Spent the past couple days packing up to take my daughters on vacation. The destination: Yellowstone. Now, I'm not a camper, or an outdoors type. Civilization has come too far, in my estimation, to go back to share space with bugs. That being said, we visited the Grand Canyon last year — stayed in a cabin — and had a great time. This year, it's me and two 12-year-olds heading to Yellowstone.

Didn't know much about the park except that it existed, but once I started talking to folks, the trip became more intriguing. For one, it's the home of Yogi Bear, the bear who loves pic-a-nic baskets. Also, friends who went last year said it's unlike anything they've ever seen. One said so much steam is coming out of the ground in the morning from a thermal underground that it looks the entire park is on fire. Another said we'll think we're on a different planet. An older gentleman I met at Washington said he worked in many different countries — Africa, Asia, Europe, Central America — and lived all over this country. The one trip he said he remembered most? When his grandmother took him to Yellowstone when he was 16.

So we're off to share space with geysers, buffalo, eagles, wolves, elk (did you know they have furry butts) and other different wildlife. They say the buffalo act like they own the place; this picture indicates that might be a true fact. We'll find out. We'll take pictures, and if there's a way to post any we might put a couple online here. Alas, though, no "Bean" in Yellowstone. Barring a buffalo attack or unhappy encounter with a bear — it does happen — we'll be gone until early July

Check back for wildlife photos or other interesting/goofy stuff — but the in-depth sports stuff will be put on hold for a bit. Until then, take care and … there you have it.

Well the Lakers sure ended strong, eh? … The Celtics clearly deserved the NBA title. They accomplished what seemed pretty difficult – meshing three star players together in a year, with no time for adjusting. … Boston crowds chant some pretty insightful things, though it was pretty lame when they chanted “Overrated” at LeBron James. Didn’t Washington lay claim to that absurd chant?. … But in Game 6 of the Finals, the fans yelled “You’re not Jordan” to Kobe Bryant. It’s a jab, yes, but it’s clever enough to be funny. … Wrote T.J. Simers of the Lakers “ … maybe there are better days ahead if Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom ever track down the Wizard of Oz and acquire some courage and heart.”

Someone asked what Cedar Fair would do with the rides left at Geauga Lake? Well, for one they could have told the truth last year in July or August and allowed folks to visit the park one more time. They’re allowed to shut down the park if it’s not profitable; my argument is not coming clean. They also missed a golden chance for a “one last chance” marketing strategy. That’s the first thing. Second … I do believe they own a park in Sandusky, so could not some of the rides be moved out there? Beats auctioning a historic wonder – The Big Dipper – for $5,000. Sheesh. Enjoyed a couple of your comments here. As in: “The way the closing was announced only after the end of the season sure makes me less likely to visit Cedar Point, Cedar Fair's other north Ohio park. As in, will not.” And another simply said: “I hope Cedar Point fails.” There were others pro Cedar Fair, of course. I just liked those.

Finally, talked to Joe Congemi, a surgeon and sports medicine expert and trainer who works at Akron Children’s. We talked about travel, airports and security, but we also talked about Tiger Woods. I plan to write more about Woods in the coming days (perhaps Friday, if not then Sunday for sure). Evidently he took a big chance when he played with a damaged ACL and two stress fractures in his left knee and leg. Here’s some of what Congemi said …

On simply playing in the U.S. Open: “You couldn’t design a worse post-operative rehab than Tiger went through.”

More on the risk: “We talk about risk-benefit ratios all the time. The risk if I play vs. if I don’t. He’s a professional athlete. It’s the U.S. Open. He knows there’s a good chance to win. It’s a course he knows well. They got him ready to play, but he really took some risks with the future of his career. A significant amount of risks.”

On Woods and the U.S. Open: "He does incredible things when he goes out there. We know that. But the biggest concern is potential degenerative arthritis, which could lead to knee replacement, that kind of potential severe price. He’s made so many good decisions, and he’s surrounded by so many good people. Looking from the outside I’m surprised that somebody couldn’t have talked to him about the risk significance of his actions. We talk with our people and we have to see the future. There are 30-to-50 active years ahead. He has a family. You just couldn’t’ have designed a worse weekend for him.”

Last word: “What makes him the greatest of alltime is his incredible competitive drive. But you have to look down the road into the future. This risk could carry a severe price down the line.”

