InFlux Was a Good Band

Some Kind Words from an Unexpected Source and Some Welcome News

2010-07-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

“I watch all the teams and what they did for LeBron, and [the Heat] still have to go through the Lakers with Kobe Bryant out there, who’s been my favorite player for a long time,’’ said Pacers president Larry Bird. “And I don’t think whatever they do in the East is really going to concern him that much.’’

Oh, and Fish is back. Thank you, Kobe Bryant:

"I have decided to continue with Kobe, continue with our teammates and the fans of Los Angeles," Fisher said in a statement. "While this may not be the most lucrative contract I've been offered this offseason, it is the most valuable. I am confident I will continue to lead this team on and off the court. Let the hunt for six begin."

"I took time to consider all my options, many not reported in the media," Fisher said. "I listened to every coach, every general manager, even potential teammates in order to make the right decision and I thank every one of them. At the end of the day, there's one person I could not turn away from.

"Kobe Bryant asked me to stay but supported whatever decision I made. He and I have played together for 11 seasons, came into the league together as kids, and has been loyal to me even when others had doubts. We have won five championships together."

A Look Back at the 09-10 NBA Season

2010-06-25T14:16:00.000-07:00

Wow, just wow. I had a feeling that the 09-10 NBA season was going to be something special, but I never would've guessed it would come down to the fourth quarter of GAME 7 in the Finals. I did predict Lakers over Celtics in 6 back in October, but that was just a shot in the dark. What really happened was a far more dramatic series than anybody saw coming. That being said, let's take a look back at my predictions for this year and see how I did on the other stuff:

10)Yup, the Big Fundamental was called a Power Forward by the Spurs again. No big surprise here. Of note though, was my email conversation with Brian Kamenetzky of ESPN LA who agreed with me on the point and had this to say:

Certain battles are bigger than all of us. Haha.

I kid. I know I've talked about the absurdity of the PF designation for Duncan before, but it is, as they say, what it is. For TD, he's been slotted there for so long, nothing will change it now.

Oh well. Thanks for the note, and of course, for listening to the show/reading the site. We appreciate it.
Brian

Speaking of ESPN LA, how great is it that in its inaugural year, it gets to cover a Boston/LA Finals? The Lakers seem to have a knack for the historical, what with this also being the 50th year in Los Angeles.

9)Did Rambis really regret taking the T-Wolves job? Well, let's see: 15-67 regular season, Ricky Rubio choosing Europe over the Land of 10,000 Lakes, and yeah—it's really cold there during the NBA season. Maybe he's a “glass is half-full” guy.

8)On the other hand, the Clippers and Hornets jobs did open up—as did Cleveland, Atlanta, Philadelphia and New Jersey. In my opinion, each of those are at least as attractive as Minnesota. And of course, the Lakers job might open up, but more on that later.

7)No, Shaq didn't gloss himself the “Big ____.” In fact, I'm not sure what Shaq did this year—other than get hurt again. At 37, he's just not an impact player anymore. I for one, am hoping he realizes it soon. I'd prefer he just retire and get his jersey hung up at Staples. What else does he have to prove? By the way, if you didn't see this great article on Shaq's true Laker legacy, here's your chance.

6)No feud for Carter and Howard either. I guess I should've seen this coming—especially from a notoriously soft player known for disappearing during crunch time and a guy seemingly more interested in having a good time than actually winning. By the way, if that's not true of Howard, then why isn't he training in the offseason with Hakeem instead of Kobe? Kobe wins the Finals and sets out to improve, Dwight loses and stands pat regarding his offensive repertoire. Speaks volumes about both of them.

5)Yup, Wallace got a lot of T's—almost was disqualified from a Finals game because of them. AND he coasted through the regular season. Bill Simmons, noted Boston homer, even went so far as to call him his “least favorite Celtic ever.” But there he was in Game 7 with that unstoppable turnaround J and smothering D getting his team THIS CLOSE to #18. But alas, it wasn't meant to be.

4)Nope, Bynum didn't make the All-Star team. He did increase his scoring to 15 PPG and pulled down 8.3 Rebounds (both up from last year), but although he had impressive stretches, he also had some lulls which ultimately cost him the All-Star nod. But dude stepped up against Boston and was a huge factor when he played despite having the bum knee. This will be an interesting offseason for him as LA must decide whether or not to trade the 22 year old with huge upside and injury questions for a 26 year old Bosh who might not fit in (if we can even believe the rumors). I'm not making the decision, but if I was, it would come to down to this question—who makes me better for the next 3 years? The Lakers are a veteran team, and although it would be nice to possibly have a secure future with a guy who won't hit his tradition center prime for another 8 years, you've got to win now while Kobe is still in his prime. It should never come down to "win now" or "win later." You're the Los Angeles Lakers. Free agents will always want to come play for you.

3)I won't say that Ron Artest was an unqualified success, but the Lakers don't win the title this year without him. I loved Trevor Ariza, and was sad to see him go, but no way he plays Pierce as well as Ron just did. But the most ridiculous part has got to be a tie between Ron being the best player on the floor in Game 7 and thanking his psychiatrist in his post-game interview. (Speaking of postgame...)

The script couldn't have gone any better for Ron and the Lakers this year.

2)LeBron won regular season MVP, but his team flamed out again in the playoffs. More and more we seem to be seeing a schism (how's that for a 50-cent word) forming between teams built for the regular season (Cavs, Mavs, Suns, etc.) and those built for the playoffs (Lakers, Celtics, Spurs). Then again, it could just be the veteran talent's just that much better with teams that play into June.

1)And yes, the Lakers beat Boston—not in 6, but in 7 games to claim their 16th title.

Many people have stated that repeating is much harder than the first one, and the Lakers were certainly no exception to this. What I found most interesting was how this year's team resembles the '01 Champs. Both teams struggled with injury all year. Both teams added a potential combustible teammate (Isaiah Rider and Ron Artest) and both had something to prove for having not beat the previous year's champ who had been unlucky with injury (San Antonio lost in the first round in '00 because of Duncan being hurt, while Boston lost last year with Garnett out.) And somehow, the repeat validates the previous year's accomplishment. Yes, you were good last year too. Hey, you can only play who's in front of you anyway, right?

So, now it's officially the offseason, but of course there'll be intrigue: Will Phil go or will he stay? If he goes, Byron or B. Shaw? (Experience and new system vs. inexperience, but keeping the system intact) What will we get in the draft? Where do the free agents land? What trades will go down? But for now, I'll just kick back and enjoy the spoils of an incredibly entertaining and satisfying season and try to enjoy the journey a little more next year. Seriously. Kobe's been in the League for 14 years already. We've got to appreciate this dude while he's still doing stuff like this. Out.

Wheww. I feel a little better now...

2010-05-05T17:09:00.000-07:00

Considering the defending champs have at least started to once again resemble what might turn into a championship-caliber team. How about those qualifiers, huh? Some have said--and I agree with them--that OKC just might be the toughest opponent LA would have to face in the West, especially if Phoenix actually does get over on the un-dead, will-need-a-stake-through-the-heart Spurs. In any case, Kobe's looking healthier and the Jazz are simply overmatched in this series.

The weirdest thing is that I'm now finding myself rooting for the Celtics--well at least as long as they're playing the Cavs. Of course there's the Shaq angle. Regardless of his "glorified roll player" status, you know the dude will think he has one over on Kobe if the LeBrons win it all this year. Yes, Shaq, that means just as much as Robert Horry having more rings than MJ. You and Playoff Bob must logically be the better player...ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR..gravy-trainer.

