All Star Games, God, and Regret

Da Realist:

"EAST STARS: KOBE WAS GUNNING FOR MVP
NBA stars walk a fine line when it comes to winning the All-Star MVP award. Try too hard, and a player runs the risk of looking selfish. At the same time, nobody wants to be clowned in front of a national TV audience and a crowd full of celebrities and rap stars.
Bryant, a player who has never cared what other players think about him when he steps between the lines, clearly has less ambivalence in that regard than most of his peers. After the Lakers star took home the MVP trophy Sunday, several East players said they could tell right away Kobe had the trophy on his mind.
"You could tell early on that he was being aggressive, and you can always tell what guys have that mentality that night to go for the MVP by how aggressive they are shooting the ball," Dwyane Wade said. "I told my guys on the bench I can't come after the ball four times in a row in an All-Star Game because then I feel I'm doing too much. But certain guys, it's their time."
"He changed his jersey number, and he's reinvented himself," Gilbert Arenas said. "It was like a real game [for him], like a playoff game, the way he was playing."
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Is it too much to ask ALL of them to compete out there? How much fun would THAT have been? I know, I know...it's an all-star game...exhibition...players could get hurt...blah, blah, blah...
You could also get hurt slipping on a patch of ice in Park City, Utah at the Sundance Festival. Why not see what you can do while the best of the best is on the floor? I wish I could get my hands on the practices for the 1992 Dream Team.

Gangsta D:

It's just comedy. Like I said, I'm done defending Kobe, but people are hilarious. You got Chauncey saying the NBA needs to do something to make the game more competitive. How about this? How about the players play like the care! Then you have "Mr. Achy Breaky Ankles" saying "certain people" want the MVP. Last year, Kobe was criticized for passing up obvious shooting situations to get other people involved. I just have to laugh.

Waldini:

I think these guys need to check out the all star games from the mid 80s and some of the 90s games. Those guys COMPETED. How about you compete b/c u never know when you will be invited to play in the game again.

Da Realist:

i didn't even watch the game this year and haven't watched it in years. i recorded it on tivo just in case something happened. then i could then go and see what the fuss was about. never saw what happened on saturday either.

i think they take this exhibition thing too far. i'm not asking for you to treat it like a finals game, but at least a practice. just show us what you got against the best.

and move all the festivities on saturday and the game back to daylight. it's not good enough to warrant being on in prime time. i don't think the slam dunk contest came on until after 10pm saturday night. c'mon. this will help the players too. get the game and all that stuff out of the way and THEN party, gamble, or whatever it is you do. (i know this primetime-thing is a bell that can't be un-rung. i just felt like complaining anyway)

Waldini:

I watch every yr, hopelessly thinking that entire wknd will be a great one. The rookie-soph game was a joke, the celebrity game's best moment is Puppy chow campaigning to be the game mvp, the dunk contest was not as bad as folks made it out to be (Jordan was harsh on D Howard), the skills challenge is boring, and the 3 point contest was mildly interesting b/c of Agent zero. Other highlights from Sat was the Bavetta-Barkley race and the dance off btw Shaq, D Howard, and Bron Bron (go to NBA.com to check out)

I agree, move the game back to 5pm EST time. Sans the Agent Zero participation in one of the acts, the game was BOOO-RING. But guess what, I'll be there next yr, watching it again, hoping for some All-Star magic...

Gangsta D:

I remember coming home from church and the all-star game would be in the middle of the 1st quarter:) I actually don't mind the exhibition part of the all-star game, just don't take it to the extreme. There aren't many charges taken in all-star games are there? The best games play loosey goosey in the first half then buckled down in the 4th quarter.

Da Realist:

the game used to come on at 2:30 central time, 3:30 in georgia. you must have been doing some serious worshiping to not come home until 4. lol... with that kind of praying, please explain why you're the heathen you are now... :-D

Gangsta D:

Oh church was over around 1:30, but the "stand around and talk" between my mom and aunts lasted another hour-hour and a half, plus our church is about 20 min away:)

Waldini:

Man did you not hate the "stand around and talk" routine. We went to early service (8am), out by 9, yet my mom had to talk to the entire congregation b4 we could go home. We barely get home in time for USA's power 3 hrs of WWF followed by Kung Fu Theater

Da Realist:

now it makes sense... perfect sense. i missed the first 3 quarters of arkansas/unlv back in 1991, had to watch game 5 of the 1989 chicago/cleveland series (yes THAT game) on vcr tape after already knowing the results, and i missed the first half of every super bowl until i graduated high school due to CHURCH OBLIGATIONS. either i had to visit other churches for special programs because i was in the choir or i had to attend an evening church service at 6pm.

it took me years to regularly attend church again. ;-) and even now -- to (mis)quote the fresh prince -- "I almost get whiplash, I leave church so fast..."

Gangsta D:

You've never seen a more frustrated person than me sitting in the car, watching my mom talk to people she's just gonna turn right around and call once she gets home. I too missed most of the Arkansas/UNLV game. My uncle and I spent half of service, arguing about who was going to win.