Miami Heat

LeBron James Is Your Non-Unanimous 2012-13 MVP, And I'm Fine With That

I am mesmerized by LeBron James. I'll admit, he's converted me. I am a fan. This is coming from someone who wrote four straight posts around the time of "The Decision" in July 2010 about what an asshole LeBron was. This is coming from someone who openly rooted against him every time he was on my ... More >>

Biggest Loser v 7.0 -- Sacramento Kings Guard Tyreke Evans

Overall, it's turned into kind of a slow sports week, which I guess is to expected as we are in the dreaded "post NFL combine, pre March Madness dead period." Add in the fact that the Rockets have seemingly been on a second All-Star break this week (haven't played since Saturday), and on a lazy Thur ... More >>

Lil Wayne Apologizes To LeBron For All-Star Weekend Outburst, Still Hates Chris Bosh

The NBA trade deadline came and went at 2 p.m. Thursday afternoon, and somehow, some way, with everyone fully expecting the Rockets to be one of the passive spectators at deadline time for a change, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey managed to steal the spotlight. Given Morey's seeming addiction ... More >>

NBA Season Jump Starts with Spate of Christmas Day Games Including the Rockets

In 2011, Christmas Day was the literal start to the NBA season thanks to a lockout that kept the season from starting for nearly two full months. Most every other year, the season starts in October, but for the casual fan, it doesn't really get going until Christmas Day. With the NFL taking the day ... More >>

Airsanity: Lin and the Rockets Struggle with More Than Airballs

I once interviewed MLB writer and former Astro social media maven Alyson Footer for a story about sports radio and she gave me a fantastic quote about the media in general. "The news cycle used to be 24 hours and now it's 24 seconds," she told me. The impact that has on sports coverage means that on ... More >>

Zapruder-Style Breakdown Of The Worst National Anthem Performance Ever

My general rule of thumb when it comes to snark or out and out ridicule is that kids are off limits. I have three kids of my own, and they're not perfect. I get it. However, there are rare exceptions, and on those occasions what you'll usually find is that any derision of young people doing offensiv ... More >>

Why the Rockets Have to Suck Before They Can Improve

For quite some time, I have resisted the sentiment that to improve in the NBA, you must first have a substantial downturn. I don't like the idea of losing on purpose. Calling it "tanking" only makes it worse. The entire concept feels like the exact opposite of what players, coaches and fans are taug ... More >>

Ask A Rapper: D-Risha Discusses Sports' Worst "Decisions"

The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place -- lots of times, you're even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good -- so once a week we're going to get with a rapper and ask them to explain things. Something you always wanted to ask a rapper? E-mail sheaserrano@gmail.com. ... More >>

Which Houston Rapper Bet "Whatever" On the NBA Finals?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Each week, Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. This Week's Panel: Mac, Mug, Killa Kyleon, TroubleSum, Propain, hasHBrown, Yung Truth, O.N.E., Chingo Bling, more. Not Invited: Steve Francis and ... More >>

NBA Finals: Series Prediction and a Few Prop Bets

Finally, it's here! If you had allowed David Stern to sit in a room with all 16 playoff teams on the wall by conference, and allow him to pick his dream matchup for the NBA Finals, it's without a doubt the Miami-Oklahoma City matchup we're getting here. LeBron versus Durant, big market versus small ... More >>

NBA Playoffs: "Good Job, Good Effort" Kid Has Been Located

Well, that didn't take long. On the heels of the Boston Celtics' 94-90 win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night, there were two stars usurping the spotlight after the game. One was Boston forward Kevin Garnett, whose 26 points and 11 rebounds led the Celtics to the huge upset. The other wasn't a pl ... More >>

Celtics-Heat Postgame Fun-Fest: Crazy KG, D-Wade's Hipster-ish Fake Glasses, and "Good Job, Good Effort!" Kid (w/ VIDEO)

I love NBA basketball, but I'll be the first to admit that I am oftentimes more compelled by what goes on after the games -- in the press conferences, in the locker room, on the set of TNT -- than I am in the games themselves. I'm the guy who is rooting against LeBron not because I hate him, but be ... More >>

Hammered Miami Heat Fan Strips To Bra & Panties To Celebrate A Win (VIDEO Analysis)

I realize that, unless you're a member of LeBron James' or Dwyane Wade's immediate family, it's awfully tough to find a reason to root for the Miami Heat. While they're not the lightning rod for vitriol that they were coming off of LeBron's "Decision" in the summer of 2010, the Heat are still quit ... More >>

