The Blog is back! After a 2 1/2 month hiatus, the sights and sounds of college football compelled me to re-establish the blog...and the need to argue with Davis.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
worst seat in the house?
On our way to Portland this weekend my brother, his fiance and I had what some might consider the worst seats on the plane: the last row next to the lavatory. However, on the way back I think I one-upped that one. I sat between two Buckeyes in full OSU gear (turns out they were coaches on the OSU track team and were returning from a track meet in Eugene, Or). Rough, I know. I tried to capture this on my phone but my covert skills were lacking. Too bad.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
PODCAST: Mike Jonesco talks Cavs draft, moving on from LeBron, and O-H-I-O
Sorry for a.) the lag time between posts, but I had to get a new computer (apparently too much blogging) and b.) the crappy reception, but, you know, it's Ohio...
Thursday, June 9, 2011
"Biggest game of my career", says The Chosen One.
Much has been made about LeBron's disappearing act in Game 4 of the NBA finals, and now the sports world is saying that The King's performance in Game 5 will go a long way in defining his career and legacy. I personally think much, but not all, of his legacy has been defined even though he still likely has nearly a decade left. He's as gifted of an athlete as we may ever see with a theoretical ceiling higher than anyone but for some inconceivable reason has faded away from big moments which has thus eliminated him, forever, from being listed along with the league's all-time greats.
Nonetheless, even King James recognizes what's riding on tonight's Game 5, both short term for the Heat but more interestingly for his own long term legacy. He said this is the most important game of his career and tweeted it's now or never. This seems like strong language for a player in the middle of his prime. Now or never? Really? He's probably just getting himself psyched up but discussing sports is mostly about assumptions and guesses anyway. I've tried to stay away from this series as much as possible because I figured the Heat would win and I couldn't stand watching one more scowl, fake injury, or piercing scream from LeBron. Tonight, however, I have to watch.
What will LeBron do? Are we looking at a 44pt, 12reb, 10asst game? Maybe. Let's guess...
26pts, 9rebs, 9assts
Heat 90 Mavs 86
Nonetheless, even King James recognizes what's riding on tonight's Game 5, both short term for the Heat but more interestingly for his own long term legacy. He said this is the most important game of his career and tweeted it's now or never. This seems like strong language for a player in the middle of his prime. Now or never? Really? He's probably just getting himself psyched up but discussing sports is mostly about assumptions and guesses anyway. I've tried to stay away from this series as much as possible because I figured the Heat would win and I couldn't stand watching one more scowl, fake injury, or piercing scream from LeBron. Tonight, however, I have to watch.
What will LeBron do? Are we looking at a 44pt, 12reb, 10asst game? Maybe. Let's guess...
26pts, 9rebs, 9assts
Heat 90 Mavs 86
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
PODCAST: Pryor, NBA, and Davis defends IU hoops to the death
Back from a 2 week hiatus...
and this.....
and this.....
Thursday, May 26, 2011
PODCAST: Post-Mortem...did that just happen?!?
Sorry for the technical difficulties. It was LeBron's fault.
Another LeBron post? You bet...
When Game 4 was winding down and LeBron was doing his typical heavy breathing-teeth grimacing-yelling at the air routine after making a layup, I thought he reached the point where he was the clear-cut most annoying player on the planet. Annoying, but not hated. Well, now he's hated. What changed? During his post game on-floor press conference there were some remarks that caused me to think, "Wait a sec, did he just say that? and if so, did he really mean what it appeared to mean?"
LeBron James is now mocking Derrick Rose. Unbelievable. Making it clear to anyone who will listen that Derrick Rose is the MVP and his team, the team he created with Wade and Bosh has defeated him. How petty can he be? It would be one thing if LeBron was in arch-rival mode with a contemporary who had the same amount of sidekicks at his disposal. This is more like a schoolyard bully who was put in his place deciding to come back to the playground with two other "tough guys" and under the cover of their umbrella calling out the pipsqueak. Of course, Derrick Rose is no pipsqueak but the fact that LeBaby has shrunk to the point of mocking a 22 year old who is being asked to lead his team every game and playing his ass off is pretty darn telling of his personality. As I've said before, commonly you can learn more about a person with how they handle success than from how they handle failure.
