The sports world thinks the LeBron move is such a shock. I don’t. I saw it coming during the Beijing Olympics when Wade, Bosh and LeBron befriended each other and seemed inseparable. My money says they made a pact. Signing the contracts was just a formalization of it.

But despite all the hype, I predict the so-called “3:16″ Trio, (their jersey numbers are 1, 3, and 6 and of course some sensationalist has made the connection to John 3:16, the most famous passage of the Bible), Miami’s newest, hottest trio  will be a bust of epic proportions. The reason is simple : Buddy tandems and trios don’t win championships.

I have been an armchair analyst of pro basketball for about 30 years now–from the best seat in the stands: the couch. I have yet to see a buddy tandem or trio win a championship. The only teams that win rings  are made up of oddballs who don’t speak to each other off the court (or even in the sideline for that matter), players that don’t get along at all (and only get along because of a great coach–Like Phil Jackson) or reluctant players only interested in winning a ring (as was the case with the Rockets).

Oh you think I am just running my mouth ? I present a few exhibits of evidence:

Celtics: Bird, Johnson, Parrish and McHale and Ainge
Spurs: Avery Johnson, David Robinson
Bulls: Jordan, Pippen, Cartwright, Paxon, Rodman
Pistons: Rodman, Thomas, Johnson, Sally
Rockets: Olajuwon, Drexler, Smith
Pistons: Wallace, Billups, Hamilton
Lakers: Kareem, Magic
Lakers: Kobe, Shaq
Lakers: Kobe,  Artest
Heat: Shaq, Wade
Etc etc etc etc

Enough said. Basketball teams are made up of relationships. The more relationship chemistry the better. Same psychology applies to any human relationship.

Want a sneak peek of how the Heat will end up? Watch the Michigan Fab Five back in Webber’s days. Heck, watch the Kings back in Webber’s days. James is just like Webber in that he LOVES his buddies and his entourages and they are very important to him.. so important to him in fact that his buddy pledges and respect are more important to him than those of his fans. Mike Bibby is the same kind of guy.

Compare James to Jordan and Kobe and Isiah and Robinson and Duncan and Bird and Magic. None of them had entourages. Why? Because they were all leaders who flew by themselves. They didn’t need anyone’s approval. James is no such leader. He’ll never be a champion until he loses the “posse” mentality.

But don’t take my word for it. Just wait and see. These guys will win a lot of games together, but none of them are ballsy leaders who simply don’t care about outside opinion. They’re not only servants to it, they thrive off it. Their idea of competition isn’t on the court, it is off the court… bragging rights… just like the Fab 5…. the same attitude that had Duke kicking UNLV’s  tails in the NCAA Finals (UNLV was another pack of pals that never ended up with a championship).

With Heat leadership spread out across three jerseys, and the “let’s do this” buddy mentality that is more important than the game to them, they will be lucky to ever get out of the second round of playoffs.

Watch.

PS: LeBron you’ll never get the respect Jordan and Kobe have/ Both of them stuck it out with their original teams no matter how bad it got. You bailed … all for the glory…  you are not the “King”.. and never will be.

But hey, I’m HAPPY I was wrong! Evans has serious game and it is absolutely awesome to see the Kings winning some games again.  I usually don’t give into the hype so early, but I think Evans deserves all the praise he is getting and then some. So far, it looks like the Kings may have pulled off one of the biggest draft upsets in history. And I couldn’t be happier for us. Tyreke: stay humble and stay out of trouble.

“This Saturday, the division-leading River Cats are offering special Family Pack deals (click here for tickets) to go along with the Sutter Health Fireworks after the game. Fans can purchase a Family Pack which includes Tickets, Hot Dogs, Cokes, Chips, Dessert and tickets to Fairytale Town and the Sacramento Zoo (minimum purchase of four family pack tickets required).Saturday’s game is just one of many attractions coming to Raley Field during this eight-game homestand that begins Tuesday night.”

God I love baseball. How could you not? It’s so .. American. I just adore the sound of the bat meeting the ball sqaurely (crack!). That sound smacks of hot dogs, beer, and twilight games basking under the bright lights while the best of the best (and Manny Ramirez), duke it out on the field. I just love it. I played throughout my childhood and just could not be more thankful to my folks for the experience. Every time I smell fresh cut grass I think of coming down to Sacramento for all star game tourney play in the heat. River Cats games take me back to that nostalgic place in my mind. I’m looking forward to catching more than a few games this season.

Times have sure changed, haven’t they? Even though Little League is still around, not much else remains from yesteryear. Seems everywhere I go I am standing or driving next to someone who is either texting, yacking on their cell phone incessantly, playing a video game or now Tweeting. Sigh. Twitter is the new Napster apparently. 80 million users now or something ridiculous like that. And all for what? So people can tell each other what they are doing.

My wife cracks me up. I said, “aren’t you going to get on Twitter?” She said, “No one cares what I am doing, and I don’t care what they’re doing either.” Ha. I love that. And it’s true. Unless you’re someone who truly has something noteworthy to share, why bother? Facebook is kind of the same thing, albeit a bit more unnecessarily complicated. You’re going to your grandma’s to change her bedpan?  You’re a true saint. Feel better now?  You’re craving Rocky Road ice cream? Awesome, I never took you for a plain vanilla type. Does that validate you? You’re going to Redding this weekend for a gastroenterology conference for your work. Wow, you are .. deep. Don’t forget to post a photo album when you get back!