But LeBron just bugs me. Sure a little bit of it is the fact that he legitimately has surpassed the Mamba as the best in the game right now, but I'll still take my chances with 2005 Kobe (you know, the one who went for 81). And there are other things, like the entitlement issues dude seems to have--as granted to him by the press. He's not guaranteed to win a single championship, let alone multiple titles, so can we please stop calling him The King? It is after all a biblical reference pretty far removed from a basketball player who won't shake hands with a victorious opponent who just ended his season and chose not to be at the birth of his second child because he'd been there for the first one?!? (I'm glad I'm not his 2nd kid).

And what's with the injury thing? He keeps saying he's not going to use it as an excuse. Great, then stop bringing it up every five minutes!

But probably my favorite thing is the number change for next year. He says he's changing from 23 out of respect and no one else should wear the number either. Then why did you wear it to begin with? Is this new-found respect? Did you just learn about MJ's career? That sounds a little far-fetched until you realize that he's switching to 6--a number made most famous by Bill Russell and Dr. J. What, have you not heard about them or do those guys not deserve the same respect as philandering gambling addict? It's mind-bottling...

Thank goodness for the NFL draft

2010-04-25T13:00:00.000-07:00

At least with all the football news lately, some of the attention has been diverted from the debacle we're calling the Lakers' 2010 playoff run. The K-Bros predicted a repeat of last year's Rocket series for the entire playoffs, but unless the Lakers show on Monday night that they can win when they have to (something we really haven't seen this year at all), there might only be one round.

Seriously, I'm already trying to picture who's coming in next year to replace some of the non-producing slugs on the current roster. And yes, things might have been different with a healthy Kobe and even a shred of continuity for this year, but this certainly doesn't feel like a 1-8 matchup. Of course, that might have something to do with OKC having the same record as Boston and that they would've been a 4 seed in the East. Any ideas? Somebody talk me down...

New Giants or Same Giants? Lincecum has been ridiculous, Zito's actually starting to earn his salary, and we've seen flashes of hope from the offense. But we still don't score for Cain and I think I'd do a better job in the rotation's 5 spot. Madison Bumgarner anyone?

Seahawks are making some noise Wasn't sure about the Whitehurst deal, but McCoy and Clausen dropping like millstones makes me think Carroll might know a little about NFL QB's. Liked the draft picks--especially Golden Tate. (See below) and loved the pick up of LenDale White. Only about 4 more months until we know if any of this worked!

Out.

SI Profile: Pau Gasol

2010-03-28T17:53:00.000-07:00

Been a lot going on and I haven't had much time to blog, so I'll just pass on this great bit on The Spaniard:
A philanthropic, opera-loving, multilingual former medical - 03.29.10 - SI Vault

Quick Thoughts

2010-02-21T16:47:00.000-08:00

Just a couple of things during this 5-day break between Laker games.

For nostalgia's sake, check out this Derek Fisher-themed post.

Speaking of the Kamenetzkys, these guys just got a billion times cooler by responding to one of my recent email queries. Check out the text below:

Hey guys, love the blog and the podcast. But I have one gripe, as insightful as you two often are, why have you not called out the Spurs on their continually ridiculous classification of Tim Duncan as their "Power Forward?" Despite the fact that the dude is the biggest guy on his team, guards the other team's center, spends the majority of his time on the low block--with his back to the basket, and played CENTER in college, San Antonio calls him a PF so he can start in the All-Star game over a healthy Yao. Phoenix did it with Amare, but you wouldn't let them have it. Give San Antonio the business please. Thanks.

Hey Craig-

Certain battles are bigger than all of us. Haha.

I kid. I know I've talked about the absurdity of the PF designation for Duncan before, but it is, as they say, what it is. For TD, he's been slotted there for so long, nothing will change it now.

Oh well. Thanks for the note, and of course, for listening to the show/reading the site. We appreciate it.

Brian

For their regular blog address, click here. For their podcast, click here. I highly recommend both for the serious sports (i.e. Lakers) fan.

Last, but not least--enjoy the following video montage:

Lakers vs. Celtics: The Day After

2010-02-01T16:33:00.000-08:00

One of the few perks of being a fan rather than a player is that when a game like yesterday's happens, you can honestly say that you would have been entertained regardless of the final outcome. If you played in the game and lost, it could affect your livelihood, but as a fan, you'd be sad to lose, but it shouldn't ruin your day.

That being said, I was fully entertained AND frickin' happy because my team won. But not just because they won-- but mainly the way they won. I think we can honestly say that the ghosts of the '08 Finals have finally and irrevocably vanished. In fact, the C's have not beaten the Lakers at all since then, and watching this game, I marveled at the growth of one of the missing pieces from that run: Andrew Bynum. The kid is 22 for crying out loud, but is held to a ridiculously high standard--partly of where he plays (LA), and certainly partly because of the position he plays there. I mean, who else in the league has a more impressive legacy to live up to: Mikan, Wilt, Kareem, Shaq--four of the greatest players the league has ever seen and they all played your position on your team before you. Deal with that pressure.

I remember vividly the NBA draft when we picked him 10th. I was hoping for Sean Mays; I guess I should've set my sights higher:

The greatness of this play cannot be fully appreciated of course if taken out of context. Knowing that Garnett (who looked OLD yesterday) had just hit a jumper over 'Drew and barked the whole way down the floor sets this up as a very emphatic "Shut the BLEEP Up!" moment. But the kid let his game do his talking for him and the C's had no real answer for him. Finally, Phil had to play him in crunch time--another milestone. As Trent would say, "My boy's all growns up!" (The following clip is rated R, so keep little ones away)

Other things of note, Artest is finally starting to be Artest. From before the opening tip, Ron-Ron was the metaphorical (to quote John McClane) "fly-in-the-ointment, monkey-in-the-wrench, etc" in Pierce's game. Easily the biggest mismatch in the '08 Finals, Pierce's contributions were a virtual wash with Artest's--not something that figures to be in Boston's favor as Pierce should be their go-to-guy and Artest is the Laker's 3rd option at best. Artest frustrated Pierce throughout, a fact most apparent on the push-off that probably cost the Celtics the game.

Yes, Kobe does that too, Doc. In fact, he was called for it in this same game, but you probably didn't notice it because of the lack of complaining on Mamba's part. And that might have been the most surprising thing to me about yesterday's game--how much the Celtics whine.

Pierce--on every call that could've gone either way, Perkins, Wallace, you KNOW KG never shuts up. Clearly, the Lakers have some whiners too (Kobe and Pau come to mind immediately), but yesterday they shut their yaps and went to work. There were calls that hurt them too (the out-of-bounds play late in the fourth, KG falling down near Artest to limit Ron's first half minutes), but ultimately they pressed on, refused to bullied and played lights-out D when they had to. That's why the won and that's why every Laker fan today feels pretty good about their team's chances when the games really matter. That and The Mamba.

It's been 4 years already?

2010-01-23T16:20:00.000-08:00

Yep, 4 years ago yesterday. Enjoy.

Shannon Will Dunk!

2010-01-18T11:55:00.000-08:00

Some great news for Laker fans--really any fans of ridiculous hops and stupid athletic ability--Shannon Brown will in fact be in this year's Dunk Contest. For the uninitiated--or even the experienced--please enjoy a small sampling below:

Finally, My Team Is Interesting Again!

2010-01-09T15:32:00.000-08:00

Unless you've been living under a rock the past 36 hours, you've already heard a plethora of reports that USC uber-coach Pete Carroll will soon be introduced as the next coach of the Seattle Seahawks. It seems like a done deal, but apparently the Seahawks still have to abide by the so-called "Rooney Rule" which requires NFL teams to at least interview minority candidates when hiring a head coach or GM.

