Quick Wrap-Up: LeBron James Wins First Title, NY Mets Are The Talk Of The Town And Jerry Sandusky Goes To Jail For Life

Photo Credit: Keith Allison

This past week, a lot has been going on in the world of sports. In case you had missed some of the biggest stories, here are three topics that have surfaced above most and have gotten tons of media coverage.

LeBron James And Heat Win NBA Championship

A 2012 NBA Finals, in which many fans perceived the Oklahoma City Thunder to be the better team, proved to be nothing more than an educated guess. The Miami Heat led by their “Big Three”; in particular LeBron James finally proved doubters wrong by not only beating OKC, but also dominating the series 4-1.

LeBron James played like a true champion throughout this year’s playoffs, most especially in the NBA Finals posting 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists. It wasn’t just the statistics that earned “King James” the Finals MVP award; it was also due to the intangibles.

During Game 5, the Miami Heat had blown the game wide open against the Thunder. Miami was on its way to winning their second title in franchise’s history. With still a few minutes left in the game, Heat guard, Mario Chalmers was already partying with the fans on the court. LeBron James quickly ended the young man’s celebration.

“Not yet, not yet… play ball,” James said.

It was LeBron James’ leadership and determination that elevated his stature from being an All-Star player to a future NBA Hall of Famer and legend.

When asked about the tribulations endured during the road to winning his first-ever NBA title, LeBron James sighed and immediately replied:

“It’s about damn time!”

The New York Mets Are Turning Heads

Photo Credit: New York Mets/Twitter

Currently, the NY Mets are facing their cross-town rivals, the New York Yankees in this weekend’s Subway Series. The Bronx Bombers were able to sweep the Mets the first time the two teams met this year, but the Mets look to bounce back in the second round of the series. The New York Mets have already taken the first game of the series by winning 6-4 and look to return the favor to the New York Yankees.

Mets coach, Terry Collins has done a fantastic job with the team. Led by a great pitching rotation, primarily driven by knuckleball pitcher R.A. Dickey, the Mets currently find themselves with a record of 39-32, only 2.5 games back from first place in the National League East.

The Mets have also been able to establish a good record through their offense. Third baseman, David Wright is having a strong year batting nearly .400, but the team has really benefited from players, such as Lucas Duda [leads team in HRs and RBIs] and the resurgence of first baseman, Ike Davis. The Mets offense, unlike the past few seasons, has managed to carry a “never give up” attitude, scoring many runs with two outs to either take the lead or close the game. A formula guaranteed for success throughout the entire year.

With all that said, most of the Mets’ success should be attributed to the team’s pitching rotation. R.A. Dickey, in his last two starts, has thrown two back-to-back one-hitters. The knuckleballer surely has caught the attention of many people in the Major Leagues posting an 11-1 record, in addition to being the first pitcher to win ten victories this year.

Let’s not forget pitcher, Johan Santana, who threw the Mets’ first ever no-hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Given that the team’s rotation stands strong, the Mets’ could surprise many teams and could finally be on their way to a playoff appearance, a goal that the franchise has not been able to accomplish since 2006.

Penn State Jerry Sandusky Will Spend Life In Prison

Photo Credit: Jose3030/Twitter

Finally, the Penn State sex scandal is put to rest. The ex- defensive coach of the Nifty Lions has been found guilty on 45 out of 48 counts of sexual abuse. The person that ultimately brought down the reigns of legendary coach, Joe Paterno will be going to jail for a long time, at least as long as Jerry Sandusky is alive.

Sandusky’s charge carries a minimum 60-year sentence with 442 years at maximum.

The chances of Jerry Sandusky being acquitted of all charges were very little, close to none. In the past week, Sandusky’s lawyer [Joe Amendola] even stated that he would be shocked and “die of a heart attack” if Sandusky was somehow absolved from all the charges.

A painful, yet comforting sigh of relief was released by many of the victims and their families once the verdict had been given. Now would be a great time to begin the healing process for many of the wounded individuals involved.

Just how guilty was Jerry Sandusky? Courtesy of ESPN, see below the verdict’s breakdown and unanimous decision.

• Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse – Guilty on 8 of 9 counts

• Indecent assault – Guilty on 7 of 9 counts

• Criminal intent to commit indecent assault – Guilty on 1 of 1 count

• Unlawful contact with minors – Guilty on 9 of 9 counts

• Corruption of minors – Guilty on 10 on 10 counts

• Endangering welfare of children – Guilty on 10 of 10 counts

Sources: NBA, Mets, ESPN