Sadly the two blog items below mark my last efforts on Hoops and Other Pop Culture. As part of a settlement of a lawsuit between me and someone allegedly defamed in an item a few months ago, my insurance company gave me the choice of canceling.my umbrella policy or shutting down the Blog.
So I figured I better take option 2 so they would pay my settlement. Feel free to follow my links or read my old items (except the one political one I just had to delete).
I will miss providing entertainment to you guys (and the few girls who have wandered through over the years).
Good bye cruel and litigious world.
HM.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Things That I Think Are Underrated
1) Kiersten Dunst - never has there been someone so great and so iincredibly beautiful who has been denied public exposure and acclaim for so long. Marie Antoinette? Pure genius. I would rate the Hollywood actresses; Dunst, Streep, other. And for hotties? Probably Dunst, Meagan Fox and then Kendra Wilkenson.
2). Derrick Coleman -- I saw that DC is one of only 7 NBA players to record a 5 by 5 (5 in every positive stat for one game). As one of the 7 best players of all time (along with Jamal Tinsley and others) I rank him slightly behind Hakeem on the all-time list.
3). Rich Beem, James "Buster" Douglas and Leon Spinks -- I just get so damn tired of Tiger Woods this and Mike Tyson that and Muhammed Ali the other. These three guys are truer champions than their vanquished opponents will ever be.
4). Celine Dion -- in 40 years people will tell their great grandkids how they saw her do "I Drove All Night" in concert even before it became a minivan commercial. Canada's Beverly Sills.
5). Kenny Chesney -- anyone can do emotional and touching country music and anyone can do partying good time country music, But not Kenny. His music rises above such categories and fits in with guys like Porter Wagoner and Buck Owens and maybe even Jerry Reed.
If Johnny Cash were still aliven well, I tell YOU boy....
6). Free Digital Cable movie channels. Now there are some who might not appreciate the chance to see "The Governess" 5 times in the next 13 days, but I am a big Tim Wilkenson guy -- um, I mean Tom Wilkenson or Gullickson. I think. But it is way cool.
7).Ryan Seacrest -- so much talent, so little exposure. If our generation has its own DaVinci or Thomas Jefferson, his voice comes to us TUesday and Wednesday nights and Sunday Between 9 and noon. I often find myself having to look away, as if blinded by the sun.
HM
2). Derrick Coleman -- I saw that DC is one of only 7 NBA players to record a 5 by 5 (5 in every positive stat for one game). As one of the 7 best players of all time (along with Jamal Tinsley and others) I rank him slightly behind Hakeem on the all-time list.
3). Rich Beem, James "Buster" Douglas and Leon Spinks -- I just get so damn tired of Tiger Woods this and Mike Tyson that and Muhammed Ali the other. These three guys are truer champions than their vanquished opponents will ever be.
4). Celine Dion -- in 40 years people will tell their great grandkids how they saw her do "I Drove All Night" in concert even before it became a minivan commercial. Canada's Beverly Sills.
5). Kenny Chesney -- anyone can do emotional and touching country music and anyone can do partying good time country music, But not Kenny. His music rises above such categories and fits in with guys like Porter Wagoner and Buck Owens and maybe even Jerry Reed.
If Johnny Cash were still aliven well, I tell YOU boy....
6). Free Digital Cable movie channels. Now there are some who might not appreciate the chance to see "The Governess" 5 times in the next 13 days, but I am a big Tim Wilkenson guy -- um, I mean Tom Wilkenson or Gullickson. I think. But it is way cool.
7).Ryan Seacrest -- so much talent, so little exposure. If our generation has its own DaVinci or Thomas Jefferson, his voice comes to us TUesday and Wednesday nights and Sunday Between 9 and noon. I often find myself having to look away, as if blinded by the sun.
HM
Things I Have Always Secretly Found Overrated
Sitting here a little after midnight, just thinking about some of my unstated feelings on overrated things. Such as:
1). The Godfather -- never much cared for the movie. Long, dark, lot of killing. What exactly is the big fuss about? I would say "Analyze This" is far superior.
2). LeBron James -- NBA titles - zero; college titles - zero. Has Akron's business climate improved ever? Cleveland's? Not much to recommend here. Andres Nocioni with a better PR campaign.
3). Salma Hayek -- short round girl who pushes up her boobs. What does she offer that a young Shelly Winters or Angela Landsbury did not?
4). Action Movies -- when you want to get into a good loving state of mind with your wife and you are finally done scrubbing the bathroom floor, do you really need to see Transformers or Die Hard? I would suggest maybe some. Lighter fare like "Two If By Sea".
5). Duke Basketball - give me any outlaw program like UNLV or Minnesota any day of the week. I would say Memphis, but Coach Cal is gone.
6) Kareem and Wilt -- oooh, so you are big and beat up on white centers 6 inches shorter. Like that somehow makes you great? And who believes Wilt actually scored 100 points that night? Ever see Capricorn One? Same deal.
7). Cheerleaders -- couldn't we just cheer on our own? And a lot of them aren't great dancers either.
1). The Godfather -- never much cared for the movie. Long, dark, lot of killing. What exactly is the big fuss about? I would say "Analyze This" is far superior.
2). LeBron James -- NBA titles - zero; college titles - zero. Has Akron's business climate improved ever? Cleveland's? Not much to recommend here. Andres Nocioni with a better PR campaign.
3). Salma Hayek -- short round girl who pushes up her boobs. What does she offer that a young Shelly Winters or Angela Landsbury did not?
4). Action Movies -- when you want to get into a good loving state of mind with your wife and you are finally done scrubbing the bathroom floor, do you really need to see Transformers or Die Hard? I would suggest maybe some. Lighter fare like "Two If By Sea".
5). Duke Basketball - give me any outlaw program like UNLV or Minnesota any day of the week. I would say Memphis, but Coach Cal is gone.
6) Kareem and Wilt -- oooh, so you are big and beat up on white centers 6 inches shorter. Like that somehow makes you great? And who believes Wilt actually scored 100 points that night? Ever see Capricorn One? Same deal.
7). Cheerleaders -- couldn't we just cheer on our own? And a lot of them aren't great dancers either.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Hurt Their Draft Status By Their NCAA Efforts
Gerald Henderson -- wow. I was saying Gerald was the #3 pick in the draft based upon his regular season play. His play against Villanova exposed his ballhandling weakness so much that I fear that any career he had as an NBA shooting guard may be forever gone. (Well, no ballhandling plus 1 for 14 from the field, plus foul problems, plus a complete mental meltdown.)
Ordinarily I do not suggest that guys try another college year (they generally do not improve and often get worse) but this is such a huge black mark against Gerald that he may need to hide out for a year at Duke and see if he gets better. Henderson had worked his way all of the way up to #4 in the 2009 mock draft. Today? 8th -- http://www.nbadraft.net/2009mock_draft He better hope no one reviews that film or he can add 10 to that spot. "Can't dribble" is a bad scouting report to have when you are under 6'9".
Wake Forest Players -- Al-Farouq Aminu, Jeff Teague, James Johnson
First off, I think Aminu is lucky that the Bush Administration is no longer in power or his name alone would justify a trip to Gitmo. Can you comply with the Patriot Act and still draft a guy named "Al-Farouq Aminu"? I doubt it.
Anyway, losing by 1,000 points to Cleveland State kinda implies that maybe these guys aren't as good as people thought. You have 3 NBA top 20 picks? Wow, how many does Cleveland State have?
But NBA scouts are forgiving. Rudy Gay got a job despite the embarrassing George Mason loss (of course GM made the final 4 while Cleveland State was immediately squashed like a bug).
Taj Gibson -- USC
When your coach brings in a shorter football player to provide toughness up front?????? yeah, bad sign. That plus he disappeared when guarded by guys his own size.
Josh Heytvelt - Gonzaga
Looked like Tom Chambers.......on the defensive end........today......if Chambers had a bad ankle.
Tyrese Rice -- BC
Everyone watches you on TV against Duke and UNC screaming about how you "ain't playin'" then you show up at the Metrodome and lose by 600 points to USC, limp out of town, and NBA scouts tell you about your NBA future -- "You ain't playin'."
Ordinarily I do not suggest that guys try another college year (they generally do not improve and often get worse) but this is such a huge black mark against Gerald that he may need to hide out for a year at Duke and see if he gets better. Henderson had worked his way all of the way up to #4 in the 2009 mock draft. Today? 8th -- http://www.nbadraft.net/2009mock_draft He better hope no one reviews that film or he can add 10 to that spot. "Can't dribble" is a bad scouting report to have when you are under 6'9".
Wake Forest Players -- Al-Farouq Aminu, Jeff Teague, James Johnson
First off, I think Aminu is lucky that the Bush Administration is no longer in power or his name alone would justify a trip to Gitmo. Can you comply with the Patriot Act and still draft a guy named "Al-Farouq Aminu"? I doubt it.
Anyway, losing by 1,000 points to Cleveland State kinda implies that maybe these guys aren't as good as people thought. You have 3 NBA top 20 picks? Wow, how many does Cleveland State have?
But NBA scouts are forgiving. Rudy Gay got a job despite the embarrassing George Mason loss (of course GM made the final 4 while Cleveland State was immediately squashed like a bug).
Taj Gibson -- USC
When your coach brings in a shorter football player to provide toughness up front?????? yeah, bad sign. That plus he disappeared when guarded by guys his own size.
Josh Heytvelt - Gonzaga
Looked like Tom Chambers.......on the defensive end........today......if Chambers had a bad ankle.
Tyrese Rice -- BC
Everyone watches you on TV against Duke and UNC screaming about how you "ain't playin'" then you show up at the Metrodome and lose by 600 points to USC, limp out of town, and NBA scouts tell you about your NBA future -- "You ain't playin'."
Tyler Hansbrough Proves He Is Better Than Oklahoma's Griffin
In the UNC victory over Oklahoma, UNC's Tyler Hansbrough (8 points, 6 rebounds) established once and for all that his draft stock should be higher than Griffin --
Taylor Griffin (4 points, 2 rebounds).
So in the battle for the last slot in the first round of the draft, Hansbrough dominated!!
Oh, you thought I meant Blake Griffin (who when double and triple-teamed by UNC went for 23 and 16)??? Yeah, uh huh, right. Have you ever watched either guy play basketball? Griffin is a young Charles Barkley. Hansbrough is Eduardo Najera....today, or a poor man's Malik Rose.
If you selected 5 guys from UNC's current team to be in the NBA, would "Psycho T" even be a top 5 pick? Well, you have Lawson, then Ellington, then Green, then Thompson. I guess T is better than Bobby Frasor. But I think Tyler Zeller would get picked before Tyler H. So no -- not top 5 on his own team.
Taylor Griffin (4 points, 2 rebounds).
So in the battle for the last slot in the first round of the draft, Hansbrough dominated!!
Oh, you thought I meant Blake Griffin (who when double and triple-teamed by UNC went for 23 and 16)??? Yeah, uh huh, right. Have you ever watched either guy play basketball? Griffin is a young Charles Barkley. Hansbrough is Eduardo Najera....today, or a poor man's Malik Rose.
If you selected 5 guys from UNC's current team to be in the NBA, would "Psycho T" even be a top 5 pick? Well, you have Lawson, then Ellington, then Green, then Thompson. I guess T is better than Bobby Frasor. But I think Tyler Zeller would get picked before Tyler H. So no -- not top 5 on his own team.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Billy Gillispie -- Fired
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4021232
I guess maybe Tubby Smith wasn't so awful after all.
Three named candidates -- Cheatin' Billy Donovan, Villanova's Jay Wright, and Texas's Rick Barnes.
Cheatin' Billy -- do you really want a guy who might change his mind three times after you hire him? Ask the Orlando Magic how they feel about Billy.
Jay Wright -- certainly a good coach, but doesn't exactly scream "Kentucky Guy."
Rick Barnes -- I suggest Barnes. Why? I don't care for Kentucky basketball and I doubt he can bring them back to glory. Plus I would FINALLY like to rid Rick Barnes of the excuse that he labors under some sort of disadvantage (had to play Duke and Carolina, worked at two football schools, etc.).
The good thing for any Kentucky coach -- Gillispie is a fierce recruiter, so you know the cupboard is not bare. You just need to come in, coach, and not act like an asshole. Something Billy apparently could not do.
I guess maybe Tubby Smith wasn't so awful after all.
Three named candidates -- Cheatin' Billy Donovan, Villanova's Jay Wright, and Texas's Rick Barnes.
Cheatin' Billy -- do you really want a guy who might change his mind three times after you hire him? Ask the Orlando Magic how they feel about Billy.
