that must mean the jury has reached a verdict in the Michael Jackson case.

Yup...they're suppose to announce the decision at 4:30...in about 20 minutes.

I'll be right here to comment.  I think it'll be a partial conviction with no jailtime.  I'm liveblogging the verdict.

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UPDATE:  Yall can't tell me Mike ain't black....he's supposed to be there by 4:30, he's just rolling in at 4:50.  How are you going to be late for your own verdict?

UPDATE 4:59:  Mike finally gets into the courthouse.  Tito is the only one in the family that looks like he did 30 years ago.  That's a crying shame.

The verdict:  NOT GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS. 

Then again, I figured that.  I knew he wasn't going to be found guilty of the molestation charges, which really amounted to nothing but Jackson's word against the teenager.  But I thought they might get him on the intoxication charges.

I felt the prosecution knew they didn't have a case, yet went for it anyway.  Sneddon will have a problem trying to convince the county to allow him to keep his job after this embarrassment.  But I also said that about Paul Howard after the Ray Lewis trial.  Let's hope California is more competent than Atlanta.

UPDATE:  Can anyone explain why Drudge has a picture of Sneedon and the caption under it says "Arrest This Man!"?  Drudge is a little over the top with that one.

First, let me apologize for not being able to liveblog Game 2 on last night.  I attended my nephew's birthday party with someone else, and we weren't able to get back home in time for the liveblog to do any justice (and it was an hour and a half drive).  But no problem; we'll have things rolling again on Tuesday.

But at this rate, this series won't make it to Sunday.  The Spurs are firing on all cyclinders, drilling a Pistons team that can't put points on the board nor get any kind of consistency from their starters.  They scored 69 in Game 1, and then turned in 76 in Game 2.  That's pathetic.

But while others are saying that Detroit is underperforming, I simply say they can't get anything done against this Spurs team.  I always looked at this series as to what the Spurs did, rather than the Pistons.  ESPN's crew thought the Pistons front court could neutralize  Tim Duncan.  They were wrong.  They thought Tayshaun Prince could shut down Manu Ginobili.  They were wrong.  They thought Billups could once again lead the Pistons to victory.  They are wrong.

And why the Pistons are behind is really simple too; while the Spurs and the Pistons are defensive equals, who can humble the best scoring teams in the league, the Pistons are NOT equal to the Spurs in offensive production.  That was a key point that a lot of analysts that were picking the Spurs are missing out.  After the Spurs easily handled the Suns by playing a run and gun style, you'd think someone would have factored that in.

With the trio of Ginobili, Parker, and Duncan, the Spurs simply have too many weapons for the Pistons to keep up with.  They can't double team anyone because the Spurs are one of the best ballhanding teams in the league, and will always find the open man.  Can't play zone either, because Parker and Ginobili will run circles around them and Duncan isn't afraid to shoot a mid-to-long range jumper to stay away from the Wallaces.

In other words, the Spurs are so versatile that it's virtually impossible to blow them out.  You have to play hard for four quarters and squeak in a win because they match their offensive prowess with tenacity on defense.  The Pistons can't do the same, which allows the Spurs to pull away from them at any moment of the game.

I had a very long weekend, both working and attending my nephew's birthday party.  Too tired to place an entry in last night.

I'll have things up and running this evening, including thoughts about the Spurs win in Game 2, Tyson, Jesse Helms, and other things.

Just finished watching the pregame.  ABC's boys seems to think it's the Pistons series to lose, because all they have done is talked about the things the Pistons can do to win this game.  I think that's quite disrespectful.

Al Michaels is hyping this series.  It isn't boring, blah blah blah...I don't think we should attempt to persuade people that don't have a clue about basketball, but I understand it from a ratings perspective.

Wait a minute...I thought Detroit swept the Lakers in the Finals last season?  I have a bad memory.


