ESPN's Commandments For Athlete Survival In New York

Sorry for the quality but it's worthwhile to watch if you havn't seen it already. I like how Plax gets consecutive mentions pretty casually and how A-Rod gets 2 as well. The second commandment is probably the best though.

Referees Deciding The Game

It seems that every week, there are at least a few instances of referees making a call that decides the game. Now, there are two ways of responding to when a ref makes a call that decides the game. One is to say that a foul at the beginning of the game should be one at the end of the game, while the other is to note that the players not the referees should decide the game.

While both sides present valid argument, my thought is as follows. As with most case in life, a compromise has to be found. What I propose is a higher barrier for making a call, that is, a questionable call made is the first quarter should not be made in the fourth. Thus, if its a foul that does not lend an advantage to either side, it probably should not be called as well. However, if a foul occurs where the non occurrence of the foul would have changes the circumstances such that the outcome could possibly be different, example a blatant pass interference preventing a touchdown, then it must be called. Ideally, games should not be decided by a ref but they also should not be decided by the lack of a call.

Should the U.S. Auto Industry Be Bailed Out?

No. But ultimately yes.

The U.S. Auto Industry, the "Big 3" has been working an inefficient system while attempting to stay in contention with "foreign" automobile manufacturers and now want money to bail them out? It would be ridiculous were it not so sad. Yes, I am aware that the Big 3 employs over 200,000 employees. However, it is simply the nature of the market.

The Big 3 has been hesitant to change in more than one form. They have been holding to the ideal that during a time when consumers have less money than ever, they will want to let alone be able to buy gas guzzlers like the GMC Yukon or the Ford Excursion, not to mention the ridiculous amount of wasteful trucks. There is a reason why Toyota and Honda are so successful. It is that their primary focus is on the car and the mid size SUV with a mini van mixed in, to provide the needs while giving flexibility in terms of fuel and features. Furthermore, even Al Gore noted that it was unfortunate that the Big 3 had essentially give Toyota a strong foothold in the last 7-8 years by allowing the Toyota Prius to corner the market. Hell, even in today's economic crisis, where some GM dealers are offering buy one get one car sales, the price for the Prius has been marked up by dealers.

Furthermore, the labor union and management should be blamed for the current situation as well. The Big 3 fail to realize that they need to restructure benefits packages such as virtually every other industry has done. One of the sticking points of the latest bailout proposal has been that the Big 3 and the associated labor unions were not willing to accept competitive pay with the U.S. workers for the foreign employers, employ over 110,000 Americans, but are paid 3-4 dollars less, while still being paid reasonably.

Detroit is having a bad year. The Lions suck. The Pistons gave away their heart and soul and now are sucky. The Indians will suck after Kerry Wood messes up his elbow after a week of spring training. Detroit needs something, and if those financial firms whose actions were just as egregious were given a 700 bil bailout, it seems that the automakers should get one as well.

Requiem for a Change

As you may (or probably may not) have noticed I had taken a hiatus from blogging. In the mean time, some great and some not so great things happened. The Lakers and the Colts are doing well (to most people at least) and the Dodgers are the Dodgers.

The reason of this post is to note a philosophical shift for this blog. Since I could just as well be reading and commenting on a billion other blogs that would serve the same purpose as this, I have decided that I would like this to be a bit different.

Thus, I am throwing away the conventional wisdom that one should not mix sports and politics and I will even add some philosophy to this concoction. Hopefully, this blog will serve to be both informative and/or pointless while being thought provoking on a variety of topics. For what is that which you read to serve but as nourishment for the mind.

21 Is Not Enough?

[Required Reading: Matt's last post on the matter that links to all posts that matter]


It's a bit like getting an Ace and 10 and be left wanting an Ace and a Jack. Thus is a bit like what I feel is happening after US defeated Angola by "only" 21. Before I get to some of the more nuanced part of the argument, I would like to take a topical approach at this. A possible way to look at this victory is that even though the U.S. played quite poorly, they won by 21. Sure they didn't shoot the three well, but why does it matter? It matters because U.S. wont be able to do the press and run defense/offense against good teams? Well, exactly WHO has or will stopped the U.S. from doing generally whatever they want? Greece? They looked simply awful against Spain and looked good against an inexperienced German team that already has a relatively weak backcourt and had a Caveman trying to play point. Spain? Ricky Rubio isn't exactly Jose Calderon and is prone to giving up the ball, especially when he'll probably be matched up with CP3. Furthermore, do we really expect the most complete player in the world to continue shooting .069 from the three point line? I for one do not. And for those calling for more Redd, its not like he's lighting up the building either. Yes, I know he is the designated "zone buster" but Tayshaun Prince and Kobe has made about the same amount (give or take one or two 3s) of non garbage 3s as Redd has made. I thought the purpose of most bloggers was to get through the misconceptions? If so how is one not a hypocrite for being harshly critical of someone like Jason Kidd but not on Redd if he is not performing? Granted, the sample size is small, but you get the idea. Also, I'd like to note that some players, namely Kobe Bryant, are not showing much energy on the defensive end, a trend that should change once the U.S. starts playing higher profile opponents.


As for 2006, experience cant be undervalued. FIBA IS different than the NBA and quite honestly, as the players themselves would admit, they are a lot more comfortable now than they have ever been. This has been helping their defense, in moreso than allowing them to grab the ball off the top of the rim, as they have found a comfort zone defensively in increasing their aggressiveness especially in curbing rolls to the basket. It would look better on paper and to watch if the U.S. were hitting their threes. That much, I will grant. However, that is not enough to start like its the day after the semi finals of the 2006 World Championships.

Perhaps it is time to simply relax.

