Trout Joining List of Great Players Stuck on Bad Teams

Mike Trout is at again this season. The best player in baseball is hitting .320 with 19 home runs and 62 RBIs through 95 games and has a chance to finish top two in the MVP voting as he has done each of the past four seasons. Trout has been the best player since the day he stepped onto a big league field, but his talents have rarely been showcased in the postseason. This season will be more of the same.

While Trout thrives, the Los Angeles Angels flounder. Big contracts like Trout, Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson and Josh Hamilton have not translated to success and the big spending has handicapped what the Angels can do moving forward. Trout is signed through 2020 and it's unlikely the Angels will improve in that time. Currently sitting in fourth place in the AL West with a 43-52 record, the Angels are 11.5 games behind the Texas Rangers and aren't a factor in the Wild Card race.

Another year in which the MLB playoffs will go on without the game's best player.

Trout is not a complete stranger to the postseason. He got a small taste in 2014 as the Angels won 98 games and secured the number one seed in the American League. However, the Kansas City Royals won the Wild Card game and then embarrassed LA with a three-game sweep in the ALDS. Trout struggled mightily in the series, going 1-for-12 with a home run and three walks. He was a non-factor, but then again, so was his entire team.

As another year rolls on with Trout playing for a bad team, my question is this: if nothing changes will he go down as one of the most wasted talents in baseball? He is the game's best player, but has been stuck on a bad team. Fans have little hope of seeing Trout play on the game's biggest stage as long as he is in Anaheim. Baseball is different from basketball or hockey in the sense that one man can't influence the game as much. He is relegated to four at-bats per game and can help defensively when the ball is hit to him. For a pitcher, he can only impose his will on the game every fifth day, which means we might see him only once or twice in a postseason series.

Here are some more players with big talent that found themselves in less-than-ideal situations.

Felix Hernandez | P | Seattle Mariners | 147-105, 2197 SO, Cy Young, 6-time AS, 0 Playoff Apps.
Let's start with another star in today's game. King Felix has struck hitters out at an impressive rate since his debut in 2005, surpassing 200 strikeouts in six-straight seasons from 2009-14. Despite his ability to strike hitters out, Hernandez has been stuck in Seattle on some bad teams. The Mariners have not made the playoffs since 2001, but are in the hunt for a Wild Card spot this season. We could get our first look at Hernandez in postseason play and that would be must-see TV.

Ryne Sandberg | 2B | Chicago Cubs | .285 BA, MVP, 9-time Gold Glove, 10-time AS, 2 Playoff Apps.
Ryno played in two NLCS with the Chicago Cubs, but lost to the Padres in five games in 1984 and to the Giants in five games in 1989. It's a shame Sandberg didn't have the opportunity to play in more postseason games because he was incredible in the 10 he played in. He went 15-for-39 with five doubles, six RBIs and six walks. Sandberg played eight seasons as an All-Star, while not making the playoffs and did not make the postseason after he turned 30 years old.

Nolan Ryan | P | 324-292, 5714 SO, 8-time AS, 5 Playoff Apps., 1 World Series
Ryan is by far the most decorated postseason player on this list, but when you consider that he played 27 seasons you see that he spent much more time watching the postseason than playing in it. As a member of the 1969 New York Mets, he won a World Series at age 22, but he wouldn't see the postseason again for 10 years. Ryan pitched in the playoffs three-straight seasons from 1979-81 and then again in 1986. He never won another playoff series after the World Series win and he finished his career with a 2-2 record in the postseason.

Ken Griffey Jr. | CF | Seattle Mariners | .284 BA, 630 HR, 1836 RBIs, MVP, 13-time AS, 3 Playoff Apps.
Junior will enter the Hall of Fame this weekend after a stellar career in Seattle. For all the success he enjoyed, he was rarely on a playoff team, qualifying for October baseball in just three seasons. In 1995, Junior had 16 hits, six home runs, nine RBIs and stole three bases in a fantastic postseason run. His star would never shine brighter in October as he played in the playoffs two seasons later, going 2-for-15 in a series loss to the Baltimore Orioles. During his forgotten season with the Chicago White Sox in 2008, Junior played in three games in the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays and finished 2-for-10.