Jay Wright -- certainly a good coach, but doesn't exactly scream "Kentucky Guy."
Rick Barnes -- I suggest Barnes. Why? I don't care for Kentucky basketball and I doubt he can bring them back to glory. Plus I would FINALLY like to rid Rick Barnes of the excuse that he labors under some sort of disadvantage (had to play Duke and Carolina, worked at two football schools, etc.).
The good thing for any Kentucky coach -- Gillispie is a fierce recruiter, so you know the cupboard is not bare. You just need to come in, coach, and not act like an asshole. Something Billy apparently could not do.
Bernie Madoff -- $2.6B Should Be Enough to Pay "Legit" Claims
Not sure if these investors or the Madoff trustee are "too legit to quit" but http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=agrg_Lqei7Cw&refer=home it appears that with the SIPC insurance money of $1.6B and the $1B found so far, the trustee believes that he can pay out legit claims of $2.6B and that is all that needs to be paid.
Some really interesting legal points:
1) Trustee says you only get the money you put in minus the money you took out. So, if you put in $2,000,000 and took out $2,000,000 over the years to pay the taxes you owed on your alleged "dividends" -- you have no claim. Also no money, but no claim. I suppose you could ask for a $2,000,000 tax.......credit? Refund??
2) The people who put money in and took out more money than they put in? Gotta give it back (unless you are more than 6 years out). So you put $2MM in, made $4MM in gains, took out $6MM, paid the tax on the gain????????? You owe the trustee $4MM.
3) Here is a piece of legal analysis:
In its 2004 ruling, the federal appeals court disagreed, finding customers should get back money they invested and not “artificial” returns reported in “fictitious account statements.” It adopted an argument by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which exercises oversight, that SIPC would be “unacceptably exposed” if it had to pay customers “arbitrary amounts that necessarily have no relation to reality.”
So yeah -- kinda scary. So if my financial advisor tells me that I have $20,000 in my 401K (which might be high now that the market was down today), and I let it ride in a Fidelity fund for 5 years and the advisor tells me it is now worth $40,000, I sure as hell better hope he isn't stealing it...because...
a) if I take it out, I will pay $5,000 in taxes and owe the trustee $20,000; and
b) if I don't take it out, I will only get $20,000, no matter what the market has done in the 5 years in the fund he claimed to put me in.
I am not saying whether any of this is right or wrong, it is just really interesting legal analysis.
HM
Some really interesting legal points:
1) Trustee says you only get the money you put in minus the money you took out. So, if you put in $2,000,000 and took out $2,000,000 over the years to pay the taxes you owed on your alleged "dividends" -- you have no claim. Also no money, but no claim. I suppose you could ask for a $2,000,000 tax.......credit? Refund??
2) The people who put money in and took out more money than they put in? Gotta give it back (unless you are more than 6 years out). So you put $2MM in, made $4MM in gains, took out $6MM, paid the tax on the gain????????? You owe the trustee $4MM.
3) Here is a piece of legal analysis:
In its 2004 ruling, the federal appeals court disagreed, finding customers should get back money they invested and not “artificial” returns reported in “fictitious account statements.” It adopted an argument by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which exercises oversight, that SIPC would be “unacceptably exposed” if it had to pay customers “arbitrary amounts that necessarily have no relation to reality.”
So yeah -- kinda scary. So if my financial advisor tells me that I have $20,000 in my 401K (which might be high now that the market was down today), and I let it ride in a Fidelity fund for 5 years and the advisor tells me it is now worth $40,000, I sure as hell better hope he isn't stealing it...because...
a) if I take it out, I will pay $5,000 in taxes and owe the trustee $20,000; and
b) if I don't take it out, I will only get $20,000, no matter what the market has done in the 5 years in the fund he claimed to put me in.
I am not saying whether any of this is right or wrong, it is just really interesting legal analysis.
HM
In 5 Seconds, Xavier Pissed Away My NCAA Bracket Chances
Xavier is down to Pitt 52-47, things look mighty bleak. But the Musketeers somehow score 7 points (which is like a half worth of points for them) and take a 54-52 lead. So now Pitt has to sweat it out and Pitt's car is leaking oil, the fan belt is about to snap, the radiator is overheating and the muffler is dragging on the ground. The gas gauge is on empty.
So what happens?
1:28
54-52
Jermaine Dixon missed Three Point Jumper.
Pitt panics and takes a terrible shot. The ball is tipped by Xavier so it is headed out of bounds. But WAIT! It will be saved.
1:26
C.J. Anderson Defensive Rebound.
54-52
C.J. Anderson jumps into the air and secures the ball. Rather than throwing it to one of his teammates who are standing wide open 3 feet from him, he suddenly recalls the old adage, "Don't throw it in under your own basket" so he wildly heaves the ball to the other end.
1:23
C.J. Anderson Turnover.
54-52
So what happens?
1:28
54-52
Jermaine Dixon missed Three Point Jumper.
Pitt panics and takes a terrible shot. The ball is tipped by Xavier so it is headed out of bounds. But WAIT! It will be saved.
1:26
C.J. Anderson Defensive Rebound.
54-52
C.J. Anderson jumps into the air and secures the ball. Rather than throwing it to one of his teammates who are standing wide open 3 feet from him, he suddenly recalls the old adage, "Don't throw it in under your own basket" so he wildly heaves the ball to the other end.
1:23
C.J. Anderson Turnover.
54-52
Miraculously, one of Anderson's teammates chases down the errant throw before it goes out of bounds on the other end. He comes to a nice two-footed stop and then, to gain his balance, moves his right foot forward about 8 inches....................Out of bounds.
So instead of Xavier having the ball up 2 and being able to run clock and maybe go up 3/4/5, putting Pitt in further panic mode, Pitt gets a reprieve. 44 year old, 240 pound LaVance Fields hits a 3, Xavier turns it over, and the rest (as they say) is history.
As are my chances of winning either tourney bracket that I entered.
Sigh............
Duke? Losers.
It looks like the Big East should have just re-seeded the Big East tourney and had that act as the NCAA Tournament. Would have saved us all a lot of time.
The Big East can still place 5 of the Elite 8 and the entire Final 4.
Let me say this -- I doubt Villanova is that good. But when Scheyer and Henderson shoot 3 for 32, probably not gonna win a lot of games.
If Villanova is actually this good (drilling UCLA and Duke back to back), then they are a legit title contender.
Duke's weaknesses were, once again, exposed - no inside strength (which is where Nova appears vulnerable to me), poor point guard play (Scheyer showed that he was not a point guard, Nolan Smith appears lost entirely, they tried Paulus who hit a three and then......was immediately stripped of the ball in a one-on-one half-court situation).
And Coach K's primary weakness as a coach was once again exposed. When his team trailed by 6 (32-26) Coach K should have gone zone or soft man and used the shot clock to his team's advantage. Instead he actually extended his man-to-man defense and allowed his quickness mismatches to be exploited even further. If anyone watched Team USA lose to Greece, this is the exact same formula -- team is beating you off the dribble? Extend your defense even FARTHER and open up even BIGGER gaps.
Oh well. I have to be consistent. They lost, so: Duke? Losers.
The Big East can still place 5 of the Elite 8 and the entire Final 4.
Let me say this -- I doubt Villanova is that good. But when Scheyer and Henderson shoot 3 for 32, probably not gonna win a lot of games.
If Villanova is actually this good (drilling UCLA and Duke back to back), then they are a legit title contender.
Duke's weaknesses were, once again, exposed - no inside strength (which is where Nova appears vulnerable to me), poor point guard play (Scheyer showed that he was not a point guard, Nolan Smith appears lost entirely, they tried Paulus who hit a three and then......was immediately stripped of the ball in a one-on-one half-court situation).
And Coach K's primary weakness as a coach was once again exposed. When his team trailed by 6 (32-26) Coach K should have gone zone or soft man and used the shot clock to his team's advantage. Instead he actually extended his man-to-man defense and allowed his quickness mismatches to be exploited even further. If anyone watched Team USA lose to Greece, this is the exact same formula -- team is beating you off the dribble? Extend your defense even FARTHER and open up even BIGGER gaps.
Oh well. I have to be consistent. They lost, so: Duke? Losers.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Moviefone -- Best 16 Basketball Movies of All Time.
16. One on One
15. Cornbread Earl and Me
14. The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh
13. The Air Up There
12. Semi-Pro
11. The Basketball Diaries
10. Blue Chips
9. Hoop Dreams
8. Above the Rim
7. He Got Game
6. Space Jam
5. Coach Carter
4. Glory Road
3. Love and Basketball
2. White Men Can't Jump
1. Hoosiers.
I have marked in bold the ones I have not seen. I will replace them with "Like Mike," "The Sixth Man," "Eddie", "Forget Paris" and "Fast Break" -- all of which I have seen.
So here is my list:
Unwatchable
16. Eddie -- awful
15. Forget Paris -- not enough basketball
14. The Air Up There -- terrible.
Mediocre at Best
13. Space Jam -- sorry, not even that good as a kids movie. The aliens know who Mugsy Bogues is but don't bother to research Michael Jordan?
12. One on One -- while I enjoy the phrase "with a red hot poker" and like him doing his tutor, not much else to offer here.
11. Glory Road -- such a great story, but told so poorly.
OK to Watch On a Rainy Sunday
10. Like Mike -- gotta love a kid who is 4 feet tall and can dunk. Good NBA player cameos and a good explanation of the triangle offense.
9. The Sixth Man -- hokey "my brother died but he is watching over me" idea is overcome by the fact that I know one of the primary basketball players. I have also met his girlfriend -- occupation: entertainer.
8. The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh -- so, so bizarre, but kinda fun. Great player appearances.
Good Not Great
7. White Men Can't Jump -- basically a lot of swearing and Rosie Perez playing Jeopardy. Very overrated in my opinion. Reaches this category due to Marcus Johnson's good work.
6. Blue Chips -- says a lot about the illegal activities in college basketball and the pressure to win. Shaq is great. Nick Nolte is passable.
5. Fast Break -- wanna see how to put together a college team that comes out of nowhere? Here you go. Bernard King is awesome. Gabe Kaplan makes his last worthwhile appearance in anything not related to poker. And who wouldn't want to leave school if they decided they felt like banging their teammate "Swish"? Made pre-PC culture, so drug jokes and gay jokes are still acceptable, as is the kid who succeeds with a girl by stalking her at a party. Pure 70s fun.
Better Than Your Average Sports Movie
4. He Got Game -- Ray Allen and Denzel Washington shine. Great scene of Jesus Shuttlesworth being, um, recruited by two porn stars playing college co-eds.
3. Coach Carter -- try to keep kids out of basketball unless they go to school and see how the school and parents react. As Stewie Griffin would say, "Not well, Brian. Not well...."
Classics
2. Hoop Dreams -- If you really want to see an analysis of the pull that basketball has over inner city kids, the use and misuse of those kids by coaches, and the obstacles presented to success, it is all here.
1. Hoosiers -- while a good argument could be made that #1 and #2 should be flipped, I have always said that Hoosiers is the best sports movie ever made. I literally cannot hear Dennis Hopper's character "Shooter" utter the line, "I know everything there is to know about the greatest game God ever created" without choking up. Having grown up in the sticks, the views of the poor rural countryside also make me very homesick.
HM
15. Cornbread Earl and Me
14. The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh
13. The Air Up There
12. Semi-Pro
11. The Basketball Diaries
10. Blue Chips
9. Hoop Dreams
8. Above the Rim
7. He Got Game
6. Space Jam
5. Coach Carter
4. Glory Road
3. Love and Basketball
2. White Men Can't Jump
1. Hoosiers.
I have marked in bold the ones I have not seen. I will replace them with "Like Mike," "The Sixth Man," "Eddie", "Forget Paris" and "Fast Break" -- all of which I have seen.
So here is my list:
Unwatchable
16. Eddie -- awful
15. Forget Paris -- not enough basketball
14. The Air Up There -- terrible.
Mediocre at Best
13. Space Jam -- sorry, not even that good as a kids movie. The aliens know who Mugsy Bogues is but don't bother to research Michael Jordan?
12. One on One -- while I enjoy the phrase "with a red hot poker" and like him doing his tutor, not much else to offer here.
11. Glory Road -- such a great story, but told so poorly.
OK to Watch On a Rainy Sunday
10. Like Mike -- gotta love a kid who is 4 feet tall and can dunk. Good NBA player cameos and a good explanation of the triangle offense.
