The NBA Draft Lottery was tonight before the first game of the Eastern Conference finals between Detroit and Boston.  Fourteen teams involved, the Miami Heat had the highest chance to land the Number 1 pick, at 25%.  The worst was the Golden State Warriors, with the best record for a lottery team, had something like a .05% chance.  Either way there were a lot of teams that could have used the help of a number one pick.  Seattle, with last year's Number Two pick Kevin Durant there, could definetely use someone along side the young man.  Mike D'Antoni could use some help in New York, getting it off on the right foot.  Instead, the team with the 9th spot and a 1.7 chance of winning, the Chicago Bulls will pick first when the Draft begins.  It's already started on who they're going to pick, Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley?  I guess it really just depends on the Coach they bring in, as that spot is still vacant. 

This is why I love the NBA Lottery.  Some people hate it, because they're team stinks and aren't even guaranteed a Top 3 pick if they hold the worst record in the league.  Only two teams that has had the greatest chance of winning, holding the worst records since 1994.  There's no doubt in my mind that 'tanking' occurs in professional sports, do you think the Dolphins were really that happy after their first win?  I mean sure, a win is a win, but I'm pretty positive the owner didn't want it to continue so that he could get the best player coming out of College months later.  The Miami Heat were a perfect example of a team blatantly tanking.  Whether it was Dwayne Wade finally coming back healthy, only to suit up for the rest of the season.  By suit, I don't mean jersey, I mean Shirt, Tie and Jacket.  Pat Riley took the last month of the season off so he could being 'scouting' for the Draft. 

Oh, and if you're wondering, the Boston Celtics won Game 1 at home later.  A Home team winning in the playoffs?  No way.

Dallas, Texas held the first Football Forum earlier this week.  A gathering that will more than likely become annual, held College Football coaches, School's Athletic Directors and even a College's President.  Regardless, the age old question of 'Should Division-I(FBS) adopt a playoff system for their postseason?'  Of course they should, but many of the coaches talked about their players and how they'll take bowl memories with them forever.  Gary Patterson of TCU even spoke of how College Basketball has 64 teams involved in a playoff, but only ONE team wins at the end of the season, whereas in the Bowl era 32 teams win at the end of the season.  Well Gary, I don't think any of us are talking about a huge playoff system here.  4?  8?  12?  Hell, even 16 we'll take gladly, because right now the BCS does NOT give a definetive champion.  Even if the Number One team wins the Championship, the number Three that might have just dominated the number Four will raise questions about how they could have beaten number One.  You don't have to get rid of bowls.  Those International Bowls, and Emerald Nuts Bowls....they'll continue to go unwatched but played.  This is for the Elite to battle it out on the field, instead of a computer mathmatically eliminating them. 

The National League Lacrosse Championship was played Monday night.  The NLL, opposed to the MLL(Major League Lacrosse) is an indoor/box lacrosse game played in practically a hockey rink, but no ice.  If you aren't familar, I'd suggest you check it out.  Either way, the Portland Lumberjax faced off against the Buffalo Bandits; the Bandits winning in front of a sell-out crowd 14-13.  With all that being said, here's a few of my opinions. 

Lacrosse is said to be the fastest growing sport in the U.S..  I know that the money in that league doesn't hold a candle to the NFL, but ESPN U isn't exactly a great television contract.  I understand you're in the ABC/ESPN family, but you don't get seen but by a small percentage of Sports viewers.  Hockey took a step back by signing with Versus, but if you were to go on Versus, TBS or even TNT your exposure would triple at least.  What drives Professional Sports?  Not money, not excitement.  The answer is YOUTH.  If everyone born from now on, didn't want to be a football player anymore, then the NFL would cease to exist in some decades.  So for those markets in the South or West, how are those kids ever going to find this sport to even decide if they want to play it?  Also, the Championship game was aired TODAY, two days after it happened.  Sell the product at least well enough to have a slot on ESPN 2 for your crowning champion ceremony.  Lastly, I wish that Portland had won for the sake of the sport.  Some people from the West would realize, 'Hey, we had a team?  And we won the Championship?  I've got to check this out!'  There's a fan, and there is a stepping stone in the growth of the sport.  Instead, Buffalo won, in an area that Lacrosse is well known and played.  But, I guess that's how the dice rolls.