Pardon The Pulse

Ok, so my Voodoo didn’t quite win like I had hoped they would last weekend but I will say that I still enjoyed the hell out of myself. Ten yard line, third row from the field…tickets I won from the job I’ve been working on for just one month now. Fantastic seats and I hope I get some more. And would you believe that about 4 footballs came in my section but just out of my reach in every direction. Bastards.

Greetings and salutations folks and welcome to everyone this week as we are three strong and going to discuss all the goings-ons in sports for you and YOU alone. It is an extremely big weekend in the sporting world as we have the opening weekend of Major League Baseball. The Final Four games for all the sexes are happening. And over in the wrestling business, it is WrestleMania weekend up in Detroit and all over the world.

I highly recommend heading over to Pulse Wrestling so you can check out all the coverage the have for not only the big WWE event, but also for the Ring Of Honor shows going on this weekend. They have covered everything from the upcoming matches, the history of everything, and even their own opinions on whatever could possibly happen. So sit back, strap on…IN IN…STRAP IN…and please…

Heh…lookit Paulie!

1.) Men’s Final Four

Paulie: I picked 3 out of 4. Not too bad. And if UNC had decided to actually PLAY for the last 8 minutes of the second half I would have been 4 for 4. I still don’t understand why you keep popping off quick threes when you’re up by 10 with under 10 to play when you’ve got the opponents two big men with 4 fouls. But anyway… it has left me not really caring about who wins the Final Four games. My only hope is that whoever wins the Florida/UCLA games trounces whoever wins between two of the three most evil institutions in the country. Yes, evil. They are. Don’t question me. As for a pick, I’m still saying UCLA.

Chuckles: How many did I pick…1, maybe…yes. Georgetown. Duke is out so there are no more evil schools. And since I only have one school left. I really don’t care about any of these games. Randomness says I root for the Big Ten team and hope OSU wins. But with NHL winding down, and NCAA hockey this weekend, I’ll probably miss most of the games. And not “miss” them, but not see them.

Spaulding: How bout this…I have 3 of the Final Four picks chosen correctly. The only one I didn’t pick right was UCLA, but my ass is STILL in like sixth place in our pick ‘em league. Bah anyway. I can’t pick Florida to win because I just don’t think they will and I also can’t stand the damn school. But I do think they will take out UCLA and make it into the championship game.

And who will they face? That’s going to be Georgetown who is my pick to win the whole thing. Ok, Ohio State has Oden but the Hoyas have an entire front line that can guard him and if they double-team him, there’s no chance for him. I’m trying to get more excited, I really am…but this long ass lay-off in between games is just killing me.

2.) Women’s Final Four

Spaulding: Rutgers, North Carolina, Tennessee (ugh), and my LSU Tigers. So everyone thought that losing Seimone and the Pokey Chatman controversy would render LSU totally hopeless. Well Sylvia Fowled, Erica White, and the rest of the Lady Tigers are proving everyone wrong as they are headed to their fourth straight Final Four and may appear in the title game if they can take out the surprising Rutgers. That will prove troublesome because those underdogs have really impressed me in this tourney so far. North Carolina and Tennessee will be a damn fine match-up and I am actually rooting for Tennessee as much as I hate them because I think LSU matches up better with them if the Lady Tigers are to advance past the Scarlet Knights. I call LSU and Tennessee pulling an upset to get into the championship game with LSU taking a second straight game from Pat Summitt’s ugly manish ass.

Paulie: So, we got Rutgers?!/LSU and UNC/Tennessee in the lady’s side of the world. Not knowing much about women’s ball, I’m gonna call it LSU/UNC in the finals. Cuz that just sounds right. And Rutgers should never be up for being the champion of anything. Cause they’re Rutgers. If they were the Rutger Hauers, then it would be cool. But they’re not. So UNC/LSU with UNC winning, because I’m a homer.

