A Christmas present, complete with fancy giftwrappers and shiny tassels and ribbons, brightens up Christmas for everybody.
Growing up, I used to impatiently wait for the calendar to flip to the 24th so I could open up the presents that had “Kirby” in them. Sometimes, my name would come out wrong, as is often the case, but it never mattered to me. One gift was as good as the other, wrong name and all.
When I was seven, I recall receiving a couple of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures. The image of opening up that box is still fresh on my head, like it happened only a few Decembers ago. I remember how I viciously tore up those wispy Christmas wrappers, as if my whole life revolved around those action figures. When I finally laid my hands on them (it was a Michelangelo and Krang), my face lit up like Times Square on a crowded winter night.
I’ve had my fair share of exciting Christmas memories, including some very neat presents throughout the years. But as the years roll along, and the presents become scarcer and scarcer, as a kid, it’s easy to feel slighted. You’ve gotten used to seeing your name on so many presents that when the time comes when you hardly see it anymore, you feel let down and Christmas, somehow, loses a little bit of its oomph!
But behind that guise of disappointment comes a stark realization that the decline in material presents opens up another perspective on what this season is all about. In my case, I’ve began to pay more attention on who gave the present, rather than what’s underneath the wrapper.
The over-used cliché “it’s the thought that counts” is exactly that, over-used. But in spite of that, there’s really no other way to explain it better than what that phrase is trying to say. I’ve received dozens of Christmas presents, some from the regular ninongs and ninangs, and some from unexpected individuals whom I’ve had little interaction with. Each gift takes on the same significance now; some may be more expensive than others, but in the bigger scheme of things, I’m just thankful for being remembered at this time of the year.
The truth is I’m flattered that people still consider me on their holiday list. The thought that they’d waste a couple of hundred pesos (in some cases, thousands) of their hard earned money is something that I’m extremely grateful for, so much so that the actual gift itself becomes an afterthought.
What'simportant for me is being around the presence of those I love. That makes my Christmas all the more special.
Circumstances at the Christmas I spent in America made the appreciation all the more genuine. You see, the season takes on an entirely different meaning once you’ve spent it in a foreign land, away from the safe confines of home sweet home. It’s not to say that it’s not fun, in fact, it was. And to be truthfully honest, it’s something that I’d suggest to everyone who can find it in them to spend the holidays away from their families. There’s nothing like a quiet, cold winter night to get your thoughts running; one you spend sitting by a fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate on one hand and a plateful of marshmallows on the other, all the while staring blankly at the flames dancing riotously in front of you. If for nothing else, the experience warms the soul like no other.
In spite of that, I still yearned for the normal traditions I’ve come to enjoy over the years. Hearing ”Ang Pasko ay Sumapit” after the midnight mass, posing for the usual family pictures, and just being with the same group of people I’ve spent the past 22 years of my life with, there is no better feeling than spending the holidays at home.
Nevermind that there’s no use for a fireplace in this country; I have my family and they’re all I need to keep my heart warm.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Thursday, December 14, 2006
The Price of Admission
I’ve never been comfortable talking about stuff like this because I find it hard to get my thoughts out properly and if I do try, I only end up misinterpreting my own words, and worse, end up writing something completely asinine.
What can I say, shit like this has never been my cup-of-tea, nor will it ever be. I’m not a huge fan of spilling my guts on some “blog” for everyone’s viewing pleasure, just so they can dissect my words and think that I’m some kind of unstable emotional-wreck.
Nope. That’s not my style. I prefer the laid back image; the happy-go-lucky guy who loves to write about sports. It’s what I’m good at and it helps keep me sane. To those who know me, writing something pitifully emotive like this is completely out of character.
But then again, you won’t see a wind-up mechanism on my back, either, like those cheap toys you find in the market. I still have feelings too.
So before I end up drowning on my sorrows, allow me to attempt to fill the pages of this blog with a sullen confession, of sorts - written from my “full-sized aortic pump,” as Joey Tribbiani would say.
It seems like the first and the hardest risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves.
Let the truth be told then: I was never good at relationships. For a lack of a better term, I sucked at it.
While I will not try to shoulder all the blame for my misfortunes, I shall not act as if I am clean of any transgressions either. After all, it does take two people to make a relationship work; but it only takes one to mess it up. More often than not, and this is what pains me to admit the most, is that I was guilty of being the one who messes everything up. Back then, the idea of building up a relationship appealed to me more than the idea of maintaining one. It may have been, and it probably still is, idiotically flawed, but that’s how it worked for me.
In retrospect, I’ve spent so many nights staring blankly in space, thinking that if I could have mustered up enough cojones then to make a relationship last, maybe everything would have turned out different today. Maybe the 22 year old wont be reaping the sins laid out by the foolishness of the 18 year old.
But that’s not how my story goes.
The reality is that no matter how hard I try to convince myself that I can draw from my past experiences and learn from them, the more it becomes clear that any attempts of conjuring up inspiration was like trying to draw water from a well in the middle of the Gobi. I had nothing.
Try as I may to look back on my relationships and think about the lessons I learned, experiences I treasured, and memories I cherished – the more I realize that I hadn’t learned anything, I had no treasured experiences, and the only memories I’ve made are those that I’d rather forget.
It’s a bitter realization, I’ll tell you that. Enough to shake up my confidence, develop self-doubt, and have lingering thoughts of maybe not being good enough.
Or maybe I wasn’t good enough to begin with.
What can I say, shit like this has never been my cup-of-tea, nor will it ever be. I’m not a huge fan of spilling my guts on some “blog” for everyone’s viewing pleasure, just so they can dissect my words and think that I’m some kind of unstable emotional-wreck.
Nope. That’s not my style. I prefer the laid back image; the happy-go-lucky guy who loves to write about sports. It’s what I’m good at and it helps keep me sane. To those who know me, writing something pitifully emotive like this is completely out of character.
But then again, you won’t see a wind-up mechanism on my back, either, like those cheap toys you find in the market. I still have feelings too.
So before I end up drowning on my sorrows, allow me to attempt to fill the pages of this blog with a sullen confession, of sorts - written from my “full-sized aortic pump,” as Joey Tribbiani would say.
It seems like the first and the hardest risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves.
Let the truth be told then: I was never good at relationships. For a lack of a better term, I sucked at it.
While I will not try to shoulder all the blame for my misfortunes, I shall not act as if I am clean of any transgressions either. After all, it does take two people to make a relationship work; but it only takes one to mess it up. More often than not, and this is what pains me to admit the most, is that I was guilty of being the one who messes everything up. Back then, the idea of building up a relationship appealed to me more than the idea of maintaining one. It may have been, and it probably still is, idiotically flawed, but that’s how it worked for me.
In retrospect, I’ve spent so many nights staring blankly in space, thinking that if I could have mustered up enough cojones then to make a relationship last, maybe everything would have turned out different today. Maybe the 22 year old wont be reaping the sins laid out by the foolishness of the 18 year old.
But that’s not how my story goes.
The reality is that no matter how hard I try to convince myself that I can draw from my past experiences and learn from them, the more it becomes clear that any attempts of conjuring up inspiration was like trying to draw water from a well in the middle of the Gobi. I had nothing.
Try as I may to look back on my relationships and think about the lessons I learned, experiences I treasured, and memories I cherished – the more I realize that I hadn’t learned anything, I had no treasured experiences, and the only memories I’ve made are those that I’d rather forget.
It’s a bitter realization, I’ll tell you that. Enough to shake up my confidence, develop self-doubt, and have lingering thoughts of maybe not being good enough.