Rick Reilly Can't Pronounce Wade

A lot of good stuff about Wade's been going around the net today, especially after his strong performance against Angola (who likely as Rick notes beat the spread.) We here at MyInnerFan would like to add to Wade's good day on the tubes with this. PTI is an excellent show and today's show provided various occurrences of unintentional comedy. Now, let us turn over to Reilly (with the fun starting with about 3:10 left)

NBC Shows Its Run By Idiots Tape Delay For West Coast Viewers

In a baffling decision NBC has decided to show premier events such the men's 400m and tomorrow's much anticipated USA v China game on tape delay. I am not making that up. West coast viewers, who make up for a decent portion of US viewers are forced to watch the events 3 hours after they unfold. By the time NBC aired its "live" coverage tonight, most already knew that Michael Phelps had won his first gold and that Katie Hoff had stumbled to a bronze. In the era of the Internet (and blogs) it is absolutely infuriating that the only way to avoid knowing the results until the events are shown "live" is to avoid major news and sports news channels or to navigate NBC's poor online streams. Please, NBC, please realize that you guys are idiots and PLEASE air the most watched game in basketball history, as well as the subsequent events LIVE for everyone including the hundred million viewers on the west coast.

Manny is Hollywood

Its only fitting that Hollywood is the next step stop for Manny. Other than perhaps collaborating with Chad Johson or T.O. there is no better place for Manny's antics than the drama loving Los Angeles fans. Just look at the biggest stars in the market. Kobe Bryant, David Beckham, as well as new Clipper Baron Davis have distinct personalities, on the court/field and off. LA seems to embrace the drama as additional free (we all know how important free things are considering the price of gas) excitement and entertainment. The laid back LA atmosphere should help Manny, as should his upcoming contract as currently most doubt that he will command 20 mil after his blatantly detracting actions while with the Red Sox this year.

As a general rule, unless you are gift wrapped some transcendent player, (*cough* Kevin Garnett *cough*) horrible GM's find a way to mess things up. This was the case with Kevin McHale making the move for Kevin Love. As is the case with Ned Colletti making the move for Manny. What did the trade do at first impact? Well, Manny's defensive liability probably will make Joe Torre play Juan Pierre and even Andruw "baseball's Kwame Brown" Jones before the skilled and superior overall player in Andre Ethier. Honestly, most informed Dodger fans will agree with me in saying that Joe Torre should man up and play Ethier and Kemp along with Manny. We already have Berroa at SS, so we do not need a 3rd (arguably 4th) automatic out in our lineup in Jones. Furthermore, it makes much more sense for Ethier to be hitting behind Manny than the over the hill Jeff Kent.

Finally I'd like to start the put the hot seat on Larry Bowa campaign. In the last few days, some ridiculous calls by the 3rd base coach......

ESPY Winners Announced, No One Cares

Well, you know what kind of award you have when it is taped, and the results are announced before the event is aired. Now generally, no one would care about such an event as it represents a C-Class (not even a B-Class) award show. But then, this particular show is backed by ESPN and Disney. Yet, it still does not matter. For one, I am happy that the public has gotten it right in this situation to not care.

[Obligatory Congrats to Kobe for Winning the Best Male Basketball Player Award]

Food for thought: Which is more pointless? The ESPYs or The Teen Choice Awards?

Live NBA Draft Lottery Analysis (Sort Of....)

Since I just got home after missing the draft due to work, here's a not so live, liveblog providing analysis for each pick in the NBA draft lottery.

Early Look At Possible Moves

After that disappointing loss, a lot of Laker fans are looking for answers. Fortunately, there is the imagining a trade game to create some [false] hope and take away a little bit of the pain of losing this game. [Personal note: This game hurts MUCH more than when I broke up with my ex.]

All of these moves will be assuming that Bynum is back healthy, as I do not know if there is any major trade we could do without a healthy Bynum.

Lakers Trade: Lamar Odom, Chris Mihm, future 1st round draft pick
Miami Trades: Shawn Marion

Rationale: With Gasol and Bynum at the 4 and 5, Marion is a better defender and 3 point shooter than Odom. Marion is also a solid defender. LO enjoys South Beach and had his most productive season there. Furthermore, if the Heat are forced to select Beasely, Odom's 'versatility' and rebounding would make him a better fit at the 4 and a better complement to him. Furthermore, it would cost more to keep Marion after his contract runs out.

Alternate: Pau Gasol instead of Odom in the aforementioned deal.

Rationale: With Bynum in the low post, Marion could stretch the floor and Odom could be a better high post player. Furthermore, Marion is an inevitable upgrade in terms of grit. Gasol would give Miami a talented center and would essentially have a more talented version of the team with which they won a championship.

Lakers Trade: Lamar Odom, future 1st rounder, and an additional player
Clippers Trade: Elton Brand

Rationale: Brand would provide a "banger" that is sorely needed by the Lakers and would be a tremendous upgrade in terms of interior rebounding and "grit." It does not look like Brand will stay with the Clippers and this would give them assets to work with. With the loss of Maggette, LO could be a solid facilitator.

Alternate: Paul Gasol instead of Odom

Rationale: Same on Lakers end, and for the Clippers a possible"twin towers effect" with a talented sf in Thornton and possibly a talented sg Eric Gordon.

Lakers Trade: Lamar Odom, Chris Mihm
Grizzlies Trade: Brian Cardinal, Jason Collins Kyle Lowry, #5 Draft pick

Rationale: Grizzlies get a tangible player and would have a core of Conley, Miller, Gay, Odom, and possibly a center with some upside in the draft. The Lakers get rid of Odom's contract and would get a solid prospect at #5. Kyle Lowry should also motivate Farmar.

The Audacity Of Hope - Game 4 Review

I am speechless. Perplexed. Sad. Angry.

The second half took a combined thousands of years off of Laker fans and hundreds of hairs off of my head. I have no way to rationalize this loss. It is simply painful even to analyze.

