Second Thoughts: LeBron needs to get physical in quest for immortality – MyDaytonDailyNews

The Memorial Day forecast is looking good, so enjoy the holiday and pause to think about why you dont have to go to work on Monday. I also suggest a trip to the meat counter at Dots Market. That is the recipe to a great cookout.

Im already sick of the LeBron vs. MJ debate. The NBA Finals havent even tipped off and thats all we hear. Who is better, James or Jordan? Thats subjective, so lets play basketball. LeBron is making his seventh straight trip to the Finals, a jaw-dropping statistic. Can he will the Cavaliers past the latest super team to dominate the league?

The Warriors are off-the-charts talented, but the Cavaliers are battle tested. I think it comes down to the style of play. If its a jailbreak, up and down the court, its Golden State. If the refs are allowing some extra effort on boxouts, then Cleveland has the edge. Ill say Warriors in six which should quiet the LeBron vs. MJ debate.

The Indianapolis 500 will be held today, weather permitting. I watched some of the Carb Day practice Friday. Not very exciting. I did learn that Honda motors have been problematic, so I guess its safe to pick a Chevy-powered car.

There are 18 Honda engines in the field of 33 cars. There are 15 Chevrolet engines. There are no engines powered by squirrels and none of them have carburetors. My oldest daughter is going to the race (these things happen when you send your kid to Purdue) and I shared that bit of trivia with her so she can impress her friends.

The betting lines for Week 1 of the college football season are out. Ohio State is a 21-point favorite on the road against Indiana in its Aug. 31 opener. That is a Thursday night game, so plan accordingly. I think that line will balloon, so it might be time to break the piggy bank and place a wager on Urban and the boys. With Kevin Wilson calling the offensive plays against his old team, this one could get ugly.

I checked on the Maryland-Purdue Big Ten baseball tournament game Thursday night just in time to see Maryland coach John Szefc make a fool of himself in the eighth inning. The game was tied when a Maryland player was beaned. The home plate umpire said he didnt attempt to get out of the way (he did). Szefc charged from the dugout and unloaded a barrage of F-bombs and BS this and BS that. The Big Ten Network picked it up, loud and clear. Hopefully the children were in bed.

Trending up: NFL hot dogs, Tim Adleman, Jose Berrios. The NFL is relaxing its rules on touchdown celebrations, which should lead to assorted injuries as players gyrate their way to the training room. Im not much on TD merriment; I prefer the Barry Sanders reaction to reaching the end zone. But if I had to bring back just one touchdown dance, Id go with Billy White Shoes Johnson.

Trending down: Justin Gilbert, Andrew McCutchen, Nationals bullpen. Gilbert, one of the Browns many draft-day mistakes in recent years, has been suspended for four games by the NFL for violating the leagues substance-abuse policy. Whether any team signs the wayward free agent so he can serve his time is questionable. Cleveland took the cornerback with the No. 8 pick in 2014, then grabbed Johnny Manziel at No. 22. Ouch.

KNUCKLEHEAD OF THE WEEK

There are a lot of football players named Michael Bennett, including one from Centerville. This weeks knucklehead is not our Michael Bennett. The Michael Bennett who used to be a star running back at Wisconsin and played 10 years in the NFL is staring at a five-year prison term after pleading guilty to felony charges in California. He was busted in 2015 after stealing the identity of his girlfriends parents and taking out $225,000 in loans. He reportedly broke into their house to steal papers that helped him fake his identity. Bennett was drafted in the first round of the NFL draft in 2001 so this is a guy who made some good money. And then fumbled it away.

Follow this link:

Second Thoughts: LeBron needs to get physical in quest for immortality - MyDaytonDailyNews