Basically, it amounts to this: the Seahawks have their ideal hire all but inked, but have to convince a minority (in this case Minnesota's defensive coordinator, Leslie Frazier) to go through the motions--ERR come in for a legitimate interview because he stands just as much of a chance of getting the job as Carroll. The whole thing is ridiculous. The bleeding hearts will tell you this is the only way to ensure that minority candidates get a fair shake, but isn't it more racist to say, "Hey, we really want to hire this guy over here, but we still need a black guy to interview for our job. Wait. You're black, aren't you? Yeah, you'll do just fine."

Look, if Tony Dungy if Mike Tomlin were interested in the job, they'd be pushed to the front of the line. BECAUSE THEY'RE GOOD COACHES WITH A SUPERBOWL WIN ON THEIR RESUMES. Yes, maybe those two men (and others like Chicago's Lovie Smith) benefited from the Rooney Rule somewhere along the line, but they also worked their way up the chain of command before taking on head coaching gigs. If the point is to hire on merit and not race, then just do it. Someone just said that you can't legislate morality, and they were right. Yes, racism still exists in the NFL (and the world in general), but the owners care most about only two things: winning and making money. If you're from Venus, but can help them do that, you won't have any problem landing a gig somewhere.

Nuts--Absolutely Nuts

2010-01-02T10:02:00.000-08:00

The Lakers had NO business winning this game, but sometimes Kobe is just that good:

Ouch!

2009-12-26T10:33:00.001-08:00

Usually I'm upset that I miss a game. This one, it seems, was one better left un-watched. Therefore, I'll let the Kamenetzkys do the posting:

Cavaliers 102, Lakers 87: Christmas Day turns out to be Opposite Day

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Pop Tarts

2009-12-23T13:16:00.000-08:00

This is an awesome bit--just wanted to embed some video to see if I could. Soon, my blogging skills will be complete...

ESPN'S Answer to the "East Coast Bias"

2009-12-21T18:27:00.000-08:00

It's finally here! If you haven't visited it yet, please check out ESPN LA. While there, be sure to check out the K-Bros' blog--it's frickin' hilarious (as is their weekly Lakers podcast.)

"Did IQ's Drop Sharply While I Was Away?"

2009-12-18T20:17:00.001-08:00

Weekend Dime: Picking the decade's best

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Apparently, Marc Stein can't count either--fortunately, 73.6% of his readers disagreed with him and picked the Lakers as team of the decade. However,it also seems his lack of priorities extends to ranking playoff games as he inconceivably picks a first round game one (!?!) over either of two great CONFERENCE FINAL GAME 7's (one of which went to overtime!!!). Is dude on the Spurs' payroll or something?

And how many more cracks must we endure in regards to the Pau Gasol trade? ANYBODY could have had him--assuming they had a $9 million expiring contract like Kwame's. And little brother's turned out to be a pretty nice player too. Quit your whining. You didn't see the Lakers complain when the Sixers gave Barkley to the Suns or when the Rockets gave Pippen to the Blazers.

And by the way, who stepped up to say, "Hey, the Lakers are REALLY helping out the Heat with that Shaq trade. That doesn't seem fair. I mean, Brian Grant isn't even healthy and he might never even contribute for them. Someone should step up and null that trade!" No one said jack. The Lakers did what you're supposed to do--move on. They ate Grant's contract, turned Butler into Brown into Gasol, and went back to kicking arse. Look, superstar trades are almost ALWAYS one-sided (Garnett, Kareem, Wilt, etc.) Take care of your own business and shut your hole.

And while we're at it--Somebody wake up Hicks.

1+1+1= More than 4? Or Who's the "Real" Team of the Decade?

2009-12-06T16:10:00.000-08:00

As we rapidly approach the end of another year (and decade), it's time to look back on 2009 and celebrate greatness. Obviously, the Lakers winning their 15th championship was the highlight of my sports year, but the Giants becoming relevant again (not to mention Lincecum's back-to-back Cy's and the emergence of Pandoval) was a much-appreciated surprise. Needless to say, I'm looking for the Lakers to repeat in '10 and for the Giants to take that next step and make it into the postseason.

But enough on looking ahead. The point of this post is to voice my retort to one of the most inane sports proclamations in recent memory— The Sporting News naming the San Antonio Spurs as team of the decade for the 2000's. Now, one might do a lot of research and recite facts from all parts of the relevancy spectrum (winning percentage, home record, playoff wins, heck—even All-Star appearances) to make a case for the Spurs. But the fact remains that 4 IS MORE THAN 3!

You could talk about consistency (wins per year or active playoff streaks) or maybe you just like the simplicity of their black and white uniforms, but in what universe do championships take a back seat to anything? The Lakers are the team of the decade because they were the Last Team Standing in 4 different years, while the venerable Spurs were the LST 3 times. Look, Duncan is an all-time great, and HE has 4 rings, but the '99 one doesn't count toward this decade, okay?

Now I could bring up the disparity in conference titles (6 to 3) for the decade, but that would only be important as a tiebreaker. For instance, the Yankees must be considered the MLB team of the last decade. Like the Boston Red Sox, the Yankees won 2 titles. But unlike their historic rivals, the Bronx Bombers also had 2 additional league titles ('01 and '03)--which is, or at least should be, the trump card.

Because San Antonio didn't even make it to the Finals last year, the Lakers were already the team of the decade BEFORE the Finals even started. Winning another championship just made them a more obvious choice—or should have anyway.

John Schuerholz, Atlanta Braves President, once claimed that his team should have been called the team of '90s—unless one was counting championships. Frickin' hilarious. The ability to choke in the postseason is not a good thing. YOU won 1 championship, the Yankees won 3—do I need to go on? Perhaps there are some Buffalo Bills fans who are still confused?

Look, clearly I'm biased* as a die-hard Laker fan. But even though the team I root for has far more regular season and playoff wins—not to mention conference championships—than the Boston Celtics, I would not begin to pretend that 15 is more than 17. There's still work to be done to be called best team ever. And there's a reason the Purple and Gold only have 15 banners hanging in Staples. They get it. It's just too bad that a national magazine like The Sporting News doesn't.

* (If you haven't been following the Shannon Brown, take a look at this and tell me you don't want the little dude in the Slam Dunk contest.)

Happy Birthday to Me!

2009-12-05T15:53:00.001-08:00

Kobe Bryant, making the best of bad situations

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Please check out the attached article. It's a great reflection on this gift to me from Kobe Bryant.

Props to Lincecum

2009-11-10T19:56:00.001-08:00

...And thanks to the Cy Young voters who do seem to account for how dominate the little dude really is. Sure, we'll never get back all those games he was virtually unhittable and yet took an L or a ND, but two straight Cy's? Guy really is a freak. A soon-to-be-very-wealthy freak.

And welcome back, Pau Gasol. We missed ya. Let's start taking care of business.

Seahawks--I've stopped watching. Just hoping we'll get a good draft pick out of this debacle.

The Sports Guy's NBA Preview

2009-10-29T19:01:00.000-07:00

First, let me get this out of the way--I like Bill Simmons. I think he's a good writer, he's funny and he knows his stuff. And even though he now lives in LA, he remains a Boston homer through-and-through, so he's loyal and I respect that. Of course, since he's a Celtics fan, he understandably HATES the Lakers which consequently colors his writing. I don't think that's a bad thing. I just vehemently disagree with him on certain things. However, his recent 2009 NBA preview had several salient points. I've enclosed a few of them below with my own comments in italics. It's not actually a discussion as the self-glossed Sports Guy has no chance to respond, but I think it will be interesting nonetheless. Enjoy.

