by Milwaukee of all places. If anyone can make LaMarcus stay in Portland as he will be a free agent this summer, it is Coach Thibodeau, and who better to develop Damian Lillard, than a man who helped Derrick Rose through so many injuries to come back to the player he once was.
Maybe it is just too easy as a Panda sitting here sipping on wine, munching on some bamboo to discredit these people with such prestigious jobs in the upper echelon of the NBA, though I for one sincerely doubt it, and on that note Panda out!!!

It's official the Hawks are that bad!

To all those LeBron haters that still exist out there, you lost your hope for him not going to five straight finals when his team defeated the Chicago Bulls, I get it you have some strange urge to hate greatness, and the odd way a millennial will rise to it. Seriously though, this man is good for basketball, if you truly love this game so much than why are you hating the closest version to a clone of Magic Johnson perhaps one of the most loved NBA players of all time, and I am sure the majority of you're mouths were centimeters from Michael Jordan's hypothetical balls when he was in the league. This a man who rarely implied his team might be partly responsible for their success, and his ego was so big he thought he should quit basketball and try baseball for two years, wait Michael you ain't Bo Jackson, your last name is not Sanders.
Though on the subject of the Hawks, this is exactly why teams have superstars, and don't tell me you consider Jeff Teague one, for you would be dead wrong, Kyle Korver not even close, and Al Horford is one of those Power Forwards forced to be a Center due to a lack of size in the NBA these days. Atl has completely abandoned what got them the number one seed in the East through an excellent regular season, seems like they are using isolation plays more than the Cav's, remember when the Hawks were known for their ball movement, yeah me neither I didn't watch them outside of SportsCenter which they were barely on because they're boring to watch.
Credit does have to go to the Cavaliers though, their defense has jumped to another level in the playoffs, and they have frustrated an Atlanta team without a true leader and one of those coaches that would be a genius if he got lucky and had a superstar or two on his team, but since he's coaching the Hawks he seems sub-par. Now the Cavs seem poised to sweep the Hawks and get some rest before the Finals, the next man up philosophy seems to be working, even so to the point that LeBron grabbed the bench with only one rebound needed for a triple double towards the end of game two.
Even with Kyrie Irving in a suit on the sideline trying to heal up from injuries on both knees, LeBron used his leadership to keep the team well directed and focused, and we know that at this point people in Cleveland are starting to feel some serious excitement for a long awaited championship. So we shall see if LeBron and company have the killer instinct and step on the feathered necks of the Hawks on Sunday evening, and on that note Panda out!!!

LeBron fight's through poor night to hit revenge game winner!

This Cleveland vs Chicago 2nd round matchup has lived up to expectations, we've seen two buzzer beaters in the last two games, seen total domination in the first two games of the series though by two different teams in each. Now we await game five only a little over an hour off, we now know that due to stats in the playoffs LeBron is more clutch than Jordan, though these are simply stats but as they say numbers never lie. This game five is certainly the deciding game, though more so for the Cav's, still it is going to take winning two games in a row to win the series for the team that loses tonight, it is the game I feel that will truly define this series, though if you believe in miracles it might be just some media hooplah, though that is all for those without conventional sports wisdom.
You never know as it will be a home game for Cleveland, but both LeBron and Kyrie have some ankle issues and we have no idea how truly healthy they both are, also Pau is somewhat questionable as far as health goes, and if you watched game four you know both teams seem a bit exhausted after so much physical play down low.
In the end, this is the series we wanted and for once in my life I'd hate to have the job in Vegas of picking the odds on this one, for this particular Panda it's a coin flip, and you'd have to be clairvoyant to be able to pick this one correctly.
This all withstanding LeBron and Uncle Drew are still on one side of this show down and I am not too sure if D Rose will have enough to dethrone the king at home, and on that note Panda out!!!

