Has anyone else noticed this? Seriously, it's weird.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Catherine Keener looks exactly like Mary Steenburgen
Has anyone else noticed this? Seriously, it's weird.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Grown Man Move
With all due respect to Mark Jackson.
It's been several days, but somehow I've been sick of the Lebronocalpyse for several years already. I hate everything about how he handled this situation. I hate how it seems like the trio planned their teaming up years ago yet still led several teams on this off-season even though, realistically, Miami was the only possible location for their union. I hate how after the Cavaliers got booted out of the playoffs by the Celtics, Lebron talked about how he and his team would implement their game plan for free agency (shouldn't you have tried to implement a game plan for, you know, the game?). I hate the one hour television special (and I hate that it took him 30 minutes to get to a decision he promised in 10). I hate how he said that wearing a Heat jersey "feels right." I hate his assertion that the three of them could lead a winning team with Pat Riley as their point guard. I hate that claims that they're looking to win "not one, not two...not six, not seven" championships when Adam Morrison has more rings than the three of them put together. But one thing I do love is the nickname for them that's been floating around: the Three Miami-egos.
But do I hate Lebron? Unless his ego has finally taken over as a sentient entity, a possibility I don't discount, no I don't. Do I even hate that he's teaming up with Wade and Bosh in Miami? No, and in fact it excites me and I'm going to look to buy Suns/Heat tickets when the NBA schedule comes out. Like I said before, while I don't think they should be praised for this move, they shouldn't be vilified either.
The whole situation in general has been covered to death. But Lebron really has taken a beating in the last few days, and I don't think it's right. Let's be real here. He's 25. What 25 year old wouldn't want to play basketball for a hundred million dollars with two of his best friends while living in Miami? Look, I don't want to say he "earned" the right to leave because I think that whole idea is stupid. The whole point of free agency is that a player can go play where he wants to play and where he feels like he's being paid what he's worth. Lebron doesn't "owe" Cleveland any more than Dwyane Wade "owes" his hometown of Chicago. How many times do owners and GM use the defense of "it's a business" to justify when they treat players like crap or send them off in trades or waive them? A player's duty to a city and an organization is done once they've fulfilled their contract. From there, it's up to management to create a situation in which that player wants to come back. Granted, it's a different situation if a player promises to come back and still jump ship. However, this was not the case at all with Lebron. I believe that yes, he would love to stay in his home state and bring Ohio a championship. But he had to consider all the other factors and evidently decided that the grass was greener, the ocean bluer, and the sun brighter in Miami (and he would be right, literally and metaphorically). As much as I don't like Lebron, I can't pile on him for this decision and, to some extent, for how he handled it either. It was completely unnecessary, but it's who he is. No one's ever accused Lebron of being understated in anyway.
The one thing that's been far more disgusting than Lebron's ego has been Dan Gilbert's antics. His now infamous letter ripping Lebron is the ultimate example of sour grapes. It's childish, condescending, and doesn't make a lick of sense. He's not fooling anyone by releasing this letter claiming that Lebron is a farce who quit and can't win a championship the minute he realizes he's not getting him. His use of hyperbole, ALL CAPS, and Comic Sans font makes it so ridiculous that many people thought it was a fake or parody.
Lebron's doing what he thinks is best for him and his family. Critics may disagree on the basketball implications of his decision, but no one can say, "You can't/shouldn't do that" just because it's not what they wanted him to do. You'd expect the owner of the team that Lebron turned from nothing into a contender and brought countless extra revenue to to take the high road, to thank Lebron for what he's done. But no, the person who claims that Lebron is teaching kids the wrong lesson by...well, I was never really clear on that, proved himself to be the biggest kid of all.
It's been several days, but somehow I've been sick of the Lebronocalpyse for several years already. I hate everything about how he handled this situation. I hate how it seems like the trio planned their teaming up years ago yet still led several teams on this off-season even though, realistically, Miami was the only possible location for their union. I hate how after the Cavaliers got booted out of the playoffs by the Celtics, Lebron talked about how he and his team would implement their game plan for free agency (shouldn't you have tried to implement a game plan for, you know, the game?). I hate the one hour television special (and I hate that it took him 30 minutes to get to a decision he promised in 10). I hate how he said that wearing a Heat jersey "feels right." I hate his assertion that the three of them could lead a winning team with Pat Riley as their point guard. I hate that claims that they're looking to win "not one, not two...not six, not seven" championships when Adam Morrison has more rings than the three of them put together. But one thing I do love is the nickname for them that's been floating around: the Three Miami-egos.
But do I hate Lebron? Unless his ego has finally taken over as a sentient entity, a possibility I don't discount, no I don't. Do I even hate that he's teaming up with Wade and Bosh in Miami? No, and in fact it excites me and I'm going to look to buy Suns/Heat tickets when the NBA schedule comes out. Like I said before, while I don't think they should be praised for this move, they shouldn't be vilified either.
The whole situation in general has been covered to death. But Lebron really has taken a beating in the last few days, and I don't think it's right. Let's be real here. He's 25. What 25 year old wouldn't want to play basketball for a hundred million dollars with two of his best friends while living in Miami? Look, I don't want to say he "earned" the right to leave because I think that whole idea is stupid. The whole point of free agency is that a player can go play where he wants to play and where he feels like he's being paid what he's worth. Lebron doesn't "owe" Cleveland any more than Dwyane Wade "owes" his hometown of Chicago. How many times do owners and GM use the defense of "it's a business" to justify when they treat players like crap or send them off in trades or waive them? A player's duty to a city and an organization is done once they've fulfilled their contract. From there, it's up to management to create a situation in which that player wants to come back. Granted, it's a different situation if a player promises to come back and still jump ship. However, this was not the case at all with Lebron. I believe that yes, he would love to stay in his home state and bring Ohio a championship. But he had to consider all the other factors and evidently decided that the grass was greener, the ocean bluer, and the sun brighter in Miami (and he would be right, literally and metaphorically). As much as I don't like Lebron, I can't pile on him for this decision and, to some extent, for how he handled it either. It was completely unnecessary, but it's who he is. No one's ever accused Lebron of being understated in anyway.