Rasheed Wallace

Am I excited about Sheed turning Boston into the biggest ref-baiting, trash-talking, fan-unfriendly, swaggeracious (I just made up that word) NBA team since the 1992 Knicks? Actually, not really. If you are not a Celtics fan, instinctively, you will dislike the 2009-10 Celtics. Couldn't agree more. Sheed is going to exacerbate every already-annoying quality they had. There will not be a more unpopular opponent in the league. You will see a steady stream of violent chest bumps, screams to the ceiling, angry nodding, eye bulging, intimidating looks, hard fouls, low-scoring games and everything else you'd ever hate about a basketball team. They will feed off your negative energy, live for it, seek it, thrive on it. That's how the season will go.

Is this a good thing? Yes and no. If it's a 67-win team, then, yes. I will put up with it. (And probably enjoy it. It's always fun to root for an Eff You team that's pulling off the Eff You. Don't let anyone tell you differently.) But if it's a 54-win team that looks old on back-to-backs, seems like more sizzle than steak, can't figure out its roles, and spends too much time in petty little battles with opponents and refs (and by the way, Doc Rivers was the No. 1 ref-baiting coach in the league last season), then, no, it's probably not a good thing. So we will see. Personally, I think they'll face the Lakers in the Finals.

(Just because you asked: Does it feel strange to root for someone who once uttered the words, "As long as somebody CTC, at the end of the day I'm with them. For all you that don't know what CTC means, that's 'Cut The Check.'" Yes. Yes it does. Especially since he might be washed up. And we DID cut the check. For three freaking years.)

(Deep sigh.)

(It's too early to worry about this. Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts.)

Kevin McHale

I was always bitter that McHale decided to become a crummy general manager instead of the greatest NBA color guy ever. Maybe you SHOULD have traded Gugliotta to the Lakers after all. This year, the bitterness washed away: McHale joined TNT and NBA TV as a studio guy. Better late than never. I'm giddy.

(Speaking of McHale, do you know that the Clippers own Minnesota's unprotected 2011 No. 1 pick thanks to Kevin McHale's Sam Cassell/Marko Jaric swap? It's true. Every T-Wolves fan who didn't know this is making the Betty Draper "I Just Opened the Dick Whitman Box" face. But it's true. Yet another reason why LeBron should sign with the Clips in nine months.)

Shaquille O'Neal

Red flag No. 1: He's 835 pounds. Red flag No. 2: He has never successfully pulled off the whole "sidekick" thing; even to the bitter end, he was playing the big brother/little brother routine with Dwyane Wade. Red flag No. 3: He's splitting time with Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who might be a better fit for this particular team because of his outside shooting. Red flag No. 4: He has never, ever, ever, not in his entire life, played for a coach as offensively challenged as Mike Brown. Red flag No. 5: He doesn't have the luxury of Phoenix's training staff anymore. Red flag No. 6: He's so fat that it's like looking at one of those TVs where the HD is screwed up so it makes everyone seem wider. Red flag No. 7: The Suns traded him for two guys who they immediately bought out for a combined $14 million. Red flag No. 8: The Cavs are better off if he's playing 15-20 minutes a game and that's it. Red flag No. 9: He's so fat that it's possible Delonte West was packing three guns because he got confused and thought Shaq wanted to eat him. Red flag No. 10: He's awfully close to some records, which will make it awkward if Cleveland tries to reduce his playing time.

That's 10 red flags. Ten. (To be fair, Shaq doesn't look THAT fat. He just looks a little, um, heavy. Maybe it's the uniform that makes him look doughy for some reason. I just know that, when I saw the cover of Sports Illustrated this week, I couldn't figure out why Aretha Franklin shaved her head. Then I realized it was Shaq.) And that's before we get into the whole, "Shaq seems like a great guy, but if he's a great guy, then why did he leave four teams on really bad terms" thing. Final tally: The Lakers traded an aging, overpaid, under-motivated Shaquille O'Neal for Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol and Jordan Farmar. Advantage, Lakers. Be prepared for him to do more harm than good in Cleveland. One difference: If he crosses LeBron like he crossed Nash, he'll be getting the Braylon Edwards 48-hour ticket out of town.

Kevin Garnett

Remember in "Shawshank," when Red was describing how Andy burrowed through the walls thanks to "pressure over time." The same goes for NBA players and knees. Pressure over time. You pressure your knees over time, and eventually, they don't work as well. For big guys, they lose three things once their knees start going: explosiveness (self-explanatory), quick hops (the ability to quickly jump up for a rebound or a block without setting their legs and bending their knees first) and auto-start (the ability to quickly start moving from a standing position).

Now, this isn't a career-ender. You can plod along for years afterward at 70-75 percent effectiveness. Kareem did it. Ewing did it. Shaq just did it the past four years. Hell, C-Webb limped around for two quality Kings teams in 2003 and 2004. It can be done. Just know that, once someone battles a severe knee issue with 1100 to 1200 games on the odometer, those three things (mentioned above) never really come back. It's almost like plastic surgery. Mess with your face once … maybe it looks the same. Go back again … now you're pushing it. Go a third time … now you're going to look like Cat Woman. And there's no going back. So if you're expecting KG to slap 24/13s and dominate games defensively, think again. I see him more like an aging middle linebacker -- think Ray Lewis -- who can still make big plays and knows where to be at all times, and yet, you're not crazy about seeing him drop into coverage to cover Knowshon Moreno one on one. Either way, it will be fascinating.

One silver lining for Celts fans: The Celtics can make the Finals with Garnett at 65-70 percent efficiency. Why? Because it's the deepest of the three Garnett/Celtics teams, and because the rest of the conference is that weak. That's absolutely true. For all the talk about the Big 3 in the East, 50 wins in the West doesn't even guarantee you a playoff spot anymore. Anything he gives them beyond a 14/7 and good defense is a bonus. A little frightening to say about someone in Year 1 of a three-year, $53 million extension. But true.

Andrew Bynum

I should be offended at the following, but it's just too frickin' funny. And it ALMOST has a ring of truth about it.

I am 65 percent certain that this exact conversation happened within the past four weeks.

(Kobe enters Phil Jackson's office. Brian Shaw is sitting to Phil's right.)

Phil: Kobe, thanks for stopping by.

Kobe: No problem. I got five minutes. Artest is taking me to Hollywood Boulevard; he wants to introduce me to the guys dressed up like Superman and Batman. He thinks they're the actual superheroes. I haven't had the heart to tell him they're homeless guys.

Phil: Well, don't tell him differently. Let him think that.

Kobe: I will.

Phil: Look, I really want to get Bynum more involved in our offense in November and December. It's a good thing, Kobe. Just trust me. We run everything through him for 42 minutes. You take over for the last six.

Kobe: C'mon, we did this last season. Then he got hurt, I took over and our team took off. Why go through the charade again?

Phil: Because you're still two titles behind MJ?

Kobe: That's your big motivational move with me now, huh?

Phil: Hey, he told me himself -- "Tell Kobe to call me when he gets to six."

Kobe (eyes narrowing): He said that?

Phil: Yup. He said he can't even take you seriously until you win two more.

Kobe: Really?

Phil: Yup. That's why we need Bynum right now. The Pechonkamappadosa tribe has a phrase for this called, "Kakaboomaka." It means, "To share the credit without giving up credit with those who matter." I just want to build his confidence up and save your legs. We put a ton of miles on those babies these past two years -- 208 games. This is good for you.

Kobe: Lemme think about it.

(Kobe leaves. Phil turns to Shaw.)

Phil: This is too easy.

The Lakers

Raise your hand if you're excited about Khlomar! (Happily raising hand.) Look, I don't have much ammo for the teams I hate right now. The Colts have been ruined for me; Peyton Manning has become such a monolith of clutchness that I can't even toss grenades at him; if anything, I respect the hell out of him. The Yankees are pulling for each other, slamming shaving pies into faces and looking unbeatable; even worse, it's the kind of likable, quirky (albeit, expensive) team that the Red Sox once had before they dumped their front office, ignored human intuition, decided that "business-like" was better than "personable," and used complicated statistical engines to assemble their 2009 roster. (Wait, we didn't do that? It just seemed like it. Sorry.) So really, hating the hateable Lakers is all I have left. Gotta love that honesty.

