Speaking of crazy – okay, I won’t even go there – individuals, Ron Artest is gonna be traded somewhere .Might be New York. They don’t deserve him, unless he plans on fighting the entire crowd there (which may be the best thing that ever happens in sports. Really, I would pay 1000 dollars to see this. Just as long as he doesn’t touch Woody or Spike, they’re hardcore fans and natives. If he goes for all the fake business people there, I think I’ll like him a lot more, really.) They shouldn’t be able to trade for him, but they can because they’re New York and they have stuff handed to them sometimes. And that leads me to my weekly Knicks rant.
[ By the way, I don’t know if playing for Larry Brown will help him. Larry is pretty demanding and routinely breaks down sane people. Larry can live with AI because AI plays hard. AI is not crazy. Ron Artest might legitimately be crazy. He’s not even being brash about this, which is surprising. This is actually the most self-deprecating trade demand I ever heard. Maybe he’s just trying too hard to get sympathy, but I almost feel bad for the guy. He needs some uppers or something. I wouldn’t know what to do with him. ]
So...... 122 points to the Hawks? The Hawks have just one less win than the Knicks now... and they still suck horribly. Good job.By the way, the Ron Artest rumors should only stand to be an example of why Isiah sucks so much. Why? Many great players have expressed an interest in playing for the Knicks. A lot of them are native New Yorkers or just like the bright lights. Artest is just the latest in a long line of people who tossed the idea around. And yet... this is the roster that he came up with???? Pretty shabby. Look at the people he brought in - nowhere near the people who were rumored to go there. It's what I hate about the Knicks- no matter how much they suck, they're always close to being good again (much like the Yankees) because they have the glitz and the appeal (not to mention money, going well over the cap when they can). And you KNOW that David Stern wants desperately for them to be relevant again. So Isiah has all that going for him, and he still screws it up!!! Seriosuly, what else does the guy need? Another frozen envelope? Is that Greg Oden guy going to NY once he gets eligible? You want to see a real G.M., look at Geoff Petrie, who made a winner in Sacramento of all places, or the late great Frank Layden, who got good people to come to friggin' Utah (no offense Brock). Surely the Knicks thought they had the heir to those smarts in Isiah's predecessor, Scott Layden, but he makes Isiah look competent by comparison. Someday soon, Stern is going to have Isiah secretly killed and replaced by an android that computes stats at a million times per second. Of course, a narrow-minded love of numbers is probably what made them get all these guys (that don't play well together but have good offensive stats anyway) in the first place. Alas.
I don't know if Channing Frye is worth it, but I do know this: whichever way Isiah goes, he'll screw it up.
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Thursday, December 15, 2005
RETRO: farwell, coach leo
For those of you who didn’t know already, I am at home in the good ol’ burbs of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I was going to have a special end of the school year blog where I talked about the film and all the crazy shite that has been going on in the past few weeks. I still will during all my free time over break. But I had to rush home a little early because my grandfather, Albert “Bert” Leo, died on Sunday. He was 88. I crammed in my last two scripts and headed off on Wednesday.
Last night we had a viewing in the old gym where he used to coach youth league basketball. For many years, this was his hobby. He even reffed a few games here and there in the Mid-Penn Conference (the areas around Harrisburg). Today, we had a funeral at the church he went to for 50 some years and coached. We chose the gym because a few years ago, they renamed the court after him for all his service. The Bert Leo court services youth league (CYO, ages ?-12) at St. Teresa’s parish outside Harrisburg, PA. It was he who first introduced me to all things sporting, and also my brother, who in turn helped influence me. He was the one who took me up to Penn State’s colossal Beaver Stadium to see the Nittany Lions play back before I really knew what football was. His love was passed on to me and my brother. He didn’t favor many pro teams besides the Yankees (don’t ask me why, he never lived in New York) but his dedication
on the college and school level was unmatched. We buried him in his Penn State tie, and wanted to play the fight song as he left the church (that was shot down. Wait till they see my will.)
So all the stuff I’ve written about Penn State and the NBA came from him. A lot of it was initially watching my older brother, but of course he got everything from Bert. I always felt bad, even though he loved and supported me generously, that I couldn’t be the pro athlete he dreamed off having in the family. And it was basketball, the game he knew so well, that I loved the most and wanted to do so well in. Football was a fallback because they didn’t have cuts. My brother at least played one year of varsity ball. I couldn’t even get close. Fat people tend to have a hard time at this sport, if you didn’t notice. Especially if they’re not unbelievably tall or coordinated. He never put any pressure on me to do well, and he came to watch me play three meaningless minutes at the end of a football game we were winning by 40 points and cheered me on, which I really loved. My parents also never put any pressure on me, choosing academics, which was a good choice because I was a billion times better at that (not that I claim to be any genius, I just suck that much by comparison at all things that require movement). But anyway, that’s where my passion comes from.
I could still take him in the Name Which College This NBA Player Went To game, nailing such hard choices as Chris Childs (Boise State) and Mario Elie (American International). We had those lazy days, after Christmas dinner on the porch, watching NBC’s forced rivalry pairings. And that will be my fondest memory of him. Many of his former players came to see him today, still thinking of practices when they were only 12 years old and he made them hit the court like Red Auerbach (complete with stogie). They all loved and respected him. We all did.
He was always generous with kids, and he gave us plenty of time and affection. Though I knew his time was nigh, I’m not going to get over this for a while. I said many a tribute and praise to him today, and I’ll continue to do so forever. He was a great man. That’s all I can say. I will miss him dearly, especially January 3rd.
Last night we had a viewing in the old gym where he used to coach youth league basketball. For many years, this was his hobby. He even reffed a few games here and there in the Mid-Penn Conference (the areas around Harrisburg). Today, we had a funeral at the church he went to for 50 some years and coached. We chose the gym because a few years ago, they renamed the court after him for all his service. The Bert Leo court services youth league (CYO, ages ?-12) at St. Teresa’s parish outside Harrisburg, PA. It was he who first introduced me to all things sporting, and also my brother, who in turn helped influence me. He was the one who took me up to Penn State’s colossal Beaver Stadium to see the Nittany Lions play back before I really knew what football was. His love was passed on to me and my brother. He didn’t favor many pro teams besides the Yankees (don’t ask me why, he never lived in New York) but his dedication
on the college and school level was unmatched. We buried him in his Penn State tie, and wanted to play the fight song as he left the church (that was shot down. Wait till they see my will.)
So all the stuff I’ve written about Penn State and the NBA came from him. A lot of it was initially watching my older brother, but of course he got everything from Bert. I always felt bad, even though he loved and supported me generously, that I couldn’t be the pro athlete he dreamed off having in the family. And it was basketball, the game he knew so well, that I loved the most and wanted to do so well in. Football was a fallback because they didn’t have cuts. My brother at least played one year of varsity ball. I couldn’t even get close. Fat people tend to have a hard time at this sport, if you didn’t notice. Especially if they’re not unbelievably tall or coordinated. He never put any pressure on me to do well, and he came to watch me play three meaningless minutes at the end of a football game we were winning by 40 points and cheered me on, which I really loved. My parents also never put any pressure on me, choosing academics, which was a good choice because I was a billion times better at that (not that I claim to be any genius, I just suck that much by comparison at all things that require movement). But anyway, that’s where my passion comes from.