After reading this story about how Cedar Fair — owner of Cedar Point — is handling the callous and heartless dismantling of Geauga Lake, I'd like to make it official: The people who run that business make me want to barf on their shoes. I'd suggest sending them a letter or e-mail telling them your feelings, but it would probably just interrupt their finance meeting so they wouldn't read them. Imagine … an historic coaster like the Big Dipper treated like so much junk metal. More than 100 years of history auctioned off like pieces of junk. These people have unbridled arrogance. Their treatment of our history and memories is callous and without conscience. I hope they lose the recipe for their stinking french fries.

Here are some better memories:

The Lakers think that effort last night gives them claim to winning two more in Boston? Please. If that’s true, I can lay real claim to Adriana Lima, who spurned all of us dumpy dopey mid-range males for Marko Jaric (see the post). Mentioning her is really an excuse so I can post one more photo of her. Be honest, it’s better than starting with a photo of Sasha Vujacic isn’t it? As for Vujacic, can someone please just send him to work on swingsets or something? The Indians are now 5 ½ games out. Never has a 33-37 record looked so good.

Sunday was Father’s Day – if you haven’t bought the handkerchiefs or pruning shears yet it’s just too late. Wouldn’t you like to talk to the guy who invented handkerchiefs? Take them out, blow your nose into them and then stuff it back in your pocket, snots and all. Now there’s a great idea! At any rate, we digress. For Father’s Day, my daughters allowed me to take them to Cedar Point. Which makes sense if you think about it this way: Why not do the things that most make you a Dad on Father’s Day? When they were younger, we’d go to Family Day at the indoor pool nearby. Now it’s Cedar Point. When they get older we’ll go to the bank. Same principle, different thrills. Of course they drag me on all the rides, including Dragster and Millennium and Maverick. We avoid the turnpike cars and Cedar Downs. Too tame. It’s fabulous fun – and after some of the rides my brain is really not banging too badly against my skull so it is possible to walk to the next ride. Sometimes.

Growing up I used to think two things about Cedar Point. First was that the causeway was about 19 miles long. It’s just a tiny bit less.

I also thought was that Cedar Point was the gold standard for parks. Yes there was Euclid Beach and Geauga Lake (Yes, I’m THAT old), but they weren’t Cedar Point. Now I wonder, even though some of the brain-mashing rides are fabulous. First reason is the way Cedar Fair, the parent company of Cedar Point (Are all the kids of the executives in that company named Cedar?), shut down Geauga Lake. This action was nearly unconscionable. Not just because they did it so soon after buying it, but because of the way they did it. No announcement, no advance notice, no way for anyone to make a final visit with Adriana Lima. It also was interesting that when rumors were circulating that Geauga Lake may be closing that Cedar Fair released statements it would not comment on rumors. Then they did just what the rumors said they would – they closed it and almost immediately started dismantling the rides many of us grew up with. Which made me wonder: When did Cedar Fair become a working member of the NFL? Guess it’s good to know professional sports teams are not the only folks who play with the truth and lie.

Why is it that we teach our kids to tell the truth and be upright, then we turn a blind eye to adults not telling the truth and not being upright? Makes no sense. How can these people live with themselves knowing they misled people and did not come clean? I figure there’s no mirrors in their homes.

Now, Cedar Fair may quibble and say that Geauga Lake is not closed, that it’s still a fabulous water park where Adriana Lima can swim. Two counters: I own stock in Cedar Fair so I can say whatever I want. Second, a water park? That’s sure what Geauga Lake was all about for its existence. This would be like tearing down Blossom and putting up a motorcycle shop there and calling it Blossom. It was unconscionable for Cedar Fair to close the park the way they did in the first place, to toy with people’s hearts and memories the way they did. Please don’t try to sell us that it’s still Geauga Lake as a water park (a fine water park at that).

So Cedar Fair, we all put our thumb on the end of our nose and wiggle our fingers across the Causeway. And maybe even from Adriana Lima.

Then there is the way Cedar Point is run. Now, let me be fair and say the rides are fabulous. Maverick is a hoot (that’s a technical roller coaster term). Millenium is fabulous. And Dragster is the rush of all-time (roller coaster wise) – one must always yell “GO CAR GO” at the top of his or her lungs at the top to ensure the car does indeed make it over the top. Raptor is more than underrated. And for us folks who remember Harrison’s presidency, Blue Streak is always fun. There’s other great rides as well, like the Antique Cars. But there’s something missing that takes the park from top of the line, state of the art, gold standard, to the level of the very good.