All that said, I have a Facebook and a Twitter. I update them from time to time for grins . I log into Facebook once or twice a month to see what people are saying/doing. Can’t think of a time yet where I read something that changed my life for the better. And that’s just it about all these digital distractions…. what value are they? In most cases they’re not benefitting people; in fact their diverting their attention away from where it really needs to be… like on the road in front of them..  crrrrunch.

“I DON’T HAVE A F’G TWITTER… WHY WOULD I USE TWITTER??? I ONLY BLOG 5 PERCENT OF WHAT I’M UP TO IN THE FIRST PLACE. I’M SLOW DELIVERING [INFORMATION ABOUT MYSELF] BECAUSE I’M TOO BUSY ACTUALLY BEING CREATIVE” – Kanye West in his blog on 5/12/09″

I don’t care much for Kanye’s music,  but I hear what he is saying. I mean, don’t people have lives to lead? Some people are on Twitter and Facebook and YouTube and whatever else all day. Wasting away. Yes, I fully understand how Twitter can be used for good … preachers spreading the word, teachers updating students, health care alerts, etc, I get all that. What I’m talking about are the hordes of people who are wasting away tweeting about their new hairdo… or who’s on Oprah tomorrow. It all seems so… vain.

Pretty soon we’re going to see Twitter addicts crying their eyes out on Oprah, sharing their “story” of how Twitter led them to cheat, lie, steal and leave their spouse. LOL. Pathetic…. and right around the corner…

Ahhhh I must be getting old.  Perhaps the “er” suffix will be a bad omen for Twitter. Sure was for Grokster. [Actually it's AMAZING Shawn Fanning, inventor or Napster, never paid through the teeth to the RIAA; instead he got rich and is now living the life of Riley. Many college students. old folks, and dead people  weren't so fortunate]

Tweet THIS! Crrrack!  “….oh and Gibson hammers it…..  back, back, back, back…. and it’s outta here!! Kirk Gibson homers! The Dodgers have won the world series… steroid free!!!!!!!!!”

Little background for those who use the sports page to potty train their puppy: Last week number “93″  (that would be Ron Artest), let the dawgs out on his employer, announcing publicly he felt the Kings brass (that would be Geoff Petrie and the high-rolling Maloof Bros), had bamboozled him into thinking a contract extension was on the table, when in fact one was not, and had he known the Kings tru (pun intended) intentions, he would have opted out of his last contract year and secured a–lucrative–deal elsewhere.

Ron’s comments found themselves a home in the hearts of Kings faithful, and as a result last week’s radio talk shows and message boards were abuzz with rants over what people felt were less-than-honest business dealings on the part of the Kings org. Comments ranged from “The Maloofs are greed mongers who should move to Vegas where they can live out their lust-loving fantasy of sin in peace,” to “Ron Ron was dissed plain and simple.”

I’m thinking the fans’ rage against the NBA machine didn’t go over well with the image-conscious Kings organization, nor did it relieve any pressure on the swelling perception that the Maloof family portrait is painted with only hues of the color money green. [Captain Obvious chortles, "Derrrr"].

Not surprisingly, today Ron is rapping a different tune, and it goes a little something like:

“I do apologize for being mistakenly frustrated with the Kings..I was informed that the Kings had me in their long-term plans, so that’s why I decided to stay in contract. I just wanted to show loyalty…However, when I spoke to the Kings, that was not an option and I grew frustrated with my decision immediately.”

“Mistakenly frustrated” huh? Mmmmmm hm. Doesn’t sound like an “apology” to me;  sounds more like another zinger, albeit one with a little less mustard on it than the previous week’s dish. I take today’s statement to mean: “I apologize for being mad at the Kings organization, but they lied to me, and I regret not opting out of my contract now.” (see the rap version at the bottom of this page).

So who’s right and who’s wrong? Honestly?  WHO CARES? Both the playboy Maloof matriarchy and Ron “Tru Warier” Artest are richer than most of us can even fathom. Some Kings fans act like the Kings refusal to offer Ron an extension puts him out on the streets with no shirt and no shoes, begging for soggy sandwiches at loaves and fishes. And trash talking the Maloofs for being greedy? Puhleeeze.

Let me be clear: I love Ron Artest; in fact I am a sucker for all the passionate, misunderstood, smack-talking eccentric personalities out there. How dull would sports be without the likes of John McEnroe? Randy Moss? Dennis Rodman? Chris Webber? Rasheed Wallace?  Ron Artest? But for the life of me, I don’t know why Ron or fans are even wasting their time talking about the Kings brass. How much are the Maloof Bros. getting for parking now? $30? Isn’t their M.O. obvious by now?

I think Artest made a magnitude 7.1 mistake when he assumed the Bros. would be as “loyal” to him as he was being to them by not opting out. The Maloofs have proven time and again they have one order of business and one order of business ONLY: to make more business.

Play ball!

PS: You know I ♥ you, Ron And yes, I’m glad the Maloofs keep the Kings in Sac, even though I can’t afford to see a game at the Arena–which is in my own neighborhood! LOL