LeBaby has lived in such a bubble his entire life that he can't even appreciate a fellow player's effort that might perhaps take the spotlight off of him. Has Derrick Rose ever said one non-laudatory thing about James? Did he ever say that James wasn't deserving of the MVP? No and No. Rather, perhaps James is jealous of Rose for things that go far beyond the MVP trophy. Anyone who saw Rose's heartfelt, emotional, humble MVP acceptance speech can appreciate what a genuinely good guy he is. Anyone that is, except Queen James who clearly simply can't fathom how anyone could love another player more than him. So he tries to tear Rose down. Some of LeBron's annoying qualities are more subtle than others, but just as telling. It's no coincidence that James is most confident when his team is rolling along, everyone's shots are falling, and they have all the momentum. See if you notice his demeanor the next the Heat is in a tough situation when things aren't going so well. He's belittling his teammates, screaming at the ref, and ramming his 280lb frame into his dweeby coach. Contrast that to Rose -- cold-blooded. Face of a champion. LeBron wishes he carried himself like Rose, but it's just not in him. Lastly, whenever James does something on the court that he believes is amazing, if not expected, he makes sure to draw full attention to himself. When he flops from a Luol Deng shrug and draws an offensive foul, James sits on the floor, tongue out, head nodding, and refusing to get up until he's successfully drawn the lens of every camera in the arena. Rose? Not so much. Business as usual.
LeBron believes that with a win over the Bulls his Decision will have been validated. What he doesn't, or refuses to realiaze is that with every over-dramatic pose and with every cheap swipe at Rose he is merely reinforcing how weak he can make a 6'8" 275 lb frame appear to be.
...and to steal a line from Taylor Swift: Why you gotta be so mean?
LeBron James is now mocking Derrick Rose. Unbelievable. Making it clear to anyone who will listen that Derrick Rose is the MVP and his team, the team he created with Wade and Bosh has defeated him. How petty can he be? It would be one thing if LeBron was in arch-rival mode with a contemporary who had the same amount of sidekicks at his disposal. This is more like a schoolyard bully who was put in his place deciding to come back to the playground with two other "tough guys" and under the cover of their umbrella calling out the pipsqueak. Of course, Derrick Rose is no pipsqueak but the fact that LeBaby has shrunk to the point of mocking a 22 year old who is being asked to lead his team every game and playing his ass off is pretty darn telling of his personality. As I've said before, commonly you can learn more about a person with how they handle success than from how they handle failure.
LeBaby has lived in such a bubble his entire life that he can't even appreciate a fellow player's effort that might perhaps take the spotlight off of him. Has Derrick Rose ever said one non-laudatory thing about James? Did he ever say that James wasn't deserving of the MVP? No and No. Rather, perhaps James is jealous of Rose for things that go far beyond the MVP trophy. Anyone who saw Rose's heartfelt, emotional, humble MVP acceptance speech can appreciate what a genuinely good guy he is. Anyone that is, except Queen James who clearly simply can't fathom how anyone could love another player more than him. So he tries to tear Rose down. Some of LeBron's annoying qualities are more subtle than others, but just as telling. It's no coincidence that James is most confident when his team is rolling along, everyone's shots are falling, and they have all the momentum. See if you notice his demeanor the next the Heat is in a tough situation when things aren't going so well. He's belittling his teammates, screaming at the ref, and ramming his 280lb frame into his dweeby coach. Contrast that to Rose -- cold-blooded. Face of a champion. LeBron wishes he carried himself like Rose, but it's just not in him. Lastly, whenever James does something on the court that he believes is amazing, if not expected, he makes sure to draw full attention to himself. When he flops from a Luol Deng shrug and draws an offensive foul, James sits on the floor, tongue out, head nodding, and refusing to get up until he's successfully drawn the lens of every camera in the arena. Rose? Not so much. Business as usual.