Take the food, please. There’s enough sugar and breading at that park to clog arteries for generations. Is it too much to ask for something a tiny bit healthy? Then take the nickel and diming. Cedar Point forces everyone to leave items in a locker prior to riding some rides. Then they charge for the lockers — $1 for small, $2 for large. After you’ve already paid $42 or so to get in (that’s more than 10 gallons of gas!!!) Gimme a break here. At Disney World, lockers are provided free when needed. At Universal, they are free for 90 minutes or two hours or so. A dollar for a locker sounds like Cedar Fair runs airlines on the side. They also have this indoor roller coaster called Disaster Transport. Apparently there are 3-D effects on the ride or on the way into the ride, because someone was selling 3-D glasses one time we got on. Operative word there – selling. That’s right, they’ve built a ride with some 3-D effects, then they make you buy the stinking glasses to see the effects they’ve built. I wish I could tell you where the effects are, but I can’t. In a stand of principle and fiscal sanity, we declined to purchase the glasses. Adriana Lima would be proud. What’s next, $1.50 for ice in drinks?

Lines at Cedar Point can be long. Balzac wrote novels waiting for Millenium. What does Cedar Point do? It plays music. This helps. A little, but not a lot. The park also has winding lines that go in and out of the sun, with a silly canvas cover over your head. The cover helps, but that’s all there is. Disney entertains folks in line with videos, games, pre-ride stuff. The wait is just as long, but doesn’t seem that way because you’re not winding back and forth about 37 times – sometimes under blistering hot sun. Cedar Point does have fans that blow cool air and mist on folks, which is nice. But it would be nicer if someone might actually dust these fans once every 38 months. They do cool you for the five feet you are within range, but they get a little gross. Oh, there’s also the Maverick line, which goes in this semi-open structure meant to look like an old West type building. When it’s 90-some degrees that building gets rather tepid, shall we say. Air conditioning in that place might have been nice, but in light of global warming we’ll assume Cedar Fair was being climate-responsible. But would it have been too tough to hang a few ceiling fans to at least move some air? There are lights all over … and last I checked dopes like me can even hang a ceiling fan in a bedroom, so one would imagine geniuses who come up with the rides could hang a few fans.

These may be little things, and obviously Cedar Point is a strong enough park to pack them in without these things. But little things make the difference between five-star and four-star. The food issue could be solved easily – and it might actually make the park more attractive to people like Adriana Lima. The other stuff, well it seems like a matter of want-to. As in, if Cedar Fair wanted to be good to the longtime customers, it would not have been so rude and thoughtless about the way it shut down Geauga Lake. And if Cedar Fair wanted to make sure its customers had a more pleasant experience waiting in the lines, it could do something more. And if Cedar Fair wanted to have a clean environment, it would clean the fans and clean the gum off the posts that idiots feel is necessary to leave there. And if Cedar Fair wanted a pleasant environment, it could do something about making sure its employees were all friendly and didn’t act like they were bored out of their minds. In fact, if Cedar Fair wanted its customers to leave with a cholesterol count below 300, it could do something about the food.

Make no mistake, we’ll be back this summer. Several times. We’ll even take Adriana Lima if she’ll go. None of this stopped us from buying our passes, and my daughters make good use of those passes. So we’ll be back. It’s just that the image of the “gold standard” park has taken a hit, and it could be because as one advances in years one gains wisdom but also gets more picky.

See ya in line at the Dragster. But before you go I suggest going to Walgreen’s and getting a water bottle that also has a mister on it. Helps keep ya cool on those 92-degree days as you wind up and down and up and down and up and down and up and down with absolutely nothing else to do.

It’s time to give the Celtics their due. Big limb there, eh? Next week: The Arctic is cold! To be honest, I did not think the Celtics were that good. I thought whoever won the West would win the title. Clearly that is not going to happen. The Game 4 comeback by Boston was probably worth two wins. No team can recover emotionally from giving (choking?) away a 24-point lead in the NBA Finals.