Or maybe I wasn’t good enough to begin with.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
End of an Era
So it’s official: The Allen Iverson-Philadelphia 76ers marriage is about to end.
Allen Iverson has asked to be traded and the Sixers are going to accommodate his request.
After several seasons of toiling in mediocrity, followed by a very sluggish 5-12 start to this season, the proverbial camel’s back has finally broken.
The last straw happened during the Sixers practice last Friday. Iverson showed up at practice but what was told that he didn’t need to participate (because of his back, which Iverson said was not a problem). Furthermore, he was also told not to be in the game against the Wizards on Friday night and against Orlando on Saturday.
In a statement that he released, Iverson had this to say:
"In my entire career, even the doctors haven't been able to tell me not to play. I've played through injury and illness. I think everyone knows how much I love being out on the court, competing and winning. That's why it was so disheartening to be told that I couldn't play, knowing that I was ready. It hurt even more to be told not to come at all.
"This season has been very frustrating for everyone. We've lost 12 of 14 games and nothing seems to be working. I have expressed my frustration to my teammates; however, I have continued to give 100 percent night in and night out. Apparently, it hasn't been enough to help our team win. As hard as it is to admit, a change may be the best thing for everyone. I hate admitting that because I love the guys on the team and the city of Philadelphia. I truly wanted to retire a 76er.
"I appreciate that in my 11 years in Philadelphia, the fans have always stood by me, supported me, and gone to bat for me."
We’ve all gone through this with the Sixers and Iverson. They look to trade him, tease us with all the teams they’re talking to, only to pull back on the trigger and up doing nothing.
This time, it’s looking like it will really go down.
Lisa Salters, ESPN correspondent, talked to Ed Snider, the Sixers chairman during the game against the Wizards. Salters asked Snider whether Iverson had come up to him and asked to be traded. Snicer’s response was a short, yet resolute “yes”.
Then Salters asked Snider the question all Philadelphians have feared.
”Has Allen Iverson played his last game as a Philadelpia 76er?”
“Probably.”
"At a certain point, you have to come to grips with the fact that it's not working. He wants out and we're ready to accommodate him," Snider adds.
While I can’t say I’m surprised, I am kind of bummed out at how everything has played out. I’ve always been, and I can’t stress this enough, a huge fan of a franchise player sticking it out with one team throughout the course of his career, whether they’re contenders or whether they stink up the gym every night. That’s why I’ll always admire Reggie Miller for that. Here’s a guy who was the face of the Indiana Pacers for almost two decades. Through thick or thin, through all the ups and downs, Reggie Miller never cut sail and bolted. Even though he didn’t win a championship, you respect him more because he really bled Hoosier blood.
I look at the league right now and see only two players who fit that bill: Allen Iverson and Kevin Garnett.
Let’s face it. Allen Iverson is the Philadelphia 76ers. While he may have had his fair share of off-court troubles, nobody can deny that he loves to play for the Sixers. The Sixers fans love him too, there’s no question about that. A.I. has always made it known that he wanted to end his career in Philadelphia.
"I always wanted to stay here because of the loyalty, it's all I know," he said then.
As a matter of fact, you can actually make a case that Iverson just might be the most popular 76er of all time. He’s more popular than Chamberlain, Barkley, Moses, or any of those guys.
The only one that is as popular as him is Julius Erving and if you ask Philadelphians, there’s no 1 and 2 between them, just 1a and 1b.
But the inevitable has come. Sixers fans have to come to grips that they may be seeing a whole lot less of The Answer from here on out.
With regards to where A.I. might potentially go, there are a number of teams that can make a trade work, although it’s not as easy as it looks. Iverson, after this season will still be owed around $35 million for two years, a risky proposition considering he’s turning 32 next year.
I’m not that familiar with players’ salaries but with his salary, his high asking price will cost a lot for other teams to acquire him. As for the teams, the three teams that I’m thinking has a legitimate shot at landing Iverson are Minnesota, Boston, and Chicago.
Minnesota, for example, just might have to give up Mike James, Ricky Davis, and Randy Foye and some draft picks. Boston might have to part ways with Wally Szczerbiak, Al Jefferson, and Gerald Green. Chicago, although it’s unlikely that they’ll make a run for Iverson, has Tyrus Thomas, Luol Deng, Ben Gordon and a plethora of draft picks as bait.
Whatever happens, Allen Iverson has done so much and meant so much to the Sixers and to the city of Philadelphia that it’s almost a blasphemous sight to see him in another uniform and playing for another city.
It’s a crying shame they couldn’t make it work.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Weekly Whistle 4
Weekly Whistle 4
A tragedy of Shakespearean proportions
Has any division in all of sports been this disturbingly awful like what the Atlantic Division is right now?
Consider that the top team in the Division, the New Jersey Nets, sports a sparkling 6-9 record. Four of the five teams have a winning percentage of less than 38% with the Nets not really that far ahead with a 40% winning percentage.
The division reeks of so much tragedy Shakespeare might have a field day just thinking of compelling ideas for a tragedy.
Here are a few suggestions:
1) Make Red Proud
Their patriarch dies before the season. The man led them to nine championships, assembled the greatest teams in history and is one of the most influential people in the history of the NBA. The team dedicates the entire year to his memory, with a mission to “make Red proud.”
Then they end up with the worst season in Celtics history. So much for restoring tradition
2) The Deserted Brother
They play in a country that only cares about hockey.
Their mascot looks like Barney’s ‘roided up cousin.
Except for Chris Bosh, they have the worst 2-12 lineup in the league.
Sam Mitchell is their coach.
Nothing can be as tragic as this.
3) Allen
After holding down the gates of Philly for over a decade, and having nothing to show for it, Allen Iverson gets tired of all the empty promises of a better team and strangles General Manager Billy King.
The ironic twist? The Philadelphians will love him for it.
4) The Four Hogs of Broadway
Four egotistical, selfish ball hogs on one team. That, in itself, speaks volumes on how bad that team is.
You’d think it can’t get any worse, right?
Not if you realize that those four players are ALL POINT GUARDS!
Don’t be surprised if they end up killing each other because someone was “hugging the ball a little too much”
5) Wildly Inconsistent
Lose six in a row. Win 11 in a row. Lose five in a row. Win seven in a row.
That basically summarizes the Nets season.
If you’re a Jersey fan, that’s enough mood swings to last you an entire year.
I’m beginning to think that the only team to crack .500 will be The Nets (barely) and the rest of the division will finish with a -.455 season. From the way it’s shaping up, that scenario is becoming more and more likely.
If it does happen, you read it here first!
Players of the Week:
East: Dwight Howard – Earning his second Player of the Week honor, Dwight has the Magic on a tear. Howard notched up averages of 21 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks during the week as the Magic extended their winning streak to six games.
When I went to a taping of Quite Frankly in New York, I wanted to ask Stephen A. Smith who he thought was going to beast up the league in the coming years, Amare or Dwight?
While I never got around to asking SAS that question, the answer’s becoming really clear.
West: Steve Nash – With respects to Kobe Bryant and his jaw-dropping performance last Friday, Steve Nash gets the nod for Western Conference Player of the Week.
(Editor’s note: I was one of those who was bummed to find out that Nash traded in his long locks for a shorter crew-cut in the off-season. It meant that we couldn’t call him Hair Canada anymore, which is really one of the coolest nicknames out there.)
