okay, puppet ads - we get it. lebron is amazing. he's the king. blah, blah, blah.
but as lebron spends yet another ringless offseason, let's pause to compare him to the next great one: sid the kid.
last night, 21-year-old sidney crosby led - nay, captained - the pittsburgh penguins to a victory in the stanley cup finals over the perennially dominant detroit red wings, with the pens coming back from deficits of 2-0 and 3-2. sure, malkin took home the conn smythe, but any true hockey fan knows that crosby is the heart and soul of that team.
meanwhile, lebron's nba-best cavs flopped in the playoffs, not even making it to the nba finals. and while lebron may be dominant on the court, i'm sure at least a teammate or two is sick of all the talk about him going to new york.
so who is the true king? in his fourth season, crosby celebrates with a stanley cup after making the finals for two consecutive years. meanwhile, in his sixth season, lebron is a superstar who has but an mvp title to his name - a trophy that surely looks bare in the case without an nba finals shiner standing next to it.
lebron gets paid $14 million a year, has innumerable endorsements, and is already prompting talk of unseating jordan (and his six championships). meanwhile, the humble crosby is actually one national title closer to filling the gigantic shoes left behind by wayne gretzky.
lebron, SHMEBRON. it's time to give credit where credit is due.
Showing posts with label basketball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label basketball. Show all posts
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
how not to fight for a playoff spot
the suns came into today's matchup with the mavericks three games behind dallas for the no. 8 seed in the west with six games remaining in the regular season.
at halftime, phoenix has pretty much destroyed its chances at making the playoffs by allowing 81 points in 20 minutes.
how bad is it for the suns? jason kidd has 16 points and 16 assists - the last of which came on a baseline inbounds pass for an 70-foot buzzer-beater by josh howard.
as avery johnson put it on the abc halftime show: "phoenix came into this game with a do-or-die situation. well, they're dead now."
maybe phoenix really does need to think about learning how to play defense.
at halftime, phoenix has pretty much destroyed its chances at making the playoffs by allowing 81 points in 20 minutes.
how bad is it for the suns? jason kidd has 16 points and 16 assists - the last of which came on a baseline inbounds pass for an 70-foot buzzer-beater by josh howard.
as avery johnson put it on the abc halftime show: "phoenix came into this game with a do-or-die situation. well, they're dead now."
maybe phoenix really does need to think about learning how to play defense.
Friday, March 27, 2009
day 5 bracket update
after the first half of the sweet 16, here's where the poop on boozer staff stands:
1st: d.r.w. (38 of 52)
2nd: k.c.r. (37 of 52)
3rd: k.l. (36 of 52)
i'm hanging tough, though - especially because d.r.w has memphis in his finals. let's go no. 3 seeds!
1st: d.r.w. (38 of 52)
2nd: k.c.r. (37 of 52)
3rd: k.l. (36 of 52)
i'm hanging tough, though - especially because d.r.w has memphis in his finals. let's go no. 3 seeds!
Friday, March 20, 2009
day 1 bracket update
after day 1, here's where the poop on boozer staff stands:
1st: k.l. (15 of 16)
2nd: k.c.r. (13 of 16)
3rd: d.r.w. (12 of 16)
i think k.c.r. and d.r.w. are just celebrating that memphis didn't choke and ruin their final four!
1st: k.l. (15 of 16)
2nd: k.c.r. (13 of 16)
3rd: d.r.w. (12 of 16)
i think k.c.r. and d.r.w. are just celebrating that memphis didn't choke and ruin their final four!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
poop on ranked mid-major teams
poop on butler.
the 16th/17th-ranked bulldogs lost to cleveland state in the horizon league championship tuesday night, losing 57-54 as the vikings rained threes in indianapolis. awesome, right? everyone loves an underdog!
nope.
by losing, butler handed cleveland state its first berth in the ncaa tournament since 1986. again, awesome, right? this is what makes march MAD!
nope.
see, here's the thing. butler was going to make the dance regardless of last night's result. but now, we have to deal with TWO horizon league teams in the tournament.
yes, the last time they were there, the vikings upset the 3rd-seeded hoosiers and generated some serious excitement. but would you really rather watch cleveland state instead of teams like maryland or arizona? these squads are in danger of not making the tournament if random upsets like this continue to happen in mid-major conference tournaments.
so poop on you, butler bulldogs, for ruining the dreams of fans of ACTUALLY exciting teams in the REAL basketball conferences. while all 16,000 cleveland state students are undoubtedly quite excited about their berth, i'm sure that the crowd of 29,000 (and 240,000 alumni!) at college park is raving mad.
the 16th/17th-ranked bulldogs lost to cleveland state in the horizon league championship tuesday night, losing 57-54 as the vikings rained threes in indianapolis. awesome, right? everyone loves an underdog!
nope.
by losing, butler handed cleveland state its first berth in the ncaa tournament since 1986. again, awesome, right? this is what makes march MAD!
nope.
see, here's the thing. butler was going to make the dance regardless of last night's result. but now, we have to deal with TWO horizon league teams in the tournament.
yes, the last time they were there, the vikings upset the 3rd-seeded hoosiers and generated some serious excitement. but would you really rather watch cleveland state instead of teams like maryland or arizona? these squads are in danger of not making the tournament if random upsets like this continue to happen in mid-major conference tournaments.
so poop on you, butler bulldogs, for ruining the dreams of fans of ACTUALLY exciting teams in the REAL basketball conferences. while all 16,000 cleveland state students are undoubtedly quite excited about their berth, i'm sure that the crowd of 29,000 (and 240,000 alumni!) at college park is raving mad.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
GUEST POST: poop on the top line!
since we here at poop on boozer have been slow with the posts recently - hey, come on, we have to earn our rent, too! - here's a guest post from the one and only r.e. to keep you entertained.
yeah, i know he writes a lot. give him a break - it's tough being a tar heels fan in 2009.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As an avid follower of both emerging technologies and most major American sports, usually my life only gets better when the two worlds collide. Just think – hasn’t TiVo changed the way you watch sports (read: instant replay)? How much better is watching football on a 42-inch HD set compared to your old 32-inch CRT? How much more intense is March when you can see individual beads of sweat fling off Stephen Curry’s hand as he buries a three to down Georgetown? Sports, in part, is about the drama created through amazing athleticism, and as technology improves, so does our ability to both appreciate the art of the game, and to become immersed in the event as if we were truly taking part.