Rod Carew | IF | .328 BA, 3053 H, 353 SB, 18-time AS, MVP, 4 Playoff Apps.
Carew is one of the greatest hitters the game has seen, winning seven batting titles and finishing with over 3,000 hits. The 18-time All-Star enjoyed plenty of individual success, winning the Rookie of the Year in 1967 and the MVP in 1977. He never did win a postseason series though,  losing all four that he played in. Carew's Twins teams qualified for the postseason in both '69 and '70, but fell to the Orioles each time. Carew went a combined 1-for-16 in the series. As a member of the California Angels, Carew went to the postseason twice, enjoying a great run in 1979. He finished 7-for-17 with three doubles and four runs scored, but the Orioles bested him again. Carew's final trip to the playoffs was in 1982 when the Angels lost to the Brewers, while Carew finished 3-for-17.

Tony Gwynn | RF | San Diego Padres | .338 BA, 3141 H, 15-time AS, 3 Playoff Apps.
Another one of baseball's greatest hitters, Tony Gwynn made the postseason only three times in his 20 seasons as a Padre. However, Gwynn made the most of his time in October, making two trips to the World Series. Gwynn, unlike some others on this list, also produced in his postseason play and finished with a .306 postseason batting average. The Padres fell to the Detroit Tigers in the 1984 World Series and then lost to the New York Yankees in the 1998 Fall Classic. Gwynn was stellar in the '98 World Series, finishing 8-for-16 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs.

Ted Williams | LF | Boston Red Sox | .344 BA, 2654 H, 17-time AS, 2-time MVP, 1 Playoff App.
The greatest hitter who ever lived put up such unbelievable hitting statistics that some of them may never be touched again. The Splendid Splinter hit .406 in 1941 and is the last MLB player to top the .400 mark. He won six batting titles and his numbers would be even better had he not missed three years to military service. Despite his hitting prowess, Williams played in just one World Series (that's all the playoffs were back in his day). The Red Sox lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1946 Series and Williams finished 5-for-25 with an RBI and two runs.

There are plenty more great players who have rarely tasted the postseason. Contrast that with players like Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio or Albert Pujols and it makes you wonder if the players on the list above would be held in an even higher regard had they won in the postseason. Trout is already behind his counterpart Bryce Harper in terms of postseason play, but there's also plenty of years left for both of them. The reality is that if Trout remains in Anaheim then we may rarely if ever see him play October baseball. That's a sad reality for baseball fans, but it certainly wouldn't be the first time we've seen it.

Carmelo Anthony Should Be Commended For Using His Voice

Anthony marches in Baltimore during Freddie Gray protests

You can say what you want about Carmelo Anthony as a basketball player. He is a ball hog, he won't ever lead a team to a title, he took too much money to stay in New York, he acted like a baby when he demanded a trade from Denver, etc. However, whatever your opinions are of Anthony the player, his words this past week deserve respect for Anthony the man.

After a tumultuous week in America, marred by violence between African American men and white police officers in three different cities, Anthony took to Instagram to make sure his voice was heard.

“The system is Broken. Point blank period. It has been this way forever. Martin Luther King marched. Malcolm X rebelled. Muhammad Ali literally fought of US. Our anger should be towards the system. If the system doesn’t change we will continue to turn on the TVs and see the same thing. We have to put the pressure on the people in charge in order to get this thing we call JUSTICE right. A march doesn’t work. We tried that. I’ve tried that. A couple social media post/tweet doesn’t work. We’ve all tried that. That didn’t work. Shooting 11 cops and killing 5 WILL NOT work. While I don’t have a solution, and I’m pretty sure a lot of people don’t have a solution, we need to come together more than anything at this time. We need each other. These politicians have to step up and fight for change. Go to your local officials, leaders, congressman, assemblymen/assemblywoman and demand change. There’s NO more sitting back and being afraid of tackling and addressing political issues anymore. Those days are long gone. We have to step up and take charge. We can’t worry about what endorsements we gonna lose or whose going to look at us crazy. I need your voices to be heard. We can demand change. We just have to be willing to. THE TIME IS NOW. I’M all in. Take Charge. Take Action. DEMAND CHANGE. Carmelo Anthony.”