9. The Sixth Man -- hokey "my brother died but he is watching over me" idea is overcome by the fact that I know one of the primary basketball players. I have also met his girlfriend -- occupation: entertainer.
8. The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh -- so, so bizarre, but kinda fun. Great player appearances.
Good Not Great
7. White Men Can't Jump -- basically a lot of swearing and Rosie Perez playing Jeopardy. Very overrated in my opinion. Reaches this category due to Marcus Johnson's good work.
6. Blue Chips -- says a lot about the illegal activities in college basketball and the pressure to win. Shaq is great. Nick Nolte is passable.
5. Fast Break -- wanna see how to put together a college team that comes out of nowhere? Here you go. Bernard King is awesome. Gabe Kaplan makes his last worthwhile appearance in anything not related to poker. And who wouldn't want to leave school if they decided they felt like banging their teammate "Swish"? Made pre-PC culture, so drug jokes and gay jokes are still acceptable, as is the kid who succeeds with a girl by stalking her at a party. Pure 70s fun.
Better Than Your Average Sports Movie
4. He Got Game -- Ray Allen and Denzel Washington shine. Great scene of Jesus Shuttlesworth being, um, recruited by two porn stars playing college co-eds.
3. Coach Carter -- try to keep kids out of basketball unless they go to school and see how the school and parents react. As Stewie Griffin would say, "Not well, Brian. Not well...."
Classics
2. Hoop Dreams -- If you really want to see an analysis of the pull that basketball has over inner city kids, the use and misuse of those kids by coaches, and the obstacles presented to success, it is all here.
1. Hoosiers -- while a good argument could be made that #1 and #2 should be flipped, I have always said that Hoosiers is the best sports movie ever made. I literally cannot hear Dennis Hopper's character "Shooter" utter the line, "I know everything there is to know about the greatest game God ever created" without choking up. Having grown up in the sticks, the views of the poor rural countryside also make me very homesick.
HM
"Hard Candy" -- Except Gay
http://news.aol.com/article/reporter-stabbed-to-death/393059?icid=mainhtmlws-maindl1link4http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.com%2Farticle%2Freporter-stabbed-to-death%2F393059
Look, the kid told you on his Facebook page -- disrespect him and he will kill you......
Is that a legal defense? "I told him that if he disrepected me I would kill him, so..........."
Look, the kid told you on his Facebook page -- disrespect him and he will kill you......
Is that a legal defense? "I told him that if he disrepected me I would kill him, so..........."
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Hot or Not -- Valerie Bertinelli
10 -- One of the hottest women I have ever seen. Would end any relationship I had to have sex with her once.
9 -- Very hot. I want to do her every time I see her.
8 - Well above average heat, makes me want her.
7 -- Above average heat, can't see why anyone else would say the opposite.
6 -- Above average, but I see the flaws.
5 -- Eh, as Kevin Malone said, "There is a big difference between Would you do her? and Is She Hot?" Yes to proposition #1, no to proposition #2
.4 -- Not so much. If I had a few in me I could see the appeal, but she doesn't do much for me sober.
3 -- Like looking at my 45 year old female relative who used to be attractive.
2 -- Negative heat, I have a strong aversion to her look
1 -- Makes me want to vomit.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Jason Kidd "Deadly" 3-Point Shooter? Uh, no.
Bill Simmons' recently wrote:
Take Jason Kidd. Why has he suddenly become a deadly three-point shooter at his advanced age? Because he isn't carrying an offense or taking contested shots with the shot clock winding down like he had to in Jersey, that's why. In Dallas, all he has to do is distribute the ball and shoot … when he's open.
Jason Kidd this year has shot four 3's a game and made 1.6 a game (40.5%).
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=429
When Kidd was in New Jersey he was shooting a little under 5 threes a game and making about 1.5 a game. His biggest year of allegedly forcing up horrible shot-clock beating threes was 2004-05 when he shot 5.4 a game and made 2.0 a game (37%).
So all of those horrible forced jumpers led him to take 1.4 more threes a game and shoot a whole 3.5% worse from 3 than he shoots today.
Kidd's 3-point percentage places him 34th in the league: http://www.nba.com/statistics/player/3PointS.jsp?league=00&season=22008&conf=OVERALL&position=0&splitType=9&splitScope=GAME&qualified=Y&yearsExp=-1&splitDD=
Wow. Deadly!
And he is 37th in the league in 3-pointers made: http://www.nba.com/statistics/player/3PointS.jsp?league=00&season=22008&conf=OVERALL&position=0&splitType=9&qualified=Y&yearsExp=-1&sortOrder=2&splitDD=All%20Teams
But he must be way, way down in 3-pointers attempted, right? Since he only takes wide open 3s right? Well, not really -- tied for 45th: http://www.nba.com/statistics/player/3PointS.jsp?league=00&season=22008&conf=OVERALL&position=0&splitType=9&qualified=Y&yearsExp=-1&sortOrder=2&splitDD=All%20Teams
So yeah, OK -- facts: Jason Kidd shoots it almost as much as he did in New Jersey, shoots it only a little bit better, and is in the top 50 in the league in attempts.
Conclusion: Bill Simmons is just making shit up.
Take Jason Kidd. Why has he suddenly become a deadly three-point shooter at his advanced age? Because he isn't carrying an offense or taking contested shots with the shot clock winding down like he had to in Jersey, that's why. In Dallas, all he has to do is distribute the ball and shoot … when he's open.
Jason Kidd this year has shot four 3's a game and made 1.6 a game (40.5%).
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=429
When Kidd was in New Jersey he was shooting a little under 5 threes a game and making about 1.5 a game. His biggest year of allegedly forcing up horrible shot-clock beating threes was 2004-05 when he shot 5.4 a game and made 2.0 a game (37%).
So all of those horrible forced jumpers led him to take 1.4 more threes a game and shoot a whole 3.5% worse from 3 than he shoots today.
Kidd's 3-point percentage places him 34th in the league: http://www.nba.com/statistics/player/3PointS.jsp?league=00&season=22008&conf=OVERALL&position=0&splitType=9&splitScope=GAME&qualified=Y&yearsExp=-1&splitDD=
Wow. Deadly!
And he is 37th in the league in 3-pointers made: http://www.nba.com/statistics/player/3PointS.jsp?league=00&season=22008&conf=OVERALL&position=0&splitType=9&qualified=Y&yearsExp=-1&sortOrder=2&splitDD=All%20Teams
But he must be way, way down in 3-pointers attempted, right? Since he only takes wide open 3s right? Well, not really -- tied for 45th: http://www.nba.com/statistics/player/3PointS.jsp?league=00&season=22008&conf=OVERALL&position=0&splitType=9&qualified=Y&yearsExp=-1&sortOrder=2&splitDD=All%20Teams
So yeah, OK -- facts: Jason Kidd shoots it almost as much as he did in New Jersey, shoots it only a little bit better, and is in the top 50 in the league in attempts.
Conclusion: Bill Simmons is just making shit up.
John Hollinger -- LeBron Having One of Greatest Season Ever
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=PERDiem-090324
I find it amazing that Hollinger (basically Kobe's butt-boy for the past several years) would have the balls to tell people "it's time we gave" LeBron James his due. I have written this Blog since mid-2005. Year after year after year I praise LeBron. Year after year guys like Hollinger (and Bill Simmons) suckle at the teat of Kobe Bryant. So for Hollinger to imply that OTHERS do not give LeBron his due is, well, amazing. How about the far more accurate statement, "I, John Hollinger, have always dropped to my knees and serviced Kobe. I guess maybe I should have realized long ago how great LeBron is."??????
HM
I find it amazing that Hollinger (basically Kobe's butt-boy for the past several years) would have the balls to tell people "it's time we gave" LeBron James his due. I have written this Blog since mid-2005. Year after year after year I praise LeBron. Year after year guys like Hollinger (and Bill Simmons) suckle at the teat of Kobe Bryant. So for Hollinger to imply that OTHERS do not give LeBron his due is, well, amazing. How about the far more accurate statement, "I, John Hollinger, have always dropped to my knees and serviced Kobe. I guess maybe I should have realized long ago how great LeBron is."??????
HM
New Jersey Now Says "Hands Off" Brazilian Waxing
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/23/nj-scraps-brazilian-wax-b_n_177913.html
The salon listed here supposedly does $90,000 in revenue per year in Brazilian waxing. 90K? At "$40 to $50 a treatment"? So 2,000 treatments a year? Assuming that you don't need more than 2 a year (who knows? certainly not me), that means 1,000 different women in Cherry Hill, New Jersey head on in each year for a couple Brazilians each?
If you are open 6 days a week, that is 6.41 Brazilian waxes a day! If you cut the number of days in half for the slower winter season, you are looking at 156 work days and 2,000 waxes? Almost 13 Brazilian waxes a day? There must be a lot of screaming going on in THAT salon!
The salon listed here supposedly does $90,000 in revenue per year in Brazilian waxing. 90K? At "$40 to $50 a treatment"? So 2,000 treatments a year? Assuming that you don't need more than 2 a year (who knows? certainly not me), that means 1,000 different women in Cherry Hill, New Jersey head on in each year for a couple Brazilians each?
If you are open 6 days a week, that is 6.41 Brazilian waxes a day! If you cut the number of days in half for the slower winter season, you are looking at 156 work days and 2,000 waxes? Almost 13 Brazilian waxes a day? There must be a lot of screaming going on in THAT salon!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Dan Patrick on Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek
Listening to the Dan Patrick Show this morning and Dan noted that he has been on the set with Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek (who he said was "high maintenance"). One caller suggested that it would be easy to tell the two apart and Dan responded that both were very well endowed.
Come on Dan. Cruz is busty FOR HER WEIGHT (which is almost nothing). Hayek is, well, spectacular.
This is akin to saying that Shaq and Kurt Warner are both physically imposing guys. Uh, yeah, except one is so huge everyone looks when he enters a room and the other is, well, slightly above average.
Rainy Days and Mondays
Actually pretty darn good. Sorry -- they won't let me embed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqq_eOskjQg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqq_eOskjQg
Tennessee Women Lose -- Pat Summitt Outcoached By Her Granddaughter, Kelly Packard
Pictured in the red shirt is Ball State coach Kelly Packard (not former Baywatch star Kelly Packard -- searching for pics will get you THAT Kelly Packard....which isn't all bad). Now, imagine this woman with her hair in a ponytail.
She looks about 19. She is Ball State's head coach.
Her team defeated Tennessee last night. Pictured in the dark suit and purple shirt is Pat Head Summitt. She looks about 65.
Without looking it up -- guess the age difference between the two women within 2 years.
HM
Duke Wins, Wisconsin Loses -- All Is Right With the World
Although my bracket is only 10th in one pool and 36th in another, and although any chance I have at money is based upon some rather shaky propositions (Michigan State over Kansas and Louisville; Missouri over Memphis, Xavier over Pitt, Duke to the Final 4), I had a GREAT basketball weekend due to 2 happenings:
1) Duke reaches the Sweet 16. Though I always have to cheer hard for my law school alma mater, I recognized that Texas was far more athletic and had a guy in Pittman who was way too big for Duke to handle physically. Memories of Nick Collison and Chris Kaman went through my head.
But Rick Barnes was badly outcoached by Coach K (make that occurrence 237 of that phenomenon, which sent Barnes screaming from Clemson like a little girl) and Duke prevailed.
2) Wisconsin Lost. Think of anything that you wish would just go away but never does. Weight gain, the loss of hair on your head, the growth of hair everywhere else. Wisconsin is the cockroach/Rasputin of college basketball. If they ever cancel a college basketball season, Wisconsin will still schedule and play 49-41 basketball games and they will be televised in the Minneapolis viewing area. I believe that Wall-E watched his "Hello Dolly" video because his other option was Wisconsin-Illinois.
Anyway, they lost. Thank God. Now I won't have to miss another Cole Aldrich triple-double because I am watching two teams try to reach 50 before the officials either foul everyone out or just stop calling fouls in hope that the game will eventually end.
And I picked 13 of the Sweet 16 -- which ain't saying much when all you had to do was pick straight "chalk" and you got 14 of 16.
HM
1) Duke reaches the Sweet 16. Though I always have to cheer hard for my law school alma mater, I recognized that Texas was far more athletic and had a guy in Pittman who was way too big for Duke to handle physically. Memories of Nick Collison and Chris Kaman went through my head.
But Rick Barnes was badly outcoached by Coach K (make that occurrence 237 of that phenomenon, which sent Barnes screaming from Clemson like a little girl) and Duke prevailed.