The one thing that's been far more disgusting than Lebron's ego has been Dan Gilbert's antics. His now infamous letter ripping Lebron is the ultimate example of sour grapes. It's childish, condescending, and doesn't make a lick of sense. He's not fooling anyone by releasing this letter claiming that Lebron is a farce who quit and can't win a championship the minute he realizes he's not getting him. His use of hyperbole, ALL CAPS, and Comic Sans font makes it so ridiculous that many people thought it was a fake or parody.
Lebron's doing what he thinks is best for him and his family. Critics may disagree on the basketball implications of his decision, but no one can say, "You can't/shouldn't do that" just because it's not what they wanted him to do. You'd expect the owner of the team that Lebron turned from nothing into a contender and brought countless extra revenue to to take the high road, to thank Lebron for what he's done. But no, the person who claims that Lebron is teaching kids the wrong lesson by...well, I was never really clear on that, proved himself to be the biggest kid of all.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
The 64th Match
I'm pretty excited for the Netherlands/Spain final tomorrow. Full disclosure: I'm not a soccer fan, I don't watch the MLS or Bundesliga or UEFA or the Champions' League or whatever else is out there and I don't plan to after this. However, I do love international competitions and the World Cup is the best of the best.
This year's been really fun to watch and follow and there have been some great moments and games as always. Martin Tyler and Ian Darke have been both been excellent play-by-play guys and have had some really memorable calls on goals (off the top of my head, Donovan and Bradley's goals, Maicon's sharp angled shot, Carlos Tevez's "electric" goal against Mexico, Von Bronckhorst's "firecracker" against Uruguay, and many more).
The talent level has been amazing, which is to be expected at the World Cup, but the interesting thing is it hasn't been stars like Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi, or Cristiano Ronaldo that have really stood out. David Villa and Wesley Sneijder, very good but less heralded players, have arguably been the biggest stars and have led their nations into the finals. Thomas Mueller's been a revelation for the German team as the 20 year old has scored 5 goals in the tournament.
I think Team USA's run made it much more interesting for us stateside viewers. It was magical and exhilarating as the Yanks came back from behind countless times as they played their way into the knockout round before falling to Ghana. But now that the tournament is coming to a close, I'll just say it straight out. The Americans underperformed. Of course the results were great and they avoided the worst case scenario of the sport taking a step back in the US. However, this US team was loaded with talent (relatively speaking, compared to the Euro or South American powers it was still weak) as we had several world class players, something that hasn't been all that common. But they struggled, notably surrendering early goals in almost every game. In fact, the only time Team USA led in the entire tournament was the few minutes after Donovan scored against Algeria. It's been said many times that the Yanks thrive as the underdogs but struggle as favorites, and it rang true in this year's World Cup. To succeed, they're just going to need more consistency. As great as Donovan and Dempsey were, they faded and failed to impact the game at times. Tim Howard had some great moments, but also allowed goals that he has to stop to keep the USA in games. And strikers will need to score. No American forward has scored in the past two World Cups. But the future is bright as these players will get more match experience, hopefully improving over the next four years and build on the successful result of this 2010 World Cup.
As for the final, I really like the Dutch team. Their bright orange jerseys are a fun sight to see running around the pitch, and their offense has been able to carve through most of the teams they've played. But I worry that they might just be a little too "sexy." What I mean is that the German team was also very sexy going into their semifinal match against Spain. They had been playing with typical German efficiency and Mueller, Mesut Ozil and Miroslav Klose had been leading a strong offense. Spain, the pre-tournament favorite, stumbled out of the gates with a 1-0 loss to Switzerland and just hadn't looked all that spectacular. With strong performances throughout, Germany was favored in that game. I liked them to win, but I was worried that Spain might be able to shut them down early, drag on the game, then steal it with a late goal off a set play. Carles Puyol's header in the 72nd minute ended up winning the game as they punched a ticket to their first final with a 1-0 win. So basically, I'm worried that they might be able to do this to the Netherlands as well. The Dutch have had some struggles on defense, and if Villa or any of Spain's excellent midfield corps can break through early, it may be a long night for the Dutch. Even though they showed wonderful resiliency coming back against Brazil, it's always important to get that first goal and set the tone.
It's going to be a great final tomorrow, and nothing (not even those vuvuzelas) is going to change that.
This year's been really fun to watch and follow and there have been some great moments and games as always. Martin Tyler and Ian Darke have been both been excellent play-by-play guys and have had some really memorable calls on goals (off the top of my head, Donovan and Bradley's goals, Maicon's sharp angled shot, Carlos Tevez's "electric" goal against Mexico, Von Bronckhorst's "firecracker" against Uruguay, and many more).
The talent level has been amazing, which is to be expected at the World Cup, but the interesting thing is it hasn't been stars like Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi, or Cristiano Ronaldo that have really stood out. David Villa and Wesley Sneijder, very good but less heralded players, have arguably been the biggest stars and have led their nations into the finals. Thomas Mueller's been a revelation for the German team as the 20 year old has scored 5 goals in the tournament.
