NBA

Only 409 more days.

That’s right, in fewer than 59 weeks, the 2010 NBA free agency period opens.

And it will open sans LeBron James. No Dwyane Wade, either. Chris Bosh will be inked to a team already. Not even Joe Johnson will be available. All of those guys get their big deals this summer.

But I am still totally psyched for next year’s free agent class for one reason:

The possibility of Kevin Durant coming to Milwaukee.

(Quick pause for me to put my crack pipe down.)

Anyone who is a fan of the 1994 Kevin Smith film Clerks has probably seen – in any number of its dozens of video releases – the film’s original ending.

Cut before the film was released theatrically, but included on subsequent Laserdisc, DVD and Blu-ray releases, the original ending features the shocking twist of store clerk Dante being shot and killed.

Now, at my favorite time in the sports calendar, I often reflect upon the amazing nature of sports. It is something that can be totally unifying, and at the same time, completely divisive.

Some people quite literally live and die on the success of their teams.

It is something that transcends all of the normal boundaries that are set for us in life. A young man can grow up on the streets, but die a hero to his country because he excelled at a sport.

We are less than two weeks away from opening day, so that means, it’s prediction time.

Who’s going to win each division?

Who will win the World Series?

Who will take the MVP and Cy Young awards?

How the hell should I know?

Does anybody get these predictions right?

With injuries, fluctuations in performance, Ron Washington making out lineups while snorting a few lines of his “manager’s little helper,” and other unforeseen circumstances, it’s anybody’s guess.

EDITOR

So today, as the Jets try to win their way into the playoffs and as I continue to try to think of new ways to evaluate the Mets and the blog, I started to think about the off season in baseball, and the lack of action that has taken place previously, and of course, the first person I blame is Omar Minaya.

The news in Cleveland has fans going crazy right now!

The Cleveland Cavaliers have just traded for Shaquille O'Neal!

Across the street from Quicken Loans Arena is Progressive Field, and the home of the Cleveland Indians, and there is a completely different story, but one that Indians fans are all too familiar with.

The Indians are in the midst of losing seven out of their last eight games for a record of 30 wins and 43 losses. They are also 11 games out of first place and own the worst record in the American League.

In 1984 when I was 13-years old, my shoe size finally caught up with my age. To say I was clumsy was an understatement. I could barely drive to the basket for a layup without tripping over my own feet. Even walking on the sidewalk was a challenge as I struggled to adapt to my body that had sprouted up over the summer.

In one championship weekend, Phil Jackson won his tenth title (as an NBA coach), Kobe his fourth, and Sidney Crosby his first.  

When tragedy strikes the world of sports, it always leaves an everlasting imprint in our lives.

No matter if we cheered the player, booed the player or hated the player, we always respected the player.

This slide show is so we never forget the guys we rooted for, the ones that could have been so great... but were stolen from us early in life. Never take for granted what you have, no matter how small or big it is, just be happy that we got to open our eyes today.

Here is a list of players that left our world tragically way before it was there time to go.