Phil Jackson was out coached. He would have been even if the Lakers eeked out a victory. This entire year, the Lakers have been prone to what happened today, that is, letting teams back in, rather than putting the game away. Today, it cost us. It’s hard not to place some of the blame on Phil Jackson. The entire second half, the Lakers had poor spacing and/or lack of ball movement. The Lakers DO have a potent offense. However, it is not maximally effective, unless, there is a decent amount of off the ball cuts, or on the ball cuts. (a.k.a. penetration inside) One particular play stood out to me. The Lakers had all Odom at the top of the key, Farmar at the left wing extended and Sasha at the left sideline. All three were behind the 3 point line. This, while objectionable in itself as 3 players were space so poorly, was compounded by the ball being in the hands of Kobe who was at the right wing behind the three point line. No one cut. The Lakers did get lucky and got fouled, but Ronnie missed both. This will be a lasting example of the inability of the Laker offense to follow the basic tenets when struggling.

[I would like to note that I also angry at two specific plays. One on the late possession where Paul Pierce pulled a Manu and got the call from the official WHOSE VIEW WAS OBSTRUCTED. Honestly, perhaps a challenge system would not be so bad if refereeing is going to be so inconsistent and egregious. A second play that maddened me was the uncontested left handed lay up by Ray Allen. Where was the rotation? Where was Pau? Or Fisher? Simply disheartening to see such a remarkably bad breakdown so late in a game]

[Also, on a lesser note and more cheerful Jeff Van Gundy called Mike Breen, "Marv"]

This brings me to my last, and titular point. Regardless of the situation, we must hope. Hope is a basic human desire. Hope gives us strength. It gives strength to everyone that possesses it, from the immigrant that hopes for a better life to a fan who hopes for a better series. We must not lose strength nor belief until the very end if we are true. It is indeed possible for us to win 3 straight, although not very plausible. We must be as we want our team to be. The Lakers need to have heart and play with desperation and passion such that we may, at the least, avoid seeing the Celtics celebrate on our home floor after winning the Larry O’Brien trophy. It seems a bit inane to hope at this point, but hope we must, for how depressing would the world be without hope.

Piercing Through Misrepresentations

I do not get surprised often, but I am very surprised at this moment. I am surprised that a mainstream media member, the accomplished Bill Plaschke would do what Buzz Bissinger expects bloggers to do. Plaschke was quite explicit in his criticism of Pierce. I for one am quite pleasantly surprised with this take. There is no hesitation in this column, no fear that it would be mistaken for a fan blog. Normally, I would at least partially those that cry a lack of journalistic etiquette in Plaschkes’s tone in column, but I will not today. Why? Because I agree with Plaschke. Paul Pierce is no Willis Reed. Please, for the love of Gotham, stop that comparison. I may not have been alive for that game, but I have seen it, and as with anyone else that has seen it could tell you, it was nothing similar to what Paul Pierce “suffered.” It was all too theatrical, highlighted by the wheelchair. The sight was so ridiculous that it has even managed to take the spotlight off of other major story lines. I shall end this section of this post with a quick personal story. A part of knee (which I believe to be my tibia) sticks out notably and gives me pain. Even with that, I’ve gotten bumped quite hard and/or awkwardly on my knee many times without so much as missing a minute of action. Are you to tell me that a professional athlete, that came back from multiple stab wounds to play all 82 games the following season has a lower pain threshold than a hobbled blogger? This could simply be me, but something sure did look fishy.

Oldie But Goodie - Coby Karl Getting The Rookie Treatment

Don't Flip The Script On What Works

I have been meaning to write this post for a couple of days now, ever since rumors arose that Flip Saunders may have lost his job over his recent loss at the hands of the Boston Celtics. However, due to time commitments to work as well as my increasing school work as finals week approaches, I was not able to publish this before what I meant to warn against happened, Flip got fired.

If this season has shown us anything, it is that drastic changes, (unless the changes are based off of insanely one sided moves, such as the Celtics acquiring Allen and Garnett,) do not work. Look no further than the Phoenix Suns as the perfect example of how such changes negatively impact a club’s future. The Suns’ already had a limited window for having a good chance at winning a championship, namely, until Steve Nash stopped being Steve Nash. However, they had a shot at being contenders with a core of Amare - Marion - Diaw - Barbosa, given that they added a capable point guard. They also had a coach that some people, including myself, feel changed the landscape of professional basketball by his focus on offensive basketball. Then, the trade for Shaq occurred. A few months later, the celebrated coach found a ‘better’ home in the team that had been the laughing stock of the NBA.

A perfect contrast to the situation of the Suns is that of my Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are now in the finals. Why? One reason is that the previously much maligned Mitch Kupchack stood still, even amid trade demands.

I’ll concede that Flip deserves some blame for that monumental collapse last year. Would I still have the same argument then? Yes. I would be less convinced of my own argument? Yes. Look why change now? Why throw a first time coach into the fire now? Look the Pistons’ ‘window’ is rapidly closing, and this move may have just shut it. When was the last time a first time coach won the NBA finals? If that is the goal, then why change everything now?

Before I finish this point, I inquire those of you that have not read this, to read this brilliant post from the excellent Grizzlies’ blog, 3 Shades of Blue.

Of course the glory days didn't last long in Memphis. By Thanksgiving the
following season Hubie was gone and the team was in a slow painful fall back to
a losing program. Oh sure, it didn't happen right away. Memphis made the
playoffs for two more years but the embarrassment of three consecutive sweeps in
the playoffs and three coaching moves over the next four seasons doomed what was
supposed to be a promising beginning in Memphis.

I know it is a bit of a strech to comapre the Grizzles' long road to detsruction to a possible one with the Pistons, but the similarities are simply there.

Rejoice!

Fines for flopping!

Lots of happy people, outside of San Antonio, and perhaps Cleveland and Utah. I wonder what the odds are on who will be the first? I'd have Varejao as the favorite, with Manu close behind. We shall see. Now all we need is a Laker win tomorrow to top a solid 24 hours.

Lookalikes! Sasha Vujacic & Rafael Nadal

The Machine meets The Machine on clay. Sasha Vujacic and Rafael Nadal, respectively.

Post game Thoughts - Lakers - Spurs Game [It was not a foul, What has Pop been Thinking............]