9:27 - The Spurs are coming out cold.  Ginobili can't allow Prince to get the ball that deep in the paint; he'll post him up every time.  Duncan has missed his first couple of baskets, which is a sign that they aren't totally prepared right now.  Duncan's also been charged with an early foul.  7-4 Detroit.

9:40 - The Pistons ran up a big lead by 13, while the Spurs had been generally cold.  However, the Spurs are getting their groove back with some great fast break opportunities by Parker and Duncan.  If they can do that most of the night, they can cause some problems for Detroit.  19-11 Detroit.

9:53 - Detroit is losing momentum.  They were able to get the Spurs into early foul trouble, but the Spurs are drawing fouls on the other end.  Ginobili finally gets on the board.  A great half court trap forces Hunter to cough up the ball, followed by a dunk by the Spurs's Robinson.  The Pistons aren't getting any kind of calls their way right now.  20-17 Detroit. 

10:00 - 2nd quarter.  Detroit recovers, as Billups takes the initiative on the offensive end with a great three.  Prior to that, he got a steal off of a lob from Ginobili to Duncan.  Speaking of Ginobili, Rip and him are going at it on both sides of the court.  Right now Ginobili seems to be getting the better of that exchange.  Detroit still leads by three.

10:09 - Billups has scored all of Detroit's points in the 2nd quarter, which is seven.  Duncan is starting to heat up, as he has eight.  When Duncan goes out of the game you can see how the Spurs lose that key inside presence.   Horry and Muhammad can't make up for it no matter how hard they try.  In fact, Billups took Horry to the hole on one of the most beautiful behind-the-back pass fakes you'll ever see.  Ha.  31-26 Pistons halfway into the second.

10:25 - Duncan has stats that sneaks up on you.  It isn't even halftime yet and this kat already has a double double:  12pts, 11 boards.  Billups is having a great game as well, as he has 13.  However, he needs help, and he's not getting it.  Game's tied at 35 with a minute and a half to go.

10:32 - Halftime.  Billups looks like he got caught in a tsunami, as he's got enough sweat for the whole team.  Actually that's appropriate, because nobody else is stepping up on offense.  Considering they led by as much as 13 in this game, they should be leading by more than 2.  The only one close to making something happen is Rip, and he only went 4-11 for 8 points.  Also the Wallaces remained relatively quiet.

Tony Parker took up the slack when Duncan sat on the bench, and is in double digits, but Ginobili will have to do better than a measly 1-6 for the Spurs to win Game 1.  Robinson helped out a little from off the bench and Horry hit a key three-pointer earlier in the second quarter, but they need to get more out of their starters.

10:53 - Detroit comes out with a couple of baskets by Rip and Billups, but then they've missed a handful of baskets that could have solidified their lead.  Ginobili hits a three, something that he definitely needs in order to get into the rhythm.  Duncan's still going to work on the offensive board, and gives the Spurs their first lead.  42-41 Spurs.

11:03 - Duncan continues to go to work on the low post.  Sheed has gotten a few blocks tonight, but that hasn't deterred Groundhog Day from doing what he always do.  A lot of defensive work by both teams, with blocks and steals being more of the norm than it would with most basketball teams.  But Detroit's problem is that they need someone to step up and help Rip and Billups on the offensive end, because both of them are cold at the moment.  Surprisingly, Muhammad has put up some good baskets to start off the second half.  Spurs up by three.

11:15 - Sheed picks up his fourth foul.  Not good.  I would say Sheed in foul trouble takes out an offensive threat, but he hasn't been much of one.  In fact, Sheed nor Prince has done much, which has left the burden on the backcourt.  Billups has done a good job not only keeping Detroit in this game, but Parker hasn't gotten anything going in the second half.  The Spurs are going to work defensively, and are forcing turnovers.  Prince gets fouled, and two ft's cuts the lead to two.

11:25 - End of the 3rd.  Duncan is having a great night, and it looks like it isn't going to stop anytime soon.  Someone on that Pistons squad needs to step up, or else they're going to lose this game, especially with Ginobili getting hot. 

