Joe Ticket comments on the NBA, MBL, and even life itself.

To all the folks who wrote and called me while I was laid up with a broken collarbone (don’t worry, Lipshitz, Levine and Cohen are making sure I get my just compensation), I thank you..when your hurt (and miss work)it makes you think about how lucky it is to be unhurt , healthy , and normal. Everyone has aches and pains, I guess that’s normal, but when you have a heart attack and die at age 58 like Tim Russertthat really makes you think. So today think about taking a walk and listening to the birds sing. Think about going to a ballgame with you dad. Think about bringing home some fresh cut wildflowers to your wife. Think about how lucky you are to even have your life in this day in time, in this wonderful free country. We are all annoyed at the price of gas, at political boondogles, the lack of healthinsurance for everyone, the decline in our homes values or even the prospects of maybe losing our homes..but keep the faith, hang in there, it could be worse, you could live in a repressed society, you could be very ill.. All too often we take these days we are blessed with for granted and we bitch about traffic and curse about spilled coffee on our new shirt..big deal, get real..start thinking about what really matters. Its your relationships to your friends and family and how you treat people that you don’teven know. Its about your communications in that private space reserved for you and the lord, its about helping others and in that way you help yourself to a much richer life..what does it have to do with tickets, with sports, with music entertainment..that’s the question for you to ponder today. 

I am not going to say I told you so but the Celtics are on the verge of their 17th world championship leading LA 3-1 in the NBA finals. Doc Rivers has established himself as a top flight coach skillfully employing his deep and talented bench to take advantage of matchups and tempo all season long. Danny Ainge managed to assemble a group of players that have bought into the “Celtics “style of selfless team ball playing. One piece brought another as key contributers Eddie House, PJ Brown, Ray Allen all came to Boston at the beheast of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce who were on a mission for a ring befor the final bell sounded on their brilliant careers. The fact that Rajon Rondo emerged as a fine creative point guard capable of defending and rebounding and knocking down clutch junpers when left alone cannot be ignored. This is what happenns in championship seasons in all sports for the winning teams, things just come together perfectly. This nucleus will be back again next year, Perkins and Davis and Rondo and Tony Allen all a year more mature, so I see the Celtics and the Lakers, if Andrew Bynum regains his mobility, back at it in 09 for one more time. While Kobe Bryant is certainly great he is no Jordan, not now anyway. Obviously I am assuming that the Celtics can win one of three from Lakers and if you want to bet me otherwise please email me , I can use the extra money! Beantown is getting ready for another parade and the hits just keep on comin..Next up The Red Sox, and then The Patriots on this victorious merrygoround., Round and round she goes when it ends nobody knows..

As for baseball, the word is out that instant replay is coming soon to a ballpark near you. I am in favor of it on one condition that it not be used for balls and strikes that it only be used when the umpires have a consensus that maybe the call needs to be reviewed like on a homer down the line or a play at the plate when the ump isn’t in good position. It should not be on demand by the managers, those guys always think the ump blew the call when it goes the other way. Surprise teams The Florida Marlins and The Tampa Bay Rays continue to play exciting ball in front of sparse crowds wilst having the lowest payrolls in the game, proving that you cant buy love and happiness or guarantee victory between the lines. In a sign of the times both clubs developed superior young talent often acquired form other clubs in trades of their emerging stars who would have commanded salaries exceeding their teams capacity to pay for them. They also are signing their young players to longer contracts in essence tying them up for the extra one or two years when they will be hitting their prime..its a winning formula and to the clubs that overspend on aging, questionable talent..smarten up and yes that includes the Yankees, the Red Sox and the Mets and in fact it appears that those clubs are taking the hint. The Red Sox best production on the hill has been from Lester, Buckholz, Papelbon, etc and this kid Masterson looks real good too. On paper the Sox seem to have the best ballclub and manager Tito Francona usually knows how to play his cards by now.  JD Drew is finally comfortable at the plate and playing great all around ball in right. Coco Crisp is the best 4th outfielder in the league, Ellsbury is the real deal if .285, 70 stolen bases and an acrobatic catch a game wets your whistle and Manny is well Manny and even though Ortiz is on the shelf they wont miss a beat. I will not insult my Yankee readers( although my Sox readers want me too, ) with a beat down, lets just say SEE YA…there are a few other good ballclubs in the AL for sure- the Angels are solid as long as Vlad gimps it out and the Ozzie whipped White Sox come to mind..I still want to see the Tigers take batting practice but a theoretically thumping lineup doesn’t translate to wins. Good pitching beats good hitting in the long run. The Phillies, the Cubs and the Diamondbacks are all playing well and even though the slugging stick thin Soriano is out for 6 weeks, I see them going all the way in the National League, setting the stage for what would be a historic Championship Series between the Red Sox and the long overdue Cubbies. I for one will be trying to make it to at least one game in each city and of course with my connections I’ll in the front row as Uke would say. It will be chilly in October in Boston and Chicago but I think everyone should be sufficiently fueled up to stay warm.  But for now you can satisfy your urge to see the best baseball on the planet by going to National Ticket Agencies MBL page and clicking on your team and picking out your game…and psssst take your dad!