And you know what else? It's fun to have teams that you hate. Amen--which means "I agree." I hate Sasha Vujacic's hair. Old or new cut? I hate the fact women like Luke Walton. They do, you know. I hate their uniforms. Whaaa? Watch it, Leprechaun Boy. I hate when Pau Gasol gets excited and does that thing where he barks with his hands at his sides as his ugly beard drips sweat over everyone. I hate not being able to hate Derek Fisher. You know that's right! I love being able to hate Kobe, who has brought me more hateable joy than anyone else this decade. (But damn, is that guy good. I do respect him.) And I wish we played D like the Celtics. There, I said something nice too. I hate Laker fans who show up for Clipper games and only start making noise when the Lakers go up double-digits. I hate the fact D.J. Mbenga has a publicist. I could go on and on.

I would hope that Lakers fans are OK with this. I would hope they hate the Celtics just as much, for reasons that are just as personal to them. Oh, we do. That's what makes the rivalry great -- we hate them, they hate us, and somehow, the hatred is deepening, in a good way. After all, it's just sports. I don't REALLY hate anyone. (Well, except for Vujacic. If he was crossing the street on a crosswalk, I'd like to think that I wouldn't run him over, but I would definitely glance around to see how many people were looking before I made a final decision.) So that's what makes me so happy that the Lakers added not just the black sheep Kardashian sister, but …

Ron Artest

… the looniest player in the history of the league! As they're defending a title! And even better, every Laker fan thinks he's an upgrade over Trevor Ariza! Really? That's what you think? You really think that? Bill, we'll just have to agree to disagree on this. Are you perhaps just worried that we now have someone capable of guarding Pierce or might just be as dirty--I mean tough--as your Celtics. It remains to be seen how it will all shake out, but Ron-Ron potentially gives the Lakers a two-way weapon Ariza just isn't right now. TA is younger and quicker, but not remotely as strong or as polished of an offensive player. Crap, I wish we had 'em both. Any chance we could trade Sasha to Houston to get Ariza back?

Tim Duncan

Healthy, happy, rested, in shape. He's already the greatest power forward ever. He already has four rings. But you know what he doesn't have? When he's 60 years old, or 70, or 75, or whatever, and one of his grandkids says, "Grandpa, what was the best team you ever played on?" … he doesn't have an answer. He never played for a kick-ass, take-no-prisoners, dominant team. Kareem had the '87 Lakers and '71 Bucks. Magic had the '87 Lakers. Wilt had the '67 Sixers and '72 Lakers. Bird had the '86 Celtics. Shaq and Kobe had the '01 Lakers (playoff edition). West had the '72 Lakers. Oscar had the '71 Bucks. Moses had the '83 Sixers. Duncan has nothing. He had his shot with Robinson. NOBODY could match up with those two when they were clicking. But you saw what happened when they ran into the '01 Lakers playoff buzzsaw--swept with two 30+ point losses to finish the series.

Now, you could argue that the league is too diluted at this point. (And maybe it is. The '01 Lakers were our last kick-ass team.) Or, you could argue that Duncan never had a season in which everything fell into place. In my basketball book (coming Tuesday!!!), I wrote a chapter about the specific set of dynamics that separate championship teams from memorable championship teams. It's complicated and I won't spoil it here. Just know the 2009-10 Spurs qualify for "memorable" status. They have the talent, they have the "Eff You" edge (a term I explain in the book), and they have something that Gregg Popovich likes to call "appropriate fear." Here's how he explained that phrase in 2005:

It gets more difficult after a win to come back and understand how that subconscious sort of complacency can set in. You can't allow that to happen. You have to keep an appropriate fear of your opponent so that complacency will dissipate as soon as possible.

This particular Spurs team has the right level of appropriate fear: fear of aging and complacency coupled with an appreciation for how fast things can fall apart (thanks to Manu's ankle the past two seasons), and beyond that, the reality that their best player might only have one great season left in him. I am a Spurs junkie. I love reading about them. I love the way they put their rosters together and value chemistry so deeply. I love the way they interact during games (as I've written many times). I just get a kick out of them. And the truth is, this might be their last chance for a dominant season with Tim Duncan leading the way. They've added some nice pieces, but I think if everyone's healthy, they just don't have enough to keep up with LA. Who guards Pau--Duncan? So, you leave the 6-9 McDyess on Bynum? Good luck. Pick your poison. And I didn't even mention what Kobe's going to do without former nemesis Bowen in the Spurs mix. I say bring it on.

I think it happens. If only because great basketball players have a habit of somehow finding that one great team. They are my pick to win in 2010. Convincingly. Incidentally, Bill picked the Cavs to win last year. I'm sticking with my pick: Lakers over Celtics in six.

2009-2010 NBA Predictions

2009-10-25T16:26:00.001-07:00

I'm usually not one to make bold predictions about upcoming NBA seasons--unlike Kevin Garnett. But I am willing to go out on a limb for a few things this year. Here are my Top Ten Predictions for the 2009-2010 NBA season:

10) Despite spending the vast majority of his minutes on the low block and lining up next to the 6-9 McDyess, Tim Duncan will somehow be passed off as a "power forward" by the San Antonio Spurs. In recent years, the Spurs have become notorious for this re-classification of their prototypical center--usually in an effort to secure a starting All-Star bid for Duncan. Look, dude's a center. Always has been, always will be. The biggest reason it worked with Robinson is that the Admiral was more small forward (skill-set-wise) than center. Duncan was a center in college, coming out of college, and plays the five in the Association. Stop calling him a four.

9) Kurt Rambis will regret taking the T-Wolves job. LA vs. Minnesota: winning vs. not, warm weather vs. brutal winters, part of a staff vs. scapegoat. Look, dude was never promised Jackson's seat when the Zen Master finally retires, but why not ride the wave as long as you can? Besides...

8) At least 4 coaching jobs will open up this year. Just to take a stab in the dark--Golden State, Clippers, Indiana, and New Orleans.

7) Shaq will gloss himself the "Big (insert Cleveland metaphor here)". Oh, and he'll make a few more comments on how LBJ is the greatest player he ever played with.

6) Vince Carter and Dwight Howard will have a feud. Howard was already not getting the ball enough. Vinsanity replacing Hedo is NOT going to help that.

5) Rasheed will get crap-load of techs--but also will fit in nicely with the Celtics. He's definitely not the force he was in Portland--or even Detroit a few years back--but his turnaround J is still unblockable. Call him the next James "Buddha" Edwards.

4) Andrew Bynum will stay healthy and make the All-Star team. The last two years have shown us HUGE upside. This is the year the kid stays away from the injury bug and gets his first All-Star nod. ***No Yao makes this a virtual lock***

3) Ron Artest will fit in and be a good soldier—for this year at least. It says a lot that Artest took less than the going rate to come to LA for a chance to win, but what's even more telling is Ron-Ron's deference to Kobe at every turn, even going so far as to wear a black Kobe (Black Mamba) jersey at a recent promotional appearance in San Diego. Having Odom back in the fold will also help as the two are childhood friends. But most importantly, Artest respects Phil Jackson and has said repeatedly he'll do whatever he's asked. Artest will get his touches in spots--especially whenever he's in and Kobe's not--and will give the Lakers their first true tough guy since Rambis. Ultimately, Artest will continue to be a double threat and only make the Lakers stronger which is why...

