A Weight on Carmelo's Shoulders

(photo courtesy of ballnout.wordpress.com)

Carmelo Anthony recently played the game of his life in this year’s summer Olympics. The New York Knicks' star forward scored a record breaking 37 points (on 10 for 12 from beyond the arc) in Team USA’s trouncing of Nigera. The only member of the 2003 draft class’ big 4 to not have a championship, Carmelo will now be depended on more than ever to lead his Knicks to a title. Many adjustments have to be made with the New York squad. Signing Jason Kidd and Ronnie Brewer have, thus far, been the biggest moves they've made, but championships aren't won with transactions alone. They must learn to work better as a team and mature on both ends of the court. A title is still a long ways away, but the route to that title must be led by Anthony.


-Raindrops

*Remembering RAW: The ECW Invasion

Oh, what could have been...

Photo courtesy of http://camelclutchblog.com

For me, it was a clear choice for my top Raw moment. In the 1000 episodes that have gone to air, there was no other instance that stuck out more for me. Not many things give me goosebumps these days, but I re-watched it and had them for over 5 minutes. Let’s jump in our imaginary Delorian and go back to 2001, to the days where Raw could not be missed.

The WWE had recently acquired rival promotion WCW, and the "Invasion" angle was just picking up steam. At that same time, ECW was sadly bankrupt. They, too, were quietly purchased by the wrestling conglomerate, and their talent was spread through WCW and WWE. In a main event that saw Jericho & Kane facing off against Lance Storm and Mike Awesome, out from the crowd ran two notorious ECW alumni, The Whole F’n Show Rob Van Dam and Tommy Dreamer. I immediately got excited that 2 of my favourites were now clearly part of WWE and making a huge impact. I picked up the phone and made sure my friend, fellow Good Hustle writer Collin Van Ooyen, was watching too. It was the only time in two decades of fandom that I felt obliged to make sure others were enjoying this glory along with me. With excitement typically reserved for Christmas morning, the night kept getting better.

Rob Van Dam with a young Jerome Power (left), & Collin Van Ooyen

What initially  appeared to be the WWE coming to defend their comrades was actually a stable of ECW wrestlers who all turned at the same time and delivered a beat down to the two WWE guys (granted, Jericho should have been aligned with them as well considering his significant contribution to ECW, and later WCW, but that’s another story). Then, with Paul Heyman throwing down his commentating headset, we got his signature catch phrase that “This invasion has just been taken to the EXTREME” as RAW went off the air.

I was fortunate enough to follow ECW through many of their ups and downs. Through their breakthrough onto television and pay per view all the way to their final show. Collin and I were lucky enough to see the only ECW show ever held on Canadian soil when they made their way north of the border to Mississauga for a TV taping. We even got close enough to dab our ticket stubs in the blood of Steve Corino (our request to take home pieces of the broken table were denied by security). When ECW died, my love of wrestling started to die with it. Gone were the days of choices, options and variety. Now, you either like what Vince is feeding you or you've stopped watching altogether.

Jerome & Tommy Dreamer

The amount of excitement I had diminished week after week, much like my interest in what was then the only game in town. The egos in charge of the creative department killed the angle in only a few short weeks. What could have provided months, even years, of entertainment came and went faster than the XFL. Almost every one of the members of the "Invasion" were either written off television or became permanent curtain-jerkers or jobbers. Guys like Diamond Dallas Page, Buff Bagwell & Scott Steiner had one big run against a top guy and then disappeared. They couldn't get the likes of Goldberg or Sting to be part of the initial invasion, which might have been for the best considering the glut of wrestlers who were being booked at the time.

