I actually think the Heat are kind of boring. They play at half-speed until their backs are against the wall. Shoot a bunch of threes, wait for Lebron to save them in the 4th quarter.

"It doesn't matter whether you love the Miami Heat or hate them. You watch them. They are the team in professional sports, at least in this country, to talk the most about."

What if you don't care about the NBA? What then?


"People still call the Yankees the Evil Empire. They’re not, they don’t generate the emotion they used to one way or another, even when they're going good the way they are now. The Heat are the Yankees now."

I think Chris Nelson and Preston Claiborne are offended.


"LeBron James is the biggest star we have in sports and the Heat are the star team, more than the Yankees or any other baseball team, more than the Lakers and Celtics, more than any team in pro football.

They give off the most heat, in all ways."

The Heat give off the most heat. Brilliant.

Is Mike Lupica arguing with the voices in his head again?


For what it's worth, the dilapidated Yankees still lead the league in attendance and are still worth $2 billion.

Oh, and the dilapidated Yankees just happen to be in first place.

There's a pretty good story there. But it would require a writer to identify the Yankees as underdogs.


"The Orioles may not have a pure No. 1 starter, but I still think they’ve been the best all-around team in baseball this season.

And you better pay attention to the kid at third base, Manny Machado, because he is going to be a huge star for Buck Showalter for a long time."

The Yankees are in first place, by the way.


"By the way, do people still think that Mike Trout was the real MVP of the American League last season and not the guy who won the Triple Crown?"

Sure ... because last season was last season.

Do people still think R.A. Dickey was the real Cy Young of the NL last season?