Random Thoughts

Mission Accomplished [09/12/08]

So the "Redeem Team" did its job and held on to win the Gold Medal game. I may be alone in this observation, but the presiding emotion among the players seemed to be one of profound relief, not the joy of winning an athletic competition. Indeed, at this point, all future US teams will be a virtual "no win" situation, where if they don't win - and by huge margins - they will go down in history as losers.

The game for the Gold was much, must closer than it was reported. Spain was in the middle of things up until the final two minutes. One never got the feeling that the US would lose, but a victory certainly wasn't a forgone conclusion. Although man-for-man, the Spanish team would be absolutely no match for the talent assembled on the Redeem Team, they play well together and in some cases played above their heads in this o-so important game. Not to make excuses, though. The US team never seemed to be in synch. But, despite all, they got the job done.

Comparisons were made between the 2008 team and the rightfully vaunted 1992 team. I went back and grabbed the DVD of the Gold Medal game in 1992 (available on our DVD page) to see for myself. The difference was stark. No only was the 1992 team vastly more talented than the 2008 team, there was an inevitability in their games that the later team could never match. When the Croatian team had the nerve to actually forge a lead early in the first half, the reaction was swift and sure. The 1992 team could come at anyone with waves of the best finishers ever to the play the game, in Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler, Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley and David Robinson. Not to mention the boatloads of other solid contributors like Chris Mullin. The 1992 Dream Team was never in any trouble, and wouldn't have been had they played in 2008. Not for nothing was the team called the best ever assembled in any sport.

Its interesting to look back at time, in order to get a better perspective on current events. Congratulations to the 2008 team, but your accomplishments are Lilliputian compared to those of your recent forbears.

Kobe's Travails [08/12/08]

For someone labeled as the "best player in the world" Kobe Bryant is having a miserable Olympics so far. Against decidedly inferior opponents (China and Angola), he is incredibly shooting under 10% in three-point accuracy. He frequently looks lost and when not hoisting up shots isn't contributing much of anything.

Some people are touting his defense, but I'm not seeing much of it. He's better, faster, stronger and more experienced than virtually every other player that he will face in the tournament. Why shouldn't he be able to defense someone with must less talent?

What has become crystal clear is that Kobe is not "the man" on the team - LeBron is. It seems like every game features The King doing something incredible; things that shouldn't be humanly possible, but which he routinely pulls off with apparent ease. There is no other player in the world as physically gifted, that's for certain.

Time will tell how this all shakes out, but the tough tests are coming up - Greece tomorrow and Span on Saturday. A loss in either game and a torrent of criticism will cascade down on Mr. Bryant's head. He was supposed to be the "missing link" in the off-years when the US could only come up with the Bronze medal. Kobe has to find a way to play within the context of the offense, and for goodness sakes - he needs to trust his teammates, who are (by the way) among the elite in the world. He doesn't have to carry them on his back like his Laker team.

Greek Surprise [07/24/08]

The shockwaves are still reverberating throughout the league about former Atlanta Hawk Josh Childress' decision to sign a reported $20 million/3 year contract with Olympiakos, a professional Greek team in the Euro League. It is the first time that a highly-drafted player in his prime has opted for a European team, rather than stay in the NBA.

The reasons that Childress made the decision are probably many and varied, but the global weakness of the dollar had to be among them. In Greece, he reportedly will have his taxes paid, get preferential treatment for housing and have access to a premium ride. Not back for a bench player in the NBA. Of course, Childress will now be expected to ramp his game up to the star level, and it will be interesting to see how he does.

Might this constitute the beginning of a trend? My intuition says yes. The Euro is very strong has been trouncing the dollar for years. Non-stars can profit from contract offers that they never would get in the NBA. It opens up an entirely new vista for American players and will make the international game that much more interesting. You bet I'll tune in to watch Childress, and so will a bunch of other people.