Well its time to put down the pen and do my rehab in the pool down here in sunny South Florida. I should mention that the NFL season is right around the corner and tickets to all games for all teams are allready on sale and actually moving quite well. Baseball is the national pastime but football is king..at least in the ticket industry. Get your sports and concert tickets at the lowest priced ticket agency on the internet, National Ticket Agency. Cheers – and I promise to write more often as I feel up to it..

The Celtics and The NBA’s Stretch Run To The Playoffs- Eastern Conference Outlook

Although the the Hornets beat the Celtics last night one cannot argue that this last roadtrip now over was a smashing success. The Celtics smashed the Rockets streak, beat San Antonio and also the Mavericks to complete a Texas trifecta, very difficult for any club to pull off. The Celtics play team basketball in a manner and style that conjures up the Celtics teams of old and makes the ghost of their legendary coach Red Auebach smile from above. It would be obvious to say that Kevin Garnett, a perennial All Star big time, big man is the main reason but the emergence of unheralded little Rajon Rondo is equally important for without a defensive minded point guard who has elevated his offensive production what good is the rest of this club? Danny Ainge is a shoe in for executive of the year, not only did the oft maligned in the past GM trade for a franchise center, he parlayed the nucleus of Pierce and Garnett to pursued slick Ray Allan, classy guy and another lights out perennial  All Star shooting guard to join the fold. Continuing to build the depth he added sharpshooter Eddie House, team player James Posey, heady steady veteran Sam Cassell, all supported by the young front court trio of Leon Powe, Kendrick Perkins, and Glen “Big Baby” Davis. This past week they added 15 year top flight defender, rebounder PJ Brown. Who did I leave out? Oh Tony Allen, not bad eh. This is the best ballclub front to back in the NBA in years. They still may not win it all. That’s never a lock. Guys like Kobe,  T Mac, LeBron, AI, and Nowitzki can break anyone down and pile up points. Missed free throws, a twisted ankle, a bad call down the stretch etc and hey you lose, so Celtic’s fans lets not hang number 17 prematurely but this year has been alot of fun for sure. And the playoffs should be and I gaurantee will be exciting. Folks the reemergence of the Celtics, the most storied franchise in the NBA, is great for basketball here and abroad. All  Boston is revelling in pro sports success this year and at the top of the hub sportswise with the Patriots, the Red Sox, Celtics and yes even the Bruins who are on the verge of making the NHL playoffs.

Ok well as long as I am rambling on high about the Celtics, let’s take a look at the NBA Eastern Conference as a whole. While the Celtics have already clinched the number 1 spot being  equally successful at home and on the road,  the Detriot Pistons are holding steady in the second slot some 5 games behind the C’s and 5 games ahead of number three Orlando. Detriot is led by Chauncey Billups and Richard Rip Hamilton both averaging almost 18 pts per contest. The starting five rounded out by  Wallace, McDyce and Prince are really good but a pretty average bench is what seperates them from the leagues elite this year. The Orlando Magic have also clinched a spot and feature a monster in the middle in Dwight Howard who is averaging 21 pts and 14 rebounds and is a younger version of Kevin Garnett. Hedu Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis are great scorers too at 19.9 and 18.3 and Jameer Nelson is a nice point guard but then things drop off alot and the bench is weak. When I say that, it’s not demeaning because this is a great club having a fine season but it’s relative to the other top tier clubs. And BTW they have great looking cheerleaders…The Cleveland Cavaliers are  solid at number 4,  6 games behind the Magic but a lock for this spot. When LeBron James was in high school he was a man among boys. In the NBA today he is the man among men. He does what he wants on offense with strength and grace, inside and out. He also defends, rebounds, runs the court and dishes off unselfishly. He is the modern day Oscar Robertson, but better. Sorry O, it’s true. He will ultimately be on the NBA All-Time team , maybe even a starter. Zydonis Ilgauskas pardon me if I spelt it wrong , it is getting very international isn’t it, is a gret player and at 13.6 and almost 10 rebounds he compliments James well. The rest of the Cavaliers though have shortcomings and while Gibson is a good shooter and West is ok but really they only going as far as King James goes.  The order of the next 3 teams is uncertain but it is certain that they will make the playoffs. Currently the Washington Wizards led by Antawn Camison and Caron Butler are  hanging on to the number 5 slot by a thread over the Raptors and the 76ers. If Gilbert Arenas comes back this week as anticipated and can pump in 20-25 pts as is his usual they could be a surprise team. The Toronto Raptors have a sweet player in the paint in Chris Bosh, and I know that Prker, Calderon, Tj Ford and Barganani are good ballplayers but I don’t see them getting past the first round. The Philadelphia 76ersare right there record wise and definitely in the mix but again they are not going to beat a really good team in a series. Andre Iguadala and Andre Miller are both scoring well 19.8 and 17.1 respectively after that it’s a bunch of who’s that guy which either means I am not following the fantasy stats which means knowing every single player or they just haven’t made names for themselves outside of say Philly. Which brings us to the number 8 and final slot which is the one that is anyones guess between Atlanta, New Jersey, Indiana, and Chicago. These teams are 8 to 13 games below .500 so I will spare you the details.

