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* It can’t be good for the NBA that everyone is more excited for tonight’s Draft lottery than for any of the remaining playoff games. The NBA sort of reminds me of The Simpsons these days: Unwatchable and a glimmer of their former selves. (In two weeks, we might be adding Entourage to this list. I can’t think of any TV show in recent memory that got so bad so quickly. It’s like all the writers bolted to other shows and the producers were forced to hire the guys who were canned when Yes, Dear went off the air.)
And why does it seem like the Celtics are the only team that has ever had the lottery go against them? Why doesn’t Minnesota complain about not getting Shaq in ‘92? Shouldn’t Golden State have beef with the system because they were denied Yao in ‘02? And surely the Bulls are still steaming that the ‘01 lottery was won by Washington, allowing the Bullets to take future Hall of Famer Kwame Brown. But, nooo, all we hear about is the freakin’ Celtics missing out on Tim Duncan. Shut up. I hope they get the fourth pick and end up taking Joakim Noah. Man, that’d be sweet.

* re: Clinton Portis’ defense of Michael Vick: Why are these comments drawing harsher criticism than the acts themselves? The lack of uproar over Vick’s dog-fighting ring has been baffling, considering his “star” status and the low-brow nature of his alleged crimes. This is a great story for the media, yet most major outlets (with ESPN leading the way) have largely swept it under the rug.
As for Portis; is anyone really surprised? The man has a stripper pole in his basement. Do we really expect, or need, him to have values that are in line with the common man?
Anyone who is “outraged” that somebody could be so callous about dog-fighting outrages me with their naivity. Look, dog fighting is disgusting and I hope whoever is guilty in the Vick affair gets a harsh sentense. But dog fighting clearly is a much bigger part of southern culture than anybody wants to admit, so much so that Clinton Portis claims he can get to one whenever he wants. Is that wrong? Of course. It’s also illegal. But nobody expects Clinton Portis to be our moral authority. That’s what we have Al Sharpton for.
Speaking of Sharpton, the slow-uproar over CP’s comments are quite reminiscent of the Don Imus “controversy” as the media is trying to drum up outrage about something that nobody seems to care about too much. It’s especially interesting that CP’s words are getting so much play when, again, Vick has been skating on this issue for weeks. Plus, Portis made his idiotic comments on Saturday, yet they didn’t get major media attention until Monday, despite the fact that many blogs were discussing the issue almost immediately. Why the delay?

Do you have someone in your life that is a die-hard Major League Baseball fan? If so, there are a wide range of unique gift items to make that special occasion even more special. Why not purchase a Monopoly: League Baseball Collectors Edition ? What fan hasn’t dreamed of owning a baseball team? With this Collector’s Edition, he can buy, sell and trade players from all the Major League teams.

Another option is a wristwatch that depicts his favorite team, or allows him to be part of the game by purchasing a Scoreboard Memories Customized Framed Photograph. The scoreboard in the photo is customized for the recipient of the gift and welcomes the fan to the game.

If your gift recipient is a New York Yankees fan, a vintage-style Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig Poster is a great gift for any occasion. He will be delighted to have a poster of these two players that have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and whose names have gone down in baseball history.

For those who enjoy playing a fun game of baseball on the screen, choose from a wide selection of video games that allows him to participate in a Major League game. Video games provide hundreds of hours of baseball fun.

Every Major League Baseball team is depicted on a wide variety of clothing in all sizes and styles. T-shirts, tracksuits, shorts and more can be purchased for favorite teams. Young baseball fans and even those who are young at heart enjoy receiving a bath towel with the logo of their favorite team.

For gift recipients who are serious collectors, autographed photos of favorite players are available, as are autographed baseballs. There are a huge amount of gifts sold by baseball teams and when a new stadium is erected, you can buy a brick and have the fan’s name become a part of the stadium.

Christmas tree ornaments come out almost every year for all of the Major League Baseball Teams. If you want to collect the entire series, remember to shop early. These decorations are usually sold out in mid-November.

From baseball caps, pennants and action figures, to authentic jerseys, bobbleheads and wristwatches , there’s a unique gift just waiting for your favorite baseball fan.Visit gift shops that specialize in unique and sports gifts or shop online for a special gift for that special baseball fan in your life.