It therefore came as such a surprise to my roommate, Poop on Boozer beat writer K.L. (I’d say the one-and-only, but I don’t want Facebook to make a liar out of me), to hear me verbally abusing the television set because of a technological advance, not due to the lack of one of my many likely ill-fated technological pipe dreams (don’t you also want to smell Stephen Curry’s sweat?). For those of you who tuned in to the predictably… well, predictable BC / Maryland game on ESPN2 tonight, you probably already know what my beef is, because you’ve been thinking the same thing for the last two hours: for what possible reason do I need to read comments from viewers who likely know less about basketball than I do?
My apologies – let’s take a step back. As part of its ongoing effort to widen its appeal across audiences and across platforms, ESPN is piloting an updated version of “Interactive Tuesdays.” Yes, I can already hear you groaning, and rightfully so. To put it short, “Interactive Tuesdays” is a broad expansion of tools like the SportsNation poll (which, let’s face it, is completely and shamelessly biased based on users’ geographic location) from the web straight to your TV. Individuals (who require no more certification than a free ESPN.com account) can submit comments via ESPN.com (search “Interactive,” as if embedded searches ever work) or text message (to 43776) to discuss the featured game of the day. This is nothing new; ESPN.com has held similar chats with experts as well as allowed users to comment on news articles in the past in an effort to build an online community. What is new, however, is that now a selection of these comments (obviously filtered by someone in the Bristol mailroom) are displayed in a new scrolling “Top Line” (all rights reserved, R.E., 2009) above the actual action you tuned in to watch.
Now, you tell me: why, exactly, should I care what users like “Sheydel” ("Maryland has to take better shots…") or “asimpso1” ("MARYLAND is SOOOOO bad!!!! Hahahahahaa") have to say, even if they’re right (Maryland did need to take better shots, and, let’s be honest – how many more times can Maryland jump out to a commanding lead only to buckle under the – wait, what pressure?)? Find yourself speechless? I hope so. As it is, half of the ‘insights’ and ‘analysis’ provided by the broadcasters literally came out of my mouth 30 seconds earlier (and likely several other times throughout the game), and I doubt that these other guys have anything else of any value to add. At least when Dicky V talks about some Duke kid in a diaper, he doesn’t get in the way of Danny Green sticking it to Greg what’s-his-face-I-don’t-remember-because-he-got-benched-his-senior-year.
To give ESPN some credit, at least they’re trying something different and attempting to enhance the fan experience. It even makes sense from a business perspective – this program increases awareness of additional features on the website, which drives traffic (and thus ad revenue), increases attachment to the brand, and so on. However, let me suggest that they make some other more basic improvements instead. Like, for instance, the indiscernible lack of HD coverage on nationally-broadcast weeknight games. I understand that Maryland doesn’t hold the same national prowess as it did in the early 2000s, and that they are fresh off a seemingly 98-point loss to the Blue Babies, but why on Earth was this game left in standard definition while the other ACC game (Miami vs. NC State) did get the special treatment, even though it was broadcast on ESPNU, which only .0034% of the country actually gets? Think, ESPN, please; if you’re going to cut off the top of my screen with useless comments, at least give me some 1080p coverage instead of those grey ESPN logos on the left and right.
On a day that clearly could have gone better for Terps everywhere, hopefully Gary Williams can take solace in knowing that user “neal990” ("I think Gary Williams got fired at halftime, that explains this collapse") has a short memory (as much as it pains me to throw in a Duke highlight, hopefully it only gives credence and a level of balance in this otherwise biased post), and won’t be among the masses calling for his head at season’s end.
So, ESPN, there you have it – Poop on the Top Line (all rights still reserved).
Whoops... looks like I owe myself a benjamin.
yeah, i know he writes a lot. give him a break - it's tough being a tar heels fan in 2009.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As an avid follower of both emerging technologies and most major American sports, usually my life only gets better when the two worlds collide. Just think – hasn’t TiVo changed the way you watch sports (read: instant replay)? How much better is watching football on a 42-inch HD set compared to your old 32-inch CRT? How much more intense is March when you can see individual beads of sweat fling off Stephen Curry’s hand as he buries a three to down Georgetown? Sports, in part, is about the drama created through amazing athleticism, and as technology improves, so does our ability to both appreciate the art of the game, and to become immersed in the event as if we were truly taking part.
It therefore came as such a surprise to my roommate, Poop on Boozer beat writer K.L. (I’d say the one-and-only, but I don’t want Facebook to make a liar out of me), to hear me verbally abusing the television set because of a technological advance, not due to the lack of one of my many likely ill-fated technological pipe dreams (don’t you also want to smell Stephen Curry’s sweat?). For those of you who tuned in to the predictably… well, predictable BC / Maryland game on ESPN2 tonight, you probably already know what my beef is, because you’ve been thinking the same thing for the last two hours: for what possible reason do I need to read comments from viewers who likely know less about basketball than I do?
My apologies – let’s take a step back. As part of its ongoing effort to widen its appeal across audiences and across platforms, ESPN is piloting an updated version of “Interactive Tuesdays.” Yes, I can already hear you groaning, and rightfully so. To put it short, “Interactive Tuesdays” is a broad expansion of tools like the SportsNation poll (which, let’s face it, is completely and shamelessly biased based on users’ geographic location) from the web straight to your TV. Individuals (who require no more certification than a free ESPN.com account) can submit comments via ESPN.com (search “Interactive,” as if embedded searches ever work) or text message (to 43776) to discuss the featured game of the day. This is nothing new; ESPN.com has held similar chats with experts as well as allowed users to comment on news articles in the past in an effort to build an online community. What is new, however, is that now a selection of these comments (obviously filtered by someone in the Bristol mailroom) are displayed in a new scrolling “Top Line” (all rights reserved, R.E., 2009) above the actual action you tuned in to watch.
Now, you tell me: why, exactly, should I care what users like “Sheydel” ("Maryland has to take better shots…") or “asimpso1” ("MARYLAND is SOOOOO bad!!!! Hahahahahaa") have to say, even if they’re right (Maryland did need to take better shots, and, let’s be honest – how many more times can Maryland jump out to a commanding lead only to buckle under the – wait, what pressure?)? Find yourself speechless? I hope so. As it is, half of the ‘insights’ and ‘analysis’ provided by the broadcasters literally came out of my mouth 30 seconds earlier (and likely several other times throughout the game), and I doubt that these other guys have anything else of any value to add. At least when Dicky V talks about some Duke kid in a diaper, he doesn’t get in the way of Danny Green sticking it to Greg what’s-his-face-I-don’t-remember-because-he-got-benched-his-senior-year.
