The NBA Addict!
Monday, November 22, 2004
NBA: Artest Lives Up to His Number
If you haven't heard yet, the NBA's Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons, one of the most intense rivalries now in the NBA, has figured in arguably the messiest situation the league has ever faced. To wit, Ben Wallace overreacted to a hard foul by Ron Artest. Big Ben charges Rapper Ron (or Asinine Artest, depending on where you stand), respective teammates restrain them, situation settles down eventually, then a cup of beer/juice/soda hits Artest. He snaps, charges the fan that threw the offending beverage, melee ensues, Stephen Jackson joins in the fray, Jermaine O'Neal smacks a haymaker to a rabid Pistons fan. The game is called with 45 seconds remaining. Both teams exit the arena while the Pacers are pelted with popcorn and drinks. Jack Nicholson arrives and admits it was all a ruse to test if Ron Artest has passed his Anger Management class, which of course he obviously didn't. The Commish lays down the law, says "You asked for it, you got it!" and smacks Indiana with suspensions to 5 players, 3 of whom are starters who will miss all (Artest) or half of the NBA season. (4 players from Detroit were suspended as well, but only for 1-6 games)
I could be wrong with the Nicholson bit, but the rest was almost surreal. Can you imagine, guys who lift weights for a living taking on the typical couch potato type NBA fan? Show some restraint, please, guys. You may say you're as human as we are, but you have brute strength. And earn $$$. Plus, those fans paid to see you in action! if we wanted to watch people bash each other, we could've just tuned in to Randy Orton prancing about, delivering RKO's.
Of course, one may argue that the fans were asking for it, since they threw things first. But these athletes are there for the money-paying fans of the game who came to see a good game of basketball. And that ugly scene between Ben and Artest? NOT what they paid for. (Well, maybe Mike Tyson would've apprecated it). Dare I say the fans were justified? Not really, since there is still such a thing called decorum. But still, the athletes forgot the big scheme of things. They were playing a game not for playoff positioning. Not to be a step closer towards winning the championship. Not to provide writers and bloggers with fodder to feed their RSS. But ultimately, they were there to entertain. The FANS. The customer is king, but the players treated the palace fans like Jerry Lawler in the 90's.
In any case, at least #91 now has a lot of time on his hands to promote his rap album. Hmm.. maybe the Rodman idolizer really did ask for it.
I could be wrong with the Nicholson bit, but the rest was almost surreal. Can you imagine, guys who lift weights for a living taking on the typical couch potato type NBA fan? Show some restraint, please, guys. You may say you're as human as we are, but you have brute strength. And earn $$$. Plus, those fans paid to see you in action! if we wanted to watch people bash each other, we could've just tuned in to Randy Orton prancing about, delivering RKO's.
Of course, one may argue that the fans were asking for it, since they threw things first. But these athletes are there for the money-paying fans of the game who came to see a good game of basketball. And that ugly scene between Ben and Artest? NOT what they paid for. (Well, maybe Mike Tyson would've apprecated it). Dare I say the fans were justified? Not really, since there is still such a thing called decorum. But still, the athletes forgot the big scheme of things. They were playing a game not for playoff positioning. Not to be a step closer towards winning the championship. Not to provide writers and bloggers with fodder to feed their RSS. But ultimately, they were there to entertain. The FANS. The customer is king, but the players treated the palace fans like Jerry Lawler in the 90's.
In any case, at least #91 now has a lot of time on his hands to promote his rap album. Hmm.. maybe the Rodman idolizer really did ask for it.
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Late Post on UP / Miriam
After the Miriam Santiago Fiasco, I'm even more convinced that the Philippines does not have hope anymore. For a government officer who should have the people's interest first and foremost, she goes and rants about how her son's suicide was supposedly caused by UP College of Law. A suicide, by the way, that has a weird premise. The bullet point was from the back of the nape to the front of the face. Weird way to commit suicide. Plus, how many months had passed since he failed the UP Law interview? 4? 5? Weird, ain't it?
In any case, many others have failed the exam. It's still up to the person if he wanted to commit suicide. Ultimately, the psychological makeup of the person will be to blame and who had a hand in forming that?
Read here and here for more. :)
In any case, many others have failed the exam. It's still up to the person if he wanted to commit suicide. Ultimately, the psychological makeup of the person will be to blame and who had a hand in forming that?
Read here and here for more. :)
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
NBA - 1st day of the Season
Against the backdrop of the US elections, the NBA started the 2004-'05 season with great matchups. Dallas defeated the Kings behind Nowitzki's hot hand (and good contributions from their newcomers, rookie Devin Harris and Erick Dampier). At Michigan, Antonio McDyess made his umphteenth comeback try (and getting the boot out 9 minutes after he entered), the defending champs got by the Shaq-Kobe heir apparents. Naturally, Detroit won it with defense against the Rockets.