LeBron believes that with a win over the Bulls his Decision will have been validated. What he doesn't, or refuses to realiaze is that with every over-dramatic pose and with every cheap swipe at Rose he is merely reinforcing how weak he can make a 6'8" 275 lb frame appear to be.
...and to steal a line from Taylor Swift: Why you gotta be so mean?
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
LeBron hearts Miami - now it makes sense
I hate this team so much. How can anyone cheer for this garbage?
"But I'm from Miami, what do you expect?"
As I said at the beginning of the year, Miami fans are the absolute worst, and have been the absolute worst for a long long time. Does anyone care about any of their teams unless there IN the playoffs? No. Over and over again, no. Marlins? University of Miami? Heat any other year? Empty seats, Empty stadium. They don't deserve to have a team, let alone a good team. They have no investment in this team, rather, they watch the Heat as the rest of us would go watch a concert; let's go be entertained for a few hours and call it a day. That's not sports. That's not being a fan. But let's see how many layers deep we can go here. They don't just have a good team, but they have perhaps the most annoying, front-runner of a group of players maybe ever. Let's take LeBron. The way he quit on his Cavs teammates last year was one of the many reasons why I never wanted him to be a Bull. You think Jordan ever would've gone out like that? Or could you ever see our beloved Derrick Rose quitting? But that's the difference. Miami fans don't care. Their mindset is basically, "get me out of the tanning bed when we have a team in the playoffs, then maybe I'll care...maybe." Sometimes you learn more about athletes observing their reaction in victory more so than in defeat. How can LeBron be taken seriously when we know his true colors when he faces adversity? He quits. But now, with the backing of other all-star teammates he's dancing around the court - laughing at the Bulls as they hustle out the end of the game. Watching LeBron and Bosh wag their tongues after hitting a shot makes me physically ill. Chris Bosh may be even worse. He's another athlete who wants all the glory without any of the adversity. He, also, bailed on his Toronto teammates last year as it became clear that he crumbled under the task of actually leading a team. What the Heat has done, specifically LeBron and Bosh is unprecedented. I care. Miami fans don't. As much as I hate Boston sports and all their teams at least they care. At least they expect something out of their athletes. But again, maybe that's why LeBron and Bosh decided to take their talents to South Beach. They cracked and folded under the pressure of playing in front of powerhouse sports cities like.....Cleveland and Toronto. I bet Wade told them, "Listen. First of all, they'll love you no matter what. The people here don't care about the game as much as they care about the entertainment. If we don't win, they'll go back to the tanning beds, spiked hair, and douchey muscle shirts and tell their friends they never cared in the first place. But if we DO win...they'll show up by the 2nd quarter and cheer during the 4th quarter. It's perfect." And that's the draw. But it takes a certain athlete to embrace that, while it takes a certain athlete to embrace the pressure that comes with playing in a true sports city. LeBron yells at his teammates when they're losing and soaks up the spotlight when they're winning.
Our beloved Bulls are on the brink of elimination now after a great effort (for Miami fans, effort is something that the rest of the sports world appreciates, even in loss). Looks like I'm about to become the biggest Mavs fan outside of Dallas. For the soul of basketball, and for the spirit of professional sports we all should be.
Evil is winning. Brevity is the soul of wit: Shakespere
"But I'm from Miami, what do you expect?"