2) Wisconsin Lost. Think of anything that you wish would just go away but never does. Weight gain, the loss of hair on your head, the growth of hair everywhere else. Wisconsin is the cockroach/Rasputin of college basketball. If they ever cancel a college basketball season, Wisconsin will still schedule and play 49-41 basketball games and they will be televised in the Minneapolis viewing area. I believe that Wall-E watched his "Hello Dolly" video because his other option was Wisconsin-Illinois.
Anyway, they lost. Thank God. Now I won't have to miss another Cole Aldrich triple-double because I am watching two teams try to reach 50 before the officials either foul everyone out or just stop calling fouls in hope that the game will eventually end.
And I picked 13 of the Sweet 16 -- which ain't saying much when all you had to do was pick straight "chalk" and you got 14 of 16.
HM
Friday, March 20, 2009
Marquette Wins -- Continues Beehive State Slide
Which is Utah's unofficial logo?
With the dismal performances so far by BYU and Utah State (I think they sent two different teams, but they may have just used the same guys in the two games, it was hard to tell from the efforts) all the state has remaining is the Utah Utes, and they certainly don't have an easy path against Arizona.
45 Teams Left -- 19 losses, 19 wins so far
Losing-est States so Far:
Utah -- 2
Virginia -- 2 (Radford and VCU)
Cal -- 2 (CSN and Cal-Berkley) -- They go last because they have a win (UCLA)
13 states each have one loss:
ND
TN (set to lose again with ETSU, but not lost yet)
IA
MS
TX (SFA)
SC (Clemson)
MD (Morgan State)
DC (American)
MN
NY (Binghamton),
IN (Butler)
IL
OH (Akron)
Winning-est States So Far
North Carolina -- 2
Oklahoma -- 2
Washington -- 2
Texas -- 2 (go last because they have a loss)
11 other states with one win
KS
CT
IN (Purdue)
WI (Marquette)
MD
TN (Memphis)
NY (Syracuse)
CA
PA (Nova)
LA
KY (WKU)
MI
So there ya go.
States now fighting for their honor:
PA -- 2
Arizona, Tennessee, Ohio, West Virginia, New York, Missouri
Update
Kansas holds on. Now the NDSU fans can drive back to Fargo and spend $0 in Minneapolis -- thanks for that scheduling, NCAA.
OK State wins by a bucket as Tyler Smith can't get it done for Tennessee in the clutch.
Marquette and Utah State trying to give each other the game -- neither seems to want it.
Marquette up 3 despite shooting 17 of 47 from the floor (Wesley Matthews chipping in a 3 for 16 effort) and just gagging on a free throw.
18 seconds to play............
OK State wins by a bucket as Tyler Smith can't get it done for Tennessee in the clutch.
Marquette and Utah State trying to give each other the game -- neither seems to want it.
Marquette up 3 despite shooting 17 of 47 from the floor (Wesley Matthews chipping in a 3 for 16 effort) and just gagging on a free throw.
18 seconds to play............
Oprah Winfrey -- Hot or Not?
And you can't upgrade the rating for her money.
For 1-10 scale see Nicollette Sheridan entry below.
Andrew Bynum -- I Told You So.
On February 2, I said http://hoopramblings.blogspot.com/2009/02/kobe-takes-out-andrew-bynums-kneeand.html
Andrew Bynum ain't playing any more basketball this year.
The Lakers now say that he "may" http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3999610 be a month away from returning.
And Phil Jackson said to the guys on TNT last night (off air), that Bynum won't even be able to PRACTICE for 3 to 4 weeks.
Note that Phil did not say "practice with the team" or "run full speed" or "be ready to play at full speed." I think that the Lakers are beginning to face the reality that a 285 pound man who blows out a major knee ligament is simply not going to be able to play well for 4-6 months thereafter. And if the guy is 22, you probably don't want to rush him back.
So yeah, told you so.
Andrew Bynum ain't playing any more basketball this year.
The Lakers now say that he "may" http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3999610 be a month away from returning.
And Phil Jackson said to the guys on TNT last night (off air), that Bynum won't even be able to PRACTICE for 3 to 4 weeks.
Note that Phil did not say "practice with the team" or "run full speed" or "be ready to play at full speed." I think that the Lakers are beginning to face the reality that a 285 pound man who blows out a major knee ligament is simply not going to be able to play well for 4-6 months thereafter. And if the guy is 22, you probably don't want to rush him back.
So yeah, told you so.
Tourney Memory
So PM has Villanova going to something like the final 4 or 8 in his bracket. Needless to say, he is really getting sad when American is up 14 with 19 minutes to play.
Then the Wildcats start chipping away and are down 55-51 with about 8 minutes to play. Then the score changes in the upper right hand corner: 55-53. Then CBS TAKES THE POINTS AWAY!!!!!!!!! Back to 55-51.
I cannot even describe his reaction when the points get subtracted out. A great memory. And fortunately for PM, American absolutely stopped playing and Villanova won.
HM
Then the Wildcats start chipping away and are down 55-51 with about 8 minutes to play. Then the score changes in the upper right hand corner: 55-53. Then CBS TAKES THE POINTS AWAY!!!!!!!!! Back to 55-51.
I cannot even describe his reaction when the points get subtracted out. A great memory. And fortunately for PM, American absolutely stopped playing and Villanova won.
HM
Game Update
North Dakota State refuses to go away..down 56-53..another Kansas first round flub? Shades of Bucknell?
Stephen F. Austin has been all too glad to go away (Syracuse isn't looking at any OTs today).
Tennessee and OK State are tied in a battle to see who will get drilled by Pitt in Round 2.
And Marquette and Utah State are meeting in a game in which it appears that the "Under 62 Big Ten Rule" is being strictly abided by -- 12 minutes to play -- 36 to 35.
HM
Stephen F. Austin has been all too glad to go away (Syracuse isn't looking at any OTs today).
Tennessee and OK State are tied in a battle to see who will get drilled by Pitt in Round 2.
And Marquette and Utah State are meeting in a game in which it appears that the "Under 62 Big Ten Rule" is being strictly abided by -- 12 minutes to play -- 36 to 35.
HM
Nicollete Sheridan -- Hot or Not
I tried to find a "middling" picture, but it is tough. At her current age, NS is a bit if a Seinfeld-ian "two face." She looks great sometimes and well, not so great others.
But your general opinion of her right now on the 1-10 scale???? You can't rate her from back in her "Sure Thing" or "Beverly Hills Ninja" days.
10 -- One of the hottest women I have ever seen. Would end any relationship I had to have sex with her once.
9 -- Very hot. I want to do her every time I see her.
8 - Well above average heat, makes me want her.
7 -- Above average heat, can't see why anyone else would say the opposite.
6 -- Above average, but I see the flaws.
5 -- Eh, as Kevin Malone said, "There is a big difference between Would you do her? and Is She Hot?" Yes to proposition #1, no to proposition #2.
4 -- Not so much. If I had a few in me I could see the appeal, but she doesn't do much for me sober.
3 -- Like looking at my 45 year old female relative who used to be attractive.
2 -- Negative heat, I have a strong aversion to her look
1 -- Makes me want to vomit.
9 -- Very hot. I want to do her every time I see her.
8 - Well above average heat, makes me want her.
7 -- Above average heat, can't see why anyone else would say the opposite.
6 -- Above average, but I see the flaws.
5 -- Eh, as Kevin Malone said, "There is a big difference between Would you do her? and Is She Hot?" Yes to proposition #1, no to proposition #2.
4 -- Not so much. If I had a few in me I could see the appeal, but she doesn't do much for me sober.
3 -- Like looking at my 45 year old female relative who used to be attractive.
2 -- Negative heat, I have a strong aversion to her look
1 -- Makes me want to vomit.
Down to 48 -- "And We're BAAAck!!!"
As Jimmy Fallon's SNL shock jock would say.
Syracuse jumping all over Stephen F. Austin 4-0.
Last night's ass kickers -- Washington, UCLA, Villanova, Texas, Duke, Western Kentucky, Gonzaga, Michigan, Oklahoma.
Last night's ass munchers -- Mississippi State, VCU, American, Minnesota, Binghamton, Illinois, Akron, Clemson, Morgan State.
Syracuse jumping all over Stephen F. Austin 4-0.
Last night's ass kickers -- Washington, UCLA, Villanova, Texas, Duke, Western Kentucky, Gonzaga, Michigan, Oklahoma.
Last night's ass munchers -- Mississippi State, VCU, American, Minnesota, Binghamton, Illinois, Akron, Clemson, Morgan State.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Down Goes Cal!
The Bears, like Bad Radford, feel the sting of ACC basketball. Fear the Turtle.
We now move into the traditional Thursday "dead zone" where we only have one game (Washington, Mississippi State) which is blacked out in most viewing areas. I guess except for Seattle and..........Jackson? Maybe Spokane? Maybe Memphis?
Anyway. Much like their Chicago namesake, the Cal Bears are not seeing post-season success this year.
Radford was NOT doubled, but Chattanooga was.
Pardon Me Boys
Is that a Chattanooga Blowout? My lord, will the Mocs be doubled? Tripled?
http://espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=294000001
http://espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=294000001
Rad Radford? No. Bad Radford.
Carolina having no trouble early against Radford.
Not the now-deceased 1995 wrestler Rad Radford (aka Louis Spicoli -- pictured) but rather the SW'ern Virginia University and 16 seed, alma mater of Jayma Mays (also pictured) from Paul Blart -- Mall Cop:
Reese Witherspoon -- Hot or Not?
I have selected a picture of Reese that I consider sort of a "middle" picture. I didn't pick one from her as a bunny in "Legally Blonde" or one of her shopping in no makeup.
I am uncertain as to whether she is really that hot. Seems nice, talented and funny, but really, really hot? Like Salma Hayek/Scarlett Johansson hot? Not for me.
Opinions?
Rating scale --
10 -- One of the hottest women I have ever seen. Would end any relationship I had to have sex with her once.
9 -- Very hot. I want to do her every time I see her.
8 - Well above average heat, makes me want her.
7 -- Above average heat, can't see why anyone else would say the opposite.
6 -- Above average, but I see the flaws.
5 -- Eh, as Kevin Malone said, "There is a big difference between Would you do her? and Is She Hot?" Yes to proposition #1, no to proposition #2.
4 -- Not so much. If I had a few in me I could see the appeal, but she doesn't do much for me sober.
3 -- Like looking at my 45 year old female relative who used to be attractive.
2 -- Negative heat, I have a strong aversion to her look
1 -- Makes me want to vomit.
HM
Some Lunch-Time Viewing Observations
1) If John Calipari cannot figure out how to attack a 2-3 matchup zone (clue #1 -- how about having a low or high post? clue #2 -- how about NOT bringing two guards out front above the free throw line?) Cal State Northridge may win that game despite being 3 inches shorter and 25 pounds lighter per man.
2) Based upon the score updates I saw and the small snippets of game footage, Butler could not have played much worse against LSU, yet they were down 6 at half. This is a very bad sign for a team that finds ways to lose (LSU) playing against a team that generally finds ways to win (Butler).
3) BYU looks like their guys have already packed their bags for their next mission trip. The game resembles one of those where you take your plucky all-white suburban team into the inner city for a friendly scrimmage and fall behind like 28-3 after 3 minutes of play.
www.espn.com shows Butler and CS Northridge now within 1.
HM
2) Based upon the score updates I saw and the small snippets of game footage, Butler could not have played much worse against LSU, yet they were down 6 at half. This is a very bad sign for a team that finds ways to lose (LSU) playing against a team that generally finds ways to win (Butler).
3) BYU looks like their guys have already packed their bags for their next mission trip. The game resembles one of those where you take your plucky all-white suburban team into the inner city for a friendly scrimmage and fall behind like 28-3 after 3 minutes of play.
www.espn.com shows Butler and CS Northridge now within 1.
HM
Your Winning NCAA Bracket Choices
Don't say that I have never done anything for you. Deadline is in 150 minutes.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
College Basketball Invitational
Yes, teams snubbed by the NCAA and the NIT still have an outlet for their post-season dreams. It is called the........College Basketball Invitational.
http://www.gazellegroup.com/events/cbi/index_main.htm
I wish I were making this up, I really do.
Buffalo (as we know, jobbed by the NCAA.....and NIT) will open on the road at Wichita State.
Stay tuned for updates if the Bulls win and claim a national post-season title.
http://www.gazellegroup.com/events/cbi/index_main.htm
I wish I were making this up, I really do.
Buffalo (as we know, jobbed by the NCAA.....and NIT) will open on the road at Wichita State.