I could still take him in the Name Which College This NBA Player Went To game, nailing such hard choices as Chris Childs (Boise State) and Mario Elie (American International). We had those lazy days, after Christmas dinner on the porch, watching NBC’s forced rivalry pairings. And that will be my fondest memory of him. Many of his former players came to see him today, still thinking of practices when they were only 12 years old and he made them hit the court like Red Auerbach (complete with stogie). They all loved and respected him. We all did.
He was always generous with kids, and he gave us plenty of time and affection. Though I knew his time was nigh, I’m not going to get over this for a while. I said many a tribute and praise to him today, and I’ll continue to do so forever. He was a great man. That’s all I can say. I will miss him dearly, especially January 3rd.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
RETRO: seriously, the knicks suck
Dear certain Knicks fans,
There's a big difference between having talent and winning games with it. Marbury, Crawford, and Curry might be good individual players, but add them up and they don't go anywhere. PLEASE --- DO NOT compare Crawford to Richard Hamilton - Hamilton fights through screens fitting into their offense and gets a fairly high percentage for a guard, and plays killer D. Crawford jacks it up out of the context of the offense and plays no D. While he has a good shot and obvious ability, he's not that kind of player. Same with Marbury- it's not a matter of him putting up good numbers. He's always done that. You might think that a guy who puts up 8 assists a game must be a good point guard.... but what's his Ast/TO ratio? How many bad shots does he take early? This stuff is harder to look at, but it matters more. He and Crawford would make a great back court... for a pickup game. That's not good enough in the big time.
Curry has some offense, but does not rebound or play D. And don't tell me Larry is going to teach him - Scott Skiles had everyone else on that Bulls team last year playing great D. If he couldn’t do it there, why here? Curry only survived last year because he had Tyson Chandler next to him to take care of that, while he focused only on offense. Chandler blocked a lot of shots and pulled down 10 boards. Do the Knicks have anyone who can do that? Maybe if they use Channing Frye more, they can get away with it. Good thing they signed Jermome James after he didn't even have a good contract season, just a few games against a team without a center. He's going to be very valuable as a backup to them, and was clearly a great signing in just another line of great signings by Isiah (ok sarcasm doesn't come off nearly as well typed).
I actually like Curry- he's one of the few young big guys with some offense. Hard to find guys with true post play anymore. But he's not going to turn it on if he hasn't already. He's in his 4th year? And he's at least 23. Shaq might have had 2-3 years of college ball, but remember that he was only 20 when he came in. Still got like 23 and 10 his rookie year. And don't tell me it was 'cause he came straight from high school--- Dwight Howard pulled in 10 boards last year, and Garnett had like 18 and 10 his second year, back when high school entries were rare. I think he's going to be like Zydrunas Illgauskas or Rik Smits--- guys who can score and might make a few all-star teams, but won't get nearly as many boards or blocks as they should for their size. With the lack of good true centers today, that makes him valuable. But not a franchise player.
It all comes down to defenders, and they don’t have it yet. Larry needs to make major changes. All five of those starters on the Pistons can D it up, and when the Sixers had their best team, it was 4 guys who were D first around Iverson. The Knicks don’t have anyone like that, except maybe Antonio Davis, who's old. And it's not like people are really interested in their players, despite what you hear about trade rumors. The Bulls let Curry and Crawford go easily for a reason, and the Knicks were the only teams to take a chance on them. The Bulls did much better by going with scrappy defenders like Duhon and Nocioni. Who wants to take on a huge contract for a guy that disrupts the offense? Unless someone else is ready to give Marbury the reigns (not likely) or take on a contract (they have a lot of bad ones), they're not going to make any decent deals. The only reasonable rumor I heard was them trying to get Theo Ratliff... which really wouldn't turn things around. Isiaih talks to anyone who will listen, but I doubt any of them are listening all that sincerely.
With this current roster.... there is no way they are making the playoffs unless a bunch of teams in the east fall apart. Which might happen, but they are not going to win more than 39 games. They look a lot like the Sixers when Larry first went there - they had a lot of talent, but they were all individual guys who didn't get along together. Iverson (much like Marbury) felt suffocated on offense and couldn't play point guard, especially when his backcourt mate Jerry Stackhouse (much like Crawford) was trying to shoot it all the time, and up front Derrick Coleman (much like Curry) put up big numbers but no one really cared about him (yeah, I know DC was a bitch, but he had much better numbers than Curry has so far). Larry changed a lot, brought in his kind of guys, and revamped the team. But that first year, they did not get close to the playoffs, and there was a lot of turmoil. This is, as far as I can see, a similar situation. If Larry actually pulls it off this year, he might be the coach of the century.
But it's not gonna happen.
There's a big difference between having talent and winning games with it. Marbury, Crawford, and Curry might be good individual players, but add them up and they don't go anywhere. PLEASE --- DO NOT compare Crawford to Richard Hamilton - Hamilton fights through screens fitting into their offense and gets a fairly high percentage for a guard, and plays killer D. Crawford jacks it up out of the context of the offense and plays no D. While he has a good shot and obvious ability, he's not that kind of player. Same with Marbury- it's not a matter of him putting up good numbers. He's always done that. You might think that a guy who puts up 8 assists a game must be a good point guard.... but what's his Ast/TO ratio? How many bad shots does he take early? This stuff is harder to look at, but it matters more. He and Crawford would make a great back court... for a pickup game. That's not good enough in the big time.
Curry has some offense, but does not rebound or play D. And don't tell me Larry is going to teach him - Scott Skiles had everyone else on that Bulls team last year playing great D. If he couldn’t do it there, why here? Curry only survived last year because he had Tyson Chandler next to him to take care of that, while he focused only on offense. Chandler blocked a lot of shots and pulled down 10 boards. Do the Knicks have anyone who can do that? Maybe if they use Channing Frye more, they can get away with it. Good thing they signed Jermome James after he didn't even have a good contract season, just a few games against a team without a center. He's going to be very valuable as a backup to them, and was clearly a great signing in just another line of great signings by Isiah (ok sarcasm doesn't come off nearly as well typed).
I actually like Curry- he's one of the few young big guys with some offense. Hard to find guys with true post play anymore. But he's not going to turn it on if he hasn't already. He's in his 4th year? And he's at least 23. Shaq might have had 2-3 years of college ball, but remember that he was only 20 when he came in. Still got like 23 and 10 his rookie year. And don't tell me it was 'cause he came straight from high school--- Dwight Howard pulled in 10 boards last year, and Garnett had like 18 and 10 his second year, back when high school entries were rare. I think he's going to be like Zydrunas Illgauskas or Rik Smits--- guys who can score and might make a few all-star teams, but won't get nearly as many boards or blocks as they should for their size. With the lack of good true centers today, that makes him valuable. But not a franchise player.
It all comes down to defenders, and they don’t have it yet. Larry needs to make major changes. All five of those starters on the Pistons can D it up, and when the Sixers had their best team, it was 4 guys who were D first around Iverson. The Knicks don’t have anyone like that, except maybe Antonio Davis, who's old. And it's not like people are really interested in their players, despite what you hear about trade rumors. The Bulls let Curry and Crawford go easily for a reason, and the Knicks were the only teams to take a chance on them. The Bulls did much better by going with scrappy defenders like Duhon and Nocioni. Who wants to take on a huge contract for a guy that disrupts the offense? Unless someone else is ready to give Marbury the reigns (not likely) or take on a contract (they have a lot of bad ones), they're not going to make any decent deals. The only reasonable rumor I heard was them trying to get Theo Ratliff... which really wouldn't turn things around. Isiaih talks to anyone who will listen, but I doubt any of them are listening all that sincerely.