Leading the Suns to a six game winning streak, MVP has been also been MEP (Most Efficient Player) for the Suns by posting averages of 22 points, ten assists while shooting 51% from the field in the past week.
Have you ever seen a line like this from anybody? 51% from the field, 47%(!!!) from 3’s and 90% percent from the line.
Quiet and unassuming greatness – that’s what Nash is all about. Don’t worry Steve, you’re getting love from the Whistle.
Kobe v2
Kobe Bryant?
Name sound familiar?
Oh yeah, isn’t he that basketball player fellow? Whatever happened to him? Is he still playing?
The first month of the season sure didn’t look like it. I mean, yeah, he WAS technically playing, but it wasn’t the Kobe Bryant we’ve come to love (or hate, whichever side of the fence you’re on).
He was actually passing the ball, playing within the system of the triangle offense.
Where was 35 points-per-game-Kobe?
Well, The Kobe Show returned with a huge bang last week as Bryant dropped 52 points on the Jazz and looking more like his old number 8 self again. You have to feel bad for Kirilenko. A week earlier he was responsible for locking down Kobe in a Jazz win at Salt Lake City, and you know how Kobe likes to take things personally. So really, we should have seen this coming.
Steve Kerr made a good point during the game when he noticed that Kobe had his game face on, that unmistakable scowl of his that you know something special was going to happen that night.
And boy, did he deliver, and in the process, he put the whole league on notice.
Kobe’s back, baby.
He was making shots from all angles he made Andrei Kirilenko, one of the games premier defenders, look like a blond Antoine Walker. It was so effortless that even Phil Jackson, ever the stoic statue on the bench, got up and gave him a high-five as he was going back to the bench.
What’s most impressive about this performance wasn’t the 52 or the 30 points in the third quarter (where he made 11 straight shots). It wasn’t even the 19 for 26 shooting he had.
It was that most of his points came in the flow of the triangle offense. Everything was in groove, and in synch. Even better, Kobe is beginning to trust his teammates even more. The lack of which, led to their demise in the playoffs last year.
As they say, defeat changes a man. It makes him stronger, faster, and wiser.
From the way the season has gone, the biggest change in Kobe this year is not the number on his jersey.
Quote of the Week:
"What is venom? I've only been here eight years, guys." - Dirk Nowitzki, reminding his audience that there are still few English words he hasn't been exposed to yet.
He was asked to respond to coach Avery Johnson's recent assertion that bad blood between the Mavs and San Antonio Spurs is "great" because you don't get venom "if there aren't two good teams."
A tragedy of Shakespearean proportions
Has any division in all of sports been this disturbingly awful like what the Atlantic Division is right now?
Consider that the top team in the Division, the New Jersey Nets, sports a sparkling 6-9 record. Four of the five teams have a winning percentage of less than 38% with the Nets not really that far ahead with a 40% winning percentage.
The division reeks of so much tragedy Shakespeare might have a field day just thinking of compelling ideas for a tragedy.
Here are a few suggestions:
1) Make Red Proud
Their patriarch dies before the season. The man led them to nine championships, assembled the greatest teams in history and is one of the most influential people in the history of the NBA. The team dedicates the entire year to his memory, with a mission to “make Red proud.”
Then they end up with the worst season in Celtics history. So much for restoring tradition
2) The Deserted Brother
They play in a country that only cares about hockey.
Their mascot looks like Barney’s ‘roided up cousin.
Except for Chris Bosh, they have the worst 2-12 lineup in the league.
Sam Mitchell is their coach.
Nothing can be as tragic as this.
3) Allen
After holding down the gates of Philly for over a decade, and having nothing to show for it, Allen Iverson gets tired of all the empty promises of a better team and strangles General Manager Billy King.
The ironic twist? The Philadelphians will love him for it.
4) The Four Hogs of Broadway
Four egotistical, selfish ball hogs on one team. That, in itself, speaks volumes on how bad that team is.
You’d think it can’t get any worse, right?
Not if you realize that those four players are ALL POINT GUARDS!
Don’t be surprised if they end up killing each other because someone was “hugging the ball a little too much”
5) Wildly Inconsistent
Lose six in a row. Win 11 in a row. Lose five in a row. Win seven in a row.
That basically summarizes the Nets season.
If you’re a Jersey fan, that’s enough mood swings to last you an entire year.
I’m beginning to think that the only team to crack .500 will be The Nets (barely) and the rest of the division will finish with a -.455 season. From the way it’s shaping up, that scenario is becoming more and more likely.
If it does happen, you read it here first!
Players of the Week:
East: Dwight Howard – Earning his second Player of the Week honor, Dwight has the Magic on a tear. Howard notched up averages of 21 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks during the week as the Magic extended their winning streak to six games.
When I went to a taping of Quite Frankly in New York, I wanted to ask Stephen A. Smith who he thought was going to beast up the league in the coming years, Amare or Dwight?
While I never got around to asking SAS that question, the answer’s becoming really clear.
West: Steve Nash – With respects to Kobe Bryant and his jaw-dropping performance last Friday, Steve Nash gets the nod for Western Conference Player of the Week.
(Editor’s note: I was one of those who was bummed to find out that Nash traded in his long locks for a shorter crew-cut in the off-season. It meant that we couldn’t call him Hair Canada anymore, which is really one of the coolest nicknames out there.)
Leading the Suns to a six game winning streak, MVP has been also been MEP (Most Efficient Player) for the Suns by posting averages of 22 points, ten assists while shooting 51% from the field in the past week.
Have you ever seen a line like this from anybody? 51% from the field, 47%(!!!) from 3’s and 90% percent from the line.
Quiet and unassuming greatness – that’s what Nash is all about. Don’t worry Steve, you’re getting love from the Whistle.
Kobe v2
Kobe Bryant?
Name sound familiar?
Oh yeah, isn’t he that basketball player fellow? Whatever happened to him? Is he still playing?
The first month of the season sure didn’t look like it. I mean, yeah, he WAS technically playing, but it wasn’t the Kobe Bryant we’ve come to love (or hate, whichever side of the fence you’re on).
He was actually passing the ball, playing within the system of the triangle offense.
Where was 35 points-per-game-Kobe?
Well, The Kobe Show returned with a huge bang last week as Bryant dropped 52 points on the Jazz and looking more like his old number 8 self again. You have to feel bad for Kirilenko. A week earlier he was responsible for locking down Kobe in a Jazz win at Salt Lake City, and you know how Kobe likes to take things personally. So really, we should have seen this coming.
Steve Kerr made a good point during the game when he noticed that Kobe had his game face on, that unmistakable scowl of his that you know something special was going to happen that night.
And boy, did he deliver, and in the process, he put the whole league on notice.
Kobe’s back, baby.
He was making shots from all angles he made Andrei Kirilenko, one of the games premier defenders, look like a blond Antoine Walker. It was so effortless that even Phil Jackson, ever the stoic statue on the bench, got up and gave him a high-five as he was going back to the bench.
What’s most impressive about this performance wasn’t the 52 or the 30 points in the third quarter (where he made 11 straight shots). It wasn’t even the 19 for 26 shooting he had.
It was that most of his points came in the flow of the triangle offense. Everything was in groove, and in synch. Even better, Kobe is beginning to trust his teammates even more. The lack of which, led to their demise in the playoffs last year.
As they say, defeat changes a man. It makes him stronger, faster, and wiser.
From the way the season has gone, the biggest change in Kobe this year is not the number on his jersey.
Quote of the Week:
"What is venom? I've only been here eight years, guys." - Dirk Nowitzki, reminding his audience that there are still few English words he hasn't been exposed to yet.