Stay tuned for updates if the Bulls win and claim a national post-season title.
Bill O'Reilly Reads His Own Soft-Core Fiction
The delivery is so horrible that one wonders how the publisher ever allowed the book to go out. Betty White's reading of Peter Griffin's erotic novel on "Family Guy" was WAY better:
O'Reilly:
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/archives/2009/03/off_with_those.php
Betty White:
http://www.adultswim.com/video/?episodeID=c1d3e01bbc0ee5230d0a11bc01b1ce00
O'Reilly:
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/archives/2009/03/off_with_those.php
Betty White:
http://www.adultswim.com/video/?episodeID=c1d3e01bbc0ee5230d0a11bc01b1ce00
And The Oscar for Toughest Talk On AIG Goes to.................
Everyone wants to win this award after AIG gave out $165MM in bonuses, but I don't see anyone surpassing Iowa Senator Charles Grassley, who went with this little ditty:
Sen. Charles Grassley suggested in an Iowa City radio interview on Monday that AIG executives should take a Japanese approach toward accepting responsibility for the collapse of the insurance giant by resigning or killing themselves.
"Obviously, maybe they ought to be removed," the Iowa Republican said. "But I would suggest the first thing that would make me feel a little bit better toward them if they'd follow the Japanese example and come before the American people and take that deep bow and say, I'm sorry, and then either do one of two things: resign or go commit suicide."
Unless someone comes out and advocates murder or arson, I think Grassley won't be overtaken here.
Sen. Charles Grassley suggested in an Iowa City radio interview on Monday that AIG executives should take a Japanese approach toward accepting responsibility for the collapse of the insurance giant by resigning or killing themselves.
"Obviously, maybe they ought to be removed," the Iowa Republican said. "But I would suggest the first thing that would make me feel a little bit better toward them if they'd follow the Japanese example and come before the American people and take that deep bow and say, I'm sorry, and then either do one of two things: resign or go commit suicide."
Unless someone comes out and advocates murder or arson, I think Grassley won't be overtaken here.
Underrated -- Amy Smart
On my cable system's endless array of bad free movie stations, I stumbled across "Crank" last night. Ms. Smart begs for sex on a Chinatown sidewalk and ends up getting it from behind while braced on a newspaper dispenser, facing a bus full of young Asian women.Yet she still will be coming back for "Crank 2" which is due to be released in theatres soon!!!!!!!
So,
Underrated -- Amy Smart.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Ron Silver -- Dead at 62
I never thought Kirstie Alley's boss on "Veronica's Closet" would ever die.
Known by some, I guess, for serving alcohol to minors.........
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-stiller/ron-silver-remembered_b_175274.html
Also a huge fan of the War in Iraq. Um, I guess maybe the only person with no clear ties to the oil industry to take that position.
SUNY Buffalo grad.
Known by some, I guess, for serving alcohol to minors.........
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-stiller/ron-silver-remembered_b_175274.html
Also a huge fan of the War in Iraq. Um, I guess maybe the only person with no clear ties to the oil industry to take that position.
SUNY Buffalo grad.
Jay Cutler -- Told to Grow Up
Ouch -- http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=3946294&sportCat=nfl
Opening line of article:
Will someone please give Jay Cutler his pacifier, hand him his favorite blankie and put him back in his crib for his afternoon nap? Because if he cries anymore about a trade that didn't happen, we'll have to check his Pampers.
Opening line of article:
Will someone please give Jay Cutler his pacifier, hand him his favorite blankie and put him back in his crib for his afternoon nap? Because if he cries anymore about a trade that didn't happen, we'll have to check his Pampers.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Buffalo -- Jobbed; Creighton -- Jobbed; Wisconsin -- No Business Being In.
Why was Buffalo jobbed? They weren't, but it burns my ass to see SUNY Binghamton get in and SUNY Buffalo stay out. Oh well.
Creighton -- Let's see, you go 26-7 and you lose in your conference tourney. No thanks. We want 7 teams from the Big Ten.
Wisconsin -- no truly quality wins. I would say Penn State had a better case to be in. Now, that is not to say that Wisconsin might not win a game, but anyone from the NIT that you put in the NCAA might win a game, so what? We are supposed to be picking teams with tourney-worthy resumes........and theirs ain't one, unless you give them a lot of credit for those big wins over Idaho State and Iona.
Change their name from "Wisconsin" to "Wyoming" and there is no way they get in. CBS just wants to jerk off Bo Ryan, white basketball players, and the Milwaukee-area audience for at least one game. "Ooh, looky how these white student-athletes play so hard out there -- don't you wish we could go back to 1958 again when everyone looked and played like this!?!?"
Creighton -- Let's see, you go 26-7 and you lose in your conference tourney. No thanks. We want 7 teams from the Big Ten.
Wisconsin -- no truly quality wins. I would say Penn State had a better case to be in. Now, that is not to say that Wisconsin might not win a game, but anyone from the NIT that you put in the NCAA might win a game, so what? We are supposed to be picking teams with tourney-worthy resumes........and theirs ain't one, unless you give them a lot of credit for those big wins over Idaho State and Iona.
Change their name from "Wisconsin" to "Wyoming" and there is no way they get in. CBS just wants to jerk off Bo Ryan, white basketball players, and the Milwaukee-area audience for at least one game. "Ooh, looky how these white student-athletes play so hard out there -- don't you wish we could go back to 1958 again when everyone looked and played like this!?!?"
Brazilian Waxes May Be Outlawed in New Jersey
http://www.lemondrop.com/2009/03/13/should-brazilian-waxes-be-illegal/
Bruce once said, "Nothin' matters in this whole wide world, when you're in love, with a Jersey Girl." If your NJ girl wants to wear a skimpy bikini, that claim may be tested with this ban. I like the comment in the article about how women are now "crossing state lines" to get the procedure done. I cannot think of any part of NJ that is more than 100 miles from another state, so it isn't exactly like The Cider House Rules here....
Bruce once said, "Nothin' matters in this whole wide world, when you're in love, with a Jersey Girl." If your NJ girl wants to wear a skimpy bikini, that claim may be tested with this ban. I like the comment in the article about how women are now "crossing state lines" to get the procedure done. I cannot think of any part of NJ that is more than 100 miles from another state, so it isn't exactly like The Cider House Rules here....
Friday, March 13, 2009
Spartan Lead Trimmed to Single Digits
http://espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=290720127
ut-oh!
Might I add here that UNC is losing to Virginia Tech. They don't have Ty Lawson because...................well, the idiot Roy Williams decided to play him in a basically-meaningless game against Duke and he re-aggravated his injuries. Roy -- I know you want to beat Duke, but come on!! http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=oneil_dana&id=3280714
ut-oh!
Might I add here that UNC is losing to Virginia Tech. They don't have Ty Lawson because...................well, the idiot Roy Williams decided to play him in a basically-meaningless game against Duke and he re-aggravated his injuries. Roy -- I know you want to beat Duke, but come on!! http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=oneil_dana&id=3280714
NCAA Basketball Conferences -- What Do The Last 10 Years Tell Us?
Now I was going to go back 20 years, but I figured that Duke's run from 1988 to 1994 would really skew the numbers in favor of the ACC. So, just so all of my readers know -- I didn't take into account Duke's run of 7 straight final fours, 4 title games and 2 championships....just to be nice.
Anyway, what did I find looking back to March of 1999?
"Happy To Be There" Scoring Method
If you think that the best measure of a conference is getting to the Final 4 and you don't care if they lose.
1. ACC -- 9
Big Ten -- 9
3. Big 12 -- 6
4. Big East -- 4
SEC -- 4
Pac 10 -- 4
7. Conference USA - 3
8. Patriot -- 1
"It Would Be Nice to Actually Win" Scoring Method
Awarding 4 points for champions, 2 points for runners-up and 1 point for losing in the semis, you get:
1. ACC -- 20 points (3 champions for 12 points, 2 runners-up for 4 points and 4 semi losses for 4 points)
2. Big Ten -- 15 points (1 champion for 4, 3 runners-up for 6, 5 semi losses)
3. Big East -- 13 points (3 champions for 12; no runners-up; 1 semi loss)
Note -- the Big East now has stolen 2 Conference USA clubs that would have given them 2 extra points (Marquette and Louisville).
4. SEC -- 11 points (2 titles, 1 runner-up, 1 semi loss)
5. Big 12 -- 10 points (1 title, 1 runner-up, 4 semi losses)
6. Pac 10 -- 6 points (0 titles, 2 runners-up, 2 semi losses)
7. Conference USA -- 4 points (1 runner up and 2 former members who lost in the semis)
8. Patriot Conference -- 1 point (George Mason loss in the semis)
"Come On -- Winning is 10 times As Important" Scoring Method
Winner gets 20, runner-up 10, semi losses get 1
1. ACC -- 84
2. Big East -- 61
3. Big Ten -- 55
4. SEC -- 51
5. Big 12 -- 34
6. Pac 10 -- 22
7. Conference USA -- 13
8. Patriot -- 1
"Winning Is Everything" Scoring Method
20 to the winner. Nothing else matters.
1. ACC -- 60 (wins tiebreaker with more recent champion)
2. Big East -- 60
3. SEC -- 40
4. Big 12 -- 20 (wins tiebreaker with more recent champion)
5. Big Ten -- 20
Conclusion -- It pains me to say it, but the Big Ten doesn't always suck the massive schlong as much as I thought. It must just be the incredibly awful and dull style of play of the Wisconsins and Minnesotas of the conference that distracts me from the fact that they have had some halfway entertaining clubs (Ohio State, Mich. State, Illinois) over the last 10 years.
So -- overall winner in my survey?
The ACC of course. They are first or tied for first under every scoring method. They get a lot of teams in and their teams actually win when they get their.
But, again, while truly awful to watch during conference seasons, I guess I have underrated the unwatchable play of the Big Ten.
I express my regret.
HM
Anyway, what did I find looking back to March of 1999?
"Happy To Be There" Scoring Method
If you think that the best measure of a conference is getting to the Final 4 and you don't care if they lose.
1. ACC -- 9
Big Ten -- 9
3. Big 12 -- 6
4. Big East -- 4
SEC -- 4
Pac 10 -- 4
7. Conference USA - 3
8. Patriot -- 1
"It Would Be Nice to Actually Win" Scoring Method
Awarding 4 points for champions, 2 points for runners-up and 1 point for losing in the semis, you get:
1. ACC -- 20 points (3 champions for 12 points, 2 runners-up for 4 points and 4 semi losses for 4 points)
2. Big Ten -- 15 points (1 champion for 4, 3 runners-up for 6, 5 semi losses)
3. Big East -- 13 points (3 champions for 12; no runners-up; 1 semi loss)
Note -- the Big East now has stolen 2 Conference USA clubs that would have given them 2 extra points (Marquette and Louisville).
4. SEC -- 11 points (2 titles, 1 runner-up, 1 semi loss)
5. Big 12 -- 10 points (1 title, 1 runner-up, 4 semi losses)
6. Pac 10 -- 6 points (0 titles, 2 runners-up, 2 semi losses)
7. Conference USA -- 4 points (1 runner up and 2 former members who lost in the semis)
8. Patriot Conference -- 1 point (George Mason loss in the semis)
"Come On -- Winning is 10 times As Important" Scoring Method
Winner gets 20, runner-up 10, semi losses get 1
1. ACC -- 84
2. Big East -- 61
3. Big Ten -- 55
4. SEC -- 51
5. Big 12 -- 34
6. Pac 10 -- 22
7. Conference USA -- 13
8. Patriot -- 1
"Winning Is Everything" Scoring Method
20 to the winner. Nothing else matters.
1. ACC -- 60 (wins tiebreaker with more recent champion)
2. Big East -- 60
3. SEC -- 40
4. Big 12 -- 20 (wins tiebreaker with more recent champion)
5. Big Ten -- 20
Conclusion -- It pains me to say it, but the Big Ten doesn't always suck the massive schlong as much as I thought. It must just be the incredibly awful and dull style of play of the Wisconsins and Minnesotas of the conference that distracts me from the fact that they have had some halfway entertaining clubs (Ohio State, Mich. State, Illinois) over the last 10 years.
So -- overall winner in my survey?
The ACC of course. They are first or tied for first under every scoring method. They get a lot of teams in and their teams actually win when they get their.
But, again, while truly awful to watch during conference seasons, I guess I have underrated the unwatchable play of the Big Ten.
I express my regret.
HM
Gophs Allow Spartans to Catch Up
http://espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=290720127
Foolish Spartans....obviously didn't see footage of Ali-Foreman in Zaire.