Cav's flip the script in game 2

LeBron reestablishes the head band and it makes the team effort all part of his brilliant plan, or was it? Seems like the King was psyching the bulls out a bit with his return to the head band, though who are we to really judge as it actually worked, though it was a bit of a baseball move if we can imagine it has anything to do with superstition. All we do know is that it was all Cav's on Wednesday night, the Bulls tried to fight back but it just did not seem like the same team that we saw in game one. All we do know is that now the Cleveland Cavaliers are shooting well from behind the arc at 12-26 or 46.2%, as their opponent shot only 31.8% from downtown. What can we expect from this series that we have been waiting all year for, who can tell, it all comes down to how each team plays in the first quarter if the first two games of this all tied up series have anything to say about it all. So let us raise some glasses to see if LeBron and company can steal one in Chicago, or will it be D. Rose showing Uncle Drew how it is done in Chi town, we shall certainly see, though if I was placing bets I would say the Cleveland Cavaliers seem warmed up and it would seem they will at least leave Chicago with a 2-2 series heading back to Cleveland. These teams seem ready to go to blows for 7 games, though it is hard to tell at this point, and on that note Panda out!!!

Game 7 lives up to hype!

This game 7 felt nothing like a first round playoff matchup it is certainly a shame that one of these two teams had to go home, but with a last second shot by CP3 the Clippers advance to the next round and the Spurs get eliminated from the playoffs. On the same day as the fight of the century as they say, and the Kentucky Derby, was possibly the better sports matchup in a game seven in the first round of the 2015 NBA Playoffs. Blake Griffin got himself a triple double, with 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists, CP3 had 27 points, and shot 5\6 from 3 point range, making his presence known through a hamstring injury, the Clippers dealt with the defending champs with precision, and without fear. This game was the one thing to watch Saturday evening in sports that seems more about the love of the game, while the horse races of both types had nothing to do with love or humanity and mostly only money and hype, thank you NBA for showing a bit of soul on an evening where the heart and soul in sports has been lost in commercial ideology. We now can discuss whether or not the Spurs who seem they can bring everyone back but the question of age is always surrounding this team, and who really knows until the beginning of next season to see if these aging superstars will return for one more run. Though the more important question to ask is who will win the Clippers Rockets series that is now to come, for this panda I believe if you can cut down the defending champs I do believe you can take down the other great team from Texas in the Houston Rockets. It should be another great series and we shall see how everything develops with the CP3 injury, this will be a fight no doubt, and hopefully we can see some of the beauty of this first round matchup, though every series will be it's own beast. Though I've got Clippers in 7, and on that note Panda out!!!

We have our first game 7 of the Playoffs

Clippers vs Spurs series has yet to disappoint being two of the best teams in the Western Conference, and game 6 was another wire to wire showcase, the Clippers won this one 102-96 forcing a well needed game 7 before we lose one of these teams to this year's playoffs. It was a close game all the way through, and it almost seemed like overtime might be needed to prove a winner, the defending champs did not look as strong as they usually do, but the Clippers looked hungry to keep their playoff hopes alive. Luckily their wasn't as much hack a Jordan stuff this game, Blake Griffin was fantastic and I think he and Redick made up for a poor shooting night for Chris Paul, Chris Paul was incredible making plays for his teammates and made some clutch baskets in the second half. Belinelli had a great game 7-11 from behind the arc, Diaw helped out with 17 points also for the Spurs, yet with the lack of points by the starters the Spurs seemed to just never have a chance in this game even if it stayed fairly close throughout. Even with a good win at San Antonio and game 7 at home Los Angeles still seems to have all the pressure on them, it's historically difficult to win back to back games against Popovich in the playoffs, though this is why they play the games. On that note Panda out!

