The Game

My first Lakers playoff season

(Bill Walton trying to block me out, 1977) My first season in the playoffs with the Lakers was 1977. That was an up-and-down year in all respects. Our regular season was very successful and we...

The Lakers Gotta Have Heart

After watching the Lakers I was reminded of the song from "Damn Yankees," "You Gotta Have Heart." Last night the Lakers were enhanced by the return of center Pau Gasol. Gasol has been out with...

My Thoughts on UCLA in the Final Four

The last time I attended the NCAA Finals was in 2006 when UCLA played the Florida Gators for the championship. As I was walking down the tunnel with Bill Walton to enter the stadium my...

America still holds the torch with the NBA

Recent times have seen many people decry the loss of prestige that America has suffered by way of the war in Iraq, Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo and other fiascoes. But I can point to a story...

Star Wars, NBA-Style II

The Lakers stepped up and delivered in a major way in last week's victory over Phoenix. It was a statement of the first order. The Suns' acquisition of Shaquille O'Neal was an attempt to put...

Linking Up with the NCAA

I had a great time with the NCAA Double-A Zone. We talked about blogging, my audio book, fans, sports, writing and many other topics. Please join me in this really interesting conversation with the National...

Star Wars, NBA-Style

As we approach the NBA All-Star break, we are witnessing the cumulative effect of much maneuvering on the part of the more dominant franchises. The Spurs -- the  defending champs -- are the only team...