Bonehead Coaches [07/10/08]

How long will it take some ego-blinded coaches to realize that its the players that fans come to see -- not them. Supposed "genuis" Don Nelson was the latest to succumb to this madness when he benched Baron Davis during a key playoff stretch. Of course the Dubs lost the game and the series. So, Nelson had to make the point to BDiddy that he was "in control", then Baron let him know how dangerous it is to unnecessarily piss off your star player by escaping to the LA Clippers. The Dubs are toast. No more 8th-seeded upsets are in their future, even with SJax and their remaining pieces. What Maggette adds, I have no idea, and neither does management, probably.

The other current coach in this dubious category is George Karl. How many times will he publicly feud with his best players, then diminish his team's ability to win when they leave? Ray Allen can probably tell you a think or two about Karl, and he was a key performer in the Celts championship run.

Coaches need to coach and maintain team discipline, but they can never forget that no matter how many accolades they get, people pay for tickets to see the players perform.

Boredom [07/06/08]

This is -- hands-down -- the worst time for sports in the year. When a Wimbedon tennis final is featured on ESPN.com, you know that millions of NBA fans are pining their hearts out; and likely watching re-run after re-run of old games on DVD. I refuse to watch the WNBA for longer than 10 minutes -- for the entire summer. I do like Candace Parker, but any game without her just isn't viewable.

This year, though, the Olympics will provide some relief and drama as Team USA tries to get back to the gold. That is, if the Olympics are played at all. There is the suggestion of a possible boycott in the air, which isn't surprising, given that China is a "strategic rival." It would suck to all ends of the Earth if politics ruined the potential viewing pleasure of millions of fans (billions?).

Anyway, I got a good guffaw over the fact that Dictator Stern has appointed an army general to adminstrate over the officials. That should go real well. When is Stu Jackson going to be declared useless and fired?

Draft Follies [06/30/08]

Now that we've past the Celtics' beatdown of the Lakers in what was supposed to be a competitive series, we enter the dog days of summer when the jones for good sports is sometimes so poignant, its painful.

One of the bright spots in an othewise dreary landscape is the NBA draft. Where else can you watch highly-paid "sports executive" make stupid decisions that will negatively impact their franchises for years? There were some true head scratchers this time, starting out with Russell Westbrook at the #4 slot. Weak and lame. Then, undersized Kevin Love was chosen, then promptly offloaded to the moronic Kevin McHale, who continues in his quest to keep his team as irrelevant as possible. Why would someone trade OJ Mayo, who is ready to come in in and start for a propect who will make absolutely no impact on the league?

Don't get me started on the Knicks, who picked next. What in Heaven's name did they see in an Italian "three" when there are so many other more pressing needs? The new regime at MSG is barely better than the last one. Time will tell if this most recent mistake ends up being better than Renaldo Balkman. Somehow I doubt it. All I want to know is how soon Mike (No D)'Antoni will be run out of town on a rail.

I was glad to see that Patrick Ewing Jr. was drafted. I wish him all the best; the kid is a hell of an athlete and will be one of those second-round surprises whose talents should have been obvious at the outset. Ah well, that's why I call it "draft follies" day.

Prediction [06/18/08]

I predict a Lakers win tonight. Given the aura of referreeing malfeasance in the air, I expect the arrogant Dictator Stern to do nothing else but rub biased officiating right in our faces -- en route to a money-making game 7. I hate to feel so negative about the integrity of the sport, and those in charge of running it, but there's too much smoke to Donaghy's allegations to dismiss my gut feeling that a real fire is burning.

The Choke? [06/14/08]

Is this an interesting series, or what? The Lakers pissed away a 24-point lead by not staying aggressive. Boston just hung around and started putting together runs. To me, it looks like LA figured that they had the thing won already, what with their coming out of the tougher West, etc. The Celts just took a workmanlike approach to getting themselves back in the game, and it worked.