• Spurs have no reason complaining on that last play. Miller and Smith made great points on 'Inside The NBA.' Barry should have leaned in to make the foul more obvious. Even then, it should have not been a two point game. The play just before it, it looked like the ball hit the rim before going off of the corpse of Robert Horry. Thus, the Lakers should have had the ball with 5.6 seconds left, with the Spurs forced to foul. Even a play or two before that, LO's block looked fairly clean. Finally, the Spurs got generous calls the entire game until then. If they could not capitalize on that, why should they have to be bailed out?
• Looks like Pop followed what me [and others] have been saying and played Barry more in place of the corpse of Finley. I am just confounded as to why it took Pop this long to make such adjustment. I'd assume Finley is about -90 total for this series by now.
• Also, why does Pop not play Kurt Thomas? He can defend, shoot, and rebound better than Horry, and would not pass up an open 4 footer........
• I was really impressed with the maturity of the Lakers. Luke Walton affirming that he was struggling even though he was scoring in the first half, and Kobe noting that he took the shot too early with about 28 seconds left.
• Odom and Fish had decent bounce back games and provided the momentum killing plays when needed.

Pregame Notes - Lakers - Spurs Game 4

[Random thoughts before the game..............]

• Right, left! - Even though its been duly noted that Manu is a left hander, and that The Machine has been one of the few people to actually realize this, Ginoblii still lit up Los Angeles in Game 3. However, he did a lot of the damage on step back threes, and Sasha should continue to play the left. If he is going to continue hitting contested threes at a 72% clip, the Lakers simply have to accept it.
• Early success inside - Lamar Odom seemingly has the psyche of a 5 year old. As such, he needs to have early success for him to gain confidence. Thus, look for the Lakers to be in trouble if Lamar continually misses easy shots inside, early.
• Energy is the name of the game - The bench, ignoring the resurgent Farmar, was simply not very good. Even if they are being outscored, the Laker bench, the 'bench mob,' needs to be energetic on defense, and hopefully cause some turnovers. Furthermore, on offense, off the ball cuts, and an inside out game are necessary for success with Kobe on the bench.
• Pop not Doc - My criticism for Doc Rivers has been well documented. However, I was critical of Pop for his substitution patterns in game two, and Pop responded by showing that he was no Doc Rivers. Look for more usage of the effective Barry if one of the corpses, such as Finley, is struggling.
• Focus on Tony - As much the average viewer would like to focus on Eva, the Lakers need to focus on keeping Parker outside. Good things happen for the Spurs when Parker can penetrate effectively.

Suns Coaching Search Update

I am sure many out in the desert are wondering what Steve Kerr will do after essentially having [made the mistake of] chasing out Mike D'Antoni.

[Author's Note: As much as I dislike the Suns, I have always found SSOL very entertaining, and do believe it has revolutionized the NBA in that teams averaging 100+ is much more common. Perhaps there is no better object in which the result of SSOL can be seen as vividly as in the 2 free taco promotion at Laker games. Before D'Antoni, it used to be the Lakers had to win and hold the opposing team under 90. whereas now, it is that the Lakers have to hold the opponents to only under 100]

Well, KTAR has the update.

Personally, I feel that Mark Jackson may be good fit, PR wise. He has been well embraced by the media, and the blogosphere for the most part, and will bring excitement, while not matching that in the SSOL era, could still hold expectations and results high. One of the criticism's of D'Antoni was that he was not tough enough with his players with regards to practice and defense, and Jackson could definitely right that.

Another intriguing candidate is Brian Shaw. I think he may be a good short term fit in Phoenix as, from as far as I have garnered, his offense is stylistically loose, which would allow Steve Nash the flexibility he would need to be the great play maker. Furthermore, Shaw too, would probably have no problem confronting players, even though he has generally been well liked by players.


And as always, I have no doubt that you can not go wrong with Spurs' or Pistons' top assistants. I would assume these two would not shy away from using the Suns bench, such that the starters would not be consistently tired late, and since it would allow players to be capable when they are forced to come in. [More D.J. Strawberry please!]

I suppose we will find out in mid june.

Kobe Jumps Over Pool of Snakes

The Machine's Head Band

ESPN's Shelly Smith is reporting a peculiar origin for the head band for the one known simply as "The Machine." Apparently, it was given to Sasha by the captain of the Laker girls. No wonder why I've heard of stories where people of both sexes were jealous of his hair.

Thoughts On The NBA Draft Lottery

The lottery works.

It really is as simple as that.

But undeserving teams get top picks! The worst teams can be pushed as far back as #4 or #5! David Stern fixes it!

I can't but chuckle at those attempts to discredit the lottery. Look, I am all for an NFL style draft. However, there is one grave problem in the NBA. Tanking. No one can deny that Miami did not tank last year, or the Celtics the year before, or the Cavaliers a few years before that. Why should teams that tank be rewarded with a player who has the potential to be a great? Please, do answer that. If it were a direct reverse order of finish draft lineup, the sanctity of the league could be tarnished as on the bottom end of the standings there would be a race to see who can lose the most.

As for the other two points, it is not the end of the world if you do not get a top 2 pick. Just ask the 2007-2008 Boston Celtics. It ended up working out kinda well for them. Finally, the lottery is handled by professional accountants who have a legally binding obligation. So I doubt it is rigged.

Avery and Rose to Chicago?

Avery Johnson needs a job. Avery Johnson likes to work with PGs. Chicago Bulls have the 1st overall pick. Derrick Rose is a likely candidate for the first overall pick. Chicago needs a coach. Hmm........

Eastern Conference Finals Preview

It is time for the Leastern conference finals and here are some of my [pointless?] thoughts on this series.

Matchup to watch: Rasheed Wallace vs Kevin Garnett. We all know 'Sheed is an awesome dude, and a proven playoff player, whereas, even Bill Simmons is resigned that KG simply is not all that clutch. This will also mark the first time that KG will have to consistently play defense in this year's playoffs. However this matchup goes could very well decide the outcome of the series.