I think Team USA's run made it much more interesting for us stateside viewers. It was magical and exhilarating as the Yanks came back from behind countless times as they played their way into the knockout round before falling to Ghana. But now that the tournament is coming to a close, I'll just say it straight out. The Americans underperformed. Of course the results were great and they avoided the worst case scenario of the sport taking a step back in the US. However, this US team was loaded with talent (relatively speaking, compared to the Euro or South American powers it was still weak) as we had several world class players, something that hasn't been all that common. But they struggled, notably surrendering early goals in almost every game. In fact, the only time Team USA led in the entire tournament was the few minutes after Donovan scored against Algeria. It's been said many times that the Yanks thrive as the underdogs but struggle as favorites, and it rang true in this year's World Cup. To succeed, they're just going to need more consistency. As great as Donovan and Dempsey were, they faded and failed to impact the game at times. Tim Howard had some great moments, but also allowed goals that he has to stop to keep the USA in games. And strikers will need to score. No American forward has scored in the past two World Cups. But the future is bright as these players will get more match experience, hopefully improving over the next four years and build on the successful result of this 2010 World Cup.
As for the final, I really like the Dutch team. Their bright orange jerseys are a fun sight to see running around the pitch, and their offense has been able to carve through most of the teams they've played. But I worry that they might just be a little too "sexy." What I mean is that the German team was also very sexy going into their semifinal match against Spain. They had been playing with typical German efficiency and Mueller, Mesut Ozil and Miroslav Klose had been leading a strong offense. Spain, the pre-tournament favorite, stumbled out of the gates with a 1-0 loss to Switzerland and just hadn't looked all that spectacular. With strong performances throughout, Germany was favored in that game. I liked them to win, but I was worried that Spain might be able to shut them down early, drag on the game, then steal it with a late goal off a set play. Carles Puyol's header in the 72nd minute ended up winning the game as they punched a ticket to their first final with a 1-0 win. So basically, I'm worried that they might be able to do this to the Netherlands as well. The Dutch have had some struggles on defense, and if Villa or any of Spain's excellent midfield corps can break through early, it may be a long night for the Dutch. Even though they showed wonderful resiliency coming back against Brazil, it's always important to get that first goal and set the tone.
It's going to be a great final tomorrow, and nothing (not even those vuvuzelas) is going to change that.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
LeBron to the Miami Heat: Quick Hits
- LeBron claims he didn't plan on this all along, but then what was up with that rumor that they all planned this back in 2008 at the Olympics? Bill Simmons thinks it was all planned and they strung us all along. I tend to agree.
- Who's the main playmaker on that team? Who has the ball? Who takes the last shot? I'm really interested to take a look at the advanced stats for that team next year, and of course, it's a problem that every coach would love to have.
- Now the interesting thing to look at is how do the numbers work? Does LeBron or Bosh come to Miami in a sign and trade so that they all have maxes? If so, what happens to Beasley? He's become somewhat of an albatross that no one wants. Alternatively, there's been talk of them all taking pay cuts. Less of a big deal than you might think since Florida has no state income tax. Also, there have been reports that Miami has already offered Mike Miller a deal around the mid-level exception. If the big 3 take paycuts, Beasley stays and Miller comes, that's already a huge upgrade from the expected 9 minimum contract guys expected to be on the roster.
- There kind of seems to be two extreme reactions. One is that they're going to win five straight championships because of their massive star power. The second is that they won't win anything because of their massive lack of talent behind the big 3. Both have grains of truth. Obviously this union of two superstars and an All-Star is a big deal. On the other hand, they potentially may only have 4 NBA players surrounded by the equivalent of 9 second round picks. Now they won't dominate five in a row. Clearly, it's so difficult to win in the NBA, much less repeat. There are still many good teams out there who will put up a fight and beat them, especially early on before they fully mesh and accumulate talent. However, they won't be scrubs either. Too much talent and they can probably have a rotation where one of their stars is on the floor at all times. They can probably get a couple veterans on the cheap (a la 08 Celtics with Leon Powe and PJ Brown), pick up more talent that gets waived during the season, and use their exceptions next free agency. Make no mistake, this team will be a force to be reckoned with for years but not an unstoppable juggernaut. So much depends on what happens next, who they add, how they play together and how the coaching is.
- It's going to be unbelievably weird to see LeBron in a Heat uniform next year. So freakin weird.
- In other news, now that LeBron has not come to the New York Knicks, PF David Lee is going to the Golden State Warriors in a sign and trade with a package including Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf, and Kelenna Azubuike heading east.
- With that news, I sort of like where the Knicks are going. Donnie Walsh is finally almost done cleaning up the mess Isaiah Thomas created. They have a legit scoring option in Amare and now have some young pieces. It's not as bleak as it may seem. They're still going to suck next year though.
- Back to LeBronland, if they do win multiple titles, I don't think it should be held against them. It's perfectly clear that you need help to win titles. Players always look at who they'll be playing with when they sign with new teams. Of course this is a bit of an extreme situation, but overall, not much different than usual.
- However, people will point out things like Jordan/Pippen, Kobe/Shaq, Magic/Kareem to say that the rings would not be diminished at all. I also disagree with this. In my opinion, it's much different to stay with a team and have guys brought in and a team built up than it is to purposely go out and team up with other big stars in one spot to try to win.
