There are still a few series to be played. Spurs and Jazz (as if that's a better matchup than the Spurs and Suns). Pistons and Cavs. Spurs, Pistons. Who cares?
What the NBA did to the Suns will remain the real story of the Playoffs, and the rest is a big yawn. Too late, doesn't matter. Spoiled by some bizarre application of rules that would suspend two key players from one team for their slight reaction to a body slam by the other team. Oh yeah, that other team happens to be the Spurs.
The Spurs are good, but their "win any way possible" approach is not much fun to watch. It's almost like you have to be a lawyer to win in the NBA - and the winning team knows the law a little better and knows the judge's tendencies, and that's just not what basketball should be about.
So I'm turning off the playoffs. Don't care who wins. I was impressed by the Nuggets and Suns though. I might go see either of those teams live, as long as they weren't playing the Spurs.
[Link - LA Times - Crimes and Punishment]
5.19.2007
5.16.2007
NBA Screwjob of Phoenix Now Complete
No players or coaches are allowed to say much against "the league" - the gestapo of NBA basketball, for fear of getting fined or benched (or deported?) but everyone hinted around the real issue tonight as a talented Phoenix Suns team finally ran out of gas and lost game 5, after having been forced to play without their 2 top centers Stoudemire and Diaw, who were suspended because of a mild reaction to a flagrant foul or two by Robert Horry in game 4. They left their bench area! Oh my! The Phoenix starters played 45-47 minutes each tonight and just didn't have the depth; nevertheless they almost had the game, but at crunch time a sneak play by Ginobli to pull Nash on top of him after a 3-point shot faked the referee into calling a foul. 3 made free throws later, San Antonio had almost caught up.
Could Phoenix feasibly go back to San Antonio and win game 6 and then go on to win the series? Yes, it's possible, but the damage is done and the unfair burden placed upon Phoenix boggles the mind and taints the '07 Playoffs for good. Only if Phoenix wins it all will there be any justice.
It's just a game I'm reminded, and so in the end there will be a "victor" and it could quite possibly be San Antonio, but it'll be an empty victory and pointless. The Suns are awesome!
[Scoreboard]
Could Phoenix feasibly go back to San Antonio and win game 6 and then go on to win the series? Yes, it's possible, but the damage is done and the unfair burden placed upon Phoenix boggles the mind and taints the '07 Playoffs for good. Only if Phoenix wins it all will there be any justice.
It's just a game I'm reminded, and so in the end there will be a "victor" and it could quite possibly be San Antonio, but it'll be an empty victory and pointless. The Suns are awesome!
[Scoreboard]
5.15.2007
Spurs Make Mockery Of NBA Rules
NEW YORK, May 15 -- Robert Horry of the San Antonio Spurs has been suspended two games without pay and Amaré Stoudemire and Boris Diaw of the Phoenix Suns have each been suspended one game without pay for their actions in last night's game, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations. source - NBA.com
Suspending Stoudemire and Diaw only rewards the Spurs and encourages teams like the Spurs to do the same - provoke the other team on purpose to try to get THEM suspended. For all we know Horry's was a planned play, and his bench had the heads up to not take the bait.
The Sun's coaches did a fine job of containing their players, and suspending them is unconscionable.
The NBA is rewarding the wrong team... now the Spurs get the main benefit... a huge advantage in game 5 - why? Because Horry committed at least 2 flagrant fouls in a row, and possibly on purpose, in order to use the league's stupidest of all rules against the other team.
NBA: get a clue - the Spurs are using your rules against you making you look ridiculous and they'll win the series in the end, because perhaps they are just wise enough to push the league's buttons. If Horry had done his job right they could've also taken Nash out of game 5 as well due to injury and then they'd sacrifice just one player scoring less than 5 points a game, for the top 3 players of the other team: a huge win for them!
Based upon this event, I would encourage all teams to send out your lower level players late in games, and try to injure and provoke the other team's stars, on purpose. It's just good strategy.
What if Stoudemire or any other player did need to check in? Should they remain on the bench and not check in with 2 minutes left in a 3 point game in order to avoid the appearance of doing something wrong?
NBA: Wake up!
[link]
5.01.2007
Joey Crawford was Right!
NBA - sore loser rant begins here >>
I was surprised to see Joey Crawford call 2 "T"s on Tim Duncan a few weeks ago, ejecting him from a game for essentially just laughing at the ref. But after watching game 4 of the Denver Nuggets vs. the San Antonio Spurs, I'm starting to see things from Joey Crawford's perspective. Good for him! I'm glad he had the guts to throw him out! And I apologize to Joey C. He was right!
In game 4 of the Denver S.A. game the referees did not have that kind of fortitude to stand up to Duncan. He starts out by giving the silent stare if he was touched in any way, as if to say "you moron how could you not call that foul?" Every time he gets the ball and shoots, he will go into a little childish dramatic acting if he doesn't get a call. He looks as if he is near tears, and is in such great disbelief that he doesn't get the call. This happens repeatedly, and I think Crawford had finally just had enough of his childish drama. Go play in your sandbox you little child!