The Lakers have proven that a team that does not play defense cannot win, and the Celtics have proven that a team that does play defense does win. Don’t you love these guys who play defense by dancing around, waving their arms, letting their hair fly, acting like just because they’re moving like jitterbugs they’re effective. I refer, of course, to Sasha Vujacic, who did all that to Ray Allen late in the game. Allen’s response was to roll his eyes, back out to the top of the circle, tell his teammates not to even bother setting a pick and then beat Vujacic clean to the basket.

Vujacic is the same guy who made a meaningless three in the series-clinching win over the Spurs. Game was over, all he had to do was dribble out the clock and he put up and made a three that did not nothing but pad his stats. Enough said.

In this Finals game, Allen was by Vujacic before he got to the foul line. It was one of the greatest displays of absurd defense seen in decades. Then, to top it off, Allen drove down the middle of the lane and no Laker even went to stop him. Isn’t Pau Gasol 7-feet tall? Could he not have tried something? Yes, the Lakers were told to stay with their man, but at that point things were a bit desperate. The only thing on the line was, well, the NBA title. So try something.

Nope, instead Gasol and Vujacic combined to give Allen a wide-open left-handed layup that sealed the win. While some Celtics have really shown their mettle – Paul Pierce may be carving a Hall of Fame spot for himself – some Lakers have shown their flaws. Specifically Gasol, who has carried the “soft” label for some time and is earning it in this series. Gasol is a nice player who made the Lakers as good as they are, but in a series like this with the physical players the Celtics have, he’s outmatched. Ben Wallace would shut him down.

The Finals are an amazing experience. In Los Angeles, much is written about the fact Kobe Bryant really has not become a better teammate. And that the role players so vaunted as the playoffs went on now are not good enough. Heck, even zen-master Phil Jackson is being questioned. That’s what happens when a team struggles in a series, especially the last series.

As for Pierce, I remain skeptical about the antics that went on with his Game 1 knee injury, though it seems clear now that Pierce thought he was hurt, which is what led to the wheelchair and forklift and chair ride up and down the steps. But since, Pierce has played fabulously. He’s directed his team, led his team and in Game 4 he defended Kobe Bryant. I hereby remove any doubt about the guy and simply say that he has been great during this playoff run.

Finally, let’s state this one more time: There’s only one team that took the Celtics to the limit in the playoffs. That’s the Cavs, who took them to the final minute of Game 7. And that says something about how close this team was to winning. They didn’t do it, but they sure deserve more credit than they’re getting.

Lakers fans got pretty mad at Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling for this look at Kobe Bryant from the expensive seats.

Have to love T.J. Simers, a writer with the Los Angeles Times who cuts nobody any quarter. Well, like a lot … not love. California is one of those states that legalizes same-you-know-what-marriage. So … have to really, really, really like the writing of T.J. Simers. Don’t have to love him. At any rate, Jim McMahon once blew his nose on Simers’ shoulder, which is a claim to some kind of fame. He had some funny stuff to say here about David Stern’s response to Tim Donaghy. And a funny e-mail about Gasol. And some not so funny stuff about Phil Jackson. He also had took on Schilling’s blogging here.

Is there anything more boring on television than golf? “Looks like he’s got a three-iron Jim.” “I thought he’d use the four.” Imagine that, the three instead of the four. I love when they describe rounds as good “ball striking rounds.” All this time I thought they were hitting pandas? And God knows that the first cut sure can be difficult.

Dadgum it, Adriana Lima chose Marko Jaric. What’s Jaric got that a dumpy Irish sportswriter doesn’t have, other than a million or two dollars, I ask indignantly.

Replay coming to baseball? BIG mistake. Seen the NFL’s oh-so-efficient system lately?

Think folks in New York aren’t convinced that eventually C.C. Sabathia will pitch there? Guess again.

The endless debate in this frail mind right now is about Sirius Radio. Received it for a gift and just can’t decide if using something three times a week in the car is worth the $13 per month. I welcome your thoughts, he wrote in a clever attempt to see if there are more than seven people actually reading this driv … err … blog. And, NO jokes about being cheap.

I keep going back to the Cavs as I watch the Celtics, and I ask a simple question: Will someone please recognize that Mike Brown is not crazy when he says a team can win a title focusing on defense?

