CHAMPIONS

Purple & Gold!! Baby, Purple & Gold!!

The Los Angeles Lakers won their 15th title with a 99-86 win over the Orlando Magics. Kobe Bryant winning his 4th ring and coach Phil Jackson making his way into the NBA record with his 10th title.

Back dating to 2000, I was mesmerised by the LA Lakers and had since supported them till today. Back then, they had the best 1-2 KO team with the original 'Superman' Shaq O'Neil & Kobe Bryant. They swept the Philadelphia 76ers & the New Jersey Nets on route to 3 NBA championships from 2000-2002.

Heartbreak followed in the 2002-2003 season. They had a great team that comprises the 'Big Diesel' Shaq, Bryant, the 'Mail Man' Karl Marlone, the 'Glove' Gary Payton to add on to their already impressive bench. But they lost out to the Detroit Pistons in the Finals. Soon after that, big players started to leave. Shaq went to the Miami Heats and Marlone & Payton retired.

Since then, the Lakers was a new team revolving around Bryant as the core of the team. New players came and left and the Lakers didnt make another NBA Finals appearance till a few years later. They acquired Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2007-2008 season and made their NBA Finals appearance that very season. But again, they lost out to the Boston Celtics.

This season, they were magnificient. Players took turns carrying the team forward, be it Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol or Bryant. They perserved and made it through to the Finals and beat the Magics 4-1.

Congratulation Lakers on winning on the 2008-2009 NBA Championship.

On another issue, C.Ronaldo is heading for Real Madrid for a record £80m. Tt's alot of money to spend on ONE player considering the financial crisis going on world wide. Well, I applauded Man Utd's decision to offload the Incredible Sulk. Yes yes, he may have dazzled us with his stepovers or his freekicks. But deep down, he's a one man show. There's no freaking word called teamwork in his dictionary. When he loses the ball, he will just whine n sulk instead of treading back to win the ball. As compared to players like Rooney, Park Ji-Sung or Tevez, Sorry C.Ronaldo, if you are not willing to take one for the team, you might as well leave the team. And with the £80m, we can buy more young talents or better established players that are willing to take one for the team.

GOOD JOB Man Utd for offloading the Incredible Sulk and may him rot in Madrid.