Anthony is not obligated to speak up and as Charles Barkley so eloquently put it years ago: athletes don't have to be role models. Barkley was right that they don't have to act like it, but the reality is that athletes are. Anthony's voice will be heard by many and, regardless of whether or not his play is well-liked, it will be respected by many. There's a certain section of society that Anthony's voice can go where President Obama's and other suited political figures just won't. Quite frankly, the world needs everyone to step up at a time like this because everybody could be better and do better.

Anthony's post is just words, but he is a man who has shown he's more than that in the past. He marched in Baltimore with protesters after Freddie Gray's death. And his post this time asks those who have remained silent to step up to the plate. Speaking up is not for every athlete, but we do live in a generation where some of the biggest names (Anthony, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul) are not afraid to go beyond the court. Just because they can drop 25 points whenever they want does not mean they have to step out in times of tragedy, but it is refreshing to me that they do. It shows they understand that they can make a positive difference.

A positive change is needed in this country and any athlete who will have the ears of millions, and wants to use their voice in a positive manner, will earn my respect. Anthony, despite his flaws on the court, is a role model for everyone, including his peers in the NBA. His platform can be used for good and that's exactly what he's doing. Bravo.

Tim Duncan Calls It Quits On Hall of Fame Career

Tim Duncan exited the league just as many would have expected -- quietly and with little bravado. There was no season-long farewell with tributes at every arena and no article in the Players' Tribune to say goodbye. It was a quiet announcement with a big impact for the league. The greatest power forward in the history of the game is calling it quits, and it ends one of the greatest eras for a franchise the NBA has ever known.

Duncan has a laundry list of accolades, but perhaps none is more impressive than this: his Spurs' teams won five NBA titles in his 19 seasons and NEVER missed the playoffs. Duncan never knew what it was like to have an offseason start early and his first championship (1999) and last (2014) came 15 years apart.

His 15 All-NBA honors are tied for the most all-time and the 40-year-old became the first player in league history to start and win a title in three different decades. Duncan is one of two players in NBA history, along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, to record at least 26,000 points, 15,000 rebounds and 3,000 blocks in his career and holds the record for All-Defensive Team selections with 15. The Big Fundamental is a two-time MVP, three-time Finals MVP and was named the 1998 Rookie of the Year. From start to finish, his career was something special.

And still, while his numbers are impressive and his awards list is long, there have been many others who have achieved those kinds of things. What made Duncan special is the way he went about it. Known for being quiet on the court, Duncan was purely business and earned the respect of many of his peers. Twitter was full of congratulatory tweets from fellow players today and many players in the league today cannot remember the NBA without Tim Duncan.

Duncan's career is great in its own right, but his legend only grew when paired with Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Gregg Popovich. The three players and coach won four titles together and the players own the NBA record for most wins by a trio in both the regular season (575) and postseason (126). Duncan and Popovich have the most wins by a player-coach duo in NBA history with 1,001. The quartet has provided a blueprint for success, but it's difficult to duplicate what they have achieved. The wins and titles are one thing, but the unity they have had is something truly special.

The NBA will go on without Duncan, but it certainly won't be the same. The big man was a winner from start to finish and led the Spurs to one of the most dominant runs in professional sports history. The Spurs can still be great next season and further into the future, and if they are it will still be because of the example Duncan has set for younger players for years.

19 years, five titles, two MVPs and 26,496 points later, Duncan's time has come. For a guy who has always let his play do the talking, perhaps I've said too much. He's earned the respect of everyone and there may never be another like him. So all that is left to say is t
hank you, Tim Duncan. Thank you for the memories.

If I Could Get A Ticket...

Sports bless us on regular occasion. Buzzer beater threes for national titles, chase down blocks to seal a city's long-awaited title, walk off home runs to beat a rival -- we crave that kind of drama and heroism. Lately, sports has provided some instant classics, and as a viewer of many games each week, I've loved every second.

Still, for all the games and plays that have made me say wow and for all the moments I've relished the Twitter explosion, I wish I could go back in time. I wish I could have been there for the biggest of games because there is truly nothing better than witnessing it all. So, here's the deal: I've made a list of five games I wish I could have been present at. Some of these I watched on television while others took place long before I was even thought of on this Earth. But if I could go back in time and somehow get a ticket then here's where I would go...