With this current roster.... there is no way they are making the playoffs unless a bunch of teams in the east fall apart. Which might happen, but they are not going to win more than 39 games. They look a lot like the Sixers when Larry first went there - they had a lot of talent, but they were all individual guys who didn't get along together. Iverson (much like Marbury) felt suffocated on offense and couldn't play point guard, especially when his backcourt mate Jerry Stackhouse (much like Crawford) was trying to shoot it all the time, and up front Derrick Coleman (much like Curry) put up big numbers but no one really cared about him (yeah, I know DC was a bitch, but he had much better numbers than Curry has so far). Larry changed a lot, brought in his kind of guys, and revamped the team. But that first year, they did not get close to the playoffs, and there was a lot of turmoil. This is, as far as I can see, a similar situation. If Larry actually pulls it off this year, he might be the coach of the century.
But it's not gonna happen.
Friday, November 18, 2005
RETRO: college hoops and swoops
Yes, it’s time once again for college hoops. Now that I’m not in school …. well, I’m still in college, but not like I was…. It’s harder to get up for it. The whole rape case at La Salle kinda ruined all my hopes and dreams of ever having a good team to represent. Seriously, without that, they might have been an NIT team the last two years or even snuck into the tournament last year when the league was down. In any case, I think they could have been over .500 for the past few years, which hasn’t happened in a while. Now? They’ll get close to winning but won’t. Steve Smith will put up great numbers and get awards, but nothing big.
It would be nice if Penn State could get another relevant season soon, but it’s not going to happen. And those are my only favorites to follow. ‘Nova may or may not go far, pending on injuries. The rest of the Philly Big 5, A-10, and Big Ten…. I should care, but I can’t. George Washington has a chance to surprise people. See picks.
Other than that, I’ve lost a lot of interest in college ball during the regular season. I check on the A-10 and the major teams and watch games when I can, but up to March Madness, I can’t just keep up on it like I used to. Once football is done, my interest in basketball on both levels rises dramatically. But I should make a few predictions on my favorite sport and first true love, even if I don’t have the comprehensive knowledge I did when I was looking to make covering it my career. Here’s my final four picks:
Duke
Connecticut
Texas
George Washington (sleeper pick…. Gotta represent the A-10)
I like UConn to upend Duke yet again in the title game. Calhoun knows how to do it. Plus, I just can’t pick Duke. I can’t. This team doesn’t have the complete depth like their title teams did, when every position had one or two future pros. UConn has a number of big men to throw at Shelden Williams, and if Redick is covered, who does that leave? I don’t know enough about these young kids, though I’m sure they were all highly recruited All-Americans and so forth. Whatever. Hate Duke.
Other sleepers include Texas A & M (they have a good seven footer… when do you see that anymore in college?), Boston U. (they don’t have unsung all-star Ryan Butt anymore, but that league sucks now), and Memphis (rated kinda high but they could go undefeated in their decimated league and get a high seed). Other than that, I don’t know. Oklahoma, Michigan State, Kentucky, etc. all those usual highly ranked teams are all good. I need to see something special. Those final four teams have special players. GW is solid all around.
Connecticut wins it with Rudy Gay, the best player, along with shooters and big men to spare. Their point guard was suspended, but he will come back eventually (they’ll figure something out, like all athletic departments do). They might not have a 1 or 2 seed, but they’ll make get hot and make a run with his Mateen Cleaves-esque return.
It would be nice if Penn State could get another relevant season soon, but it’s not going to happen. And those are my only favorites to follow. ‘Nova may or may not go far, pending on injuries. The rest of the Philly Big 5, A-10, and Big Ten…. I should care, but I can’t. George Washington has a chance to surprise people. See picks.
Other than that, I’ve lost a lot of interest in college ball during the regular season. I check on the A-10 and the major teams and watch games when I can, but up to March Madness, I can’t just keep up on it like I used to. Once football is done, my interest in basketball on both levels rises dramatically. But I should make a few predictions on my favorite sport and first true love, even if I don’t have the comprehensive knowledge I did when I was looking to make covering it my career. Here’s my final four picks:
Duke
Connecticut
Texas
George Washington (sleeper pick…. Gotta represent the A-10)
I like UConn to upend Duke yet again in the title game. Calhoun knows how to do it. Plus, I just can’t pick Duke. I can’t. This team doesn’t have the complete depth like their title teams did, when every position had one or two future pros. UConn has a number of big men to throw at Shelden Williams, and if Redick is covered, who does that leave? I don’t know enough about these young kids, though I’m sure they were all highly recruited All-Americans and so forth. Whatever. Hate Duke.
Other sleepers include Texas A & M (they have a good seven footer… when do you see that anymore in college?), Boston U. (they don’t have unsung all-star Ryan Butt anymore, but that league sucks now), and Memphis (rated kinda high but they could go undefeated in their decimated league and get a high seed). Other than that, I don’t know. Oklahoma, Michigan State, Kentucky, etc. all those usual highly ranked teams are all good. I need to see something special. Those final four teams have special players. GW is solid all around.
Connecticut wins it with Rudy Gay, the best player, along with shooters and big men to spare. Their point guard was suspended, but he will come back eventually (they’ll figure something out, like all athletic departments do). They might not have a 1 or 2 seed, but they’ll make get hot and make a run with his Mateen Cleaves-esque return.
Friday, November 4, 2005
RETRO: 2005-06 NBA preview
For years I’ve been making NBA predictions whilst dying in class or on the, uhh, seats of certain things or just bored and never had anywhere to display it, other than my high school newspaper once that no one read or my college radio show that no one listened to. But now I can sign and date my NBA thoughts, the sport and league that first sparked my interest and what I considered to be my career calling for a long time. I’m happy I’m not now, though this film business is no easier, but I need to still vent now and then. I know that technically I’m late on this; games started last Tuesday. But you need to wait until the very last minute for trades and the Magliorre one may have an impact. Plus, the crazy first week isn’t going to affect my choices because first weeks are always crazy. So here’s my predicted approximate win totals for each team and a quick review. Eastern first.
15. Charlotte Bobcats 13-17 wins
They’re slowly getting there. Drafting Ray Felton was forgivable after Chris Paul was gone (that draft just didn’t work out well, very awkward lottery), but Sean May won’t start and taking him over a lot of wings was questionable. They have no shooting and not much scoring. But they’re still on a decent track for an expansion team.
14. Toronto Raptors 22-25
They suck and they know it. Chris Bosh is good and that’s it. They have continually brought in bad points guards and big men. Villanueva might not be that bad, but it doesn’t matter. Worst run team in the league, even more than the Clippers now. Remaining talent keeps them from the bottom.
13. Atlanta Hawks 27-30
Still bad, but better. They’ll actually be fun to watch, for the first time since HHF Nique was there. I don’t think this all-wing approach will work out in the long run, but they have some good people and they should be able to score. No D. No big men/rebounding. Josh Smith and Joe Johnson are a nice tandem. Might have to let Al Harrington go.
12. Boston Celtics 32-35
Will they trade Paul Pierce? Probably….. they’re young and they should have trouble getting anywhere this year. Need to settle on a point and wait for draftees to produce.
11. New York Knicks 34-36
Sorry, Larry, this team sucks. Even with Eddy Curry doing well. They used to play D and now they have none of it. If you start Matt Barnes and whoever of your five undersized power forwards in the frontcourt, you have problems. Maybe next year. And why they signed Jerome James, who didn’t even have a good contract season, just a few good playoff games against a team without a center, is beyond me.