Generally speaking you can still get some sort of tickets for all the teams even the Celtics for the last few games. In the old days of the Garden they had obstructed view seats which I used to score and then just wander around standing along  the rails or sneaking into a vacant seat. The arenas of today are alot nicer, cleaner (no rats) and no obstructions so even nosebleeds are ok. If you want to sit in good loge or court-side seats though and you have the dough visit National Ticket Agencywhere you’ll find all the available after market seats. These are seats that brokers own or season ticket holders have sold to brokers including National. Reality is that between the seats, say two of them, parking , food,  it will set you back 3 or 400 bucks but you are guaranteed to have a ball as in basketball. The game is exciting , the athletes are phenomenal and you should make it a point to at least attend a game or two and root for your team as we get down to the nitty gritty. If your lucky enough to have seasons tickets you will get first dibs on the playoffs and what many ticket holders do is sell off half the games to pay for the rest. It makes sense. In any event use your head and don’t over drink and drive please. it’s tempting to get caught up in the excitement but honestly it’s so not worth it to ruin your life over another couple beers. Cheers!

Next post will be on the NBA Western Conference  playoff prospects. Also the NCAA march madness will be in full swing and I will report on that as well as the windup of spring training. So much to report, it’s all about sports. Yours truly, Joe Ticket.

The Beginning of My Year End

I guess I am a day late and a dollar short to do a year end wrapup but I can still do a year end review for 2007 in the concert and sports ticketing arena or theatre of operations to use some sad overworn cliche’. As usual your going to get a Bostonian view cause I yam what I yam. Of course this is a total pleasure as ballgames, sports, tickets, concerts and music are not just keywords to boost the  SEO of National Ticket Agency but they are in fact my passion. Likewise since I am still drunk haha with joy over the successes of my Boston sports teams (which continue into 2008) I deam it appropriate to begin this discourse by talking baseball. The Red Sox who broke the curse of the Bambino in 2004 and ended 86 years of anguish by their fanatical fandom and of having to take crap  from the New Yorkers day in and day out. Year after year they reveled in rubbing it in our faces, the effin  Yankees. Well by golly the Sox did it again and brought the championship trophy back to Beantown once more. And I don’t blame the Boston fans for bragging, boasting, and  gloating. 86 years is a long time , eh? It was pretty obvious that the Sox had the best team in the American League this past season with deep pitching bolstered by the additional of 2 Japanese studs one called Dice K with 5 good pitches and the other Okijama a brilliant lefty setup man  and another lights out year from the leagues gutsiest closer Jonathan Papalbon. The emergence of a budding phenom, a legitamate leadoff threat and fearless centerfielder in Jacoby Ellsbury coupled with the usual clutch hitting from David Ortiz and a career year from Mike Lowell balanced off a sub par season from Manny Ramirez. Terry “Tito” Francona did a great job of keeping the team ready to play and GM Theo ” Boy Wonder” Epstein showed why he is a top gun in command of the Sox ship. The guy flat out knows how to build a farm system that is now rewarding the big league team and setting up possible  big trades to keep this club on top year after year. Latest word is the Sox are going to get Johan Santana the leagues best lefty starter! Did I hear myself say dynasty..oh maybe I am mumbling something in reagrds to the Patriots..oh lord I am giddy. Speaking of the Patriots , they finished the regular season 16-0 , broke alot of league and individual offensive records and are poised to go after their 4th championship in 7 years. That my friends is as close to a dyansty in sports as you are going to get. Tom Brady is now considered one of the greatest quartebacks ever by everyone, even you,  and just the whole organization from top to bottom is chalk full of confidence and abilty clearly light years ahead of every other club. The trade of last years # 1 to SF which was the 24th pick for this years SF #1 which is the 7th pick is typical. They also got a 4th last year and that allowed them to trade and get Randy Moss who breaks the TD record of Jerry Rice. Hello!! Then they get Wes Welker, all he does is lead the league in catches…Just brilliant. Guys want to play for them, players take pay cuts and rearrainge contracts to stay with them, it’s remarkable. Now I am not saying that they cannot be beat , they actually should have lost a couple games but hey the great teams find a way to win. Everyone knows though that on any given Sunday..so we shall see. My money is on the Patriots though. Spygate , shmygate Coach Belichek is easily the greatest coach in the game and a sure Hall of Famer. And who has more Hall of Famers than the Boston Celtics, notice how I changed the subject to basketball and the league leading Celtics there. Yes it’s been 21 years since the 16th championship banner rose up to the rafters at “the Gaaden” and the drought and talent gap we expereinced was exceptionally painful for we were spoiled rotten hoop miesters feesting on fade away jumpers from stars gone by like Havlichek and Bird and now I dare say it’s all coming back. The Big Three of Allen, Pierce and KG are surrounded with the most talented supporting cast assembled in the NBA. Danny Ainge you may take a bow. Red must be proud. The team concept of moving the ball around unselfishly and playing great D has always been the Celtics trademark and now they have reclaimed it. My crystal ball sees 60 wins maybe 65 in a my goodness how could this be season that will take them through to the Eastern finals where the Pistons and the Celts will duke it out in a dog fight, apologies to PETA, for the right to play probably the Spurs for the title.

