They took the Italian, it's that simple. If I were writing this last Thursday when it happened live I don't think my demeanor would be quite this calm, but after a few days of letting it set in, finding new things to be upset about, and some quality venting, I came to the conclusion I normally arrive at when it comes to things that upset me and are out of my control ; it is what it is.
I'm going to try really hard not to let this be a venting session, but I'm still really unhappy with the Knicks selecting Danilo Gallinari with the sixth overall pick in the NBA draft. I'm purchasing my potential bandwagon exempt card right now by saying I'm not totally upset over Gallinari, the Knicks' selection, but I'm more upset about the guys that the Knicks passed up, specifically Eric Gordon and Jerryd Bayless.
What my beloved 'Bockers got was an overseas stud. A guy with size, stroke, and smarts - so I've been told. Danilo's father, Vittorio Gallinari, played pro-ball in Italy with new Knicks' coach Mike D'Antoni, which makes the selection a bit more comforting, that is unless D'Antoni is in on that destroy the Knicks conspiracy (see: Thomas, Isiah and Brown, Larry). Coach likes the pick, and GM Donnie Walsh likes the pick, and these really are two exceptional basketball minds. The Knicks may be getting a youngster who's up-and-coming, improving everyday, and in line to be the next big thing out of Europe, but is that what they want? More importantly, is that what they need?
I think the answer to both my questions is no. Of course the Knicks could use more talent, and Gallinari may end up being a great talent, but raise your hand if you've ever seen him play? The Knicks are already a huge mess, a project to be kind, so why did they want to use the highest pick they've had in over 20 years on another project? Yes every player in the draft pool is a project, but why not take a guy who has produced on a bigger stage? Who's been groomed to play in the NBA their whole life. Someone the fans will enjoy watching and relating to because they actually know who they are and have seen them play. This organization needs to save face in the worst way, IMMEDIATELY, and they went out and took a guy who probably won't make an impact for at least a couple of seasons. Or, he may be the next Nikoloz Tskitishvili and never live up to the hype, be a waste of a top pick, and make us Knicks fans literally want to gauge our eyes out while Eric Gordon is giving other teams 20-plus points a night.
The Knicks need help at every position. The talent is there but the chemistry is not. The team is being run by a man whose offensive mantra is 7 seconds or less. Hello? Don't you think it would make sense to pick a guy who scored 20 points a game as a freshman in the toughest defensive conference in college basketball, with an injured wristfor a good portion of the season? Gordon doesn't have point guard handle, but can you tell me teaming him with Jamal Crawford in the backcourt isn't an arm and a leg better than Mardy Collins and Fred Jones...combined?
Fine, you don't want Gordon, what's the matter with Bayless? Or even DJ Augustin? Why don't the Knicks want to take a point guard, quick as lightning, that can score? Don't give me this Stephon Marbury jargon, that got tired four years ago. And even if Steph can be talked into playing, his contracts up after this season and the Tom Cruise of the NBA has made it clear that he's ready to get out of the Association...good riddance.
The bottom line is the Knicks were in trouble heading into the draft, and they're in about the same trouble heading out of it. I'm not going to sit here and say dump the whole team, although I wish it were possible. Would I have liked to see the Knicks do more on draft night? Of course. But for some stupid reason I have faith that Walsh and company will make moves when a right move is in place, which will hopefully be more efficient than Isiah and his itchy trigger finger. However, I still don't feel any better about this team right now than I did before the draft, and that's sad.
I honestly would have done cartwheels had the Knicks taken Gordon. What I'd give to have a talented scorer like that, something I haven't seen in orange and blue since Spree (sorry JC). I'd have loved to see Bayless run the show, and exciting floor general for once. But it's more of the same in Gotham. Same roster, same disappointment.
Jun 29, 2008
Jun 16, 2008
Monday's Ramblings 6/16
I originally wanted to make this post about Derek Jeter, and why he's the man, but I'm going to save that for a future post because, well, because he'll probably always be the man. Here are a few things I'd like to discuss while they're fresh on my mind:
1. Tiger got the W
Ok, by no means did I ever say Tiger Woods sucks...in fact I said that he's the best golfer, possibly even the best athlete in the world. Today (yes the U.S. Open was supposed to end yesterday) Tiger defeated Rocco Mediate in 18 extra holes to claim his third U.S. Open, and 14th Major tournament victory. Not only is it a big deal that Tiger won, but for the second straight day he trailed heading into the 18th hole, before waking up, seeing his reflection in the water, and realizing he in fact is Tiger Woods.
But seriously, this was Tiger's first tournament in two months after having knee surgery, and despite a sore knee and a noticeable limp, Tiger toughed it out through 91 holes (I've shot 9 and been beyond exhausted) and brought home the shiny stuff. Hats off to Eldrick, but I'd rather have seen a hockey shootout than 18 more holes, after watching four consecutive days of golf.
2. Kobe also got the W
I did, however, say Kobe sucks, and I'm sticking behind it. The C's were never in this one, well at least not until the end, and Kobe better have bought dinner for his big friends Pau and Lamar. Yeah Kob had the daggering dunk at the end of the game, but the Lakers have proven that they don't win unless they all play well.
Perk (isabeast) didn't play, and KG only scored 13 in his absence, not to mention Leon Powe has proven to be a one-hit wonder. Perkins status for game 6 is still unsure, as was Ray Allen's heading into Monday. It was reported that Ray Ray had rushed out of the Staples Center following Sunday's game to tend to a family issue, but late reports Monday indicate that the Celtics expect Ray for Tuesday's game 6 in Boston.
