Da Realist:
Your thoughts on Whitlock's views?
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=whitlock/050728
Gangsta D:
Totally agree. If TO has a bad year, they'd cut him in a second and wouldn't have any hard feeling about it. NFL contracts aren't worth the paper they're printed on. Someone tell me the last time an NFL teamhonored a long term contract, throughout its term according to ALL of it's original stipulations. If it's happened at all, a one-armed man would be sufficient for an accurate count. If he underperforms the team can take money away, so if he overperforms they should pay him more. There will never be guaranteedcontracts, but i see know reason why there can't be renegotiations...
Waldini:
The real issue is who's the one voicing displeasure about his contract....TO. A outspoken, supposedly arrogant young & angry black man (in their eyes). If this were Favre, Montana, Marino, Elway, Brady or any other golden boy that was speaking against his contract, then all of sudden folks would start rethinking the whole NFL salary cap. Folks like JavonWalker, Edge James and company look worse when a Brett Favre publicly calls you out for being selfish. And then the media says to themselves, "Well ifBrett said it, it must be true." Puh-lease, this is about trying to get the most money possible up front before someone takes it away behind the scenes.
For the record, I am in agreeance with T.O. on his right to get a better deal based on how he helped his team last year. I do not agree with some of his statements (the Jesus comparison comes to mine). Make your statement and just let everything else play itself out.
Read more!
Friday, July 29, 2005
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
I'm Ron Mexico Bitch!
Gangsta D:
Michael Vick needs to step up this year and lead his team with his arm. He should aspire to be like Peyton Manning...who's gone to exactly the same number of Super Bowls: 0. Mike Vick is a winner. When he's on the field,the Falcons win. When he's off the field, they suck. A running QB has never won a Super Bowl. But plenty of pocket passers haven't either. Vickwill never be Joe Montana. But he'll eventually be damn good. 1,000 yds rushing & 3,000 yds passing in a season good. You have to let him be who he is and let the chips fall where they may. He may never win a Super Bowl, but niether did Marino, Kelly, Tarkenton, Moon, et al. They lived and died playing their respective games. No one tried to shoehorn a new style onto them. Now, granted Vick's completion percentage has to improve, as well as his TD-INT ratio. But, he's gotta beat you with his arm AND feet. That's who he is...along with being a herpes carrier. But i don't think that willhave an effect on his play this year...
Da Realist:
herpes? where did you get THAT from???
this point of view sounds good to me.
Waldini:
That view is accurate. People need to stop hatin and let that cat play. Throw McNabb and McNair in that conversation too although I think Vick will finish his career with better numbers than both of them Read more!
Michael Vick needs to step up this year and lead his team with his arm. He should aspire to be like Peyton Manning...who's gone to exactly the same number of Super Bowls: 0. Mike Vick is a winner. When he's on the field,the Falcons win. When he's off the field, they suck. A running QB has never won a Super Bowl. But plenty of pocket passers haven't either. Vickwill never be Joe Montana. But he'll eventually be damn good. 1,000 yds rushing & 3,000 yds passing in a season good. You have to let him be who he is and let the chips fall where they may. He may never win a Super Bowl, but niether did Marino, Kelly, Tarkenton, Moon, et al. They lived and died playing their respective games. No one tried to shoehorn a new style onto them. Now, granted Vick's completion percentage has to improve, as well as his TD-INT ratio. But, he's gotta beat you with his arm AND feet. That's who he is...along with being a herpes carrier. But i don't think that willhave an effect on his play this year...
Da Realist:
herpes? where did you get THAT from???
this point of view sounds good to me.
Waldini:
That view is accurate. People need to stop hatin and let that cat play. Throw McNabb and McNair in that conversation too although I think Vick will finish his career with better numbers than both of them Read more!
Men's Tennis
Da Realist:
did anyone see andy roddick on pti a couple of daysGangsta D:
ago? THAT is how i feel about tennis. most 'fans'
out there are not interested in the game, but in all
the catty drama that comes along with it. it burns me
up when wilbon says the men's tour is boring and the
women's tour is exciting.
why wilbon? because 2 of the top women's players are
african american sisters? that's fine, but the
women's tour is mostly about drama, not tennis.
(venus and lindsay don't get along. what is serena
wearing today? maria sharapova is the new anna
kournikova...)
the perception that the men's tour is boring is
attributed to american arrogance. you can't tell me
that if andy roddick was winning championships the way
roger federer is that americans wouldn't be all over
the sport. they'll be selling andy roddick t-shirts
and wristbands at your local footlocker. but because
roger is swiss and not american, no one notices.
no one complains about the ease of tiger winning
majors in golf, by 5, 8 and 15 strokes. they mostly
say that his dominance is intriguing enough. but
roger federer beats the 2nd best player in the world
9, 10 straight times in straight sets, it's considered
boring.
now i know there are some differences in the two
sports (in tennis you're competing directly against
your opponent and in golf you're competing against the
course and then matching up your scores with the other
participants later), but my point is still this...if
you replace tiger with roger, everybody in this
country would be a tennis fan while no one would care
about golf. that's not an indictment on the sport but
on the fans.
No, men's tennis is boring because there are NO rallies.Da Realist:
It's serve, ace; serve, return winner; or serve, return
unforced error. There are no charismatic players and
no rivalries. I wouldn't say that the men's game is
bad per se, but it isn't exciting. You can't compare
tennis and golf because, tennis is player vs player;
golf is player vs course. No one wants to see Federer
destroy Roddick AGAIN in straight sets. But people like
seeing Tiger crush a field because of what he's doing
to the course. How far under par can he go? How many
birdies can he hit? It's not even apples and oranges.
It's apples and steak. Remember, when Pete was dominating
the tour people still thought the men's game was boring.
People weren't going crazy back then, so I don't think
American arrogance has anything to do with it. People
want drama and compelling action. There is no dominant
female player, so matches are tighter and last longer.
Can't say the same for the men...
then why is the french open (the major most conduciveGangsta D:
to rallies) the step-child of tennis majors as far as
america is concerned? there are nothing BUT rallies
at the french open, and yet we don't watch.
and people might have thought pete sampras was boring,
but they still tuned in. the ratings during the
sampras era were much higher than they are now. why?
because america drives the bus. we are the most
affluent country and we put the most money into
tennis. if we are not represented, we don't watch.
if we don't watch, ratings go down. and remember,
from '95 to '99, agassi was pretty much out of
commission. it wasn't the sampras-agassi rivalry that
brought in the viewers during those 4-5 years.
There's only ONE grand slam played in the US! I don'tDa Realist:
get your point. Why is Wimbledon considered the crown
jewel of grand slams? It's played in England. I actually
do hear what your saying, and it is A factor, among
many. If Roddick was Federer, people still wouldn't care.
Who the Hell cares about the Tour De France? An American
dominates that. Why isn't Boxing on top like it used to
be? Plenty of Americans in there. It all comes down to
being compelled to watch. Having a dominant American
helps, but it's not going to completely turn the tide.
america doesn't care about the tour de france. butGangsta D:
america has NEVER cared about that. tennis is
different. we like it when we're on top. we call it
boring when we're not. i disagree about roddick. the
media is shoving him down our throats now. and he's
only won 1 major!
yes, wimbledon is considered the crown jewel of the
majors but remember, pete won there 7 times. plenty
of time for america to become fond of the famous grass
court. how many do you think would watch federer vs
hewitt in the wimbledon finals? probably 3. how many
would watch roddick vs nalbandian? enough to register
for a highlight or two on sportscenter.
boxing is not on top because it lacks TALENT. there
are no top notch boxers anymore. they are all playing
football, basketball or wrestling in the WWE. tennis,
on the other hand, has PLENTY of talent and skill.
remember roger federer won wimbledon from the
baseline. no slam bam thank you andy. he won with
rallies from the baseline. do you remember the
federer-safin match at the australian open? nothing
but rallies. federer-nadal at the french? no
serve-ace there either.
I don't know. Bernard Hopkins, Antonio Tarver, JermaineRead more!
Taylor, Oscar, & Winky are pretty talented. Roy Jones was
dominant for awhile. I'm not totally disagreeing with you,
but I think you're putting too much emphasis on the nationalism
aspect. We live in a fractured entertainment culture.
There are literally thousands of options vying for our
attention. If there aren't compelling reasons to watch
something, it ain't getting watched. And unless it's the
Olympics, it's gotta be more than just an American
that's doing well. The USTA needs to promote it's
established stars and its up and coming ones as well.
How do we know who the next big thing is? How are
fans supposed to get emotionally attached? If the game
really is good, then the powers that be are doing a horrible
job of letting people know...
Great American Hero
Gangsta D:
Is Lance Armstrong the greatest American athlete of all time?Da Realist:
No. He may be the greatest endurance athlete of all time,
but I can't put him above Jim Thorpe, a guy who dominated
what 3-4 sports in his prime. Can't put him above Jordan.
