2012 NBA Playoffs Opening Weekend: Wild, Crazy and Unpredictable

When it comes to the NBA playoffs the journey of a champion is a destiny unknown. Warriors battling on a hardwood floor is tales of folklore. Men battling for the one opportunity to be the best and race to that finish line we all call the NBA Finals.

During the NBA Playoffs arguments become testy, emotions take more rides than a 15 yr old at an amusement park. Every player eager to showcase their knowledge, skill and athletic talents against the worlds best competitors. NBA playoff moments are more memorable than an 82 or 66 game regular season. The playoffs represent the moment when "Boy's become Men" Earvin becomes Magic, Bird becomes Legend, Michael Jordan turns into Greatness and Kobe becomes the Black Mamba. What's success, beyond success, beyond success Michael Jordan winning the 1998 NBA Finals.

NBA playoffs is the time of year when Linkin Park's "Burn it Down" blares in the speakers and Kanye West (2011 playoff theme) "All of The Lights" goes full stage. Regular season excuses get "Burned" and all that matters from late April until mid June is winning.

The 2012 NBA Playoffs has already provided Wild, Crazy and Unpredictable moments and terrible tragedies. Playoff atmosphere started April 22nd the weekend before the NBA playoffs when the Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder.During the game Metta World Peace landed a vicious elbow on the side of James Hardens head and the NBA script continues to be unpredictable.

Opening weekend began with a tragic phantom injury to 2011 NBA MVP Derrick Rose possibly the most unexplained disappointing injury in NBA playoff history and an emotional buzzer beater by Kevin Durant over the outstretched arms of Shawn Marion and the 2011 defending NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks. L.A. Lakers Andrew Bynum registered 10 Blocks against the Denver "midgets" Nuggets in a historic performance becoming only the second player in playoff history to record at least 10pts, 10rebs and 10 blks in a NBA playoff game. Boston Celtics Rajon Rondo found his inner Kevin Hart chest bumping referee Marc Davis. Then in a late night affair the Memphis Grizzlies totally collapsed like a "ton of bricks" against the Los Angeles Clippers blowing a 27 point lead.

With all of the mayhem already displayed during the 2012 NBA playoffs and the condensed pressure of the 66 game regular season schedule life in the NBA has become incalculable. Thus the Miami Heat are still the heavy odd on favorite to represent the Eastern Conference in the 2012 NBA Finals and the Western Conference continues to be a toss up between the Associations best NBA teams. So after a Wild, Crazy and Unpredictable opening playoff weekend full of mayhem, who will when the NBA Finals??

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Seattle Seahawks 2012 NFL Draft: Shock Draft Experts and Select Bruce Irvin

Seattle Seahawks 2012 NFL draft was excellent, yes I disagree with nationwide sports analyst and their criticism of the Seahawks top pick. At the start of the 2012 NFL Draft Seahawks only had six draft picks but wisely completed a draft day deal with the Philadelphia Eagles to move back three positions from #12 to #15. Why did the Seahawks move back three positions because the three players the Seahawks were targeting in the first round were still available. Moving back three spots the Seahawks still had a shot at their targeted 2012 pre-draft picks while adding two more additional draft picks.

A little recent history since John Schneider and Pete Carroll arrived in Seattle the franchise has rebuilt on the strength of the draft and through free agency. Schneider and Carroll are top evaluators of prospected NFL talent examples include Brandon Browner, Richard Sherman, Russell Okung, Doug Baldwin, K.J. Wright, Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas. Carroll was the brain that believed in Red Bryant, when Bryant thought his career was coming to a close in Seattle. One thing the new Seahawks regime in has shown us is to never doubt the brain trust or the Chess moves on the board.

Drafting Bruce Irvin was a genius move in hindsight, yes he has had some issues in the past with school and some boneheaded decision making. Bruce Irvin's past history stands out like a sore thumb but the man never gave up he keeps pushing despite his academic failures he took strides to complete his G.E.D. and never gave up on attending college. Sometimes as humans we tend to focused on others individual past problems so much that we discredit and ignore the effort it takes for a person to overcome those issues. Overcoming the issues and problems build character.