- And as a third point, people will say the Big 3 in Boston did the same thing. To an extent this is true, however, all of them were older, ringless and pretty much desperate for a shot at a title. LeBron and Bosh don't have that same desire that comes from playing in the league for so long without winning. Also, they were pretty that the relative unknowns Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins turned out to be an elite point guard and a solid defensive force, respectively.
- Are fans in Cleveland rioting and/or burning things yet? And are Knicks fans rushing the Boys and Girls Club in Greenwich, CT to get at LeBron?
- The Heat desperately need a defensive center. Chris Bosh is nothing special inside (he played on an absolutely atrocious team last year, advanced metrics put him on the same level as Amare freaking Stoudemire) so they're going to need help. Unfortunately for them, they won't have much money to do it with. Maybe Shaq returns to South Beach for a reunion? That would be a sight.
- LeBron said he wanted to wear #6. Mario Chalmers, one of the only Heat players left on the roster, currently wears #6. Of course he'll give it up, but it's just amusing.
- This team is going to be a beast to play as in NBA 2k11 and NBA Elite 11. Not going to lie, I am very excited.
- For next year, this feels like a team that's going to be a regular season beast that will fade in the playoffs, where depth really matters. These guys will probably play monster minutes. That being said, the watch for the first team to beat the Big 3 will be fun.
- And at the end of the day, this is something pretty much unlike what we've seen. How can you not be excited to see how these guys are going to play together? It might be maddening now, but on the court it will be electrifying.
- Who's the main playmaker on that team? Who has the ball? Who takes the last shot? I'm really interested to take a look at the advanced stats for that team next year, and of course, it's a problem that every coach would love to have.
- Now the interesting thing to look at is how do the numbers work? Does LeBron or Bosh come to Miami in a sign and trade so that they all have maxes? If so, what happens to Beasley? He's become somewhat of an albatross that no one wants. Alternatively, there's been talk of them all taking pay cuts. Less of a big deal than you might think since Florida has no state income tax. Also, there have been reports that Miami has already offered Mike Miller a deal around the mid-level exception. If the big 3 take paycuts, Beasley stays and Miller comes, that's already a huge upgrade from the expected 9 minimum contract guys expected to be on the roster.
- There kind of seems to be two extreme reactions. One is that they're going to win five straight championships because of their massive star power. The second is that they won't win anything because of their massive lack of talent behind the big 3. Both have grains of truth. Obviously this union of two superstars and an All-Star is a big deal. On the other hand, they potentially may only have 4 NBA players surrounded by the equivalent of 9 second round picks. Now they won't dominate five in a row. Clearly, it's so difficult to win in the NBA, much less repeat. There are still many good teams out there who will put up a fight and beat them, especially early on before they fully mesh and accumulate talent. However, they won't be scrubs either. Too much talent and they can probably have a rotation where one of their stars is on the floor at all times. They can probably get a couple veterans on the cheap (a la 08 Celtics with Leon Powe and PJ Brown), pick up more talent that gets waived during the season, and use their exceptions next free agency. Make no mistake, this team will be a force to be reckoned with for years but not an unstoppable juggernaut. So much depends on what happens next, who they add, how they play together and how the coaching is.
- It's going to be unbelievably weird to see LeBron in a Heat uniform next year. So freakin weird.
- In other news, now that LeBron has not come to the New York Knicks, PF David Lee is going to the Golden State Warriors in a sign and trade with a package including Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf, and Kelenna Azubuike heading east.
- With that news, I sort of like where the Knicks are going. Donnie Walsh is finally almost done cleaning up the mess Isaiah Thomas created. They have a legit scoring option in Amare and now have some young pieces. It's not as bleak as it may seem. They're still going to suck next year though.
- Back to LeBronland, if they do win multiple titles, I don't think it should be held against them. It's perfectly clear that you need help to win titles. Players always look at who they'll be playing with when they sign with new teams. Of course this is a bit of an extreme situation, but overall, not much different than usual.
- However, people will point out things like Jordan/Pippen, Kobe/Shaq, Magic/Kareem to say that the rings would not be diminished at all. I also disagree with this. In my opinion, it's much different to stay with a team and have guys brought in and a team built up than it is to purposely go out and team up with other big stars in one spot to try to win.
- And as a third point, people will say the Big 3 in Boston did the same thing. To an extent this is true, however, all of them were older, ringless and pretty much desperate for a shot at a title. LeBron and Bosh don't have that same desire that comes from playing in the league for so long without winning. Also, they were pretty that the relative unknowns Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins turned out to be an elite point guard and a solid defensive force, respectively.
- Are fans in Cleveland rioting and/or burning things yet? And are Knicks fans rushing the Boys and Girls Club in Greenwich, CT to get at LeBron?
- The Heat desperately need a defensive center. Chris Bosh is nothing special inside (he played on an absolutely atrocious team last year, advanced metrics put him on the same level as Amare freaking Stoudemire) so they're going to need help. Unfortunately for them, they won't have much money to do it with. Maybe Shaq returns to South Beach for a reunion? That would be a sight.
- LeBron said he wanted to wear #6. Mario Chalmers, one of the only Heat players left on the roster, currently wears #6. Of course he'll give it up, but it's just amusing.
- This team is going to be a beast to play as in NBA 2k11 and NBA Elite 11. Not going to lie, I am very excited.
- For next year, this feels like a team that's going to be a regular season beast that will fade in the playoffs, where depth really matters. These guys will probably play monster minutes. That being said, the watch for the first team to beat the Big 3 will be fun.
- And at the end of the day, this is something pretty much unlike what we've seen. How can you not be excited to see how these guys are going to play together? It might be maddening now, but on the court it will be electrifying.