Endurance is one thing, but having your talent and
intelligence to dominate a sport where you can't control
all the variables counts for more. I might not be able
to put him above Carl Lewis, or maybe it's a tie.
He gets clowned, rightfully so, but what he did in track and
field for ten years is pretty astonishing.
So what's the verdict?
there is a difference in being a great player andGangsta D:
being a great athlete. being a great player in an
american sport requires athleticism, but also a great
deal of skill. rip hamilton is the best conditioned
in the nba, but is he the best player? i think not.
being a great athlete may take skill, but it is mostly
a physical thing. what can your body accomplish?
when you're talking about riding a bike up to 30 mph,
riding up and down steep mountains for 2 weeks
straight, and most importantly, preparing yourself all
year to do just those things and do it better than
anyone has ever done it 7 years running....THAT'S AN
ATHLETE.
i'm extremely impressed by what lance has done. i do
think he is the best athlete in our generation. but i
say this mindful of the idea that it's hard to make a
comparison with other sports.
Let me be argumentative...just for the sake ofDa Realist:
being argumentative. Would a person who dominates
super marathons, let's say for seven years in a row,
be considered a great athlete. Super marathons are
sometimes 40-50 miles. What about dominant tri-athletes?
There really is no right or wrong answer, but perspective
will shade opinion. I think he's a great athlete,
and the strength and endurance he has is extroardinary.
But he peddles. Hate to reduce it to it's simplistic
terms, but he peddles really fast. In terms of pure
athletic achievment, I don't know if I can say he's
the best of our generation...
he peddles? that's like saying kobe bryant runs,Waldini:
jumps and flicks his wrist.
the tour de france is a GRUELING event. 2 weeks up
and down mountains racing against the best (yes,
diallo) ATHLETES in the world, traveling up to 30 mph!
and think about the preparation it takes to be able
to push your body like that. there is no offseason.
lance may not be the best athlete, but PLAYERS like
joe montana, michael jordan and wayne gretsky are not
even in the discussion. you would have to suggest
tri-athletes or distance runners or rock climbers or
something like that.
You guys sound like Sports Reporters yesterday. JasonGangsta D:
Whitlock got clowned for diminishing Lance's
accomplishments. I think what Lance did was
extraordinary. However, who besides the avid biking
fans and the sports media care about his accomplishment??
You think the casual fan is sitting around discussing
how impressive Lance's streak is. Puhlease, it's as
appealing to them TV shows on the UPN.....
For example, this morning, what was the first topic
of discussion among everyone. No not Lance's brilliant
win but about Hustle and Flow. Think about it
So do race car drivers belong in the category.Da Realist:
They have to have incredible strength and
endurance to drive a two ton machine at speeds
almost reaching nearly 200 mph for four
hours. They drive 500 miles an event every week for
9 months. I'm not downing his athleticism. It's an
inspirational story, he is without question the best
ever in his sport, and I would pass out after
about 10 miles, but I just don't buy the superlatives.
in race car driving, the CAR is going the work.Read more!
and yeah, i saw sports reporters yesterday. i don't
disagree with jason, but this discussion is about
athleticism, not popularity. if we're going to talk
about the most popular "athletes", then give me
michael jordan or muhammad ali. but if we're strictly
talking athletic prowess, i'll take lance.
diallo, ride a bike.
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Christ-like?
No people, T.O. was not comparing himself to Jesus. Of course anyone with half a brain could probably read between the lines of what he was saying. What he said, essentially, was that people have been treated far worse than he is being treated now, so why should he complain. No one is throwing rocks at him, so he doesn't have it that bad. But of course, some people like to blow things out of proportion when they have to choose between covering the Tour De Ambivalence or another episode of "When Kenny Rogers Attacks." Fine, you can hate T.O. for a myriad of things, but this issue is silly.
Read more!
Getting Riled Up
Da Realist:
you know, it has just dawned on me that we haven't discussed pat riley and the miami heat. i guess because i was gone last week when the story was REALLY juicy. anyway, i think riley is a better coach. i think the heat would be better with him as the coach. i just don't see an ethical way for him to BE the coach without looking like (and being) a snake. thoughts?
Waldini:
You just said it. Everyone knows he's better suited to coach them but if he fired SVG, he would see a lot of backlash. S*** you dont think Shaq has been in Riles' ear about 'So when are you gonna takeover and lead us to the promised land?
On a side note, why did Lebron's close friends start a management company called Four Horsemen Management. If I were Ric, Arn,Tully, Ole, and James J Dillon, I'd be in the ear of Lebron's lawyer ASAP
Da Realist:
james j dillon! i haven't heard that name since 7th grade. :-)
HERE'S a question i've been wondering for a longtime. who better to ask than two long-time laker fans? whywas riley run out of LA in the first place?
Waldini:
You know he left during the era where Internet didn't exist and there were not a lot of Inside the NBA shows. Honestly, D may know better than me. AllI know is he said he was tired of coaching and decided he needed a break. I didnt have an issue with him leaving nor when he decided to start coaching again 2 yrs later.
In other news, just read that the Glove (although I call him the Mitten now) may be headed back to the Lakers. What is this,reunion city? So are you gonna tell me Karl is going to stop choppin wood & looking for Mexican mommies and come back too. Is Shaq optin out of his deal for a bigger reason? Hmmmm
Gangsta D:
Why the HELL would Payton come back to LA, knowing full well they're running the triangle and he is an imperfect fit. That doesn't make any sense. Does Phil have any input at all in personnel decisions?
As far as Riles is concerned, I think he saw the writing on the wall in LA. He knew they had maybe two more years of championship contention, then he'd have to rebuild. I doubt he wanted to go through that and diminish his Laker legacy. Besides, they had just lost to Phoenix in the second round, a series they shouldn't have loss but I saw it coming after struggling with Houston in the first round.
As far as the Heat goes, he CAN'T coach them without looking like a snake unless SVG dies. Obvioulsy Riles is a better coach, if he was coaching maybe the Heat get to the Finals last year. But he quit a week before the season started two years ago, and if he were to dump "the hedgehog" now, he'd never hear the end of it.
Da Realist:
yeah i remember what he said, but i remember a lot of"insiders" said the team stopped listening to him and they wanted him out. if this account is true, i wonder why. did it have anything to do with"overworking" them during the '89 playoffs that resulted in magic and byron being too injured to play in the finals?
and if he was run out by the players, who was their ringleader? magic? couldn't have been kareem becausethat was his last year. it just seemed kind of sudden because they didn't already have someone in reserve toreplace him. riley was replaced by whom? randy pfund? i know mike dunleavy was the coach in '91 butdid he replace riley?
Waldini:
Naw Dunleavy replaced Riles, and when Dunleavy left, Pfund replaced him
Considering Magic's history with coaches (see Paul Westhead 1980-81season), it's possible Magic coulda said he had enough with endorsements from Worthy, Scott, and other veteran Lakers. I dont know how overworked they were in '89 considering they swept everyone in the West before getting swept out by Detroit Read more!
you know, it has just dawned on me that we haven't discussed pat riley and the miami heat. i guess because i was gone last week when the story was REALLY juicy. anyway, i think riley is a better coach. i think the heat would be better with him as the coach. i just don't see an ethical way for him to BE the coach without looking like (and being) a snake. thoughts?
Waldini:
You just said it. Everyone knows he's better suited to coach them but if he fired SVG, he would see a lot of backlash. S*** you dont think Shaq has been in Riles' ear about 'So when are you gonna takeover and lead us to the promised land?
On a side note, why did Lebron's close friends start a management company called Four Horsemen Management. If I were Ric, Arn,Tully, Ole, and James J Dillon, I'd be in the ear of Lebron's lawyer ASAP
Da Realist:
james j dillon! i haven't heard that name since 7th grade. :-)
HERE'S a question i've been wondering for a longtime. who better to ask than two long-time laker fans? whywas riley run out of LA in the first place?
Waldini:
You know he left during the era where Internet didn't exist and there were not a lot of Inside the NBA shows. Honestly, D may know better than me. AllI know is he said he was tired of coaching and decided he needed a break. I didnt have an issue with him leaving nor when he decided to start coaching again 2 yrs later.
In other news, just read that the Glove (although I call him the Mitten now) may be headed back to the Lakers. What is this,reunion city? So are you gonna tell me Karl is going to stop choppin wood & looking for Mexican mommies and come back too. Is Shaq optin out of his deal for a bigger reason? Hmmmm
Gangsta D:
Why the HELL would Payton come back to LA, knowing full well they're running the triangle and he is an imperfect fit. That doesn't make any sense. Does Phil have any input at all in personnel decisions?
As far as Riles is concerned, I think he saw the writing on the wall in LA. He knew they had maybe two more years of championship contention, then he'd have to rebuild. I doubt he wanted to go through that and diminish his Laker legacy. Besides, they had just lost to Phoenix in the second round, a series they shouldn't have loss but I saw it coming after struggling with Houston in the first round.
