Another day during the NBA season, yet another reason to talk about how “unclutch” LeBron James is. After LeBron missed two free throws and he shot none of the Heat’s three field goal attempts in the final minute of the Heat’s 78-75 loss to the Pacers last night, we had a whole new opportunity to declare his poor performance in game-deciding situations. As always, ESPN commentators like John Buccigross could be counted on to join the fun.

Ah, yes, the ol’ “cherry-pick numbers to fit a narrative” tactic. I know this technique because I’ve been guilty of it myself in the past — most notably two months ago, when I showcased the vast difference between Kobe Bryant’s and LeBron James’ performance numbers over the past three seasons, in the regular season or playoffs, in the fourth quarter or overtime, with 0:05 or less remaining in the game. Unsurprisingly, that post generated a lot of discussion, but do cherry-picked stats with a small sample size really prove anything? Let’s see how the narrative can change when we move the goal posts to a few different locations.

Sticking with the past three seasons, I’ll start broad with these numbers and then narrow them down so they get “clutchier” at each level. Here are Kobe and LeBron’s numbers in the fourth quarter and overtime with a scoring margin of five points or fewer. Note: eFG% refers to “effective field goal percentage”, which adjusts for the fact that a three-pointer is worth more than a two-point field goal.

Well, that certainly gives a different view of these two superstars, doesn’t it? Let’s move the goal posts back so we’re looking at their numbers in the fourth quarter and overtime, five minutes or less left in the quarter, with a scoring margin of five points or fewer.

Hmmm… we’re still not getting the right numbers to fit our narrative. Now we’ll move into “super-clutch” territory and look at just the last minute in fourth quarter or OT, and strictly shots that could tie or take the lead.

Getting warmer! And notice how LeBron has only taken six shots in those situations this season? He’s scared! The critics have obviously shaken his confidence! Let’s hammer the point home with these “super-duper-uber-ultimate-clutch” numbers I previously measured in early March, and let’s blow this mother up to a 16-point font for emphasis! (Note: I can’t explain the minor discrepancy with Kobe’s three-point numbers now compared to March. Take it up with the shot finder.)

Bingo! There’s your money shot, folks! Put a bow on that chart and overnight it to Skip Bayless!

So what do any of these numbers really prove? Is LeBron’s clutch ability underrated because he’s actually compared favorably to Kobe in late(r)-game situations over the past three seasons? Or do you only measure clutch performance by what a player does with the final shot of the game, when the outcome is on the line? To many, this latter measurement is the only one that matters — ridiculously small sample sizes, be damned.

What does clutch mean to you? It means whatever you want it to mean, depending on the numbers you select to fit your chosen narrative. What does clutch mean to me? I don’t really believe in it, to be honest — but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to warming my hands over the flames of this never-ending war.

The verdict has come down from MLB, and Brett Lawrie has been suspended for four games and fined an undisclosed amount of money following last night’s outburst. Unsurprisingly, he will appeal the decision.

The immediate consensus is that the punishment falls short of expectations, especially considering that Yadier Molina was suspended for five games because of this:

There’s not as much helmet throwing, but a whole lot more saliva being tossed during Molina’s tantrum, so judge as you will. Frankly, I’m a little tired of the entire subject.

For more on the suspension, check out DJF.

You know UFC president Dana White is a fan of The Korean Zombie (Photo courtesy MMAgearguide.net)

After every night of fights, the question every MMA fan always asks is: “Who should so-and-so fight next?”

Well, look no further for your answer, as here’s the post-UFC on FUEL 3 edition of Fight Fixin.’

CHAN SUNG JUNG

With an epic performance over the highly-regarded Dustin Poirier, “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung proved why he’s one of the very best 145-pounders in the world. And by becoming the first man to ever finish the durable Poirier, Jung demonstrated exactly why UFC president Dana White said he’s next in line for a title shot at the winner of UFC 149′s main event between UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo and challenger Erik Koch.

I agree with White, and believe Jung should wait it out and fight the winner of Aldo vs. Koch when the UFC brings its next show to Asia, the rumored event in Shanghai, China, this coming November.

Let’s face it, there just aren’t many contenders for Aldo right now. While Koch could pull off the upset, it’s just not that likely at this time. Unlike Poirier and Hatsu Hioki, Jung wants a shot at the title, and with the show he’s put on in his three UFC fights — becoming the first man to pull off a twister inside the Octagon, knocking out Mark Hominick in seven seconds, and choking out Poirier with his own favourite move — he definitely deserves it. And I think that, after last night especially and with apologies to Koch, Hominick, Chad Mendes, and Kenny Florian, there’s finally a featherweight title fight with Aldo that the fans are actually dying to see.