He was asked to respond to coach Avery Johnson's recent assertion that bad blood between the Mavs and San Antonio Spurs is "great" because you don't get venom "if there aren't two good teams."
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Weekly Whistle 3
So the third issue of the Whistle is up. I’ve been trying to figure out how I can get photos up here to make the column all the more bouncy. But alas, my technical incompetence has once again harpooned any chance of me ever figuring out how to do it. So if there are any willing souls that can assist ‘moi, I’ll be more than grateful.
The Weekly Whistle III, ladies and gentlemen!
The Booze-dozer
Anybody surprised with how the Jazz have fared so far this season?
This kind of strong start isn’t new to Carlos Boozer. Two years ago, when the Jazz went 7-3 in their first 10 games, Boozer was playing like a wild animal. After signing a big, fat contract earlier that summer, Boozer seemed to validate the Jazz’s faith in by not only posting up career numbers, but also giving the Jazz faithful visions of a Karl Malone redux.
Unfortunately for Utah, Boozer’s stay with the team has been a mix of glimpses of superstardom as well as long stints on the shelf. In his first two years in Utah, he’s missed a total of 80 games.
As much as Okur, Williams, and Kirilenko have all been huge in Utah’s resurgence this year, the main cog still has to be Boozer. He’s that one dominant low post guy they can go to when plays bog down. It helps that he’s a beast on the boards this year, too. So far this year, he’s been averaging 23 points, 13 boards, and three assists pre game. Mailman-esque numbers indeed.
The whole equation, however, still lies with his health. How long can he keep this torrid pace before his body bogs down again?
Utah may be playing some sweet jazzy sounds now. But their track will last for only as long as Boozer’s health does.
Here’s to hoping he plays past January.
(Editor’s note: I totally made up that Booze-dozer nickname, but that’s just for the purposes of this column. I’m still digging his immortal NT tag, Carlos “Verbal Agreement” Boozer. Now, that ‘nick should go to the Nickname Hall of Fame.
P.S. If you want the background story on how he got that nickname, just ask.)
Players of the Week:
East: Dwight Howard – Can you say man-child? In the past week, Howard has had two 20-20 games. Against Memphis, Howard rang up 24-23 and had a 24-21 against Charlotte, in less than 30 minutes! The past week has seen him average 21.3 points and 18.3 boards per game.
Every time I see this guy play, he’s just toying around with whoever tries to guard him as if it’s like a man playing against boys. The problem is, age-wise, Dwight Howard IS the boy! That goes to show you how much this kid is beastin’ right now.
West: Dirk Nowitzki – Lost in all the hype of Utah’s fast start and San Antonio’s resurgence are the Mavericks, who have won eight straight after a 0-4 start. Leading the way, as he’s always done is Dirk Nowitzki, who is also having a quiet MVP type season. In three games last week, Nowitzki averaged 26 points, 14 rebounds, and four assists per game, not to mention a giddy 26 for 28 from the free-throw line.
The Gangbusters
Every year, there are a handful of players who come out of the scene and play their way into public consciousness. Previously rotting on their respective benches, the increased playing time has given these guys a chance to shine and with it they’ve certainly put the league on notice:
Kevin Martin – His shot is ugly, but you can’t complain with the results. Heading into the weekend, lil’ K-Mart is averaging 25 points (from 10.8 last season!), five rebounds, and shooting a ridiculous (for a two-guard) 54% shooting from the field. All that despite an eye-sore looking shot that looks like he’s throwing the ball in a sidewinder motion from his waist.
Can’t imagine it? Call yourself lucky.
Monta Ellis – I always love the story of an overlooked player coming out and proving the critics wrong. It’s a fascinating read every time. This year’s winner of the I-Told-You-I-Can-Ball award has to be Monta Ellis. Taken in the second round of last year’s draft (40th overall), Ellis was seen as being too small to play the guards position (he’s actually 6’3, but he does look like a lot smaller than his height). Unfortunately for the GM’s, and I always never understood this, they overlooked one thing and that guys like Ellis may not be the prototypical basketball player, but they can flat out play.
Ellis has rewarded the Warrior’s taking a chance on him by averaging a sweet 17 points, five dimes per game this year.
Deron Williams – For all the raves Carlos Boozer has had for Utah’s early success, Williams has quietly established himself as the legitimate John Stockton successor at Utah. Averaging 18 points and 9 assists per game this year, he and Boozer are slowly starting to look like a modern day “Stockton-to-Malone” combination.
Maybe the Jazz weren’t all that cuckoo selecting Williams over CP after all.
David Lee – He may not light up the scoreboard like the previous three guards, but Lee has been an absolute maniac on the glass. Averaging only 24 minutes a game but grabbing nine rebounds in those minutes, Lee has Dennis Rodman written all over him, minus all the baggage of course.
But this being the Knicks, I’m sure Isiah Thomas will find a way to screw this up. Maybe he can trade Lee to the Hornets for Marc Jackson. That would be awesome.
Zaza Pachulia – His name may sound funny, but he’s game is certainly no laughing matter. Anchoring the suddenly improved Hawks frontline is this Georgian (the country, not the state) center who has averaged a pretty impressive 16 points and seven rebounds in his second year as the Hawks’ middleman.
Not bad for a dude named Zaza.
Video of the Week
Nate on Yao - This vid reminded me of Muggsy Bogues doing Patrick Ewing dirty some years back. Unbelievable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqlaN31OzDs
Quote of the Week
“I was blocked by a 5’3 guy before, so that’s not a record.” -Yao Ming, after 5’9 Nate Robinson rejected his dunk attempt.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Weekly Whistle volume 2
So, the first issue of the Whistle drew a total of eight readers. Pretty encouraging considering I only expected half of that number to pay attention, let alone read it. Not that it matters…ok, maybe it does…but only for self-worth excuses. Either way, this second issue, I’m shooting for the stars, baby! What-say-you I double that and get 16 readers for the week? Lets just hope I don’t drink too much alcohol during the week and start counting each reader twice.
Anyways, on to The Weekly Whistle issue two!
Hey, it’s the new ball!!!
When was the last time you saw a game end in such an unusual way you had to do a double-take to see if what you saw really happened? So maybe the Wizards-Nets game ended with a typical overtime win for Joyzee, but the shot that forced OT was clearly a “whatthehelllwasthat” play.
Note to reader: In the interest of censorship, I think it’s in my best judgment to refrain from using any cuss words so as not to come across as being rough-edged and uncivilized to my readers, all eight of you, to be in fact. So from this point on, no cussing in the Whistle…unless it’s the Knicks were talking about.
So here’s the scenario: Down three with 2 seconds left, Vince Carter gets an inbound pass at the top of the three point line and launches a fall-away 27 footer to tie the game. As the ball hit the rim, it bounced the way a deflated ball would bounce when it hits something metal in that it DIDN’T BOUNCE! It hit the rim, and then just plopped to the hoop. Can’t imagine it? Try getting a collapsed ball and throw it at the basket from 30 feet out. Looks ugly, doesn’t it?
But, alas, the ball went through the hoop, there was OT, and the Nets won.
After the game, Jason Kidd had some pretty amusing comments regarding that freak play. "It didn't rattle. It just stuck," he said. "The old ball maybe just hits the rim and bounces out. This new ball is different and we were very fortunate that it stuck and rolled in."
Vince Carter, when asked if his last second heave would have went in with the old ball, said, "If it would've hit like that? Heck no. No way."
