Shaq in Phoenix!!! ???

The huge announcement this week in the NBA was the trade between Phoenix Suns and the Miami Heat. The Heat receive Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks (Steve Nash’s backup) for Shaquille O’Neal. The Suns are thrilled to have Shaq coming to the land of the Sun. But I don’t get it? Why Shaq? Why now late in his career? Do they know something I don’t know?

Shawn Marion at the time of the trade is averaging MORE pts and MORE rebounds than Shaq.

The Suns made this deal because Marion had asked for a trade at the beginning of the season. He only has 1 year left on his contract and instead of losing him at the end of the year they need to get something for him. Shaq has 2 years left on his deal and he is supposed to take Phoenix over the hump and win a championship.

The talk seems to be that the Suns need a C to win a championship. In the west they have lacked that C to win? In the West there is not dominating C. Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Duncan are Power Forwards. The C’s in the West are Y.Ming, A.Bynum (injured), G.Oden (injured).

Will Steve Nash make Shaq better? Sure he makes everyone better. But Shaq is claiming he’s going to be making everyone except Steve better. This is where I disagree. He will help Amare Stoudimare to play his normal PF position but Shaq is not going to receive the attention like he once was. Not many double teams. He’s slow and aging. He is not a MVP candidate anymore. Can he run the floor with this fast break team? This side of the deal is getting all the attention but I think the team that won this deal is the Miami Heat ESPECIALLY if they resign Marion to play long term with Dwayne Wade.

Okay so maybe I am wrong. I am playing in the franchise mode in XBOX 360’s version of NBA 2k7 and I happen to be the Phoenix Suns. So I decided to trade for Shaq for Shawn Marion. Not only did they want to but they gladly did with their 1^st rd draft pick and A.Mourning too! The cool thing about this game is they made it realistic and his age has caught up with him and he is no longer a 95 overall rating but a 76. So I go into the 1^st game with the new look Suns and I don’t even it make it threw the 1^st quarter before I realize this is a horrific trade. I turn off my 360 so I don’t save this trade and go trade Marion, my 1^st rd PF, and K.Thomas to Orlando for Dwight Howard, Grant Hill, and a rookie SG. Oh yeah and I got Howard locked up in contract for 5 yrs instead of paying Shaq through the roof for 2 years.

I understand they needed to trade Marion but couldn’t they have gotten something better? Like Pau Gasol or Y.Ming? I believe the Lakers getting Pau Gasol is bigger news than an aging Shaq going to Phoenix.

Of course I could be wrong but I doubt it. Being a fan of Phoenix (more importantly S.Nash) I hope I am wrong. I hope they win a championshipship. I can’t see myself being wrong in this situation.

There are great teams to beat and I can’t see Phoenix beating the Spurs, Celtics, Magic, Mavericks, Pistons, and Lakers.

GREAT or GOOD Super Bowl?

I am shocked and awe stuck. I cannot believe that the New York Giants are the 2008 Super Bowl champions. To me it’s unbelievable. There is no way I thought tonight I would go to bed with NY beating the 18-0 New England Patriots. Not only did I predict NE to win but to win BIG (51-13).

I have never been this wrong ever. I didn’t think NY was going to make the playoffs but they were #7 out of #8. I did predict them beating the Bucs though that seemed to be an easy one for me. But to beat Dallas in Texas Stadium as they were swept in the season series 2-0. But Romo’s inexperience proved to be the nail in the coffin for the Cowboys. Then going to Lambeau field to face the 13-3 Packers, Brett Favre, and the cold. And to my disappointment they beat my beloved Packers. Still in sports depression (Pats fans I know how you feel). Then they go into the Super Bowl as the “underdog” and keep the Pats offense in check…then Eli leads the charge finds Boss (Shockey’s replacement) for a key big gain and wins it for the G-men…WOW!

7-3 going into the 4^th quarter most wouldn’t have said this was one of the greatest Super Bowls in history but after that last quarter they might. No doubt the Giant D put so much pressure on Brady and they got the results. Defensively NY was better. If the Patriot touchdown to Randy Moss was the winner many would have said that was a GOOD Super Bowl but with Manning escaping all those defenders and Tyree making that catch and finally Burress completes the come back with under 40 seconds to play, it makes this Super Bowl GREAT.

Don’t you think it’s interesting that people wanted NY head coach Conklin fired and Eli benched during the season now all those Giants fans are on the band wagon.

What is more amazing is how Peyton won the Super Bowl last year and then his little bro Eli wins it the next year. I guess it wasn’t that bad of a deal getting Eli in the trade with SD.

Everyone will remember the catch but the one thing most people will forget about this game that would have made Eli the goat instead of the hero was DB Samuel missed the easy INT late in the 4^th quarter. Woulda, shoulda, coulda…Samuel didn’t and Eli did.

Another difference was the run game, the tandem of Jacobs and Bradshaw looked good and the Pats couldn’t get the run going with Maroney ending up with only 36 yds.

I could be wrong and this time I DEFINITELY was.

Congrats to the G-men and all their fans.