No wait, it isn’t. Isiah did it.
Isiah Thomas: the grim reaper of all things front office.
10. Orlando Magic 35-38
I thought they were a playoff team in my preview last year. I was very high on them making it in, and they started out fine and should have, but then they traded Cuttino Mobely for no reason. Terrible. He and Francis could’ve carried them until Dwight Howard was ready. Now, they’re back to total dysfunction. Thankfully, they still have Howard, who should be a great big man eventually. Need an overhaul of management so he doesn’t bolt.
9. Milwaukee Bucks 38-40
The Magliorre trade was a steal, and if T. J. Ford is back for good, they have an excellent shot at making it back to the playoffs. Bogut has less pressure and they’re not small anymore up front. But in the addition of Simmons and the subtraction of Des Mason, they’re now an entirely jump shooting team. Mason at least brought athleticism. Which means that until Bogut becomes a real post threat, they’re not anymore than a low playoff seed and a continuation of the recent Bucks.
8. Philadelphia 76ers 40-44
What do I think of the hometown boys? First, I think Chris Webber is a good addition to Iverson. He’s a quality big man, and he can shoot. I always though he or Rasheed Wallace would be the best compliment to AI. I don’t think there’s any reason from him not to get 20, even if Iverson gets 30. This can work.
Why then, am I not so high on the Sixers? There isn’t anyone else. There isn’t enough D. Iverson and Webber can score 60 and they’ll have a tough time. Sam Dalembert, a guy I rooted for many years ago, is still raw. Maybe he’ll never get there. He can block shots but gets muscled around. When they had Theo Ratliff, they at least had maulers like Tyrone Hill next to him. Webber grabs boards but can’t do much defensively. Kyle Korver can shoot and that’s it. He is not a major player. If he has to start and play more than 30 minutes, they lose a lot more than they gain. Igualadala is a quality player and good defender, but not much offense.
They have no depth at all. If Willie Green was healthy, and they could move Korver to the bench, and they had a bruising big man like other teams do, they might have a chance. They have none of that now. They could go after George Lynch. He’s available, but old. They need to worry about D first, which is what they had when they were a contender….. Four defensive minded guys around Iverson. Their bench is a mesh of CBA and NBDL players. A few signings might help, but they have too much tied up in contracts.
So I can't see them moving past a low seed in the playoffs. They don't have enough and any injury is going to kill them. They could fall back into the lottery, but that might be the only place they can find help anymore.
7. Chicago Bulls 41-45
Hard to define this team. They rose huge last year and would seem to be on the way up. Then they lost Eddy Curry, which is fine defensively but kills their offense. And they won’t sneak up on anyone this year. Still, they have developing guys. Tyson Chandler must be healthy. Loul Deng could make a big leap.
6. Washington Wizards 43-47
Losing Larry Hughes is rough, but they should replace him okay with Caron Butler. They’re about the same as last year. The conference is better, so they can’t go as far, but they are a good playoff team.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers 47-50
LeBron James = great. They have shooters off the bench now to compliment him. They have bog men. They have Hughes to take off pressure. They’re not on the level of the big three in the East yet, but they will be. Step one is making the playoffs.
4. New Jersey Nets 48-51 (will be third seed)
Should win their division easily. I don’t know if trading Kenyon Martin, then picking up Vince Carter for those pieces, is a good move. At least Martin brought D and was an all-star in the East, where he could play the four spot. Still, if they can find a way to get a decent four man who can run (Chris Wilcox? Drew Gooden?) they will be better.
3. Detroit Pistons 53-56 (will be fourth seed)
I don’t see a big dropoff without Larry. They’ve done too well to change things. Flip will use the bench more, which is nice, but they still have a strong starting five and will be in it. Only Miami and Indiana’s improvements can stop them.
2. Indiana Pacers 56-59
Without any blowups or injuries, they can go far. Deep and talented. Won’t miss Reggie until they get in a tight spot. They can only stop themselves.
1. Miami Heat 59-62
Like the Pacers, they are their own worst opponent. Toine may not fit in, but they don’t even need him when Shaq and Wade are healthy. But that’s not going to be too often, so he will get a chance to be a major player. Was it a good move? Maybe. I think they make the finals because David Stern wants them to. Shaq-Duncan is the best matchup there is to offer nowadays. Of course, it’s really going to be all about Dwyane Wade.
WEST
15. New Orleans Hornets 16-19
Terrible, displaced, and traded away all their good people. May get a few wins on heart and youth. My boy Rasual Butler should be the shooter off the bench for the Heat. They didn’t have to do this to him. Chris Paul will win rookie of the year because he’ll have the best chance to put up major numbers right away…. Because there’s no one else to do it.
14. Portland Trail Blazers 24-27
Need a lot of time. Zach Randolph can put up numbers, but is he a franchise player? Will their backcourt ever mature? Not yet. Don’t know why Nate McMillan came here.
13. Los Angeles Clippers 34-37
I really, really, really want them to make the playoffs and show up the Lakers again. I pray for it. I want to make that pick. But it’s the Clippers and I can’t do it. Brining in a veteran backup to Shaun Livingston was good….. except that it’s Sam Cassell. If he ruined Minnesota, a contender team with a MVP, how’s he going to fare here? They should have a strong future, but they’ll probably find a way to ruin it somehow. All because the evil lord Sterling doesn’t care.
12. Utah Jazz 38-41
Could bounce back stronger than this, but I don’t know. Last year they had people and they fell apart. Carlos Boozer did well. Andre Kirilenko might make a difference. Hard to tell where they will go, especially without an experienced point.
11. Los Angeles Lakers 40-43
Despite the return of Phil, I can’t see them being that much better. Kwame Brown isn’t going to replace Caron just yet. Smush Parker is starting? He wasn’t even a star on a bad Fordham team. Chris Mihm is not a starter, but there’s no one else yet. Basically, it’s Kobe and Lamar Odom doing everything again. Which might be like those old Bulls teams, but they don’t have the role players. And Odom, right now, is no Scottie Pippen.
10. Memphis Grizzlies 41-44
They made a huge change, but I don’t know if they got any better. They needed to get another true post player next to Pau Gasol, and another scorer that could put in close to 20 a game. They got neither. Maybe they will function better as a team, and they have depth at every spot but center, but they just don’t seem all that talented. Mike Miller needs to step it up.
9. Minnesota Timberwolves 42-45
See above. They traded some problems, but they don’t have enough help around KG. Marko Jaric and Troy Hudson are an okay duo at point. If Wally World can get back to an all-star level, maybe they have a shot. Rashad McCants needs to fill it up. And Olwokandi needs to stop being a bitch. I don’t see it happening, but KG could carry them into the playoffs if a couple teams slip up.
8. Golden State Warriors 44-47
Yes, I’m jumping on their bandwagon. Maybe because I feel so bad for them- their playoff drought is longer than even the Clippers’. Maybe because I was there, as a 12 year old visiting Phoenix, the last time they were in the postseason (April 1994, Chris Webber’s rookie year). They were building their team up the past few years, and all they needed was more post depth and a point guard. Then they drafted Ike Diogu and Chris Taft and stole Baron Davis for basically nothing. Now, they have a good shot, pending on Davis’ health. I think it can happen. I hope. They don’t have the Clipper curse or bad ownership (actually I hear this guy is a dick, but anyway) so they might…. just … hopefully…
7. Seattle Super Sonics 45-48
They can’t be as good as last year, yes. But I don’t know if they’re going to fall off like many have suggested. They really didn’t change much. Their young guys had more time to develop. They won’t surprise anyone, but losing a coach is not a big deal when all they did was shoot threes anyway. If their division is better, maybe they’ll slip more. But this is the same team, essentially.