Ok tomorrow I talk a little hockey and some music as I see it’s fast approaching my bed time here on the east coast of Florida where it’s always summer time and the girls are so fine! 

NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE PART 3- The Pacific Division

I write this while watching an ESPN inspirational story of a young man named Gunner Esiason who just tossed a touchdown pass in a high school game. Not so remarkable except that he has cystic fybrosis. I am so impressed with  his desire to compete , to live as normally as possible and to succeed despite his severe handicap. It  is quite remarkable. You might recognize the last name, his dad was a famous quarterback in the NFL and is now a highly regarded commentator, ex Cincinnati Bengal Boomer Esiason. Unfortunately illness knows know social bounderies, spares no person rich or poor and is just plain heartbreaking as hell. One thing though that I see more often than not though is the will that these kids have to survive, to deal with it, to improve , to enjoy life and to make the best of things in spite of incredible odds that would destroy the will of most mortals. A kid like Gunner makes you appreciate your own life situation and your individual blessings no matter what your personal lot in life may be. Remember when your broke there is someone that is poorer, when your sick , there is someone dying, and when your sad there is someone who may be heart broken. As we approach the holiday season and our Thanksgiving feast and the Christmas and Hanucka lights shine bright on every city street,  reach deep into your heart as you look around at the world that turns and do the right thing.

 The economy is not good, in fact it’s probably a recession, money is tight, people are losing jobs and homes and charities that do so much good are strapped for cash. It’s so bad that many are folding and that means that people in need will suffer more. We need people like you and me and our neighbor next door to step it up and just plain give more, whether of means or just getting by on a shoestring whatever money you can spare is desperately needed by the charity of your choice.  As a kind and civil  society we have made great strides in finding cures and medicines that ease the pain and provide the ray of hope that keeps dreams alive and something like homelessness can happen to anyone. There are so many vital causes , you surely will find your own personal reasons in deciding where you will lend a helping hand. Just look into your heart. If you have never donated money or time to charity, now is the time.  

Here is a good one to start and for you to consider. www.esiason.org . Every post from now on in will link to a worthwhile charity for you to consider. Also my plans for 2008 are to develope my own online charity site . I have reserved the name www.give123.org. I plan on featuring over 100 underfunded charities that need your help. As well National Ticket Agency will be donating a portion from every sale of event tickets to my favorite charities.

 Ok now then let’s take a look at the the final division of the NBA in my series of reviews. The Pacific Division features alot of great ballplayers led by one Kobe Bryant who is generally regarded to be the most talented basketball player on the planet today and certainly one of the worlds greatest athletes right up there with Tiger, Arod, and anyone else you can think of. Is he a team player , a winner , a good teamate, a good guy well you have to decide that. Personally I think he is a fierce competitor who wants to win, is frustrated when the play around him doesn’t reach certain levels and I would take him on probably 28 of the leagues teams in a heartbeat. I only want him on my team though if he gives it up to charity and not just to satisfy his accountants rants but from the heart..in fact I wish all wealthy professional athletes and successful people of all walks would give more..but I regress. This is about about the National Basketball Association from here on in.

WESTERN CONFERENCE PACIFIC DIVISION

The Phoenix Suns are a powerhouse and could take the title this year. I say this because Steve Nash is still in his prime and he now has another weapon Grant Hill to dish to. Raja Bell, Shawn Marion , and Amare Stoudemire are all super stars making this an All Star team. So barring injuries they are arguably better than the Spurs. We shall see. > Get your Phoenix Suns tickets here.

The Golden State Warriors actaully beat a better Dallas team last post season pretty badly so that makes them pretty good , right. Baron Davis is dynamite and Monta Ellis and Stephen Jackson are nice players but I am afraid that should they eak into the playoffs this year they’ll probably get bounced. Still a good take and Baron can really shake and bake. > Get your Golden State Warrior tickets here.

The Los Angelos Clippers are no longer the “other” LA team. They are better than the Lakers and have been for a while now. Problem is that their star center/ forward Elton Brand is out till Febuary and point Sam Cassell may have lost a step. I doubt they can break .500 but that may be better than the “other” LA team. If the two were combined now that would be interesting. > Get your Los Angelos Clippers tickets here.

The Los Angelos Lakers are Kobe Bryant. As goes Kobe so goes the Lakers. He’s that good and he is certainly worth the money to see in person as he’s practically unstoppable. The problem here is that his motivation is questionable and the supporting cast is just average save for Derek Fisher who’s decent and the injured Lamar “Lefty” Odum. Bryant can sinlehandily win games but not enough of them to make a diference in the standings. > Get your Los Angelos Lakers tickets here.