Paul Pierce is playing out of his mind right now, and a clear-headed Ray Allen could help the C's rap this series up in 6. But regardless of what the two sharp-shooting swingmen bring to the table, KG, The Kid, The Big Ticket, has got to make his presence felt in Beantown. Mr. Intensity hasn't exactly been so intense in the games Boston has dropped this series, and one would expect a monster series out of a guy who probably cares more about winning than anything in the world. Kevin, I know it's gotta be hard dealing with both Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol, but an MVP worthy regular season will mean nothing if you cannot play up to it in the playoffs...right now you're not.
Honestly, I'm pulling for the Celtics, but I wouldn't be surprised if L.A. can pull this one off. The Celtics are banged up, and even though they did their part and more by winning both home games and a road game, they haven't been able to close out at all this postseason. This team will have played the most single-season playoff games in NBA history, which is a testament to their lack of killer instinct. I hate to say it but if anyone has that instinct in him, its Kobe. And if anyone has the supporting cast to pull the upset, it's the Lakers. I'm just looking forward to some good basketball, and hopefully some priceless Kobe frowning and great post game interviews. I mean, if he drank wine, beer, and took "20 shots" after losing game 5, I can't imagine what he'll do if they lose the series. AA look out.
3. Chien-Ming Wang...What the heck???
I don't have anything against interleague play, in fact, interleague play excites me...but this is the problem with interleague play. American League pitchers being placed in positions that they're completely unfamiliar with and being hurt as a result of it. A fan would like to think that Chien-Ming Wang has been playing baseball for quite sometime, and MLB's National League obviously isn't the only baseball league where pitchers hit and run the bases, but Wang was in unfamiliar territory Sunday when he injured his foot, and now the Yankees are without a top-pitcher for at least 6 weeks.
I'm really not trying to be a whiny Yankee fan here, but this one stings. The team is really at the highest point it's been all season, after sweeping the 'Stro's and taking 2 of 3 from a good team in Oakland, my confidence level is high. Johnny Damon's on fire, A-rod's back, Jorge's back, Giambi's hitting, Joba's starting to work out, Moose looks great, even Kyle Farnsworth hasn't been horrible. I know Wang is just one pitcher who can only effect the team once every five days, but the loss of a consistently solid pitcher is not what this team needs right now. Who takes Wang's spot in the rotation? Dan Giese looked good in relief of Joba, but to go from Wang to Giese is sad, scary, and straight nauseating.
C.C. Sabathia anyone?
4. Underclassmen making their final decisions
College basketball is most probably my favorite sport. I love it. I love watching the youngsters progress and turn themselves into complete studs. To this day you better believe that the screen saver on my laptop is a picture of the dreamy Stephen Curry, and yes I do like women.
Today, several players made their final decisions on whether they would remain eligible for the NBA draft or not. The list of players who removed their names and are going back to school is headlined by: Wayne Ellington, Danny Green, Ty Lawson, and Chase Budinger. Staying in the draft will be: Joe Alexander, J.J. Hickson, DeAndre Jordan, and Bill Walker amongst others.
I'm glad that the UNC crop decided to come back, even though I'm a Duke fan (yeah I said it), and props to Chase Budinger for coming back to play for Lute Olson. But my happiness in certain players returning is overshadowed by my sadness in saying goodbye to those who decided to remain in the draft. Let me start by saying I understand why players leave, whether they need to support their family, or they don't think that their pro stock can grow any larger, but as a fan of college basketball, I want to get the most entertainment value out of these guys as I possibly can.
I'm especially upset about Hickson and Walker. I'll start with J.J. Hickson because I don't feel he reached the slightest bit of his potential as a freshman. He's an undersized 4 with great athleticism and talent, and I think if he would have stuck around for at least one more season with Brandon Costner, Courtney Fells, and a really young, talented roster, N.C. State could have been a real problem for not just the ACC, but the country. I doubt Hickson is worth a lottery pick at this stage in his game, and maybe more exposure, plus progress amongst stiff competition, would elevate his draft status for the future.
Bill Walker, one of my personal favorites. I've been following Bill Walker since he was a Sophomore in high school, getting in on the O.J. Mayo hype. Walker even surpassed his former teammate Mayo (as well as Michael Beasley and co.) as the number 1 player in the High School class of 2007, until he decided to graduate from high school early and access his college eligibility. Walker went to play for Huggy Bear at K-State in November of 2006 and tore the ACL in his left knee just 6 games into the season. Walker played a good Robin to Beasley's Batman in '07-'08, and declared himself eligible for this years draft, but has since injured his right knee during pre-draft workouts. He's decided to remain in the draft, and will probably go from being a top-5 pick, to a lottery pick, to a late first-round pick if he's lucky. I don't know if the money's an issue or not, but what's the rush Bill? If he can stay healthy he can be a pretty good NBA swingman, but why would anyone take a risk on him if he's already had multiple knee injuries and can't even legally buy a beer?
I really don't have a problem with the Joe Alexanders, Mario Chalmers, and Luc Richard Mbah a Moutes, who have accomplished plenty and don't feel their draft stock can rise any higher. But freshmen who have hardly impacted the game? Why? As a basketball freak who knows how talented a lot of these guys are, I am just dumbfounded that some guys leave their environments before establishing themselves as true professional prospects. Gotta go where the money is though I guess.
Those are the issues on the forefront of my mind, well, aside from my burning desire to go to Best Buy and pick up the new Lil Wayne album. I've said my piece...peace.
1. Tiger got the W
Ok, by no means did I ever say Tiger Woods sucks...in fact I said that he's the best golfer, possibly even the best athlete in the world. Today (yes the U.S. Open was supposed to end yesterday) Tiger defeated Rocco Mediate in 18 extra holes to claim his third U.S. Open, and 14th Major tournament victory. Not only is it a big deal that Tiger won, but for the second straight day he trailed heading into the 18th hole, before waking up, seeing his reflection in the water, and realizing he in fact is Tiger Woods.