To give ESPN some credit, at least they’re trying something different and attempting to enhance the fan experience. It even makes sense from a business perspective – this program increases awareness of additional features on the website, which drives traffic (and thus ad revenue), increases attachment to the brand, and so on. However, let me suggest that they make some other more basic improvements instead. Like, for instance, the indiscernible lack of HD coverage on nationally-broadcast weeknight games. I understand that Maryland doesn’t hold the same national prowess as it did in the early 2000s, and that they are fresh off a seemingly 98-point loss to the Blue Babies, but why on Earth was this game left in standard definition while the other ACC game (Miami vs. NC State) did get the special treatment, even though it was broadcast on ESPNU, which only .0034% of the country actually gets? Think, ESPN, please; if you’re going to cut off the top of my screen with useless comments, at least give me some 1080p coverage instead of those grey ESPN logos on the left and right.
On a day that clearly could have gone better for Terps everywhere, hopefully Gary Williams can take solace in knowing that user “neal990” ("I think Gary Williams got fired at halftime, that explains this collapse") has a short memory (as much as it pains me to throw in a Duke highlight, hopefully it only gives credence and a level of balance in this otherwise biased post), and won’t be among the masses calling for his head at season’s end.
So, ESPN, there you have it – Poop on the Top Line (all rights still reserved).
Whoops... looks like I owe myself a benjamin.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
wednesday night sports digest
muller is at it again. the luxembourgish tennis star is ripping it up down under, into the third round at the australian open and on pace for another matchup with federer, the man who downed muller in the 2008 u.s. open quarterfinals en route to his 13th grand slam title. but if muller is going to have a shot at a rematch, he's going to have to take care of the powerful young juan martin del potro, the no. 8 seed who is sure to match muller's strong serve with some groundstroke blasts of his own.
in sports, retirement is always temporary. just ask 43-year-old claude lemieux, who is back on the ice in an NHL uniform in an attempt for yet another run at lord stanley's cup. and what better team to come back with than the sharks, who are guaranteed to have at least a share of the overall league lead heading into the all-star break? and this has to be good news from san jose's perspective. signing an old dude for the stretch run? this has all the makings of a p.j. brown / boston celtics kind of fairytale.
apparently, it's really hard to be no. 1. as i write, wake forest is trailing virginia tech by 10 in the second half. okay, the hokies are a good team, and they have done very well against top-ranked teams in recent history. but come on! this is a wake team that just beat clemson this past weekend! the only undefeated team in division I currently looks as helpless as can be. if jeff teague and co. can't turn this around, the blue devils stand to move into the top spot when the new rankings are released. will duke be able to avoid becoming the third acc team this season to fall from the mighty perch? or will they be denied that chance by getting owned by the terps on saturday? one can only hope for the latter.
in sports, retirement is always temporary. just ask 43-year-old claude lemieux, who is back on the ice in an NHL uniform in an attempt for yet another run at lord stanley's cup. and what better team to come back with than the sharks, who are guaranteed to have at least a share of the overall league lead heading into the all-star break? and this has to be good news from san jose's perspective. signing an old dude for the stretch run? this has all the makings of a p.j. brown / boston celtics kind of fairytale.
apparently, it's really hard to be no. 1. as i write, wake forest is trailing virginia tech by 10 in the second half. okay, the hokies are a good team, and they have done very well against top-ranked teams in recent history. but come on! this is a wake team that just beat clemson this past weekend! the only undefeated team in division I currently looks as helpless as can be. if jeff teague and co. can't turn this around, the blue devils stand to move into the top spot when the new rankings are released. will duke be able to avoid becoming the third acc team this season to fall from the mighty perch? or will they be denied that chance by getting owned by the terps on saturday? one can only hope for the latter.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
best and worst sports memories
good and bad are really two sides of the same coin, and i think you will find that some of my sweetest memories are strongly related to some of my worst. that's what keeps us coming back to sports, though, right?
BEST MEMORIES:
-2002 ncaa tournament. jay williams choked, maryland rocked everyone - including kansas and indiana in the final two games - to take home its first-ever men's basketball national title. amazing. (and let's not forget the women's title in 2006.)
-2002 nlcs. after edging past the braves, the giants embarrass the cardinals in five games to clinch a spot in the world series. bonds is homer-ific, benito santiago is rocking the house, and robb nen is a closer extraordinaire. life is good.
-2005 u.s. open. gilles muller, a native of luxembourg, rocks the tennis world by upsetting andy roddick in the first round. yes, he loses in the second round, but at least it's to a half-luxembourger in robbie ginepri.
-2008 u.s. open. muller is back again, and this time he's even better, making a run all the way to the quarters before falling to eventual champion roger federer. what a beast.
-san jose sharks, any recent regular season. 2008-09 is a prime example, but the sharks have been the team to reckon with over the past few seasons. sure, they're not the red wings, but the sharks have been able to pair solid goaltending with serious offensive firepower for years now.
-dallas mavericks, most recent regular seasons. the jason-kidd-for-devin-harris-and-the-kitchen-sink-trade aside, the mavericks have been one of the better teams in the nba in the 2000s, including a run to the finals in 2006 and the best record in the league in 2006-07. no matter what your allegiances, you can't tell me you don't enjoy watching terry, nowitzki, and howard light up defenses - and, for howard, the occasional joint - night after night.
WORST MEMORIES:
-maryland, any season since 2002. gary williams has never been known for his recruiting, but especially since he got his title and waved goodbye to steve blake, juan dixon, chris wilcox, and co., he's thrown in the towel when it comes to getting good players to campus - and keeping them there. sure, maryland's likely to throw up a good upset every season, but without a big man and with serious academic issues, the terps no longer are a threat for the acc title like they were in the early part of the decade.
-2002 world series. in game 6, dusty baker hands russ ortiz the game ball in the 7th inning, and then all hell breaks loose. the rally monkey kicks ass, troy glaus gets the big hit off the injured robb nen, and those almost engraved rings are tossed out and emblazoned with halos instead. i don't eat dinner for two nights in a row.
-2003 nlds. you never want to end your season because you don't pinch-run for j.t. snow. especially when this is the last time you will make the playoffs for the rest of the decade.