The Sacramento Kings are still woefully shorthanded in too many areas and if they manage to stay above the lottery line that will be a moral victory. Mike Bibby their best player is out for 2 months and that puts the burden on the talented but shall we say troubled Ron Artest. Still though always remember it’s the NBA, the greatest show on earth so don’t be a  no show and go , show your support. > Get your your Sacremanto Kings tickets here.

Hey everyone, buckle up and use your blinkers! Get there in 1 piece. I remind you , National Ticket Agency is always your best place to buy tickets for all NBA and NHL games this winter. The NFL is in full swing, I will refrain from gloating over the Pat’s ( I think I did that already enough) and I remind you that the best tickets for the money , the best seats are from NTA. You know what I say NTA has you covered!

NBA SOUTHWEST DIVISION EARLY SEASON VIEW

Before I get into todays preview of the National Basketball Association’s pretty decent Southwest Division I want to comment on yesterdays Patriots – Colts showdown in the dome. It was watched by more fans than any other Sunday regular season game since 1987 and folks were not disapointed. I should have bet the under as both teams have terrific defensive squads sometimes overshadowed by explosive offenses but like in baseball where good pitching generally beats good hitting the same is true in the NFL. Great defense shuts down (or in this case slows down) great offenses. The Patriots proved that they are human and they can be beat, they almost were, but alas they were not and they continue on undefeated and in pursuit of Miami’s undefeated record from 1972. And yes I do remember that far back! Marvin Harrison didn’t play and that was a factor. The Brady to Moss express was just too poweful a force once again and isn’t Wes Welker a wonder returning kicks and finding the seams. When they meet again there will be more at stake and on the line with the winner certain to go to the Super Bowl. If you have the time, the dime, and the inclination to attend what will surely be a historic contest you may want to put your order in for playoff tickets now at National Ticket Agency. We also are already selling Super Bowl tickets so keep me in mind when it’s time. Also a note to all:  NTA is now offering “Gift Certificates” which are a perfect stocking stuffer and a great, if not the best , Christmas gift. The link from the site is not yet up, but if you email me or call I can fill you in on the details. Why guess at where he or she wants to sit and what game to buy, let the super fan in your life pick out their own seats. As always National Ticket Agency has you covered.

NBA SOUTHWEST DIVISION

The San Antonio Spurs are the Champs and they are back with virtually the same team led by future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan and the dynamic Tony Parker. Manu Ginobili is a terrific 6th man. These guys are a lock to win  60 games but look for Phoenix to knock them off and prevent a repeat. Just my honest assesment. > Get your San Antonio Spurs tickets here.

The Houston Rockets will surprise alot of folks this year and win a ton of games. Yao Ming is the real deal and real tall and demands serious attention as does scoring machine Tracy McGrady. T Mac is hungry and can fill it up fast and if Shane Battier has a big year this team is dangerous. > Get your Houston Rockets tickets here.

The Dallas Mavericks won a staggering 67 games last season but choked out in the first round. Sorry Marco Cuban, it’s true. And while Dirk Nowitski is like Lary Bird lite and Jason Terry can light it up, they just don’t match up in the middle favorably enough to make a title run but brother they sure are fun! > Get your Dallas Mavericks tickets here.

The New Orlean Hornets can put a sting on you if you are not careful. Chris Paul has All Star numbers at point guard and shooting guard Morris Peterson is a player but they need more help and depth to be serious about making the playoffs. Never the less this club is exciting and the good folks from the Big Easy need to show some love or these guys might be walking to a new city soon. > Get your New Orleans Hornets tickets here.

The Memphis Grizzlies have some issues, mainly scoring and rebounding so you know where this is going. Paul Gasol is talented and look for Darco Milicic to improve and Mike Conley and Mike Miller will be good ballplayers but it’s another lottery season for the Grizzly Bears. Fans should still flock as the NBA is the greatest show on earth and every great superstar will grace their court. > Get your Memphis Grizzlies tickets here. 

Ok the season has started and the Celtics do look for real at a quick 2-0. Garnett is a beast in the paint and Allen and Pierce are patrolling the perimeter and hoisting treys like the sharpshooters they are. The Garden is rockin once again and green is in, most of the good games are selling completely out so be sure to get your tickets now. Boston Celtics tickets available here.

The Pacific is the last NBA Division to be covered but it’s a very balanced and competitive division check back in a day ot two for my take. Till then. JT

NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE 2007 PREVIEW

Big NBA question of the week. Will Kobe be traded? I think so, but the Chicago Bulls for one would be foolish to trade away their depth in order to aquire the prolific scoring machine. It’s a fact that teams not individuals win in the NBA. If they could make the deal and retain their core players to compliment him maybe it makes sense in that Kobe must be hungry for another ring and some vindication of the jerk label and in Jordans house he could seal his legacy as one of the greatest of all time. His point totals will certainly be there and we have the highlight films to prove how truly explosive he is going to the basket. Better than Jordan , well ahh that remains to be seen..Look in any case when Kobe comes to your town you can bet that good tickets will in extremely short supply. For hard to find tickets you know that National Ticket Agency ranks very high, like front page Google ,so get off your touchas and give me a call at 877-222-3940 or simply purchase online 247 all the time.