Attended the Indians game last night, as anyone who saw today’s Beacon Journal and read about Indians and aardvarks and limbo now know. As I sat in the press box and looked at the field on a beautiful sunny day and saw a stadium barely half full and a team that just lacked some essential elements, I thought about the difference in atmosphere from the end of last season to this one. And it’s not just the won-lost record.

A year ago, there was excitement, energy and a belief that the Indians could win. This season there are slumped shoulders and a lack of excitement that is tangible. It’s bizarre. These are the same players and the same team as a year ago – minus some injured guys. But it is what it is.

GM Mark Shapiro addressed the state of the team prior to the game, and even he sounded baffled. Not by injuries. Those are part of the game, and a constant lament, it seems, of the local teams. But of the dropoff in performance by some of his players. More on what he said later.

The lack of energy and aura or whatever you want to call it is just there. And you’d hate to think it’s caused by the team not believing it can win. That would not be a good thing.

There does come a point, though, when attrition makes a team nonviable. Especially a team in a small market like this one. A team like the Yankees or Red Sox or one of those money mongers loses a guy … they can buy another part. Which they usually do. A team like Cleveland loses a guy, they have to suck it up and hope someone is in the minors. At this point, the team’s minor leagues have been pretty much depleted, so there’s little left to do but hope for a trade – and the worst thing to do is make a trade out of desperation.

When Victor Martinez left Wednesday’s game with an elbow injury in the first inning, the Indians lineup no longer looked viable. It’s good enough to win now and then, but not compete for a division title. Travis Hafner has been long gone. Martinez needs an MRI today. Nobody is hitting. The bullpen is sucking wind. And two starting pitchers are out.

It’s a fair question to ask: Does this team have enough left to win this season?

Here are some highlights from Shapiro in his interview prior to the game:

On the problems: “Probably the magnitude and depth of those things has been beyond anything we could have foreseen.”

Hopes: “We’ll fight hard and believe in what can happen this year and simultaneously prepare for next year and years beyond.”

Nature of problems: “Not just injuries and injuries to important guys, it’s been injuries combined with some disappointing performances combined with no real positive surprises.”

On Hafner: “Our hope is that the injury is something that’s contributing.”

On when he knows it’s time to think about 2009: “I can’t tell you what moment that is, I can’t tell you what number that is or what day that is. What I can tell you is when that happens we need to already know if the right value is out there to compel us to add players or to sell players.”

On possible trades: “Because of what’s happened to us, we’ve been consistently active probably since the second week of April.”

On looking back: “I don’t see anything in the offseason that could have counteracted (what’s happened).”

On the bullpen: “We can’t win with these guys performing as they have up to this point.”

On his frame of mind: “I still enter every night believing that we’re entering that point where this team is going to on a sustained run and reel off a bunch of victories and get right back in this thing. I go through other points in the day when I question how that’s going to happen when I look at some of the things that have happened to us.”

As for those who want to tar and feather Shapiro, count me out. A year ago Shapiro built a team that went to the playoffs, and almost the World Series. His philosophy worked when everyone was doing what they were supposed to do. Did some players overperform? Probably, but that’s what happens in a good year. Just like in a bad year some people underperform. Shapiro was smart last year, which means he’s not stupid this year. Things have not gone well. But in this market, this team, there’s probably not a better guy to rebuild things next year than Shapiro.

As for Tim Donaghy and NBA games and the soap opera that was LeCharles Bentley, I’ve got some thoughts on that coming in Sunday’s Beacon Journal.