The Deer show Fear

History was made in Milwaukee tonight, though I don't think anyone involved with the Bucks organization will want to talk about it for possibly eternity, it was an embarrassment their are no other words to describe the play by the Bucks. Not to take anything away from the Bulls who clinched the Series, they put their foot on the gas and never showed any sign of slowing down as they will face Cleveland on Monday evening. The final was 120-66, though it was truly never a close game, one of those games that is not worth watching unless you have a horse in the race.
This second round match up is between possibly the two best teams in the Eastern Conference, it's almost a shame they won't face each other for the Eastern Conference Finals as this series seems to be just that without the title, and even with a bit of a weakened Cavaliers team this series will most likely go to seven games and I believe every game will be as entertaining as the NBA Playoffs can be. These two teams do not like each other, they are both defensive minded teams, and the best part is we can watch Uncle Drew and D Rose battle it out at the point guard position, we shall see how Mozzie deals with Chicago's size inside in Gasol and Noah, and we cannot forget LeBron the best basketball player on the planet and whoever has the misfortune of guarding him.
We've been waiting for this match up and I for one am excited, we'll see how it all plays out, and how many SporstsCenter Top Ten Plays we will get from this one, and on that note Panda out!

Bulls fail to move on

As we all know in the NBA Playoffs it is survival of the fittest and the Bulls have yet to show that, they should be pressing forward to defeat a weakened Cavaliers team, why they don't want more rest may actually lay on the fact that we should fear the deer. They may be a team that everyone discounted, though they may have a bit of soul in them, and who know's they may have the killer blood necessary to force a game seven, especially after all this Cav's vs Bulls talk throughout the entire season. It would take some incredible coaching by Jason Kid, and remarkable play by everyone on his roster, but it really only comes down to a game by game attitude, otherwise we wouldn't even bother with having a playoff system to decide such important things in the NBA.
We do know that MCW aka Michael Carter-Williams did have an incredible game all the while being the primary defender against D-Rose, how is it possible for such a young player to hold D-Rose to only 5-20 shooting percentage and only 13 points in total, while able to shoot 10-15 for 22 points and also 8 rebounds, and 9 assists, no one will really ever know unless he develops into the next superstar NBA player we are all waiting for. It is hard to know will climb to the top next but we all know the playoffs tend to show us what is to come and that is what makes it hard not to root for Milwaukee in this next game, for if we don't we are not rooting for the future of this sport we love so much, and on that note, fear the deer, and of course Panda out!!!!

Nets even series, prove Hawks were never that good

Sure the Nets had a losing season this year, but they have a lot of talent on their team, though if you take anything away from this series it's that the East is weak this year. You start to see why Vegas has Cleveland seeming to be the favorite to win the Championship. Though they would still have to face off against the Bulls unless everything goes wrong for Rose and his Chicago Bulls, but it seems that this would be the Eastern Conference Finals in reality for true sports fans. I may be wrong but the Hawks, the Nets, or the Wizards are not really going to really have a chance against the two teams that we have all said were going to fight out of the East this season, stranger things have happened and we all hope for strange faery tale happenings but this is April and not March. In the end it is the reason that they play the games, we shall all see how it plays out, and on the note Panda out.

The Broom comes out as Cav's sweep the Celtics

LeBron James is now 10-0 in first round playoff series in his career, though for the first time in his Cavaliers playoff career he had players who had his back, even ones who weren't even that well known on the scorecard, which for LeBron is a welcome sight. Problems might be forthcoming for the Cav's in round two but that is talk for tomorrow, as he might have a team in Cleveland that will do what it takes to bring that ever coveted banner into Cleveland. The Bulls look scary with an old school look D Rose at the helm, though discounting the Cav's on their goal is as stupid as ignoring stock tips in the nineties about Google and Apple, don't get me wrong I'm looking forward to a great series against the (in my opinion) two best teams in the east, and the Bucks still have something to say about this, though the smart money is on Chicago. We still need to know how bad Kevin Love's injury was in game four against the Celtics, and what the league decides to do with Smith's flagrant 2, all that being said, even if it takes 7 games I still see the Cleveland Cavaliers lead by LeBron James will advance to the Eastern Conference Finals and eventually get out of the East to most likely face the Warriors in the NBA Finals. They (the Cav's) dominate in the fourth quarter as well as at the end of every half, their defense is much better in the playoffs than it was in the regular season, and LeBron has a thirst unmatched by anyone in the league, and don't get me started on his leadership. On that note Panda out!