11:30 - The 4th doesn't start off well for Detroit.  Ben Wallace, not Sheed, becomes irate for a blocking foul that he thought should have been a charge.  I kind of agree with him.  There's been a number of calls that have unfairly went against Detroit tonight, and I wouldn't be surprised to hear Sheed or Ben's mouth about it after the game, especially if they lose.  Ben gets the tech.  Later, Ginobili gets a no-call when he attacks the basket on a clear charge.  Oh well.  You know, Ginobili acts as if he's 10 feet tall.  He has no fear.  Spurs up 60-53 with their biggest lead of the game.  Nine minutes left.

11:36 - As I stated in my preview of the game, Tayshaun Prince can't handle anyone that constantly attacks the basket like a Dwayne Wade or a Manu Ginobili.  He doesn't have enough speed to do it, and now that Ginobili is hot, it's starting to look like a Harlem Globetrotters exhibition.  Unbelievable.  Larry Brown is going to have to figure out what to do with Ginobili if they plan to win this series.  He's got 15 points in the second half.  Spurs up by 12 with six minutes left.

11:45 - Tim Duncan goes to work.  I don't understand how anyone could ever say this guy is boring, or he's not the best player in the league.  He is making a mockery of both Wallaces in this game, and that's after getting shots blocked several times.  That's simply having comfidence in what you do best.

The Spurs extend the lead to 17, but a handful of baskets cuts their lead to 11 with 4:11 left.

11:53 - Detroit switches to a smaller crew to try to keep the ball away from Ginobili and Parker.  They did a good job, as they forced Bruce Bowen to take the shots and he missed every one of them. 

That leads to a 10-0 run for Detroit to cut it to seven, but then Ginobili realizes there's no inside presence on the court.  Not only does he take the ball straight to the hole, but he dunks over a Pistons player.  Next time down the court, he drills the three.  That looks like the nail in the coffin.  Spurs up by 12 with 2:00 left.

 - Folks, that is how you win a basketball game.  You keep it close and within reach for the first three quarters, work through the bad stretches of the game, and then you walk away with it in the fourth. 

As I stated earlier, Billups can not be the only scorer for that team.  The Pistons struggle too much on the offensive end, and the Spurs can run up the clock on you at any minute.  That's precisely what happened when Manu Ginobili got hot and others got involved in the game, including Nazr Mohammad and Glen Robinson.  Larry Brown better worry about guys getting involved in this series, or they'll be swept before they know it.

First, I'd like to remind everyone that I will liveblog the game tonight, as I plan to do with all of the Finals games.  Coverage starts at 9EST on ABC.

I honestly think these are the two best franchises in recent years.  The defending world champions will face off against the previous champions from two seasons ago.  Both casual and diehard sports fans do a lot of griping about the NBA, and a lot of it is warranted, but this year's Finals have two teams that provide excellent examples of what a championship team should be.

This won't be a fast-paced series, but it will provide a few players to shine on both ends of the court.  The matchups that we'll see are very competitive:

- Tim Duncan vs. Rasheed Wallace.  The primary matchup, as Groundhog Day (every game he plays the same way) faces off against Mr. Volatile.  Duncan's offensive skills will be tested here, as he has to deal with both Wallaces and then play defense against one of the best jump shooting power forwards in the league. 

Sheed will have to put points on the board consistently throughout this series.  More than likely, Duncan's gonna get his, come hell or high water.  For each night Sheed takes off, that's a game the Spurs win.  Advantage:  Spurs.

- Tayshaun Prince vs. Manu Ginobili.  Very intriguing matchup, as Prince's stock has grown ever since last year's playoffs.  He's scrappy, and unlike Sheed he'll give you 100% effort every time he steps on the court.  His lanky arms give NBA jumpshooters fits, and he can hustle with the best of em.