As I said at the beginning of the year, Miami fans are the absolute worst, and have been the absolute worst for a long long time. Does anyone care about any of their teams unless there IN the playoffs? No. Over and over again, no. Marlins? University of Miami? Heat any other year? Empty seats, Empty stadium. They don't deserve to have a team, let alone a good team. They have no investment in this team, rather, they watch the Heat as the rest of us would go watch a concert; let's go be entertained for a few hours and call it a day. That's not sports. That's not being a fan. But let's see how many layers deep we can go here. They don't just have a good team, but they have perhaps the most annoying, front-runner of a group of players maybe ever. Let's take LeBron. The way he quit on his Cavs teammates last year was one of the many reasons why I never wanted him to be a Bull. You think Jordan ever would've gone out like that? Or could you ever see our beloved Derrick Rose quitting? But that's the difference. Miami fans don't care. Their mindset is basically, "get me out of the tanning bed when we have a team in the playoffs, then maybe I'll care...maybe." Sometimes you learn more about athletes observing their reaction in victory more so than in defeat. How can LeBron be taken seriously when we know his true colors when he faces adversity? He quits. But now, with the backing of other all-star teammates he's dancing around the court - laughing at the Bulls as they hustle out the end of the game. Watching LeBron and Bosh wag their tongues after hitting a shot makes me physically ill. Chris Bosh may be even worse. He's another athlete who wants all the glory without any of the adversity. He, also, bailed on his Toronto teammates last year as it became clear that he crumbled under the task of actually leading a team. What the Heat has done, specifically LeBron and Bosh is unprecedented. I care. Miami fans don't. As much as I hate Boston sports and all their teams at least they care. At least they expect something out of their athletes. But again, maybe that's why LeBron and Bosh decided to take their talents to South Beach. They cracked and folded under the pressure of playing in front of powerhouse sports cities like.....Cleveland and Toronto. I bet Wade told them, "Listen. First of all, they'll love you no matter what. The people here don't care about the game as much as they care about the entertainment. If we don't win, they'll go back to the tanning beds, spiked hair, and douchey muscle shirts and tell their friends they never cared in the first place. But if we DO win...they'll show up by the 2nd quarter and cheer during the 4th quarter. It's perfect." And that's the draw. But it takes a certain athlete to embrace that, while it takes a certain athlete to embrace the pressure that comes with playing in a true sports city. LeBron yells at his teammates when they're losing and soaks up the spotlight when they're winning.
Our beloved Bulls are on the brink of elimination now after a great effort (for Miami fans, effort is something that the rest of the sports world appreciates, even in loss). Looks like I'm about to become the biggest Mavs fan outside of Dallas. For the soul of basketball, and for the spirit of professional sports we all should be.
Evil is winning. Brevity is the soul of wit: Shakespere
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Bulls-Heat: Game2 -- LeBron's dream comes true
So many thoughts and overflowing frustration makes for a perfect time to rant.
This game typified what LeBron was hoping for as he quit on his Cavalier teammates last year during the Celtics playoff series. His dream came true. He got everything he wanted: Maximum glory, Minimum effort. He successfully came across as "carrying" the Heat to victory in the same game where he disappears for about 20 minutes during the 3rd and beginning of the 4th quarter. Classic LeBron. The best player in the NBA decides he doesn't want to carry a team to a championship. Rather, he prefers to show up at spots during the game and disappear at others. Unprecedented.
The Bulls played arguably their worst game of the year. Let's start with 34, 15, and 60. These were the Bulls' shooting percentages from the field, 3pt, and FT, respectively. Wow. Yet, the Bulls were right there with 3 minutes left to play. A small, yes small, part of this was due to the Heat, but most was due to simply a bad night. Further, Derrick Rose probably played his worst game since he went 0-7 and his team lost 15-11 in the Englewood kindergarten championships. He looked out of sorts most of the game. I've seen that before, but was a tad more concerning was he looked a half step slow. This is hard to figure since, a.)Oprah gave the Bulls an extra day off, and b.) Rose sat much of the 2nd quarter with foul trouble. I'd love to know the last time he missed both free throws. This won't happen again.