Doc beats Pop in game one

The series to watch in the first round is of course the Clippers against the Spurs, or the ever salivated over Doc Rivers versus Greg Popovich matchup. The defending champs against an upstart team that seems to have a touch of maturity this year, enough so that the Clippers are the 3 seed in the west in this year's NBA playoffs, sure they only did what they should defending home court, but the Spurs are a difficult beast to take apart as they were able to do in game one. We all know this series is far from over, though taking that first step to show a bit of the age in this crumbling empire that is the San Antonio Spurs is how you can slowly wear them down and possibly win the series. This series is what most think should be the coaching duel that we should see in the Western Conference Finals, though we are fortunate enough to see it battled out in the first round of these playoffs. The only player that really can be the X factor as they say in this series is Blake Griffin, as he goes so do the Clippers and tonight it was a champions performance, though all is to be seen in the next few games, Pop is the master at altering his game plan from game to game throughout a series. All the same we cannot lose sight of the fact that Doc Rivers is also an elite coach with almost flawless results in the postseason, if this series does not go to seven games I personally would be shocked and it could end up being more exciting than this year's NBA Finals matchup. We all know what to expect, expect the unexpected, though all we as fans can do is watch the art and magic happen, and on that note Panda out!

The Jury is in on Uncle Drew

So if you have any questions on the 23 year old known as Kyrie Irving a Duke alumni, he is playoff ready after a 30 point showing in game one against the ever eager Celtics. Uncle Drew was so present we all wondered, when are those commercials coming? Okay maybe a bit of a stretch, but we were all in awe watching his first game playing in the NBA playoffs, though he held no fear in his heart, he seemed a cold blooded killer upon that court, this was a display he has been waiting to show the world. LeBron may be the best player on the planet at this point in time, though that does not diminish how incredible Kyrie is, also he might be the heir apparent to this Cavaliers franchise that needs hope desperately. In all accounts Cleveland dominated, though it speaks to LeBron's growth that Irving and Love were an augmentation that he was encouraging in every possession. We never know what game two will hold but we do know that David Blatt is now a very respected coach in the NBA at this time, though why the media questioned him to to begin with is quite questionable. It is time for the doubt of this change in power in the Eastern Conference to change publicly, the Miami Heat were terrible this year, and the Cav's were great, so the result is in LeBron can change a franchise. On that note, Panda out!

Beat to shook ones seems prophetic to Pelicans play

During the ABC halftime show while some replays were being analyzed of how exactly the Pelicans went from fighting to be only down by five with 4:16 left in the first half, to the eventual eighteen point Warriors lead at half time, and it was all beautifully balanced by the beat of Shook Ones by Mobb Deep, kudos to the ABC production team on that one for it really empowered the fact that New Orleans had been shook in that first half. The third quarter wasn't much better for the Pelicans, as they were down by twenty points for almost the entire quarter, they fought back in the fourth quarter but the entire game seemed to be in control from the start by the Warriors and even if it was close at the end Golden State still cruised to an easy victory by NBA playoff standards. Sure Anthony Davis had 35 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks, and was 9-10 at the free throw line he just didn't have enough help to defeat the best team record wise in the regular season of the NBA. Steph Curry was far from lights out behind the arc, but he was still almost impossible to guard and still got 34 points, on top of that the Golden State starters all went for double digits in points while only three of the New Orleans starters hit that mark, actually the only three Pelican players to do so, and only one of Davis's teammates got 20 points, which wouldn't be so bad if after Gordon's 16 points some one would've gotten more than 8 points for the Pelicans. All in all, it seems the Pelicans actually were beaten by Golden State's defense one of the strengths that is often overlooked as their offense can be so explosive, but if you break it down that is truly what occurred on Saturday in game one of this playoff series. We still have a few games to see what this young team can do to challenge the Warriors who seem redefined this year with first year coach Steve Kerr who is my front running candidate for coach of the year. So let's all enjoy the beauty that is playoff basketball and see who makes it out of the first round, and on that note, Panda out!