But seriously, this was Tiger's first tournament in two months after having knee surgery, and despite a sore knee and a noticeable limp, Tiger toughed it out through 91 holes (I've shot 9 and been beyond exhausted) and brought home the shiny stuff. Hats off to Eldrick, but I'd rather have seen a hockey shootout than 18 more holes, after watching four consecutive days of golf.
2. Kobe also got the W
I did, however, say Kobe sucks, and I'm sticking behind it. The C's were never in this one, well at least not until the end, and Kobe better have bought dinner for his big friends Pau and Lamar. Yeah Kob had the daggering dunk at the end of the game, but the Lakers have proven that they don't win unless they all play well.
Perk (isabeast) didn't play, and KG only scored 13 in his absence, not to mention Leon Powe has proven to be a one-hit wonder. Perkins status for game 6 is still unsure, as was Ray Allen's heading into Monday. It was reported that Ray Ray had rushed out of the Staples Center following Sunday's game to tend to a family issue, but late reports Monday indicate that the Celtics expect Ray for Tuesday's game 6 in Boston.
Paul Pierce is playing out of his mind right now, and a clear-headed Ray Allen could help the C's rap this series up in 6. But regardless of what the two sharp-shooting swingmen bring to the table, KG, The Kid, The Big Ticket, has got to make his presence felt in Beantown. Mr. Intensity hasn't exactly been so intense in the games Boston has dropped this series, and one would expect a monster series out of a guy who probably cares more about winning than anything in the world. Kevin, I know it's gotta be hard dealing with both Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol, but an MVP worthy regular season will mean nothing if you cannot play up to it in the playoffs...right now you're not.
Honestly, I'm pulling for the Celtics, but I wouldn't be surprised if L.A. can pull this one off. The Celtics are banged up, and even though they did their part and more by winning both home games and a road game, they haven't been able to close out at all this postseason. This team will have played the most single-season playoff games in NBA history, which is a testament to their lack of killer instinct. I hate to say it but if anyone has that instinct in him, its Kobe. And if anyone has the supporting cast to pull the upset, it's the Lakers. I'm just looking forward to some good basketball, and hopefully some priceless Kobe frowning and great post game interviews. I mean, if he drank wine, beer, and took "20 shots" after losing game 5, I can't imagine what he'll do if they lose the series. AA look out.
3. Chien-Ming Wang...What the heck???
I don't have anything against interleague play, in fact, interleague play excites me...but this is the problem with interleague play. American League pitchers being placed in positions that they're completely unfamiliar with and being hurt as a result of it. A fan would like to think that Chien-Ming Wang has been playing baseball for quite sometime, and MLB's National League obviously isn't the only baseball league where pitchers hit and run the bases, but Wang was in unfamiliar territory Sunday when he injured his foot, and now the Yankees are without a top-pitcher for at least 6 weeks.
I'm really not trying to be a whiny Yankee fan here, but this one stings. The team is really at the highest point it's been all season, after sweeping the 'Stro's and taking 2 of 3 from a good team in Oakland, my confidence level is high. Johnny Damon's on fire, A-rod's back, Jorge's back, Giambi's hitting, Joba's starting to work out, Moose looks great, even Kyle Farnsworth hasn't been horrible. I know Wang is just one pitcher who can only effect the team once every five days, but the loss of a consistently solid pitcher is not what this team needs right now. Who takes Wang's spot in the rotation? Dan Giese looked good in relief of Joba, but to go from Wang to Giese is sad, scary, and straight nauseating.
C.C. Sabathia anyone?
4. Underclassmen making their final decisions
College basketball is most probably my favorite sport. I love it. I love watching the youngsters progress and turn themselves into complete studs. To this day you better believe that the screen saver on my laptop is a picture of the dreamy Stephen Curry, and yes I do like women.
Today, several players made their final decisions on whether they would remain eligible for the NBA draft or not. The list of players who removed their names and are going back to school is headlined by: Wayne Ellington, Danny Green, Ty Lawson, and Chase Budinger. Staying in the draft will be: Joe Alexander, J.J. Hickson, DeAndre Jordan, and Bill Walker amongst others.
I'm glad that the UNC crop decided to come back, even though I'm a Duke fan (yeah I said it), and props to Chase Budinger for coming back to play for Lute Olson. But my happiness in certain players returning is overshadowed by my sadness in saying goodbye to those who decided to remain in the draft. Let me start by saying I understand why players leave, whether they need to support their family, or they don't think that their pro stock can grow any larger, but as a fan of college basketball, I want to get the most entertainment value out of these guys as I possibly can.
I'm especially upset about Hickson and Walker. I'll start with J.J. Hickson because I don't feel he reached the slightest bit of his potential as a freshman. He's an undersized 4 with great athleticism and talent, and I think if he would have stuck around for at least one more season with Brandon Costner, Courtney Fells, and a really young, talented roster, N.C. State could have been a real problem for not just the ACC, but the country. I doubt Hickson is worth a lottery pick at this stage in his game, and maybe more exposure, plus progress amongst stiff competition, would elevate his draft status for the future.
Bill Walker, one of my personal favorites. I've been following Bill Walker since he was a Sophomore in high school, getting in on the O.J. Mayo hype. Walker even surpassed his former teammate Mayo (as well as Michael Beasley and co.) as the number 1 player in the High School class of 2007, until he decided to graduate from high school early and access his college eligibility. Walker went to play for Huggy Bear at K-State in November of 2006 and tore the ACL in his left knee just 6 games into the season. Walker played a good Robin to Beasley's Batman in '07-'08, and declared himself eligible for this years draft, but has since injured his right knee during pre-draft workouts. He's decided to remain in the draft, and will probably go from being a top-5 pick, to a lottery pick, to a late first-round pick if he's lucky. I don't know if the money's an issue or not, but what's the rush Bill? If he can stay healthy he can be a pretty good NBA swingman, but why would anyone take a risk on him if he's already had multiple knee injuries and can't even legally buy a beer?
