Like It Is

Warriors have to find a way to offset James

Everyone who likes basketball can now get excited about the NBA.

It is down to the NBA Finals between Golden State and Cleveland, and each features a superstar.

The Warriors' Stephen Curry is the best shooter in the NBA right now, and the Cavs' LeBron James is the best overall player in the league.

Former Arkansas Razorback great and Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame member Pat "The Shooter" Bradley knows basketball. He's one of those guys who keeps up with the NBA from the first day of the season to the final day.

He hasn't made a pick, but Wednesday he sounded like he was actually leaning toward the Cavs, who are underdogs in the series as well as a six-point underdog in Game 1, because of matchups. Cleveland can go big or small with its lineup.

Plus, whoever has to guard James might have to forget about any offense, and that's rare in the NBA.

James has become the face of the NBA. He's happily married, has three children and never seems to make headlines for anything other than basketball, but he makes them for basketball in more ways than he should.

He brags and even takes credit that usually should go to the coach.

Not that Cleveland fans care. They have embraced James since his return from Miami.

This is only the second time the Cavs have made the NBA Finals. The first was 2007 when James was the go-to guy, which was before he went to the Heat.

James has proved you can go home.

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When the Department of Justice and the IRS announced who at FIFA had been indicted after an FBI investigation, the world of soccer was rocked momentarily.

It seemed most have wondered what has taken so long.

It seems every one of those indicted has some shadowy events in their past, especially 70-year-old New Yorker Chuck Blazer, who once pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, money-laundering conspiracy and evasion of income tax.

That's how he became an FBI informant, although no one has yet pointed a finger at him as being a source in investigation.

It has been reported that Blazer lives in an $18,000-a-month apartment in New York and has a smaller adjoining apartment that goes for $6,000 a month just for his cats.

Some of those indicted have said they will fight the charges, but that's what everyone says anymore.

...

When UALR was searching for a basketball coach, there was a small ripple of support for Mike Newell, a former Trojans head coach.

Newell is a good coach, but for UALR he was a great promoter whose teams regularly attracted crowds of more than 5,000.

Newell was announced Tuesday as the new head basketball coach of the Dillard Bleu Devils in New Orleans.

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There has been a small change in the lineup for the Pat Summerall Golf Classic at Chenal Country Club on June 15.

It was originally reported here that the closing act would be a talk by NFL official Walt Coleman, who unfortunately was already booked at another event.

Stepping in to replace him will be Larry Lacewell, one of the all-time great defensive coordinators at Oklahoma and a former and very successful head coach at Arkansas State.

Lacewell, who is in the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, is a very entertaining and informed speaker.

There are a few spots left in the golf tournament for teams or individuals, and at last count there were more than 30 door and tournament prizes, plus every golfer gets a gift bag.

Sponsored by Deltic Timber, an Arkansas owned an operated company, the Pat Summerall Golf Classic is a fundraiser for the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. More information is available at (501) 663-4328.

Sports on 05/29/2015

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