NORTHWEST CONFERENCE

The Denver Nuggets led by Allan Iverson with side kick and fellow superstar Carmello Anthony should take this division and win about 50 games. I always have liked Marcus Camby’s shot blocking and K Mart and Nene fill it out nicely. As in every club rundown,  injuries to a key player can ruin the season but hey these guys are just plain fun to watch no matter what  and when they come to my town I’m there, cause “practice, this ain’t practice”.. > Denver Nuggets tickets for sale here.

The Utah Jazz have it made. I mean what else could there possibly be to do in the winter in Utah but see the Jazz and shovel some snow. This is a damn good team with Okur and Boozer up front Deron Williams and Ronnie Brewer in the backcourt. If Andrei Kirilenko plays team ball they’ll challenge, if he guns they’ll fall. > Utah Jazz tickets for sale here.

The Seattle Supersonics are led by 2 rookies, silky smooth phenom Kevin Durant and Jumpin Jeff Green so what’s that tell you..that they may surprise and win some games but that it won’t be nearly enough and third place for this year is probably to be considered good. > Seattle Supersonics tickets for sale here.

The Portland Trailblazers have seen better days. The big story is that Greg Oden the manchild franchise lottery coup is out for the year. They have a couple of good guards in  starters Jarret Jack and Martell Webster and I think Josh McRoberts is going to be solid someday but umm that ain’t nearly enough and they’ll have another good draft pick next year too. . > Portland Trailblazers tickets for sale here.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are in a rebuilding mode. They just inked big Al Jefferson to a long term deal and they have Cory Brewer to defend, Gerald Green to sky and lots of other green talent. I say that toungue in cheek as they dealt their franchise KG,to the Celtics. McCants, Gomes , Foye are ok. Antoine Walker is the daddy here..lotta fun but a struggle for W’s. > Minnesota Timberwolves tickets for sale here.

NBA Southwest and Pacific divisions conclude this preview in a day or two. Till then start sharpenning your skates , waxing your ski’s, and piling up the wood, and don’t forget to turn back your clocks..winter’s a comin. I’m so glad I’m in South Florida but y’all invited down whenever you can’t take it any more. But seriously if you want to feel the heat grab some good seats, as the NBA can’t be beat. Remember National Ticket Agency has you covered. JT

It’s tip off time in the NBA today

Ok,  I have recovered from the Sox parade! Hail to Big Papi, Paps, Manny, Mike, Yuke, Coco, Julio, JD, Tek, Dustin, Jacoby, Schill, Dice K, Manny D, Tims, Tito, Okie, Wake, Becks and all the rest…What a season it was in Major League Baseball and the Red Sox took the crown!

Now it’s time to snuggle up to the fire and turn on the plasma tv cause baby it’s cold outside! But it’s hot on the hard court as super heroes bounce, twirl and dunk, rebound and defend. It’s time for the National Basketball Association to display the worlds tallest greatest athletes in shorts. The season starts tonight. Last week I scouted out the NBA Eastern Conference Atlantic and Central Division. Tonight we look at the competitive Southeast Division. The league sure is balanced this year as it seems like just about everyone has improved so that translates into a higher level of play. I mean if everyone is better doesn’t someone have to be worse? These guys just seem to get bigger, better, faster, and  more skilled all the time. Is the court too small? Should I stop asking stupid questions and tell you how its going to shake out?

EASTERN CONFERENCE SOUTHEAST DIVISION

The Miami Heat go as far as Shaq and Dwayne Wade stay healthy and take them. Shaq is still a monster force when he is feeling strong. You have to double team him and Wade is lethal taking it to the hoop. Jason Williams and Ricky davis are fine players but the depth on this club is suspect and they will be in a dog fight with Orlando and Washington for top honors. > Get your Miami Heat tickets here.

The Washington Wizards feature perhaps the most unconcious scorer in the game in Gilbert Arenas, he’s better than Bernard King well maybe and Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison are excellent too but they are weak in the post and need to rely almost totaly on a perimeter game but hey it works so they win over 40 and maybe take the Division if Shaq breaks down. >  Get your Washington Wizards tickets here.

The Orlando Magic have a man in the middle in Dwight Howard like a younger Garnet, he’s hitting jumpers now too. Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson compliment him well and who knows if the bench comes through they could make a move and conted. Howard is worth the ticket alone. > Get your Orlando Magic tickets here.

The Atlanta Hawks aren’t a good team. I can say that, but then when will they be? Well soon perhaps as Al Horford could be a rookie of the year candite and Joe Johnson can light it up. With a year to season and another top pick and a free agent or so they might be up with the rest of the pack. >  Get your Atlanta Hawks tickets here.

The Charlotte Bobcats had a bad break with both Adam Morrison and Sean May having season ending knee surgery befor the seson even started. Bummer. They can still give you a run with Emeka Okafor in the paint and Jason Richardson firing away but it looks like a lottery pick awaits for the Bobcats this year meaning it’s wait till next year if your a fan. > Get your Charlotte Bobcats tickets here.