This kind of head-scratching freak play is enough reason for me to wish I had TiVO.
Players of the Week
East: LeBron James – It’s really not fair to put LeBron James as a Player of the Week considering he’s going to end up here at least nine times, anyway. But if you put up 33-6-6 over the week and lead your team to a 3-0 record, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be here. As my friend Migs, the number one LeBron James nut-hugger would say, “a typical week in the office.”
West: Baron Davis – Second week, second favorite player. I swear there’s no bias here! Check out Diddy’s averages for the week: 26 points, 4 rebounds, 13 assists, and 3.3 steals. Most impressive stat? The Warriors went 3-0 this week against the Pistons, Raptors, and Kings.
Will the real Diddy please stand up!
Speaking of Baron Davis, I was lucky enough to catch the Warriors’ last two games against Toronto and Sacramento, the first one BTV and the other one care of TVU. It struck me that, if healthy (and Lord knows that’s a huge IF), Baron Davis is the scariest point guard in the NBA.
I will refrain from saying best, because, after all, he’s always a hangnail away from the injured list. But if his last two games are any indication, this man, as long as he doesn’t trip over his garden hose and hurts his knee, is going to have a great year.
That first quarter against the Kings was a ridiculous display of dominance from Diddy. Eight points and 11 assists! He bullied his way against the small defenders the Kings put on him, and when they put Artest on Davis, he just blew by him with his first step. This is Ron-ron “The Rottweiller” we’re talking about here, not some fruitcake defender(s) like, say…the whole New York Knicks team.
Like what I’ve said, if Baron can, at LEAST play 70 games for Golden State this year, I’m calling it that they keep on playing past April. Let’s jus hope he stays healthy to make my prediction happen.
Coaching for dummies, literally
Quickest way to get fired from a coaching job: Come up with a new offensive philosophy that urges your team to shoot the ball at least 100 times in one game.
I made a bet with a friend of mine on which coach would get the pink slip first from their respective teams – Sam Mitchell or Doc Rivers. I’m almost 98% percent sure I’m going to come up on top here.
After hearing about Mitchell’s “100 shots” philosophy, the firs thing that came to mind was “how the hell is this guy a coach in the NBA?”. I’m going to be shocked if he makes it past the All-Star break as Toronto’s coach. Seriously, what kind of philosophy is this? From what it sounded like and from what I saw from two previous Toronto games I’ve seen, Mitchell basically gives the green light to EVERYBODY in his team to just shoot when they feel like it. Maybe he thinks that if they shoot 100 times in a game, they have a good chance of winning. Good idea Sam, except that:
a) You’re not the Phoenix Suns
b) Your best player is a back-to-the-basket post-up power forward
c) Your team only has ONE shooter!
On more than one occasion, I’ve seen a Toronto player bring the ball up the court on a one-on-two and shamelessly launch a three pointer without having any of his teammates cross the half court line yet. And Sam Mitchell endorses this!?!!
As of November 18, statistics show that the Raptors do attempt the most field goals in the league (86.4), but they rank 26th (!) in field goal percentage with a 43% shooting percentage. They rank 4th in 3 points attempt, yet they’re 24th in 3-point percentage. Even worse, Mitchell’s “hoist-‘em-as-if-they’re-hot-potatoes” philosophy lessens the chances of the team going to the free-throw line. Need proof of that, too? Barney’s crew is 29th in free-throw attempts per game.
Maybe Mitchell thinks that they can get away with shooting more because they can outscore the opposing team. Unfortunately, he forgot that his team doesn’t play defense too. Giving up 104.5 points per game, good for third highest in the league, won’t win you a lot of games, especially if you only score 99.3.
As much as I want to say that there’s light at the end of this tunnel, the only positive spin I can put on this whole situation is that, at least, I’m making some money out of it.
Three stripes and you’re out!
When I first saw the cover of this year’s Kicks Magazine featuring The Adidas Five on the cover with the words “It’s Over” splashed on it, I thought the Stripes might have struck gold with the campaign. It was a really sweet idea. Considering that the company has flunked massively on making successful signature lines for guys like Duncan and KG, pairing them up with McGrady, Billups, and the quirky one himself, Arenas, made really good sense.
“Why not market five of the best basketball players as a team and revolve your whole basketball campaign around them?” Expectations were high. You’ve flopped with most of your basketball ads, Adidas, but I have to admit, this one looks promising.
Needless to say, I couldn’t wait for the ad to come out.
When I first saw the commercial, all my expectations went flushing down the toilet. It made ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE. Sure, they got the message down. “It takes five to win, blah, blah, blah.” But the presentation was a real stinker. From KG doing that “You’re a fool” scowl, which was neither believable nor menacing, to Duncan delivering his “It fool’s you” line from a radio studio (which I found really weird since it had nothing to do with basketball), the whole commercial was like allowing your piss-drunk friend to mix you a hardcore drink. You prepare yourself for something awesome only to be left with a “whatthehellwasthat” look on you face.
Oh, and that footage of Billups in the parade with his Finals MVP trophy? Didn’t Adidas realize that he won that award TWO YEARS ago, and that there have been two Finals MVP’s after that? One of whom is Tim Duncan, who was in the SAME commercial!
Good job Adidas.
Stick to your futbol commercials. At least that Jose+10 campaign was pretty cool.
Quote of the Week
“The teams that we’ve played against, if you look at their record, they’re pretty good teams as evident by how they’ve done against the other good teams. I just wish we start playing the lesser teams…like us.” – Isiah Thomas
Anyways, on to The Weekly Whistle issue two!
Hey, it’s the new ball!!!
When was the last time you saw a game end in such an unusual way you had to do a double-take to see if what you saw really happened? So maybe the Wizards-Nets game ended with a typical overtime win for Joyzee, but the shot that forced OT was clearly a “whatthehelllwasthat” play.
Note to reader: In the interest of censorship, I think it’s in my best judgment to refrain from using any cuss words so as not to come across as being rough-edged and uncivilized to my readers, all eight of you, to be in fact. So from this point on, no cussing in the Whistle…unless it’s the Knicks were talking about.
So here’s the scenario: Down three with 2 seconds left, Vince Carter gets an inbound pass at the top of the three point line and launches a fall-away 27 footer to tie the game. As the ball hit the rim, it bounced the way a deflated ball would bounce when it hits something metal in that it DIDN’T BOUNCE! It hit the rim, and then just plopped to the hoop. Can’t imagine it? Try getting a collapsed ball and throw it at the basket from 30 feet out. Looks ugly, doesn’t it?
But, alas, the ball went through the hoop, there was OT, and the Nets won.
After the game, Jason Kidd had some pretty amusing comments regarding that freak play. "It didn't rattle. It just stuck," he said. "The old ball maybe just hits the rim and bounces out. This new ball is different and we were very fortunate that it stuck and rolled in."
Vince Carter, when asked if his last second heave would have went in with the old ball, said, "If it would've hit like that? Heck no. No way."
This kind of head-scratching freak play is enough reason for me to wish I had TiVO.
Players of the Week
East: LeBron James – It’s really not fair to put LeBron James as a Player of the Week considering he’s going to end up here at least nine times, anyway. But if you put up 33-6-6 over the week and lead your team to a 3-0 record, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be here. As my friend Migs, the number one LeBron James nut-hugger would say, “a typical week in the office.”
West: Baron Davis – Second week, second favorite player. I swear there’s no bias here! Check out Diddy’s averages for the week: 26 points, 4 rebounds, 13 assists, and 3.3 steals. Most impressive stat? The Warriors went 3-0 this week against the Pistons, Raptors, and Kings.