Quick Conspiracy Theory
LeBron to Miami feels too much like misdirection. Somehow he gets out that he's going to go there when he's been clamping down so hard? I doubt it. But now that Cleveland's spirits are down, he will be seen as a city god if he announces he goes back.
Also the kicking Cleveland in the nuts thing. I just don't see it.
Also the kicking Cleveland in the nuts thing. I just don't see it.
It's the King's Court...
...and we're all just in it. I mean really, there is no other professional athlete that could hold the sporting world in this kind of suspense. And with the kind of coverage that's available nowadays with Twitter and TMZ and all those outlets in addition to the sports news stations, it's insane.
I don't even have to mention his name (or name-related puns, which I was looking forward to actually) and this subject of this post will still be abundantly clear to probably 90% of whoever reads this.
"The Decision," as has been greatly publicized, will be an hour long special tonight on ESPN at 9 PM ET. Shamelessly, I will be watching to see what this man does with his career. He has announced that he will inform us of his decision within the first 10 minutes of the telecast, leaving the remaining time presumably for interviews and analysis. I've got a couple ideas of how it should go down.
I definitely think that ESPN should begin coverage 30 minutes early, maybe with NBA Fastbreak or a similar show. It should be a studio show hosted by Stuart Scott along with a slew of black NBA analysts (Michael Wilbon, Magic Johnson, Jalen Rose) but of course with Jon Barry for diversity. They can cut over to J.A. Adande and Chris Broussard in a separate area (hosted by...who else is black? Jay Harris? Stan Verrett?) who can discuss the latest rumors and intel they've heard right up until "The Decision."
My vision of "The Decision" is a kind of unholy cross between a college selection press conference, the Academy Awards, and a presidential national address, with maybe a little bit of The Bachelor thrown in. It can start in on him, sitting at a desk, introducing himself and why he is here tonight (as if we needed a reminder). It can then cut to a highlight package for the teams in question and show him in a room, deep in thought and looking at the logos of each team. Of course while this is going on, ESPN should have coverage at each of the cities in play (I'm guessing Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Newark/Brooklyn, New York City, and Cleveland), interviewing fans and possibly team management.
He can then change rooms again, now in a suit, greeted by cardboard cutouts of players from the teams he's choosing from (assuming my guesses on teams are right, it can be Baron Davis, Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Brook Lopez , Amare Stoudemire, and...himself). He will then present a rose to the final three teams left in the running as the remaining cardboard cutouts are escorted out or maybe just burned in the fireplace.
And the fun begins as he moves back to his original desk, which now has three caps on it, one for each remaining team. As he prepares to announce his team, ESPN can show fans at each location waiting intently in split-screen Oscar style, with him in the middle. He will then select a hat, put it on, and then cut to the winning (or "winning") city with fans going wild. And then...well I'm sure ESPN has a plan for what to cover after that.
The whole situation and surrounding hoopla is a little bit of a joke and yet there's something about it that's irresistible. Believe me, I'd love to not care and not pay attention at all, but I just can't turn away. So much has been made of this, trying to read into "The Decision" but I think we can only say a few things.
1. Location is irrelevant. I think. Greenwich, CT may seem to indicate Knicks, or perhaps that he's just en route to Carmelo Anthony's wedding this weekend. For all intents and purposes, it's a neutral (enough) site.
2. He would have to be even more deluded and full of himself to not pick Cleveland. It's one thing to hold a press conference, but to announce to a enormous television audience watching live on ESPN that you are leaving your hometown team and fans would be a tremendous kick in Cleveland's nuts. Although as a sports city, it would sort of fall in line with what they expect.
3. It's hard to believe that anyone genuinely knows his decision. Some people will be correct I'm sure and their sources will have given information that turns out to be accurate, but I just can't see this player coming this far only to have Broussard or someone on Twitter break the news of where he's signing before he announces it on his show.
And all the while, Kevin Durant goes about his business quietly.
Let me tell you, I've been becoming more and more of a fan of Durant throughout this past year. Admittedly, it began when I picked him up on one of my fantasy basketball teams. But watching him play (a little, not that much since OKC doesn't get a lot of national coverage) and seeing how he handles himself made me gain a lot of respect for him.
On the court, he's a beast. "The Durantula" is a lanky 6'9" forward (7'4" wingspan, 9'2" (!!!) standing reach) who is extremely talented. For my money, he's one of the best pure scorers in the game today. This year, he greatly improved his defense as well, perhaps spurred on by some numbers last year that implied that his impact wasn't as great as his scoring output implied. He is undoubtedly a superstar, and, at only 21, became the youngest player to lead the NBA in scoring with 30.1 points a game last year.
But off the court, he's something special. As I said, he's only 21, which blows my mind. He's a very humble guy who loves basketball and wants to win for the fans who support him. I mean, you kind of have to be to want to play in Oklahoma City, let's be real. It's not at all disingenuous either, from all accounts he really just is that nice. Durant's all about family and team, and it's pretty clear that when he and his OKC teammates call each other "bros," they really do act like siblings. And yes, I'll admit, I think his crush on Keri Hilson is pretty hilarious.
So why mention him now? Unlike the media circus surrounding most of the other players angling for big money, Durant's been working on his contract extension in the background. When he finally signed, he didn't go on SportsCenter, he didn't hold a press conference, he simply tweeted it:
But Durant won't take credit for this at all. In between watching his teammates play in the Summer League and cheering them on with genuine fervor, he threw up this tweet today:
I don't even have to mention his name (or name-related puns, which I was looking forward to actually) and this subject of this post will still be abundantly clear to probably 90% of whoever reads this.