-2008 tour de france. after several luxembourgers make runs at the yellow jersey, frank schleck establishes a solid lead heading into the final days of the race. but, of course, carlos sastre steals it away at the very end, denying schleck (and luxembourg) its well-deserved glory. no 'roids reported yet, but just you wait.
-san jose sharks, any recent postseason. i just can't explain it, but the sharks can't finish when it comes to the big-time. year after year, they lose to teams that have been playing worse than them. but after their four-overtime loss to dallas to exit stanley cup contention last season and todd mclellan's arrival in san jose, the sharks look like they may finally have what it takes to translate regular-season success into postseason glory. but that's what i thought last year, too.
-2006 nba finals. with a chance to go up 3-0 in the series, dirk (of all people!) misses a free throw, and the mavericks collapse. dwayne wade becomes a star, shaq gets another ring, and dallas blows its best chance to win a title.
-2007 western conference quarterfinals. you know how you ruin an amazing regular season? by losing to the eighth-seeded warriors in the first round.
BEST MEMORIES:
-2002 ncaa tournament. jay williams choked, maryland rocked everyone - including kansas and indiana in the final two games - to take home its first-ever men's basketball national title. amazing. (and let's not forget the women's title in 2006.)
-2002 nlcs. after edging past the braves, the giants embarrass the cardinals in five games to clinch a spot in the world series. bonds is homer-ific, benito santiago is rocking the house, and robb nen is a closer extraordinaire. life is good.
-2005 u.s. open. gilles muller, a native of luxembourg, rocks the tennis world by upsetting andy roddick in the first round. yes, he loses in the second round, but at least it's to a half-luxembourger in robbie ginepri.
-2008 u.s. open. muller is back again, and this time he's even better, making a run all the way to the quarters before falling to eventual champion roger federer. what a beast.
-san jose sharks, any recent regular season. 2008-09 is a prime example, but the sharks have been the team to reckon with over the past few seasons. sure, they're not the red wings, but the sharks have been able to pair solid goaltending with serious offensive firepower for years now.
-dallas mavericks, most recent regular seasons. the jason-kidd-for-devin-harris-and-the-kitchen-sink-trade aside, the mavericks have been one of the better teams in the nba in the 2000s, including a run to the finals in 2006 and the best record in the league in 2006-07. no matter what your allegiances, you can't tell me you don't enjoy watching terry, nowitzki, and howard light up defenses - and, for howard, the occasional joint - night after night.
WORST MEMORIES:
-maryland, any season since 2002. gary williams has never been known for his recruiting, but especially since he got his title and waved goodbye to steve blake, juan dixon, chris wilcox, and co., he's thrown in the towel when it comes to getting good players to campus - and keeping them there. sure, maryland's likely to throw up a good upset every season, but without a big man and with serious academic issues, the terps no longer are a threat for the acc title like they were in the early part of the decade.
-2002 world series. in game 6, dusty baker hands russ ortiz the game ball in the 7th inning, and then all hell breaks loose. the rally monkey kicks ass, troy glaus gets the big hit off the injured robb nen, and those almost engraved rings are tossed out and emblazoned with halos instead. i don't eat dinner for two nights in a row.
-2003 nlds. you never want to end your season because you don't pinch-run for j.t. snow. especially when this is the last time you will make the playoffs for the rest of the decade.
-2008 tour de france. after several luxembourgers make runs at the yellow jersey, frank schleck establishes a solid lead heading into the final days of the race. but, of course, carlos sastre steals it away at the very end, denying schleck (and luxembourg) its well-deserved glory. no 'roids reported yet, but just you wait.
-san jose sharks, any recent postseason. i just can't explain it, but the sharks can't finish when it comes to the big-time. year after year, they lose to teams that have been playing worse than them. but after their four-overtime loss to dallas to exit stanley cup contention last season and todd mclellan's arrival in san jose, the sharks look like they may finally have what it takes to translate regular-season success into postseason glory. but that's what i thought last year, too.
-2006 nba finals. with a chance to go up 3-0 in the series, dirk (of all people!) misses a free throw, and the mavericks collapse. dwayne wade becomes a star, shaq gets another ring, and dallas blows its best chance to win a title.
-2007 western conference quarterfinals. you know how you ruin an amazing regular season? by losing to the eighth-seeded warriors in the first round.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Greatest Hits
It's been a tough week. And, since I'm in need of a pick-me-up, and because my posts seem to tilt inevitably towards Boston homerism so I may as well stop resisting and embrace it, I've decided to list, in descending order, the top five sports memories of my life. I invite my colleagues, if they're interested, to do the same, since I'd be interested to hear their stories, and because it will delay the inevitable "worst five memories of my life" follow-up post that will depress me for weeks.
Without further ado:
THE TOP FIVE SPORTS MEMORIES OF D.R.W.'S LIFE
5. 2008 ALCS, GAME 5
This one can't go any higher than number 5--when you don't go on to win the championship, and when you in fact don't even wind up winning the series, it's tough to remember this game without thinking about what could have been. Still, it has a legacy--from now on, I can never give up on an important game, no matter how painful a bludgeoning it's become, because the 2008 Red Sox forced me to admit that there's always a chance. Yes, it's going to be a painful existence, thanks to this game--but it will all be worth it if I can ever even come close to replicating the moment when I collapsed on the floor after J.D. Drew's walkoff liner and had absolutely no way to process what I'd just seen. God, I love sports--and we're only on Number 5. The list is working its magic already.
4. 2008 NBA FINALS, GAME 6
So tempting to pick a different game--maybe the night that Pierce and LeBron channelled Bird and Wilkins as my friends and I watched, incredulously, in our college dorm, or the 24-point comeback that we took in at a bar off of Boylston Street. But those experiences were all about us, and what set the 2008 Celtics apart was that it was all about them. Just when I worried that I might grow desensitized after so many Boston championships, along came a team that wanted to win more than anyone else I'd ever seen. Sure, Kevin Garnett's post-victory interview is undeniably funny--but it's also one of the greatest expressions of pure emotion you'll find anywhere in sports. I'm happy when my teams win, but when the 2008 Celtics won, I was happy for them. And, you know, for myself too.
3. SUPER BOWL XXXVI
Without a doubt, the worst actual championship you'll find anywhere on this list. Sure, the Pats were huge underdogs, and that made it a hugely exciting game--but it can't compare to the raw emotionality of the Celtics win, or the sheer magnitude of any championships that may or may not be coming farther down in this list. But still, it was a great game, it was the rise of Tom Brady, and, most importantly, it was the first championship any of my teams had ever won on my watch.* To put that moment any lower than third would be criminal.