Janice Rogers Brown was confirmed by the Senate today by a 56-43 vote.  Every Republican along with Ben Nelson voted yes.  She is the second African-American woman to sit on the D.C. Circuit Bench, and America is lucky to have her there.

I hope she is unwavering in her relentless fight for individual rights and the advocacy for the true interpretation of the Constitution.

Terry Neal over at the Washington Post wrote a column lamenting the recent criticism levelled on the media by bloggers and talk radio against the mainstream media.  According to Neal, the criticisms serve as a diversion from the issues surrounding the story.  Neal's column is only one of many by the MSM and their supporters that attempts to point blame at their critics rather than their faulty work.  The CBS fake documents scandal is used as an example of how inaccuracies by journalists are used to take what he calls the "real issue" surrounding the story. 

If Neal actually thinks the question of President Bush being suspended for missing a physical is more important than the news division of a broadcast television company using fake documents for an expose' two months before a presidential election - regardless of whether the use of those sources was intentionally or unintentionally meant to discredit and embarrass the president - then that's his opinion, and he's entitled to it.  If Neal also thinks that flushing a Koran or any other book - considered holy or unholy - once used by a terrorist is more important than a major news magazine using a single faulty source to report on a government investigation, resulting in riots and deaths, then he's entitled to that belief as well. However, I'm not willing to waste valuable space on this blog to argue how absurd those beliefs are. 

However, Neal's column implies that the mainstream media should be the sole director of topics and issues within the American poltical landscape, and that any interference would be a disservice to a free society:

The historic role of the free press in free democratic societies is that of government watchdog. There have always been journalistic mistakes, controversies and scandals, and there always will be, as long as media are run by human beings. Today, however, what's clearly objectionable is how those mistakes are being used to deflect attention from more important government and political scandals and controversies.

First, we should ask the question, "What is a watchdog?"  A watchdog is a person or party that makes sure no corruption or inaccuracies take place by a person or group they are monitoring.  Hence, how can you be an adequate watchdog if you can't provide accurate facts and information?  Sure; human beings make mistakes, but the mere fact they can possibly make them doesn't mean they should be absolved from criticism when they make one, and should be set aside for the issue that the watchdog wants someone to focus on.  The evidence that the watchdog lays out and the credibility of the evidence or the source is just as important as what or who they are criticizing.

Indeed; the fact that journalists are calling for someone to ignore or set aside criticism for what they would consider as the greater good in advancing issues is a very strange twist of irony.  Neal criticizes the Bush Administration over the arguments and evidence that led to the Iraq War (and once again, I won't argue about the accuracy of his points; others have refuted a number of these before), yet he's willing to give a pass to errors made by journalists.  Where is the consistency?  Are politicians the only people in American society that should be held accountable for their actions, or is it whomever the press decides should be accountable (which would virtually guarantee they never will)?

This also ignores the main tenet of journalism.  A journalist's first job is to report the story, not to advance an issue.  If a journalist can't write a story that is backed by accurate and credible sources and evidence, he's doing a disservice not only to the profession but to the public to which he claims to serve by spreading faulty information.  With expose' stories like the TANG Documents and the Koran flushing that heaps lopsided criticism onto a certain person or group, the absence of credibility and accuracy makes those allegations the equivalent of propaganda.  Why should the American public place faith in the press if they can't get their facts right?

Yet, the blur between reporting and advancing issues has been a problem for the media over the past couple of decades and has resulted in a lack of trust and respect within American society.  That lack of trust and respect has resulted in the drop of subscriptions, drop in ratings, and the reliance of alternative sources by more people as the years have gone by.  When people turn on the news or open up a newspaper, they don't want to be told what they should be concerned about and how they should think.  They only want to know what happened.  Neal and others want to dictate what is and isn't important, and that's not their job.  The blur in this instance is shown though the fact that Neal is described by the Post as a staff writer; however there's little to no difference between what he writes and what a op-ed columnist would write.  There should be a distinction, but just like a number of newspapers, there isn't.