Matchup to watch #2: Chauncey Billups vs Rajon Rondo. As good as Rodney Stuckey has been, Mr. Bigshot needs to be healthy and clutch again for Detroit to win one or two games on the road. As for Rondo, I have, from the very start of the playoffs, believed that Rajon Rondo's play will dictate how far the Celtics go. He has a skilled mid range game, and is arguably one of the best offensive rebounding point guards.

X - Factor of the series : Ray Allen. Allen had a beautiful game. A quick release on one of the best 3 point strokes in the NBA, coupled with an ability to drive either way. I do not expect him to miraculously recover all his skills, but if he does regain his touch, Boston may just be the dominant team seen in the regular season.

Doc Rivers Watch: Hopefully, he has learned a thing or two from the Cleveland series such that he will actually have a decent substitution pattern. Note to Doc : Corpses do not make the greatest basketball players.

My Inner Fan prediction: Pistons in 6. However, I have about as faith in this prediction as I have of comprehending the superstring theory or everything in my Philosophy of Agency class.

Lookalikes! Tom Crean - Bob Glauber

Indiana's basketball program maybe in shambles after Kelvin Sampso, but things are, relatively, up after the hiring of Tom Crean, the noted winner at Marquette, who shares a remarkable resemblance to Bob Glauber, of Newsday.

Left: Bob Glauber. Right: Tom Crean.

Quick Thoughts - WNBA Edition

- Candace Parker is going to special, and I do not say this simply due to her monsterous stat line. We all know what beauty can do in sports. Just look at the fuss created by "stars" such as Anna Kournikova. When you combine beauty with skill in sports, esecially in women's sports, you have a strong combination. Just look at the commercial sucess it has landed for Maria Sharapova. Candace Parker has the skill to be better and more dominant in her game while being on par in terms of beauty as Maria Sharapova. She plays in Los Angeles, which is the hot bed for star making. Parker also has the potential to revolutinize the WNBA in raising the salaries to above the wages for teachers, (her salary is only 44k,) as well as to increase fan fare.



- Also, according to Yahoo's Box Score, Lisa Leslie was -14, which I find slightly odd.

-Finally, a word on WNBA's new, "Expect Great" ('She wouldn't say that') commercials. While it is creative, the simple fact is that, a lot of people miss the "She wouldn't say that" part as during commercials, especially during a WNBA commercial, people would not be paying attention to the screen that shows that in text. The commercial is below. Assume it in the context of an NBA game, and make your own judgement.

A Tale of Two Coaching Matchups

Even though the Couch Potato gave only 6/10 bags for this weekend's action, today's NBA action, composed of two Game 6s, look fairly promising.

When one look at these games, even superficially, one difference between the two games stands out.

Coaching.

One game features two HOF coaches, one the longest tenured and consistently good, and the other possesses 9 rings. This contrasts sharply with the other game, which features two coaches, whose luck has been significantly better than their coaching.

Which much of the media may have ignored just how significant this is, this match up between Doc Rivers and Mike Brown will go down, for me, as the match up of two of the worst coaches in NBA playoff history. Bill Simmons (good luck on your situation with ESPN) has done a great job of sharing the skills of Doc Brown. Although, I have to admit, I was stumped to see Doc Brown following the conventional wisdom and leaving Rajon Rondo out there after he started playing well. However, this one game does not mask multiple silly substitution patterns utilized by Doc. Mr. PER, John Hollinger, gives light to one of the more dumbfounding grievances is his latest work for ESPN, the question as to why the corpse of P. J. Brown is getting more burn than the productive Leon Powe.

As for Doc Brown, it is simply frustrating for me. Just as Boston hired a good defensive assistant coach in Tom Thibedeau, the Cavaliers should look at hiring a good offensive assistant/associate coach for the Cavs to show that their run last year was not just a fluke, and to entice LeBron to stay rather than bolt Madison Square Garden or The Bronx. Look, it is NOT a good idea to get LeBron the ball 30 feet from the basket on the wing, especially when the spacing is so poor such that 3 defenders can collapse on LeBron without fear of a major penalty.

Just thinking about those two wasting the talent they had been given is frustrating.

Just watch the games for the difference. There is so much more ball movement and off the ball cuts in the Jazz-Lakers series. There is quite a bit of beautiful basketball there, with the exception of some unnecessary fouls and turnovers. The beauty of the game comes from the coaches. Perhaps Doc and Mike should be watching the game following their own for some ideas.

Lookalikes! Will Smith - Robert Horry

Oldie but goodie, these guys need no introduction.

Quick Thoughts 5/15

- Pau Gasol did not push off on Okur. I actually thought he did push off, and exclaimed as much over at Fanhouse's live blog, and was relieved the foul wasn't called, but this excellent post by the venerous Henry Abbot has caused me to change my mind.

- Destiny. This word gets thrown around a lot around this time. One proper use of it might have been yesterday, when Utah had about 10 chances to take the lead, but fell short each time. If the Jazz lose this series, this loss will be fairly haunting over the summer.

-Things the Cavaliers need to practice.
1. Spacing
2. Point of origin for plays run for LeBron

- I am not a Cavalier fan, but I empathize with Cavalier fans who are subject to Mike Brown's "offense." Mr. Brown, please do not call for plays where the lanes are clogged such that there are three players who are in LeBron path to the basket. It's called spacing. It's what worked during the first part of the game. Maybe even give the ball to LeBron on he low post such that he can utilize his strength and passing. Having him dribble the ball up is such a waste. Finally, LeBron, please do not settle for lazy jumpers.

- I feel bad for Bill Simmons. You could see this coming, especially after ESPN nixed his interview with Barack Obama. 2010, the year his contract ends seems so far away. Perhaps he can write a book he's always wanted to write, on a high school basketball team he used to cover. A sample is present at his new blog.

- Thank you to the one person that has me on RSS.

