WATERCOOLER CHAT: LAKERS LOOK AWFUL, CARMELO TRADE TALKS, SI COVER GIRL
BASKETBALL
Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. The Los Angeles Lakers have been on a losing skid lately. They lost to Dwight Howard and Orlando. That’s justifiable as the Magic are one of the NBA’s top teams. Then Kobe and the Lakers lost to Charlotte, a team on the decline this season, but every now and then you have a bad game and lose to below-average teams. But last night, the Lakers lost to Cleveland!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One more time: Cleveland!!!!!! Please note that the Cavaliers lost by 55 when they visited LA. It was a complete blowout. Sure, you would expect them to play better on their home floor, but to beat the defending champs? Wow! This says a lot more about Kobe and the ailing Lakers than any type of sign that the Cavaliers are improving (they are not). Clearly, there is a serious problem with the Lakeshow. They need to make a move before the deadline. Cleveland 104, LA Lakers 99.
Elsewhere in the NBA, it appears that New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov has reignited trade talks with the Denver Nuggets regarding Carmelo Anthony. The details aren’t too public, but it’s likely that it might be a smaller deal than the previous time. This means that fewer players would head elsewhere. The Nets may just land Anthony, and not necessarily Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups. However, the Nuggets are also talking with the Knicks, but they might be asking for too much. They want at least 2 and maybe 3 of the following from New York: Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Ray Felton, Landry Fields. Still no definite leads as to where he’s headed (if he’s headed anywhere at all), but the Anthony drama is back in the headlines.
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
Finally, the cover of the new Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue came out. Each year, there is drama surrounding who the cover girl will be, as they are typically launched into the zeitgeist for the coming year. Last year’s cover girl, Brooklyn Decker, even landed a role in a major film with Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston.  This year they have selected a Russian: Irina Shayk. Shayk is not only the cover girl, but is also the girlfriend of the biggest soccer star in the world: Cristiano Ronaldo. Talk about a powerful good-looking couple.