2. 2004 WORLD SERIES
I can't pick a specific game, because--let's face it--the actual games were, objectively, terribly boring. The 2004 World Series wasn't about great comebacks or heroic moments, or even individual games at all--it was about optimism. Even after the Sox-Yankees ALCS, Boston fans couldn't shake the feeling that there was always a way not to win. How awful would it be if the Red Sox completed the most incredible comeback in baseball history--and then lost? It would, in fact, have been so terrible that I honestly believed it would happen. That was the mindset in Boston--until it didn't happen, and things were never the same again. Optimism. It's a beautiful thing.
1. 2004 ALCS
Which game do you want me to pick? Should I choose the one where, facing elimination the night after losing 19-8, the Red Sox countered with the most famous stolen base in team history and a clutch RBI single off of the greatest closer that ever was, followed by a David Ortiz walkoff home run in extra innings? Or maybe the one that went 14 innings and six hours, featuring a miraculously bizarre hop that prevented Tony Clark's liner to right from winning the series for the Yankees, as well as the most exruciatingly tense inning in baseball history, when, in the 13th, Varitek ended up catching Wakefield (to which he was not accustomed), and surrendered three (!) passed balls and was just one away from losing the entire series? Followed by yet another Ortiz walk-off hit? Or maybe I should pick the one where Curt Schilling shut down Yankee Stadium while actively bleeding from the ankle, because his tendon was scraping against the bone due to surgery that the team doctor had only ever performed on a cadaver, and A-Rod was called out at first after the glove-slapping incident, causing fans to throw baseballs and debris onto the field to the point that the game was stopped and riot police were stationed along the warning track as A-Rod looked on the verge of tears for the remainder of the game?
There's no way. If I made myself pick one game for each item on this list, those would be 1, 2, and 3 in some order or another, and Game 7 would be Number 4 for good measure. It was that good. It was the greatest professional sports victory of all time, anywhere, and you'll never convince me otherwise. It transformed a town, a team, and a rivalry forever. I will never have a better sports memory for the rest of my life, and I am entirely OK with that. I have every game on DVD.
*Unless you count the 1986 Celtics title, which they won when I was two months old. I like to think I contributed.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
a post just to poop on boozer
as i watch the blue devils poop all over xavier, it seems like an appropriate time to poop on a former dookie and the namesake of this blog: carlos boozer.
for those if you haven't been paying attention to the utah jazz this season... wait, let me start that sentence again. for those of you who have a life, you probably haven't noticed that carlos boozer has been riding the bench with a bum knee. he's contributed almost nothing to the jazz this season; in fact, the man hasn't played since before thanksgiving.
so, of course, what better time to come out and declare that you're going to opt out of your contract at the end of the season?
okay, despite my hatred for its hoops squad, duke is a great academic university, and i'm sure its graduates are all intellectual studs. carlos boozer, however, does not seem to be among the smart ones. why else would he come out and declare he doesn't need the jazz when they most clearly don't need him?
as chris sheridan points out, while boozer has been filing his nails on the pine every night, paul millsap has been kicking ass, averaging 15 and 9 while making less than 10% of what boozer does. and we all know about boozer's penchant for cutting and running (and not in the backdoor kinda way). why risk more money on him?
so, carlos boozer, way to make it easy on your GM to get rid of you. sure, you'll find a job somewhere else. but let's see how much game you have in the paint without kirilenko and okur drawing all defenders by draining threes from the wing.
for those if you haven't been paying attention to the utah jazz this season... wait, let me start that sentence again. for those of you who have a life, you probably haven't noticed that carlos boozer has been riding the bench with a bum knee. he's contributed almost nothing to the jazz this season; in fact, the man hasn't played since before thanksgiving.
so, of course, what better time to come out and declare that you're going to opt out of your contract at the end of the season?
okay, despite my hatred for its hoops squad, duke is a great academic university, and i'm sure its graduates are all intellectual studs. carlos boozer, however, does not seem to be among the smart ones. why else would he come out and declare he doesn't need the jazz when they most clearly don't need him?
as chris sheridan points out, while boozer has been filing his nails on the pine every night, paul millsap has been kicking ass, averaging 15 and 9 while making less than 10% of what boozer does. and we all know about boozer's penchant for cutting and running (and not in the backdoor kinda way). why risk more money on him?
so, carlos boozer, way to make it easy on your GM to get rid of you. sure, you'll find a job somewhere else. but let's see how much game you have in the paint without kirilenko and okur drawing all defenders by draining threes from the wing.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
tuesday night sports digest
time to stop saying "the U," guys. okay, i realize that the university of miami was a great football team back in the day. hell, i loved watching ken dorsey lead comeback after comeback, and i enjoyed the complete demolition the hurricanes defense inflicted on all their opponents. but in case santana moss and co. haven't noticed, miami now sucks. i mean, 4-4 in the acc? while the 'canes still have some great individual talent, miami is no longer the university to beat.
overreaction of the decade. remember when todd bertuzzi almost killed steve moore? remember how he cried a little, and then he continued playing for top NHL teams? well, apparently, almost paralyzing a person is much less offensive than making a casual (although admittedly very offensive) comment about your ex-girlfriends and the players now dating them. i may be missing something, but did sean avery cross some special line? T.O. says worse stuff every day, and he keeps getting jobs in the big D. so why did the stars decide to eat several million dollars and cut avery? could it just be because he isn't all that good? either way, this only adds to what continues to be an embarrassing season for co-GM brett hull. (but the sharks are lookin' good, eh?)
more on the mitchell report. what report, you say? yeah, i know the mitchell report was forever ago, but tom verducci had a good SI piece on the lasting effects of bud selig's decision to crack down on drugs in baseball. check it out if you haven't read it yet.
how good is the big east? the verdict is still out. while this week's rankings certainly favor big east squads, the orange showed that those teams are far from invincible. the real question remains: can anyone beat the tar heels? well, i think someone might have to smack hansbrough in the face again before that becomes a real possibility.
overreaction of the decade. remember when todd bertuzzi almost killed steve moore? remember how he cried a little, and then he continued playing for top NHL teams? well, apparently, almost paralyzing a person is much less offensive than making a casual (although admittedly very offensive) comment about your ex-girlfriends and the players now dating them. i may be missing something, but did sean avery cross some special line? T.O. says worse stuff every day, and he keeps getting jobs in the big D. so why did the stars decide to eat several million dollars and cut avery? could it just be because he isn't all that good? either way, this only adds to what continues to be an embarrassing season for co-GM brett hull. (but the sharks are lookin' good, eh?)