South Park Makes Arlen Spector's Point

Senator Arlen Spector claims that spygate is essentially like performance enhancing drugs, in that it will infiltrate into colleges and high school sports. Some fail to see how this relates as spy gate is so specific. Well, South Park is here to tell you how.

Steve Nash Shares Tips To Slow Global Warming

I dislike the Phoenix Suns. However, Steve Nash has always been a cool guy, and has been active in helping the fight against global warming. The garbage shoes are just one of those things that have to be liked. Nash is a passionate guy on the floor, and it is heartening to see superstars passionate about issues that are relevant to all of humanity.

Global Warming is cause that everyone on earth should be passionate about, and as such, I am proud to share this video of Steve Nash giving small tips on how to slow global warming.

Quick Thoughts 5/12-5/13

-Congrats to Kobe on getting his 8th All NBA Defensive team nod. Other first teamers include Timmy!, KG, Marcus Camby, as well as Bruce Bowen. A notable exception from the first team is Shane Battier, who for whatever reason was I left off of some ballots.

-An open request to Mike Brown. Please, do not start each set with LeBron on the elbow extended or dribbling the ball up. Thank you.

-Any playoff matchup have a more underwhelming coaching matchup than Celtics - Cavs? I thought not.

-I would name my kid Kobe.

On Home Court Advantage And Refereeing

Warning: This post may have been influenced by a bitter Laker loss.

14-1. 14-1. That is a great, almost incredible record, in most sports and in most situations.

14-1

Let that sink in. Now, that is the record of home teams in the Conference Semi-Finals of the NBA Playoffs. Considering the intensity of playoff games, simply pay attention to the magnitude of such a record. It serves as an exemplar of the gargantuan power that home-court advantage has in the NBA.

But what causes such an advantage?

Is it as conventional wisdom says, due to the impact that sleeping in one's own bed has? Or is it due to the home team simply played with more passion and energy and the associated energy of the crowd?

Maybe?

I however, would like to suggest an additional reason for such a disparity.

Referees.

Coming off the Tim Donahey scandal, refs had been under much scrutiny until the incredible race out West took away much of that scrutiny and attention. It would be silly to deny that home teams get the "breaks" from the referees. Look no further than today's Lakers-Jazz game for some proof. With Utah up 2 in Utah, with the ball, Carlos Boozer decked Derek Fisher with an elbow, taking out Fisher and Gasol, who was help up by Fisher's body (on the floor), and thus created a 5-3 for the Jazz. Needless to say, the situation was compounded when a touch foul was called on Lamar Odom to set up a 3 point play. On the opposite end of the floor, even with the Laker player missing the field goal attempt, such a "foul" was not called.

Furthermore, another practice in NBA officiating that concerns me regards how flagrant fouls are assessed. Such fouls are assessed based on the player-floor contact rather than the player-player contact. Such an act is completely against the spirit of the call, which is based on intent and original player-player contact. Why must a team be put at a disadvantage when a big fouls a more fragile or smaller player who the falls in an awkward manner? Or when, a player takes off without proper balance gets contact and falls awkwardly?

Please do not misconstrue this post as having no solid points. I, like many, would like to see games being decided due to ability, rather than some referees.

Karl Malone, Buzz Bissinger, Blogs

Fanhouse superblogger Michael David Smith has done an excellent job following the story regarding Karl Malone and the [non existent and cold] relationship with his son Demetrius Bell, a young man who has recently been drafted into the NFL. My personal thoughts mirror that presented by many a writers in the photosphere. I think it is right to criticize Karl Malone.

Honestly, think about it. Dude made over a 100 million over an illustrious, although incomplete, (no wonder why karma wasn’t on his side) career in which he accomplished everything short of winning an NBA title. However, to refuse to pay 200 dollars a week to support a woman whom you impregnated when she was only 13? I am simply dumbfounded as why he would contest his legal obligation to someone HE placed in a very precarious position. Such statutory rape, if it happened today, would make Roger Clemens look like a Saint.

How does this relate to Buzz Bissinger going off on blogs? Well, I would like to reply to that by posing a question to Mr. Bissinger. Where was your main stream media covering this story? All but the LA Times simply did not even acknowledge the Karl Malone story. Don’t get me wrong, the story about the Army safety was great, but after seeing the obsession with the Roger Clemens sage, would this not have been a better story? A famous dead beat dad who is rolling in hypocrisy, after attempting to champion family values, after his own dad committed suicide when he was young, had to be a better story. Yet, main stream media shies away from such controversy. Even ESPN, “the world wide leader in sports,” did not recognize this until Jemelle Hill finally become the first , today. I hope her column sets off main stream media into revealing this sickening story. However, had it not been for blogs and bloggers like Michael David Smith, I do not know if people would even know this story. Now that, Mr. Bissinger, would be quite a shame. [On a side note, a food for thought is whether it is the anonymity that enables bloggers to present possibly controversial items such as this whereas the MSM does not.]

Just like there are columns like Woody Paige’s Hakuna Matata column, there are some poorly written materials in the photosphere as well. However, if you take Woody’s column to be fully representative of all print media, then why would anyone respect such medium. That column showed about as much sense as anything written by any idiot anywhere. Yet, I still read print media. Why? Because there are some very good columnists out there. The same is true in the realm of blogs. It is unavoidable that there are bad blogs, but there are also many enlightening ones. Try reading Kelly Dwyers’s game recaps, Buzz. Those recaps are better than any league wide recaps presented by any print media. Now, if you look at the comments for his posts, you will see some idiotic items.

However, it is extremely ludicrous to group posts and comments. That would be if one were to hold the columnist responsible for everything audible uttered in response to a column in a print media. See how silly it is? Hopefully you can. In the end, it just seems like Bissinger is threatened. Even though, the threat maybe real, please, do not, accelerate and magnify the ‘threat’ with your off base statements.