Will the real Diddy please stand up!
Speaking of Baron Davis, I was lucky enough to catch the Warriors’ last two games against Toronto and Sacramento, the first one BTV and the other one care of TVU. It struck me that, if healthy (and Lord knows that’s a huge IF), Baron Davis is the scariest point guard in the NBA.
I will refrain from saying best, because, after all, he’s always a hangnail away from the injured list. But if his last two games are any indication, this man, as long as he doesn’t trip over his garden hose and hurts his knee, is going to have a great year.
That first quarter against the Kings was a ridiculous display of dominance from Diddy. Eight points and 11 assists! He bullied his way against the small defenders the Kings put on him, and when they put Artest on Davis, he just blew by him with his first step. This is Ron-ron “The Rottweiller” we’re talking about here, not some fruitcake defender(s) like, say…the whole New York Knicks team.
Like what I’ve said, if Baron can, at LEAST play 70 games for Golden State this year, I’m calling it that they keep on playing past April. Let’s jus hope he stays healthy to make my prediction happen.
Coaching for dummies, literally
Quickest way to get fired from a coaching job: Come up with a new offensive philosophy that urges your team to shoot the ball at least 100 times in one game.
I made a bet with a friend of mine on which coach would get the pink slip first from their respective teams – Sam Mitchell or Doc Rivers. I’m almost 98% percent sure I’m going to come up on top here.
After hearing about Mitchell’s “100 shots” philosophy, the firs thing that came to mind was “how the hell is this guy a coach in the NBA?”. I’m going to be shocked if he makes it past the All-Star break as Toronto’s coach. Seriously, what kind of philosophy is this? From what it sounded like and from what I saw from two previous Toronto games I’ve seen, Mitchell basically gives the green light to EVERYBODY in his team to just shoot when they feel like it. Maybe he thinks that if they shoot 100 times in a game, they have a good chance of winning. Good idea Sam, except that:
a) You’re not the Phoenix Suns
b) Your best player is a back-to-the-basket post-up power forward
c) Your team only has ONE shooter!
On more than one occasion, I’ve seen a Toronto player bring the ball up the court on a one-on-two and shamelessly launch a three pointer without having any of his teammates cross the half court line yet. And Sam Mitchell endorses this!?!!
As of November 18, statistics show that the Raptors do attempt the most field goals in the league (86.4), but they rank 26th (!) in field goal percentage with a 43% shooting percentage. They rank 4th in 3 points attempt, yet they’re 24th in 3-point percentage. Even worse, Mitchell’s “hoist-‘em-as-if-they’re-hot-potatoes” philosophy lessens the chances of the team going to the free-throw line. Need proof of that, too? Barney’s crew is 29th in free-throw attempts per game.
Maybe Mitchell thinks that they can get away with shooting more because they can outscore the opposing team. Unfortunately, he forgot that his team doesn’t play defense too. Giving up 104.5 points per game, good for third highest in the league, won’t win you a lot of games, especially if you only score 99.3.
As much as I want to say that there’s light at the end of this tunnel, the only positive spin I can put on this whole situation is that, at least, I’m making some money out of it.
Three stripes and you’re out!
When I first saw the cover of this year’s Kicks Magazine featuring The Adidas Five on the cover with the words “It’s Over” splashed on it, I thought the Stripes might have struck gold with the campaign. It was a really sweet idea. Considering that the company has flunked massively on making successful signature lines for guys like Duncan and KG, pairing them up with McGrady, Billups, and the quirky one himself, Arenas, made really good sense.
“Why not market five of the best basketball players as a team and revolve your whole basketball campaign around them?” Expectations were high. You’ve flopped with most of your basketball ads, Adidas, but I have to admit, this one looks promising.
Needless to say, I couldn’t wait for the ad to come out.
When I first saw the commercial, all my expectations went flushing down the toilet. It made ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE. Sure, they got the message down. “It takes five to win, blah, blah, blah.” But the presentation was a real stinker. From KG doing that “You’re a fool” scowl, which was neither believable nor menacing, to Duncan delivering his “It fool’s you” line from a radio studio (which I found really weird since it had nothing to do with basketball), the whole commercial was like allowing your piss-drunk friend to mix you a hardcore drink. You prepare yourself for something awesome only to be left with a “whatthehellwasthat” look on you face.
Oh, and that footage of Billups in the parade with his Finals MVP trophy? Didn’t Adidas realize that he won that award TWO YEARS ago, and that there have been two Finals MVP’s after that? One of whom is Tim Duncan, who was in the SAME commercial!
Good job Adidas.
Stick to your futbol commercials. At least that Jose+10 campaign was pretty cool.
Quote of the Week
“The teams that we’ve played against, if you look at their record, they’re pretty good teams as evident by how they’ve done against the other good teams. I just wish we start playing the lesser teams…like us.” – Isiah Thomas
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Weekly Whistle volume 1
For this season, I've decided to write a weekly NBA blog regarding all things NBA. I'm officially christening my baby as The Weekly Whistle
Now I know, only about four people will bother reading this, half of whom would probably read it out of sheer curiosity only to turn away after a few paragraphs.
I can tell you know you don’t know what you’re missing. Twenty years from now, these weekly recaps will be considered literature gold mines and all of you will kick yourselves in the nuts for not being a part of it.
See, I can still write a paragraph of fugazi BS without cracking a smile. It takes talent to do that.
Now onto the first edition of The Weekly Whistle
Hornets past and present
It’s a week into the NBA season and the only thing that makes sense so far is that my Hornets are 4-1. 5-0, if it wasn’t for that overweight point guard from Golden State deciding to play his best basketball against his former team.
I’m just kidding. I still root for you Diddy, just not against the Hornets.
How about that game, huh? Two of my favorite players going toe-to-toe and carrying their teams on their shoulder. And their stats, whew!
Chris Paul: 34-5-10
Baron Davis: 36-4-9
Players of the Week
Speaking of monster stats and strong performances, here are my first picks for players of the week:
East: Joe Johnson – Five games in and he’s averaging 28.4 points, 5 boards and 5 assist. Even more impressive? Atlanta’s 4-1 record, considering they didn’t get win number four last year until their 20th game!
West: Chris Paul – Of course I’m biased! But favoritism aside, it really has been a monster start for CP3. Going into today’s game against the Blazers, he’s averaging 21 points, 4 rebounds, and 10 dimes. Savage.
Beast of the Least
So the Hawks are the number one team in Eastern Conference. The Pistons and Bulls, pre-season favorites by the way, sit at the bottom of the Central division. The Cavaliers win all their games against good teams but get embarrassed against bad teams.
I know it’s a week into the season but these trends are really unsettling. It’s beginning to look like nobody wants to win the East.
That being said, at least five teams right now have a legitimate chance in winning the conference, albeit, none will do it convincingly. I have Miami, Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, and New Jersey.
Now, who’s my pick out of these five? I’m picking the team with the least amount of questions surrounding their season. And conveniently enough, it’s the New Jersey Nets.
Miami’s too old now, and they probably have hunger issues. Detroit has lost its mojo. The Bulls are offensively inept. The Cavs are a one-man show, unless proven otherwise. So, the odd team out is Jersey.
They have one of the most explosive scorers in VC, a reliable do-it all guy in RJ, and the measuring stick among all point guards, J-Kidd. Not to mention, a budding and ever improving slot man in Krstic and a better bench, although it’s still not as deep as it should be.