Tomorrow we start on the NBA Western Conference. Remember to get your tickets now from National Ticket Agency for the hot games on your clubs schedule. Don’t miss out when superstars like Kobe Bryant, Allan Iverson, LeBron James, Tracy McGrady, Dwayne Wade, Dwight Howard, Paul Pierce, Zach Randolph,  etc perform their high flying feats.

Beantown Rundown

WARNING! Do not read if you are anti Boston (or from NY. ) By now most of you know that I grew up in the burbs, South Shore, and have a bias for Beantown and even though this blog is national in scope as the official blog of National Ticket Agency, I’m going to allow myself to bask in the glory of our time for no one knows what tomorrow may bring, right now I feel like a king.

I must admit that I have been so caught up in the Beantown mania that it’s effecting my work , my marriage , my lawn etc. It’s the greatest of times for all who hail from New England. The Sox, Pats, Celts , Bruins and BC Eagles are all riding high at once. I have incredible satsfaction in the Boston College Eagles success, being currently solidly entrenched (well at least till next saturday, lol) in the number 2 slot in all the national rankings for NCAA Division 1A football. They have always been good and do indeed  produce great offensive lineman like Penn State produces linebackers but now they are great. We all remember the magic of Flutie and it looks more and more especially after Thursday’s  come from behind win at VT that Matt Ryan has an inside shot now at the Heisman trophy and that if the Eagles run the ACC table they could be in line for a National Championship. WOW! My next source of elation is the Boston Red Sox, who after drubbing the Colorado Rockies last night in Colorado are but one game away from sweeping their way to a  second World Championship in 4 years. As a longtime sufferer, someone who took the green line to Kenmore on those days of twi-night doubleheaders to be able to sit behind the Sox dugout for 5 or 6 innings, hoping to get a glance from Hawk Harrelson or Yaz or Rico,  I am so proud to be a member of Red Sox Nation. See baseball is special to New England kids who stare out the window at the snow and dreamed of the green grass of early spring and first days we could play catch without a heavy jacket on. Praise and glory to Theo Epstein the boy wonder from Brookline who learned his math well and knows that to work a count deep gives you the chance to see a good fat pitch to hit and also runs up the pitch count getting you into the opponents bullpen earlier in the game. Theo couldn’t hit a lick but he knows his sh_ t and he  took the heat when Pedroia didn’t hit and Lugo didn’t hit and Drew looked like a bust and Manny a clown and Lowell past his prime. He rolled the dice with Matsuzaka effectionatly know as Dice K and stay chill with Schill who pitches now on guts alone , had faith in Lester who battled cancer, and Ellsbury who injected speed. And my thanks to Coco for being cool, Big Papi for raking the yaaad with creaky knees and to Varitek the captain who steers the ship. Lest we forget the Okie from Muskogee , Japan Okijima who was practically perfect and to Papilbon for putting out the lights and putting the opposition to sleep. This isn’t quite the impossible dream but this is truly a great team. Ok so get out the brooms it looks like a sweep and if not then it will be a street paarty when they wrap it up in Kenmore square.

Let’s give some credit here to the Boston Bruins whom I have lambasted with regularity for many years I mean how to you bring a kid ( Joe Thornton) up at 17, wait for him to mature into an AllStar center and then just trade him and about 10 other screwups but heck Tim Thomas has been lights out in the net and Phil Kessel is a snifty as it gets. Keep up the good job boy’s and maybe someday another flag will fly from the rafters. i should live to see the day!

Not to forget the New England Patriots, I mean how could we that’s all anyone anywhere is talking about. Today the try and mow down the Washington Redskins. The Pats have firepower the Redskins have toy bow and arrows Patriots 28- Skins 10, they beat the spread yet again.

Finally we get to the Celtics, the new and improved Boston Celtics that is with the big 3,  of Allen, Pierce and KG. Garnet is showing why he is a perenial all star of the finest magnitude, he’s a monster on the boards and a natural shot blocker and possibly the finest passing big man in the game with 20 foot jumper range. Last week I said they would win 60 and I was scoffed at but I stick to that as I see now that Glen Davis aka Big Baby is a valuable board banging inside scorer and Posey looks goods and Rondo is kicking it around. This team has depth and plays team ball like the Celtics we all remember. The season starts this week and I need to give you the rest of the league briefs but thats on hold till tomorrow as I must run to ABC’s and grab a bottle of champaign glee to pop the top on that baby when Paps sets them down tonight 1, 2, 3.

Don’t forget to support your favorite ticket supplier Joe Ticket the man behind the goalie mask at National Ticket Agency who promises you personal service and vows to get you the best seats at the best price. Let me do all the dirty work of sorting the seats and compairing the prices as I am an All Pro at this. (Or is that Old Pro.) Call me at 877-222-3940 and I’ll hook you up with good seats and hot tickets to every concert and sporting event in the country. And folks if your not from New England, don’t sweat it, your day will come too – I don’t know when but heck we’re all friends and we all love live music and watching sporting events in person because that’s the best! Remember , National Ticket Agency has you covered!