Today's blog is presented by Larry King, the multi-married talk-show host …

The Indians won two in a row! … Must let the lovely Dyan Cannon know of that. … She’s a huge Tribe fan. … Jack looked great last night, didn’t he? … But who was the guy with the hat and sunglasses? … With two in a row, it could be time for the Indians to get themselves untracked. … Lot of injuries though. … Two pitchers, three and four hitters hurt or hurting. …. Yikes. … My good friend Mark Shapiro will address the media today. … Mark remains a baseball bright light. … Still, nobody in Dubuque will send him any sympathy cards. … Love those valet parking commercials on the NBA Finals. … “Let me get warm here. You are HOT.” … Not quite as good as the E*Trade baby who answers the Blackberry and says, “Hey girl. Can I hit you back?” … Every time Tim Donaghy opens his mouth, NBA folks must cringe. … Donaghy has some fiery claims in his latest court filing. Specifically that a 2002 playoff series between the Lakers and Sacramento was … umm …affected by calls. … Fans have cried conspiracy in the NBA for years. … Don’t think my dear friend David Stern would allow that though. … That being said, the news is enough to make a person scratch his forehead. … And think about those phantom calls that affected a game. … That’s the problem with a crook like Donaghy – his actions smear others just by association. … Not sure about you, but I’ll take Caribou over Starbucks any day of the week. … Clutch game by Paul Pierce eh? … AC in the car was out recently when it was in the 90s and will be fixed today when it’s 72 and lovely. … Great timing there eh? … Felt for all the folks who were within noseshot when the car door opened over the weekend. … Said the parking lot guy: “You were like a zombie!” … Kind of cracks me up. … Memo to ask Jack: What exactly makes you a fan? … LeCharles, love ya and the comeback. … But it still seems like a long road ahead. … Wouldn’t it be great to have The Thing from the Addams Family reside in the house? … If the Indians are to get going, now is the time to do it. … They play Minnesota (31-34), San Diego (28-38) and Colorado (29-39), the Dodgers (31-33), San Francisco (29-36) and Cincinnati (31-35) the next few series. … That’s six teams, all below .500. … They don’t come out of it by the end of this stretch, which coincidentally is June 30, it’s time to start making some serious decisions. … Time to go look for wife number seven to complete marriage number eight. … Oh gosh, forgot I’m not even divorced yet. … Angie, you look beautiful on that Vanity Fair cover. … Call me. … Who in the world gets married seven times to six different women? … See ya around.

Michael Strahan retired Monday. Strahan was a very, very good defensive end, but were he not to play in New York we'd have heard less about him. He had a great year when he set the sack record, but was given the last sack when Brett Favre fell down at his feet. It was cheap. The past year Strahan's divorce was very ugly and very public. Look, Strahan was a very good defensive end. Had Favre not fallen down, he'd have still had an excellent season without the sack record. Love to have had him on the Browns. But his value and worth were inflated by the fact he played in New York.

Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 600th home run Monday. In an age of Bonds and McGwire and Palmeiro and Sosa and Clemens all helping themselves and their performance with steroids and HGH and the like, Griffey seemed to be the one guy who did not juice. He fought injuries, yes, but he never appeared to cheat. He merely swung the bat, honored his contract (nine years is a long one) and played the best he could — as this story and this story relate.

Griffey had this to say about what is important to him prior to the season in a story on cbssportsline.com: "Not embarrassing your family, not embarrassing your teammates, not embarrassing the organization, I think that's very important. Other than being at my house, I'm Ken Griffey Jr. the baseball player. That's all people really know me as, other than my friends and family. Not giving any more fuel to the fire, that's what I try to do. Having my family never being in the papers. Not having my teammates or the organization answer questions. Because it gets tiring. I feel bad for the guys going through it (the steroid scandal), but more so for their teammates, because they're the ones having to answer all of the extra questions."

It wasn't real pretty when Griffey wrangled his way out of Seattle to get more money in Cincinnati, but since he's been there he's been the one star who's never been questioned. In this day and age, an accusation is just around the corner. But with Griffey those accusaions have never surfaced. At least we can look at this one guy and feel his 600 home runs — a Hall of Fame number — are legit.

Paul Pierce’s saga continues today. The guy who was so injured he couldn’t walk the other night in Game 1 in Boston might or might not play tonight. Pierce needed to be carried off the court and wheelchaired to the dressing room after he hurt his knee in Game 1. Bill Plaschke, a friend and columnist for the LA Times, said Pierce was weeping on the court at the severity of his knee injury. One minute and 45 seconds later Pierce was back on the court, sinking threes and leading the Celtics to the win.

All this led some to question the authenticity of the injury. Plaschke called it chicanery, which led to Boston fans writing Plaschke and telling they hoped he’d get cancer. Nice. Lakers coach Phil Jackson smirked about Pierce’s miracle comeback, then said this on Saturday: "I don't know if the angels visited him at halftime or in that timeout period he had or not," Jackson said. "But he didn't even limp when he came back out on the floor. I don't know what was going on there. Was Oral Roberts back there in their locker room?"

Call that a direct shot to Pierce, the Celtics and their credibility. And Jackson is the son of a minister.