As far as the Heat goes, he CAN'T coach them without looking like a snake unless SVG dies. Obvioulsy Riles is a better coach, if he was coaching maybe the Heat get to the Finals last year. But he quit a week before the season started two years ago, and if he were to dump "the hedgehog" now, he'd never hear the end of it.
Da Realist:
yeah i remember what he said, but i remember a lot of"insiders" said the team stopped listening to him and they wanted him out. if this account is true, i wonder why. did it have anything to do with"overworking" them during the '89 playoffs that resulted in magic and byron being too injured to play in the finals?
and if he was run out by the players, who was their ringleader? magic? couldn't have been kareem becausethat was his last year. it just seemed kind of sudden because they didn't already have someone in reserve toreplace him. riley was replaced by whom? randy pfund? i know mike dunleavy was the coach in '91 butdid he replace riley?
Waldini:
Naw Dunleavy replaced Riles, and when Dunleavy left, Pfund replaced him
Considering Magic's history with coaches (see Paul Westhead 1980-81season), it's possible Magic coulda said he had enough with endorsements from Worthy, Scott, and other veteran Lakers. I dont know how overworked they were in '89 considering they swept everyone in the West before getting swept out by Detroit Read more!
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
You Got The Juice Now...
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/050720
Gangsta D:
Good points, but I still say he belongs in the Hall. How many people who have played in his era have 3000 hits/500 homers. There are only FOUR in the history of the game. Obviously, it's not too tainted if only 4 out of 50,000 have ever done it.
Da Realist:
"That's no knock on Raffy, a scary hitter who turnedunstoppable whenever his team fell 10 games out of therace."
OUCH!
Waldini:
I concur.
Here's another question for both of you. Does KenGriffey Jr belong in the HOF? I say yes but curious to hear your thoughts....
Da Realist:
of COURSE! only injuries have stopped him from being considered the best modern player in the game. just as explosive as barry bonds (used to be before bonds ADMITTEDLY took steroids), but infinitely better playing defense as a centerfielder.
Waldini:
Ok, I'm happy I'm not the only one who thinks this. I had been reading reports that some folks didnt believe Griffey was a sure first HOF. I'm like, I guess you didnt see him play in Seattle. How soon folks forget our heroes :-) Read more!
Gangsta D:
Good points, but I still say he belongs in the Hall. How many people who have played in his era have 3000 hits/500 homers. There are only FOUR in the history of the game. Obviously, it's not too tainted if only 4 out of 50,000 have ever done it.
Da Realist:
"That's no knock on Raffy, a scary hitter who turnedunstoppable whenever his team fell 10 games out of therace."
OUCH!
Waldini:
I concur.
Here's another question for both of you. Does KenGriffey Jr belong in the HOF? I say yes but curious to hear your thoughts....
Da Realist:
of COURSE! only injuries have stopped him from being considered the best modern player in the game. just as explosive as barry bonds (used to be before bonds ADMITTEDLY took steroids), but infinitely better playing defense as a centerfielder.
Waldini:
Ok, I'm happy I'm not the only one who thinks this. I had been reading reports that some folks didnt believe Griffey was a sure first HOF. I'm like, I guess you didnt see him play in Seattle. How soon folks forget our heroes :-) Read more!
NBA Free Agency is...Underwhelming!
Waldini:
- Stromile Swift goes to Houston, people immediately start saying they arebound 2 get out of da first rd with a starting lineup of Yao, Swift, T-Mac,Wesley, and Sura. Call me crazy but that team doesn't look that much improved
- Antonio Daniels is headed to Washington. That gives the Wiz a starting lineup of Haywood, Jamison, Butler, Daniels, andArenas. I think they compensated well now that Brown and Hughes are no longer there
- Cleveland adds Donyell Marshall. Good move for the Cavs which means theyhave Z-train, Donyell, Lebron, Larry Hughes, and Snow with some decent bench help.
- I think the Sonics are in a lot of trouble with all those losses (James,Daniels, McMillan)
- I think the Lakers better start looking for a PGb/c they got no oneright now....
Da Realist:
calm down. the lakers last real point guard was magic johnson. that didn't stop them from winning 3 titles. besides phil jackson has never even HAD a team with a real point and he's got 10 rings.
Gangsta D:
Actually, he's only got 9. But the 10th is comingthis year baby...or maybe not...
The Wiz is my sleeper pick to do some damage in the east. But, they HAVE to develop an offensive system. Last year it was fastbreak and pull up for a 25 ft jumpshot. And they may wanna think about defense every now and then.
Houston is SUSPECT. I think people keep expectingYao to put up Shaq-like numbers. It. Ain't. Happening. Folks. McGrady hasn't proven he can stepup when the heat is on and Swift had one decent year and has not performed well in the playoffs. They should be cautiously optimistic.
Waldini:
Yea I like the Wiz's moves and definitely think Eddie Jordan can coach. He has a good mix of youth and veterans on that team. Idon't know. Everyone is picking either the Heat, Pistons, or Pacers to dominate the competition but I think the Wiz, Celtics, Cavs, Bulls (assumingeveryone comes back), and Bucks could push them a lil harder than these 3 teams were pushed in last year;s playoffs. All those teams have the ability to run and make games interesting. Notice I didnt say beat those teams just push them
In the West, I expect Seattle and Sacramento to drop a few notches, Minnesota, Golden State, Both LA teams, and Utah to improve but San Antonio and Phoenix remain the cream of the crop. I thinkthis season could be as good as last season considering again there is no clear cut favorite to win it all.
Da Realist:
oh yes, there is a clear cut favorite next year. who's gonna beat san antonio? they are not one of the all-time great teams, but nobody else in the league is better. detroit just took a step down. miami hasn't changed enough yet to seriously threaten. phoenix is still phoenix.
overall, teams are getting better, but i can't see anyone knocking them out in a 7-game series next year. now, maybe the year AFTER next... Read more!
- Stromile Swift goes to Houston, people immediately start saying they arebound 2 get out of da first rd with a starting lineup of Yao, Swift, T-Mac,Wesley, and Sura. Call me crazy but that team doesn't look that much improved
- Antonio Daniels is headed to Washington. That gives the Wiz a starting lineup of Haywood, Jamison, Butler, Daniels, andArenas. I think they compensated well now that Brown and Hughes are no longer there
- Cleveland adds Donyell Marshall. Good move for the Cavs which means theyhave Z-train, Donyell, Lebron, Larry Hughes, and Snow with some decent bench help.
- I think the Sonics are in a lot of trouble with all those losses (James,Daniels, McMillan)
- I think the Lakers better start looking for a PGb/c they got no oneright now....
Da Realist:
calm down. the lakers last real point guard was magic johnson. that didn't stop them from winning 3 titles. besides phil jackson has never even HAD a team with a real point and he's got 10 rings.
Gangsta D:
Actually, he's only got 9. But the 10th is comingthis year baby...or maybe not...
The Wiz is my sleeper pick to do some damage in the east. But, they HAVE to develop an offensive system. Last year it was fastbreak and pull up for a 25 ft jumpshot. And they may wanna think about defense every now and then.
Houston is SUSPECT. I think people keep expectingYao to put up Shaq-like numbers. It. Ain't. Happening. Folks. McGrady hasn't proven he can stepup when the heat is on and Swift had one decent year and has not performed well in the playoffs. They should be cautiously optimistic.
Waldini:
Yea I like the Wiz's moves and definitely think Eddie Jordan can coach. He has a good mix of youth and veterans on that team. Idon't know. Everyone is picking either the Heat, Pistons, or Pacers to dominate the competition but I think the Wiz, Celtics, Cavs, Bulls (assumingeveryone comes back), and Bucks could push them a lil harder than these 3 teams were pushed in last year;s playoffs. All those teams have the ability to run and make games interesting. Notice I didnt say beat those teams just push them
In the West, I expect Seattle and Sacramento to drop a few notches, Minnesota, Golden State, Both LA teams, and Utah to improve but San Antonio and Phoenix remain the cream of the crop. I thinkthis season could be as good as last season considering again there is no clear cut favorite to win it all.
Da Realist:
oh yes, there is a clear cut favorite next year. who's gonna beat san antonio? they are not one of the all-time great teams, but nobody else in the league is better. detroit just took a step down. miami hasn't changed enough yet to seriously threaten. phoenix is still phoenix.
overall, teams are getting better, but i can't see anyone knocking them out in a 7-game series next year. now, maybe the year AFTER next... Read more!
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
B-Dub In The House...
Gangsta D:
-Bob Weiss is the new coach of the Sonics. Apparently Dick Versace was unavailable...
-Stephen A. has his own talk show coming out on August 1. It was only amatter of time. The boy seriously has stars in his eyes...
-Stromile Swift to Houston? Yep, they're an immediate championship contender now...