Boston Braves 3 - Brooklyn Dodgers 5 - April 15, 1947
Just over 26,500 fans were in attendance at Ebbets Field on April 15, 1947 and if I could have been one of them I would certainly have taken the opportunity. Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier that day, starting at first base and batting second. It was a monumental moment in history at the time, but it seems even bigger now as we look around sports today. African Americans have provided some of the finest play we've seen and Robinson blazed the trail for all of them, suiting up for the Dodgers on that April afternoon. Robinson was not particularly great in the opener, finishing 0-for-3 with a run scored, but there are some things that go beyond the box score and this certainly qualifies as one of them.

Villanova Wildcats 77 - North Carolina Tar Heels 74 - April 4, 2016
You really don't need a play-by-play for this one because certainly you remember. Even before Marcus Paige hit his acrobatic three-pointer to tie the game with six seconds left and before Kris Jenkins made the greatest shot maybe ever, this game was magical. Carolina took a five-point lead into the break, and Villanova led by five with three minutes to go. Paige's three may be forgotten as time passes, but it was one of the greatest clutch shots we've seen. The only problem: Jenkins topped it on the other end of the floor with a buzzer-beating three to give the 'Cats their second national title.

Texas Rangers 9 - St. Louis Cardinals 10 - October 27, 2011 (11 innings)
Texas and St. Louis gave baseball fans arguably the greatest World Series game ever in Game 6 of the 2011 Fall Classic. With Texas leading the series 3-2, the Cardinals were facing elimination in their own ballpark. Needing a win to force a Game 7, the Cards led 2-1 after the first inning in a game that featured at least one run in every inning but one. The Rangers chased Jaime Garcia after three innings and led 7-4 after seven innings. St. Louis got one back in the eighth and went to the ninth trailing by two. Down to their last strike in the ninth, David Freese unloaded a deep fly to right that Nelson Cruz couldn't handle. Freese wound up with a triple and drove in Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman to tie the game and force extra innings. Josh Hamilton homered in the 10th to give Texas the lead again, but Berkman singled on a 2-2 count in the bottom of the frame to tie the game at nine. In the bottom of the 11th, Freese played the role of hero again, launching the walk off home run to centerfield, forcing a Game 7 which the Cardinals would win for their 11th World Series.

Florida State Seminoles 34 - Auburn Tigers 31 - January 6th, 2014
One of the greatest BCS National Championship games in history featured a 21-point comeback and a game-winning touchdown pass with 13 seconds left on the clock. The Seminoles entered as the top-ranked team with Jameis Winston fresh off a Heisman trophy win, but Auburn looked impressive out of the gate, leading 21-3 late in the first half. FSU scored a touchdown right before the half to trim the lead to 11 and then connected on a field goal in the third quarter to make it 21-13. Then things got fun in the fourth. Winston threw a touchdown pass with 11 minutes to play to make it a one-point game, but Auburn pushed it to four with a field goal at the 4:42 mark. However, on the ensuing kickoff, Florida State ran it back 100 yards to take a 27-24 lead. The Tigers didn't give in though, scoring a touchdown with 1:19 to play to take a 31-27 lead. That set the stage for Winston's signature moment. The Heisman winner drove the Seminoles down the field and threw a two-yard TD pass to Kelvin Benjamin with 13 seconds remaining to win the game.

Chicago Bulls 87 - Utah Jazz 86 - June 14, 1998
After failing to close out the Jazz in Game 5 at the United Center, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls had to go back to Utah for Game 6 to try and complete the franchise's second three-peat. The Jazz won the first three quarters and led by five heading into the fourth quarter. Jordan, playing in his last game as a Chicago Bull, poured in 45 points on 15-of-35 shooting, but saved his best for last. Down by one with under 10 seconds to play, Jordan drove left and pulled up for his final shot as a Bull. He sank it and sealed the win as only the greatest to ever play could do it. Six rings, six Finals MVPs and one lasting memory for Bulls fans.

These five games were something special that fans still talk about today. However, there are hundreds of others that could be talked about. What are yours? Leave a comment with games that you wished you could have attended...