Chuckles: No offense Spaulds, but I think Rutgers takes ya guys out this round. Took out duke and they are rolling. UNC vs. Tennessee is going to be a good game. I say good game relatively, and it will overall be a pretty crappy game. The only thing that can save the Women’s Final for is Candace Parker’s hotness. She’s damn talented too. I love her highlights from the Ole Miss game. After just absolutely throwing a couple shots back in the completely untalented little girls she just gave them this hot little stare that said, “Don’t bring that weak shit around me.” She’s awesome. And the reason Tennessee wins the National Championship, before running to the WNBA and becoming lost in everyone’s recollection, despite the fact she could probably make it as a NBA bench player. But she’ll always have a place in my heart and maybe another place too.

3.) Minnesota Takes Tubby Smith From Wildcats

Chuckles: I’m elated. Terribly elated. Even if he isn’t the coach he used to be, and might not be the best coach ever. But he’s a big upgrade for us. Just because of the name. He was in a big pressure situation in Kentucky. He had to win every year to keep the fans happy. Here, he doesn’t have anything near that kind of pressure. He made the NCAA tournament this year and there was still talk of him being fired. Here, we’re just looking for some improvement the next few years. From my vantage point, he has 3 or 4 years to get us into the tournament before he should start feeling any pressure to do anything. We’re looking to be competitive in all our games next year, year after that we should be making a good run in the Big Ten Tourney, and in 3 years be competing for a conference title. And that’s an aggressive timeline. We’ve proven in the past we can be an elite team, and here’s hoping he can lead us back.

Spaulding: Wait, you mean one of the best coaches in men’s basketball over the past decade is leaving the SEC? Hell yes I’m happy about that. Anything that makes Kentucky a bad basketball team is a-ok with me, and I think losing Tubby Smith will do just that. The man is a fantastic coach and has led them to super stardom since he got there. When I heard before the NCAA Tournament that he was on the hot seat; I actually did a double-take at my TV because I couldn’t believe my ears. There is no way in hell that statement ever should have been made about Smith, and I think however it got originated (probably someone from Kentucky itself) put a thought in Tubby’s mind and he figured it was time to go. Good for him and good for Minnesota. The Gophers were horrid this year and Tubby’s presence will automatically improve them in his first season there.

Paulie: I can understand Tubby wanting to be anywhere by Kentucky with all the crap he’s been going through the last couple years. It’s not like he’s had BAD teams or anything. But, it’s Kentucky and they expect 25-30 wins every year. To me it would be like Duke fans calling for Coach K’s head because he had a couple of down years. But, why Minnesota? It’s cold up there. They’re in the evil evil Big 10. And, it’s Minnesota.

4.) MLB Opening Weekend

Paulie: Is that this weekend? Guess I better check my fantasy team, make sure everyone is still playing and not getting sent to the minors **COUGHPRIORCOUGHACK** I still say the baseball season is way too long. Call me back in September when they actually start playing hard.

Chuckles: I love baseball. Opening weekend is a great weekend. Cards/Mets opening night will be a fantastic game between two of the top teams in the NL. But Monday is the truly awesome day. I’m already thinking of ways to run a long piece of coax cable into the area I’ll be working Monday so I can have a TV running all the games. The best thing about Opening Weekend is that everyone is still in the race and thinks they can be the miracle team of the year and win the Division. Except the Devil Rays, or are they just the Rays now? They already know they’re not winning the division.

Spaulding: its opening weekend. WrestleMania and the Final Fours are going on. Baseball is not one of those sports where the phrase “every game counts” would ever come into play considering a season lasts from like April to April. Trust me, I’ll get into it more as the summer goes along and things start to get more interesting…but opening weekend has never been a thrill for me. And I do believe that Paulie called Prior a hack. Agreed.

5.) Kobe Vs. Michael

Spaulding: An article was published earlier this week on ESPN.com, and as much as I hate 90% of all sports writers…this one got on my nerves. The author brought about a comparison in which she said that Kobe Bryant was not only as good as Michael Jordan was, but he was a better player.

Are you f’n kidding me?