Waldini:
- I guess the Sonics didn't see the Hawks back in the early 90s. Get readyfor mediocrity. I told Ace to enjoy his magic season but he wouldn't listen. You're about to lose Nate McMillan, Jerome James, Antonio Daniels,Flip Murray, and possibly Vladmir Radmanovic. Enjoy yourself
- Yea I saw the commercial while I was the gym yesterday. Doesnt anybody remember what happened when they tried to shove Mike Lupica down our throats with his own talk show. Talk about overkill and overexposure
- T-Mac has been going on talk shows saying Swift is the key piece that will put them over the hump...No I did not make that statement up
ADDITIONAL STUFF
- Coach LB is leaving the Pistons. Who wants to place bets on where he willend up?
- Hearing the Nets are close to acquiring Abdur Rahim. So you are tellin me that I am supposed to get scared with a starting lineup of Jason Collins, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson, and Jason Kidd. Either they are going to run everyone to death or going to get rolled over b/c they are soft as tissue on defense
Gangsta D:
Obviously Mr. McGrady has been sippin on that sizzurp with Slim Thug and Paul Wall. Who's their backcourt? Charlie Ward and Bobby Sura? Who they got on the bench? He must've had some bad shrimp at Boudreaux's:)
I love how sportswriters write about how athletes have such big egos andthey only care about the money. But these same sportsWRITERS end up on tv all the time and sometimes get their own show. Nope no ego involved inthat. And I'm sure they're doing it for free...
Waldini:
Wow, you remember Boudreaux's eh, lol!
- I think the Rockets need to get younger OR at least give the younger players more run (see Mike James). I honestly do not know what direction they are trying to go. And I'll admit it, I like Slim Thug and Paul Wall aka the People's Champ. "Sittin Sidewayz" is off da meter to me and Already Platinum is a decent album
- Think of all the TV Sports Talk shows out now....PTI, Around the Horn,Sports Reporters, Best Damn Sports talk show, 4 qtrs. It seems like Sportswriters are becoming just as famous as the athletes. People blame ESPN forthe downfall of bball fundamentals, well they can blame them when up andcoming sports writers are actin like know it alls about all sports. Read more!
-Bob Weiss is the new coach of the Sonics. Apparently Dick Versace was unavailable...
-Stephen A. has his own talk show coming out on August 1. It was only amatter of time. The boy seriously has stars in his eyes...
-Stromile Swift to Houston? Yep, they're an immediate championship contender now...
Waldini:
- I guess the Sonics didn't see the Hawks back in the early 90s. Get readyfor mediocrity. I told Ace to enjoy his magic season but he wouldn't listen. You're about to lose Nate McMillan, Jerome James, Antonio Daniels,Flip Murray, and possibly Vladmir Radmanovic. Enjoy yourself
- Yea I saw the commercial while I was the gym yesterday. Doesnt anybody remember what happened when they tried to shove Mike Lupica down our throats with his own talk show. Talk about overkill and overexposure
- T-Mac has been going on talk shows saying Swift is the key piece that will put them over the hump...No I did not make that statement up
ADDITIONAL STUFF
- Coach LB is leaving the Pistons. Who wants to place bets on where he willend up?
- Hearing the Nets are close to acquiring Abdur Rahim. So you are tellin me that I am supposed to get scared with a starting lineup of Jason Collins, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson, and Jason Kidd. Either they are going to run everyone to death or going to get rolled over b/c they are soft as tissue on defense
Gangsta D:
Obviously Mr. McGrady has been sippin on that sizzurp with Slim Thug and Paul Wall. Who's their backcourt? Charlie Ward and Bobby Sura? Who they got on the bench? He must've had some bad shrimp at Boudreaux's:)
I love how sportswriters write about how athletes have such big egos andthey only care about the money. But these same sportsWRITERS end up on tv all the time and sometimes get their own show. Nope no ego involved inthat. And I'm sure they're doing it for free...
Waldini:
Wow, you remember Boudreaux's eh, lol!
- I think the Rockets need to get younger OR at least give the younger players more run (see Mike James). I honestly do not know what direction they are trying to go. And I'll admit it, I like Slim Thug and Paul Wall aka the People's Champ. "Sittin Sidewayz" is off da meter to me and Already Platinum is a decent album
- Think of all the TV Sports Talk shows out now....PTI, Around the Horn,Sports Reporters, Best Damn Sports talk show, 4 qtrs. It seems like Sportswriters are becoming just as famous as the athletes. People blame ESPN forthe downfall of bball fundamentals, well they can blame them when up andcoming sports writers are actin like know it alls about all sports. Read more!
Monday, July 18, 2005
Great Expectations
Da Realist:
http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/3732292
no more talk of disrespect coming from you, smokey. everybody is talking about your boys this year likethey got a real shot at pasadena. but then i looked up your schedule.
WHEW! your fate should be decided in the first 5 weeks. at florida(week 2), at lsu (week 3), georgia at home (week 5). and for good measure-at notre dame (week 8), in the cold of november in indiana a couple of hours from chicago.
hey d, why don't we try and talk some sense into the acc by convincing them to move the miami/fsu gameback to the middle of october like it's supposed to be? i hate this labor day matchup. we don't have a chance to generate any buzz. i liked it better when both teams were undefeated heading into the october meeting knowing full well that game decides the future(well, except in 2000 that is)
Gangsta D:
It does not matter when they play. Although I would like to see a return to mid-October, ya'll go'n lose anyway. So what's the diff...You better pray to God that FSU finds some way to win this game. If not. YOU. WILL. NEVER. HEAR. THE. END. OF. IT!
Da Realist:
that's right, kick me while i'm down.
Waldini:
Yea if my boys have any championship aspirations they will have to earn it. Considering their secondary was a sore point last year, they are going to get tested in their 2nd game when they face the best QB in the SEC in ChrisLeak. LSU is intriguing b/c their QB is young like ours (both sophomores). Georgia doesnt have David Greene anymore instead DJ Shockley, whose morelike Quincy Carter. Regardless these are all tough games. I just dont wantto see Tenn do what Auburn did TWO years ago when they were ranked so high (underachieved, barely made a bowl) Read more!
http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/3732292
no more talk of disrespect coming from you, smokey. everybody is talking about your boys this year likethey got a real shot at pasadena. but then i looked up your schedule.
WHEW! your fate should be decided in the first 5 weeks. at florida(week 2), at lsu (week 3), georgia at home (week 5). and for good measure-at notre dame (week 8), in the cold of november in indiana a couple of hours from chicago.
hey d, why don't we try and talk some sense into the acc by convincing them to move the miami/fsu gameback to the middle of october like it's supposed to be? i hate this labor day matchup. we don't have a chance to generate any buzz. i liked it better when both teams were undefeated heading into the october meeting knowing full well that game decides the future(well, except in 2000 that is)
Gangsta D:
It does not matter when they play. Although I would like to see a return to mid-October, ya'll go'n lose anyway. So what's the diff...You better pray to God that FSU finds some way to win this game. If not. YOU. WILL. NEVER. HEAR. THE. END. OF. IT!
Da Realist:
that's right, kick me while i'm down.
Waldini:
Yea if my boys have any championship aspirations they will have to earn it. Considering their secondary was a sore point last year, they are going to get tested in their 2nd game when they face the best QB in the SEC in ChrisLeak. LSU is intriguing b/c their QB is young like ours (both sophomores). Georgia doesnt have David Greene anymore instead DJ Shockley, whose morelike Quincy Carter. Regardless these are all tough games. I just dont wantto see Tenn do what Auburn did TWO years ago when they were ranked so high (underachieved, barely made a bowl) Read more!
What It Do?
Waldini:
- Mr Woods caps off his 2nd career grand slam and now the bandwagon for him has returned. Sportswriters and casual fans are now back to comparing himwith greats like Nicklaus, Hogan, Jones, etc. Folks are so full of it it makes me sick. I said in '02 Tiger was the truth and even if he doesnt win another title he's one of the greats ever, mainly b/c he already had won 7 majors by this point. B/c he didnt win a title in 10 consecutive majors, folks were like 'Has Tiger lost it?'. In the words of ole boy on Ludacris 'Pimpin All Ova the World song, PUT YOUR HANDS DOWN :-)
- On a side note, anyone peep Michelle Wie tryin to step with the big dogs last week. She made it to the qtrs but bowed out on Friday. John Saunders posed a good question on SportsReporters. Should Wie try to dominate theWOMEN's tour first before tackling the MEN's?
- Lastly, Realist I left you a message about that foolishness you posted ova da weekend. One more insult and the 3K boys aka Da Wonder Twinz are payin you a visit paison! Kapeesh?
Sittin Sideways....
Gangsta D:
I'll get to Tiger in a second.
As far as Wie is concerned, I don't think it matters. Golf is golf. The only thing that separates women from is driving distance. She has proven that she can consistently drive the ball 280+ yards. That's better than quite a few guys on the PGA tour. So the gap is even in that area. And with regards to iron striking, putting, and chipping, if there really is no appreciable difference between men and women, why can't she play on thePGA. Once the ball gets to the fairway, it's all relative. So why should she have to be relegated to the LPGA. Why can't she cut her teeth on the PGA? Hopefully, she will learn from her mistakes and improve. She's eventually going to get a PGA tour card and she will play a full tour schedule. People should just accept it and move on.