Jerry "The King" Lawler Piledrives Clipper Fan: Old School WWE Wrestlers for Each NBA Playoff Series (w/ VIDEO)

People laugh dismissively when I say it, but the more they can incorporate WWE performers and the general WWE "way" of entertainment, the more enjoyable other genres of sports will become. No, I'm not talking about the predetermined outcomes of matches (The NBA has already incorporated that aspect o ... More >>

Rap Round Table: Who's Going to Win the NBA Finals?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Each week, Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. This Week's Panel: Bun B, Slim Thug, hasHBrown, Chane, Yung Truth, Preemo, Chuckway, Mac, Nosaprise, D-Risha Not Invited: Amar'e Stoudemire's brai ... More >>

Rockets Mediocrity: Blame the Strategy of the Owner

There's something unholy about a team playing out the string of games knowing it won't make the playoffs. It's even weirder when said team felt its season end with a thud after a horrid stretch of games that lasted right up until the second-to-last game of the year. Going one step farther, that game ... More >>

Rockets Sweep Road Trip, Bear Down on the Playoffs

Photo by Groovehouse This Rockets team, it just sneaks up on you. It's loaded with second- and third-tier players, most of whom would be backups (albeit rotation players) on good teams. They struggle with interior defense and have an unproven coach who was once a hated rival. They lost their entire ... More >>

One Man's NBA All-Star Reserve Selections

Go ahead and chalk up the NBA All-Star Game taking place in a few weeks (Sunday, February 26, to be exact) in Orlando's Amway Center as the next "feels weird" moment of the NBA season. It feels like the season just tipped off a few weeks ago and yet here we are, about 20 games in, deciding who the b ... More >>

Chris Bosh's Hideous Back Tattoo Gives Me An Idea

"Awsome," maybe, but you're no Chris Bosh​My views on tattoos have been made clear in this space before: I don't begrudge people getting a tattoo, or even several tattoos. It's legal, it's your body, do what you want with it. I just would like to be around to see the people cover every inch of ... More >>

NBA Finals -- LeBron James Hits Rock Bottom

Snipes would play LeBron, but he's done his own disappearing act​"He struggled. Point blank, period. He struggled out there. ... I want to see him aggressive again. He can turn it up, his aggression, a notch." -- Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh, talking about his teammate LeBron James after Tue ... More >>

NBA Finals Game 2 -- Anatomy of a Meltdown

On the "Play-by-play" Web page for Game 2 of the NBA Finals, it simply reads "Dwyane Wade makes 24-foot three point jumper (Mario Chalmers assists)," one simple play out of a few hundred plays during the course of an NBA basketball game. But if you were watching the game, you knew that Dwyane Wade' ... More >>

Eskabel: Houston Rapper Says You Can't Beat The (Miami) Heat

The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place -lots of times, you're even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good- so once a week we're going to get with a rapper and ask them to explain things. Have something you always wanted to ask a rapper? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. ... More >>

Rick Perry V. Florida Governor Rick Scott: Who Makes The More Pathetic NBA Finals Joke?

Meeting of the titans​The NBA Finals start tonight (the Rockets are not involved, if you haven't been keeping up). It's the Dallas Mavericks against the Miami Heat, and that means a silly little bet between Governor Rick Perry and Florida Governor Rick Scott, two of the more Tea Party-esque go ... More >>

The Chris Bosh 2010-2011 Experience (in Quotes -- PLAYOFF Addendum)

Chris Bosh is no Never-Nervous Pervis.​"Was I effective today? It's common sense. I think it's evident. I just have to get it where I'm effective. I have to get it where big guys get it. Then, I feel I can start helping out this team more. I'm effective down in the low-post area. That's where ... More >>

NBA Playoffs Schedule Maker, a Mother's Day FAIL

Could have been the best Mother's Day match-up of all time.​It's not easy for a sport's postseason that lasts practically as long as the entire college football regular season to be compelling from beginning to end, but so far this NBA postseason is doing as good a job of just that as it's eve ... More >>

The NBA's Top-Selling Jerseys List (And Seven Things It Tells Us)

NBA jerseys: We CAN just all get along!!​I'll admit, I don't own any sports jerseys. I'm not a jersey-wearing guy, partially because the fit and feel of an authentic professional sports shirt are not optimal, but mostly because I'm over the age of 14. Full disclosure, I don't buy many jersey ... More >>

The Chris Bosh 2010-2011 Experience (In Quotes)