"The Decision," as has been greatly publicized, will be an hour long special tonight on ESPN at 9 PM ET. Shamelessly, I will be watching to see what this man does with his career. He has announced that he will inform us of his decision within the first 10 minutes of the telecast, leaving the remaining time presumably for interviews and analysis. I've got a couple ideas of how it should go down.
I definitely think that ESPN should begin coverage 30 minutes early, maybe with NBA Fastbreak or a similar show. It should be a studio show hosted by Stuart Scott along with a slew of black NBA analysts (Michael Wilbon, Magic Johnson, Jalen Rose) but of course with Jon Barry for diversity. They can cut over to J.A. Adande and Chris Broussard in a separate area (hosted by...who else is black? Jay Harris? Stan Verrett?) who can discuss the latest rumors and intel they've heard right up until "The Decision."
My vision of "The Decision" is a kind of unholy cross between a college selection press conference, the Academy Awards, and a presidential national address, with maybe a little bit of The Bachelor thrown in. It can start in on him, sitting at a desk, introducing himself and why he is here tonight (as if we needed a reminder). It can then cut to a highlight package for the teams in question and show him in a room, deep in thought and looking at the logos of each team. Of course while this is going on, ESPN should have coverage at each of the cities in play (I'm guessing Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Newark/Brooklyn, New York City, and Cleveland), interviewing fans and possibly team management.
He can then change rooms again, now in a suit, greeted by cardboard cutouts of players from the teams he's choosing from (assuming my guesses on teams are right, it can be Baron Davis, Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Brook Lopez , Amare Stoudemire, and...himself). He will then present a rose to the final three teams left in the running as the remaining cardboard cutouts are escorted out or maybe just burned in the fireplace.
And the fun begins as he moves back to his original desk, which now has three caps on it, one for each remaining team. As he prepares to announce his team, ESPN can show fans at each location waiting intently in split-screen Oscar style, with him in the middle. He will then select a hat, put it on, and then cut to the winning (or "winning") city with fans going wild. And then...well I'm sure ESPN has a plan for what to cover after that.
The whole situation and surrounding hoopla is a little bit of a joke and yet there's something about it that's irresistible. Believe me, I'd love to not care and not pay attention at all, but I just can't turn away. So much has been made of this, trying to read into "The Decision" but I think we can only say a few things.
1. Location is irrelevant. I think. Greenwich, CT may seem to indicate Knicks, or perhaps that he's just en route to Carmelo Anthony's wedding this weekend. For all intents and purposes, it's a neutral (enough) site.
2. He would have to be even more deluded and full of himself to not pick Cleveland. It's one thing to hold a press conference, but to announce to a enormous television audience watching live on ESPN that you are leaving your hometown team and fans would be a tremendous kick in Cleveland's nuts. Although as a sports city, it would sort of fall in line with what they expect.
3. It's hard to believe that anyone genuinely knows his decision. Some people will be correct I'm sure and their sources will have given information that turns out to be accurate, but I just can't see this player coming this far only to have Broussard or someone on Twitter break the news of where he's signing before he announces it on his show.
And all the while, Kevin Durant goes about his business quietly.
Let me tell you, I've been becoming more and more of a fan of Durant throughout this past year. Admittedly, it began when I picked him up on one of my fantasy basketball teams. But watching him play (a little, not that much since OKC doesn't get a lot of national coverage) and seeing how he handles himself made me gain a lot of respect for him.
On the court, he's a beast. "The Durantula" is a lanky 6'9" forward (7'4" wingspan, 9'2" (!!!) standing reach) who is extremely talented. For my money, he's one of the best pure scorers in the game today. This year, he greatly improved his defense as well, perhaps spurred on by some numbers last year that implied that his impact wasn't as great as his scoring output implied. He is undoubtedly a superstar, and, at only 21, became the youngest player to lead the NBA in scoring with 30.1 points a game last year.
But off the court, he's something special. As I said, he's only 21, which blows my mind. He's a very humble guy who loves basketball and wants to win for the fans who support him. I mean, you kind of have to be to want to play in Oklahoma City, let's be real. It's not at all disingenuous either, from all accounts he really just is that nice. Durant's all about family and team, and it's pretty clear that when he and his OKC teammates call each other "bros," they really do act like siblings. And yes, I'll admit, I think his crush on Keri Hilson is pretty hilarious.
So why mention him now? Unlike the media circus surrounding most of the other players angling for big money, Durant's been working on his contract extension in the background. When he finally signed, he didn't go on SportsCenter, he didn't hold a press conference, he simply tweeted it:
Exstension for 5 more years wit the #thunder....God Is Great, me and my family came a long way...I love yall man forreal, this a blessing!He signed for 5 years, $86 million (a number that I think will go up since the salary cap is higher than expected) and intentionally didn't negotiate an opt-out clause to demonstrate his dedication to the city and the team. It's funny when you see guys like Carlos Boozer and Rudy Gay get similar contracts and they're basically only borderline All-Star players. Even Joe Johnson's contract (a 5 year, $123 million piece of crap) looks dumber now, which I didn't think was possible when he signed it. Of course, I understand Durant's maximum is not as high because of the amount of time he's been in the league, but it's crazy that Johnson will get about $40 million more coming off a year where he led his team to an embarrassing 2nd round sweep where he didn't put up a fight.