2) Someone other than Kobe will win the MVP this year. Probably LeBron as he will only continue to get better and is #1A at worst in the league already. His supporting cast is not even in the same league as Bryant's--which should sway voters. Wade is the dark horse, but he'll have to have ungodly numbers and get the Heat solidly into the 4 spot in the East with 50+ wins to do it. Kobe will just have to settle again for Finals MVP because...

1) After a grueling season in which they WON'T win 70 games, the Los Angeles Lakers will defeat the Boston Celtics in 6 games. Assuming reasonably full health on both sides, the Lakers will avenge their 2008 embarrassment and finally gain the measure of respect they're missing for not having to face the injury-ravaged C's in '09. The Celtics have upgraded since '08 as well with the addition of Wallace and development of Rondo and (to a much lesser degree) Davis, but Artest gives the Lakers someone to legitimately match-up with Pierce (something they absolutely did not have last time around) and the presence of Bynum--and continued improvement of Gasol--even out the frontcourts. All things being relatively equal, Kobe's quest to win one-for-the-thumb (and eventually pass Jordan's six) will push them over the edge.

So sound off if you will. I'm no prognosticator, but at least I'm not guaranteeing two championships.

Thank you, 2009 Giants

2009-10-10T18:29:00.001-07:00

I've always considered myself to be an intelligent fan. One who understands just how hard it is to win a championship—and how much harder it is to win it again. I believe this understanding is due in large part to the fact that I chose my teams at an early age and have never remotely considered switching allegiances. I'm a person whose opinion of “bandwagon” fans has ranged from curiosity to outright vehemence. Back in the day, I even co-wrote a song called “Pseudofans” that was meant to include a Jim Carrey sample proclaiming said fans were “pathetic losers.”

But for me, the biggest reason to stay loyal to your teams is because of the journey. If one switches their rooting interests around based on who's good at that particular moment, they miss the joy of seeing the maturation of their team from also-rans to champions. Victory after repeated defeat is magnified ten-fold. It is for this reason that this post is dedicated to the 2009 San Francisco Giants. They won't win the World Series this year—and they might not ever win it. But they've given me something great nonetheless. Hope. Hope that someday my Giants will rise up and break the 3rd longest (and least recognized) drought in World Series history. The 2002 team almost made up for the 1989 team's humiliation, and perhaps someday another team will come along to erase both of their failures. Until that time, I will enjoy the growth of the San Francisco Giants. I will celebrate them not for their mediocrity; a championship is still the only thing that counts. But I will carefully track their progress and applaud excellence when I see it.

To that end: Thank you, Dave Righetti, for all the work you've done with the pitching staff. The team jumped from 17th to 2nd in ERA, led all of MLB in Shut-Outs with 18 (5 more than the next team) and Complete Games with 11. They also gave up 90 less runs in '09 versus '08. The team had increase in wins of 16, but only managed to score 17 more runs. Thank you, staff, for carrying the team.

Individual Thanks to:

Tim Lincecum—in his follow-up to last year's Cy Young winning campaign, he arguably had a better year, again leading the league in strikeouts and tying with teammate Matt Cain for the league lead in CG (4).

Speaking of Cain, the game's active leader in lowest run support finally had some things fall his way as he made the All-Star team for the first time and combined with Lincecum to form one of the best pitching duos in the game.

Randy Johnson—his 2009 season was looked upon by many as a last-ditch attempt to reach 300 wins. In actuality, Johnson was very competitive—amassing 8 wins before the All-Star break and the injury that cut deeply into his season. But even while hurt, Johnson took on a mentor role for the young pitching staff and did much to dispel the notion that he was nothing more than a self-serving a-hole.

Jonathan Sanchez—one of Johnson's pet projects started slow, but quickly developed into yet another fine young Giants pitcher. But for me, he'll always be best known for throwing the first Giants no-no in a generation during the one game this year I got to watch with my dad and my brother (cue Field of Dreams music now).

Barry Zito—his second half started to remind us that he actually was a great pitcher at one time. Still relatively young, Zito might actually start to make his contract look a little less absurd.

Brian Wilson—he won't make anyone forget Robb Nen with 7 blown saves, but the 38 he cashed in were impressive nonetheless.

Brad Penny—released by Boston after the trade deadline, Penny signed with Giants and paid immediate dividends. In 6 games, he was 4-1 with a 2.59 ERA and the only reason that ERA was so high was because in that one loss, Penny gave up 7 ER in 2-2/3 innings. In short, he was a huge pickup for the Giants' playoff push.

Joe Martinez, Madison Bumgarner, and Ryan Sadowski—the Giants pitching staff looks to be getting only stronger.

On the offensive side:

Thanks to Eugenio Velez—in August, he gave the Giants a sparkplug at the top of the order and played stellar defense. It's no coincidence that when his average dropped 33 points for the month of September, the Giants' offense sputtered and the losses came a little more frequently.

Aaron Rowand—he played every game like it was his last and continues to be a great leader in the clubhouse.

Bengie Molina—not your proto-typical clean-up hitter, but a good RBI man nonetheless.

Freddy Sanchez—the trade deadline deal paid immediate dividends, but a nagging injury prevented the former All-Star from having the desired impact.

Juan Uribe—despite being a part-time player, Uribe hit 16 homeruns (one of only 4 Giants in double digits). He played so well, Bochy was forced to find room for him. Unfortunately, Ryan Garko's lack of production made that decision all too easy.

Pablo “Kung Fu Panda” Sandoval—in only his first full season, Pandoval was 2nd in the league in BA (.330) with 25 HR and 90 RBI. Just think what he'll do when he learns how to hit (he only walked 52 times). But what's most impressive is that Panda has arguably already become the most beloved Giant since Mays. As great as Bonds was (and we did see him do some frickin' ridiculous things), he was never embraced—mostly by his own doing—like Sandoval has been. Panda masks are everywhere in the City, and if he continues to develop, MLB would be very foolish indeed not to cash in on the incredible good will this ambidextrous, overweight, free-swinging anomaly seems to effortlessly generate.

Management:

Brian Sabean—the architect of this team built a formidable pitching staff from top to bottom. For the first time in recent memory, the Giants' pitching could be considered the best in the league—and for a while they actually were. The onus is on him now to bring in the bats to complement what's already there without disrupting team chemistry. Not an easy task for sure, but the man who once traded Matt Williams for Jeff Kent and other crucial pieces of the '97 playoff run seems up to the task.

Bruce Bochy—I was not a fan of the hire initially, but this year the biggest (literally, not figuratively) head in the game proved to contain some shrewd managerial skills. Now, if he can just have some more bats to plug into the order...

Kruk and Kuip:

I love these guys and miss them calling the game. Both incredibly knowledgable and personable, each has their own quirks. Krukow is always talking to the “kids at home” to point out how to do something and has the goofiest laugh I've ever heard. Kuiper is usually the straight man, but his homerun call (“He hits it high. He hit it deep. It is OUTTA HERE!!!”) always gives me chills. But most impressively, both Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper walk the fine line between blatant homerism and myopian foolishness. No one has any doubt who these guys are rooting for as they're calling the game, but neither hesitates in the slightest to give either praise or criticism to any player, be he Giant or not.

Final Word:

The Winter Meetings are coming. Like many of my fellow Giants fans, I appreciate all the hard work the team has done to this point. But now the real work begins. Expectations will only be higher for 2010.

Why Our Logo Rocks

2009-09-29T19:55:00.000-07:00

As we rapidly approach the NBA season, my attention naturally turns to the defending champs. I saw this on "Forum Blue and Gold" (my new favorite Lakers site) and thought it was worth sharing. Just a little commentary on the Lakers team logo. Enjoy.