Foolish Spartans....obviously didn't see footage of Ali-Foreman in Zaire.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Buffalo Bulls Continue Relentless Roll Toward MAC Title
http://espn.go.com/ncb/playbyplay?gameId=290712084
6'3" Buffalo starter Calvin Betts -- 18 rebounds. I look at the play-by-play -- yep, 18. 12 defensive.
RNC Job Application Videos
Now, I do not begrudge anyone the opportunity to look for a job, but some of these scream, "No Mom, I am NOT talking to myself again....GOSH!!"
And --
"Mom!!! -- You KNOW I can't move the baseball stuff out of here!! Can't I use the laundry room for my video?? Come ON!!"
And --
"Mom!!! -- You KNOW I can't move the baseball stuff out of here!! Can't I use the laundry room for my video?? Come ON!!"
Chicago Bows Down to Todd Bridges -- Renames Sears Tower "The Willis Tower"
Noted the only remaining unindicted Chicago politician not caught with a hooker this week, "I was watching Diff'rent Strokes the other day and I hear little Arnold say, "What-you-talkin-bout Willis?" Wasn't that a far better day? A far better time for network TV?"
So they have now declared the Sears Tower as the "Whatyoutalkin'bout Willis --Tower" or "Willis Tower" for short.
Congrats, Chicago. You must be really, really proud.
So they have now declared the Sears Tower as the "Whatyoutalkin'bout Willis --Tower" or "Willis Tower" for short.
Congrats, Chicago. You must be really, really proud.
Gophers in the Hiz-zouse, Bee-yatches!!!
http://espn.go.com/ncb/playbyplay?gameId=290710135
Tubby's club now almost certainly advances to the NCAA tourney. How terrible is the NCAA field going to be this year? Well, a win over lowly Northwestern is seen by folks "in the know" as a great step forward into the tourney.
Some folks had even hinted that Northwestern (sub-.500 in conference, losers at Stanford, at Iowa and at Minnesota (by 27) and at Wisconsin (by 29)) should be considered as a tourney team!!!!!!!!
Wisconsin is considered a "lock" for the tourney -- their resume? They lost 6 straight Big Ten games, were swept by the 9-9 Gophers, lost at Iowa, were absolutely destroyed by UConn and beat Iona and Idaho State (both in Madison) by a combined 4 points. On the plus side, they did beat the 9th place team in the ACC by 2.
Gophers -- once they sweep the rest of the tourney, I will be disappointed if they don't get to at least a #3 seed.
Illinois Politician -- 2 Hookers, a Play Room, and a Toy Guitar
http://www.suntimes.com/news/24-7/1472092,gary-skokien-prostitutes-toy-guitar-031109.article
And we thought Blogo was interesting!
You are a 55 year old guy with a 36 year old wife and you are the one calling up hookers at 1AM???
I would have given anything to see the guy whacked with the toy guitar. If he has 3 kids 5, 7, and 8, he should have immediately launched into Hannah Montana's "Nobody's Perfect" song and forgiveness would have been right around the corner!!
Best I could come up with:
And we thought Blogo was interesting!
You are a 55 year old guy with a 36 year old wife and you are the one calling up hookers at 1AM???
I would have given anything to see the guy whacked with the toy guitar. If he has 3 kids 5, 7, and 8, he should have immediately launched into Hannah Montana's "Nobody's Perfect" song and forgiveness would have been right around the corner!!
Best I could come up with:
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
David Vitter -- "Don't You Know Who I Am?"
http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/03/sen_david_vitter_says_airport.html
Vitter stated that it was all a misunderstanding and that he just accidentally tried to use the wrong door at an airport.
Huh? "Yeah, isn't this the bathroom? What? It is Gate 36? Oh, yeah, says right up there -- gate 36. Gee, what does an airport bathroom door look like? They don't generally have doors? Oh, yeah, so, I was just trying to open a door to.........the Executive Club? You buying that one?"
Vitter stated that it was all a misunderstanding and that he just accidentally tried to use the wrong door at an airport.
Huh? "Yeah, isn't this the bathroom? What? It is Gate 36? Oh, yeah, says right up there -- gate 36. Gee, what does an airport bathroom door look like? They don't generally have doors? Oh, yeah, so, I was just trying to open a door to.........the Executive Club? You buying that one?"
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Monday, March 09, 2009
Top 10 Things a Youth Sports Coach Can't Say to a Youth Sports Parent
From time to time, you hear complaints from a youth sports parent to you as a youth sports coach. Of course, you are told to take complaints cordially and in the spirit of helping the child. And some complaints are even valid. So you learn a skill when fielding valid complaints. But when you get a bogus complaint about how little Johnny is being unfairly treated, a lot of potential responses flash through your mind, none of them constructive or cordial. Here are 10.
10. Have you considered chess club?
9. Frankly, your kid sucks.
8. Given his parents' height and weight, it is a miracle your kid can run at all.
7. (To mom of kid) Your kid wants more playing time? Ever watch Forrest Gump?
6. I would play your kid a lot, but I don't want to lose every single game.
5. I guess this won't be a big issue then next year when your son doesn't make my team.....or the B team.
4. I talked to a few college recruiters about your kid -- no one has ever heard of him.
3. So you/your kid keeps track of his total minutes played, huh? So now I know for certain what a selfish little piece of crap you are/he is.
2. When I say, "Box out" and "play defense" and your kid won't, you think that is OK? In that case, tell your wife I said, "Don't kneel" and "Don't orally satisfy me." (If complaint is from the mom, adjust wording accordingly).
1. Fuck you. Go away.
So, as I said, never say any of those things.
10. Have you considered chess club?
9. Frankly, your kid sucks.
8. Given his parents' height and weight, it is a miracle your kid can run at all.
7. (To mom of kid) Your kid wants more playing time? Ever watch Forrest Gump?
6. I would play your kid a lot, but I don't want to lose every single game.
5. I guess this won't be a big issue then next year when your son doesn't make my team.....or the B team.
4. I talked to a few college recruiters about your kid -- no one has ever heard of him.
3. So you/your kid keeps track of his total minutes played, huh? So now I know for certain what a selfish little piece of crap you are/he is.
2. When I say, "Box out" and "play defense" and your kid won't, you think that is OK? In that case, tell your wife I said, "Don't kneel" and "Don't orally satisfy me." (If complaint is from the mom, adjust wording accordingly).
1. Fuck you. Go away.
So, as I said, never say any of those things.
Kevin Love -- Really Good or Shitty?
When you review Kevin Love's statistics, you can make a good argument that he is "really good" or make the argument that he is "shitty." I will help you do both:
"Kevin Love Is Really Good Argument"
1) He has 18 double-doubles this year. The same as LeBron James and one more right now than Dwyane Wade.
2) He is 12th in the league in rebounds per game. Not rebounds per 48 or rebounds per 40. The actual "how many rebounds do you get a game" stat. Dirk Nowitski, David West, Kendrick Perkins -- not close.
13th in the league -- Shaq (8.7 to Love's 8.8).
3) His Rebounds per 40 minute figure is 3rd in the league. Only two of the most athletic 6'11" players in the league (Dwight Howard, Andris Biedrins) get more boards per 40 minutes played.
Love is not even 6'8" in bare feet.
4) Among NBA rookies, Love is 4th in Efficiency and (among rookies playing 10+ minutes a game) 1st in Efficiency per 48.
So, based upon the minutes he has played, he is the best rookie in the entire NBA.
5) Love is #3 in the league in total offensive rebounds and #1 in the percentage of offensive rebounds available that he gets (15+%). He gets 21% of the rebounds available to him.
"Kevin Love Is Shitty" Argument
1) He averages 24 minutes a game for one of the worst teams in the NBA and he still averages less than 30 minutes a game even in games after Al Jefferson got hurt.
So, on a team with NO interior options, he still cannot play true starter minutes (or his coach feels he is not worthy of those minutes).
2) He gets 1.0 steals+blocks a game. This is a terrible number for a guy who is the primary interior defender on a poor NBA club. Love probably gets 10-15 opportunities to block a shot every game and his offensive player handles the ball A LOT (they go at him a lot). Yet he get 0.4 steals and 0.6 blocks a game, despite fouling 2.6 times a game.
He is 4.5 times more likely to commit a foul than get a block. He is 6.5 times more likely to commit a foul than get a steal. He and his Wolves teammates are exploited repeatedly on defense.
3) This may be as good as he will ever be defensively -- Love is 20 years old. He will never be a more active defender than he is now. Yet his steals+blocks totals are comparable to guys like Troy Murphy and Mehmet Okur.
4) Love is a poor passer and has no inside posting game. Love averages more turnovers than assists. He cannot dribble or create his own shot on the perimeter.
Thus, his upside as an offensive player can best be described as follows: he could be an "end of the play" finisher either off basket cuts or open jumpers.
So, hmm, NBA players 6'8" and above who can't post and make their living off basket cuts and open jumpers....... Um, Okur, Murphy, 35 year old version of Chris Webber, Rasheed Wallace, 32 year old version of Kevin Garnett, David Lee, Vlad Rad, Tim Thomas, Kurt Thomas.
I think you need to delete the real high-end defenders (Sheed, KG, Kurt Thomas).
Then you need to delete the guys who shoot above 50% or shoot well from 3 (Love is 14% from 3). (Okur, Webber, Lee, Vlad Rad).
So Love's upside is, Troy Murphy or Tim Thomas? Upside? At age 20? Yikes.
5) Is there any other big player in the NBA who struggles more at finishing inside? The guy he most reminds me of is Danny Fortson. Go here and look at Danny Fortson's 2001-02 season. If you are a Kevin Love fan that ought to terrify you -- it looks just like Love's current season.
So, there ya go -- beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
"Kevin Love Is Really Good Argument"
1) He has 18 double-doubles this year. The same as LeBron James and one more right now than Dwyane Wade.
2) He is 12th in the league in rebounds per game. Not rebounds per 48 or rebounds per 40. The actual "how many rebounds do you get a game" stat. Dirk Nowitski, David West, Kendrick Perkins -- not close.
13th in the league -- Shaq (8.7 to Love's 8.8).
3) His Rebounds per 40 minute figure is 3rd in the league. Only two of the most athletic 6'11" players in the league (Dwight Howard, Andris Biedrins) get more boards per 40 minutes played.
Love is not even 6'8" in bare feet.
4) Among NBA rookies, Love is 4th in Efficiency and (among rookies playing 10+ minutes a game) 1st in Efficiency per 48.
So, based upon the minutes he has played, he is the best rookie in the entire NBA.
5) Love is #3 in the league in total offensive rebounds and #1 in the percentage of offensive rebounds available that he gets (15+%). He gets 21% of the rebounds available to him.
"Kevin Love Is Shitty" Argument
1) He averages 24 minutes a game for one of the worst teams in the NBA and he still averages less than 30 minutes a game even in games after Al Jefferson got hurt.
So, on a team with NO interior options, he still cannot play true starter minutes (or his coach feels he is not worthy of those minutes).
2) He gets 1.0 steals+blocks a game. This is a terrible number for a guy who is the primary interior defender on a poor NBA club. Love probably gets 10-15 opportunities to block a shot every game and his offensive player handles the ball A LOT (they go at him a lot). Yet he get 0.4 steals and 0.6 blocks a game, despite fouling 2.6 times a game.
He is 4.5 times more likely to commit a foul than get a block. He is 6.5 times more likely to commit a foul than get a steal. He and his Wolves teammates are exploited repeatedly on defense.
3) This may be as good as he will ever be defensively -- Love is 20 years old. He will never be a more active defender than he is now. Yet his steals+blocks totals are comparable to guys like Troy Murphy and Mehmet Okur.
4) Love is a poor passer and has no inside posting game. Love averages more turnovers than assists. He cannot dribble or create his own shot on the perimeter.
Thus, his upside as an offensive player can best be described as follows: he could be an "end of the play" finisher either off basket cuts or open jumpers.
So, hmm, NBA players 6'8" and above who can't post and make their living off basket cuts and open jumpers....... Um, Okur, Murphy, 35 year old version of Chris Webber, Rasheed Wallace, 32 year old version of Kevin Garnett, David Lee, Vlad Rad, Tim Thomas, Kurt Thomas.
I think you need to delete the real high-end defenders (Sheed, KG, Kurt Thomas).
Then you need to delete the guys who shoot above 50% or shoot well from 3 (Love is 14% from 3). (Okur, Webber, Lee, Vlad Rad).
So Love's upside is, Troy Murphy or Tim Thomas? Upside? At age 20? Yikes.