F*ck all the Tiger haters now suddenly back on the bandwagon. They criticized him 7 years ago for tinkering with his swing, and what happened? 6 out of 8 majors. They criticized him two years ago for tinkering with his swing and what happened? 2 out of three majors and a 2nd place. This is why i totally despise the media...
Waldini:
I remember arguing with one of my high school friends when Tiger wasnt reeling off consecutive grand slam wins. He was like "Tiger isnt all that", I'm like are you effin kidding me. He's the same age as us and he's consistently placing in the top 5 of the tournaments he plays in. Unlike Goosen, Mickelson, Garcia or others who have a lifetime moment win they win, this cat is always in the chase. ALWAYS (ok, not always but you knowwhat I mean). Read more!
- Mr Woods caps off his 2nd career grand slam and now the bandwagon for him has returned. Sportswriters and casual fans are now back to comparing himwith greats like Nicklaus, Hogan, Jones, etc. Folks are so full of it it makes me sick. I said in '02 Tiger was the truth and even if he doesnt win another title he's one of the greats ever, mainly b/c he already had won 7 majors by this point. B/c he didnt win a title in 10 consecutive majors, folks were like 'Has Tiger lost it?'. In the words of ole boy on Ludacris 'Pimpin All Ova the World song, PUT YOUR HANDS DOWN :-)
- On a side note, anyone peep Michelle Wie tryin to step with the big dogs last week. She made it to the qtrs but bowed out on Friday. John Saunders posed a good question on SportsReporters. Should Wie try to dominate theWOMEN's tour first before tackling the MEN's?
- Lastly, Realist I left you a message about that foolishness you posted ova da weekend. One more insult and the 3K boys aka Da Wonder Twinz are payin you a visit paison! Kapeesh?
Sittin Sideways....
Gangsta D:
I'll get to Tiger in a second.
As far as Wie is concerned, I don't think it matters. Golf is golf. The only thing that separates women from is driving distance. She has proven that she can consistently drive the ball 280+ yards. That's better than quite a few guys on the PGA tour. So the gap is even in that area. And with regards to iron striking, putting, and chipping, if there really is no appreciable difference between men and women, why can't she play on thePGA. Once the ball gets to the fairway, it's all relative. So why should she have to be relegated to the LPGA. Why can't she cut her teeth on the PGA? Hopefully, she will learn from her mistakes and improve. She's eventually going to get a PGA tour card and she will play a full tour schedule. People should just accept it and move on.
F*ck all the Tiger haters now suddenly back on the bandwagon. They criticized him 7 years ago for tinkering with his swing, and what happened? 6 out of 8 majors. They criticized him two years ago for tinkering with his swing and what happened? 2 out of three majors and a 2nd place. This is why i totally despise the media...
Waldini:
I remember arguing with one of my high school friends when Tiger wasnt reeling off consecutive grand slam wins. He was like "Tiger isnt all that", I'm like are you effin kidding me. He's the same age as us and he's consistently placing in the top 5 of the tournaments he plays in. Unlike Goosen, Mickelson, Garcia or others who have a lifetime moment win they win, this cat is always in the chase. ALWAYS (ok, not always but you knowwhat I mean). Read more!
Jayhawking!
Da Realist:
what do you guys think of this? I see this as harmless. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8586946/
Waldini:
Read about this over the weekend. I dont think it's a major deal as no one seems to be making a huge fuss over it. But I do think now what if this had been Tubby Smith, Stan Heath, Tommy Amaker, etc. Do you think it would be portrayed a minor deal?
Da Realist:
i agree. if this had been anyone other than the "golden boys" (roy williams, mike kzrychewski) this would be a bigger deal. but here's an even better question. why isn't myboy nolan richardson getting offers out of his a$$?
he's been to 3 final fours and won a championship. all this in the basketball hotbed of fayetteville, arkansas. where's the love?
Gangsta D:
College Presidents are scared to death of Nolan Richardson. He was always kind of on the edge but he won, so no one cared. But the way he went out at Arkansas, no one wants to invite that kind of potential controversy. Right or wrong that's how it is. One of these days someone might take a chance on him...
Waldini:
Because the media painted him as an "angry, black man". Whenever they do a piece on Nolan, 99% of the time, they show the footage of when he rippedthe administration and athletic department. I think he has gotten an unfairwrap b/c people are only telling one half of the story. They dont give him the credit he deserves even though he's accomplished just as much as the Roy Williams, Jimmy Boeheims, Rick Pitinos of the world.
Da Realist:
my man worked there for 25+ years and never had a"mistake" like roy williams and never was a constant source of scandal like bobby knight. all he did was win. sure it's easy recruiting talented ballers tothe mountains of northwest arkansas where the school provides the city with it's only black residents. but even with that huge recruiting advantage, he won. he didn't have any grant hills or carmelo anthonys or rasheed wallaces or tim duncans. i think his best player ever was todd day, or maybe corliss williamson. but he consistently ranked in the top ten every year until the last few. Read more!
what do you guys think of this? I see this as harmless. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8586946/
Waldini:
Read about this over the weekend. I dont think it's a major deal as no one seems to be making a huge fuss over it. But I do think now what if this had been Tubby Smith, Stan Heath, Tommy Amaker, etc. Do you think it would be portrayed a minor deal?
Da Realist:
i agree. if this had been anyone other than the "golden boys" (roy williams, mike kzrychewski) this would be a bigger deal. but here's an even better question. why isn't myboy nolan richardson getting offers out of his a$$?
he's been to 3 final fours and won a championship. all this in the basketball hotbed of fayetteville, arkansas. where's the love?
Gangsta D:
College Presidents are scared to death of Nolan Richardson. He was always kind of on the edge but he won, so no one cared. But the way he went out at Arkansas, no one wants to invite that kind of potential controversy. Right or wrong that's how it is. One of these days someone might take a chance on him...
Waldini:
Because the media painted him as an "angry, black man". Whenever they do a piece on Nolan, 99% of the time, they show the footage of when he rippedthe administration and athletic department. I think he has gotten an unfairwrap b/c people are only telling one half of the story. They dont give him the credit he deserves even though he's accomplished just as much as the Roy Williams, Jimmy Boeheims, Rick Pitinos of the world.
Da Realist:
my man worked there for 25+ years and never had a"mistake" like roy williams and never was a constant source of scandal like bobby knight. all he did was win. sure it's easy recruiting talented ballers tothe mountains of northwest arkansas where the school provides the city with it's only black residents. but even with that huge recruiting advantage, he won. he didn't have any grant hills or carmelo anthonys or rasheed wallaces or tim duncans. i think his best player ever was todd day, or maybe corliss williamson. but he consistently ranked in the top ten every year until the last few. Read more!
Saturday, July 16, 2005
B-O-R-I-N-G
Da Realist:
so this is what happens while i'm gone. two otherwise intelligent people discussing the lakers and the nba draft. i didn't even finish the last entry because i fell asleep halfway through it.
well readers (or reader), da realist is BACK. time to talk some sense into these two misguided and exceedingly boring commissioners.
game on! Read more!
so this is what happens while i'm gone. two otherwise intelligent people discussing the lakers and the nba draft. i didn't even finish the last entry because i fell asleep halfway through it.
well readers (or reader), da realist is BACK. time to talk some sense into these two misguided and exceedingly boring commissioners.
game on! Read more!
Thursday, July 14, 2005
It's Madness!
Waldini:
Looks like the rumor is about to become truthhttp://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2107572 -->
D, I know you can't open ESPN so I will give you the details. Washington will send Kwame Brownto LA for Caron Butler and either Devean George or Chucky Atkins
Quick thoughts - Why are the Lakers giving up so much for so little inreturn? Did Kwame wow Kupchack and Buss in a private workout like Bynum(thats sarcasm in case you missed it)? I have no clue what the Lakers are doing. They are now going from an overstock of SF to an overstock of PF(Cook, B Grant, Brown, Turiaf). Prove me wrong Phil, prove me wrong!
Gangsta D:
Jerome James gets $30 million from the Knicks. JEROME JAMES! As Karmen would say *heavy sigh*
Waldini:
Yea, that one is pretty bad too but to me, no worse than when Golden St gave Adonal Foyle $42 mil over 7 yrs last summer. I think there oughta be a law against bad deals like James and Foyle. I mean they are robbing people legally...
Gangsta D:
Jerome James' career averages: 4.9 pts/3.2 reb/1.2 blocks. That's not for the first quarter, that's the entire game! I wish I hadda taken basketball more seriously. I could be a serviceable back up PG, who can hit an occasional open shot and pull one great pass out of my a** every month. I could be making $4-5 mil a year...