I really don't have a problem with the Joe Alexanders, Mario Chalmers, and Luc Richard Mbah a Moutes, who have accomplished plenty and don't feel their draft stock can rise any higher. But freshmen who have hardly impacted the game? Why? As a basketball freak who knows how talented a lot of these guys are, I am just dumbfounded that some guys leave their environments before establishing themselves as true professional prospects. Gotta go where the money is though I guess.
Those are the issues on the forefront of my mind, well, aside from my burning desire to go to Best Buy and pick up the new Lil Wayne album. I've said my piece...peace.
Jun 15, 2008
Tiger Woods is Not the Best
In Fact, Tiger Woods is the worst! Clearly he's the best golfer in the world, possibly even the best athlete in the world. But Tiger Woods made some comments last week that have me thinking slightly less of him.
When asked during the Stanley Cup Finals if he was rooting for the Penguins or the Red Wings, Woods response was "I don't really care. Let's talk about the Dodgers." Woods followed up his answer with "I don't think anybody really watches hockey anymore."
While I don't mind Woods' honesty, I have to steal a line from South Park's Mr. Jefferson character and say "that's ignorant." Not only were the ratings for the NHL Playoffs up from recent years, but this years championship series was one for the ages. Not only did we see one of the sports most storied franchises competing, we also got to see the league's savior, LeBron on ice if you may, Sidney Crosby, playing for his first Stanley Cup...just three seasons into his career.
The match-up wasn't the only sexy thing about the NHL. Look at how the series ended, the Penguins' desperation allowing them to make it into a series after going down 2 games, the triple overtime game 5, Marc-Andre Fleury notching 55 saves in one game(!), if anything, hockey's back.
Now I'm no Happy Gilmore, in fact, since the last NHL lockout in the 04-05 season I've probably spent more time watching the Mighty Ducks trilogy (please tell me they stopped after D3) than I have actual NHL hockey, but that's only because it's hard to keep up with a major sport that endures two lockouts in less than a decade. Growing up I was a huge hockey fan. Heck, I even thought hockey was the best live sport to go to, and I probably still feel pretty close to that sentiment.
I'm dying to give Hockey another chance, and I think this season was the last reason that I needed to do so. It would help if my Islanders weren't consistently terrible, but just because the Islanders are bad doesn't mean hockey is...which leads me back to Tiger.
Just because Tiger's good doesn't mean golf is. I mean, how many people don't care what's happening when Tiger isn't part of the field? Of all people to trash hockey, a golfer? Really? Even if that golfer is the best ever (if not now, when it's all said and done he sure will be), who is he to be talking about hockey? The NHL used to be the fourth major sport, and even though NASCAR is the nation's most popular sport, the icecapade is a lot closer to regaining that fourth spot than the retirement sport.
Would you rather watch ice skating or standing on grass? Would you rather see a triple deke, or a small ball hit into a small hole? Five for fighting or a stroke behind for hitting the ball into the water? Golf is a lot more entertaining than I'm giving it credit for, but for a golfer to so blatantly put down one of the most exciting, not to mention rebounding, sports bothers me. It would be like Tom Cruise saying nobody cares about Robert Downey Jr. Come on, Iron Man may have taken a hiatus for personal reasons, but he's back and better than ever. Give the man his due.
Tiger Woods, give the NHL it's due. Too many real athletes are working too hard to be put-down by someone of Tiger's stature. As I write this, Tiger is leading the pack after three days, and can win his third U.S. Open tomorrow, not to mention his 14th major. Tiger is clearly what sports fans refer to in modern day terms as a beast. But if you take Tiger out of those 13 major tournaments that he's already won, and give them to 13 different Lee Westwoods, Stuart Applebys, and D.J. Trahans, who really cares about golf? Is there someone else making countless Nike commercials? How about EA Sports Video Games? Golf can only live off of Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus for so long.
Again, I can't take anything away from Tiger, he's pretty much the man. But I think he really put his foot in his mouth here. Maybe he just hasn't watched any hockey lately, I'm sure he isn't the only one. But if he thinks he's amongst the majority, and that that same majority's watching golf, then the perfectionist has encountered an imperfection.
When asked during the Stanley Cup Finals if he was rooting for the Penguins or the Red Wings, Woods response was "I don't really care. Let's talk about the Dodgers." Woods followed up his answer with "I don't think anybody really watches hockey anymore."
While I don't mind Woods' honesty, I have to steal a line from South Park's Mr. Jefferson character and say "that's ignorant." Not only were the ratings for the NHL Playoffs up from recent years, but this years championship series was one for the ages. Not only did we see one of the sports most storied franchises competing, we also got to see the league's savior, LeBron on ice if you may, Sidney Crosby, playing for his first Stanley Cup...just three seasons into his career.
The match-up wasn't the only sexy thing about the NHL. Look at how the series ended, the Penguins' desperation allowing them to make it into a series after going down 2 games, the triple overtime game 5, Marc-Andre Fleury notching 55 saves in one game(!), if anything, hockey's back.
Now I'm no Happy Gilmore, in fact, since the last NHL lockout in the 04-05 season I've probably spent more time watching the Mighty Ducks trilogy (please tell me they stopped after D3) than I have actual NHL hockey, but that's only because it's hard to keep up with a major sport that endures two lockouts in less than a decade. Growing up I was a huge hockey fan. Heck, I even thought hockey was the best live sport to go to, and I probably still feel pretty close to that sentiment.
I'm dying to give Hockey another chance, and I think this season was the last reason that I needed to do so. It would help if my Islanders weren't consistently terrible, but just because the Islanders are bad doesn't mean hockey is...which leads me back to Tiger.