But Durant won't take credit for this at all. In between watching his teammates play in the Summer League and cheering them on with genuine fervor, he threw up this tweet today:
I really don't deserve this praise for handling my deal the way I did...plenty of guys did it the way I did...And while it may be true, he does deserve praise as it's a stark contrast to what players of similar, or even lesser, ability and stardom are doing this summer. All our attention is turned away, grabbed by the ones who so badly desire the spotlight and feed off of it. But Kevin Durant just toils away (as much as someone who makes that much money can "toil"), because he knows that soon enough that spotlight is going to be his.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Empire State of Optimism
Random poll that was on ESPN.com's front page asked, "Which team's fans have more reason for optimism at the moment?" It was Knicks vs Nets, and apparently 68% of SportsNation feels that Knicks' fans should have the sunnier outlook.
I'm just not quite sure why. I don't hold the Knicks signing of Amare Stoudemire against them. He's not a 5 year, $100 million dollar player to be sure, but he's a great scoring option, something the Knicks needed, so I can't blame them for locking him up. He may be an injury risk, but he's a fantastic offensive weapon and, in my opinion, the second best big man available in free agency this summer.
But beyond that, I just don't know what they have. It's looking more and more likely that both the Knicks and Nets will strike out in free agency when it comes to the big 3 (or really, the big 2 + 1) of James, Wade, and Bosh.
Personally, I think that the Nets have a better outlook because not only do they have better pieces in place right now, they're better prepared to move forward as well. The Knicks have several guys who I think can be ballers (Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler) or intriguing backups and role players (Toney Douglas, Bill Walker). But I'm more concerned about their strategy of gutting their roster to go after big name free agents. I mean they're already talking about chasing Carmelo Anthony and Tony Parker in 2011.
The Nets have young players and a lot of potential across their roster. Yes, of course they threatened the league's worst record in history with 12 wins last season. Still, their backcourt of Devin Harris and Courtney Lee is very solid and they've got two big men who can be stars. Brook Lopez is almost at that level already and he should keep improving. Derrick Favors, their first round draft pick this year, has a ton of athleticism and potential. Of course this doesn't always translate, but if he pans out, he and Lopez will be a devastating combo. In addition, Terrence Williams looks like he'll be a solid player after a strong second half last year (trust me, had him on my fantasy team). The way they're building is also encouraging. This summer they've already been able to dump Chris Douglas-Roberts (solid season, but apparently caused some trouble in the locker room) and Yi Jianlian (kind of a big, Chinese waste of physical and salary cap space). They've already committed not to spending big just because they have the money and cap room and say they're going to instead build through the draft and middle tier free agents.
These teams have had a rough go of it in recent years. Obviously the Nets struggled mightily last year while the Knicks have been toiling in futility for even longer. Both franchises can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but in my opinion, the light is closer and brighter for the New Jersey Nets. And plus, their new owner is a cool Russian billionaire and Jay-Z also has a stake in the franchise. They win.
I'm just not quite sure why. I don't hold the Knicks signing of Amare Stoudemire against them. He's not a 5 year, $100 million dollar player to be sure, but he's a great scoring option, something the Knicks needed, so I can't blame them for locking him up. He may be an injury risk, but he's a fantastic offensive weapon and, in my opinion, the second best big man available in free agency this summer.
But beyond that, I just don't know what they have. It's looking more and more likely that both the Knicks and Nets will strike out in free agency when it comes to the big 3 (or really, the big 2 + 1) of James, Wade, and Bosh.
Personally, I think that the Nets have a better outlook because not only do they have better pieces in place right now, they're better prepared to move forward as well. The Knicks have several guys who I think can be ballers (Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler) or intriguing backups and role players (Toney Douglas, Bill Walker). But I'm more concerned about their strategy of gutting their roster to go after big name free agents. I mean they're already talking about chasing Carmelo Anthony and Tony Parker in 2011.
The Nets have young players and a lot of potential across their roster. Yes, of course they threatened the league's worst record in history with 12 wins last season. Still, their backcourt of Devin Harris and Courtney Lee is very solid and they've got two big men who can be stars. Brook Lopez is almost at that level already and he should keep improving. Derrick Favors, their first round draft pick this year, has a ton of athleticism and potential. Of course this doesn't always translate, but if he pans out, he and Lopez will be a devastating combo. In addition, Terrence Williams looks like he'll be a solid player after a strong second half last year (trust me, had him on my fantasy team). The way they're building is also encouraging. This summer they've already been able to dump Chris Douglas-Roberts (solid season, but apparently caused some trouble in the locker room) and Yi Jianlian (kind of a big, Chinese waste of physical and salary cap space). They've already committed not to spending big just because they have the money and cap room and say they're going to instead build through the draft and middle tier free agents.
These teams have had a rough go of it in recent years. Obviously the Nets struggled mightily last year while the Knicks have been toiling in futility for even longer. Both franchises can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but in my opinion, the light is closer and brighter for the New Jersey Nets. And plus, their new owner is a cool Russian billionaire and Jay-Z also has a stake in the franchise. They win.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Music and Worship
I was recently browsing music on Amazon when I came upon this thread.
Amazon was probably one of the last sites I would have thought that I would find a religious/theological discussion on. I didn't even know they had forums/discussion boards aside from product reviews.
Anyway, it was an interesting topic (though I'll admit I didn't read all, or even most, of the comments) and I've kind of been thinking about worship music and singing in church and stuff like that. First off, I have to say that it does annoy me when people say or refer to "worship" and they just mean "singing." As far as I've seen, it's pretty prevalent and I'll admit to slipping into it at times. But still, I find it a little disconcerting (and amusing for some reason) when we talk about "worship leaders" and "worship time" like it's some isolated thing that someone takes us through where we play music and sing and then boom, worship is over. The reality is, while singing songs of praise is great and a wonderful way of worshiping God together, we have to remember that it's just that. A form of worship, not worship itself. Our whole lives should be worship and glory to God.