"Then the Lakers moved to Los Angeles where their nickname made no sense. Some half-wit designed a logo with streaky lines and a swooping watery ‘R’ and then kicked back to wait for the Jazz to move to Utah so that people would forget how nonsensical the Laker name was by comparison. Objectively, this logo is lame. But the longer they use it, unchanged with only minor alterations, the more vastly superior it becomes.

When I look at the Lakers logo, it says: “This is our logo. We’re the Lakers. What’s that in our logo? It’s a basketball. Why? Because we’re the basketball team from Los Angeles. What’s our mascot? What do you mean? You think we’re concerned that our team name has no obvious personification, and we’re going to have some kind of Steeley McBeam debacle? Please. Our mascot is Kobe Bryant’s middle finger. What’s that? You’ve noticed that some idiot named Bob Short decided that one of our primary colors should be purple? You think that’s kind of (lame)? Let me refer you to our mascot. We’re the Lakers. (Screw) you.”

How Good Is the Giants' Pitching This Year?

2009-09-11T16:56:00.000-07:00

My new favorite Giants stat for this year: Their pitching staff is on pace to give up 162 less runs this year--a full run less per game. They'll almost certainly have a winning record and come close to making the playoffs. Their offense however will probably only score a couple more runs than last year's 90-loss team.

The Mamba Turns 31

2009-09-07T19:38:00.000-07:00

Can't believe I didn't see this earlier, but here's a great list of Kobe Bryant moments to celebrate the Mamba turning the big 3-1. There's also links to videos showing things like all of Kobe's 81 in 3 minutes. And yes, the Ben Wallace dunk from his rookie year.

Just To Clarify...

2009-09-04T19:20:00.000-07:00

So I started to simply reply to one of Grind-Core Boy's comments about his mighty Phil's and their chances against the Giants should they meet in the postseason, but then my thoughts seemed to mutate a little. I'll include the comments here and continue. That being said, in reference to my recent post "Brad Penny: Act One," you'll notice I said "if" we get any clutch hitting. That's a big "if". Heck, some games any hits are hard to come by. More than team since the early Shaq/Kobe Lakers, this Giants team can make you swing from chest-thumping proud to crying shame misery. To quote the great Al Pacino "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in."

But on a more positive note, the Seahawks were 4-0 in the preseason and looked pretty sharp under new coach Jim Mora Jr. and I can't wait to see what Aaron Curry can do. Okay, I'm psyched about their entire linebacking core and expect relative (division champs and entertaining football) greatness from them this year. Houshmandzadeh should be a very nice pickup and if Hasselbeck stays healthy, they should score a crap-load of points. Who knows? Maybe there's even still life in Edgerrin James' legs. Regardless, I'll be sporting my Lofa Tatupu (is there a funner name to say in all of sports?)jersey and yelling at the TV in no time.

And of course, basketball's just around the corner. There was this little gem from the O.C. Register's Janis Carr:

"All I can say is thank goodness for Ron Artest. He quickly has become the eyes and ears of Lakers fans via Twitter.

He reported Thursday that he arrived at the gym early, early in the morning for a hard workout, but once inside, he discovered he wasn’t alone.

'3rd workout done. Let me tell why I LOVE KOBE “JELLY BEAN”BRYANT! I Get to the gym at 6:45,the Black Mamba gets there at 5:30! Go Lakers!!!'

Apparently Bryant, too, is eager for the season. Aren’t we all?"

I'd say so, and isn't it great to see the reigning Finals MVP continuing to stay hungry for that one-for-the-thumb? I can't wait for this season to start.

Lincecum's Tough Luck

2009-09-03T19:13:00.000-07:00

I just want to say how much it sucks that Tim Lincecum has now pitched 7 GAMES in which he has given up 2 or less earned runs and not gotten a win. I love my team's pitching, but the offense has got to step up. Colorado had already lost and there just won't be that many more chances to cash in. If nothing else, maybe the offense will be guilted into scoring runs. In order to preserve a long-term Lincecum Giant tenure, they better do something soon and far more consistently.

Brad Penny: Act One

2009-09-02T19:22:00.000-07:00

Brad Penny made his first start for the Giants tonight and it was a good one. After a tough loss to the Phils last night when Hamels was just a bit better than J. Sanchez, Penny picked up his teammates in a huge way. Every game is practically a "must-win" down the stretch for this team, what with Colorado playing great ball, but the Giants' pitching is just so tough. If they do make it to the playoffs and get any kind of clutch hitting at all, they could be so dangerous. It's possible that the opposition could face Lincecum 3 TIMES in a given series. Cain's been great this year too and Sanchez is obviously capable of having no-hit stuff on any given night. Johnson will probably make it back and Penny's been clutch throughout his career. But most encouraging (and pleasantly surprising), Barry Zito has been arguably one of the best pitchers in the NL since the All-Star break. He's definitely been the most dominant Giant--even lowering his ERA by more than a run. However a post-season rotation would go, there wouldn't be a bum in the bunch and the bullpen would be freakishly deep.

Penny for the Giants

2009-08-31T19:52:00.001-07:00

This just in--Brad Penny has signed with the Giants. Nice to see a veteran who could really help choose San Francisco. It goes to show how far they've come since their incredible awfulness. And no, Penny is not Cliff Lee. But he is an ex-Dodger with a huge chip on his shoulder who will get a chance to make them pay for perceived slights. It's also important to note that by going from hitter friendly Boston in the dominant American League to the pitcher's paradise of AT&T in the weak-hitting National League, Penny's stats are almost certain to improve. And he's in a contact year. All in all, a nice pick-up for a 5th starter. He'll hold down the fort 'til the Unit gets back (and possibly take his place next year) and allow the kids (Martinez, Sadowski, etc.) to get some much-needed seasoning.

Hey, I Just Saw...

2009-08-17T13:27:00.000-07:00

Besides his epic "Bacon" take, Jim Gaffigan also has a great bit about how awkward it can be to admit that you just recently saw what was at one time a popular film (Hey, I just saw "Heat." Great movie, anyone want to talk to me about it?)--especially when you then have no one to talk to about it.

C'mon, we've all been there. For whatever reason you didn't make it to the theater. No time, bad word-of-mouth, short of cash at the time, etc. This happened to me a few years back when I saw Fight Club for the first time. I didn't see the film until it had been on DVD for a couple of years, but fortunately no one had told me about the twist ending until I saw it for myself. I was blown away and wanted to tell everyone I saw what a great flick this was, but everybody had already seen it or didn't care anymore. But that's the norm. The only really amazing thing here was that I hadn't heard about the twist ending yet. Compare this to TV Guide ruining A Beautiful Mind for me by describing Paul Bettany as Russel Crowe's imaginary friend--this in an article written very shortly after the film was released on DVD. Horrible.

But this indiscretion pales in comparison to that of the marketing department of 20th Century Fox, whose re-released original Planet of the Apes featured a war-torn Statue of Liberty ON THE FRONT COVER! Maybe not the best idea to give away the brilliant Rod Serling-penned ending before your audience sees the film. What if other films used this "strategy?" "...and Kevin Spacey as Keyser Soze" or "Kevin Spacey as John Doe (the killer in 7even)." "Oh, and Bruce Willis is really dead the whole time. Didn't want you to be confused."

But the real reason for this post (wow, 4 paragraphs in!) is to sing the praises of a show called Boston Legal which aired from 2004-2008. I never saw a first-run episode of the series, but am catching up on re-runs now on the ION channel and can't get enough of them. Incredible writing (it is a David E. Kelley show after all) and a stellar cast combine to produce a hilarious, thought-provoking, and sometimes very poignant show. And every episode features brilliant performances by both James Spader and the one-and-only William Shatner, both of whom won multiple Emmys for their respective roles. I could go on and on about how much I like this show, but since it's been off the air for almost a year, who really wants to know about how many of the show's actors appeared in Christopher Guest films (I count 6) or how many were in one of the many Star Trek series (4 in this category)? Oh well, what are you going to do?

