There’s 38 seconds left in the basketball game, the home team is down by six points, and fans are leaving the arena!? Why on God’s earth would you ever think about leaving a game at this point in time? That’s the question I pose to Detroit fans who left after the Boston Celtics took a six point lead with under a minute to play. But it’s also a question I pose to fans in general.

The state the game aside, fans that leave early are pathetic any way you spin it. But to leave when your team still has a chance to win, no matter how unlikely it may seem, is a disgrace to the game. I don’t care how much time you may think you save by leaving 10 minutes early. The truth is you payed good money to see the game in person and you’re an idiot for not getting your money’s worth.

The end of games is also where some of the most amazing feats transpire. It’s where the unthinkable can become reality. It’s where incredible moments can be forever etched into the fabric of sports history. Why anyone would pass up an opportunity to potentially witness such an event is beyond me. I realize the chances are slim, but these things can and will happen at some point.

In 1974, the UNC basketball team was down by eight points to Duke with 17 seconds left to play. Despite the odds, Carolina managed to come back and tie the score on a last second shot. They went on to win in overtime. The game is still recognized as one of the greatest comebacks in sports history.

In 2001, Duke found itself down 10 points with just under a minute to play against a very good Maryland team. Depite not having any timeouts left, Duke went on a 10-0 run to tie the game and eventually won in overtime.

In light of these unlikely feats, to leave a game early is nothing short of stupid.

You payed to be there. You’re not going to get home that much quicker if you leave early. So sit down, support your team, and route for the unthinkable to become reality.

 –CB

Six other guards were taken before he was selected 21st overall in the 2006 NBA draft. There were question marks surrounding his NBA readiness when he opted to forgoe his two remaining years of eligibility at the University of Kentucky. Known as a proven defender, he hadn’t yet proven to be a viable offensive threat.

Now in his second season, Boston point guard Rajon Rondo has helped lead a rebuilt Celtics team in in their quest for an NBA championship.

However, there were struggles during season number one, and understandably so. Boston looked more like a glorified womens team last year, than one of the most storied franchises in professional sports. Despite playing on a lousy team, people still weren’t sold on Rondo being the point guard of the future in Boston. And while I’m not crowning him the next great point guard, he still deserves a lot of credit for his accomplishments and improvements on the court.

Eleven points, seven assists, five steals, and four rebounds was Rondo’s stat line in Tuesday’s game one win over Detroit. I don’t care who you are, that’s getting it done. And not to be overlooked is the fact that this took place in the Eastern Conference finals as opposed to mid-season. It’s one thing to have a dynamite performance in the regular season. Many young players have their moments in individual games scattered across a long NBA year. But for this young point guard to step up and deliver such a complete performance in a critical game one… that’s huge. 

Not apparent in that stat line are the two clutch jumpers Rondo hit down the stretch that helped put the Pistons away for good. That coming from a guy who supposedly couldn’t shoot? Not bad.

He was already an excellent defender and skilled ball-handler, but over the course of the year, he improved his shot and decision-making ability. His progress has proven to be vital for the Celtics in this year’s playoffs.

Rondo doesn’t yet belong in the upper echelon of NBA point guards, and perhaps never will. But if this young player continues to show a commitment to improvement, Boston may already have their point guard of the future.

– CB

You would think that with all the issues surrounding this country, that our leaders would have their hands full tackling matters like foreign policy, immigration, social security, or the ever-rising fuel prices. While the majority may set their eyes on exacting change in these areas where it’s needed, Senator Arlen Specter has decided focus his efforts elsewhere.

For some reason that I’ve yet to figure out, Specter sees the NFL’s Spygate situation as a more pressing issue.

Sure, what the Patriots did was wrong and was a slap in the face to the integrity of the game. And whether or not you think the punishment fit the offense, the fact remains that the NFL has adressed the issue and will make sure that similar situations don’t arise in the future. That’s part of the NFL’s job. When rules are broken within the League, they step in and hand out punishments. It’s not the job of any govermental branch to police a professional sport.

Except under the most extreme conditions, politics has no place in sports.

I understand that the NFL is a professional industry just like the music industry or the real estate industry, but at the end of the day, it’s still a game. So Specter should drop the notion of an independent investigation and find something a little more useful to do with his time.

What also gets under my skin is the reality that Specter’s work is publicly funded. The fact that the taxpayers’ money is paying his salary while he attempts to police a game is beyond absurd.

Mike Fish of ESPN.com wrote, “As the media gathered in a Capitol briefing room Wednesday afternoon, aides for Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., flipped on the TV in anticipation that Specter would deliver a statement to the Senate critical of the NFL’s investigation into Spygate. But he never made it to the floor. A lengthy exchange on food aid proved to be a more pressing issue.”

Imagine that. Food aid was considered more worthy of deliberation.

Senator Specter, get a clue. Politicians have no business engaging in matters of the NFL, or any other sport for that matter. There are more important issues for our leaders to tackle that are actually relevant to the well-being of this country.

 Spygate is the NFL’s problem, and it should remain that way.

 – CB