Bulls Sign Rondo, Wade In Bizarre Free Agency Moves

At some point in this millennium, signing Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade would have been any team's dream and perhaps put them as a frontrunner for best backcourt in the league. That would have been in 2008 or so, but it's 2016 and the Chicago Bulls just signed both players to sizable contracts. This comes on the heels of Gar Forman and John Paxson's stated goals of "getting younger and more athletic" moving forward.

How does a team get younger and more athletic you ask? I don't have all the answers, but probably not by signing 30-year-old Rondo and 34-year-old Wade. The main qualm from many is that the Bulls just signed up to get older, slower and lock themselves into more years of mediocrity, which is the worst place to be in basketball. Forman was reluctant to rebuild the Bulls, opting instead for a retool, which began with the Derrick Rose-to-New York trade. 

Bleacher Report

So the plan was a retool, but then on Draft night word was going around that the Bulls were also looking at trading Jimmy Butler, the other cornerstone of the Bulls who had assumed the face of the franchise role just a day before. Which was it? Retool or rebuild? It seemed a bit unclear. However, the Bulls hung on to Butler and drafted Denzel Valentine, returning a few good vibes to the team after trading Rose.

All signs pointed to the Bulls taking a pass on free agency this season and instead waiting for 2017 to (try) and woo some free agents to Chicago. And then news broke that Rondo was coming to Chicago and fans started scratching their heads. Sure, the guy could be blindfolded in the dark and still find the open man, but he could also tear a locker room apart, fight with his coach, refuse to play and demand a trade. Am I right, Dallas?

Rondo is not young and he's not necessarily athletic. He's joining a group of athletic freaks like Niko Mirotic and Doug McDermott. How does this fit in with GarPax's plan other than the fact that it doesn't?

A few days go by and Dwyane Wade signs with Chicago. If it was 2010 Bulls fans might be ecstatic, but again, it's 2016. Personally, I don't think it's a horrible move. Sure, Wade is older than the Bulls would like, but he averaged 19/4/4 last season and could potentially lure other free agents next season. As for right now, it at least shows the Bulls can sign a big name in free agency after years of failure to do so (James, Wade, Bosh, Anthony).

My take: neither signing is awful for the Bulls who have shown they do not want to rebuild. However, fans in Chicago have grown tired of Forman and Paxson and their poor track record in the front office. Perhaps if they had not stated that they wanted the Bulls to "get younger and more athletic" fans would be a bit more perceptive to the pair of signings. But "trust" and "GarPax" don't go together for Bulls fans unless they are saying they don't trust them.

Only time will tell whether or not the signings pay off, but even if the Bulls wallow in mediocrity for another season there will be no shortage of interesting headlines around this team. GarPax may not know what direction they want this team to go, but the direction is now clear: the Bulls have retooled the roster and may get the exact same results.

That's not something that will sit well with Chicago fans. 

Bulls Trade Former MVP Derrick Rose to New York

Trade rumors aren't always true, but in the case of Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks the rumors became fact Wednesday afternoon shortly before 3 p.m. CT. The youngest MVP and hometown hero won't be back in a Bulls uniform and it's no surprise to many as Rose's large contract handicapped the Chicago front office during an unexpected time of mediocrity. It was a deal that had to be done as the Bulls look to rebuild after a disastrous season that left them on the couch during the playoffs, despite playing in the woeful Eastern Conference.

It's 2016 and Derrick Rose is leaving Chicago without a ring and zero trips to the Finals. Who could have ever guessed that five years after becoming the youngest MVP in the history of the Association that this would be the case? Who would have thought back in 2011 that Rose would have more torn ACLs than Finals appearances? You would have been a fool to think Rose wouldn't retire as a Bull back then.

The story had all the makings of a fairytale. Rose dominated for four seasons at Simeon Career Academy in Chicago before playing a year of college basketball at Memphis. He helped carry the Tigers to the NCAA championship game, before entering the NBA Draft. The Bulls had a 1.7% chance of landing the number one pick in the lottery, but the ping pong balls were in Chicago's favor and Derrick Rose was coming home to play pro ball.