So, they’re my pick to win the East. So what if they’re from Jersey?
As for the Hawks? They should enjoy their early success because they’ll come crashing back down to earth soon.
Motown Dud
I feel bad for Detroit. Two years ago, they were the model franchise of the NBA. It seemed like everything Detroit GM Joe Dumars did turned to gold. Since then, all of Joe D’s moves have been anything but golden. Let’s recap:
a) He let free agent C Mehmet Okur walk back in 2004.
b) He traded Darko Milicic and Kelvin Cato to Orlando for…I cant even remember who got back in that trade…just so they have the cap space to sign Big Ben, who coincidentally,
c) bolted to run with the Bulls for greener pastures.
d) Now, there’s talk of Chauncey Billups moving to Milwaukee next year.
Now, if Isiah Thomas made those moves, it wouldn’t be all that surprising. But, Joe D? I know you’ve made Isiah look good back in your playing days, but to do it now? What gives?
King of the Hill
How about Grant Hill, huh? It’s amazing how incredibly efficient he still is after everything he’s been through. He still shoots at a high percentage, still does everything so well, and he can still defend the opposing team’s best player.
He’s like that favorite uncle who used to give you the best toys for Christmas only to leave for another country and takes all the presents with him. He sends the occasional action figures, but it doesn’t happen as often as it used to be. Then he comes back, and the cool presents return too. You wonder how many G.I. Joe’s you could’ve had if he hadn’t left, right?
Gives me goose-bumps imagining how good Hill would have been if he hadn’t gotten hurt.
I’m thinking Top 10…ALL-TIME.
The LeBrons
Arguably one of the funniest campaigns out there right now. For all the accolades LeBron has received on the court, its his talents off the court that’s going to make him huge. In this campaign by Nike, LeBron, or Athlete LeBron, as he’s called in the ad, shares a home with three other LeBrons, Business LeBron, Wise Lebron, and Kid LeBron. The funny thing is he plays all four roles so convincingly; you’d think he took lessons from Eddie Murphy.
Here’s three of the four ads from season one of the LeBrons. Check out the link: http://youtube.com/watch?v=40GKEtQzUOk
Now I know, only about four people will bother reading this, half of whom would probably read it out of sheer curiosity only to turn away after a few paragraphs.
I can tell you know you don’t know what you’re missing. Twenty years from now, these weekly recaps will be considered literature gold mines and all of you will kick yourselves in the nuts for not being a part of it.
See, I can still write a paragraph of fugazi BS without cracking a smile. It takes talent to do that.
Now onto the first edition of The Weekly Whistle
Hornets past and present
It’s a week into the NBA season and the only thing that makes sense so far is that my Hornets are 4-1. 5-0, if it wasn’t for that overweight point guard from Golden State deciding to play his best basketball against his former team.
I’m just kidding. I still root for you Diddy, just not against the Hornets.
How about that game, huh? Two of my favorite players going toe-to-toe and carrying their teams on their shoulder. And their stats, whew!
Chris Paul: 34-5-10
Baron Davis: 36-4-9
Players of the Week
Speaking of monster stats and strong performances, here are my first picks for players of the week:
East: Joe Johnson – Five games in and he’s averaging 28.4 points, 5 boards and 5 assist. Even more impressive? Atlanta’s 4-1 record, considering they didn’t get win number four last year until their 20th game!
West: Chris Paul – Of course I’m biased! But favoritism aside, it really has been a monster start for CP3. Going into today’s game against the Blazers, he’s averaging 21 points, 4 rebounds, and 10 dimes. Savage.
Beast of the Least
So the Hawks are the number one team in Eastern Conference. The Pistons and Bulls, pre-season favorites by the way, sit at the bottom of the Central division. The Cavaliers win all their games against good teams but get embarrassed against bad teams.
I know it’s a week into the season but these trends are really unsettling. It’s beginning to look like nobody wants to win the East.
That being said, at least five teams right now have a legitimate chance in winning the conference, albeit, none will do it convincingly. I have Miami, Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, and New Jersey.
Now, who’s my pick out of these five? I’m picking the team with the least amount of questions surrounding their season. And conveniently enough, it’s the New Jersey Nets.
Miami’s too old now, and they probably have hunger issues. Detroit has lost its mojo. The Bulls are offensively inept. The Cavs are a one-man show, unless proven otherwise. So, the odd team out is Jersey.
They have one of the most explosive scorers in VC, a reliable do-it all guy in RJ, and the measuring stick among all point guards, J-Kidd. Not to mention, a budding and ever improving slot man in Krstic and a better bench, although it’s still not as deep as it should be.
So, they’re my pick to win the East. So what if they’re from Jersey?
As for the Hawks? They should enjoy their early success because they’ll come crashing back down to earth soon.
Motown Dud
I feel bad for Detroit. Two years ago, they were the model franchise of the NBA. It seemed like everything Detroit GM Joe Dumars did turned to gold. Since then, all of Joe D’s moves have been anything but golden. Let’s recap:
a) He let free agent C Mehmet Okur walk back in 2004.
b) He traded Darko Milicic and Kelvin Cato to Orlando for…I cant even remember who got back in that trade…just so they have the cap space to sign Big Ben, who coincidentally,
c) bolted to run with the Bulls for greener pastures.
d) Now, there’s talk of Chauncey Billups moving to Milwaukee next year.
Now, if Isiah Thomas made those moves, it wouldn’t be all that surprising. But, Joe D? I know you’ve made Isiah look good back in your playing days, but to do it now? What gives?
King of the Hill
How about Grant Hill, huh? It’s amazing how incredibly efficient he still is after everything he’s been through. He still shoots at a high percentage, still does everything so well, and he can still defend the opposing team’s best player.
He’s like that favorite uncle who used to give you the best toys for Christmas only to leave for another country and takes all the presents with him. He sends the occasional action figures, but it doesn’t happen as often as it used to be. Then he comes back, and the cool presents return too. You wonder how many G.I. Joe’s you could’ve had if he hadn’t left, right?
Gives me goose-bumps imagining how good Hill would have been if he hadn’t gotten hurt.
I’m thinking Top 10…ALL-TIME.
The LeBrons
Arguably one of the funniest campaigns out there right now. For all the accolades LeBron has received on the court, its his talents off the court that’s going to make him huge. In this campaign by Nike, LeBron, or Athlete LeBron, as he’s called in the ad, shares a home with three other LeBrons, Business LeBron, Wise Lebron, and Kid LeBron. The funny thing is he plays all four roles so convincingly; you’d think he took lessons from Eddie Murphy.
Here’s three of the four ads from season one of the LeBrons. Check out the link: http://youtube.com/watch?v=40GKEtQzUOk
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Adieu to a Legend
If pictures could paint a thousand words, the look on your face would say it all.
It was a face of a battered and drained warrior. The words from your mouth were unhurried and deliberate; trying to make sure you said the right things. Your gaze was far and in between. You didn’t look directly at the cameras, afraid that they might catch you getting all choked up. You were biting your lip, trying to hold it in. This was inevitable. Nobody could deny the fact that this moment would come sooner than later. Not your fans, not your team, and most especially not you.
How ironic is it that a room full of over-zealous, loud-mouthed journalists fell silent when you uttered those words. They too, knew that this time would come. But they, like me, refused to admit it. We held on to the hope that you would extend for at least another year; that we would still catch you and your pompous, arrogant face on television for one more season.
That is, until you made it official.