more on the mitchell report. what report, you say? yeah, i know the mitchell report was forever ago, but tom verducci had a good SI piece on the lasting effects of bud selig's decision to crack down on drugs in baseball. check it out if you haven't read it yet.
how good is the big east? the verdict is still out. while this week's rankings certainly favor big east squads, the orange showed that those teams are far from invincible. the real question remains: can anyone beat the tar heels? well, i think someone might have to smack hansbrough in the face again before that becomes a real possibility.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
turkey day sports digest
thanksgiving football: pretty boring. okay, i didn't expect any better when i saw that the lions and the hawks would be taking the field. but 25+ point spreads... really? does anyone else have more fun watching tony romo grimace? personally, i'd rather just see him sing journey with mr. belding.
your college basketball player to watch is greg monroe. the georgetown freshman is one of the most impressive big men i've seen in a while, and it's not just because he is a human highlight reel. for one thing, he plays great defense. not only is he a beast around the glass; his hands are also active at the top of the key, and he's a danger to strip the ball from any opponent. then, he's always ready to spark a fast break - or to fill the lane and finish himself. and it's a pleasure to watch a big man who can actually make free throws. the big east is as tough as any division in college basketball, and monroe is going to have to be a key piece of the puzzle if the hoyas are going to make a run at the title - or even just the top four spots.
iverson misses practice... again. but i don't see what the big deal is. i mean, we're talking about practice!?
happy thanksgiving, all.
your college basketball player to watch is greg monroe. the georgetown freshman is one of the most impressive big men i've seen in a while, and it's not just because he is a human highlight reel. for one thing, he plays great defense. not only is he a beast around the glass; his hands are also active at the top of the key, and he's a danger to strip the ball from any opponent. then, he's always ready to spark a fast break - or to fill the lane and finish himself. and it's a pleasure to watch a big man who can actually make free throws. the big east is as tough as any division in college basketball, and monroe is going to have to be a key piece of the puzzle if the hoyas are going to make a run at the title - or even just the top four spots.
iverson misses practice... again. but i don't see what the big deal is. i mean, we're talking about practice!?
happy thanksgiving, all.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
sunday night sports digest
that dirk is such a maverick! this one reaches back a few weeks, but it's worth pointing out for those of you who missed it back then. ever imagine what it would be like to have sarah palin as president? let's just say that nowitzki has a prominent role in the oval office. click on the picture frame behind palin's desk...
dangerous waters. we're just a few weeks into the NHL season, and san jose is running away with the pacific division. i should be excited, no? well, given the sharks' recent run as regular-season dominators and postseason underwhelmers, even an 80-win season wouldn't be enough assurance come springtime. one thing's for sure: todd mclellan is not coaching like a rookie.
unbeaten, but still boring. after sneaking past the bears on the road, the titans are 9-0, more than halfway to a perfect regular season. but there isn't a hint of the drama that surrounded the pats as they made their run last year. why? because tennessee just isn't that good. kerry collins at QB and a running game that produced just 20 net yards against chicago? let's just say the titans' destiny isn't exactly etched into stone quite yet.
psu really smells like poo, poo, poo. as if penn state didn't already have things hard enough playing in the unimpressive big ten, they went and crapped the bed against iowa to thoroughly eliminate any chance of making the bcs championship game. (note to self: i should probably avoid making absolute statements this year when it comes to college football. oh well.) so can we expect bama-red raiders come january? eh... not so fast. each will have a pretty significant hurdle in its championship game, and alabama didn't exactly look stellar against LSU. teams that have faded from the national spotlight (USC, anyone?) may still have a shot at getting back into the big game.
JJ is within reach. after grabbing the pole in phoenix, jimmie johnson is poised to take his third straight sprint cup title. what are you doing reading this?! flip over to ABC to check out the action! and no, you don't have to live south of the mason-dixon line to appreciate JJ's talent.
dangerous waters. we're just a few weeks into the NHL season, and san jose is running away with the pacific division. i should be excited, no? well, given the sharks' recent run as regular-season dominators and postseason underwhelmers, even an 80-win season wouldn't be enough assurance come springtime. one thing's for sure: todd mclellan is not coaching like a rookie.
unbeaten, but still boring. after sneaking past the bears on the road, the titans are 9-0, more than halfway to a perfect regular season. but there isn't a hint of the drama that surrounded the pats as they made their run last year. why? because tennessee just isn't that good. kerry collins at QB and a running game that produced just 20 net yards against chicago? let's just say the titans' destiny isn't exactly etched into stone quite yet.
psu really smells like poo, poo, poo. as if penn state didn't already have things hard enough playing in the unimpressive big ten, they went and crapped the bed against iowa to thoroughly eliminate any chance of making the bcs championship game. (note to self: i should probably avoid making absolute statements this year when it comes to college football. oh well.) so can we expect bama-red raiders come january? eh... not so fast. each will have a pretty significant hurdle in its championship game, and alabama didn't exactly look stellar against LSU. teams that have faded from the national spotlight (USC, anyone?) may still have a shot at getting back into the big game.
JJ is within reach. after grabbing the pole in phoenix, jimmie johnson is poised to take his third straight sprint cup title. what are you doing reading this?! flip over to ABC to check out the action! and no, you don't have to live south of the mason-dixon line to appreciate JJ's talent.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Brrr... Outdoor Basketball
The Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets met in a preseason game on Saturday night in Indian Wells, CA, near Palm Springs.
While Indian Wells isn't your typical NBA destination anyway, the game had another twist: it was played outdoors.
ESPN's Marc Stein recaps the action in Denver's 77-72 victory over the Suns, an uncharacteristically low scoring game for the two squads.
The reason? It was chilly. Well, sorta.
The temperature dropped to a frigid 64 degrees, or, as Marc Stein says, "all the way down to 64 degrees." Brrrr...
I mean, I understand that when you sweat, that's gotta be a bit chilly, but 64 degrees is hardly "cold." Stein does say that the wind was "gusting" at 15 MPH, so perhaps I should lay off and give them the benefit of the doubt.
Still, knowing the countless street ballers play through the "elements" of wind, rain, cold, and much more difficult rims and chain nets to shoot on than what the NBA players had to "suffer" through on Saturday night, you've got to ask, how spoiled are these guys? And, how would they fare against the street scene's best? It's a fair question.