6. Phoenix Suns 49-52
Now here’s a team that could slip. They lost Johnson, Richardson, and will not have Amare for most of the year. With only Steve Nash and Shawn Marion left, they could struggle. James Jones, Raja Bell, Jimmy Jackson, and Kurt Thomas are better role players to have around them, but without the big man, Marion is the only guy here. They’ll be struggling bad until Amare comes back, but then they’ll be tough. They could make a run through the playoffs late.
5. Sacramento Kings 51-54 (will be third seed)
They can easily win this division with the Suns hurting. Their starting lineup is pretty solid, and they have depth up front. The problem is that none of these guys is a franchise player. All solid, none spectacular. Which means they’ll make the playoffs again, but not go anywhere, again. Mike Bibby is the only one with any heart, and deserves to be an all-star mainly because there aren’t many better points.
4. Denver Nuggets 52-55 (will be second seed)
They only need to improve a little bit from last year to win this division. They didn’t pick up anyone new, but Carmelo should come back strong and Andre Miller & Kenyon Martin should have more luck this year. Earl Watson might mean more of lil’ Boykins at off guard, where he can cause trouble. Basically, if they play like they did late, they can benefit from the imbalance in the conference and go far.
3. Houston Rockets 54-57 (will be fifth seed)
(note: I have to say how I really hate the seeding arrangements. Unlike the NFL and baseball, where teams play their own divisional teams much more than the league/conference, NBA teams play their outside division foes almost as much as their inside division foes. So why give them so much divisional preference in seeding? Just go 1-8 and make sure the division winners make it. That’s it. If the best two teams are in the same conference, they deserve to meet in the conference finals, not the second round. Watch what happens when the three best teams in the west are in the same division (and state, coincidentally) and they all end up in the same half of the bracket.. Totally ruins the point.)
That rant was necessary in light of the Rockets being maybe the second best team in the conference and yet so overlooked. Because there are two teams in their division (and state, of course) that are tough, yet they would own all the others. Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming are too good to have to lose in the first round because of matchups. Stromile Swift gives them a good four, which they haven’t had in a while. They don’t have much in the backcourt, but they only need a little.
2. Dallas Mavericks 56-59 (will be fourth seed)
See Rockets. They win close to 60 games every year but just can’t get past the Spurs. Dirk Nowitzki puts up MVP numbers, but doesn’t play enough d to get it. Without Michael Finley, they lose some focus, although they have plenty of depth on the wing. Erick Dampier needs to be more consistent, and Jason Terry actually could be the second scorer they are looking for. Will most likely be forgotten again.
1. San Antonio Spurs 66-69
There really isn’t anything to stop them. They would’ve reached nearly 68 wins last year if Duncan had stayed healthy. They fell apart without him, which only shows how valuable he is, and it made them look like they were bad on the road. Please. They can get to 70 if they have no injuries. They have depth and quality. Should win it all without problems.
PLAYOFFS
Second rounders: San Antonio, Houston, Phoenix, Denver Miami, Detroit, Indiana, New Jersey
Conference finals: San Antonio roughs up Denver, Miami barely outlasts Indiana
NBA FINALS: San Antonio takes down Miami in six
MVP: Tim Duncan (should always be if he’s healthy)
COY: Stan Van Gundy (unless a surprise team shows up, he gets it for holding team together)
DEF: Tim Duncan (yes, he does that well too)
ROY: Chris Paul (will be the only one to have good numbers)
It would be nice to see someone catch San Antonio. I honestly think the only teams that can catch them and win it all are in the East, not the West, so you can see how much things have changed. Miami, Indiana, and Detroit have a better shot than Dallas or Houston. But again, barring injuries, the Spurs will demolish people.
15. Charlotte Bobcats 13-17 wins
They’re slowly getting there. Drafting Ray Felton was forgivable after Chris Paul was gone (that draft just didn’t work out well, very awkward lottery), but Sean May won’t start and taking him over a lot of wings was questionable. They have no shooting and not much scoring. But they’re still on a decent track for an expansion team.
14. Toronto Raptors 22-25
They suck and they know it. Chris Bosh is good and that’s it. They have continually brought in bad points guards and big men. Villanueva might not be that bad, but it doesn’t matter. Worst run team in the league, even more than the Clippers now. Remaining talent keeps them from the bottom.
13. Atlanta Hawks 27-30
Still bad, but better. They’ll actually be fun to watch, for the first time since HHF Nique was there. I don’t think this all-wing approach will work out in the long run, but they have some good people and they should be able to score. No D. No big men/rebounding. Josh Smith and Joe Johnson are a nice tandem. Might have to let Al Harrington go.
12. Boston Celtics 32-35
Will they trade Paul Pierce? Probably….. they’re young and they should have trouble getting anywhere this year. Need to settle on a point and wait for draftees to produce.
11. New York Knicks 34-36
Sorry, Larry, this team sucks. Even with Eddy Curry doing well. They used to play D and now they have none of it. If you start Matt Barnes and whoever of your five undersized power forwards in the frontcourt, you have problems. Maybe next year. And why they signed Jerome James, who didn’t even have a good contract season, just a few good playoff games against a team without a center, is beyond me.
No wait, it isn’t. Isiah did it.
Isiah Thomas: the grim reaper of all things front office.
10. Orlando Magic 35-38
I thought they were a playoff team in my preview last year. I was very high on them making it in, and they started out fine and should have, but then they traded Cuttino Mobely for no reason. Terrible. He and Francis could’ve carried them until Dwight Howard was ready. Now, they’re back to total dysfunction. Thankfully, they still have Howard, who should be a great big man eventually. Need an overhaul of management so he doesn’t bolt.
9. Milwaukee Bucks 38-40
The Magliorre trade was a steal, and if T. J. Ford is back for good, they have an excellent shot at making it back to the playoffs. Bogut has less pressure and they’re not small anymore up front. But in the addition of Simmons and the subtraction of Des Mason, they’re now an entirely jump shooting team. Mason at least brought athleticism. Which means that until Bogut becomes a real post threat, they’re not anymore than a low playoff seed and a continuation of the recent Bucks.
8. Philadelphia 76ers 40-44
What do I think of the hometown boys? First, I think Chris Webber is a good addition to Iverson. He’s a quality big man, and he can shoot. I always though he or Rasheed Wallace would be the best compliment to AI. I don’t think there’s any reason from him not to get 20, even if Iverson gets 30. This can work.
Why then, am I not so high on the Sixers? There isn’t anyone else. There isn’t enough D. Iverson and Webber can score 60 and they’ll have a tough time. Sam Dalembert, a guy I rooted for many years ago, is still raw. Maybe he’ll never get there. He can block shots but gets muscled around. When they had Theo Ratliff, they at least had maulers like Tyrone Hill next to him. Webber grabs boards but can’t do much defensively. Kyle Korver can shoot and that’s it. He is not a major player. If he has to start and play more than 30 minutes, they lose a lot more than they gain. Igualadala is a quality player and good defender, but not much offense.
They have no depth at all. If Willie Green was healthy, and they could move Korver to the bench, and they had a bruising big man like other teams do, they might have a chance. They have none of that now. They could go after George Lynch. He’s available, but old. They need to worry about D first, which is what they had when they were a contender….. Four defensive minded guys around Iverson. Their bench is a mesh of CBA and NBDL players. A few signings might help, but they have too much tied up in contracts.