The time has once again come for blood and lost teeth

We have journeyed through the regular season and the wondrous Stanley Cup Playoffs are upon us, where everyone one that ice has blood, guts, and the glory of lifting the coveted Stanley Cup. There are five Canadian teams in the mix, Canadians, Canucks, Flames, Jets, and Senators, the Jets being the only team facing off against an American foe in the first round. Excited as we all are for to watch speed skaters physically attempt to destroy their opponents I would not be giving you the whole story if I only wrote of the puddles of icey blood, fractured smiles, and guaranteed concussions. Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals scored 53 goals this year joining Mario Lemieux, Guy Lafleur, and Marcel Dionne in history for having 6 seasons with 50 or more goals. He is still young enough to possibly catch up to Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy who have 9 seasons with 50 or more goals, though unfortunately for Ovechkin his team has done next to nothing in the playoffs causing nothing but disappointment for such a talented player, will this be the year he can lead his team to victory and drinking champagne from the Stanley Cup, or will he have to go home hoping that next year will be his chance.
Will the Penguins shrug off years of injury issues and win their first Stanley Cup since 2009, will the Wild make it to their first ever Stanley Cup Finals, will Chicago do what they tend to always do love them or hate them for it, or will it be Detroit make us feel like is 5 or 6 years ago. This will all be played out on the blood stained ice, and this Panda will be here to watch each tooth fly, every blow thrown and hopefully a goalie fight or two. On that note Panda out.

It takes 12 innings to decide it at Petco ballpark

The only time Maxwell House Coffee will ever be brought up on the same coast of the U.S.A. as some of the best coffee roasters in the country are in business, as from this moment on all will know it will be known as Maxwell Time due to Justin Maxwell the rookie baseball player who hit his first MLB RBI in the top of the 12th inning in a game that had been scoreless until that point. The game had been a pitching duel that would only broken by one of the two teams not being able to recover from a slight error, and apparently Casilla was still able to close it out for the giants, the padres did their best to not lose game one of the series but in the end it came down to some clutch hitting and some focused closing pitching to put that game into the books.
We shall see how San Diego treats the Giants after their game one heart wrenching win, though we can only imagine the crowd will only get more determined tonight to see the defending champs lose inside of their ballpark. All in all it seems every team the Giants face this year might have to deal with some of that left over magic from their championship run, though all we as baseball fans can do is simply watch. On that note Go Giants!!!! and Panda Out.

As Bo Ryan throws words, Coach K see's the net cut

        What more do we need to know about Coach K, a figure in sports known for nothing less than pure excellence, a consummate professional, this man coached 5 completely different teams into a championship breed. This is almost unheard of, though for this man he will also donate his spare time to finding gold medals for NBA stars. Though this scourge to college basketball in the form of Coach Bo Ryan using such terms as renting players against such a great man is just pure jealousy in it's ugliest form. The fact that Bo Ryan can't attract the kind of talent that would only spend the required freshman year in NCAA basketball is more than likely the reason he doesn't have "one and done" players (as the rest of the world refers to it), no coach would not try to recruit the best players coming out of high school for then they would not be doing their job.
      Basically this man is a poor loser, and in the most childish of ways blurted an excuse for being beaten by a better team, Calapari didn't resort to such behavior after his team was defeated by Wisconsin in the final four, yet Bo Ryan just couldn't help himself. With Frank Kaminsky a senior he will depart for the draft and Wisconsin will have to rebuild, sure they will still be good, but not National Championship good. While Duke will have another good recruiting season and be ready to play their way into a one or 2 seed in the dance next year, and who really cares if it's with players that Coach K is renting from the NBA if that is what Bo Ryan meant by that remark.
And on that note Panda out!