Loose balls and rebounds. The Bulls utterly and completely dominated the glass in Game 1. Game 2? The Heat somehow grabbed 4 more rebounds than the Bulls. I sincerely feel that this was a fluke. It wasn't so much the Bulls were out of position or got out-worked, but anyone who watched the game could see that the if the Bulls zigged, the ball zagged. A fingertip here, a misstep there, and an awkward bounce all add up to frustratingly, yet unacceptable missed loose balls. This won't happen again
Not much left to say about Boozer. Whether he's hurt or not doesn't change the fact that he's now at the point where he's hurting the Bulls by being on the court. He adds nothing. As soon as Taj came in in the 4th quarter the Bulls went on a run. Have you ever seen more missed layups? Seriously. It will be interesting to see How Thibs deals with this. He's been rigid with his lineup and rotation all year, but this is getting a little out of hand. Boozer played too much. This won't happen again.
I'm not impressed with the Heat. Did they play better than the Bulls tonight? Yes. Did they play better than they did in Game 1? I suppose. But this effort was far from spectacular. The Bulls' defense was good enough to win, thanks to Omer, Deng, Taj, and Brewer. I think they'll be able to reproduce tonight's effort throughout the series.
Thibs also has a decision to make about Korver. If he's not hitting 3s consistently (1-5 would not qualify) then obviously his value is limited if not zero. But as always, you have to consider the other options (Watson, Bogans, Brewer). I think this is moot because Thibs is going to keep Korver out there as he has all year.
This isn't sour grapes, but the officiating was atrocious. There was about a 10 minute stretch from the end for the 1st and into the 2nd where the refs could've done a better job if they decided to blow their whistle every 3 minutes randomly. There was a brief moment where the Bulls seemed like they could've pulled away but a handful of brutal calls kept the Heat in the game. It's a fact.
Even with all the above, Korver missed an open 3 that would've put the Bulls up 3 late in the 4th.
Bah Humbug.
This game typified what LeBron was hoping for as he quit on his Cavalier teammates last year during the Celtics playoff series. His dream came true. He got everything he wanted: Maximum glory, Minimum effort. He successfully came across as "carrying" the Heat to victory in the same game where he disappears for about 20 minutes during the 3rd and beginning of the 4th quarter. Classic LeBron. The best player in the NBA decides he doesn't want to carry a team to a championship. Rather, he prefers to show up at spots during the game and disappear at others. Unprecedented.
The Bulls played arguably their worst game of the year. Let's start with 34, 15, and 60. These were the Bulls' shooting percentages from the field, 3pt, and FT, respectively. Wow. Yet, the Bulls were right there with 3 minutes left to play. A small, yes small, part of this was due to the Heat, but most was due to simply a bad night. Further, Derrick Rose probably played his worst game since he went 0-7 and his team lost 15-11 in the Englewood kindergarten championships. He looked out of sorts most of the game. I've seen that before, but was a tad more concerning was he looked a half step slow. This is hard to figure since, a.)Oprah gave the Bulls an extra day off, and b.) Rose sat much of the 2nd quarter with foul trouble. I'd love to know the last time he missed both free throws. This won't happen again.
Loose balls and rebounds. The Bulls utterly and completely dominated the glass in Game 1. Game 2? The Heat somehow grabbed 4 more rebounds than the Bulls. I sincerely feel that this was a fluke. It wasn't so much the Bulls were out of position or got out-worked, but anyone who watched the game could see that the if the Bulls zigged, the ball zagged. A fingertip here, a misstep there, and an awkward bounce all add up to frustratingly, yet unacceptable missed loose balls. This won't happen again
Not much left to say about Boozer. Whether he's hurt or not doesn't change the fact that he's now at the point where he's hurting the Bulls by being on the court. He adds nothing. As soon as Taj came in in the 4th quarter the Bulls went on a run. Have you ever seen more missed layups? Seriously. It will be interesting to see How Thibs deals with this. He's been rigid with his lineup and rotation all year, but this is getting a little out of hand. Boozer played too much. This won't happen again.