Rose averaged 17 points, four rebounds and six assists en route to being named the Rookie of the Year for the 2008-09 season. Two years later, he posted 25 points, four rebounds and eight assists per game to become the youngest MVP in the league. The Bulls, winners of 60 games that season, entered the playoffs as the number one seed in the East. That year marked the start of one of the great rivalries in recent sports history as Chicago battled Miami and its Big 3 of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. In the Eastern Conference Finals, Miami dispatched Chicago in five games and thus began the downward spiral of Rose's career.

Sure, he followed up his MVP campaign with another solid season in 2011-12, but he tore his ACL in the first round of the playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers and the Bulls would go on to lose the series to the eighth seed. With a serious knee injury, many speculated Rose would miss much of the 2012-13 season, but fans and the league were excited for The Return.

Only problem: The Return never happened. Rose didn't suit up despite being cleared by doctors, and it only aggravated the fan base more when the wounded Bulls left it all the floor to defeat the Brooklyn Nets in seven games in the first round of the playoffs. While his teammates limped through a taxing series, Rose watched in his suit from the bench.

Finally, he returned for the 2013-14 season. 10 games into the season it was clear there was some rust to knock off, but Rose put up respectable numbers of 16/3/4 per game. And then it happened again. Rose went down with another torn meniscus against the Portland Trail Blazers, required surgery and missed the remainder of the season.

He came back in 2014-15 and played in 51 games, missing 20 due to another knee surgery for a torn meniscus. Still, he returned in time for the playoffs and buried a game-winning three at the buzzer in the Eastern Conference semifinals to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3. However, the Cavs won the next three games and took the series, as LeBron James slammed the door shut once and for all on the Bulls' championship window. 

Rose played in 66 games this season, but the Bulls looked nothing like they once were under Tom Thibodeau. Chicago limped through the regular season and missed the playoffs, despite a roster with Rose, Jimmy Butler and Pau Gasol. Wednesday marked the end of Rose's run in Chicago.

What a cruel story it seems to be. What had all the makings of a fairytale turned into a nightmare for Rose and Chicago fans as silly remarks were made in the media, tension with the front office mounted and rumors of incoherency in the locker room became weekly fodder for the media. Rose, a hometown hero, was supposed to bring a championship to Chicago. He drew the praise of LeBron James, Scottie Pippen and even Michael Jordan. But his knees failed him, his game changed and the hype faded. 

He is now a 27-year-old former MVP who seems to be past his prime when he should be in the thick of it. He's a point guard that relies on explosive drives to the hoop who has been forced to try and fix a broken jumper to no avail. He's a Chicago kid who no longer plays in Chicago.

It goes to show that not all fairytales have happy endings.

LeBron's Latest Title is More Special Than the Rest

LeBron James has been one of the most polarizing and publicly ridiculed athletes in the history of sports. No athlete in today's world endures more criticism or skepticism than James, even though he brought most of it on himself. You either love him or you hate him, there is no in between. But now, just hours after capturing his first title with the Cleveland Cavaliers, it's time for the hatred and disrespect of LeBron James to go by the wayside.

Ever since "The Decision", LeBron put a target on his back and became one of the biggest villains the sports world had ever seen. He was viewed as a sellout, someone who can't win on his own. He took the easy way out and became an ego that the world wanted to see fail, and fail miserably. Yet he won two championships and captured four MVPs. It was obvious that the road to the Finals went through LeBron and the Miami Heat. He truly was the King.

Redemption.

But a return home was in order. LeBron went back to Cleveland but was far from forgiven by those who weren't fans of his. He immediately created drama with the acquisition of Kevin Love, issues with not listening to former head coach David Blatt, and yet another Finals loss. It was LeBron in a nutshell. A figure that constantly has the media drooling simply because he's such a popular quote. People want to hear LeBron talk either because they adore him, or they want to use whatever he says against him when he fails.

This season was no different. Not only did the Cavs downplay the Golden State Warriors 2015 championship by saying they would have won if Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love were healthy, but LeBron then came across as being incredibly bitter when he argued the definition of the MVP award after Steph Curry won his second-straight MVP. It was a bad look. LeBron started to look like the athlete whose best days were behind him, yet was unwilling to accept the fact that the NBA was on the verge of having a new face. The Warriors were taking the league by storm, breaking plenty of records along the way. It was obvious LeBron couldn't stand that.

