Random Rumblings - Summer Heat

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-Digger's Daily-

New champions crowned.

NBA
Miami Heat took down up and coming Oklahoma City Thunder. 2012 NBA Finals MVP LeBron? James led his Heat to the win in 5 games. Box scores won't reveal how this series was OKC's for the taking in years to come. The Thunder blew a couple of big leads and was no match for Miami's late game heroics. Nerves? Lack of post-season experience? Youth? Or, choke? OKC will challenge for years to come as their core players are relatively young and very hungry for their first championship. Miami figures to be busy this off season fine tuning their squad attempting to repeat.

NHL
There's much to be said about getting hot at just the right moment. That moment arrived when the first puck dropped in opening round game 1 vs heavily favored Vancouver. 8th seeded Los Angeles Kings went on to play gritty no nonsense hockey the rest of the way earning their franchise's first ever Stanley Cup. My money was squarely favoring the New Jersey Devils in the Finals. The first two games went into OT when LA stunned the Devils for back to back victories which were too much to overcome. Congratulations Kings. You burnt four great teams to win it all.

NCAA
NCAA Baseball crowned a new champ - Arizona Wildcats dethroned two time defending champion South Carolina to win the College World Series. Arizona used strong pitching performances on consecutive nights to sweep the CWS finals. James Farris and Mathew Troupe combined to limit the Gamecocks to three hits a night after Konner Wade threw his third straight complete game in a 5-1 win.

"They've just been a joy," said Lopez, flanked by his key players. "I mean, how many times have I told you I love suiting up with you guys? Said it today before the game. And I really do, I like suiting up with young guys that go to class, go to study hall, hustle on the field, clean up the clubhouse on their own. I'm extremely, extremely fortunate to be in this profession and work with young people like this."

This was Arizona's 4th title and a special one for Manager Lopez who took over a team in turmoil 11 years ago. Lopez completely revitalized the Wildcats program from top to bottom. Well done Mr. Lopez.

MLB
Roger Clemens keeps piling up victories. Rocket Rogers was acquitted on all charges that he obstructed and lied to Congress in denying he used performance-enhancing drugs to extend his long career as one of the greatest and most decorated hurlers in baseball history. The Federal Government whiffed AGAIN! They've failed to nail two of baseball's biggest names - Clemens and Barry Bonds. Millions of dollars and hundreds of hours wasted to acquit two stars who will never escape the spotlight of juicing up. Careers tainted by "suspicions"? This will be forever debated.
Sometimes I can't help but wonder if these trials were really intended to convict the accused? Or, were they for public display? How in the world can Federal prosecutors drop the ball with rock solid evidence? Trials be damned, there's no way these two individuals (and dozens of others) are truly innocent.
Mark McGwire? & Sammy Sosa chasing after Roger Maris' home run record remains one of the most disgusting displays by Major League Baseball in history. Picturing McGwire? hugging an emotional Maris family - WHILE KNOWING FULL WELL HE WAS CHEATING - is a travesty. Does everyone remember McGwire? crying about how his bat will now be next to Maris in Baseball's Hall of Fame? I hope this bat is long gone from displays. As well as Bonds breaking two sacred home run records too.
I continue to say Major League Baseball - from the Commissioners Office to league owners to GM's to team doctors - all got off scott free. Once players names were served to the public as red meat a neat diversion was created to shield those needed prosecution the most. The Mitchell Report was a trojan horse diverting attention away from the game's true problem - everyone knew what was going on!!