Just because Tiger's good doesn't mean golf is. I mean, how many people don't care what's happening when Tiger isn't part of the field? Of all people to trash hockey, a golfer? Really? Even if that golfer is the best ever (if not now, when it's all said and done he sure will be), who is he to be talking about hockey? The NHL used to be the fourth major sport, and even though NASCAR is the nation's most popular sport, the icecapade is a lot closer to regaining that fourth spot than the retirement sport.
Would you rather watch ice skating or standing on grass? Would you rather see a triple deke, or a small ball hit into a small hole? Five for fighting or a stroke behind for hitting the ball into the water? Golf is a lot more entertaining than I'm giving it credit for, but for a golfer to so blatantly put down one of the most exciting, not to mention rebounding, sports bothers me. It would be like Tom Cruise saying nobody cares about Robert Downey Jr. Come on, Iron Man may have taken a hiatus for personal reasons, but he's back and better than ever. Give the man his due.
Tiger Woods, give the NHL it's due. Too many real athletes are working too hard to be put-down by someone of Tiger's stature. As I write this, Tiger is leading the pack after three days, and can win his third U.S. Open tomorrow, not to mention his 14th major. Tiger is clearly what sports fans refer to in modern day terms as a beast. But if you take Tiger out of those 13 major tournaments that he's already won, and give them to 13 different Lee Westwoods, Stuart Applebys, and D.J. Trahans, who really cares about golf? Is there someone else making countless Nike commercials? How about EA Sports Video Games? Golf can only live off of Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus for so long.
Again, I can't take anything away from Tiger, he's pretty much the man. But I think he really put his foot in his mouth here. Maybe he just hasn't watched any hockey lately, I'm sure he isn't the only one. But if he thinks he's amongst the majority, and that that same majority's watching golf, then the perfectionist has encountered an imperfection.
Jun 7, 2008
Kobe Bryant Sucks
"Yo, Allen Iverson's my favorite basketball player, I liked him in college," proclaimed a young, intelligent sixth grader. "Then my favorite player's Kobe," replied his friend. "What? For real? Kobe? Why? He skipped college, he's not even that good! He's so cocky, and, and he's not even that good...now I have to hate him," thought the smarter of the adolescents.
I still don't understand why my friend Joe started to like Kobe Bryant, he hadn't proven anything, he wasn't even like the third option on his team. Eddie Jones was way better than Kobe. But still, Joe had to like Kobe...and of course Kobe started to blossom. While my boy AI was being labeled selfish, one dimensional, a loser...Kobe was being praised, compared to Money (Jordan), and slowly he became a star. The race for supremacy between Iverson and Kobe was neck and neck for a while, but I had my mind made up the whole time. Even if Iverson isn't the best player in the game, I will never admit that it's Kobe.
I think it's fair to say that over the past five or six seasons, Kobe's been a top-5 player in the league. He's led the league in scoring, been a top defender, a guaranteed all-star starter, an Olympian, a magazine cover boy, a spokesman (before Colorado, and then a couple of years again after Colorado)...you get the message. Few basketball players, athletes even, have achieved the success and popularity that Kobe has over the past decade...and I've hated him the whole time.
I've prayed for anyone to overtake Kobe's spot as Next, even if it couldn't be Ivo. Vince Carter? Nope. T-Mac...well, he blocked Kobe's turnaround fadeaway in the All-Star game that time...but he's never won a playoff series...nope, can't be Mac. Even with the influx of talented swingmen, nobody can really compare to KB8, I mean, 24, or Mamba, all nicknames that have been created by Kobe's biggest fan...Kobe Bryant.
We're talking about someone who wanted to break up a dynasty, no scratch that, who wanted to get rid of the most important player on a team that had won three championships. What kind of pompous, narcissistic, self-centered person puts an end to his teams success so that he can shine? Who wants to get rid of the Most Dominant Ever? Is it that big of a deal to be Batman instead of Robin? If Tony Reali (stat boy to some) asked me to buy or sell Kobe being ringless if it wasn't for Shaq, I'd most likely buy.
And that's why Kobe Bryant sucks. Because we're three games into the NBA Finals, and Kobe and his team entered the series as the favorites. His team, you know, the team that he requested to be traded from because he didn't think he stood any chance of winning with them. His team, the team that continuously tried to put pieces around him that would work well with him, even though he doesn't work well with anyone, because he, the spoiled brat, doesn't like to share. Sure, the Lakers didn't get Jason Kidd, they didn't get Michael Redd, they did however, get rid of Shaq...and you know why they did? Because Kobe clearly didn't care about winning, Kobe cared about Kobe, and that's why Kobe later wanted the team that he had deprived of an extra championship to trade him to a "contender."
But no, Mitch, Dr. Jerry, the logo, and even Phil gave in. They did whatever they could for their spoiled child. They brought in Pau Gasol and eventually the talent that they had acquired since getting rid of the best center since Kareem, with apologies to Hakeem, all came into place. Now his team is The contender, and he's up for that fourth ring that I sold him ever coming close to.
Even if Kobe Bryant doesn't win a championship, you'll remember 2008 as the year Kobe learned how to share. As the season Kobe learned it was more important to put the team first, and the season he learned how to play team basketball. You'll remember Kobe for beating out budding stars like Bron and CP3 to win his first MVP award, and then dethroning the defending champs with ease. And clearly if the Lakers do happen to win, you'll remember Kobe's heroics in the Finals, and him hoisting Larry O'Briens solid gold basketball with that big devilish grin on his face, saying all the right things to Stu Scott, thanking his fans, family, and his teammates.
All of your memories will be fitting, for Kobe did (and possibly will) create them. He elevated his game this season, he deserved the awards, and the Lakers truly had an impressive season. Although I'll share those memories with you, I won't. It's too late for this guy in my book, and it isn't only because of Joe. It's because of Shaq, and then later Caron Butler. It's because of the airball in the playoffs. It's because he changed his number to 24 (one better than Money? I think not). It's because of Game 7 against Phoenix in '06. It's because of Raja Bell and Ruben Patterson, the "Kobe Stoppers." Its because of the throwback jerseys when they were played out, the ugly "fancy" suits, the commercials where the great Kobe Knievel would daringly jump over snakes and cars. And it's because I just don't like phony people.
