In Alonso we trust

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Once again Alonso wasn’t able to win the F1 World Championship. Sebastian Vettel, for third time in a row, was capable to resist Ferrari’s attack under the rain of Sao Paulo. Alonso’s magnificent race wasn’t enough, as he needed to win it, but Button did.

Alonso prayed for rain, crashes, Safety Cars and any thing that could help him. The rain appeared, also did the Safety Car, and Vettel had a clash on the first curve, when he was hit by Bruno Senna. However, the car wasn’t damaged enough and Vettel could continue the race from the back of the race. He got the sixth position and won the championship.

2012 season is the best one I remember. Alonso driving better than ever, Button and Hamilton doing irregular but brilliant performances and big equality during the whole year, wit Maldonado and Pérez achieving podium positions for William’s and Sauber had made the just-finished season very exciting and interesting. Also Renault completed a great season, with Raikkonen coming back after three years, winning a race and getting the third overall position, ahead of both McLaren cars.

The highlight of the season has been the fight between Alonso’s driving skills and Adrian Newey’s talent and scientific abilities to develop Red Bull’s car. Human vs technology. It’s fair to say that F2012 wasn’t so bad and Vettel one of the best drivers, but in every race there was a wide gap between both cars that only Alonso’s ability and talent could equalize the fight. And in fact he did, reaching to the last race only 13 points beyond Vettel, what is unbelievable comparing both cars. He did really impressive performances in Valencia, Malaysia or Hockenheim during the year.

Finally Red Bull won the trophy, but Alonso has demonstrated that he is the best pilot and that surely sooner than later he will get his third championship. Next year, the technical regulations won’t change at all, so Ferrari’s objective is now to develop F2012 and try to get closer to Red Bull. If the achieve that, Alonso will do the rest.

NBA, more than just basketball

The NBA season has started. The worlds biggest sport show began yesterday with the first games and until April thousand of games will be played for one magnificent goal: the ring.

Boston Celtics, Oklahoma Thunders, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers are the favourites to win the NBA, but other teams like Minnesota Timberwolves or Brooklyn Nets has signed up talented players to face the main teams and will also have chances to reach the finals.

The star-system rules opposite the Eurpean basketball, where the payers play for the team more than for their own. In USA teams play for the star-player and if that player is successful, the whole team gets success. In the comparison with the European’s, many basket fans should claim that in the NBA defence intensity is much lower. The team which should play fewer games will play 82, in less than half a year and many times 4 games a week. Fast-food basketball is not fond to everyone but, anyway, we should admit that the show is attractive enough.

Jeremy Lin and his own american dreams was last years most emotive story

NBA is much more than just sport. It’s the mirror of the American society. Attending to a match is an example of the American way of life. Cheerleaders, kiss-cams, hot dogs and any type of fast food, music and that entire show business staff are added to the sportive competition to create a way of entertainment that for many years has been successful in USA and thanks to the TV is been spread all over the world.

The main success of the American league, in my humble opinion, is that you can hardly imagine who would be the winner at the end of the season, even which teams will reach the conference finals.

The salary cap and the equitable distribution of the TV rights allow any team to make a competitive roster and, signing up well, have the chance for fighting for the ring. David Stern, the commissioner, has worked for this idea of a strong league better than strong teams, unlike the European basket or football, where only the wealthy teams, so few, are able to fight for the big competitions.

NBA is much more than basketball and we should enjoy it as it is. The show has just started and will go on until mid-may. So be aware for the highlights with Ibaka’s monster blocks, James and Durant’s incredible shots, Lin and Harden’s leadership to make Houston a play-off team or Brandon Roy’s, Ricky Rubio’s and Derrick Rose’s recoveries after their injuries and their strong battle to win back their place as NBA stars.

For not missing the games add this link to your “favourites and if you live in Europe, remember one thing: Sleeping is for cowards.