TO UNDERSTAND KOBE BRYANT, ONE MUST FIRST LEARN THAT NO - 06.25.09 - SI Vault

2009-08-15T09:36:00.001-07:00

TO UNDERSTAND KOBE BRYANT, ONE MUST FIRST LEARN THAT NO - 06.25.09 - SI Vault

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Excellent article from Sports Illustrated. Very insightful look into one of sports' most private people.

Simmons: The shadow of steroids

2009-08-13T15:18:00.001-07:00

Simmons: The shadow of steroids

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Great article. And finally...someone makes reference to 2002 debacle. I thought the whole world had forgotten about that.

TIMMY!

2009-08-12T19:08:00.000-07:00

As a loyal Giants fan since 1986, it pains me to see how feeble our offense is right now--especially when it comes in support of arguably the best pitching in MLB. Don't laugh. The Giants have always been pitching-poor as far back as I can remember, but this year their staff has more shutouts than any other team and the best ERA in the bigs. Crazy stuff. My point is, the current incarnation of my favorite baseball team features not one, but two pitching prodigies (Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain) who despite being dominant nearly every time out, don't have nearly the stats they should because of lack of run support AND DON'T COMPLAIN ABOUT IT. Last year, this didn't really hurt Tim Lincecum in his bid for the Cy Young because the voters took a closer look at his win total and accounted for how many times the Giants bullpen had blown leads he'd taken into the 7th and 8th inning. In baseball, where there's a stat for everything, the numbers were on his side.

Anyway, today it happened again. The Giants won 4-2 in a game that Lincecum started. His line? 8-2/3 innings, 4 Hits, 2 ER, 7K and 1 BB. Oh, and a No-Decision for the game because the Giants waited until the 10th to score their 3rd and 4th runs. But that's not even the worst example. Cain had a 9-inning shutout the other day and got a ND because no one scored for either team until the 10th. Incidentally, Cain is the active leader for least amount of run support in all of baseball. In true poetic fashion, one of Cain's earlier wins was an 8 inning masterpiece in which he drove in half the Giants' runs (they won 2-0).

For the record, here are the stats for these unfortunate souls:

Lincecum: 12-3, 2.19 ERA, 205K (league leader) w/24 starts How many more wins would he have on a team in the top half of run production?

Cain: 12-4, 2.44 ERA, w/23 starts How about wins for him?

I know, I know. Small market. Nobody really wants to see the Giants play. But with all that's wrong with baseball right now, shouldn't the sports world try a little harder to embrace these two?

And don't forget the Kung Fu Panda. He's ambidextrous and hitting .329 (good for 2nd in the NL.) We aren't Bonds and Co. anymore. War ESPN doubling our coverage next year (2 whole games!)

More Ron-Ron and Other Stuff Rattling Around in My Head

2009-08-10T19:02:00.000-07:00

A bit more on Mr. Artest: As much as I appreciate what Ron Artest can routinely bring to the table in the areas of scoring and playing good defense, I have to admit that what I'm most looking forward to are the matchups with Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James and Paul Pierce. Never before have the Lakers had a player who can physically match up with these 3 players--or any physical small forward for that matter. Kobe Bryant has routinely taken on the assignment of guarding the other team's best perimeter player, be he a 1, 2, or a 3, and he has occasionally given up 50 pounds and taken a beating in the process. With Artest on the team, that shouldn't happen again. What's more, Artest will now always be given the assignment to guard the other team's best perimeter player--freeing Kobe up to do what he does best, namely score himself or create opportunities for others.

The Lakers/Celtics matchups this year will be epic. Hopefully, we'll get 9 of them (Lakers in 7). With Rasheed (I average 1/2 technical fouls a game) Wallace and Ron-Ron added to the mix, it could get explosive fast. Maybe we'll even see Artest put Pierce in a wheelchair for real. Really, nothing is out of the realm of possibility.

Other random stuff: I love Freddy Sanchez already. Thank you Sabean. Garko please start hitting. Kung Fu Panda. Kung Fu Panda. Kung Fu Panda. Other Giants, please score more for Lincecum and Cain. I'd really like to see Matt Cain win the Cy Young this year so we can have four Cy Young winners (and another guy with a no-no) in our rotation next year (please come back Randy Johnson.)

While I'm thinking about it--
Joe Johnston, please cast Mark Valley as "Captain America" already. He's "Agent John Scott from Fringe and the upcoming Human Target. Dude's ex-military and looks just like Cap himself. Marvel has done a great job casting for most of their movies (Tobey Maguire as Spiderman, Wesley Snipes as Blade, Hugh Jackman--and really the whole cast of the X-Men franchise, and most recently the couldn't-be-anymore-Tony-Stark Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man. Valley should be a slam dunk.

While I'm on the topic of movies, Nolan let's get cracking on Batman 3, somebody get Warner Bros. and Bryan Singer in a room so we can get that followup to Superman Returns. And bring back Brandon Routh and Kevin Spacey. Just also give us somebody else to fight too. But not Zod. Zod will always be Terrence (Come, son of Jor-El...)Stamp. How about Brainiac or Metallo. Doomsday would also be sweet. Do the "Death of Superman" storyline already.

One last thing. Here's hoping Ryan Reynolds in The Green Lantern is as cool as it sounds.

That's all I got for now. War the Giants catching the Dodgers. War Pandoval making C. Manuel pay in the playoffs for the All-Star snub. Have you seen me play now?

Ron-Ron, Wherefore Art Thou Ron-Ron?

2009-08-08T19:43:00.000-07:00

For most sports fans, this can be somewhat of a dull part of the year. Me, I just can't wait for the NBA season to start up again. How will Artest fit in? Can Bynum survive a game in Memphis? And the biggest question of all--will Adam Morrison get off the bench? Then again, the Mustached One might help us best by simply being a decent sized expiring contract. If our point guard trio fails to make the proper strides (really I'm talking about Farmar and Brown here; Fisher's just gonna be a year older), perhaps Morrison gets dealt for PG help. As far as I can see, that's about the only weakness the Lake Show has. Yes, it's too bad they didn't face a healthy Boston in the Finals--that certainly would have made the win that much sweeter. But injuries are part of the game, and LA had their share as well last year. Having a guy like Odom just waiting in the wings isn't really a luxury; it's more like Championship Hope insurance.

Back to Artest. Like many Laker fans, I hated to see Ariza go, but I do fall into the camp of him being at least somewhat a product of the system (i.e., hitting the open shot, able to get out in transition). He might just be Devean George (from Tiny Augsberg). And all the reasons he succeeded should be reasons that Artest should thrive. With two 7-footers behind him, he'll be given the green light to gamble and he and 24 should have a field day hounding opponents' back courts. True, Artest will have to check his ego as he deals with his 3rd (4th? 5th?) option status, but he's already made a statement by taking less $ to come to LA and he should have plenty of chances when KB takes a rest.

This concludes my sports rant. More later. GOOD NIGHT NOW!!!

Why to Blog?

2009-08-06T16:44:00.001-07:00

Well, for starters it was important to find an outlet for the myriad things rattling around inside my head. What's more, with Blogging, I can simply say it once and have several people see it at the same time.

So where, to start. Let's talk about the name of this site. Picking a name for anything can be a challenge--especially when it's for a reasonable amount of posterity. To that end, I decided to commemorate something who could use a little posterity--namely the band I was in at Simpson College in the late '90s. By far the most fun I ever had and the most rewarding creative experience of my life.

Grindcore boy, this one's for you.