Now THAT'S What I Call "Flossin'!"

An unidentified Arab Sheikh has flown his Lamborghini 6,500 miles to England for an oil change.

Childress Leaving NBA for Euro League

Free agent Josh Childress, formerly of the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, is apparently leaving the NBA to embark on a professional basketball career in the Euro League. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting that Childress has accepted a 3 year, $32.5 million offer from Olympiakos (Greece).

Veteran NBA writer Sam Smith discusses the recent phenomenon in which players are beginning to leave the NBA in order to play professionally in Europe (courtesy of Hoops Hype):

"(W)ith the decline in the value of the U.S. dollar and some hints of a recession even feeling its way around the NBA in the form of more teams cutting back big spending or declining to use their salary cap exceptions to avoid paying the luxury tax, NBA players are beginning to take a serious look at playing in Europe as a legitimate alternative."

More here.

SMU Basketball Team Travels Africa to Better Understand Teammates

Southern Methodist University's men's basketball team has spent part of it's summer touring Africa, for the purpose of helping it's players better connect with their African teammates.

HBO to Explore UNC vs. Duke Rivalry

Just in case basketball fans start to complain that ESPN doesn't do enough to hype the North Carolina vs. Duke rivalry, HBO plans to fill the void of UNC vs. Duke rivalry hype with their own exploration of the much vaunted rivalry.

HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg explains his network's interest in the Tobacco Road rivalry (courtesy of Sports Illustrated):

"Jim Lampley (a UNC graduate) has been telling me about the rivalry for 20 years or so. I was also aware of the subculture of both universities, and even though UNC was the state school, they think of themselves as the dignified force in the rivalry. They think Duke is a bunch of animals even though Duke is supposed to be the Ivy League of the South. That never meshed right with me and it was interesting. Plus, you had all these legends coming out of these two schools, the [Michael] Jordan's, the [Christian] Laettner's and the [Mike] Krzyzewski's and [Dean] Smith's. Unbelievable iconic names have floated through both places and it makes for a great documentary."

Items Not on the Drive and Dish Off Season Training Table

Just in case you've been having trouble getting enough saturated fat, sugar and cholesterol into your diet, Krispy Kreme is offering a sugary, trans-fat dynamo just for you: The Krispy Kreme bacon cheeseburger. Loading up on plenty of those little guys over the off season is sure to have you in top shape by the time basketball season starts back up.

Good times.

NBA Addreses Officiating Problems

According to the Arizona Daily News, the NBA is taking measures (at least cosmetically) to address problems with its officiating (or, at the very least, is trying to do some preemptive damage control):

"The NBA hired Army Maj. Gen. Ronald L. Johnson on Tuesday as senior vice president of referee operations, a newly created position to help strengthen the league's officiating programs following the Tim Donaghy scandal."

O'Neal Traded to Toronto

The Toronto Sun is reporting that the Indiana Pacers have traded center Jermaine O'Neal to the Toronto Raptors for point guard T.J. Ford and Toronto's first round draft pick (17th overall) in tonight's NBA draft.

Assuming that the trade goes through, the pairing of O'Neal and Chris Bosh -- a 2008 All Star and one of the fastest rising stars in the NBA -- will give Toronto one of the most formidable front lines in the NBA, and could help make them a major factor in the Eastern Conference.

NABC to Coaches: Stop Offering Scholarships to 8th Graders

One week after Kentucky's basketball team received a commitment from an 8th grader, the board of directors of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) issued a recommendation to college basketball coaches to cease recruiting and offering scholarships to 8th and 9th graders. The NABC recommendation proposes that coaches wait until mid June following prospective student athlete's sophomore years in high school before offering scholarships.

According to the NABC, such young basketball players:

“have not yet displayed sufficient academic credentials or, in the vast majority of cases, basketball maturity to accurately project them as admissible students to the institution or impact players on the basketball team.”

Celtics Win NBA Finals

Last night, the Celtics pummeled the Lakers 131-92 to win the 2008 NBA Finals. So the Celtics are champions again. Everybody at ESPN is practically orgasmic (except for all the Knicks fans who work there). Woo freakin' hoo.

I was actually kind of pulling for the Celtics in the finals because I like their collection of talent and I like the way that they play the game: the Celtics don't make a lot of noise, they just go about their business and win games.

But I have little tolerance for Celtics fans or for the obnoxious windbags who populate the Boston/Northeastern sports media.

So although I have a certain level of admiration for the actual 2008 Boston Celtics team, the media's season long case of Celtic mania (particularly on the part of ESPN) rubbed me the wrong way (and was the basis for my indifference toward a team that I would have otherwise enjoyed watching).

The Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy and Bob Ryan are entrenched sports writers who embody the arrogance and parochialism that is typifies the Boston/Northeastern media.

Here's Dan Shaughnessy's take on last night's Celtics championship.

MSG Hopes to Land NCAA Tournament Games

Sports Illustrated is reporting that Madison Square Garden is interested in playing host to NCAA Tournament games in the near future:

"Madison Square Garden, which last hosted an NCAA tournament game in 1961, is hoping its $500 million renovation will help it land the East Regional championship as early as 2012."