So I can't see them moving past a low seed in the playoffs. They don't have enough and any injury is going to kill them. They could fall back into the lottery, but that might be the only place they can find help anymore.
7. Chicago Bulls 41-45
Hard to define this team. They rose huge last year and would seem to be on the way up. Then they lost Eddy Curry, which is fine defensively but kills their offense. And they won’t sneak up on anyone this year. Still, they have developing guys. Tyson Chandler must be healthy. Loul Deng could make a big leap.
6. Washington Wizards 43-47
Losing Larry Hughes is rough, but they should replace him okay with Caron Butler. They’re about the same as last year. The conference is better, so they can’t go as far, but they are a good playoff team.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers 47-50
LeBron James = great. They have shooters off the bench now to compliment him. They have bog men. They have Hughes to take off pressure. They’re not on the level of the big three in the East yet, but they will be. Step one is making the playoffs.
4. New Jersey Nets 48-51 (will be third seed)
Should win their division easily. I don’t know if trading Kenyon Martin, then picking up Vince Carter for those pieces, is a good move. At least Martin brought D and was an all-star in the East, where he could play the four spot. Still, if they can find a way to get a decent four man who can run (Chris Wilcox? Drew Gooden?) they will be better.
3. Detroit Pistons 53-56 (will be fourth seed)
I don’t see a big dropoff without Larry. They’ve done too well to change things. Flip will use the bench more, which is nice, but they still have a strong starting five and will be in it. Only Miami and Indiana’s improvements can stop them.
2. Indiana Pacers 56-59
Without any blowups or injuries, they can go far. Deep and talented. Won’t miss Reggie until they get in a tight spot. They can only stop themselves.
1. Miami Heat 59-62
Like the Pacers, they are their own worst opponent. Toine may not fit in, but they don’t even need him when Shaq and Wade are healthy. But that’s not going to be too often, so he will get a chance to be a major player. Was it a good move? Maybe. I think they make the finals because David Stern wants them to. Shaq-Duncan is the best matchup there is to offer nowadays. Of course, it’s really going to be all about Dwyane Wade.
WEST
15. New Orleans Hornets 16-19
Terrible, displaced, and traded away all their good people. May get a few wins on heart and youth. My boy Rasual Butler should be the shooter off the bench for the Heat. They didn’t have to do this to him. Chris Paul will win rookie of the year because he’ll have the best chance to put up major numbers right away…. Because there’s no one else to do it.
14. Portland Trail Blazers 24-27
Need a lot of time. Zach Randolph can put up numbers, but is he a franchise player? Will their backcourt ever mature? Not yet. Don’t know why Nate McMillan came here.
13. Los Angeles Clippers 34-37
I really, really, really want them to make the playoffs and show up the Lakers again. I pray for it. I want to make that pick. But it’s the Clippers and I can’t do it. Brining in a veteran backup to Shaun Livingston was good….. except that it’s Sam Cassell. If he ruined Minnesota, a contender team with a MVP, how’s he going to fare here? They should have a strong future, but they’ll probably find a way to ruin it somehow. All because the evil lord Sterling doesn’t care.
12. Utah Jazz 38-41
Could bounce back stronger than this, but I don’t know. Last year they had people and they fell apart. Carlos Boozer did well. Andre Kirilenko might make a difference. Hard to tell where they will go, especially without an experienced point.
11. Los Angeles Lakers 40-43
Despite the return of Phil, I can’t see them being that much better. Kwame Brown isn’t going to replace Caron just yet. Smush Parker is starting? He wasn’t even a star on a bad Fordham team. Chris Mihm is not a starter, but there’s no one else yet. Basically, it’s Kobe and Lamar Odom doing everything again. Which might be like those old Bulls teams, but they don’t have the role players. And Odom, right now, is no Scottie Pippen.
10. Memphis Grizzlies 41-44
They made a huge change, but I don’t know if they got any better. They needed to get another true post player next to Pau Gasol, and another scorer that could put in close to 20 a game. They got neither. Maybe they will function better as a team, and they have depth at every spot but center, but they just don’t seem all that talented. Mike Miller needs to step it up.
9. Minnesota Timberwolves 42-45
See above. They traded some problems, but they don’t have enough help around KG. Marko Jaric and Troy Hudson are an okay duo at point. If Wally World can get back to an all-star level, maybe they have a shot. Rashad McCants needs to fill it up. And Olwokandi needs to stop being a bitch. I don’t see it happening, but KG could carry them into the playoffs if a couple teams slip up.
8. Golden State Warriors 44-47
Yes, I’m jumping on their bandwagon. Maybe because I feel so bad for them- their playoff drought is longer than even the Clippers’. Maybe because I was there, as a 12 year old visiting Phoenix, the last time they were in the postseason (April 1994, Chris Webber’s rookie year). They were building their team up the past few years, and all they needed was more post depth and a point guard. Then they drafted Ike Diogu and Chris Taft and stole Baron Davis for basically nothing. Now, they have a good shot, pending on Davis’ health. I think it can happen. I hope. They don’t have the Clipper curse or bad ownership (actually I hear this guy is a dick, but anyway) so they might…. just … hopefully…
7. Seattle Super Sonics 45-48
They can’t be as good as last year, yes. But I don’t know if they’re going to fall off like many have suggested. They really didn’t change much. Their young guys had more time to develop. They won’t surprise anyone, but losing a coach is not a big deal when all they did was shoot threes anyway. If their division is better, maybe they’ll slip more. But this is the same team, essentially.
6. Phoenix Suns 49-52
Now here’s a team that could slip. They lost Johnson, Richardson, and will not have Amare for most of the year. With only Steve Nash and Shawn Marion left, they could struggle. James Jones, Raja Bell, Jimmy Jackson, and Kurt Thomas are better role players to have around them, but without the big man, Marion is the only guy here. They’ll be struggling bad until Amare comes back, but then they’ll be tough. They could make a run through the playoffs late.
5. Sacramento Kings 51-54 (will be third seed)
They can easily win this division with the Suns hurting. Their starting lineup is pretty solid, and they have depth up front. The problem is that none of these guys is a franchise player. All solid, none spectacular. Which means they’ll make the playoffs again, but not go anywhere, again. Mike Bibby is the only one with any heart, and deserves to be an all-star mainly because there aren’t many better points.
4. Denver Nuggets 52-55 (will be second seed)
They only need to improve a little bit from last year to win this division. They didn’t pick up anyone new, but Carmelo should come back strong and Andre Miller & Kenyon Martin should have more luck this year. Earl Watson might mean more of lil’ Boykins at off guard, where he can cause trouble. Basically, if they play like they did late, they can benefit from the imbalance in the conference and go far.
3. Houston Rockets 54-57 (will be fifth seed)
(note: I have to say how I really hate the seeding arrangements. Unlike the NFL and baseball, where teams play their own divisional teams much more than the league/conference, NBA teams play their outside division foes almost as much as their inside division foes. So why give them so much divisional preference in seeding? Just go 1-8 and make sure the division winners make it. That’s it. If the best two teams are in the same conference, they deserve to meet in the conference finals, not the second round. Watch what happens when the three best teams in the west are in the same division (and state, coincidentally) and they all end up in the same half of the bracket.. Totally ruins the point.)