5) Is there any other big player in the NBA who struggles more at finishing inside? The guy he most reminds me of is Danny Fortson. Go here and look at Danny Fortson's 2001-02 season. If you are a Kevin Love fan that ought to terrify you -- it looks just like Love's current season.
So, there ya go -- beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Euroleague -- Financial Cracks Starting to Show?
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ian_thomsen/03/05/europe/
Now, I can scarcely blame Euroleague teams for wanting not to pay Chris Morris or Zendon Hamilton, but some of the stuff in here should be a concern to guys wanting to play in Europe. And what agent signs an American player and has him report to Europe without the agent getting paid first??? Possible answers -- 1) A bad one. 2) Someone who can only get business representing guys who can't make the NBA.
Ricky Rubio -- I have seen him play and he reminds me a lot of Steve Nash. The question is, will he be the Steve Nash early career, Steve Nash in-Dallas-pre-Suns or the MVP Steve Nash? I would welcome a decent point guard who can shoot into the NBA with open arms.
Josh Childress -- look, I wouldn't want to play for Mike Woodson either, but passing up $33MM guaranteed to play in Greece wasn't working out well for you BEFORE you tore an ab'.
What did we learn from the Josh Childress signing? Some guys are just good role players. You play "A" level ball and you are a good role player; you drop down to "B" level ball and now you are.......still just a good role player. In fact, sometimes good role players get WORSE as they drop down the pecking order because they don't have high level A players getting them the ball and doing all of the other things on the court that the role player cannot do.
HM
Now, I can scarcely blame Euroleague teams for wanting not to pay Chris Morris or Zendon Hamilton, but some of the stuff in here should be a concern to guys wanting to play in Europe. And what agent signs an American player and has him report to Europe without the agent getting paid first??? Possible answers -- 1) A bad one. 2) Someone who can only get business representing guys who can't make the NBA.
Ricky Rubio -- I have seen him play and he reminds me a lot of Steve Nash. The question is, will he be the Steve Nash early career, Steve Nash in-Dallas-pre-Suns or the MVP Steve Nash? I would welcome a decent point guard who can shoot into the NBA with open arms.
Josh Childress -- look, I wouldn't want to play for Mike Woodson either, but passing up $33MM guaranteed to play in Greece wasn't working out well for you BEFORE you tore an ab'.
What did we learn from the Josh Childress signing? Some guys are just good role players. You play "A" level ball and you are a good role player; you drop down to "B" level ball and now you are.......still just a good role player. In fact, sometimes good role players get WORSE as they drop down the pecking order because they don't have high level A players getting them the ball and doing all of the other things on the court that the role player cannot do.
HM
Terrell Owens -- Upstate NY; Upstate NY -- Terrell Owens
Wow. T.O. signs a one year deal with the Bills. Wow.
Wow.
A few notes to T.O.:
1) You will be playing games in a town called Orchard Park. It is 15 miles south of Buffalo. Population -- 22,000. I am not that familiar with Dallas, but 15 miles outside of Buffalo isn't 15 miles outside of Dallas.
You played in Philly -- think of playing games in Bucks County....a much poorer version of Bucks County.
2) Learn to deer hunt -- you will fit in much better. If you cannot deer hunt, well, do what other city dwellers do, go deer hunting anyway down in Chemung County and shoot some poor farmer's dairy cow.
3) Most people in the large media markets do not know where "Buffalo, New York" is. It is basically a mystery burg somewhere in Canada. So when you go effing crazy that Trent Edwards isn't throwing you the ball, the general reaction will be "Who isn't throwing whom the ball?"
4) Buffalonians aren't real patient with prima donna fuck ups. Jim Kelly used to hold his team parties in the basement of his house. Many Buffalo fans thought he should be arrested/thrown off the team/imprisoned. So you will need to dial down the level of dickishness from 98 to, say, 12 to be a fan favorite in Buffalo.
Welcome -- enjoy some wings and Beef on 'Weck!!
Wow.
A few notes to T.O.:
1) You will be playing games in a town called Orchard Park. It is 15 miles south of Buffalo. Population -- 22,000. I am not that familiar with Dallas, but 15 miles outside of Buffalo isn't 15 miles outside of Dallas.
You played in Philly -- think of playing games in Bucks County....a much poorer version of Bucks County.
2) Learn to deer hunt -- you will fit in much better. If you cannot deer hunt, well, do what other city dwellers do, go deer hunting anyway down in Chemung County and shoot some poor farmer's dairy cow.
3) Most people in the large media markets do not know where "Buffalo, New York" is. It is basically a mystery burg somewhere in Canada. So when you go effing crazy that Trent Edwards isn't throwing you the ball, the general reaction will be "Who isn't throwing whom the ball?"
4) Buffalonians aren't real patient with prima donna fuck ups. Jim Kelly used to hold his team parties in the basement of his house. Many Buffalo fans thought he should be arrested/thrown off the team/imprisoned. So you will need to dial down the level of dickishness from 98 to, say, 12 to be a fan favorite in Buffalo.
Welcome -- enjoy some wings and Beef on 'Weck!!
The Wrestler
For those of you who have not seen the movie "The Wrestler" -- read this wikipedia entry.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lex_Luger
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lex_Luger#cite_note-127
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lex_Luger
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lex_Luger#cite_note-127
Friday, March 06, 2009
Another Obama Birth Case Dismissed
http://documents.scribd.com/docs/arkolzv761noj8zxyq5.pdf
Good language in the case. I have no idea whatsoever why they thought they could bring the case as an "interpleader" action.
A better and more thorough opinion is cited. Berg v. Obama: http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/pennsylvania/paedce/2:2008cv04083/281573/28/
The conclusion of that court is basically that NO ONE has standing to raised this issue unless the Congress explicitly gives them standing to do so. Since the Congress will be Democratic Party controlled through January 2011, and since Obama can still veto any potential law after that, yeah -- note to whacked-out conspiracy guys, he is going to be your president until January 2013.
Deal with it.
Good language in the case. I have no idea whatsoever why they thought they could bring the case as an "interpleader" action.
A better and more thorough opinion is cited. Berg v. Obama: http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/pennsylvania/paedce/2:2008cv04083/281573/28/
The conclusion of that court is basically that NO ONE has standing to raised this issue unless the Congress explicitly gives them standing to do so. Since the Congress will be Democratic Party controlled through January 2011, and since Obama can still veto any potential law after that, yeah -- note to whacked-out conspiracy guys, he is going to be your president until January 2013.
Deal with it.
Megan Joy Corkrey -- One of American's Best 13 Unsigned Singers?
Come ON!!! You knew the 'fix" was in for the young blonde when Simon Cowell described her performance as "terrific" and then added that it was certainly not the best VOCAL performance he had heard.
So????? Singing contest. Admittedly mediocre vocal. Did nothing but stand in one place and twist her hips while keeping her feet still. Yes, Simon, "Terrific."
I lost a LOT of respect for Simon Cowell last night. He should have said, "We need a black girl and a young blonde girl -- check and check. Now how about a male minority contestant? Check. And then? OK, we will pick one good singer out of the bunch. There, done." At least THAT would have been honest.
So????? Singing contest. Admittedly mediocre vocal. Did nothing but stand in one place and twist her hips while keeping her feet still. Yes, Simon, "Terrific."
I lost a LOT of respect for Simon Cowell last night. He should have said, "We need a black girl and a young blonde girl -- check and check. Now how about a male minority contestant? Check. And then? OK, we will pick one good singer out of the bunch. There, done." At least THAT would have been honest.
Watch more YouTube videos on AOL Video
Bernie Madoff -- Didn't Steal$50B
I asked on February 5 -- how in the hell do you steal $50B? And, as I suspected.......you really don't.
http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/bbdp/did-madoff-scam-really-total-50-billion/372293
Here is how the media comes up with a $50B "loss": I give you about $15B. You send me statements every year for 10 years saying that I have made exactly 12.13245678% on my money. And I "make" the same amount of money every year, whether the market goes up or down (you are a very lazy defrauder).
So you pay some other people with my money and you steal maybe $2B and you invest the rest in terrible investments. Then one day the market collapses so badly that you can't run the Ponzi scheme anymore. So you tell your confidants, "I just stole $50B."
That, of course, is also a lie. There never was actually $50B, and I only ever gave you $15B. But no one has any interest in debunking it because it is a better story with the $50B in it and because the people who were defrauded want the whole $50B back (since they have booked the inflated gains on their balance sheets as assets for all of these years).
http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/bbdp/did-madoff-scam-really-total-50-billion/372293
Here is how the media comes up with a $50B "loss": I give you about $15B. You send me statements every year for 10 years saying that I have made exactly 12.13245678% on my money. And I "make" the same amount of money every year, whether the market goes up or down (you are a very lazy defrauder).
So you pay some other people with my money and you steal maybe $2B and you invest the rest in terrible investments. Then one day the market collapses so badly that you can't run the Ponzi scheme anymore. So you tell your confidants, "I just stole $50B."
That, of course, is also a lie. There never was actually $50B, and I only ever gave you $15B. But no one has any interest in debunking it because it is a better story with the $50B in it and because the people who were defrauded want the whole $50B back (since they have booked the inflated gains on their balance sheets as assets for all of these years).
Thursday, March 05, 2009
NBA Eastern Conference -- Who Wants That #8 Spot?
To steal from (and reverse) Dennis Green's famous observation -- "When you have two bad teams who both should lose, only one of them can lose."
Well, in the East you have a BUNCH of bad teams extremely capable of losing and missing the playoffs, but not every team can miss out on the playoffs, so let's look at our contenders as we turn the page to about 18-23 games remaining in the season:
In Right Now
Philadelphia 7 seed 29-30 record 17-14Home 12-16Road 4-6Last10 Streak -- L 2
The Sixers are not a good team overall, but they have a lot of talent. So despite themselves I think they get in. Oh, and they have a 2 1/2 game lead with 23 games to play, so someone will actually have to play well to pass them.
Milwaukee 8 seed 29 35 18-12 11-23 4-6 L 2
You could really knock me over with a feather when I read that the Bucks are a serious playoff contender. I reviewed two Bucks boxscores (yes, the team even has a Web site!) and found out that they are starting Richard Jefferson, Charlie Villanueva, Franciso Elson, Luc Mbah a Moute and Ramon Sessions with only Charlie Bell and Luke Ridnour seeing decent time off the pine. #1 draft choice Joe Alexander? DNP-CD in a 20+ point blowout to the Cavs.
On the plus side they have played 34 road games and only 30 home games and they only have 18 games to play. On the down side? Go back and read the names of their players.
Currently Out
Chicago 28-34 18-11 10-23 5-5 W 1
While the Bulls seem to be forever injured, they have so much more talent than, for example, the Bucks that I would think eventually the Bulls would get up there that last few percentage points and get the #8 seed. They are a tough matchup for Cleveland (have 100 guys LeBron's size to try to guard LeBron) but they basically stand no chance against the Celtics or Orlando.
New Jersey 27 34 13-19 14-15 3-7 L 1
Wouldn't you think that merely having Vince Carter and Devin Harris as your backcourt and having a 7'3" center who can catch the ball would be enough to get you to .500? I would, but then again I would have said they would fire Lawrence Frank the night after he took the same team that went to the finals twice and immediately lost in the playoffs. I guess I am awrong on both counts.
Interesting Nets note: They have 9 home games and 12 road games left.......but they are way better on the road!
Charlotte 26 35 17-15 9-20 6-4 W 4
Here is an interesting team to watch for one basic reason -- their coach and their organization actually wants to win and get that #8 spot! And they start a very imposing defensive club -- Raja Bell, Gerald Wallace and Okafor are all guys who are top 15% NBA defenders when motivated, plus Boris Diaw and Ray Felton can play average defense. Then they bring DJ Augustine off the bench and play him 30 minutes a game.
So what does that tell you? In a late-season game that is meaningless to you, you are going to have to play against a team that plays 7 guy (Vlad Rad is #7) and might D you up for 48 straight minutes. Bobcats have a shot.
Downside -- only 9 home games and 12 road games left and they are putrid on the road.
Indiana 27 37 19-11 8-26 6-4 L1
They have played 34 road games, so they get 11 of their final 18 games at home. (8-26 on the road -- yuck).
Pluses -- They are very big and could get Danny Granger back this week.
Minuses -- they are heading into key games being powered by Jarrett Jack. That is not a formula to place a bet on.
The Knicks -- still arguably in it, but I think they want a lottery chance so I will discount them.