AMIR SADOLLAH

While Amir Sadollah took home a split decision last night over Jorge Lopez, he certainly wasn’t impressive in doing so. The fight wasn’t entertaining at all, and even Sadollah’s hometown fans booed the decision. That’s never a good sign.

Because the victory wasn’t impressive in any way, Sadollah should get someone low on the food chain. I’m thinking a matchup with James Head, who defeated Papy Abedi last month in Sweden.

Both guys are kind of hovering around the middle of the UFC’s welterweight division, and both have been inconsistent inside the Octagon, so I think this fight makes sense.

DONALD CERRONE

Donald Cerrone looked tremendous last night in dispatching of the rugged Jeremy Stephens. Cerrone won every round pretty decisively and he sure looked like the guy that was running through the UFC lightweight division before running into Nate Diaz at UFC 141.

At 5-1 inside the Octagon, Cerrone is still a top contender in the UFC. But because of his exciting, kickboxing style, the UFC would be smart to keep matching him up with guys who like to bang.

I’m thinking a matchup with Edson Barboza, should he get by Jamie Varner at UFC 146, makes sense. Barboza is a wicked striker and, should he defeat Varner, would be 5-0 inside the Octagon himself, so he’ll definitely deserve a step up in competition. Since both Cerrone and Barboza are hovering around the top 10 of the division, this seems like the right fight to make, and the fans would definitely be the beneficiaries if it were to take place.

One thing is for sure — both guys will bring the heat. I’m salivating just thinking about how epic this contest would be.

YVES JABOUIN

Another win at bantamweight for Yves Jabouin, who is now 3-0 while fighting at 135 pounds. That’s a quiet 3-0, considering the first two wins were split decisions, but last night against Jeff Hougland the Canadian showed just how dangerous a striker he really is.

On such a nice run in a shallow division, Jabouin deserves a step up, but the division is in a holding pattern right now why Urijah Faber awaits an opponent for his UFC interim bantamweight title fight.

I say match up Jabouin with Mike Easton, who he was originally set to fight before injuries brought Hougland in. That’d be a great fight between two guys who love to stay on the feet, which is why it was created in the first place. Don’t be surprised if it’s re-booked.

IGOR POKRAJAC

Igor Pokrajac and Fabio Maldonado went to war last night, and whether you agreed with the judges or not, you have to admit this was ‘Fight of the Night’ up until the main event took place.

And while the fight could have easily been a draw, Pokrajac did get the nod, and now has three wins in a row and four in his last five. And though Pokrajac has said in the past he would like to fight a former UFC champion, there aren’t any available at the moment for him.

One guy who isn’t booked, though, is Stanislav Nedkov. Yes, he’s only had one fight in the UFC so far due to visa issues, but this guy is undefeated in his MMA career and a fight pitting the Croatian Pokrajac against the Bulgarian Nedkov, two guys who love to bang, would be fireworks. I hope it happens.

TOM LAWLOR

A career-best performance by Tom Lawlor saw the American knockout Canadian Jason MacDonald in the first minute of their middleweight tilt. And while MacDonald is on the last fumes of his career, it was still a great outing by Lawlor, who badly needed a win to save his fledgeling UFC career.

For an encore, I say match up Lawlor with Brad Tavares, who beat Dongi Yang on the undercard. Both guys are hovering in the middle of the pack at 185 pounds in the UFC, so it’s a fight that makes sense, especially when considering the linear timing.

The Giants unveiled their Super Bowl ring today and the results are blindingly beautiful. If a regular person were to wear this ring on the streets of any major metropolitan city I would put the over/under on them getting murdered/seriously wounded at five minutes.

The four Lombardi trophies on the ring represent the Giants four Superbowl titles – surprise! The words ‘Finish’ and ‘All in’ are engraved on the insides . These were the inspirational phrases used by the Giants during their title run. Also included  is the final score of Super Bowl XLVI, 21-17

It’s unclear how many blood diamonds were used to create these rings – I’m guessing the number is quite high based on the soulless manufacturer who created them – Tiffany & Co.

In all seriousness they’re nice, but are they wearable? Tell us Eli:

“I kind of wear it on special occasions up to the start of the season, then I put it away,” Manning told CNN on Wednesday. “It’s a big ring. It’s almost hard to wear.”

Don’t underestimate ring fatigue. It’s the third leading cause of failed marriages in North America.

Disclaimer: Tiffany’s is a wonderfully ethical company. Buy from them today! Please..