And sometimes, I don't even know if using the term "worship" is appropriate to some of the singing times I've seen. This isn't me trying to be a cranky, curmudgeony person saying how loud music is bad and rock music is corrupting our youth. Not at all. However, I've experienced sessions purporting to be a time of worship but instead coming across as a performance. Much like the original thread linked above (Why did God give us music) is wondering about the role of music, I have to wonder about the role of song leaders. Singing time is generally supposed to be corporate worship. Therefore, the song leaders need to make sure that they're actually leading, that what they're playing and singing is conducive to instilling a sense and spirit of worship among those listening. How the band or leader sounds takes (should take, at least) a backseat to whether or not they and the group they're supposed to be leading is actually worshiping with their songs. I should stop and point out that I am not musically inclined at all and really don't know what I'm talking about as far as the instrumental and vocal stuff is concerned. Still, while I understand that people want to sound good when they're doing their think in front of an audience, as long as they're leading people in worship, that's all that matters. I get the concern that sounding bad and messing up can distract people from worshiping, but can't too much artistry and flair also take away from people's focus on God?
I sometimes find myself skeptical when people talk about how great the worship songs were because of how they made them feel. But can't great songs of any kind drive people to feel the same way? Can't you have "the warm fuzzies" from listening to a band you really like? I know I can. Far be it for me to question someone's emotions, but I don't believe that the heart of worship is something to be "felt," at least not in the same way you can feel from a secular song. Personally, when I really connect with a worship song, it's a sense of conviction, a focus on the lyrics and making sure I mean what I sing. When I connect with another song, it's more just, "Wow, this song is really great." I don't necessarily think about the lyrics too often because I really don't care to know who Drake knows here right now that he didn't know last year.
Sorry, this sort of turned into more of a rant than I intended. I will say that everything that goes on this blog is pretty rough. I kind of just throw down a couple sentences and then see what happens without planning it out too much beforehand. And sometimes (as was the case here), I'll type something out, delete the blog, then either come back and try it again, or just leave the idea dead or pending.
I'll close with something I read off a cd slip I got from a church I've been going to while I've been out here in Illinois. This is what it says:
Amazon was probably one of the last sites I would have thought that I would find a religious/theological discussion on. I didn't even know they had forums/discussion boards aside from product reviews.
Anyway, it was an interesting topic (though I'll admit I didn't read all, or even most, of the comments) and I've kind of been thinking about worship music and singing in church and stuff like that. First off, I have to say that it does annoy me when people say or refer to "worship" and they just mean "singing." As far as I've seen, it's pretty prevalent and I'll admit to slipping into it at times. But still, I find it a little disconcerting (and amusing for some reason) when we talk about "worship leaders" and "worship time" like it's some isolated thing that someone takes us through where we play music and sing and then boom, worship is over. The reality is, while singing songs of praise is great and a wonderful way of worshiping God together, we have to remember that it's just that. A form of worship, not worship itself. Our whole lives should be worship and glory to God.
And sometimes, I don't even know if using the term "worship" is appropriate to some of the singing times I've seen. This isn't me trying to be a cranky, curmudgeony person saying how loud music is bad and rock music is corrupting our youth. Not at all. However, I've experienced sessions purporting to be a time of worship but instead coming across as a performance. Much like the original thread linked above (Why did God give us music) is wondering about the role of music, I have to wonder about the role of song leaders. Singing time is generally supposed to be corporate worship. Therefore, the song leaders need to make sure that they're actually leading, that what they're playing and singing is conducive to instilling a sense and spirit of worship among those listening. How the band or leader sounds takes (should take, at least) a backseat to whether or not they and the group they're supposed to be leading is actually worshiping with their songs. I should stop and point out that I am not musically inclined at all and really don't know what I'm talking about as far as the instrumental and vocal stuff is concerned. Still, while I understand that people want to sound good when they're doing their think in front of an audience, as long as they're leading people in worship, that's all that matters. I get the concern that sounding bad and messing up can distract people from worshiping, but can't too much artistry and flair also take away from people's focus on God?
I sometimes find myself skeptical when people talk about how great the worship songs were because of how they made them feel. But can't great songs of any kind drive people to feel the same way? Can't you have "the warm fuzzies" from listening to a band you really like? I know I can. Far be it for me to question someone's emotions, but I don't believe that the heart of worship is something to be "felt," at least not in the same way you can feel from a secular song. Personally, when I really connect with a worship song, it's a sense of conviction, a focus on the lyrics and making sure I mean what I sing. When I connect with another song, it's more just, "Wow, this song is really great." I don't necessarily think about the lyrics too often because I really don't care to know who Drake knows here right now that he didn't know last year.
Sorry, this sort of turned into more of a rant than I intended. I will say that everything that goes on this blog is pretty rough. I kind of just throw down a couple sentences and then see what happens without planning it out too much beforehand. And sometimes (as was the case here), I'll type something out, delete the blog, then either come back and try it again, or just leave the idea dead or pending.
I'll close with something I read off a cd slip I got from a church I've been going to while I've been out here in Illinois. This is what it says:
These songs have been written for corporate worship by songwriters and worship leaders....Our intention is that you find these Biblically grounded songs gloriying to God when sung by passionate followers of Him.Don't know about you guys, but I thought that was a nice, succinct way of putting it.
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