This all comes about because of Kobe’s recent performance of four straight games with 50 points or more, etc…etc… I hate the guy because he is a complete and total asshole, but I give all the credit in the world because he is a phenomenal player…but let’s be serious, he’s no Michael. She states…well screw it, read it here for yourself to see the audacity. Sure the players today are bigger, stronger, faster, and more agile. And she also makes the point that Kobe doesn’t have as many rings, or the MVP trophies, and all that hoopla…but she still thinks he’s better than Mike. Kobe is in the dead center of his prime right now and I can bet you any money in the world that if you put Jordan in his prime against Kobe…it wouldn’t even be close. Jordan would school that boy as if he was Big Country Bryant Reeves. Say what you want ma’am, but you are sadly mistaken when you think that Kobe comes close to Jordan. They all thought Vinsanity was the next Jordan, he wasn’t. They all thought that Kobe would be the next Airness…he isn’t. The closest we may ever come is Lebron James, and that’s simply closest, but not as good as.

Paulie: Kobe Vs. His Airness? This chica obviously never watched Michael play the game. Offensively, they’re almost comparable. But there are differences, oh so many differences. Jordan was a leader. He was able to make everyone around him a degree better. Scottie Pippen would not be one of the top 50 players of all time without Jordan. No one would know who John Paxson or Steve Kerr was without Jordan. He made everyone raise their game. He DEMANDED everyone raise his game around him. Jordan had the ability to turn it on and own just about any game. He COULD have averaged 50 points a game. But he knew that there was no way the TEAM could win if he did that.

But Jordan’s game also extended beyond one end of the floor. He was on the All-Defensive team multiple times. He was a feared ball thief as well as shot blocker. Kobe tends to save himself on the defensive end of the floor so he’s got the energy to go back on offense.

As far as the differences in the league? That’s why any argument like this is a moot point. Yes, the game changes. The players change. It’s the same arguments people used in the old Wilt vs. Jordan arguments. But if you put some of these young guys… T-Mac, D-Wade, Iverson, even Lebron and put them up against guys from the late 70’s and 80’s in their primes and they would have no idea what to do. Because those guys had technique, they had style, they knew how to play defense. Something that you know is sorely lacking in the league these days when you have to have some defensive “specialist” like Ron Artest floating around the league. Why do you think they let the play zone defense now? Because no one knows how to play 1-on-1 defense anymore. They didn’t just sit back and “ooh” and “ahh” at guys like Jordan and Magic. They actually TRIED to stop them. Something I honestly don’t see now days and part of the reason I stopped watching with any regularity.

Chuckles: Is she right? No. Kobe is not “better” than Michael. But I give her tons of credit for sticking her neck out and making a bold statement. And I kind of agree with her. As an overall offensive player he’s not as good, but as a pure scorer, he is at least Jordan’s equal. Kobe is a better 3pt shooter. MJ had the better mid-range shot, but that’s a lost fundamental these days. And they’re equals in getting to the rim and finishing at the rim. Defensively Jordan is definitely better, but I think Kobe is under rated defensively. Nobody gives him the credit he deserves. He’s been working hard on defense the last few years and he’s making progress. Part of the reason MJ is considered the greatest player is because he was able to dominate the rest of league which is where the comparison to the rest of the league is brought in. Kobe is unable to dominate the league like Jordan was able to, but I’m not sure MJ in his prime would be able dominate this league either.

Kobe is not as good as MJ. But it is a lot closer than most people care to realize.

Don’t kill me ES.

Hehe…Chuckles is scared of Eric S.

That is it everyone. There is plenty for everyone to check out on TV this weekend or maybe you’ll be there at one of the big events in person, but please be sure to check out something. And make sure to stay tuned to Inside Pulse for all your sports, wrestling, movies, DVDs, music, and anything else you can shake a stick at coverage. And I’m getting super duper excited because we are now less then one month away from the NFL draft and whether these dingles (that means Paulie, Triggs, AND the rabbit) I do this with think it can be done or not, we’re going to do it dammitt.

Much appreciated is your reading and your questions everyone, so until next week…or for the time being drop us a line by e-mail or go here in the forums, have a great weekend and be prepared to see just how blasphemous we can get next time as Easter approaches.

Oh yes…and if Paris Hilton goes to jail, which there is a good chance she could, I would change my tune and watch a reality show of every single second she is in there. I want her in a maximum security prison with a cellmate named Fisty. She shouldn’t worry though, because according to Family Guy, “Fisty” is a Biblical name.