Chris Bosh, on the rise​OCTOBER 27, 2009 "[Bosh] will never be the best player on a 50-win team. Sorry, someone will spend $100 M on him next spring and regret it." -- Me, in my 2009-2010 NBA preview, prior to Chris Bosh's final season in Toronto SPRING 2010 "Keep in mind, Chris -- this team ... More >>

One Guy's Thoughts On The Sports Year: 25 Things To Remember

So with the end of the year fast approaching, I thought I would take some time to revisit some of the highlights, and lowlights, of this past sports year. Your list is probably different, but these are the things that caught my attention this year. maxim.com Thanks for everything, Jenn​1. ... More >>

NBA 2010-2011 Preview -- Reconstructing LeBron

Please, no more operations on Yao Ming​"What should I do?" -- LeBron James, over and over and over again his new Nike spot The fact that LeBron James is posing the question in his new Nike spot perhaps tells us that he is not completely devoid of self-awareness, as he appeared to be last summer. ... More >>

The 7 Basic WWE Metaphors For Real Life Situations (w/ video)

Let's get ready to....examine life!!!​I'm working on my 2009-2010 NBA Preview which should be done by tomorrow. I hope that some of you will cut me slack given that a whopping three games will be in the books by the time it gets posted here on Hair Balls, including the Rockets opener against the L ... More >>

The Quotable Tracy McGrady: "It's About Winning."

Blame Canada....or PEDs​Well, apparently I've pissed off Canada.In a post that was largely meant to illustrate the cavalcade of clown that is Les Miles and make a salient point or two about the Houston Texans, the biggest reaction to yesterday's "5 Winners, 5 Losers" came from north of the border, ... More >>

College Football and NFL: This Weekend's Best Bets

The Dr Pepper commercial can't be far behind​Now that The Office has turned into a big, directionless mess, the title for Most Watchable Thing on Thursday night television (with apologies to It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia and The League) is the two-minute "Dr. Lou" segments that run at halftime ... More >>

LeBron James -- Society Hates You, I Love Society

LeBron: The power is waning​Mankind, I have to say that I was just about to give up on you. I'm a very patient person, but with every kid running around in a Ben Roethlisberger jersey or every nimrod that decides to turn right on Hamilton at the Texas Street intersection next to Minute Maid Park ... More >>

Game Time: LeBron is Making Me A Texas Longhorn Fan

Kevin Durant -- the anti-LeBron​It's July, it's the All-Star break, the Astros have reached the "what P.R. grab can we make?" part of the season about six weeks earlier than usual, and if I may say, hiring Jeff Bagwell as hitting coach should have far-reaching ramifications on the ball club that w ... More >>

Game Time: LeBron James: The Decision -- You Suck, ESPN

LeBron is Cleveland's new "Cuyahoga River on fire"​"It's been a real humbling experience to be in this position." -- LeBron James on his self-requested, one hour made-for-LeBron TV special on ESPNIf you lived in Houston at the time, you remember September 13, 2008. That was the morning after Hurr ... More >>

Game Time: LeBron James -- Seven Scenarios For Thursday Night

@dramaqueen​"Hello World, the Real King James is in the Building 'Finally'. My Brother @oneandonlycp3 gas'd me up to jump on board so I'm here. Haaaa" -- LeBron James (oh sorry...@KingJames on Twitter, and what is sadly his most interesting tweet thus far)I've always thought that when Twitte ... More >>

Game Time: NBA Free Agency -- So Is Dwyane Wade Gonna Hold It For You While You Pee Too, LeBron?

A Vogue cover, but no ring​Nothing worth chasing in life comes easy, so to say that by pooling their collective talents together to try and chase an NBA title in Miami that LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade are taking the "easy way out" isn't entirely fair.Actually, to be fair, with a ring ... More >>

GAME TIME: NBA Draft: 8 Winners and 8 Losers

As in most things in life, Calipari is both a winner and loser​"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 2010 NBA Draft..." -- David SternI'm not going to lie, those words give me a tingly feeling every year that I hear them. It never gets old -- like reruns of The Sopanos or seeing that Bree Ol ... More >>

Rick Ross Is Completely Innocent and the Greatest Rapper Alive

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and, sometimes awkwardly, tie it to a bit of Houston rap. It's five videos and occasional cussing. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com.​Last year, president of Don Diva magazine Sam Ferguson played a major role ... More >>

One-Fifth of the Way In, Whither the Rockets?

With about 20 percent of the season concluded, the Rockets' 11-7 record appears at first blush to be maddeningly inconsistent. But I think it's a lot easier to explain than it may seem. One way to measure the future success of the team based on its current record is to look at "bad losses" - ... More >>

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