Public Knowledge

It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.  -Epictetus     

Public Knowledge:

1.  How ’bout them Spurs?  I’ve got spurs that jingle jangle jingle, as I go riding merrily along.  The Spurs are Jinglin’.  The Spurs are janglin’.  Nobody puts baby in the corner.  Nobody. 

The Spurs won again last night.  Won again last night after trailing by fourteen points.  Won again last night after trailing by sixteen points in game one.  The last NBA team to win consecutive playoff games despite trailing by at least fourteen points in each was the Kings in the first round in 2001.  Pretty, pretty good. 

The Suns are done.  The Suns have lost fourteen of eighteen playoff games to the Spurs.  Don’t expect them to win much more.  While everybody’s been Los Angeles Lakering this and Kobe Bryanting that, the Spurs are doing what they always do.  Winning in the Post Season.

2.  All Paul all the time.  What can I say about this kid that hasn’t been said before?  You already know he’s the first player in NBA history with at least thirty points and ten dimes in each of his first two career playoff games.  You already know Paul has humiliated Jason Kidd in two straight games.  You already know the Hornets have humiliated the Mavericks in two straight games.  Humiliated the Mavericks in two straight games by a margin of eighteen points per game.  Yowza!  You already know it’s Paul that is the straw stirring this drink.  Stirring the drink averaging 33.5 points, 13.5 assists and 3.5 steals a game.  Yowza! 

This just in.  Chris Paul is good.  Real good.  In the company of Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, John Havlicek, Michael Jordan and Kevin Johnson as players who have had at least 30 points and 10 assists in consecutive playoff games.  That’s good.

3.  Roll Sox roll.  We all knew this kid was going to be good.  If you watched the post season last year you knew he was going to be good.  If you watched Jacoby Ellsbury hit double after double after double after double against the Rockies, you knew he was going to be good.  Did you think he was going to be this good? 

Last night, the rookie had three hits.  Two bombs.  A bunt single.  Three runs.  He does it all.  He does it all the time.  Ellsbury has scored a total of eighteen runs over his last twelve games. The last Red Sox rookie to score eighteen runs in a twelve-game span was Dom DiMaggio back in 1940.  One of those runs last night was the winner winner chicken dinner.  The Sox have won eleven straight winner winner chicken dinners when Ellsbury has scored at least one run.  Keep watching this kid.  Keep watching this kid as he makes his run for Rookie of the Year. 

4.  John Smoltz’ four-seam fastball has been clocked as high as 98 MPH.  His slider has been considered one of the best in the Show.  He’s been the best starter in the league.  He’s been the best closer in the league.  He maybe the biggest big game pitcher I have ever seen.  MVP of the National League Championship series.  During his postseason career, Smoltz has a 12-4 record, with a 2.72 record as a starter, and a 14-4 record overall. He has more postseason wins than any other player ever.  Add another accolade.  Add 3,000 strikeouts.  While you’re at it, add Hall of Fame. 

5.  Leave it to LaRussa.  Every scorekeepers nightmare.  Pitchers batting eighth.  Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together… mass hysteria!  Now this?  Albert Pujols wound up playing second base for the first time in a regular-season game last night.  Did you know that Hall-of-Famers Ty Cobb, Mickey Mantle and Tony Perez, among others enshrined in Cooperstown, all appeared in exactly one career game at second base?  Signs of things to come?  If that elbows holds up it will be.

6.  Looks like this Fukudome character is for real.  This Fukudome character had three hits and two walks yesterday.  That makes the second time this season this Fukudome character has reached base safely five times in a game.  No other rookie has reached base safely five times in a game yet this season.  The last Cubs player with two such games as a rookie was Ryne Sandberg in 1982.  The last Major League player with two such games in his first 20 games in the major leagues was Kazuo Matsui in 2004.  Must be something in the water.

7.  If you’re paying attention to hockey, you’re paying attention to Keith Jones.  Keith Jones is by far the best hockey guy going today.  Better than Barry Melrose.  Better than Joe Bowen.  Better than Ed Olczyc.  Better than all of them. 

8.  The Yankees are in big trouble.  Big big trouble.  Right here in New York City.  Trouble with a capital “T”.  And that rhymes with “P”.  And that stands for pitching!  After Wang and Pettitte, they have nobody.  Nobody I tell you.  Between Pettitte’s outing last week against Tampa Bay, and his outing two nights ago, the Bombers‘ starters were downright horrible. They managed to throw just fifteen innings over a span of four games while giving up 22 runs on 29 hits and 10 walks. That, my friends, is good for a 13.20 ERA.  That, my friends, is why the Yankees will not make the playoffs.  Ha ha ha!  roll Sox roll!

9.  The Sixty Million Dollar Man:

10.  Bears won’t budge on Urlacher.  Bengals nix deal on Ocho Cinco.  Cards won’t deal Boldin.  Hey NFL, guarantee some goddam contracts woudja?

Peace out homies.  Six two and even!

Need More? Boston Red Sox, Brian Urlacher, Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, Chris Paul, Jacoby Ellsbury, John Smoltz, Keith Jones, Kosuke Fukudome, MLB, NBA, New Orleans Hornets, New York Yankees, Public Knowledge, San Antonio Spurs, Sportscasters, Tony LaRussa