Waldini:
Man, I forgot to include Dan Gadzuric's new found fortune (36mil, 6yrs)....I'm with you D, I just want to be a 12th man and collect 1-2mil per year. I could play the role of Jack Haley and give counseling to the team's troubled player A la Dennis Rodman. I dont know man but these summer deal sare making me go nuts. I believe these cats are decent but the type of money they are getting is overstating their value. No way I'm the Bucks GM and Redd gets the max. I would be like either take a slightly higher offer than the Cavs OR start packing....
That's prbly why I am not in the league office now....I'm too bz trying tosave money and not field a winner (4eva cheap, lol)
Gangsta D:
Like I said, in two years the Bucks will be trying to shop Redd because theyAIN'T winning a title in the near future and his contract will be an albatross. Just don't understand why teams pay big money for players that will NOT help them win a title. If you're one player away, then fine mortgage the future. But if you have no shot, it makes no sense. There would be a lot of hurt feelings if I was a GM... Read more!
Looks like the rumor is about to become truthhttp://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2107572 -->
D, I know you can't open ESPN so I will give you the details. Washington will send Kwame Brownto LA for Caron Butler and either Devean George or Chucky Atkins
Quick thoughts - Why are the Lakers giving up so much for so little inreturn? Did Kwame wow Kupchack and Buss in a private workout like Bynum(thats sarcasm in case you missed it)? I have no clue what the Lakers are doing. They are now going from an overstock of SF to an overstock of PF(Cook, B Grant, Brown, Turiaf). Prove me wrong Phil, prove me wrong!
Gangsta D:
Jerome James gets $30 million from the Knicks. JEROME JAMES! As Karmen would say *heavy sigh*
Waldini:
Yea, that one is pretty bad too but to me, no worse than when Golden St gave Adonal Foyle $42 mil over 7 yrs last summer. I think there oughta be a law against bad deals like James and Foyle. I mean they are robbing people legally...
Gangsta D:
Jerome James' career averages: 4.9 pts/3.2 reb/1.2 blocks. That's not for the first quarter, that's the entire game! I wish I hadda taken basketball more seriously. I could be a serviceable back up PG, who can hit an occasional open shot and pull one great pass out of my a** every month. I could be making $4-5 mil a year...
Waldini:
Man, I forgot to include Dan Gadzuric's new found fortune (36mil, 6yrs)....I'm with you D, I just want to be a 12th man and collect 1-2mil per year. I could play the role of Jack Haley and give counseling to the team's troubled player A la Dennis Rodman. I dont know man but these summer deal sare making me go nuts. I believe these cats are decent but the type of money they are getting is overstating their value. No way I'm the Bucks GM and Redd gets the max. I would be like either take a slightly higher offer than the Cavs OR start packing....
That's prbly why I am not in the league office now....I'm too bz trying tosave money and not field a winner (4eva cheap, lol)
Gangsta D:
Like I said, in two years the Bucks will be trying to shop Redd because theyAIN'T winning a title in the near future and his contract will be an albatross. Just don't understand why teams pay big money for players that will NOT help them win a title. If you're one player away, then fine mortgage the future. But if you have no shot, it makes no sense. There would be a lot of hurt feelings if I was a GM... Read more!
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Waldini Distressed - The Sequel!
Waldini:
Alright Ultimate optimist, I want you to tell me why trading Caron Butler, a proven double digit scorer with good upside for Kwame Brown, a big manwho's pretty much useless is a good trade. Inquiring minds wanna know.....
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/scorecard/07/12/truth.rumors.nba/index.html
Gangsta D:
That's why it's called a rumor and not a fact. The fact is trading Caron would be a huge mistake. Trading Devean and/or Walton might not be a bad deal. Kwame has skills and maybe Phil could do something with him. But trading Caron for him would make no sense, unless Phil wants to move Lamar to SF, keep Mihm at C, and start either Tauriaf or Kwame at PF. I wouldn'tdo it, but then again I'm not banging Jeannie Buss and I don't have 9 titles:)
Waldini:
I'm with ya man but dang Caron for Kwame. I'm still not ova taking Bynum and now this. Hopefully these are nothing but rumors b/c unless I am missing something, that's a bad deal. Now I can see Caron and Walton, George or Atkins for Arenas but damn sure not the current proposal. Anyways, sit back and enjoy the show...
Oh yea, you heard LA is going after Antonio Daniels right?
Gangsta D:
Yeah, he wouldn't be a bad pick up. He's big, which Phil likes, and he canplay D and hit shots. Read more!
Alright Ultimate optimist, I want you to tell me why trading Caron Butler, a proven double digit scorer with good upside for Kwame Brown, a big manwho's pretty much useless is a good trade. Inquiring minds wanna know.....
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/scorecard/07/12/truth.rumors.nba/index.html
Gangsta D:
That's why it's called a rumor and not a fact. The fact is trading Caron would be a huge mistake. Trading Devean and/or Walton might not be a bad deal. Kwame has skills and maybe Phil could do something with him. But trading Caron for him would make no sense, unless Phil wants to move Lamar to SF, keep Mihm at C, and start either Tauriaf or Kwame at PF. I wouldn'tdo it, but then again I'm not banging Jeannie Buss and I don't have 9 titles:)
Waldini:
I'm with ya man but dang Caron for Kwame. I'm still not ova taking Bynum and now this. Hopefully these are nothing but rumors b/c unless I am missing something, that's a bad deal. Now I can see Caron and Walton, George or Atkins for Arenas but damn sure not the current proposal. Anyways, sit back and enjoy the show...
Oh yea, you heard LA is going after Antonio Daniels right?
Gangsta D:
Yeah, he wouldn't be a bad pick up. He's big, which Phil likes, and he canplay D and hit shots. Read more!
Monday, July 11, 2005
Who Got 5 Bucks?
Waldini:
GOOD NEWS - Drafted Andrew Bogut, Re-Signed Michael Redd, Signed Bobby Simmons, and TJ Ford will return
BAD NEWS - Fired Terry Porter for no real good reason, Hired Terry Stottsthe same man who couldnt coach the Hawks out of a paper bag
I dont know, I am intrigued by the Bucks b/c on paper they have some studs that should be able to run. You got Ford/Mo Williams at point, Redd/DesmondMason at SG, Simmons/Kukoc at SF, Joe Smith at PF, Bogut/Gadzuric at C. The4 is a weak spot but I do like that lineup. But i dont like the coach so I'm sure he will find a way to f*** it up :-)
Waldini has spoken...enjoy urself b*****es!!
Gangsta D:
Kukoc is still in the league?
Waldini:
I thought he was...he prbly was hurt last yr Read more!
GOOD NEWS - Drafted Andrew Bogut, Re-Signed Michael Redd, Signed Bobby Simmons, and TJ Ford will return
BAD NEWS - Fired Terry Porter for no real good reason, Hired Terry Stottsthe same man who couldnt coach the Hawks out of a paper bag
I dont know, I am intrigued by the Bucks b/c on paper they have some studs that should be able to run. You got Ford/Mo Williams at point, Redd/DesmondMason at SG, Simmons/Kukoc at SF, Joe Smith at PF, Bogut/Gadzuric at C. The4 is a weak spot but I do like that lineup. But i dont like the coach so I'm sure he will find a way to f*** it up :-)
Waldini has spoken...enjoy urself b*****es!!
Gangsta D:
Kukoc is still in the league?
Waldini:
I thought he was...he prbly was hurt last yr Read more!
Whippersnappers
Waldini:
I dont know if either of you knew this but NBA TV was showing old school games (Hardwood Classics) all weekend and will continue this week. On Sat they showed Games 4-6 of the 1980 Finals, then last night broke out Game 3 of PHX-GS '94 1st rd series (the one where Barkley went off). Maybe I'mgetting old but I think they should show tapes of these games to the younger players in the league. Practice, practice, PRACTICE = good fundamentals
This week, I think they are showing games from the 81, 99, and 00 playoffs. Check ur TV listings.
Also check out Rosen's breakdown of best PGs ever... http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/3734262
Gangsta D:
This is the thing that kills me about the NBA. Coaches say they don't have time to teach fundamentals because practice time has to be spent on other things, primarily offense. But...no one runs a f*cking offense! It's either pick and roll, or isolation. So what the Hell are they doing in practice. Hey coach spend 15 minutes and teach your players how to blockout!
Waldini:
Well said Gangsta...at least look like you are trying to run some type ofplay. Is it really that hard to run the motion offense? Read more!
I dont know if either of you knew this but NBA TV was showing old school games (Hardwood Classics) all weekend and will continue this week. On Sat they showed Games 4-6 of the 1980 Finals, then last night broke out Game 3 of PHX-GS '94 1st rd series (the one where Barkley went off). Maybe I'mgetting old but I think they should show tapes of these games to the younger players in the league. Practice, practice, PRACTICE = good fundamentals
This week, I think they are showing games from the 81, 99, and 00 playoffs. Check ur TV listings.
