Warning: sports geek-out ahead

I am almost done with Bill Simmons's "The Book of Basketball," which has a foreword by one of my other favorite writers: Malcolm Gladwell (http://www.gladwell.com/), who Simmons describes as one of his favorite biracial Canadians. Simmons is somewhat of an idiot savant when it comes to writing about sports and making pop culture references (OK, maybe he just watches a lot of TV). Gladwell is equally geeky but writes well on a wider range of topics, including social science. Simmons and Gladwell have had three epic email exchanges on ESPN.com (the most recent: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/one/091218). One of my favorite moments, from the second exchange, was when Gladwell interjected: "Before I answer that, can I lodge a complaint? I don't know if readers realize how this has gone. You e-mail me something. I fret and agonize and worry and send something back a day and a half later. Then half an hour passes and a 1,000-word e-mail pops up in my inbox, with the taunting subject line "Back at you." You are basically one of those Doug Moe Denver Nuggets teams from the 1970s, which would put up 85 points in the first half." (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/090513/part3).

Back to the book. I was a little bored by the section on NBA history, but I read it anyway. I agree with his all-time rankings of players (#1: Michael Jordan) and teams (#1: 1986 Boston Celtics - the best team I ever saw). The book has some good tidbits, such as "you have to love anyone with an ego large enough to name his sons Gary Payton Jr. and Gary Payton II" (others in this category: George Foreman, Manny Ramirez).

Switching gears, but inspired by something Simmons wrote in a recent column, I was thinking about how the Jets managed to beat the Patriots in the playoffs after being blown out by the Patriots 45-3 just six weeks earlier. The Jets have good cornerbacks, particularly Darrelle Revis, and the Patriots don't have good long-ball receivers, since the decline and departure of Randy Moss, so the Jets could go one-on-one on the outside and roll their safeties up to provide run support and take away the short routes and crossing routes by Welker and the tight ends that were key to the Patriots offense. The Patriots need good pass protection from the offensive line and some running game to keep defenses honest, and they have slipped in both areas in recent years (much as I love diminutive running back Danny Woodhead). The Jets were able to pressure Brady (like the Giants in Super Bowl XLII). If given time, Brady is good at stepping up in the pocket, staying calm, and picking apart defenses. But if pressured, he is not good at escaping the pocket and buying time with his legs. It's not just that he's slow, although he is. Both quarterbacks in this year's Super Bowl, Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger, are good at scrambling and extending the play, even though neither has Michael Vick-like speed. And it's not that Brady is a wuss - he's good at quarterback keepers in short-yardage situations, which entail some abuse.

Speaking of Aaron Rodgers, he is now my NFL man-crush, unless Brady wins another Super Bowl and cuts his hair, or until Andrew Luck of Stanford enters the league (unless he's drafted by our division rival Dolphins - fortunately the Jets already have their QB, and the Bills are so downtrodden as to be almost sympathetic). My other sports man-crushes: NBA: Paul Pierce - he's not the most handsome guy, but I love his clutchness and leadership. I would say Rajon Rondo, but he still looks 15 years old, so that feels creepy. Leon Powe, before he went from the Celtics to the Cavaliers. Dwyane Wade, although less so now that the Heat are a legitimate threat. Baseball: Brian Wilson (bonus points for sense of humor) and Buster Posey of the Giants. I love Tim Lincecum, but not in a man-crush way. I love the way Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis of the Red Sox play, but they don't do it for me either - too little vertical and too much horizontal, respectively.

Speaking of the threat the Heat pose to the Celtics, here is my projected order of finish in the NBA:

Eastern Conference:
1. Miami - They are playing together better and playing better defense. I miss Eddie House!
2. Boston - They will trade some wins down the stretch for a chance to rest their aging starters for the playoffs, unless their record is close to that of the Lakers, in which case they will try to get home-court advantage over the Lakers - the team that they, and I, hope they face in the Finals.
3. Chicago - A dangerous team, a little under the radar.
4. Orlando - Their big trades could go either way, but I think they are better now. More vulnerable to injury to one player, Dwight Howard, than any other team in the East. Fortunately for them, Howard is young and seems indestructible.

Western Conference:
1. San Antonio - See note for Celtics.
2. L.A. Lakers - Struggling a little lately, but I think Phil Jackson will get them together down the stretch.
3. Dallas - Lots of pieces, but I'm not convinced of their killer instinct, which has to come from their star, Dirk Nowitzki.
4. Oklahoma City - Perhaps the most interesting question of the playoffs: how deep can the Thunder go, having never won a playoff series before? Lots of exciting young talent, led by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

Ethan