Now, I’m not going to question Pierce’s injury. When the Finals are said and done, we may learn he played the rest of the series with an MCL tear or something. But the entire drama in Game 1 was a bit much. The guy was crying, he could not stand, could not put weight on his knee, then he trots back on the court? For crying out loud, he was in a wheelchair, and two minutes later he trotte back on the court. Celtics fans went nuts. There are the same fans, of course, who howled every time LeBron James reacted after getting hit in the face in their series. James was a baby, or so I was told. Pierce, because he plays for Boston, is a hero. Please. Even Pierce admitted being carried off was almost embarrassing.

To compare it to Willis Reed’s situation in 1970 is downright insulting to Reed, who played the first four games of the Finals against Wilt Chamberlain and scored 37, 29, 38 and 23 points. And averaged 15 rebounds. He tore a muscle in his hip the next game and missed Game 6. Prior to Game 7, he had to take three shots just to play – Jackson, a teammate, called them “horse shots.” And when he dragged his leg as he ran on the floor, he was coming back from an injury, a torn muscle. He was not trotting back on from something he thought was an injury.

In terms of drama and being dramatic, Reed’s actions were Shakespearean and Pierce’s were High School Musical. I wrote that here as well, and I stand by it.

All this also points out the sense of entitlement that Celtics fans have carried themselves with since the playoffs started. That by virtue of wearing Celtic green their team deserves the championship. They act so entitled they would make the Clintons blush. Let’s be honest, they were so bad last year Pierce thought he’d be traded. Then Danny Ainge made a nice move getting Ray Allen on draft day. Then Kevin McHale helped his old team and old friend out by shipping Kevin Garnett to Boston. The Celtics are good. Very good. They play defense with a vengeance. If they win the title they are deserving. But this team is hardly home-grown.

Come to think of it, getting Garnett is actually comparable to the Lakers getting Pau Gasol for a ballrack and dirty jerseys in midseason. Perhaps these guys deserve each other in these Finals. (Yes, it’s best to go now — before Cleveland sports bitterness totally engulfs this ridiculous blog.)

Jim McKay’s passing today touches us all. McKay was the ultimate professional, a quiet, understated man who was the voice of ABC Sports, especially Wide World of Sports. The tributes to him will be pouring in, and all will be deserved. ESPN and ABC Sports president George Bodenheimer released a statement that read in part: “There are no superlatives that can adequately honor Jim McKay. … Jim was the ultimate colleague, having helped generations of people who have now taken his mantle. He was also a warm and devoted family man.” McKay did not scream, yell or gesture like modern day talking heads. He simply reported the facts, clearly and precisely and often in prose we all wish we could use. “Jim was in his own right a poet,” longtime sports producer Don Ohlmeyer said on ESPN. “He always could see the humanity in sports.” Ohlmeyer pointed out that McKay hated the traveling associated with his job – it meant he had to be away from his family. Quiet, dignified, detailed, direct – and a good father.

All of us who were around for the terrible day at the 1972 Munich Olympics will never forget McKay’s work that day. It was one of those touchstone moments that are impossible to forget. Terrorists had attacked the Olympic Village and invaded the Israeli section, taking Israeli athletes hostage. McKay was there the entire day, announcing what was happening. When the German police tried to rescue the hostages at the airport, the terrorists turned on the Israelis, killing them all – actually slaughtering them as they were bound and tied in helicopters. McKay looked in the camera and told us “They’re all gone.” He nearly cried, usually a no-no on the air but impossible to avoid on that day. Those watching did cry. McKay’s broadcast did not involve histrionics, he did not yell or scream, he merely told us the horrible news, starting by saying our worst fears are seldom realized but that night they were.

Perhaps present-day broadcasters (including the screaming sportswriters who go on TV) should watch that broadcast, take a lesson from it. McKay was emotional yet understated. He was in the middle of a tragedy, yet he was calm. He did not bring on 10 experts to tell us what we should feel or how we should think about what had happened. He did not examine the incident politically. There was no back and forth banter, one side trying to outdo the other.

There was just one man, one kind man, one family man, telling us of tragedy and cruelty that was beyond words.

Here is Ohlmeyer’s interview on ESPN.

Here is a tribute to McKay following his death.

And McKay's achievements in television.

In this interview McKay talks about Munich.

Finally, McKay talks about the “the agony of defeat” opening to Wide World of Sports.