Too many feelings of entitlement on the LA bench. Phil Jackson getting solidly outcoached by Doc Rivers -- who would have thunk it?

One should never make the mistake of calling a series "over" before it is over, so I won't. The Lakers have a mountain to climb, though. Can't wait for game 5!

The Scandal Intensifies [06/12/08]

So, we're finally at the point where NBA officiating is being questioned widely, by fans and casual observers alike. Stern has managed to keep a lid on this bubbling cauldron for much longer than he should have been able to. If the product on the court is not fairly decided by the players, then what are we watching?

Stern needs to go, but I've been saying it for the last decade and his hold on power remains undiminished. Perhaps this might be the issue that sticks to him? Hopefully? It would be great to see new blood at the top (and I DON'T mean Stu Jackson). A purge would be wonderful, but the owners don't seem to be unified enough for that to happen. A real shame, that. The reputation of the league is in the crapper right now, and will remain there while Stern runs around trying to pretend that nothing is wrong.

Very sad state of affairs.

Let the Hype Begin [06/03/08]

Its such an unusual feeling for me to actually be eagerly anticipating the beginning of the Finals. A rarity in recent years, there is actually some doubt as to who is going to win the series. Not to mention all of the marquee names on both teams -- Kobe and KG being the biggest, of course. I can't wait for Thursday to roll around!!!

Its been quite some time: in 2000, the Lakers began their run by beating the Pacers -- eh. It was a good series but Indiana just didn't get me excited, despite featuring a Prime Reggie Miller. In '01, watching Iverson step over Tyron Lue after hitting a key shot in the game 1 shocker was awesome, but everyone knew that the Lakers would win it. In 2002, the Nets looked like a team that didn't belong in the Finals. Boring. 2003 brought the Spurs vs. Nets -- double snoozer!! The very-veteran Lakers in 2004 were interesting, mainly because of the addition of Payton and Malone. They didn't get it done against the Pistons, and imploded spectacularly, but at least the series did have some buzz about it. 2005 -- Spurs vs. Pistons -- gag me!! 2006 -- Heat vs. Mavericks -- fixed. In 2007, the LeBrons somehow made it to the last series, but virtually no one gave them a chance against the Spurs. Zero buzz.

This year, however, is far different. The sizzle so far has been incredible and you can see it in all of the basketball boards, etc. It would help if Boston had played better in the previous two series, but they acquitted themselves well against Detroit. LA is hot, and so is Kobe. How will he fare against the best defensive team in the league? Will KG dominate Gasol? Will LO show up? Will Jesus Shuttlesworth continue to struggle? So many unanswered questions, all of which could prove to be the decisive factor in the series. It truly could go either way. As a New Yorker, I instinctively hate Boston teams but given how I feel about their main players, if the Celtics won I wouldn't be too bent out of shape.

Hard to say how this one will play out, but I'm leaning toward the Lakers and an ultra-determined Kobe. I just can't wait.....

Referreeing Mess [05/28/08]

For how long will the refs continue to be the focal points of important games? When officiating is at its best, the refs are NEVER the big story; they just unobtrusively go about their business while letting the players decide the outcome of the contest. In last night's Lakers-Spurs game, there were three critical blown calls, all in the last few minutes. There was the wrong decision to rule that Derek Fisher's shot didn't touch the rim, which it clearly did. That would have given the Lakers the ball with the opportunity to run the clock out, or force the Spurs to foul. Although Fisher clearly fouled Barry, Brent definitely did a shufflie right before the incident. Its a shame that such an intense, well-played game once again came down to people arguing over the refs' calls and allowing conspiracy theories to run rampant.

All that being said, the Lakers were clearly the better team and deserved to win. The fact that Kobe Bryant did not go to the foul line once during the contest tells you all you need to know about the SA homecourt advantage. As expected, Manu came back to Earth and couldn't duplicate his dominant performance of the previous game.