It’s one thing to be an NHLer and get “Kronwall’d,” and quite another to be a 24 year-Latvian who’s never played the guy and get hit like this. I’m not sure why entirely, I just feel like you’d be a little more surprised. At least when NHLers are in a crumpled heap on the ice they can piece together that the number of the train that just hit them was 55 (as opposed to 7 at the Worlds). Saulietis may have thought the building got bombed or something.

International tournaments don’t see a lot of this stuff either, so it had to be even more shocking.

What amazes me about this hit is how quickly Kronwall transitions from looking like he’s skating backwards to making contact. I guess technically he is still skating backwards, only now for the forwards, he’s skating backwards at them. Seriously, watch that cut though, that’s some great skating.

Make of it what you will, clean, dirty or otherwise. Either way, this was one massive collision:

If I’m a right-winger and we’re playing a team he’s on that night, I’m making a stop into the office in the morning. “Um, coach – I think I’d like to try the off-wing tonight.”

Never one to shirk hyperbole, Goal.com dropped a HASHTAG NEWSBOMB that exploded all over Twitter with the force of a…bomb. Roberto Martinez, former-Villa manager(ial favourite for about ten seconds) and current Wigan manager has been approached ‘through a third party‘ (a mandrill?) to see if he’d be interested in the Liverpool FC job.

Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the Reds’ American owners, made contact with Wigan boss Martinez last week through third parties and sources have described the Spaniard as the hot favourite to take over at Anfield after Dalglish was sacked on Wednesday.

This is a moment where I can make what I hope will be an interesting point about the football. Here goes.

By coincidence, today Zonal Marking’s Michael Cox wrote an intriguing post on Martinez’s transition to a 3-4-3 at Wigan, and how it transformed the club’s fortunes in the latter half of the season. What’s clear in reading Cox’s analysis is how essential having the right players in the right positions was in supporting his vision. For example, Cox quotes Martinez explaining the shift in his own words:

“It suits our players. When you’ve got a Jean Beausejour who is a specialist in that position, you take advantage of that. The back three gives you that. Then there’s the energy we’ve got in midfield, players who can play between lines like Shaun Maloney and Jordi Gomez.”

Italics mine. The tactical shift, enabled in part by the pick up of Beausejour in the January transfer window, allowed Wigan to pick up, as Cox notes, “27 points in 14 games.” The problem is before that, Wigan earned “16 points from 24 games.”

In other words, it took time and a half season of futility before Martinez could get the personnel in order to realize his ideal formational approach and allow Wigan to play above their ability and beat teams like Manchester United and Arsenal (and, in the process, effectively help Manchester City to their first title in 44 years).

Everything about Liverpool FC at the moment screams of a club in need of someone who can help these players play at and above their current collective ability, particularly, as Swiss Ramble pointed out a week ago, the club is still rebuilding after the disastrous Hicks and Gillett ownership period. Martinez is a very good manager, at the right club with the right personnel. Is LFC a fit? Perhaps, but if this story is to be believed (asterisk asterisk asterisk) the owners haven’t exactly signaled they’re taking their time making a careful decision in finding the best possible manager based on players, staff, etc. Will Liverpool have patience while Martinez rebuilds according to his tactical ideal?

I’ve been getting word today via my mysterious source (the tentacles of LFC reach far-and-wide) that some within the club believe that Henry and FSG do not in fact know what they’re doing, and that LFC is a “shambles” at the moment. Running around like chickens sans heads in finding a replacement for Dalglish should give Liverpool fans pause. Martinez is a very good manager, but appointing him shotgun wedding styles simply because of a successful-but-painfully-slow transition at Wigan doesn’t strike me as particularly good planning.

lucky son of a...

Forbes magazine published an article today on WWE Superstar The Rock being part of this years Forbes 100 celebrity list for the first time. The magazine estimates that Dwayne Johnson made upwards of 36 million dollars and his movies grossed 2.3 billion dollars world wide last year.

Here’s what The Rock had to say in the article.

“That’s the wonderful part about being in this business. I love knowing the audience and listening to the audience. Oh, and kicking a little ass, too… It reached a point where I felt that ­instead of me trying to conform to Hollywood, I needed to have ­Hollywood conform to me and ­embrace my past.”

There’s also a great video interview Forbes did with The Rock. Have a watch!

There is no doubt that The Rock is a massive draw and I think it’s safe to say that the WWE Universe is a big part in that. The connection to his success in the ring and into films is very interesting. He also seems like a great guy on set who directors and producers want to work with.

It’s a wrap & headin’ to the plane. Just put the final touch on GI JOE – one helluva film. Love to my LA crew. Miami bound..

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) May 13, 2012

Sounds like Superstar who appreciates hard work at all levels. He’s handles his career very well and the futute can only get brighter for the brahma bull.

Check out the entire article by clicking here.

(partial source via. PWTorch.com)