It wasn’t until 2005 that I became interested in the product again, when they decided to resurrect ECW for “One Night Stand”, which for me is the single greatest PPV they have ever done, and the only one I have revisited. It had everything that made ECW great - small and intimate venue at the Hammerstein Ballroom, hardcore matches, tables and all-around great wrestling from the entire roster. Hearing Joey Styles call the whole Pay Per View and listening to Paul Heyman shoot on the WWE guys in attendance made it that much better, because you could tell he was shooting straight from the heart. Most of all, hearing the fans at the show made me feel like I was at the live show at the Hersey Center all over again. Chants like "Holy Sh*t!" and "You f*cked up!" have become staples of the industry thanks to the fans, who became as big a part of the live shows as the wrestlers themselves.

Jerome (left), Rhino & Collin

Oh, what wonderful things could have been had it been in the right hands. Unfortunately I sit here now, watching videos from 10 years ago in a nostalgic trance, thinking about the good ol' days. Days that today's wrestling fans sadly know little about.

WWF - Raw 2001 - ECW joins the Invasion by JoCrazy

King James Finally Crowned NBA Champion

(photo courtesy of carltonjordan.com)

It took Lebron James 9 seasons, but he's finally joined the NBA's champion elite, guiding his Miami Heat to a 121-106 victory over a promising Oklahoma City squad.

  With Lebron James’ 26 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds, he became only the fifth player in NBA history to record a triple-double in the close out game of the Finals. He has joined NBA greats Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Larry Bird, and most recently Tim Duncan who did it in 2003.

 The Miami Heat tied an NBA Finals record by making 14 3-Pointer’s, seven of which were by seldom used Mike Miller.

   Lebron James is one of the most heavily criticized players in NBA history, and he may be disliked by many, but for now all we can do is praise him for leading the Heat to their 2nd ever Championship.

- Nard Dogg

Manchester Drama Provides Epic Premier League Finish

(photo courtesy of dailymail.co.uk)

Hollywood couldn't have scripted it better; Cross-city rivals Manchester United and Manchester City tied atop the table on the last day of the season. United, the juggernaut of the EPL. City, the kid brother. United's game finished moments earlier than City's, and that was all it took for history to happen. City, down 2-1 in stoppage time, scored two massive goals to steal the title from the jaws of what would have been a crippling defeat. 

(photo courtesy of tsn.ca)

City has drastically changed their culture in recent years, becoming big spenders in an attempt to turn England's big 4 into a big 5. After so many controversies, and the scourge of their powerhouse rivals at Old Trafford, it seems their mission has been accomplished. With a single strike, a title was won, a team was relegated, jobs were saved, and history was rewritten. 

Canada's Got Talent; Struggling on IIHF Stage

(photo courtesy of thechroniclehearald.com)

At the 2012 IIHF World Championships, Canada boasts yet another roster that is oozing talent, but *gasp* they've failed to utterly dominate thus far.  Canadian fans don't accept mediocrity. Despite an epic gold medal at the Olympics, Canadian hockey has begun to show an alarming trend; players are putting on the red and white, automatically saying "gold medal, please". American basketball and Brazilian soccer have had similar problems; heavy hangs the head that wears the crown. 

(photo courtesy of hockeycanada.ca)

Canada lacks chemistry. A group of stars are playing as individuals, just as they normally do in their respective NHL roles. The goaltending depth is not what it used to be, so bailouts are harder to come by. Canada's sheer talent does win out sometimes, i.e. today vs Finland. The question is: is that going to be enough to rule the world?

Nash Feeling The Heat, Getting Out Of The Suns

(photo courtesy of USAToday.com)

Steve Nash is probably the next big star on the move in the search for a title. The rumors swirling about his future in Phoenix were put to rest today in an interview with Dan Patrick; unless Phoenix can make some big moves in the off-season, Nash will be signing with a contender. It's a story as old as time, the classy franchise player on a sub-par team reaches the moment of truth.

(photo courtesy of mrbasketball.com)

Nash's honesty in calling out his beloved Suns is a revelation. PC and DB athletes alike don't often go on record so bluntly. If Phoenix obliges and Nash returns, it'll be a reversal of the cliche. If not, the Miami Heat might get a whole lot better. Either way, Nash's legacy could possibly ride on what happens this off-season.