I became a Formula 1 fan because of you. It was the 1999 British Grand Prix. You had a terrible accident and broke your leg. I felt bad for you, and being the underdog-nuthugger that I am, immediately flagged down the bandwagon and proudly hopped on board.
I wanted you to succeed. The anointed savior of a team that had lost its ‘aura of invincibility’, you were tasked to bring back glory and prestige to the Prancing Horse. You were close on many occasions but unfortunately, you always ended up short. You reminded me of Wile E. Coyote. You chased and chased the Road Runner, even relying on craftiness and trickery. But at the end of the day, all you had to show for your efforts was second place.
That’s why you can imagine my jubilation when you took the chequered flag at the 2000 Japanese Grand Prix and finally won your third Driver’s Championship, but more importantly, your first with Scuderia. You had come through on your promise to bring the championship back to Maranello.
Then you won again in 2001.
…and again in 2002.
…and again in 2003.
…and again in 2004.
All of a sudden, you became the Road Runner. Nobody could catch you. Nobody could TOUCH you.
You began dominating the sport in such a way that all the major records flew by the wayside. Most championships, most career wins, most wins in a season, most pole positions, most podium finishes. Your name will be carved beside all of them.
But in spite of all your achievements; and the love and adulation from your loyal ‘tifosi’, you still had a boatload of detractors and critics, and rightfully so.
You didn’t always race in the ‘fairest’ of ways. You had a reputation for being overly aggressive. You would grumble and protest when an adversary gets an upper hand on you and yet, wipe your hands clean when the fingers are pointed in your direction.
I still remember you driving into the back of Jacques Villenueve’s car in Jerez in ’97 so you could win the title. You ended up being disqualified from the championships that year. Deliberate or not, it showed that you had a nasty streak and that you would go to incredulous lengths to win.
It wasn’t just Jerez. It was also Adelaide in 1994, Austria in 2002, and Monaco just this year. All these incidences put a dent on your reputation. You tried bending the rules until its breaking point, and for that you made a lot of enemies.
Nevertheless, it doesn’t take away anything from what you’ve accomplished in this sport. You are a 7-time world champion. You have won 90 races, almost twice as much as Alain Prost’s 51. All your records are head and shoulders above the rest.
At the end of the day, this is how your legacy will be remembered. In spite of all your misgivings, you will be remembered as a great champion who gave your fans memories that will last a lifetime.
I still remember Imola in 2003. My goose bumps were having goose bumps when you won that race, just a day after your mother died. You decided to race on despite your grief and you totally annihilated the competition. The image of you crying on top of the podium is still fresh in my head.
As your final season winds down, you have three races left. Three points away from first place. Your 8th championship is but a few car-lengths away. There’s still a chance to do what few athletes have done: go out on top.
You’re no Cinderella, but still, fairytale endings are meant for people like you.
Good luck and thank you for the memories.
It was a face of a battered and drained warrior. The words from your mouth were unhurried and deliberate; trying to make sure you said the right things. Your gaze was far and in between. You didn’t look directly at the cameras, afraid that they might catch you getting all choked up. You were biting your lip, trying to hold it in. This was inevitable. Nobody could deny the fact that this moment would come sooner than later. Not your fans, not your team, and most especially not you.
How ironic is it that a room full of over-zealous, loud-mouthed journalists fell silent when you uttered those words. They too, knew that this time would come. But they, like me, refused to admit it. We held on to the hope that you would extend for at least another year; that we would still catch you and your pompous, arrogant face on television for one more season.
That is, until you made it official.
I became a Formula 1 fan because of you. It was the 1999 British Grand Prix. You had a terrible accident and broke your leg. I felt bad for you, and being the underdog-nuthugger that I am, immediately flagged down the bandwagon and proudly hopped on board.
I wanted you to succeed. The anointed savior of a team that had lost its ‘aura of invincibility’, you were tasked to bring back glory and prestige to the Prancing Horse. You were close on many occasions but unfortunately, you always ended up short. You reminded me of Wile E. Coyote. You chased and chased the Road Runner, even relying on craftiness and trickery. But at the end of the day, all you had to show for your efforts was second place.
That’s why you can imagine my jubilation when you took the chequered flag at the 2000 Japanese Grand Prix and finally won your third Driver’s Championship, but more importantly, your first with Scuderia. You had come through on your promise to bring the championship back to Maranello.
Then you won again in 2001.
…and again in 2002.
…and again in 2003.
…and again in 2004.
All of a sudden, you became the Road Runner. Nobody could catch you. Nobody could TOUCH you.
You began dominating the sport in such a way that all the major records flew by the wayside. Most championships, most career wins, most wins in a season, most pole positions, most podium finishes. Your name will be carved beside all of them.
But in spite of all your achievements; and the love and adulation from your loyal ‘tifosi’, you still had a boatload of detractors and critics, and rightfully so.
You didn’t always race in the ‘fairest’ of ways. You had a reputation for being overly aggressive. You would grumble and protest when an adversary gets an upper hand on you and yet, wipe your hands clean when the fingers are pointed in your direction.
I still remember you driving into the back of Jacques Villenueve’s car in Jerez in ’97 so you could win the title. You ended up being disqualified from the championships that year. Deliberate or not, it showed that you had a nasty streak and that you would go to incredulous lengths to win.
It wasn’t just Jerez. It was also Adelaide in 1994, Austria in 2002, and Monaco just this year. All these incidences put a dent on your reputation. You tried bending the rules until its breaking point, and for that you made a lot of enemies.
Nevertheless, it doesn’t take away anything from what you’ve accomplished in this sport. You are a 7-time world champion. You have won 90 races, almost twice as much as Alain Prost’s 51. All your records are head and shoulders above the rest.
At the end of the day, this is how your legacy will be remembered. In spite of all your misgivings, you will be remembered as a great champion who gave your fans memories that will last a lifetime.
I still remember Imola in 2003. My goose bumps were having goose bumps when you won that race, just a day after your mother died. You decided to race on despite your grief and you totally annihilated the competition. The image of you crying on top of the podium is still fresh in my head.
As your final season winds down, you have three races left. Three points away from first place. Your 8th championship is but a few car-lengths away. There’s still a chance to do what few athletes have done: go out on top.
You’re no Cinderella, but still, fairytale endings are meant for people like you.
Good luck and thank you for the memories.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Blacktop Culture
It’s a far cry from the bright lights of the arena. The familiar sight of brightly polished parquet floors and fully loaded box seats are nowhere to be found. In its place is a slab of asphalt and cement blocks posing as bleachers. Everything is different; the bounce of the ball, the sound of a swishing net, and the roar of the crowd.
This is street basketball.
In the basketball world, it is most commonly referred to as the “other” game. A game where fundamental skills and half court style of play are left at home and a high flying, freestylin’ version takes center stage.
It’s a game where style points are as important as two points.
In a way, street ball is a basketball purist’s worst nightmare. Old school coaches cringe at the sight of their players going one-on-one against their defender. Coaches shun the playground style because of the emphasis on flashy moves and one-on-one duels and the lack of teamwork and organization.
In street ball, it’s the way of life. Ballers display a style of basketball that never lacks on showmanship and flair; enough that could get them benched in a normal game setting.
This in-your-face style makes the game so appealing, especially to the young inner city kids today. There’s a sense of freedom given to each baller to strut his stuff and work his magic, something he could never do on an organized game. Trash talking and attitude is highly encouraged. Between-the-leg, no-look passes and acrobatic dunks are considered religion. The play is physical, and tense, but all in fun, at least most of the time.
After all, streetball goes by only one credo—-if it looks good, it’s legal.
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