That said, I think it's a fun concept, but one that ought not transfer into the regular season. Watching NBA teams battle it out in different venues, different countries, and through different elements is great, but when the games start counting, all teams need to be on equal footing.
Plus, Shaq's free throws are miserable enough that I don't wanna have to watch him try to shoot it through the wind. (O'neal was 0 for 2 from the line).
Shaq wasn't the only one. Neither team shot over 36% from the field, and the teams combined to make just 3 of 27 three-point attempts. And actually, it was Denver whose free throw shooting suffered, sinking just 18 of 38 attempts.
Like I said, cool concept, but I'd rather watch more exciting basketball than a 77-72 brick-fest.
While Indian Wells isn't your typical NBA destination anyway, the game had another twist: it was played outdoors.
ESPN's Marc Stein recaps the action in Denver's 77-72 victory over the Suns, an uncharacteristically low scoring game for the two squads.
The reason? It was chilly. Well, sorta.
The temperature dropped to a frigid 64 degrees, or, as Marc Stein says, "all the way down to 64 degrees." Brrrr...
I mean, I understand that when you sweat, that's gotta be a bit chilly, but 64 degrees is hardly "cold." Stein does say that the wind was "gusting" at 15 MPH, so perhaps I should lay off and give them the benefit of the doubt.
Still, knowing the countless street ballers play through the "elements" of wind, rain, cold, and much more difficult rims and chain nets to shoot on than what the NBA players had to "suffer" through on Saturday night, you've got to ask, how spoiled are these guys? And, how would they fare against the street scene's best? It's a fair question.
That said, I think it's a fun concept, but one that ought not transfer into the regular season. Watching NBA teams battle it out in different venues, different countries, and through different elements is great, but when the games start counting, all teams need to be on equal footing.
Plus, Shaq's free throws are miserable enough that I don't wanna have to watch him try to shoot it through the wind. (O'neal was 0 for 2 from the line).
Shaq wasn't the only one. Neither team shot over 36% from the field, and the teams combined to make just 3 of 27 three-point attempts. And actually, it was Denver whose free throw shooting suffered, sinking just 18 of 38 attempts.
Like I said, cool concept, but I'd rather watch more exciting basketball than a 77-72 brick-fest.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Sports, politics, Chuck Klosterman, and Carlos Boozer
Three of my favorite things and one of my least favorite.
From an interview at Mouthpiece Sports:
Q: Both Barack Obama and Sarah Palin have basketball backgrounds. (Palin was dubbed “Sarah Barracuda” in high school; Obama likes to play in sweat pants and a tucked in t-shirt.) Who wins in a one-on-one game to 11 and why?
A: Obama has the size and the skills, but Palin would probably want it more. However, if it was a game of 2-on-2 and you had to pick a teammate from your own region, Obama would win easily. An Obama-Mark Aguire tickets destroys Palin and Carlos Boozer.
From an interview at Mouthpiece Sports:
Q: Both Barack Obama and Sarah Palin have basketball backgrounds. (Palin was dubbed “Sarah Barracuda” in high school; Obama likes to play in sweat pants and a tucked in t-shirt.) Who wins in a one-on-one game to 11 and why?
A: Obama has the size and the skills, but Palin would probably want it more. However, if it was a game of 2-on-2 and you had to pick a teammate from your own region, Obama would win easily. An Obama-Mark Aguire tickets destroys Palin and Carlos Boozer.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Spot the Outlier
Let's play a game.
I'm going to name several team names, and you tell me which one isn't the name of a past or current WNBA team.
Dream, Sky, Sun, Shock, Thunder, Fever, Storm, Fire, Mercury.
Any guesses? It's tougher than you think, huh?
Well, if you guessed Thunder, then you'd be correct, because that's not a WNBA team, but the newest team name of the former Seattle Supersonics.
Just two months after announcing that the team will move from Seattle to Oklahoma City, the franchise announced today that it would take on the nickname Thunder.
Lame.
If that doesn't sound like a WNBA team name, I don't know what does. The theme with the team names in the WNBA has basically been twofold - either counter the existing NBA team in your market (Houston Comets, Washington Mystics, Charlotte Sting, Sacramento Monarchs, etc.) or take some natural element that sounds either scary or intimidating and make that your team name (see list above).
Thunder fits that latter criteria, and I find that a disappointing choice.
The league rests on very original team names, typically without consideration of the natural elements. Granted, I will submit that I was also not a fan of the choice the "Bobcats" for Charlotte's expansion team a couple of years ago. Rawr.
I'm not that creative either, but resorting to a WNBA-caliber team name just seemed to be a poor choice for the new Oklahoma City squad.
I'm going to name several team names, and you tell me which one isn't the name of a past or current WNBA team.
Dream, Sky, Sun, Shock, Thunder, Fever, Storm, Fire, Mercury.
Any guesses? It's tougher than you think, huh?
Well, if you guessed Thunder, then you'd be correct, because that's not a WNBA team, but the newest team name of the former Seattle Supersonics.
Just two months after announcing that the team will move from Seattle to Oklahoma City, the franchise announced today that it would take on the nickname Thunder.
Lame.
If that doesn't sound like a WNBA team name, I don't know what does. The theme with the team names in the WNBA has basically been twofold - either counter the existing NBA team in your market (Houston Comets, Washington Mystics, Charlotte Sting, Sacramento Monarchs, etc.) or take some natural element that sounds either scary or intimidating and make that your team name (see list above).
Thunder fits that latter criteria, and I find that a disappointing choice.
The league rests on very original team names, typically without consideration of the natural elements. Granted, I will submit that I was also not a fan of the choice the "Bobcats" for Charlotte's expansion team a couple of years ago. Rawr.
I'm not that creative either, but resorting to a WNBA-caliber team name just seemed to be a poor choice for the new Oklahoma City squad.
Friday, August 22, 2008
coach k poops on boozer
so, i generally don't like anything about coach k because he's a dookie and i love the terps. but on friday night in beijing, he did something awesome.
he pooped on boozer.
as chris sheridan points out, coach k chose to go with carmelo anthony and tayshaun prince at center instead of boozer when dwight howard and chris bosh got into foul trouble. who knows why coach k did it; for now, though, it's just a day to celebrate a successful pooping on boozer.
he pooped on boozer.
as chris sheridan points out, coach k chose to go with carmelo anthony and tayshaun prince at center instead of boozer when dwight howard and chris bosh got into foul trouble. who knows why coach k did it; for now, though, it's just a day to celebrate a successful pooping on boozer.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Going for Gold...No surprise
So, the United States Men's Basketball Team is 2 wins from the gold medal after winning their 6th straight in Beijing over the Aussies, 116-85.