Also check out Rosen's breakdown of best PGs ever... http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/3734262
Gangsta D:
This is the thing that kills me about the NBA. Coaches say they don't have time to teach fundamentals because practice time has to be spent on other things, primarily offense. But...no one runs a f*cking offense! It's either pick and roll, or isolation. So what the Hell are they doing in practice. Hey coach spend 15 minutes and teach your players how to blockout!
Waldini:
Well said Gangsta...at least look like you are trying to run some type ofplay. Is it really that hard to run the motion offense? Read more!
Friday, July 08, 2005
College Football? Yeaaaaah!
Da Realist:
Waldini, do you go by the alias "hunter roberts"?http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/stewart_mandel/07/05/cfb.mailbag/index.html
Waldini:
:-)
Naw, I woulda attacked the selection of Iowa's coach over Tenn's....
Da Realist:
Phillip Fulmer (No. 9) has the highest winning percentage of all activecoaches, leads a program with the most bowl appearances of all time...
this, i didn't know. what about notre dame or texas or oklahoma orALABAMA!???
Waldini:
Hey man, I've just learned to accept my boys dont receive a lot ofpublicity, unless it's negative :-)
They've been as good as any program in the past ten years but people always seem to forget them. Of course losing to Florida 4 straight years would kinda make people not look you as an elite program, lol
Da Realist:
they've been good. i just didn't realize HOW good. most bowlappearances...EVER??? that's nothing to sneeze at. more than storied teamslike oklahoma, usc, michigan, alabama, ohio state and notre dame??? alabamagot how many titles...6? i know usc counts 11 and oklahoma counts 8(because that's all they said at the orange bowl last year). and the vols have more bowl appearances than these guys? damn, that's pretty impressive...if it's true.
Waldini:
It is true man....I told you folks been sleeping on good ole Rocky Top(whoo) for a min. I mean the 80s wasnt kind to them but at the beginning ofthe 90s the program began to resurrect itself, coupled with the nationalchampionship in '99. A couple of down years followed but the program is surging with the influx of talent they are getting.
All those programs you named either they are in down years or just recently got out of a long down period and are coming back to glory.
Gangsta D:
Who gives a f*ck about the Vols? How many nat'l championships do they have? They've been to the most bowls, but what's they're record. As far as I'm concerned Smokey is a bitch...
Da Realist:
if this is true, tennessee is the most low-key college football team i'veever seen. i gotta admit, before they started losing to steve spurrier, theonly thing they were known for in arkansas was the catchy "rocky top" song.about the only thing i know about tennessee's history is that reggie whiteplayed there. and i only found THAT out when tennessee played miami acouple of years ago in knoxville and reggie was a part of COLLEGE GAMEDAYpregame show.
but ask me about oklahoma (bud wilkinson, barry switzer), alabama (bear bryant), notre dame (knute rockne, paul hornung), ohio state (woody hayes, archie griffin), michigan (Bo Schembechler) or usc (oj simpson, marcus allen) and i'll know a lil something about them. you need to help get your boys on the map.
Waldini:
Like I said in the 80s the Vols were ok but did produce a few qualityNFLers (Reggie White, Alvin Harper). I'm shocked at Gangsta's blasphemous comments considering Mr Harper helped his BOYZ win a coupla SBs (noticed Ididnt say LEAD jabroni). As for now, they are pro football factory...Lookat who they have put in the pros: Peyton Manning, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, Peerless Price, Donte Stallworth, Al Wilson, Albert Haynesworth, Cedric Wilson, Jason Witten.
Now they arent producing as group like say the Hurricanes (who I think havethe best production of college to pro players since 1998) but these guyshold their own
Gangsta D:
Yep, Harper did his thing but his head got too big. He thought he could bethe #1 reciever for another team...just like Mr. Price. Know your role you Smokey Disciples...
Da Realist:
Waldini, do you go by the alias "hunter roberts"?http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/stewart_mandel/07/05/cfb.mailbag/index.html
Waldini:
:-)
Naw, I woulda attacked the selection of Iowa's coach over Tenn's....
Da Realist:
Phillip Fulmer (No. 9) has the highest winning percentage of all activecoaches, leads a program with the most bowl appearances of all time...
this, i didn't know. what about notre dame or texas or oklahoma orALABAMA!???
Waldini:
Hey man, I've just learned to accept my boys dont receive a lot ofpublicity, unless it's negative :-)
They've been as good as any program in the past ten years but people always seem to forget them. Of course losing to Florida 4 straight years would kinda make people not look you as an elite program, lol
Da Realist:
they've been good. i just didn't realize HOW good. most bowlappearances...EVER??? that's nothing to sneeze at. more than storied teamslike oklahoma, usc, michigan, alabama, ohio state and notre dame??? alabamagot how many titles...6? i know usc counts 11 and oklahoma counts 8(because that's all they said at the orange bowl last year). and the vols have more bowl appearances than these guys? damn, that's pretty impressive...if it's true.
Waldini:
It is true man....I told you folks been sleeping on good ole Rocky Top(whoo) for a min. I mean the 80s wasnt kind to them but at the beginning ofthe 90s the program began to resurrect itself, coupled with the nationalchampionship in '99. A couple of down years followed but the program is surging with the influx of talent they are getting.
All those programs you named either they are in down years or just recently got out of a long down period and are coming back to glory.
Gangsta D:
Who gives a f*ck about the Vols? How many nat'l championships do they have? They've been to the most bowls, but what's they're record. As far as I'm concerned Smokey is a bitch...
Da Realist:
if this is true, tennessee is the most low-key college football team i'veever seen. i gotta admit, before they started losing to steve spurrier, theonly thing they were known for in arkansas was the catchy "rocky top" song.about the only thing i know about tennessee's history is that reggie whiteplayed there. and i only found THAT out when tennessee played miami acouple of years ago in knoxville and reggie was a part of COLLEGE GAMEDAYpregame show.
but ask me about oklahoma (bud wilkinson, barry switzer), alabama (bear bryant), notre dame (knute rockne, paul hornung), ohio state (woody hayes, archie griffin), michigan (Bo Schembechler) or usc (oj simpson, marcus allen) and i'll know a lil something about them. you need to help get your boys on the map.
Waldini:
Like I said in the 80s the Vols were ok but did produce a few qualityNFLers (Reggie White, Alvin Harper). I'm shocked at Gangsta's blasphemous comments considering Mr Harper helped his BOYZ win a coupla SBs (noticed Ididnt say LEAD jabroni). As for now, they are pro football factory...Lookat who they have put in the pros: Peyton Manning, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, Peerless Price, Donte Stallworth, Al Wilson, Albert Haynesworth, Cedric Wilson, Jason Witten.
Now they arent producing as group like say the Hurricanes (who I think havethe best production of college to pro players since 1998) but these guyshold their own
Gangsta D:
Yep, Harper did his thing but his head got too big. He thought he could bethe #1 reciever for another team...just like Mr. Price. Know your role you Smokey Disciples...
Da Realist:
but i'm talking about their HISTORY! pre-1990. if
they've been good enough to lap the field in bowl
appearances where is the history? where are the
incredible aura defining games that seperate teams
like texas a&m from texas. where are the heisman
candidates? in other words, where's the beef?
where's the sizzle? notre dame has a famous movie
about it. alabama has "the bear". oklahoma has it's
scandals. usc has the "juice". texas beat arkansas
in "the greatest game" back in '69 with president
lyndon b. johnson in attendance.
what's so special about tennessee's history? how can
they have the most bowl appearances and not leave some
kind of stamp on the game?
Read more!
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Yep, Slow Sports Day
Is anyone else a little disturbed by the conspicuous absence of "Q" on the latest season of Pimp My Ride. Could Ryan be making a Suge-like move? Remember, on the first season Ryan was nowhere to be found. But with each subsequent season, he's gotten more and more exposure. Now, he's taken Q's job. I don't know. This feels like the '95 Source Awards all over again. Don't be surprised if someone from West Coast Customs gets shot within a year.
Read more!
NO MORE SHAQ!
Waldini:
The Miami Herald has reported the Heat are going to
offer Diesel 20-25 mil over 4 years after his current
deal expires. Now Realist, does that make sense considering
Jerry Buss would not extend O'Neal's contract for 30 mil
and asked him to take a pay cut. Waddup with that? Da Realist:still can't get over shaq, huh? look, shaq did not
like kobe. it wasn't a happy work environment for
him. for him to offset his misery, he wanted 30 mil.
now he's in a situation he likes. money is always an
issue, but he's willing to take slightly less money
because he thinks he's in a better situation. Gangsta D:You know my feelings on Shaq, so that's that.
Waldini:
Incorrect, he did leave over money (see LA Times 2004).
Kobe's personality added more fuel to the fire but trust
he woulda stayed for money. Him leaving over attitude
is like me leaving here. If someone offers
me 30K to leave and I'm making 40K here, I am staying here.