Honestly, that's what made this championship so special not just for LeBron, but for those who have spent the last however many years hating him. We finally saw LeBron take something personally. We finally saw LeBron show emotion and a killer instinct. It was clear from the start that he took this series as a personal challenge unlike ever before. It was initially him versus Curry, but it quickly became him versus the Warriors with multiple people chipping in to spur the eventual Finals MVP.

I'll be honest, I was all set to type a blog about how LeBron was no longer King when the series was 3-1. I was ready to say that it was Steph Curry's league and that the Cavs were never going to be able to topple the Golden State giant. I've been one of the LeBron haters since that historic day in July of 2010, and I was ready to celebrate another failed trip to the Finals. Yet now, I have gained so much respect for LeBron James. The respect for his game was always there, how could you not respect what this guy can do for a team, for a city? The NBA has never seen a guy that can do the things LeBron can do. Yet it was the sense of entitlement, the ego, the flopping, the constant whining, the selfishness when dealing with personnel within the organization. It got old, it got old real quick.

LeBron repeatedly out-performed the unanimous MVP

However, LeBron was a different animal in this Finals. Trash-talking Steph Curry, stepping over Draymond Green, and literally willing his team to a victory. This was a LeBron we had rarely seen before, but one that people literally begged for all these years. The comparisons of LeBron to Michael Jordan always consisted of a statement somewhere along the lines of "Well Jordan had a killer instinct and was a better competitor." Before this Finals, there were only a handful of moments in LeBron's career where he possessed that killer mentality. Obviously last year he dragged the Cavs through the Finals by himself, but this year was different. He had flare. He had personality. He finally showed us that losing was not an option.

This is the LeBron that we have always wished he would be. An absolutely unstoppable force that wasn't going to settle for anything less than a ring. I feel sorry for the people that can't appreciate what he just accomplished. He fulfilled his promise and is now a hero in every sense of the word for the entire state of Ohio. He put on a performance for the ages that culminated in an iconic chase-down block like only LeBron James could do. Then to see the raw emotion, the tears of relief, of absolute joy, when that final buzzer sounded was special. The wait for a championship is finally over in Cleveland, and LeBron deserves all the respect in the world for delivering on his promise.

USMNT Prepares for Ecuador in Copa Knockout Round

After a 2-0 defeat to Colombia in the Copa America opener, optimism was shattered for the US Men's National Team. The Americans generated few chances, their captain looked ill-equipped and it seemed that this tournament would be more of the same for Jurgen Klinsmann's side.

The loss produced negativity from everywhere (including this blog) as Klinsmann's job came into question and many wondered whether or not the US would ever be able to take the next step in international competition. Klinsmann remained calm, saying that he felt his team played well, but it did nothing to quiet those who were disappointed in the Americans' opening act.

But disappointments have transformed back into optimism over the past week as the US closed out the group stage in impressive fashion. The Americans had to earn a win over Costa Rica to stay alive, and they left little doubt, defeating Los Ticos 4-0. They followed it up with a 1-0 win over Paraguay, playing stellar defense down the stretch with only 10 men for the final 40-plus minutes after DeAndre Yedlin's red card.

The pair of wins gave the US a group win with the next task being Ecuador in the quarterfinals. This is a match the Americans can certainly win, and if they do, it would most likely set up a semifinal match against Lionel Messi and Argentina. But that's down the road. Right now, the job is to knock out Ecuador, a team that features quality play up front in Enner Valencia and Antonio Valencia.

The US and Ecuador met in a May 25 friendly in which Darlington Nagbe produced the game-winning goal for the Americans in the 90th minute. Antonio Valencia did not play in that match after winning the FA Cup with Manchester United earlier in the week.

The biggest issue for the US entering Thursday's match will be replacing Yedlin who is suspended after his red card against Paraguay. Consistency, something Klinsmann has never shown during his time as manager, has been key for the US so far in the Copa America as they have put out the same lineup  However, he will be forced to shift things around with Yedlin out and seven other players with a yellow card.

Losing Yedlin for any match would hurt, but especially against a side with as much firepower up front as Ecuador. Enner Valencia has tallied two goals and two assists during the Copa, while Antonio found the back of the net once and assisted another. The pair have had a hand in four of La Tri's six goals so far in the tournament.