That rant was necessary in light of the Rockets being maybe the second best team in the conference and yet so overlooked. Because there are two teams in their division (and state, of course) that are tough, yet they would own all the others. Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming are too good to have to lose in the first round because of matchups. Stromile Swift gives them a good four, which they haven’t had in a while. They don’t have much in the backcourt, but they only need a little.
2. Dallas Mavericks 56-59 (will be fourth seed)
See Rockets. They win close to 60 games every year but just can’t get past the Spurs. Dirk Nowitzki puts up MVP numbers, but doesn’t play enough d to get it. Without Michael Finley, they lose some focus, although they have plenty of depth on the wing. Erick Dampier needs to be more consistent, and Jason Terry actually could be the second scorer they are looking for. Will most likely be forgotten again.
1. San Antonio Spurs 66-69
There really isn’t anything to stop them. They would’ve reached nearly 68 wins last year if Duncan had stayed healthy. They fell apart without him, which only shows how valuable he is, and it made them look like they were bad on the road. Please. They can get to 70 if they have no injuries. They have depth and quality. Should win it all without problems.
PLAYOFFS
Second rounders: San Antonio, Houston, Phoenix, Denver Miami, Detroit, Indiana, New Jersey
Conference finals: San Antonio roughs up Denver, Miami barely outlasts Indiana
NBA FINALS: San Antonio takes down Miami in six
MVP: Tim Duncan (should always be if he’s healthy)
COY: Stan Van Gundy (unless a surprise team shows up, he gets it for holding team together)
DEF: Tim Duncan (yes, he does that well too)
ROY: Chris Paul (will be the only one to have good numbers)
It would be nice to see someone catch San Antonio. I honestly think the only teams that can catch them and win it all are in the East, not the West, so you can see how much things have changed. Miami, Indiana, and Detroit have a better shot than Dallas or Houston. But again, barring injuries, the Spurs will demolish people.
Monday, October 24, 2005
RETRO: lasalle love
Caught a headline with some of the old school's rare good news on the cbs sports site. This is the first positive article about La Salle from a major source since...................... ummmm..... I can't even remember. Rasual Butler had a SMALL blurb in S.I. his senior year, even though we didn't make it anywhere.....
http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/8999424
http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/8999424
Thursday, August 25, 2005
RETRO: the H is off
If the Heat sign Michael Finley, maybe they should just tell Antione to stay home. Because having him now is a little too much for them to handle. Without him they have a solid team. With him they might have too many people fighting for the ball and then chemistry problems. At least they've got depth now, but no 'Sual is disarming. There goes my rooting interest in them.
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
RETRO: quick 05 draft thoughts
I was thinking that there was a conspiracy going on to get the Lakers high schooler Gerald Green, considered a top five pick and possibly the best player in the draft, as far as potential goes. The Raptors made everyone say “What???” and I figured David Stern had instructed them to let the Lakers pick up a steal at ten, just as Caron Butler and Paul Pierce had been before. To my amazement, the Lakers instead took another high schooler, one who wasn’t supposed to go in the top 20 by most experts. So….. what gives? Green eventually fell to the Celtics at 18, and even though they don’t really have a place for him now, they’re quite happy.
The Villanueva pick ensured the Raptors don’t really know what’s going on. They’ve needed a real point for a while and they still don’t have it. The Hawks don’t have a place for Marvin Williams, so maybe there’s something happening there. They need to make some moves or figure something out. Bogut may or may not turn into something, but a good center is worth the risk. I actually think the Lakers did okay as far as positioning, because they had no place for Green anyway, and Chris Mihm is not the answer at center. The Sixers got a high school guard late who was considered a potential first rounder, so that might be nice. Their last couple second rounders have worked out good.
Teams seem to be more scrutinizing of high schoolers and foreigners in the first round. Tshkitvilli or whatever, you have cost a lot of your fellow Europeans a shot at fooling teams into drafting them high. Enjoy their rage.
The Villanueva pick ensured the Raptors don’t really know what’s going on. They’ve needed a real point for a while and they still don’t have it. The Hawks don’t have a place for Marvin Williams, so maybe there’s something happening there. They need to make some moves or figure something out. Bogut may or may not turn into something, but a good center is worth the risk. I actually think the Lakers did okay as far as positioning, because they had no place for Green anyway, and Chris Mihm is not the answer at center. The Sixers got a high school guard late who was considered a potential first rounder, so that might be nice. Their last couple second rounders have worked out good.
Teams seem to be more scrutinizing of high schoolers and foreigners in the first round. Tshkitvilli or whatever, you have cost a lot of your fellow Europeans a shot at fooling teams into drafting them high. Enjoy their rage.
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
RETRO: ripping the tv out
If you've been watching the NBA finals (not a good series to see if you don't truly love basketball), you might've noticed these sappy halftime segments on the players and the rough situations they grew up in. It was one thing to see Ginobli and his family struggling in the streets of Argentina, now so famous in his own country that they have to hire bodyguards to prevent constant kidnapping. But tonight, they had a segment on Rip Hamilton and Coatesville.
Coatesville is, if you don't know, next to Lancaster on the train route to Philly. I spent half a summer working there. It's got some rough parts, but ........ it's not the bane of existence they made it out to be. Even better, they had Jamie Foxx narrate these things. "Coatesville is a humble town. Here, they respect Rip and his work ethic." I guess, even thoguh he's not the only person to ever come out of there. You wouldn't know that from watching this. They then had pseudo-interviews with old white guys who worked in the steel mill, which they kept showing over and over again. They were all really, really, really proud of him.
Anyway, it was funny to see them play up the town as a third-world wasteland. It's not NEARLY that bad. And a lot of towns in Pennsylvania, and other places, are reeling from the steel mill industry heading overseas. This isn't the worst. If they wanted a better local angle, they could've gone with Rasheed, who grew up in North Philly, which makes Coatesville look pretty damn nice. Maybe they're saving that for game 4. Sigh........
Coatesville is, if you don't know, next to Lancaster on the train route to Philly. I spent half a summer working there. It's got some rough parts, but ........ it's not the bane of existence they made it out to be. Even better, they had Jamie Foxx narrate these things. "Coatesville is a humble town. Here, they respect Rip and his work ethic." I guess, even thoguh he's not the only person to ever come out of there. You wouldn't know that from watching this. They then had pseudo-interviews with old white guys who worked in the steel mill, which they kept showing over and over again. They were all really, really, really proud of him.
Anyway, it was funny to see them play up the town as a third-world wasteland. It's not NEARLY that bad. And a lot of towns in Pennsylvania, and other places, are reeling from the steel mill industry heading overseas. This isn't the worst. If they wanted a better local angle, they could've gone with Rasheed, who grew up in North Philly, which makes Coatesville look pretty damn nice. Maybe they're saving that for game 4. Sigh........
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
RETRO: steve nash is not the mvp
I dream of the following exchange during the playoffs:
Dirk Nowitzki: Hello, Steven, I see you are doing vell vith your new squad. (sighs) You are no longer my little liebenmunsch!
Steve Nash: Guess not, eh.
Dirk Nowitzki: (nearly in tears) Ummm.... errrr... NOW IS THE TIME ON SPROCKETS WHEN WE DANCE!!?
Speaking of Steve Nash and all things basketball, I am firmly in the he doesn't deserve MVP camp. Here's why:
1. Doesn't play defense. MVPs cannot work half time.
2. Offensively, he's not the guy I worry about most in the league, either. Probably not even on his own team. I don't knock him for having a lower scoring average than usual... but he's not the guy to watch.