Coming into West Virginia Bruce Irvin was touted as a possible Big East defensive player of the year his expectations were high. Pete Carroll looked at recruiting Irvin to USC so the young fella has talent and a history with the Seahawks head coach. As an OLB Irvin produces 4.5 speed and his skill set compliments the missing piece in the Seahawks defense. Irvin not only has the capability to play OLB but has the intangibles to lineup on the line at DE and bring a tremendous pass rush off the edge.

After the draft Schneider acknowledged that the Seahawks thought about moving back in the draft for a second time "We thought about doing it again," Schneider said. "We just didn't want to get too cute. This guy is just too special of a football player." Whispers about the New York Jets looking to possibly draft Irvin made it into the Seahawks draft room and Schneider made the move. ESPN's Skip Bayless mentioned that every time he watched a WVU game last season Irvin kept sacking him in his seat at home flying off the television screen to hit a quarterback.

As analyst and so called Mock Draft experts "cough" Christian Fauria point and criticize the Seahawks draft. We also point and criticize the draft experts for missing out on Bruce Irvin. Bruce welcome to the #12thMan welcome to Seattle home to the loudest stadium on the planet the best fans in the world. We know why Schneider, Carroll and the Seahawks brass drafted you now shock the world.

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Metta World Peace Mentally Competitive and Annoyed

Call me old school, call me an 1980's baby, call me a U.S. Veteran that appreciates hard work and understands the rigors of performing at high a level competitively. Call me a fan of the old Detroit 'Bad Boys",and New York Knicks vs. Miami Heat of the 1997 brawl but don't call me a fan of Kermit Washington or Latrell Sprewell. Don't call me a fan of players or coaches full of intent or malicious bounties.

The acts of the player formally known as Ron Artest fall into a category of it's own. No Metta World Peace's decision was not peaceful or fit for a Disney movie but neither was Alonzo Mourning's and Larry Johnson's actions. MWP actions are missed understood after reviewing the image at normal speed not the slowed down version presented by media outlets across America painting MWP into a "Mike Tyson killer" I noticed two elements.

What we witnessed was a combination of competitiveness and a player who deals with mental illness. It's no secret Ron Artest has been seen by Dr. Nicole Miller. After winning the NBA Finals in 2010 Ron Artest thanked Dr. Miller for her psychiatric help. In a heightened moment of Artest's life he thanked his "Mental Health Doctor" that's big news don't miss the message. During the 2011 season Ron Artest was named "NBA Citizen of the Year" for donating his time to Mental Health Charities and helping others with mental conditions. Not only was Artest acknowledging his condition but the NBA naming him citizen of the year was acknowledging his condition as well.

On September 16th 2011 Ron Artest changed his name to Metta World Peace, when a man with a mental condition changes his name usually people say something about it or stop the individual. I understand the whole World B. Free issue but I think we missed the message. I am not calling Ron Artest "Sybil" but sometimes when we think we have done so good in life in a particular issue of weakness as humans we tend to relax on the treatment that got us to a successful point in our lives. Taking personal mental treatment for granted and opting to become more of a spokesperson instead of a patient.

Back to NBA basketball, secondly what we saw was two teams on the collision course of becoming bitter rivals. The Lakers still competing to hold on as NBA title contenders versus the young Lions of the NBA seething to prove they are the new team on the block. Competitive juices started flowing James Harden was "yappin" talking as he usually does being annoying in the ears of MWP and Kobe Bryant. Positioning his body in ways to make a player frustrated. MWP was feeling good dunking and stealing the ball, playing his best basketball since donning a Lakers uniform. Celebrating after a momentum changing dunk and James Harden decided to be annoying and it was at that one split second "Ron Artest" jumped out of the body of Metta World Peace "get the message" this was not malice. In the NBA fans have seen much"worse"

Reality check... Metta play's basketball on television not in his backyard. "Go to any park in America on a Saturday were local citizens play basketball and watch the frustration on the court". World Peace was celebrating and the most annoying player on the court purposely decided to get in the way. This was a man who's issues were dormant like a volcano (every now and then they spill ash) but the NBA knows this right. In the heat of the moment Metta World Peace was Mentally Competitive and Annoyed

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Also listen to Clenaure Carter U.S. Sports Correspondent on Israel Sports Radio http://israelsportsradio.com/