NBA PRE SEASON BRIEF Part One

I am going to change my blog approach and be a little less clinical and critical and a bit more congenial in style and try and write off the cuff so that I can post more frequently with more relevant comments. Hopefully my posts will be worthy of your time and you will enjoy my insight. Don’t forget to grab good seats at NTA as the NBA is definately a treat.  For the NBA I basically want to give you a couple of divisions at a time and try not to diss anyone because every team has at least one or two good ballplayers that are worth the money to watch. After all the NBA is now an international affair with a boatload of talent coming over from abroad. Some of the names are as tough to pronounce as in the NHL,  but ball is ball and if you can play,  you stay,  on the court that is. That’s the same everywhere from NYC to Indiana to Buenas Aries.

NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE

Theres 14 teams in the conference and here is the order in which they will finish the regular season in terms of wins and losses Today we look at the Atlantic Division and the Central Division.

No home town bias for me, chuckle e  chuckle but the Boston Celtics are back and in a big way like finally we have a big man in KG. Danny Ainge pulled of a steal acquiring All Star Kevin Garnett in a back room deal with old Celtics pal Kevin McHale. In a “good for basketball” deal the C’s have a big three in Garnett, Pierce and Allen. Are they as good as the old Celtics big three of Bird, Parrish and McHale , no way,  but they are diferent. Allen is a pure shooter, a down town Fred Brown, Pierce is a an attacking the hoop forward with alot of skills but he’s no Bird and while Garnett is better than Parrish the overall combined rebounding and close to the hoop play of the old three ranks them as better in my book. But don’t knock it with any kind of supporting cast the new Celtics will make the ghost of Red Aubach and Johhny Most happy as they cruise to a 60 win season and top place in the competitive East by a hair.

The Toronto Raptors took the east last year basically because Chris Bosh has blossomed into an All Star on both ends of the court. They will go as far as he takes them. TJ Ford at point is good too. They’ll compete with the Nets who bounced them out of the playoffs last year for runnerup to the Celtics.

The New Jersey Nets are led by superstar point guard Jason Kidd who basically flies up and down the court playing great defense, passing with a flair and finishing strong to the hoop. Vince Carter is a scoring machine and Richard Jefferson is solid up front. I think their best days are behind them though and if anyone of those three is hurt for a time they drop like a rock but then you can say that about any team that looses a star.

It’s the same old story with the New York Knicks every year. They’ve got plenty of talent, but if they don’t learn to play together and play defense, they’ll continue to fall short of the playoffs. And please why is Isiah Thomas still there! This summer, they added Zach Randolph a 20 point scorer and effective board man giving the Knicks a low-post one two punch with Eddie Curry that will get them ahead of Philly but that’s it.

The Philadelphia 76ers traded away the franchise when they dealt Alan Iverson to Denver last year and are in a rebuilding mode. Andre Iguodala has emerged as a really relaible player and Andre Miller is a point guard that any team would want but there ain’t enough horses pulling this cart and the Sixers come  in at the back of the pack.

Central Division

The Chicago Bulls have a deep and talented team led by Ben Gordon and Ben Wallace. They drafted Joakim Noah and signed Joe Smith. Look for them to go deep in the playoffs and give the Celtics a run for the money on most wins. It’ll be fun to watch these guys play team ball this year.

The Detriot Piston’s are loaded up again and led by perhaps the leagues best point guard in Chauncey Billups who is complimented by sharp shooter Rip Hamilton and big dawg Rasheed Wallace. Look for them and the Bulls to duke it out for division honors and top team in the conference.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are led by King James aka LeBron. They go as far as he takes them. He’s a one man show and is seamingly as unstoppable as say Kobe but plays better D and can rebound and run an offense. Reminds me of Oscar Robertson. And if you don’t know who that is google it! The had a decent run to a title shot last year and again will be competitive but they are just not as well rounded as the other top teams, but if LeBron is on fire ….

If only Larry Bird could come down and suit up the Indiana Pacers  would have a shot but alas they will have to depend on Jermaine O’Neil and 4 other guys who while being good enough are just not that good enough. They are still better I believe than the Bucks but not playoff material in this tough division.

The Milwaukee Bucks have a nice backcourt tandem with Mo Williams and sharp shooter Michael Redd and a couple nice players up front and a huge as in tall Chinese draft pick in Yi Jianlian but they need more to get out of pits. They just might be better than the Pacers but not yet into the payoffs. This division is a  pretty tough nut to crack.

 Ok then tomorrow we have the South East Division and we’ll start in on the Western Conference. Till then hat’s off to the  Boston Red Sox for coming back from a 3-1 deficit to outslug the Cleveland Indians last night. World Series tickets in Boston are going to be very expensive and hard to get however at National Ticket Agency we have you covered. Check out Sox World Series tickets here. I suspect that The Rockies tickets will be a bit easier to get but then if you don’t live in Denver you have to fly there etc. It should be fun, starts Wed night at Fenway. I hope they are not throwing snowballs! Do you think that the season is just a tad too long by maybe 2 or 3 weeks?