NBA Refs Fixing Playoff Games?

A year ago, former NBA referee Tim Donaghy caused a stir when he was indicted for gambling on NBA games (including games that he had worked as a referee).

Although the revelation of Donaghy's gambling problems shook the sports world, it came as no surprise to Drive and Dish. I had always suspected that NBA referees and players bet on NBA games. And I'd always considered the quality of officiating in the NBA playoffs to be highly suspect. Aside from my suspicion that players and refs may be gambling on games, I've always suspected that referees may be instructed to engineer the outcomes of close playoff games (in order to ensure marquee playoff/Finals matchups for the league).

Now let me make something clear: I'm not a fan of conspiracy theories. I don't think that George Bush and Dick Cheney were behind the September 11 terrorist attacks. I don't think that Bush and Cheney seeded clouds in the Gulf of Mexico to create a giant Hurricane -- Hurricane Katrina -- in order to kill black people in New Orleans. I don't think the government created AIDS to kill black people. And I don't think that there are aliens in a hanger at area 51.

But I've always been highly skeptical of the NBA's integrity. And I've been waiting for Tim Donaghy to sing to the authorities, in an attempt to get a lighter sentence. Now Donaghy says that NBA referees fixed playoff games in order to increase revenue for the league.

More here.

Chicago Botches Collins Deal, Continues Coaching Search

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Doug Collins will not be the next coach of the Chicago Bulls after all. Based on the Tribune's report, it sounds like Collins and Chicago Vice President of Basketball Operations John Paxson wanted the deal to go through, but Chicago Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf vetoed the deal:

"Sources said Paxson signed off on Collins' hiring. Reinsdorf consistently and publicly has said he never tells his general managers whom to hire but that he can exercise veto power.

Collins refused to comment when asked if Paxson had made it clear he wanted Collins as his coach. But Collins said he understood Reinsdorf's hesitations because the two have become extremely close since Reinsdorf fired Collins in July 1989. Collins had just led the Bulls to the Eastern Conference finals.

'I understand if Jerry had concerns about firing me again,' Collins said. 'My whole thing is you can't enter into an agreement with somebody if down the road, you think there's a chance for failure."

More:

The Chicago Sun Times' Jay Mariotti says: Oops, Reinsdorf did it again.

Is the Atlantic 10 Headed for an Upheaval?

Longtime Atlantic 10 Conference member Temple is leaving the A-10 to join the Mid American Conference. Now ESPN's Andy Katz writes that the Atlantic 10 might be about to undergo an upheaval (Requires ESPN Insider status).

ABC Executives Elated By Celtics vs. Lakers Finals

Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune writes that after suffering through several years of NBA Finals that featured smaller market teams from middle America, ABC television executives are "delighted" to have a dream match up in this year's Finals -- the Celtics vs. the Lakers.

What a revelation!

Drive and Dish, however, is not so thrilled by the prospect of a Celtics vs. Lakers Finals.

Oh well. At least the Knicks still blow.

Detroit Beats Celtics, Evens Series

Tonight, Detroit defended their home court and pulled even in the Eastern Conference Finals by beating the Celtics 94-75. The series is now tied at 2-2.

The Detroit Free Press live blogged tonight's game. Their live blog can be found here.

Celtics, Lakers Hold 2-1 Series Leads

Last night, San Antonio kept the Lakers from taking a 3-0 series lead in the Western Conference Finals by holding off Kobe Bryant and his Laker teammates 103-84. The Lakers now hold a 2-1 lead.

In the East, the Celtics beat Detroit 94-80 on Saturday night. The Celtics lead the Eastern Conference Finals 2-1. The Detroit Free Press chronicles injured Detroit point guard Chauncey Billups' struggles.

Lakers Demolish San Antonio

Last night, the Lakers annihilated San Antonio 101-71. The Lakers lead defending World Champion San Antonio 2-0 in the NBA's Western Conference Finals.

San Antonio looks very bad. A Celtics vs. Lakers series appears to be imminent.

San Antonio Survives New Orleans, Advances to Western Conference Finals

Last night, San Antonio beat New Orleans 91-82 in the seventh and deciding game of the Western Conference Semifinals. San Antonio will face the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.

The fact that San Antonio prevailed over Chris Paul and New Orleans is notable. New Orleans won the first two games of the series, and Chris Paul absolutely tore San Antonio's defense apart early in the series. And sports commentators of all stripes were quick to write San Antonio's obituary.

San Antonio was said to have suddenly become be too old, too slow and too soft to compete. Their dynasty was officially being written off as a thing of the past.

But then San Antonio figured out a way to slow Chris Paul, force New Orleans to settle for jump shots and expose New Orleans' weaknesses (lack of rebounding, lack of depth, smallish backcourt, etc.).

And San Antonio came back from the brink of extinction to win the series and advance to the Western Conference Finals.

As we noted yesterday, it seems as though the NBA and everyone in the national sports media is rooting for a return to a Celtics vs. Lakers NBA Finals (just like the old days). Here's to hoping for a San Antonio vs. Detroit Finals (just like 2005).