Baron Davis Still Having Fun

Even though Golden State missed out on the playoffs, and even though Baron Davis may be looking at an interesting summer with regards to his long term status with the Warriors, it is good to see him having fun. Here's his new commercial spot with Adam Sandler promoting Sandler's new movie using the NBA's there can only be one theme.

How the Sonics Screwed Over The Suns

Its a bleak day for Seattle. The word is that neither Seattle nor Super Sonics will be a part in the name of an NBA team next year.

The team is not doing much better either. A fusion of lack of veterans, KD bricks, and questionable decision making have lead to a disappointing record. They are not the Indians from Major League, nor can they defeat many foes.

One team however, can 'thank' the Sonics for its fall. [Yes, I know they are hot right now, but does anyone think they can defeat the Lakers, Hornets, Spurs, or even the Jazz?] This team is the Phoenix Suns. Allow me to elaborate. Less than a year ago, the Suns were arguably the most entertaining team since Showtime. They played an uptempo style of basketball orchestrated by a 2 time MVP. It looked like their year after handily defeating my Lakers in the first round. However, a questionable decision by the league lead to key 1 game suspensions, and subsequently defeat in the series and a sure opportunity to win a championship.

As the season ended, the Sonics received a trade exception from the Rashard Lewis trade. Now, this enticed the Suns to trade Kurt Thomas to save money. Would there have been another trade had the Sonics trade not been there? I do not know, although, I do not believe there would have been another option whose marginal value was good enough so that Kurt Thomas should have been traded. Now, had that trade not happened, the Suns would not have needed to trade for Shaq, and would not have to pay him 20 mil per year for two more years, and would have matched up well with the current teams.

Next up, lets look at what would have happened if the Sonics wanted to remain competitive and this did not trade Ray Allen. Its easy to forget, but, it was this trade that essentially brought KG to Boston. Now had this not happened, the Celtics would have had more than enough assets to trump the Lakers offer for Gasol, and Kobe would have been forced to play as a one man show. The Lakers arguably would not have been in 1st without Bynum, and Phoenix would have safely been in 1st place, while still playing an entertaining style of ball.

Finally, giving away Kurt Thomas to the Spurs, [even though better deals were possible] and subsequently releasing Brent Barry so that he could go back to the Spurs, may come back to haunt the Suns if they face the Spurs.

Jazz Beat Writter Shows No Class

Derek Fisher is one of the most admired players in the NBA. He has earned respected in every NBA city he has played in by every player and by every coach. In fact, he was elected one of the presidents for the Players Association. With that being said, this article makes no sense at all.

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,5143,695262735,00.html

I am simply confounded after reading the article. Apparently, even being a church owned paper does not give you class. The assumption that Derek Fisher joined the Lakers to screw over the Jazz is as ridiculous as it gets (up there with Agent 0 going to the Lakers.) Apparently, he conveniently forgot that the Utah Jazz made it the Western Conference Finals and the Lakers went out in the First Round and were in turmoil with the whole Kobe situation. Frankly, basketball wise, leaving Utah made no sense for Derek Fisher. He is making less money in L.A., and the Lakers, at the time, did not even look like a contender. So leave to this guy to compare him to Carlos Boozer, who is said to be more honorable, after stabbing a benevolent blind man in the back. Just wow.

Lookalikes!

[About this Section] An occasional look at some people hat realy just like alike one aother. Enjoy!

Above its the Hawks' Josh Smith. Below, rapper 'The Game'

Bibby to the ATL?

Seems like the Hawks have FINALLY gotten a starting pg. After passing on CP3 and D-Will, the Hawks now have a star pg in Bibby and did not really give up much accoring to the early reports. According to the reports, Bibby will be traded for the expiring contracts of Ty Lue, Lorezan Wright, Sheldon Williams, and Anthony Johnson.

This is a steal for the Hawks. Most expected them to atleast have to give up Josh Childress, a possibly decent future star in the NBA. But alas, they did not give up their core, and add a piece that may actually help them be competetive in the silly East. As long as they can get atleast a 6th seed, it isnt inconcievable that they may actually win a series. The Hawks have a shot. [Think about that. Also note that a 50 win team may miss the playoffs in the west.]

Finally, I dont know anyone else that may be more disappointed than LBJ. He's now feeling what Kobe was feeling the last couple of years. If all it took was some expiring contracts, im not sure why the Danny Ferry did not attempt to work something out. But for now, a pleasents tory for the maligned ATL sports scene.

Another trial they must endure.

While im freezing in the cold, sitting outside my classroom, waiting for it to begin, I might as well write a bit, to excersize my subpar skills. [I actually envy that guy in the picture, as atleast he has a fire, where I have a laptop for heat]

Now on to the news. The shocking and deflating news for Lakers fans has just been confirmed. Now I doubt Kobe would actually miss 6 weeks but then is another trial for the Lakers team that has been very much tested, whether it be through a trade demand or through Kwame Brown with 7 turnovers in a minute. Just when it seemed bright, this happens. Now, I am no expert, but I have no doubt that Kobe Bryant would return in fewer than six weeks if he actually elected to get surgery. But, with Ariza and Bynum still out, the Lakers may suffer in the ever so tight West. But alas, time will tell. As a laker fan, I hold the rosiest outlook. My scenerio: Kobe plays through this, improves on his fg% by taking better shots and leads the Lakers to the promised land. As fierce a competitor as Kobe is, I would not put it past him to make himself better even through pain.

jk Jason Kidd?

Marc Stein, [no its not Ric Bucher so we cant ignore it], first reported that Jason Kidd had finally got his wish to play for the Mavs. Next, came the frenzy of both positive and negative views. It looked like this would actually happen, a third mega deal in less than two weeks. But Davean George happened. Yes, I said Devean George. O, and he followed it up with a 0-11 effort against the Trail Blazers.