Surprise? I don't think so.
The closest any game has been was a 21-point win over Angola, which ought to be described as simply a let down against an overmatched opponent.
The two teams that were supposed to give the U.S. the most trouble, Greece and Spain, succumbed by 23 and 37, respectively.
Sounds about right.
Any team composed of the best players in the NBA (sans Dirk, Yao, Nash, etc.) should beat any group that comes at it. I'd even guess that this team would beat the "International All-Stars," if it existed, a team composed of every other country's best. And would that really be all that surprising? I don't think so.
It's a good story, because 4 years ago, the U.S. team choked badly after getting too complacent in the wake of Dream Teams I-III. Now, the Redeem Team put its best foot forward again, and the U.S. Basketball Team is back on top of the world.
I'm not surprised.
Surprise? I don't think so.
The closest any game has been was a 21-point win over Angola, which ought to be described as simply a let down against an overmatched opponent.
The two teams that were supposed to give the U.S. the most trouble, Greece and Spain, succumbed by 23 and 37, respectively.
Sounds about right.
Any team composed of the best players in the NBA (sans Dirk, Yao, Nash, etc.) should beat any group that comes at it. I'd even guess that this team would beat the "International All-Stars," if it existed, a team composed of every other country's best. And would that really be all that surprising? I don't think so.
It's a good story, because 4 years ago, the U.S. team choked badly after getting too complacent in the wake of Dream Teams I-III. Now, the Redeem Team put its best foot forward again, and the U.S. Basketball Team is back on top of the world.
I'm not surprised.
Monday, August 18, 2008
cross-continental craziness
first, josh childress bolted for olympiacos. then, commentators began buzzing about lebron heading overseas to the tune of $50 millones per year.
now, premiata montegranaro has announced that shawn kemp will be joining the team in november. 38-year-old shawn kemp, that is.
okay, so dikembe mutombo is 42 and still ballin' in the nba. and i understand that the olympics are showcasing how strong talent is around the world. but still, this is getting a little ridiculous. shawn kemp hasn't played professionally since 2003. what's next: charles barkley getting paid to sit his ass in the key for some german club?
actually, it seems that the TNT analyst is going to get paid to suck at golf - on television. can even hank haney help this man?
now, premiata montegranaro has announced that shawn kemp will be joining the team in november. 38-year-old shawn kemp, that is.
okay, so dikembe mutombo is 42 and still ballin' in the nba. and i understand that the olympics are showcasing how strong talent is around the world. but still, this is getting a little ridiculous. shawn kemp hasn't played professionally since 2003. what's next: charles barkley getting paid to sit his ass in the key for some german club?
actually, it seems that the TNT analyst is going to get paid to suck at golf - on television. can even hank haney help this man?
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Shaping the Clippers
Who thought that my second post would be about the NBA's perennial cellar dwellars?
Well, quietly, they've put together quite an interesting roster. It has happened quietly because many would argue that their acquisitions are way past their prime.
The problem? They lost their two best players in Elton Brand and Corey Maggette. However, they've replaced the two stars with not two but four veteran leaders.
Baron Davis will clearly be Clipperville's new superstar, and we would have all loved to see the Clippers become a contender behind Davis and Brand. But, Brand bolted to Philly, fed up with the organization, and really, who can blame him?
Then, though, the Clippers acquired Camby in a Denver salary dump which suddenly replaced the gaping hole down low and gave LA a formidable Camby-Kaman front line.
Then, the two most recent pick-ups add to the intrigue. First, the Clips grabbed veteran Ricky Davis from the Miami Heat, bringing a slasher and scoring threat to the lineup. Davis averages over 14 ppg for his career, and there's no reason why he can't get that playing on the wing alongside Baron in LA. Watching his numbers carefully as a fantasy player, Ricky is one of the most underrated players in the league, in my opinion.
Finally, on Thursday, the Clippers nabbed veteran Jason Williams also from the Heat. I've always liked Williams, as he brings energy and enthusiasm to the court, albeit with a bit of a wild streak. Backing up Baron Davis, though, Williams could bring in a nice spark off the bench, or play point guard to Baron's shooting guard in a smaller lineup.
Add this to the young nucleus of Kaman and Al Thornton, as well as veteran Clippers Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas, and the team doesn't sound so bad.
The Clippers always manage to screw it up, though, and there's no question that with so many newcomers on board, chemistry will be an issue. Either way, I'm looking forward to the Davis-Davis backcourt combo as well as the Kaman-Camby twin tower duo down low. It'll be fun to watch.
Well, quietly, they've put together quite an interesting roster. It has happened quietly because many would argue that their acquisitions are way past their prime.
The problem? They lost their two best players in Elton Brand and Corey Maggette. However, they've replaced the two stars with not two but four veteran leaders.
Baron Davis will clearly be Clipperville's new superstar, and we would have all loved to see the Clippers become a contender behind Davis and Brand. But, Brand bolted to Philly, fed up with the organization, and really, who can blame him?
Then, though, the Clippers acquired Camby in a Denver salary dump which suddenly replaced the gaping hole down low and gave LA a formidable Camby-Kaman front line.
Then, the two most recent pick-ups add to the intrigue. First, the Clips grabbed veteran Ricky Davis from the Miami Heat, bringing a slasher and scoring threat to the lineup. Davis averages over 14 ppg for his career, and there's no reason why he can't get that playing on the wing alongside Baron in LA. Watching his numbers carefully as a fantasy player, Ricky is one of the most underrated players in the league, in my opinion.
Finally, on Thursday, the Clippers nabbed veteran Jason Williams also from the Heat. I've always liked Williams, as he brings energy and enthusiasm to the court, albeit with a bit of a wild streak. Backing up Baron Davis, though, Williams could bring in a nice spark off the bench, or play point guard to Baron's shooting guard in a smaller lineup.
Add this to the young nucleus of Kaman and Al Thornton, as well as veteran Clippers Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas, and the team doesn't sound so bad.
The Clippers always manage to screw it up, though, and there's no question that with so many newcomers on board, chemistry will be an issue. Either way, I'm looking forward to the Davis-Davis backcourt combo as well as the Kaman-Camby twin tower duo down low. It'll be fun to watch.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