We're seeing more and more evidence, not only from Neal but from others, that the press doesn't simply want to be a watchdog.  They want to be THE watchdog, and they don't want a watchdog watching over them.  It's the equivalent of a crooked pastor that tries to deflect criticism by saying he's doing God's work.  Just as God works through other vessels besides pastors, free societies are enhanced by the numerous voices and viewpoints that are allowed to participate within the political spectrum. 

John Peter Zenger didn't go to trial in 1735 to only give freedom to those who could afford printing presses, but to give freedom to all who had voices and were willing to use them to speak truth without fear of government retaliation.  The blogosphere and the rise of other alternative media is a testament of that belief.  It's too bad that the main beneficiaries of Zenger's trial are the ones who have yet to understand that concept.

Here's what Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) said about Janice Rogers Brown while speaking on the floor of the Senate today:

"What does Janice Rogers Brown want to be nominated for; dictator? Or Grand Exalted Ruler?"

I'll get the full quote later, but this is a despicable comment, and one that should have been immediately denounced by Harry Reid and followed with an apology by Schumer.  As Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama) stated, it was a cheap shot to imply Brown wants to be a Klan leader.  It's obvious that asshat will say anything to advance his point no matter how stupid it sounds.

Ha!

It's not surprising that Kerry waited until well after the election to release his grades from Yale.  But now the Democrats can say, "No wonder he lost to Bush.  He's just as dumb as him."

But to all of those willing to clown Bush or Kerry, ask yourself:  do you have a college degree?  Is it from an Ivy League school?  Do you have a masters or an MBA?  And if you do, how hard did you work to get it?

Yeah.  Most of the people calling Bush stupid would be lucky to pass a 3rd grade spelling test, yet have the nerve to criticize a Yale graduate.

Well, I said in order for Miami to win, Wade would not only have to show up but have a big day.  And 20 points does not equal having a big day.

Yes, several people will laud praise on him for that heroic effort last night and say he did a great job.  But great players find ways to win under laudable circumstances.  Wade was not able to work around those circumstances all night.

Now, I had a few disagreements with Charles and Kenny, and I shockingly agreed with Magic a couple of times.  For example, while Wade does have to learn how to make other players on his team better and learn how to get them involved in the offense, this is a superstar-driven team.  You can't expect Eddie Jones or any other role player to step up to help you win that game, especially with a strong defensive team like Detroit. 

Wade and Shaq couldn't leave anything for chance in that game.  They have to make things happen.  And as you saw with Detroit, role players keep their roles, and the leaders lead.  When circumstances warranted, who stepped up?  Chancey Billups stepped up and stank free throws at the end of the game, which now seems like a unappreciated art.  Rasheed Wallace stepped up and sunk some great baskets, including one where he was fading away with a hand in his face only a foot or so in front of the arc.  Rip Hamilton provided the consistent offensive attack in the first half.  Sure; they didn't have the pressure placed on them to produce like Wade and Shaq did, but they did what they had to do to win and didn't leave it to others to step up.  That only works if you can produce, however, and Wade going 7-20 in a Game 7 isn't going to cut it.

But all in all, I'm glad Detroit won because it makes for a better Finals than an injury-riddled Miami team.  Miami would have went down in flames within five games, because Ginobili would have had a field day buzzing past Wade and Shaq was already out of gas in that series.  Now you have some great matchups in the Finals:  Groundhog Day vs. Sheed,  Rip vs. Ginobili, Billups vs. Parker, and the ultimate one is Brown vs. Popovich.  This will be a great series just to see how teams are able to adjust to each other's strengths and weaknesses.  Detroit and San Antonio represent the two best franchises in the last four years.

Oh, and remember:  I will liveblog the whole Finals.  Game 1 starts Thursday on ABC at 9 EST.