But I'm sure more people were interested on the last match-up: Kobe vs. the Nuggets. The Lakers beat Denver handily, with a statline-filler performance from Bryant: 25 points, 7 dimes, 3 blocks(!), and 4 boards. And 4 turnovers. He didn't exactly throw up 50 shots as everyone expected, but handled the ball (as expected) and passed the ball. His receipient of the night was Chris Mihm, who was probably as surprised as the Nuggets when he got his career-high 23 points.
Kobe passing the ball. Chris Mihm scoring against Camby, K-Mart, and Nene. Lakers win. Who knew? :p
But I'm sure more people were interested on the last match-up: Kobe vs. the Nuggets. The Lakers beat Denver handily, with a statline-filler performance from Bryant: 25 points, 7 dimes, 3 blocks(!), and 4 boards. And 4 turnovers. He didn't exactly throw up 50 shots as everyone expected, but handled the ball (as expected) and passed the ball. His receipient of the night was Chris Mihm, who was probably as surprised as the Nuggets when he got his career-high 23 points.
Kobe passing the ball. Chris Mihm scoring against Camby, K-Mart, and Nene. Lakers win. Who knew? :p
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
NBA: Underachiever Preseason Picks
Most sports sites have been listing their preseason picks to win it all. I'll be posting my own thoughts with the antithesis: those hyped to succeed but likely to fail. In no particular order:
Team: Sacramento Kings
Issue: Chemistry
Skinny: With Vlade defecting to the Lakers, Webber talking the (conflicting) talk about hard working teammates that includes/does not include Peja, and with Peja wanting a trade because he feels it is the best way to move forward for both teams, the Kings are ripe for an implosion. When your best player says that the team can best win by trading him away, there's a problem there! And that's not mentioning the decline of play of Doug Christie, the underpriced contract woes of Bobby Jackson, and downgrading their center talent from Divac to Ostertag.
Team: Minnesota Timberwolves
Issue: Aged/Disgruntled Backcourt
Skinny: Sprewell and Cassell wants a contract extension. McHale and the T'wolves don't want to give them one. And with good reason: these guys are already O-L-D. I wonder why the backcourt duo fail to realize that. Let's hope Cassell and Spree come to their senses, and just play ball, and not choke the life out of their chance for a championship.
Team: New York Knicks
Issue: Guards That Need The Ball Too Much
Skinny: Ballhog SG + Ballhog PG = ... well, lets just state that the most recent incarnation in recent memory of this happening was in Philadelphia, and Stack and AI didn't last long on that team.
Team: Miami Heat
Issue: No bench depth
Skinny: 2 people a team does not make. One major injury to Shaq is sure to affect their teams. Think about it: the Heat's starting lineup will become Dwayne Wade, Eddie Jones, Wesley Person, Udonis Haslem, and Michael Doleac. In other words, stud, old, old, raw, and in-the-NBA- coz-he's- 2.1-meters-tall, respectively. I shudder to think who will come off the bench. Rasual Butler? Bombed last season. Christian Laettner? Actually the perfect model for Kwame Brown - wonderful when playing against people with less talent than him, but couldn't keep up with the big boys. Caron Butler? Oops, he's in Lakerland already. The Miami Heat better start praying to the injury gods to spare their Big Daddy and also their Future as well.
Team: Sacramento Kings
Issue: Chemistry
Skinny: With Vlade defecting to the Lakers, Webber talking the (conflicting) talk about hard working teammates that includes/does not include Peja, and with Peja wanting a trade because he feels it is the best way to move forward for both teams, the Kings are ripe for an implosion. When your best player says that the team can best win by trading him away, there's a problem there! And that's not mentioning the decline of play of Doug Christie, the underpriced contract woes of Bobby Jackson, and downgrading their center talent from Divac to Ostertag.
Team: Minnesota Timberwolves
Issue: Aged/Disgruntled Backcourt
Skinny: Sprewell and Cassell wants a contract extension. McHale and the T'wolves don't want to give them one. And with good reason: these guys are already O-L-D. I wonder why the backcourt duo fail to realize that. Let's hope Cassell and Spree come to their senses, and just play ball, and not choke the life out of their chance for a championship.
Team: New York Knicks
Issue: Guards That Need The Ball Too Much
Skinny: Ballhog SG + Ballhog PG = ... well, lets just state that the most recent incarnation in recent memory of this happening was in Philadelphia, and Stack and AI didn't last long on that team.
Team: Miami Heat
Issue: No bench depth
Skinny: 2 people a team does not make. One major injury to Shaq is sure to affect their teams. Think about it: the Heat's starting lineup will become Dwayne Wade, Eddie Jones, Wesley Person, Udonis Haslem, and Michael Doleac. In other words, stud, old, old, raw, and in-the-NBA- coz-he's- 2.1-meters-tall, respectively. I shudder to think who will come off the bench. Rasual Butler? Bombed last season. Christian Laettner? Actually the perfect model for Kwame Brown - wonderful when playing against people with less talent than him, but couldn't keep up with the big boys. Caron Butler? Oops, he's in Lakerland already. The Miami Heat better start praying to the injury gods to spare their Big Daddy and also their Future as well.