I'm not impressed with the Heat. Did they play better than the Bulls tonight? Yes. Did they play better than they did in Game 1? I suppose. But this effort was far from spectacular. The Bulls' defense was good enough to win, thanks to Omer, Deng, Taj, and Brewer. I think they'll be able to reproduce tonight's effort throughout the series.
Thibs also has a decision to make about Korver. If he's not hitting 3s consistently (1-5 would not qualify) then obviously his value is limited if not zero. But as always, you have to consider the other options (Watson, Bogans, Brewer). I think this is moot because Thibs is going to keep Korver out there as he has all year.
This isn't sour grapes, but the officiating was atrocious. There was about a 10 minute stretch from the end for the 1st and into the 2nd where the refs could've done a better job if they decided to blow their whistle every 3 minutes randomly. There was a brief moment where the Bulls seemed like they could've pulled away but a handful of brutal calls kept the Heat in the game. It's a fact.
Even with all the above, Korver missed an open 3 that would've put the Bulls up 3 late in the 4th.
Bah Humbug.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
PODCAST: Eastern Conference Finals and Davis explains his unique palate
Well, that Game 1 was as good as it gets. Two numbers sum it up for me: 19 and 1
Bulls Offensive Rebounds: 19
Bulls 2nd Half turnovers: 1
It's hard not to get too carried away after a performance like that, but....
What is "Miami Heat Basketball"? What does that mean? Is it relying on the other team to turn the ball over leading to easy fast breaks? Fine. Is it relying on LeBron and/or D-Wade to take over and hit tough, contested shots? Fine.
I never thought too much of coaching as a factor that might sway a series, especially in the NBA which is so star-driven. But I have to say, I think there's a real edge here for the Bulls. I think Spoelstra is in over his head against Thibs. It wasn't a game changing decision by any means, but I thought when we learned that Spoelstra decided to "go small" (whatever that means) and not even dress Zydrunas, their starting center for most of the season, it seemed like over thinking. For Miami to win this series, Wade or James need to be spectacular, in fact, beyond spectacular. This certainly wouldn't be too surprising, but it won't be easy.
Boozer. I'll take it. 14 pts, 9 rebs, 1 Turnover. Far from great, but as long as Boozer can give something we're in good shape.
Deng. wow. Aric already wrote an articulate article explaining why he's so valuable and such a great guy to root for. Carmelo or Noah, Deng + ? Hmmmm.... Part of Deng's post-game press conference caught my attention. He said something along the lines of, "If you want to win you have to believe you're the best...". I'm not sure when Deng turned on that switch, but it's been pretty remarkable. There's a fraction of a second to react during a game, and the slightest hesitation, usually from a lack of confidence will be the difference between making a play and missing the opportunity. There must be no hesitation, no doubt, and no fear. Grab victory, don't receive it.
Lebron, or "Spotlight", as I call him now due to his overriding desire, above ALL else, to find the cameras, look cool, and play for style points, didn't play well. It's always tough to determine what percentage of a bad game is due to the individual and what is due to the opponent. After tonight's performance I'd say it was 75% Bulls defense. LeBron didn't just miss outside shots, but he barely ever drove to the basket. Then again, why should he? I mean, it's gotta be pretty easy to stop a runaway freight train that's 6'9" 270 lbs and can jump out of the gym from scoring or at least getting fouled, right? I don't get it. But I think the decision to continue shooting jumpers was because there was no room to drive. Settling for a fadeaway jumper over Asik instead of driving past him? Ok. Normally you'd think 30 points is 30 points whether it's LeBron or Bosh. However, if Bosh is Miami's best player they obviously have no chance.
Finally, Taj. What a versatile, valuable player he has become. He can guard virtually any position on the court, which is especially valuable in this series because if he has to switch onto Lebron after a pick and roll he can hold his own. He can also run around chasing some of Miami's shooters so Noah and Asik can remain down low.
Game 2 not until Wendesday ?!?!? Damn you Oprah!
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