Celtics Get Past Cleveland

Yesterday, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and the Celtics advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals by escaping LeBron James and Cleveland 97-92 in game seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinal series. More here.

All season lonng, Drive and Dish cast a wary eye on much of the media hype that was lavished on the 2007-08 Celtics. We (I) thought that the league and ESPN were making too much of a big deal about the Celtics. And that's not surprising. ESPN is obsessed with the Boston vs. New York sports rivalries. That network is practically a 24/7 advertisement for the Red Sox and Yankees baseball rivalry.

ESPN's world revolves around New York and Boston. And the Celtics are a sentimental favorite of many, many prominent members of the national sports media.

And the NBA's Seacaucus, NJ, front office has long promoted the Knicks, the Celtics and the Lakers at the expense of the rest of the league. The league treats those three franchises as its cornerstone franchises (with the Nets, the Sixers and the Wizards getting a nod as well). The NBA seems to think that its primary markets are the Northeast corridor (New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.) and Los Angeles (and more specifically, "Hollywood" and the entertainment industry). And they appear to go out of their way to promote the teams from those markets, even though many of the league's great dynasties and great teams have come from the hinterlands (Detroit, Chicago, Houston, San Antonio).

As a side note, the NBA may very well be right about where interest in their league is the highest. No doubt, the NBA does extensive market research. And its quite possible that interest in the league is strongest in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
For what it's worth, Drive and Dish gets most of its hits from the Eastern part of the United States. On the map, our daily hits are most abundant along the East Coast (from Boston to South Florida), in the Carolinas, the Southeast, through the industrial states (Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana), and up and down the West Coast. We get also see daily action in parts of the Midwest and in the cities of Texas. But our readers are, overwhelmingly, on the coasts and in the Eastern half of the U.S.

So if Drive and Dish's daily traffic flow is any indicator of interest in the game of basketball, the NBA's Northeastern bias may just be a case of knowing its market.

But one can't help but wonder if the NBA (and the media) are missing out by giving short shrift to the rest of the country.

Although it's subtle, an observant media consumer will notice that the NBA and the national sports media always refer to the Knicks, Celtics, Lakers, Nets, Sixers and Wizards by their team names, while all other franchises are identified only by the names of the cities in which they operate (including franchises that have won multiple championships, such as Detroit, Chicago and San Antonio).

As a nod to ESPN and the national media, Drive and Dish faithfully observes this practice with regard to our NBA coverage. And while it might seem trivial, I think it speaks volumes about the attitudes that prevail in the Seacaucus offices.

The NBA describes itself as a "sports entertainment league." Which isn't much different from the way Vince McMahon describes his WWE: the WWE calls its product "sports entertainment."

The NFL overtook baseball as the most popular sport in America after former commissioner Paul Tagliabue's vision of league wide "parity" was achieved. Tagliabue's logic was that the disparity between the triumphant dynasties and the vast swath of teams that had absolutely no shot at qualifying for the playoffs (let alone the Super Bowl) that had characterized the balance of power in the NFL from the 1970's to the mid 1990's was, ultimately, bad for the league. Tagliabue reasoned that if the balance of power was more evenly distributed throughout the league -- and as a result, more teams were able to contend for post-season berths -- the public's overall interest in the NFL would explode.

And he was right.

Interest in the NFL has grown exponentially in the era of parity. And the league is healthier than it has ever been.

But the NBA seems to operate under the premise that its appeal is primarily limited to the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions (plus Hollywood). And as such, the league segregates itself. The Knicks get tons of attention, no matter how bad their on court performance is. But San Antonio -- the reigning World Champions -- gets the proverbial redheaded step child treatment from the league and the national sports media.

Maybe the NBA knows their market inside and out and has been shrewd in focusing its marketing on the East Coast. But Drive and Dish has always wondered if the NBA would be better served by trying harder to promote its league across the country (and by dropping the snobby East Coast-centric attitude).

Long story short: the league and the national media have been salivating over a potential Celtics/Lakers NBA Finals all season long. And ESPN's NBA coverage has virtually been "all Celtics all the time."

But the Celtics don't (and never did) deserve all the hype.

Drive and Dish believes that the Celtics are over-hyped and overrated. They barely got past Atlanta and Cleveland in the playoffs. And Detroit should be able to knock them out in order to advance to the NBA Finals.

San Antonio Beats New Orleans, Forces Game Seven

Tonight, defending World Champion San Antonio beat Chris Paul and visiting New Orleans 99-80. In doing so, San Antonio evened the Western Conference semifinal series 3-3, and forced a deciding game seven (which will be played Monday night in New Orleans).

Once again, San Antonio was led by Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili:

"Manu Ginobili led the Spurs with 25 points. From the 4:32 mark of the first quarter until 10:48 left in the game, he hit six 3-pointers.

Tim Duncan had 20 points and 15 rebounds. He has 7 of 14 from the field and 6 of 8 on free throws. Tony Parker had 15 points."

(Hat Tip: San Antonio Express-News)