There is one good memory I'll always have of Kobe, and it came against my beloved Knicks. No it's not that monster reverse dunk at the Garden a couple of years ago, it actually happened in Hollywood, on a dead ball. I guess Chris Childs and Jared Mintz shared similar feelings towards Mamba at one-point in time, which resulted in a right jab to Mr. Bryant's jaw.
Confidence is cool, arrogance is lame. Kobe could win MVP's and championships from now until the day he retires, but he'll always suck in my eyes. Besides, LeBron James is Next anyway.
I still don't understand why my friend Joe started to like Kobe Bryant, he hadn't proven anything, he wasn't even like the third option on his team. Eddie Jones was way better than Kobe. But still, Joe had to like Kobe...and of course Kobe started to blossom. While my boy AI was being labeled selfish, one dimensional, a loser...Kobe was being praised, compared to Money (Jordan), and slowly he became a star. The race for supremacy between Iverson and Kobe was neck and neck for a while, but I had my mind made up the whole time. Even if Iverson isn't the best player in the game, I will never admit that it's Kobe.
I think it's fair to say that over the past five or six seasons, Kobe's been a top-5 player in the league. He's led the league in scoring, been a top defender, a guaranteed all-star starter, an Olympian, a magazine cover boy, a spokesman (before Colorado, and then a couple of years again after Colorado)...you get the message. Few basketball players, athletes even, have achieved the success and popularity that Kobe has over the past decade...and I've hated him the whole time.
I've prayed for anyone to overtake Kobe's spot as Next, even if it couldn't be Ivo. Vince Carter? Nope. T-Mac...well, he blocked Kobe's turnaround fadeaway in the All-Star game that time...but he's never won a playoff series...nope, can't be Mac. Even with the influx of talented swingmen, nobody can really compare to KB8, I mean, 24, or Mamba, all nicknames that have been created by Kobe's biggest fan...Kobe Bryant.
We're talking about someone who wanted to break up a dynasty, no scratch that, who wanted to get rid of the most important player on a team that had won three championships. What kind of pompous, narcissistic, self-centered person puts an end to his teams success so that he can shine? Who wants to get rid of the Most Dominant Ever? Is it that big of a deal to be Batman instead of Robin? If Tony Reali (stat boy to some) asked me to buy or sell Kobe being ringless if it wasn't for Shaq, I'd most likely buy.
And that's why Kobe Bryant sucks. Because we're three games into the NBA Finals, and Kobe and his team entered the series as the favorites. His team, you know, the team that he requested to be traded from because he didn't think he stood any chance of winning with them. His team, the team that continuously tried to put pieces around him that would work well with him, even though he doesn't work well with anyone, because he, the spoiled brat, doesn't like to share. Sure, the Lakers didn't get Jason Kidd, they didn't get Michael Redd, they did however, get rid of Shaq...and you know why they did? Because Kobe clearly didn't care about winning, Kobe cared about Kobe, and that's why Kobe later wanted the team that he had deprived of an extra championship to trade him to a "contender."
But no, Mitch, Dr. Jerry, the logo, and even Phil gave in. They did whatever they could for their spoiled child. They brought in Pau Gasol and eventually the talent that they had acquired since getting rid of the best center since Kareem, with apologies to Hakeem, all came into place. Now his team is The contender, and he's up for that fourth ring that I sold him ever coming close to.
Even if Kobe Bryant doesn't win a championship, you'll remember 2008 as the year Kobe learned how to share. As the season Kobe learned it was more important to put the team first, and the season he learned how to play team basketball. You'll remember Kobe for beating out budding stars like Bron and CP3 to win his first MVP award, and then dethroning the defending champs with ease. And clearly if the Lakers do happen to win, you'll remember Kobe's heroics in the Finals, and him hoisting Larry O'Briens solid gold basketball with that big devilish grin on his face, saying all the right things to Stu Scott, thanking his fans, family, and his teammates.
All of your memories will be fitting, for Kobe did (and possibly will) create them. He elevated his game this season, he deserved the awards, and the Lakers truly had an impressive season. Although I'll share those memories with you, I won't. It's too late for this guy in my book, and it isn't only because of Joe. It's because of Shaq, and then later Caron Butler. It's because of the airball in the playoffs. It's because he changed his number to 24 (one better than Money? I think not). It's because of Game 7 against Phoenix in '06. It's because of Raja Bell and Ruben Patterson, the "Kobe Stoppers." Its because of the throwback jerseys when they were played out, the ugly "fancy" suits, the commercials where the great Kobe Knievel would daringly jump over snakes and cars. And it's because I just don't like phony people.
There is one good memory I'll always have of Kobe, and it came against my beloved Knicks. No it's not that monster reverse dunk at the Garden a couple of years ago, it actually happened in Hollywood, on a dead ball. I guess Chris Childs and Jared Mintz shared similar feelings towards Mamba at one-point in time, which resulted in a right jab to Mr. Bryant's jaw.
Confidence is cool, arrogance is lame. Kobe could win MVP's and championships from now until the day he retires, but he'll always suck in my eyes. Besides, LeBron James is Next anyway.
Jun 6, 2008
What does Tom Chambers and Sega Genesis have to do with the 2008 NBA Finals?
I haven't told you guys this yet, but I am a certified Hoops Junkie! Yep, no offense to the girlfriend, but basketball is the love of my life. It was the first sport I played (4-years old), and the first sport that I really picked up on. You could even say that basketball was a gateway sport for me, because as my passion for the game grew, I noticed how awesome this whole sports thing really was.
