Spotlighting sports in the Sportlight Spotlight

Heckuva game tonight between the Wizards and the Bulls. I tells ya, if the Wizards knew anything about second half defense, they could actually make a real impact in the playoffs. As it is, while it's impressive that they seem to be on their way to winning a first round series in ages, beating a depleted Bulls team in less than convincing fashion isn't the way to gain confidence with Shaq and the Heat on the horizon. Honestly, as much as I'm pulling for the Wizards to make some noise (especially since my sorry, no-account Hawks are once again the laughingstock of the league and won't get better any time soon, since the #1 pick will "miraculously" wind up going to the lottery-bound Lakers), if Curry and Deng had made it to the post-season, I think this series would have already ended, especially the way the Wiz have lapsed in the second half of the last two games. Here's hoping that these two collapses will toughen them up for game six, because they seem to be the kind of team that could very well be thinking about round two already. Playoff inexperience and youth, don'tcha know.

I have to admit it: I'm actually enjoying the NBA playoffs. It's been a while since I've been able to honestly say that, but the games I've been able to catch have been fun. I'd love for there to be a Phoenix vs. Washington final, but that's not going to happen. We'll likely get Miami or Detroit vs. San Antonio, which should be ultra-competitive, but rarely high-octane. Nothing wrong with that; I'm just a sucker for a fastbreak.

Hey! Kentucky Derby this weekend. I have no idea what's what. My junior high self (the one that was addicted to horse racing, thanks to "Swing For the Fences" Big Lou) is weeping.

Football: I haven't much to say, except that the current state of the Miami Dolphins quarterbacks is the most pitiful I've seen it in my lifetime. Not even the laughable days of just a few seasons ago when Damon Huard (Huardball running wild!) was "managing" the offense and clowns like Cade McNown and Jim Druckenmiller were on the sidelines was this bad. A.J. "We Traded A Second Round Pick To The Eagles And All We Got Was This Lousy Quarterback" Feely sucks, and I'm not interested to see what he can do. I think we know what he can do, and adding Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams to the backfield won't make him better. Hell, adding Randy Moss would not have made him better. He's a serviceable backup, slightly less talented than Gus Frerotte, the current #2 and, I'm guessing, eventual #1. To add insult to injury, Brock Berlin--the only quarterback from "The U" that I've never really cared for--has been brought into camp. (I haven't been reading the wires, so if he's already cut, well, good.) Meanwhile, The Ultimate Sage Rosenfels Experience continues to get ignored. And even though he hasn't done anything to prove he should be given a shot, I still have this hunch that the kid is good and is just being wasted. It's sad. How they went from Marino to this motley crew of turd polishers (and Sage) is beyond me.

Baseball: Fuck baseball. I keed. I will say this: I don't have Nats fever, I hate that Baltimore is doing well, and I have not kept up with the A's at all, except for the morning box scores. I have no idea who is doing what for that team. I think one of the reasons why I cannot keep up with baseball is because the people who do the baseball shows on TV are all terrible. I can't watch a show like Baseball Tonight because I cannot stand anybody on there. I think my days of being a "true" baseball fan (whatever that means) are well behind me.

Plus: I am really, really tempted to pick up God of War and Jade Empire, but will not do so for several reasons. However, for any readers who have a PS2 or Xbox (respectively), go do yourself a favor and pick those games up if you haven't already.

And away I go!