Well, in the East you have a BUNCH of bad teams extremely capable of losing and missing the playoffs, but not every team can miss out on the playoffs, so let's look at our contenders as we turn the page to about 18-23 games remaining in the season:
In Right Now
Philadelphia 7 seed 29-30 record 17-14Home 12-16Road 4-6Last10 Streak -- L 2
The Sixers are not a good team overall, but they have a lot of talent. So despite themselves I think they get in. Oh, and they have a 2 1/2 game lead with 23 games to play, so someone will actually have to play well to pass them.
Milwaukee 8 seed 29 35 18-12 11-23 4-6 L 2
You could really knock me over with a feather when I read that the Bucks are a serious playoff contender. I reviewed two Bucks boxscores (yes, the team even has a Web site!) and found out that they are starting Richard Jefferson, Charlie Villanueva, Franciso Elson, Luc Mbah a Moute and Ramon Sessions with only Charlie Bell and Luke Ridnour seeing decent time off the pine. #1 draft choice Joe Alexander? DNP-CD in a 20+ point blowout to the Cavs.
On the plus side they have played 34 road games and only 30 home games and they only have 18 games to play. On the down side? Go back and read the names of their players.
Currently Out
Chicago 28-34 18-11 10-23 5-5 W 1
While the Bulls seem to be forever injured, they have so much more talent than, for example, the Bucks that I would think eventually the Bulls would get up there that last few percentage points and get the #8 seed. They are a tough matchup for Cleveland (have 100 guys LeBron's size to try to guard LeBron) but they basically stand no chance against the Celtics or Orlando.
New Jersey 27 34 13-19 14-15 3-7 L 1
Wouldn't you think that merely having Vince Carter and Devin Harris as your backcourt and having a 7'3" center who can catch the ball would be enough to get you to .500? I would, but then again I would have said they would fire Lawrence Frank the night after he took the same team that went to the finals twice and immediately lost in the playoffs. I guess I am awrong on both counts.
Interesting Nets note: They have 9 home games and 12 road games left.......but they are way better on the road!
Charlotte 26 35 17-15 9-20 6-4 W 4
Here is an interesting team to watch for one basic reason -- their coach and their organization actually wants to win and get that #8 spot! And they start a very imposing defensive club -- Raja Bell, Gerald Wallace and Okafor are all guys who are top 15% NBA defenders when motivated, plus Boris Diaw and Ray Felton can play average defense. Then they bring DJ Augustine off the bench and play him 30 minutes a game.
So what does that tell you? In a late-season game that is meaningless to you, you are going to have to play against a team that plays 7 guy (Vlad Rad is #7) and might D you up for 48 straight minutes. Bobcats have a shot.
Downside -- only 9 home games and 12 road games left and they are putrid on the road.
Indiana 27 37 19-11 8-26 6-4 L1
They have played 34 road games, so they get 11 of their final 18 games at home. (8-26 on the road -- yuck).
Pluses -- They are very big and could get Danny Granger back this week.
Minuses -- they are heading into key games being powered by Jarrett Jack. That is not a formula to place a bet on.
The Knicks -- still arguably in it, but I think they want a lottery chance so I will discount them.
Recall My Rant on Investment Markets?
An example of the wonderful financial "reporting" offered up to the public as information on the markets:
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
The One Missing Yoo Memo -- George Bush Had Legal Right to Serve As Dictator
http://balkin.blogspot.com/2009/03/end-of-yoo-doctrine.html
Here is what I am waiting to see disclosed at some point -- the memo in which Yoo opines that President George W. Bush has the inherent non-statutory authority to continue on as President in January of 2005, even if he loses the 2004 election.
Why wouldn't this document exist? Yoo concluded that Bush was not bound by federal statute or by future federal statute or by the First or Fourth Amendment of the Constitution. He concluded that U.S. citizens could be subject to raids by military personnel while on U.S. soil if suspected of "terrorist activity." His argument was not that you balanced the protections of the Bill of Rights against national security, but rather that the President is, well, the President.
So given the fact that GWB was never bound by the specific provisions of the specific part of the Constitution put in place to protect people from government action, where is the memo saying he could declare martial law and remain as President if John Kerry won? You know it exists in some form. And Yoo would drag out a terrible analogy to justify it; you know he would. For example:
Surely if Jefferson Davis arose from the dead and suddenly won a fixed election and declared himself President of the newfound Confederate States of America, George Bush would not be required to stand aside and allow such a travesty of justice to continue. He could, ala Abe Lincoln, do what was best to maintain the country as we know it!
So I am just waiting for the other shoe to drop. After all, how much worse can it get?
Here is what I am waiting to see disclosed at some point -- the memo in which Yoo opines that President George W. Bush has the inherent non-statutory authority to continue on as President in January of 2005, even if he loses the 2004 election.
Why wouldn't this document exist? Yoo concluded that Bush was not bound by federal statute or by future federal statute or by the First or Fourth Amendment of the Constitution. He concluded that U.S. citizens could be subject to raids by military personnel while on U.S. soil if suspected of "terrorist activity." His argument was not that you balanced the protections of the Bill of Rights against national security, but rather that the President is, well, the President.
So given the fact that GWB was never bound by the specific provisions of the specific part of the Constitution put in place to protect people from government action, where is the memo saying he could declare martial law and remain as President if John Kerry won? You know it exists in some form. And Yoo would drag out a terrible analogy to justify it; you know he would. For example:
Surely if Jefferson Davis arose from the dead and suddenly won a fixed election and declared himself President of the newfound Confederate States of America, George Bush would not be required to stand aside and allow such a travesty of justice to continue. He could, ala Abe Lincoln, do what was best to maintain the country as we know it!
So I am just waiting for the other shoe to drop. After all, how much worse can it get?
What Really Grinds My Gears #2 -- The Investment Markets
You know what really grinds my gears? The investment markets.
Look, I know that everyone hates the stock market now that it has gone down to 50% of its prior value, but I have always hated these markets. Why? They make no sense and they are so badly manipulated.
There are computer models of when you invest in the stock market or in a particular stock. These were used for years and years. I once asked a guy who made his living this way, "So you are saying that, regardless of current conditions, if something has happened in the past that I should bet on it to happen again in the future?" Yes. Exactly. "If Michael Jordan retires I should continue to bet on the Bulls to win 70?" Yes. "But doesn't that ignore the fact that his team will be way, way worse and won't win 70?" Yes. "So....?" Hey look, HM, what you are doing is betting on how other people will bet (buy or sell) so if a company has always gone to 50 after dropping to 40, people are going to start buying at 40, so you want to buy at 40. "But what if they should go to 30 or 20 based upon performance?" Doesn't matter. "That makes no sense." It makes a lot more sense that being out there alone trying to figure out their actual future financial performance. "Oh my lord."
And take the energy market in California. What did we learn from the "shortage"? That there was no shortage and the electric companies would intentionally not produce electricity so they could gouge the consumer. Same thing is going on now with gasoline and refineries -- price of gas should be 30 cents lower, but refineries have cut their production. People asked recently about why oil went to $150 a barrel -- answer -- "Because speculators realized they could drive it that high." Wasn't it supply and demand? "No, there was never any shortage of oil."
I now have a client who has worked in the financial industry. Every time I talk to him he always tells me, "Market will be down today because"..............(or very rarely) "Market will be up today because..........."
His reasons are NEVER what is reported in the media. Example -- he says, "Huge news to come out about AIG needing more money -- the market is screwed today." So the market goes down and the media reports "Markets down due to uncertainty over Obama stimulus." Well, Jesus. Come on. Why was it so easy for financial folk to get their cash and eff everyone else? Cuz they actually know what is going on!
So the investment markets -- that is what really grinds my gears.
HM
Look, I know that everyone hates the stock market now that it has gone down to 50% of its prior value, but I have always hated these markets. Why? They make no sense and they are so badly manipulated.
There are computer models of when you invest in the stock market or in a particular stock. These were used for years and years. I once asked a guy who made his living this way, "So you are saying that, regardless of current conditions, if something has happened in the past that I should bet on it to happen again in the future?" Yes. Exactly. "If Michael Jordan retires I should continue to bet on the Bulls to win 70?" Yes. "But doesn't that ignore the fact that his team will be way, way worse and won't win 70?" Yes. "So....?" Hey look, HM, what you are doing is betting on how other people will bet (buy or sell) so if a company has always gone to 50 after dropping to 40, people are going to start buying at 40, so you want to buy at 40. "But what if they should go to 30 or 20 based upon performance?" Doesn't matter. "That makes no sense." It makes a lot more sense that being out there alone trying to figure out their actual future financial performance. "Oh my lord."
And take the energy market in California. What did we learn from the "shortage"? That there was no shortage and the electric companies would intentionally not produce electricity so they could gouge the consumer. Same thing is going on now with gasoline and refineries -- price of gas should be 30 cents lower, but refineries have cut their production. People asked recently about why oil went to $150 a barrel -- answer -- "Because speculators realized they could drive it that high." Wasn't it supply and demand? "No, there was never any shortage of oil."
I now have a client who has worked in the financial industry. Every time I talk to him he always tells me, "Market will be down today because"..............(or very rarely) "Market will be up today because..........."
His reasons are NEVER what is reported in the media. Example -- he says, "Huge news to come out about AIG needing more money -- the market is screwed today." So the market goes down and the media reports "Markets down due to uncertainty over Obama stimulus." Well, Jesus. Come on. Why was it so easy for financial folk to get their cash and eff everyone else? Cuz they actually know what is going on!
So the investment markets -- that is what really grinds my gears.
HM
Idol Contestant Adam Lambert Frenching Some Guy
http://www.votefortheworst.com/20090301/adam_lambert_likes_take_pictures_himself_making_out_some_dude
Good God. As I mentioned before, Simon in the early rounds was DESPERATELY trying to get at least one guy into the final 12 who was clearly heterosexual.
I think he may end up with a few, but then he has Lambert and possibly a few others to drive down the ratings with the heavily-Southern and heavily-female audience.
Good God. As I mentioned before, Simon in the early rounds was DESPERATELY trying to get at least one guy into the final 12 who was clearly heterosexual.
I think he may end up with a few, but then he has Lambert and possibly a few others to drive down the ratings with the heavily-Southern and heavily-female audience.
Scott Hastings -- Jay Cutler "is a little bitch"
http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/03/03/jay-cutlers-popularity-in-denver-is-waning/
QB most comparable to Cutler (per Hastings)??? Jeff George.
QB most comparable to Cutler (per Hastings)??? Jeff George.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Brady Quinn For Jay Cutler?
http://blogs.cantonrep.com/2009/03/freshbrownies/brady-quinn-might-get-denver-out-of-a-pretty-big-mess/
Now this makes some sense. Cutler is erratic and has never shown an ability to win games. Quinn is certainly not as physically gifted, but he may be a steadier hand that the new Broncos coach would feel more comfortable with.
I say a good deal for both clubs if it can get done.
Now this makes some sense. Cutler is erratic and has never shown an ability to win games. Quinn is certainly not as physically gifted, but he may be a steadier hand that the new Broncos coach would feel more comfortable with.
I say a good deal for both clubs if it can get done.
Michael Steele and Rush Limbaugh
To summarize:
Michael Steele: Limbaugh is an idiot and I run the GOP.
Rush Limbaugh: Say you are sorry and that as a token GOP black man you will never challenge me again.
Steele: I am sorry and as a token GOP black man I will never challenge you again.
Rush: Say "Mr. King Rush"
Steele: Mr. King Rush.
Rush: Apology not accepted. No go eff yourself.
Steele now off trying to figure out how to eff himself.
Monday, March 02, 2009
Shaq On Chris Bosh -- "The RuPaul of Big Men"
http://dimemag.com/2009/03/shaq-on-chris-bosh-hes-the-rupaul-of-big-men/
It is so 100% true. He kinda looks like a real big man, and he wants to pretend he is a real big man. And Bosh talks like he wants to be considered a real big man, but, at the end of the day, he just isn't.
It is so 100% true. He kinda looks like a real big man, and he wants to pretend he is a real big man. And Bosh talks like he wants to be considered a real big man, but, at the end of the day, he just isn't.
PM -- Broken Ankle -- Out for the rest of Basketball
Now he goes in to get his ankle looked at Thursday and we will see how much baseball will be missed.
Reason for ankle injury -- rubberized floor caused his foot to stick and his ankle to roll.
His teammate suffered the same injury 10 minutes later.
HM
Reason for ankle injury -- rubberized floor caused his foot to stick and his ankle to roll.
His teammate suffered the same injury 10 minutes later.
HM
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