I could talk about my Basketball Jones forever, but lets fast-forward this 20 years and make it a relevant post. Last night the NBA Finals began, and what a game it was. A superstar thought he blew out his knee, only to return less than 2-minutes (game-time) later and ignite his team on their way to victory. The "underdog" took game one, but both teams made believers out of anyone who dreads the fact that the NBA playoffs last longer than the regular season. It looks like we have a fantastic finals in front of us, and of course we do, its Lakers versus Celtics baby!
Lakers versus Celtics, three words that have so many different meanings to so many people. It's funny, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say Celtics versus Lakers, it just doesn't have the same feel to it. Anyway, when you close your eyes and picture Lakers versus Celtics you think of the Celtics beating the Lakers in 7 NBA Finals from 1959-'69, Russell and Chamberlain banging in the post, the most dominant scorer going toe to toe with the most dominant defender, in short shorts. Elgin Baylor getting buckets at will like James Worthy would do 20 years later. You see visions of Magic running the court in his Cons, Bird whipping his towel on the sidelines, the Chief and the Captain, heck even Kurt Rambis getting "jack'd up!" and still keeping his glasses on.
This was a rivalry so big that it prompted possibly the greatest sports video game of all-time (with respect to John Madden and obviously Barkley: Shut up and Jam!), yup, I'm talking about Lakers vs. Celtics...for Sega Genesis. Come on hoop heads, you remember this one, the first basketball game to have full names of actual NBA players in it. It was a bit old school with only 8 teams (yes, there were more than 8 teams in the NBA in 1990), and sure it may have been tainted being that it didn't have my illustrious New York Knickerbockers in it, but what an incredible game!
I apologize for getting carried away, but this game was breakthrough for me. This was the first game that I could actually dominate my older brother in, I mean, it wasn't even fair! He could pick the Eastern All-Stars, who were loaded with Jordan, Bird, Isiah (boooo!), and Ewing (yeaaa!), but all I needed was Tom Chambers, Dan Majerle, and the Suns' Gorilla (there still aren't mascots in NBA video games, but we're adding the Gorilla in this one for dramatic effect) and I could not be stopped. I would beat that jerk by like 40 points, in the first half! He hated it, he used to shut the game off, or beat me up, whichever took less effort.
This game also taught me a lot about the NBA. It included star players' signature moves and even had a small half-time show. Playing this game so much made me want to watch basketball more, and I now knew who a lot of the players were because I had become familiar with them through video games, which is alright for a 7-year old. It was with the help of this video game, as well as NBA Classics, that my knowledge and affinity for the game of basketball grew when I was so young. In 2008 it's all coming back to me, I'm giddy about basketball like I was as a child, and it has everything to do with these two teams, Lakers versus Celtics.
In the 60's it was all Celtics, and in the 80's the Lakers took the upper-hand. It's 2008, round three, instead of Bird, McHale and Parrish you got Pierce, Allen, and KG, and instead of Magic, Worthy and Cap, you got Kobe, Odom, and Pau. The names may not be as big this time around, but if you don't think you're in for a great series, game 1 happily proved you wrong. Stay tuned.
Coming Soon:
Why I hate Kobe
I could talk about my Basketball Jones forever, but lets fast-forward this 20 years and make it a relevant post. Last night the NBA Finals began, and what a game it was. A superstar thought he blew out his knee, only to return less than 2-minutes (game-time) later and ignite his team on their way to victory. The "underdog" took game one, but both teams made believers out of anyone who dreads the fact that the NBA playoffs last longer than the regular season. It looks like we have a fantastic finals in front of us, and of course we do, its Lakers versus Celtics baby!
Lakers versus Celtics, three words that have so many different meanings to so many people. It's funny, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say Celtics versus Lakers, it just doesn't have the same feel to it. Anyway, when you close your eyes and picture Lakers versus Celtics you think of the Celtics beating the Lakers in 7 NBA Finals from 1959-'69, Russell and Chamberlain banging in the post, the most dominant scorer going toe to toe with the most dominant defender, in short shorts. Elgin Baylor getting buckets at will like James Worthy would do 20 years later. You see visions of Magic running the court in his Cons, Bird whipping his towel on the sidelines, the Chief and the Captain, heck even Kurt Rambis getting "jack'd up!" and still keeping his glasses on.
This was a rivalry so big that it prompted possibly the greatest sports video game of all-time (with respect to John Madden and obviously Barkley: Shut up and Jam!), yup, I'm talking about Lakers vs. Celtics...for Sega Genesis. Come on hoop heads, you remember this one, the first basketball game to have full names of actual NBA players in it. It was a bit old school with only 8 teams (yes, there were more than 8 teams in the NBA in 1990), and sure it may have been tainted being that it didn't have my illustrious New York Knickerbockers in it, but what an incredible game!
I apologize for getting carried away, but this game was breakthrough for me. This was the first game that I could actually dominate my older brother in, I mean, it wasn't even fair! He could pick the Eastern All-Stars, who were loaded with Jordan, Bird, Isiah (boooo!), and Ewing (yeaaa!), but all I needed was Tom Chambers, Dan Majerle, and the Suns' Gorilla (there still aren't mascots in NBA video games, but we're adding the Gorilla in this one for dramatic effect) and I could not be stopped. I would beat that jerk by like 40 points, in the first half! He hated it, he used to shut the game off, or beat me up, whichever took less effort.
This game also taught me a lot about the NBA. It included star players' signature moves and even had a small half-time show. Playing this game so much made me want to watch basketball more, and I now knew who a lot of the players were because I had become familiar with them through video games, which is alright for a 7-year old. It was with the help of this video game, as well as NBA Classics, that my knowledge and affinity for the game of basketball grew when I was so young. In 2008 it's all coming back to me, I'm giddy about basketball like I was as a child, and it has everything to do with these two teams, Lakers versus Celtics.