3. Yes, Phoenix won like twice the games they did last year, but that's misleading. Last year Stoudemire missed a lot of the season with injury. After he went down, they started losing, then traded Marbury away for nothing. So of course they look better this year... for much of last year, they didn't have their top threat and ANY real point! The year before, they were in the playoffs, and were seen as a hot young team on the rise. Before last season, they were expected to do well. SO they should be reaching their peak... which they are. Last year was more of an anamoly.
4. Continuing with this, you can argue that Stoudemire was more helpful after coming back this season more improved. Joe Johnson also stepped it up. And Quentin Richardson was a good addition. It wasn't just him. And of course, credit goes to the coaching staff and the front office for being innovative and running with a small lineup.
5. You can think of other guys, who, after trading places with him, would do just as well, if not better. Kidd, Bibby, Andre Miller, Parker, even Tinsley.... although this list brings me to the next one...
6. There aren't a lot of great, true, pass-first points playing right now. In the East especially, you have AI and Wade and Arenas and Francis and Marbury and Billups being more scorers, even though they are all-star level guards. Nash looks better because he's part of a dying breed.
7. The Mavs didn't fall apart without him. That's generally not a good sign if you wanna show that a guy is the most irreplaceable player in the league.
8. Jason Kidd did more with less and never got an MVP. With the Nets, or even with Phoenix. He took a Suns team that didn't have nearly the talent Nash has around himself now to 56 wins a couple years ago. Didn't get him anything. Even more appaling, John Stockton never got an MVP, and he's way ahead of Nash. So why do we annoint Nash over Stoudemire or anyone else when we NEVER gave anything to Stockton over Karl Malone?
9. They are NOT winning the title. If so, I will take everything back that I said. But I won't have to. They may not even win this series.
10. Yup. Just lost a game at home. Never a good way to establish dominance.
So who do I like? Everyone else seems to be going for Shaq, which is tempting. Look at the Lakers (on that note, hhaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhaa laughing deliriously hhaaha ahahahaahha haaaaahaaaaaahaaahhahhhhhhhhaaa sorrry) and how they've fallen this year. But Wade is much better than I thought, and it's not just because Shaq opens things up for him. He carries that team at times.No, my MVP is a lame but safe pick, Tim Duncan. I hate voting for him every year, and I have a feeling the press did too, and wanted to award a scrappy white guy who runs everywhere. It's fun to vote for Nash, but it's wrong. Everything revolves around Duncan, and he plays great D. They fell on their faces when he was injured, and that's what kept them from having the best record. At the break, they were ahead, and they always play much better in the second half. Honestly, if Duncan didn't get hurt, Phoenix would not have the best record. The Spurs could have gotten to 65 or more wins. Really. I don't think they're going to lose from now on, unless they have more injury problems. And that's all I have to say about that.
Dirk Nowitzki: Hello, Steven, I see you are doing vell vith your new squad. (sighs) You are no longer my little liebenmunsch!
Steve Nash: Guess not, eh.
Dirk Nowitzki: (nearly in tears) Ummm.... errrr... NOW IS THE TIME ON SPROCKETS WHEN WE DANCE!!?
Speaking of Steve Nash and all things basketball, I am firmly in the he doesn't deserve MVP camp. Here's why:
1. Doesn't play defense. MVPs cannot work half time.
2. Offensively, he's not the guy I worry about most in the league, either. Probably not even on his own team. I don't knock him for having a lower scoring average than usual... but he's not the guy to watch.
3. Yes, Phoenix won like twice the games they did last year, but that's misleading. Last year Stoudemire missed a lot of the season with injury. After he went down, they started losing, then traded Marbury away for nothing. So of course they look better this year... for much of last year, they didn't have their top threat and ANY real point! The year before, they were in the playoffs, and were seen as a hot young team on the rise. Before last season, they were expected to do well. SO they should be reaching their peak... which they are. Last year was more of an anamoly.
4. Continuing with this, you can argue that Stoudemire was more helpful after coming back this season more improved. Joe Johnson also stepped it up. And Quentin Richardson was a good addition. It wasn't just him. And of course, credit goes to the coaching staff and the front office for being innovative and running with a small lineup.
5. You can think of other guys, who, after trading places with him, would do just as well, if not better. Kidd, Bibby, Andre Miller, Parker, even Tinsley.... although this list brings me to the next one...
6. There aren't a lot of great, true, pass-first points playing right now. In the East especially, you have AI and Wade and Arenas and Francis and Marbury and Billups being more scorers, even though they are all-star level guards. Nash looks better because he's part of a dying breed.
7. The Mavs didn't fall apart without him. That's generally not a good sign if you wanna show that a guy is the most irreplaceable player in the league.
8. Jason Kidd did more with less and never got an MVP. With the Nets, or even with Phoenix. He took a Suns team that didn't have nearly the talent Nash has around himself now to 56 wins a couple years ago. Didn't get him anything. Even more appaling, John Stockton never got an MVP, and he's way ahead of Nash. So why do we annoint Nash over Stoudemire or anyone else when we NEVER gave anything to Stockton over Karl Malone?
9. They are NOT winning the title. If so, I will take everything back that I said. But I won't have to. They may not even win this series.
10. Yup. Just lost a game at home. Never a good way to establish dominance.
So who do I like? Everyone else seems to be going for Shaq, which is tempting. Look at the Lakers (on that note, hhaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhaa laughing deliriously hhaaha ahahahaahha haaaaahaaaaaahaaahhahhhhhhhhaaa sorrry) and how they've fallen this year. But Wade is much better than I thought, and it's not just because Shaq opens things up for him. He carries that team at times.No, my MVP is a lame but safe pick, Tim Duncan. I hate voting for him every year, and I have a feeling the press did too, and wanted to award a scrappy white guy who runs everywhere. It's fun to vote for Nash, but it's wrong. Everything revolves around Duncan, and he plays great D. They fell on their faces when he was injured, and that's what kept them from having the best record. At the break, they were ahead, and they always play much better in the second half. Honestly, if Duncan didn't get hurt, Phoenix would not have the best record. The Spurs could have gotten to 65 or more wins. Really. I don't think they're going to lose from now on, unless they have more injury problems. And that's all I have to say about that.
Sunday, April 24, 2005
RETRO: quick notes while i'm sleepy
Sixers.... not doing it. Webber actually did good but can't guard anyone. Rockets surprised. See, they should've tried to get the sixth seed so they could destroy the Sonics. Mavs will come back tough. Neither the Sonics nor the Kings should be allowed to make it to the second round. Celtics pulled that out of nowhere. Jermaine O'Neal didn't look good, which means no advancing and no fight rematch. I'm very disappointed.
Saturday, January 1, 2005
RETRO: introduction
Greetings,
if you noticed, many of thes post titles say RETRO. That means I wrote them earlier on other blogs (like myspace) and such and decied to later include them. I started this blog in May of 2007 but I wanted to show that I had been blogging for years. So, anything copied and pasted before that point is retro'd.
I'd include the hardbound book I made of the 1997 season, but that's too much to scan. And it's in my parents' house 3000 miles away. Alas.
if you noticed, many of thes post titles say RETRO. That means I wrote them earlier on other blogs (like myspace) and such and decied to later include them. I started this blog in May of 2007 but I wanted to show that I had been blogging for years. So, anything copied and pasted before that point is retro'd.
I'd include the hardbound book I made of the 1997 season, but that's too much to scan. And it's in my parents' house 3000 miles away. Alas.
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