At 3-1, and headed back to LA, it looks like the series is over but I never count out the Spurs. I'm glad, though, that it appears that a new champion will be crowned this year.

Ref Scandal [05/18/08]

The Tim Donaghy ref scandal continues to play to minor headlines in the sports media. Little tidbits are leaking out, however, like the fact that he allegedly bet on over 100 games in which he was an official. Why isn't this bigger news? I love the NBA, but the league has a huge perception problem in the general population, with many believing that to a certain extent the games are fixed.

When friends tell me that the NBA is just one step from the WWE, I don't know what to say. I clearly remember the blatant display of biased refereeing imaginable, in the 2002 Lakers-Kings series where phantom calls against the Kings were commonplace. Therefore, I can't honestly say that the games I love to watch are fairly judged and the the outcomes are determined by the players only.

One conclusion I've come to is that David Stern either needs to clean this entire mess up, or step down (or be forced out) if he himself is complicit in the entire affair -- not a far-fetched notion in the least bit. The 2008 playoffs, which started out with so much promised, have become spectacularly boring, with the home teams winning practically every time out. How is it that teams can look so consistently good at home and so bad on the road. Does it have anything to do with the fact that rather than calling games evenly, the refs favor the home team?

I'm really sick of this. All sports leagues have their credibility issues -- baseball has steroids, football has the Patroits and Spygate, and hockey has... whatever it has. Of all the major league, though, the Donaghy scandal is the most serious -- by far -- yet it is receiving the smallest amount of attention in comparison to the other leagues' woes. Why?

D'Antoni in New York? [05/10/08]

Lately, I've been having a lot of "WTF" moments -- as in, "WTF were they thinking?," when looking at some recent league roster moves. A big moment occurred when rumors about the Shaq to Phoenix trade emerged. Another one happened when it became apparent that Mark Cuban was feverishly intent on trading an aging, coach-killer Jason Kidd for a young, up-and-coming Devin Harris. Both moves worked out just as badly as most bloggers predicted they would, although Shaq did play better than I expected.

Now I'm hearing that the Knicks are coming hard after soon-to-be ex-Suns coach Mike D' Antoni -- he of the "all offense, no defense" school of game strategy. I'm sure that D' Antoni knows the game very well, but I don't think that his whiny, complaining personality is going to be a fit in NY. I grew up there, and know the people. They're not going to take to his act very well, trust me, especially when it becomes apparent that he doesn't have the personnel to work his magic plans. Chicago would have been a far better fit for him, but I guess money talks.

I'm disappointed on a number of levels, because I was pulling hard for Mark Jackson to be named the coach. Mark is revered in NY, as an ex-Knick and St. John's All-American. The team is going to take time to rebuild and he would have been the perfect coach for that to happen. Now, with D' Antoni being paid a king's ransom, people are going to expect results right away -- and they're not going to get them. Mix that in with D'Antoni's penchant for blaming others (the refs, etc.) for his shortcomings, and you have the ingredients for a really toxic situation. I predict a stormy divorce no more than two years from now. Maybe Mark will be a more attractive option then.

All Hail CP3 [05/09/08]

Long-time fans of the league are used to the hype surrounding the new hot-shot of the week. Every year we're told that "this kid will have an incredible impact on the league," etc., etc. It almost never pans out. By definition, only a few players can truly be called great.

That being said, I was quite frankly skeptical about the hosannas relating to Chris Paul. I didn't get a chance to see New Orleans much this year, though was certainly aware of their incredible record and the great job Byron Scott has done, once again. [How has NJ fared since they listened to coach-kill JKidd, and fired him after two finals runs?]

Now, its money time and CP3 is providing that he has the capacity to be one of the truly all-time greats. No one can stop this kid once he gets rolling. The fact that he's only going to get better with experience should be a frightening thought for the rest of the league. He's giving the defending champion Spurs all they can handle. I'm pulling big-time for NO to pull the "upset" and put SA down for this year.

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