In the midst of some of most exciting time in sports tragedy strikes

While we struggle with our day to day sports hopes and dreams, be it your bracket, your bet's, or simply your favorite team with a chance at the National Championship. None of this matters tonight for me as a good long time friend has passed along, sad to be true but in this time I feel more for her Sister and her Mother, I cannot even imagine the pain they are going through at this very difficult time. She will remain unnamed as I believe those that know will understand via blog no one's death should be discussed permanently upon the internet, and she deserves to be remembered and respected by those who enjoyed her company personally. Also in life we all lose people we care about and many will hear the words written and use it to remember to love those in our lives while they are still with us, for none of us will make it out alive, though when good people leave us at such a young age it is truly heartbreaking. Though I am a through and through Giants fan, she was one of the few Dodgers fans I truly respected, and will always remember her bright soul and beautiful heart, she will be truly missed, and with a few tears on the keyboard, Panda out...

unrest in cleveland calms as the sweetness comes to town

The media is a heartless beast that few understand, but why bother when in the end we are all a dying breed, well the majority of the press have no understanding of simple morals that a crack dealer would understand. Why should we as the media care about simple rules of humanity? Well for one, a moral base, the second, love for your fellow human being, third, do we really need to go further? Okay fine, it's called honest expression which I understand the media pretends to have forgotten, yet in all reality it's what free press is supposed to be all about, sorry that you lost your soul in the pursuit of your dreams, though at a certain point in the search of your dreams you have to remember where your pen came from otherwise you have lost your passion, and all you got in return was a salary.
So after all the bullshit that has been written and told about a very successful NBA team in the Cleveland Cavaliers, we now see this team owning the Memphis Grizzlies on their own court, how is this a team in unrest, when they can go on the road and dominate a powerful western conference team at their house. Let alone all these rumors that Kevin Love isn't clicking with the rest of the team, yet if you watch those highlights of that blowout you might be considered insane to question the chemistry. It all does not matter as it's time to see what will happen in the post season, the Cav's look ready to destroy the East in the playoffs and it seems they were showing what they will do with the west when they show up against whoever fights to the finals. Panda knows that my boy LeBron ain't givin' fucks about an MVP but he wants a ring!
On that note Panda out!

LeBron looks to still be king as Cav's beat Raptors in close game

At some point we should all remember that LeBron James is the best player on the planet at this time, or we could just stop watching basketball, I don't know, maybe if you wait it out due to hate you might win due to a bad memory. Or we could just watch some gold on television or computer screen, whichever you can currently afford, personally after watching such excellence as I was privy to tonight I would prefer watching history in progress as I tend to enjoy such things. Drinking beer, watching amazing things on the court is perhaps one of the few joys I can really get close to in these dismal days upon this destructive planet that we call home, I suppose being a sports junkie keeps me away from the temptations of felonies in this day and age. I've always been crazy, but sports have kept me from going insane, so here's to the shots made with the buzzer ringing, the three that seemed impossible to make, and for the king proving his namesake. Another night of sleep lost for a good reason, you know a game worth watching, one more time I can shake my tired bones to some sort of wakefulness with a purpose instead of just a hangover. The east may still look pretty weak, but you know every team in the west is giving a thought to how well those cats from Cleveland are doing this year, so if you got Atlanta going to the finals, you might want to reconsider your bet as there might be something wrong with your brain. As per usual, Panda out, keep it bamboo, and don't forget to continue to read your favorite sports panda.

Kentucky stays perfect as the SEC championship looms

The team that seems to be only getting better continues to do so, this team is disproving any theory's I have had about Calapari only being a talented recruiter and not great at coaching, apparently he has read some of my writing and decided to be the stellar coach he was always capable of being. It would make me angry but this team seems to see it's own weaknesses before an opponent can even see the film in an attempt to prepare for the onslaught that is the Kentucky Wildcats in this particular season.
Will it be the SEC championship tournament that gives this team their first loss of the season, or do we just have to wait and see if they can make that historical note throughout the madness that is March. If I were a betting man and I most certainly am, I would say it is not possible to go undefeated in this day and age throughout the tournament, but I have watched this team play, and they dispatch everyone, and they seem to be getting stronger as they close down upon their goal, like a pack of wolves closing in on injured prey their bites become more vicious everytime. For they are finding a hunger they could not imagine as they close in on a taste they could only dream of earlier in the season, it will not be easy but as sure as I will be drinking more scotch these young men will be finding themselves a very happy bunch on April the 6th. Cheers y'all sports panda readers, Panda out!!!