Why and how would George do such a thing? George possessed the ability to veto trades from a RARE provision for people that have signed a second contract, a 1 year contact in George's case, with the same team to have such a right. Now, why would George do this? He is 30. He is probably going to get one more decent contract so he wants to make the most of it. Thus, he believes that playing in Dallas, especially due to the injury to Josh Howard, will get him more exposure and thus more money. Furthermore, George would lose his bird rights if he were traded. Thus, only a team under the cap or a rare team that will risk the luxury tax to use the mid level exception would be able to sign him. However, in Dallas, since Dallas can go over the cap to sign him, it would be easier to facilitate a sign and trade. However, this may come back to bite him is say, Avery Johnson decided toplay hardball and not play him.

Can the deal proceed without George? Yes. Is it probable without him? Probably no. Cuban, for all his spending, is reluctant to pony up the some 20 mil it would cost him to sign Kieth Van Horn to trade him and the Nets are not really enamored with the prospect of getting the extra year on Trenton Hassell and Dallas would be more reluctant to trade him than George. Nets would have decent cap room, probably around the 12-15 mil range if they let Harris walk after next season or perhaps even that much or more this summer if they can more Vince Carter and get some expiring contracts. For New Jersey this is a solid deal, with them getting a 10 year younger, 2 PER better, almost .100 better shooting PG, who has a much better defensive efficiency according to Hollinger. For Dallas, they get the leadership and now have a core that may be able to content with the powered West and may be able to seize the small window they have.

POW and The Superman

If anything can bring me back, its some ridiculous deals in the NBA. Luckily for me, we have two. Before I ramble on, I think its worth noting how rare this is. When was the last time two legitimately franchise changing players were traded within a week of one another? Same thing can be said about the ridiculous Western Conference this year that has precipitated these moves. The tenth best team in the West has a notably better record and is notably better than the fourth best team in the East. TENTH. Its going to be remarkable and sad to see two more than capable teams missing out, but I digress.

The Pau Gasol trade is what i would call a double addition trade. The first addition comes from the fact that Pau is a world class player, the leader of one of the best national teams, as well being a solid 18 and 8 player. He was the franchise player in Memphis and landed in Los Angeles which possesses the Mamba as the franchise player. Furthermore, when healthy, Andrew Bynum also has the potential to be a #2 option, thus taking even more pressure away from Pau. Then, we must note that the lakers are getting a boost by the simple subtraction of Kwame Brown. The much maligned Brown could be counted on dropping a few passes and missing a few layups per game. No wonder the Lakers looked much better in the game w/o him and before Pau arrived.
Since Pau has arrived, many things could be noted about the Lakers game. (Hey, Im writing this in an insanely boring class so lay off my diction) First, Pau can draw fouls. I don't think many anticipated this but this aspect of his game, the quick first step he has, and his ability to utilize a variety of shots and moves creates trouble for the opposition. Next, Pau's length allows him to finish, in a way Kwame Brown probably could not even fathom. However, Pau's interior D is questionable, although the return of Trevor Ariza (seemingly forgotten to most of the major bloggers) and 'Drew (as Kobe calls him) should help.

The other major trade, the BIG fella going to the run run run run run Suns is much more interesting. Does Shaq have enough left? Who knows. However, what is known is that Shaq's defense had been declining rapidly and it seems unreasonable to look at him as a defensive and rebounding specialist as the Suns want him to be. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets in foul trouble quickly. shaq's fouls per minute has reached the highest point of his career. (It is worth noting that Mark Blount is playing better than Shaq was at the center position. On the bright side, Pheonix does get a piece to contend with in playoff time once the run run run style fails. Only time will tell what this means for the Suns, but the simple thought that they did this to react to something done by the lakers makes me, as a laker fan, happy.

Back from hibernation

Just a quick post for my (2?) readers that I shall be back blogging soon and very soon. Sorry if you came here only to find nothing but stupid predictions and a very good one in telling the Pats not to make Super Bowl plans. (Seriously, whoever tries to trademark things directly related to a win, like say 19-0, is just asking for bad Karma) Anyway, hope my (2?) readers enjoy the future activity.

Too Good to Pass

Feel free to comment on the above picture of LeBron. I shall not even post some comments
myself and my friends have had in fear of some action by some enraged social rights group. Enjoy~

Quick Hits : Some College Fotball Thoughts

1. USC is the best team in the nation. Their offense is multi dimensional, a feaure lacking in most of the other teams contenting, with a very good senior qb in John David Booty and several solid backs led by the Rose Bowl's breakout star, Joe McKnight. USC also had a potent defense, with the best defensive line EVER assembled, led by a top-5 pick in Sedrik Ellis and they also possess one of the best linebacking core in the country. And, we have not even talked about their depth or their defensive backs yet, either.
2. I am very happy for Lloyd Carr, one of the classiest coaches in the game. The fact that he gets to leave on a good note, wiining over the [overhyped SEC team] Florida. It is going to be interesting to see how the Wolverines adapt to the changes coming with new coach, Rich Rodriguez, who favors a spread offense. This should be a interesting question as it progresses for next year, to see if they can avoid a Notre Dame-esque collapse.
3. Congrats to Mark Richt for his team's crushing victory over Hawaii. However, one of the least classiest plays occured as Georgia challenged a seemingly clean 4th and 11 play which was seeminly converted while LEADING BY OVER 30 POINTS. They won the challenge [somehow] and got the ball back. If he had challenged in a close game then it would have been acceptable seeing how much of a gambe it was. On top of it, the play took place way out of scoring territory. Way to lose all the respect i gave him for the 'all the players on the field' stunt.
4. Colt Brennan had no chance in the Georgia game. It would work to the favor of the team that eventually drafts him if he drops due to the game. He still has solid mechanics and has a good feel for the game. And even the Texans' or Jets' woeful offensive line is better in their league than Hawaii's was against Georgia.
5. I really wish a playoff system would be initiated in college football already. To think two losses or even the timing of a loss can hurt a team is ridiculous. It does not represent true Champions. It shows who can do best in a selected schedule which may have a team playing easy games late to avoid any late drops in the rankings. Playoffs, how we wait.