Mainly b/c the of the moolah discrepancy. Buss was wrong for
not trying to negotiate instead just assuming Shaq was done
and didnt want to leave. Now enough about Diesel. You got
me over here animated, getting my blood pressure up,
lol. And you know black folks dont need no more problems with blood
pressure :-0
Da Realist:he would have stayed for 30 MIL! not 20-25 mil
because he did not like being there enough to take
less.
say you are working for (your company), you don't like
it there and have made it known to colleagues that you
are looking at other opportunities. (your company's)
brass hears this and are upset because they think you
are a valuable employee. you're making 40k right now.
your manager terry fuss decided to offer you 45k to keep
you.
but espn calls to offer you a full time position on
PTI to replace michael wilbon in august when his
contract runs out. they are offering you 40k. this
is a great opportunity for you.
you tell (your company) that you've been there slaving for 7
years and you think you deserve more than a 5k
increase in salary and they say, "that's all we're
going to offer you mr. waldini". and you say, "but
you're offering that f**k toby brians 50k and i'm his
team lead! i have TWICE the experience he has!"
(well, maybe you use different wording...hee hee hee)
and (your company) says, "i'm sorry, mr. waldini. but this is
all we can offer you at this time."
do you take the PTI gig even though it's for less
money than you can get at (your company)? OF COURSE YOU DO!
especially considering the fact that diallo and i have
already accepted full time positions on SPORTS
REPORTERS replacing the annoying mike lupica and the
boring bill rhoden. :-) Gangsta D:Jesus! Stop talking about Shaq! He does not exist in my universe!!!!
Read more!
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Venus Rising
Gangsta D:
Last week Da Realist said:
"venus is done. D.O.N.E. her game is erratic AT BEST...now, the lack of polish in her game is exposed. she needs to start over and hire a new coach and re-focus on smoothing out the rough edges of her game to be a top-quality player again..."
Well after winning her FIFTH grand slam, what you gotta say about thatHAMMER?!?!
Da Realist:
yeah i was wrong about this...there is a situation that could occur for venus to win a major. she was good enough to win wimbledon this year. i still don't think she can consistently beat the top players and i still think she needs polish to her game to get back to that level and i still think wimbledon's grass courts utilizes her power and negates her faults, but she did beat sharapova and she did beat a surprisingly good lindsay davenport to win the title. so she gets credit from me. i look at this as more of an anomaly than an indication that venus will dominate again. i'll be more impressed if she wins the us open in august/september.
hey! where's the kudos for the things i got RIGHT? did you guys see federer? he's dominating the game FROM THE BASELINE! this means that none of the top players are good enough to force roger federer to win the ultimate grass court championship by serving and volleying. he just won wimbledon with his b-game. you know if someone (roddick, hewitt, safin) was putting enough heat on him, he would switch gears and charge the net. federer is like a playstation game with his setting to NORMAL. no one can beat this setting yet. once someone starts to consistently show that they are good enough to beat this setting, federer will switch the setting to DIFFICULT. but no one has forced him to do this yet. THAT'S how good this guy is.
Gangsta D:
Federer has only lost FOUR sets in the past three tournaments, not rounds but tournaments. So yeah, you get credit for that. But the thing that burns me is that people are calling him the best ever. Whoa, slow down. He may turn out to be the best ever, but he hasn't won enough titles yet and he hasn't dominated long enough. Remember about five years ago, when people were quietly suggesting that Kurt Warner was the best QB ever? How's that working out right now. Just let the man play and whatever happens will happen. Maybe someone will figure out how to win a set one of these days.
Waldini:
Best ever??? He's the best right now and if he keeps playin the way he is playin then he will make a strong argument. I think the rush of the media to make stars outta the current "it" person in ANY sport makes it difficult for the diehard fan to embrace that it person as the best ever (see D. Wade).
As for Venus, the Williams' girls have won 2 of the 3 grand slams this year (Serena - Australian). Does that convince you Wilbon (Realist) that your girls are back???! Stop ridin Sharapova b/c she hasnt done diddly poo since Wimbledon last year. And if Davenport can last this long at 29, then why cant the Sisters come back at ages 24 and 25. Now sleep on that HAMMMER!!!!
Richard Williams
Da Realist:
it's funny how the williams sisters keep getting botched in together. i've always like serena better than venus, even before serena won a grand slam. i've always thought venus relied too much on her power andwingspan and not enough on point-making...and i still do. my argument wasn't against the williams sisters, but venus. they are a tandem only in relation, not as tennis players. it is possible to like one and not the other. venus doesn't get any credit if her little sister wins it all (which she has done and will do more than venus). venus hasn't won since the US open 2001. she's 1 for her last 15 slams. let's hold off before we say she's going to dominate the game again.
as for roger federer... who cares if the media is comparing him to the greats of all time? he may or may not be at that level, but when evaluating his play how else can you judge him? with contemporaries like safin, hewitt and roddick? where were the complaints when tiger was (and is) being compared to jack nicklaus? i don't believe we need to get into discussions about the best ever, just yet. but this guy is dominating like we haven't seen since pete in his prime. and as an overall player, he's more talented actually. does this mean he could beat pete or take down those records? time will tell. the media's penchant for hyperbole bothers me, but in this instance they may have no choice because none of his contemporaries can beat him. (see woods, tiger) Read more!
Last week Da Realist said:
"venus is done. D.O.N.E. her game is erratic AT BEST...now, the lack of polish in her game is exposed. she needs to start over and hire a new coach and re-focus on smoothing out the rough edges of her game to be a top-quality player again..."
Well after winning her FIFTH grand slam, what you gotta say about thatHAMMER?!?!
Da Realist:
yeah i was wrong about this...there is a situation that could occur for venus to win a major. she was good enough to win wimbledon this year. i still don't think she can consistently beat the top players and i still think she needs polish to her game to get back to that level and i still think wimbledon's grass courts utilizes her power and negates her faults, but she did beat sharapova and she did beat a surprisingly good lindsay davenport to win the title. so she gets credit from me. i look at this as more of an anomaly than an indication that venus will dominate again. i'll be more impressed if she wins the us open in august/september.
hey! where's the kudos for the things i got RIGHT? did you guys see federer? he's dominating the game FROM THE BASELINE! this means that none of the top players are good enough to force roger federer to win the ultimate grass court championship by serving and volleying. he just won wimbledon with his b-game. you know if someone (roddick, hewitt, safin) was putting enough heat on him, he would switch gears and charge the net. federer is like a playstation game with his setting to NORMAL. no one can beat this setting yet. once someone starts to consistently show that they are good enough to beat this setting, federer will switch the setting to DIFFICULT. but no one has forced him to do this yet. THAT'S how good this guy is.
Gangsta D:
Federer has only lost FOUR sets in the past three tournaments, not rounds but tournaments. So yeah, you get credit for that. But the thing that burns me is that people are calling him the best ever. Whoa, slow down. He may turn out to be the best ever, but he hasn't won enough titles yet and he hasn't dominated long enough. Remember about five years ago, when people were quietly suggesting that Kurt Warner was the best QB ever? How's that working out right now. Just let the man play and whatever happens will happen. Maybe someone will figure out how to win a set one of these days.
Waldini:
Best ever??? He's the best right now and if he keeps playin the way he is playin then he will make a strong argument. I think the rush of the media to make stars outta the current "it" person in ANY sport makes it difficult for the diehard fan to embrace that it person as the best ever (see D. Wade).
As for Venus, the Williams' girls have won 2 of the 3 grand slams this year (Serena - Australian). Does that convince you Wilbon (Realist) that your girls are back???! Stop ridin Sharapova b/c she hasnt done diddly poo since Wimbledon last year. And if Davenport can last this long at 29, then why cant the Sisters come back at ages 24 and 25. Now sleep on that HAMMMER!!!!
Richard Williams
Da Realist:
it's funny how the williams sisters keep getting botched in together. i've always like serena better than venus, even before serena won a grand slam. i've always thought venus relied too much on her power andwingspan and not enough on point-making...and i still do. my argument wasn't against the williams sisters, but venus. they are a tandem only in relation, not as tennis players. it is possible to like one and not the other. venus doesn't get any credit if her little sister wins it all (which she has done and will do more than venus). venus hasn't won since the US open 2001. she's 1 for her last 15 slams. let's hold off before we say she's going to dominate the game again.
as for roger federer... who cares if the media is comparing him to the greats of all time? he may or may not be at that level, but when evaluating his play how else can you judge him? with contemporaries like safin, hewitt and roddick? where were the complaints when tiger was (and is) being compared to jack nicklaus? i don't believe we need to get into discussions about the best ever, just yet. but this guy is dominating like we haven't seen since pete in his prime. and as an overall player, he's more talented actually. does this mean he could beat pete or take down those records? time will tell. the media's penchant for hyperbole bothers me, but in this instance they may have no choice because none of his contemporaries can beat him. (see woods, tiger) Read more!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)