Kentucky tries to go 24-0 tonight against LSU

We shall see if this team if this team is truly unbeatable, though they are almost a lock to win the championship this year, it is the madness so who knows, and conference play is not yet over. Though look at their play they are possibly the scariest team to play in recent history, still they have had close calls and are not a perfect team. This LSU team has the size to be able to take out the Wildcats tonight, I personally think and have money on them going undefeated, no matter how much I hate to say that, they have not even started playing as good as they are capable of, and that should if it hasn't already put fear in the hearts of their opponents. Will we see some out of this world shit from this team that has yet to hit their ceiling, I know they play incredible defense, but just wait until they play their best offense. All I know is if France allowed college sports betting my money would be on Kentucky tonight.

Goodell threatens to rape Pete Carrol's wife if he hands off to Lynch

We were all wondering what went wrong on Superbowl Sunday, the facts are in, luckily thanks to extreme bribing on my part of several NFL front office officials, I am one of the few to know this privileged information. Rodger Goodell was on the phone with coach Pete Carroll during the time out before the resulting interception thrown. Goodell due to that skittles eating son of bitch not talking to the media said, "your wife will get f§ck#d in the &ss hard from behind with my d@ck if you decide to let Marshawn run the ball at this time!" This makes Goodell a sort of an evil overlord of the NFL, though also Seahawks fans are sure to become angry at both parties, Lynch may be lynched at some point soon, due to his ignorance of the right of the media to hear your voice as a professional athlete.
Say what you will, but this is a crazy sport, and we will get over this injustice but it still goes in the record books and we shall see what happens next, you have to love this chess game they play with the pigskin, and as per usual this is your favorite sports panda and congrats to the Pats on their 4th ring.

Seattle continues to do hard drugs on Superbowl run

The Seahawks, continue to pay off drug testers as they continue to smoke crack and infuse opponents gatorade with ketamine; strange way to win if you feel as if you are the best team. Seattle fans do not care about honesty due to how much it sucks to be a seattle sports fan. It could be worse, they could live in Oklahoma City or San Antonio, but seriously it can't be much more asinine than living in one of the worst sports towns in the world. Reports are coming in of this team displaying a smug desire rivaling that of  the Patriots, and that in itself is probably one of the last pieces of news that this team needs at a time where they are trying to be respected by humans with heart and Panda's with soul. Unfortunately the extreme amount of cheating and serious juice that at this point is team wide, and we ain't talking that cool juice we saw through 2pac acting but the bad kind that makes OJ kill a white chick and get away with it. So boo to cheaters, and no body likes those Seattle teams, just go back to canada you ass clowns.

Kentucky stays undefeated, though look slow

Double overtime against Texas A&M is a pretty disappointing look for a Kentucky team that should be rolling through these conference teams, apparently UK is not showing their true blue in these conference games. This team could be one of the first team in decades to go undefeated through the season and the tournament, yet it seems their talent will not coincide with a bit of maturity that could only increase these guys' draft stock, if they can treat every opponent like they treat truly talented teams they had no trouble beating they would be a lock for winning the tournament and making some serious history. Not all is lost as they have yet to let their ego overcome that nice zero in the loss column, still it seems they need to focus to be able to get through this seemingly breezy conference play that so far they seem like a lesser team than they did in preseason play. I will say they are still the favorite to win the National Championship yet it would be nice if they would display it a bit more than their arrogance and lackluster lumbering through SEC play.

I am Charlie

I know it's not sports related, but when Arabs claiming to be Al-Qaida run into a magazine office with Kalashnikov's and a rocket launcher in the city you live in sometimes it can change what you write about. 12 are dead, 11 injured with 4 in critical condition and the town has little Grand Theft Auto edge to it that hasn't been felt in quite a while for this usually quite peaceful city, the city of lights certainly got some unsuspected fireworks today actually not too far from where I work. It's a sad day for journalism when satirical magazines get violently attacked, and it does nothing to help the perception of Arabs in Paris who actually are here to be productive members of this society. It certainly makes me a bit uneasy as the get away car was dumped in my neighborhood where they stole another vehicle to complete their escape from Paris I am assuming. There will be of course a vigil, it being Paris after all, and I certainly hope it doesn't interfere with my metro ride back to work, that's all for now. Panda Out!