A win over 13th-ranked Ecuador would give Klinsmann a signature win in a major tournament, while also helping the Americans accomplish their goal of reaching the semifinals. It won't be easy to advance, but the US has shown they can play well when their backs are against the wall. For a manager trying to quiet his constant critics, Thursday night's match is as big as it gets.

The United States and Ecuador kick off at 8:30 p.m. CT on FS1.

In Warriors-Cavs Spat, Nobody Is Right

In an NBA Finals that have become a string of blowout games with little storylines other than the
Warriors closing in on history and LeBron James losing again, the Game 4 scuffle between James and Draymond Green gave the media what they needed. Finally, there was a new talking point and the media beat the subject of the scuffle to death yesterday, offering opinions on Green's Game 5 suspension and James' role in the matter.

Let me offer one more opinion even though you probably don't need another.

There isn't a single guy in this whole mess who is right. They are all wrong and people's judgement of the matter in baffling. Let's start with the actual play. You've seen it: James and Green get tangled up on a Green screen for Steph Curry. James pushes Green to the floor, and while he did get pushed, Green sells it with a flop as well. James, with miles of real estate around Green, looks down at the Warriors' forward and chooses to step over him. Green took exception and flung his hand up and hit James in the groin before taking another swipe at him. The two then went for a rebound and were whistled for a double foul. Some jawing occurred after the whistle and Green reportedly called James a b*tch, which resulted in an upset LeBron James.

Here's the deal: James was wrong for stepping over Green and deserved to have it upgraded by the league. Green was also wrong for swinging at James and deserves to be suspended for Game 5. Let's not forget that this isn't the first time Green has done something like this in the playoffs. He had his moment with Steven Adams in the Western Conference Finals and has been caught unnecessarily flailing his legs on other plays. Green was suspended because of his body of work. He has no one to blame but himself for missing Game 5.

James then sat at the podium in the postgame press conference and violated an unwritten rule by bringing the trash talk off the court. Let's be clear: what Green reportedly said is not right, but it is said all the time in all sports. For James to overreact the way he did both in the game and afterwards at the press conference says plenty about James, but it's nothing we haven't seen before. Nobody loves flaunting who they are more than James with his constant reminders that he's the leader of the team, best player in the game and father of three. In this case, he used the father of three schtick to help lobby for Green's punishment in the postgame presser. While it's not illegal to do what James did, it certainly didn't win him any more fans.

After the suspension was announced yesterday more jawing ensued and this time it was Klay Thompson doing the talking. Thompson questioned why James' feelings were hurt and insinuated that he was being a baby. Again, nothing wrong with what Thompson said because he was basically articulating what many fans and players thought about James. Where Thompson is wrong is the fact that he spent more than enough time complaining about a Timofey Mozgov screen in Game 3, claiming it was a dirty play. For a guy whose career is primarily based on his ability to get shots off of moving screens, he came across as a baby complaining about a screen in a blowout loss. To then turn around and question another man's toughness was weak on his part.

James wasn't quite done, stepping to the podium later and laughing at Thompson's comments. He then insisted that he "took the high road" in the entire situation. If the high road is stepping over someone then whining about a swear word in the postgame press conference then, yes, James certainly took the high road. However, I'm not sure many people would see it the way James sees it. He once again, tries to remain the holier than thou, but it's easy see right through it.

Nobody was right in this situation and everybody got what they deserved. To not understand that is to not be paying attention or to see things through the lens of a Cavs or Warriors fan.

So where does this leave us? Pretty simple: Draymond Green isn't going to play in Game 5. Everything else is just smoke and mirrors from that. Tonight, it would be shocking if James didn't come out with an extra edge and drop 40 points on the Warriors. However, his willingness to do that seems non-existent as he prefers to set up his teammates and allow the losses to pile up in the process. A change of strategy should be in order.

For Golden State, they are without their engine and their most versatile player. That could cause some issues, but it could also give Steph Curry a chance to build on his legacy. A dominating performance in the absence of a key teammate with the Finals on the line would certainly be worth adulation.

Until tonight, it's all talk and speculation and the pettiness that has transpired since the scuffle will finally end once the ball is tipped. It can't come soon enough.