In the 60's it was all Celtics, and in the 80's the Lakers took the upper-hand. It's 2008, round three, instead of Bird, McHale and Parrish you got Pierce, Allen, and KG, and instead of Magic, Worthy and Cap, you got Kobe, Odom, and Pau. The names may not be as big this time around, but if you don't think you're in for a great series, game 1 happily proved you wrong. Stay tuned.
Coming Soon:
Why I hate Kobe
Jun 3, 2008
The Day the Bronx Stood Still
Well, the dust has settled. Pitches were thrown, bats were shattered, and runs were a plenty, but the one thing that mattered...didn't really matter.
Joba Chamberlain made his debut as a starting pitcher tonight, and although it's no secret that Yankee management is slowly bringing him along (umm, the Joba Rules? What's that like?), I think Yankee Nation expected a little bit more than 2 and 1/3 innings and more walks than strikeouts out of their pitching prophet.
Joba threw his 62nd pitch to Alex Rios in the third, ball four, hit the showers rook. In his debut, the pinstriped phenom gave up just one run on one hit, but walked four while striking out three. Joba also notched a balk in the first inning, which was followed up by a passed ball, proceeded by a Rios ground ball which brought in the first run of the game, and the first run that Chamberlain has allowed in over two weeks.
It was a rocky debut inning for Joba, but the rookie regained his composure and pitched a solid second. It says a lot that of the seven outs Joba recorded, three of them were K's, all swinging. Joba looked very much in control, and had his name been Schilling, Santana, or even his opponent Halladay, things may have worked out better for him and his team, maybe.
To say that Joba had a hard time getting calls would be quite the understatement. Painting the borders of his oppositions strike zone as usual, Joba threw a wide variety of impressive, intimidating pitches. A 101-mph fastball, a zipping slider, and a dropping breaking ball had Blue Jays looking silly at times, but more often had them taking their bases. Home plate umpire Ed Hickox reminded the world that Joba is still a rookie, and has more to prove before he gets the calls that a veteran starter would get.
But as usual, the least of the Yankees worries tonight was the 22-year old flame thrower. Two runs given up by Jose Veras and another four for Edwar Ramirez clinched a 9-3 Blue Jays win. Two of the relievers expected to fill the large shoes Joba leaves by becoming a starter proved tonight why Joba waited this long to make his first start. And as good as Joba looked at times tonight, he would have most likely looked better coming into the game in the seventh to preserve a 1-run lead, or to keep the Yanks in a tight game.
However, it was the same story it's been since the Yanks decided to throw Joba into the rotation. Close game given away by less than shaky bullpen...ouch it hurts. I mean, what's the point of giving Mariano Rivera all that money if he's not even going to be needed because the bullpen can't keep a game close? It really seemed like Joba was the answer to the Yankees' recent bullpen woes, maybe thinking he's the answer to starting pitching woes really won't help the team at all.
I'm not trying to be pessimistic in any way. I think Joba looked pretty good tonight, and as management allows him to throw more pitches and he learns the ropes, he could be a top starter. But one thing I know for sure, LaTroy Hawkins, Kyle Farnsworth, Ramirez, and Veras will never be able to make up for what removing Joba does to the bullpen. Yankee brass needs to get their priorities straight, before it's too late.
Joba Chamberlain made his debut as a starting pitcher tonight, and although it's no secret that Yankee management is slowly bringing him along (umm, the Joba Rules? What's that like?), I think Yankee Nation expected a little bit more than 2 and 1/3 innings and more walks than strikeouts out of their pitching prophet.
Joba threw his 62nd pitch to Alex Rios in the third, ball four, hit the showers rook. In his debut, the pinstriped phenom gave up just one run on one hit, but walked four while striking out three. Joba also notched a balk in the first inning, which was followed up by a passed ball, proceeded by a Rios ground ball which brought in the first run of the game, and the first run that Chamberlain has allowed in over two weeks.
It was a rocky debut inning for Joba, but the rookie regained his composure and pitched a solid second. It says a lot that of the seven outs Joba recorded, three of them were K's, all swinging. Joba looked very much in control, and had his name been Schilling, Santana, or even his opponent Halladay, things may have worked out better for him and his team, maybe.
To say that Joba had a hard time getting calls would be quite the understatement. Painting the borders of his oppositions strike zone as usual, Joba threw a wide variety of impressive, intimidating pitches. A 101-mph fastball, a zipping slider, and a dropping breaking ball had Blue Jays looking silly at times, but more often had them taking their bases. Home plate umpire Ed Hickox reminded the world that Joba is still a rookie, and has more to prove before he gets the calls that a veteran starter would get.
But as usual, the least of the Yankees worries tonight was the 22-year old flame thrower. Two runs given up by Jose Veras and another four for Edwar Ramirez clinched a 9-3 Blue Jays win. Two of the relievers expected to fill the large shoes Joba leaves by becoming a starter proved tonight why Joba waited this long to make his first start. And as good as Joba looked at times tonight, he would have most likely looked better coming into the game in the seventh to preserve a 1-run lead, or to keep the Yanks in a tight game.
However, it was the same story it's been since the Yanks decided to throw Joba into the rotation. Close game given away by less than shaky bullpen...ouch it hurts. I mean, what's the point of giving Mariano Rivera all that money if he's not even going to be needed because the bullpen can't keep a game close? It really seemed like Joba was the answer to the Yankees' recent bullpen woes, maybe thinking he's the answer to starting pitching woes really won't help the team at all.
I'm not trying to be pessimistic in any way. I think Joba looked pretty good tonight, and as management allows him to throw more pitches and he learns the ropes, he could be a top starter. But one thing I know for sure, LaTroy Hawkins, Kyle Farnsworth, Ramirez, and Veras will never be able to make up for what removing Joba does to the bullpen. Yankee brass needs to get their priorities straight, before it's too late.
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