Cam Newton records first playoff win in physical game against Arizona

Though this was not how you would like to look against either team they may face in the next round, the Panthers did what they needed to do to beat the Arizona Cardinals 27-16, but let it be known even if Newton wasn't superb he showed strength throughout the game. He will have to be much more accurate facing against either Green Bay or Seattle, though I believe Cam will only look better even if the Carolina defense can't show up against these explosive offenses. There is more time to prepare, and I believe the former 1st overall draft pick might just have his chance to take advantage of the over rested team, but we never know in the playoffs so it's all guesses and mostly bullshit. So we all wait for sunday to see if the Cowboys or the Lions win on the other side to decide where the two winners get sent. Since I have no horse in this, the only thing that clouds my judgement as a writer in these the 2015 NFL Playoffs will be my overall hate towards a good percentage of these teams.
And per usual this is the Sports Panda signing out, and fuck all those lame teams you know I hate, if you are unaware apparently you should probably follow this page. Well I'm missing the next game so......

CFP gets two highest viewer rating in cable television history

The first year of the College Football Playoffs make history in Cable Television, shows that the arguments for the BCS all these years were a bunch of bullshit, also strange that the internet was trending a possible cuckold more than the fact that both Florida State who were undefeated, and Alabama who was heavily favored lost in their collective Semi-Final games. The story here is more that Oregon scored 59 points in the Rose Bowl the most in Rose Bowl history, also they beat a previously undefeated team and defending champions Florida State by 39 points, even with Seminole players saying they beat themselves, if that was true they really must have been trying hard to make it like they were defeated and if that is a fact I have underestimated Florida State's drama department.
The story that really makes the BCS's favor towards the SEC really look bad, is the fact that Urban Meyer outcoached college football coaching legend Nick Saban, Ohio State simply played a better game than the juggernaut Alabama. With a long wait until the National Championship game both teams have a good amount of time to watch tape and prepare for the other team, this should be a good matchup though I did say the same of Florida State being able to slow down Oregon, the other semifinal game was more of the close game I expected, it goes to show it will be hard to predict what the heisman trophy winner will bring to the field on the 12th of January, not to mention an incredible team backing him up at such a serious pace. However impatient we may be for the first time to truly see the best two teams play for the National Championship, at least we get to see it with the fact being that the BCS would've had Alabama play Florida State most likely for the National Championship, and even though we would've seen Oregon play Ohio State in the Rose Bowl it would've had that oh so familiar bitter BCS taste that it's had every year until this one. So we shall wait, and be happy that the system has changed for the better, whether it's perfect or not is like asking why people have different tastes, it will be epic, and per usual Quack Muthafuckin' Quack!!!

Florida State has their season ended by a strong Oregon team

Remember when Florida State was undefeated, well they looked like a team that had played in a very basketball strong conference and not in a conference that helps strengthen your team for the first semi-final playoff game in NCAA football history. The Ducks looked like they always do this season, other than one misstep throughout this glorious season, the Ducks will be waiting for the winner of the game I am watching as I type, though they look so strong that I even believe either team that gets through the other semi-final tonight will have a lot of trouble dealing with both their offense and their defense. The proof of tonight's defeat 59-20 with the Oregon Ducks slaughtering the Florida State Seminoles due to 5 Seminole turnovers and Oregon completely exhausting the Florida State defense with their hurry up offense which seemed to only get faster throughout the game. Apparently the new Heisman winner defeated the rapist that had won the trophy the year before, though it is always difficult to not want to completely destroy a douche of such magnitude but sometimes if you can defeat them mentally it's almost better. Now Mariota and the Ducks will face off against whichever team decides they can drink enough red bull to try to keep up with these insane rolling Ducks, time once again to say Quack Muthafuckin' Quack!!!