Somehow, by the 4th quarter, Duncan had built up enough good will and ended up at the free throw at two crucial moments in the San Antonio "comeback." Carmelo Anthony on the other hand, who was the real star of the game and a better player than Duncan IMO, had to sit on the bench with 5 fouls in those crucial moments of the 4th quarter, after 2 mystery fouls were called against him in a row. AI was called for "pushing" Tim Duncan as he fell out of bounds, and he wasn't even in the play. If you're going to make a game-changing momentum-shifting call like that, could you at least look at the play? Just because Duncan is falling doesn't mean there was a foul - in fact he's very tough to push over at his size. If he falls, it's MORE likely to be a flop.
It was disgusting. Greg Popovich said he felt fortunate to come out of there with a win, and he knows what he's talking about. Denver was the better team, IS a better team, and they'll just have to learn how to be crybabys and manipulate referees the way Duncan does I guess in order to move to "that next level."
One thing I will say about the Spurs is that they have a very deep team and have a lot of guys they can bring in as designated foulers, so that their top guys don't end up on the bench with 5 or 6 fouls. In that way, I guess you could say that the Spurs are better. But the Nuggets were amazing - I love this team and I feel the referees robbed them blind out of game 4.
Game 4 was the Nuggets last chance to really compete for the series... this is why these "little things" matter so much. At 3-1 Spurs, this series is essentially over, and game 4 was a gift that San Antonio and Tim Duncan didn't really deserve. Even worse is, we'll have to watch the Tim Duncan whimpering act all over again through the next series, and the Nuggets are simply put, a lot more fun to watch.
>> end rant
I was surprised to see Joey Crawford call 2 "T"s on Tim Duncan a few weeks ago, ejecting him from a game for essentially just laughing at the ref. But after watching game 4 of the Denver Nuggets vs. the San Antonio Spurs, I'm starting to see things from Joey Crawford's perspective. Good for him! I'm glad he had the guts to throw him out! And I apologize to Joey C. He was right!
In game 4 of the Denver S.A. game the referees did not have that kind of fortitude to stand up to Duncan. He starts out by giving the silent stare if he was touched in any way, as if to say "you moron how could you not call that foul?" Every time he gets the ball and shoots, he will go into a little childish dramatic acting if he doesn't get a call. He looks as if he is near tears, and is in such great disbelief that he doesn't get the call. This happens repeatedly, and I think Crawford had finally just had enough of his childish drama. Go play in your sandbox you little child!
Somehow, by the 4th quarter, Duncan had built up enough good will and ended up at the free throw at two crucial moments in the San Antonio "comeback." Carmelo Anthony on the other hand, who was the real star of the game and a better player than Duncan IMO, had to sit on the bench with 5 fouls in those crucial moments of the 4th quarter, after 2 mystery fouls were called against him in a row. AI was called for "pushing" Tim Duncan as he fell out of bounds, and he wasn't even in the play. If you're going to make a game-changing momentum-shifting call like that, could you at least look at the play? Just because Duncan is falling doesn't mean there was a foul - in fact he's very tough to push over at his size. If he falls, it's MORE likely to be a flop.
It was disgusting. Greg Popovich said he felt fortunate to come out of there with a win, and he knows what he's talking about. Denver was the better team, IS a better team, and they'll just have to learn how to be crybabys and manipulate referees the way Duncan does I guess in order to move to "that next level."
One thing I will say about the Spurs is that they have a very deep team and have a lot of guys they can bring in as designated foulers, so that their top guys don't end up on the bench with 5 or 6 fouls. In that way, I guess you could say that the Spurs are better. But the Nuggets were amazing - I love this team and I feel the referees robbed them blind out of game 4.
Game 4 was the Nuggets last chance to really compete for the series... this is why these "little things" matter so much. At 3-1 Spurs, this series is essentially over, and game 4 was a gift that San Antonio and Tim Duncan didn't really deserve. Even worse is, we'll have to watch the Tim Duncan whimpering act all over again through the next series, and the Nuggets are simply put, a lot more fun to watch.
>> end rant
4.19.2007
Virginia Tech Victim Profiles
New York Times presents an easy-to-use layout of
Virginia Tech Victim Profiles.
Virginia Tech Victim Profiles.
4.17.2007
Michael Brecker Tribute
Michael Brecker was the most wonderful musician; a jazz genius who had a huge impact on the world of music. He passed away this year, and this video is my small tribute to one of my all-time heros of music. The first tune is "Naima," a Coltrane tune, and it's just Michael playing all by himself inventing lines. The second tune is "Some Skunk Funk," a rhythm section's dream song, and this particular early 80s band shows the level of musician that MB routinely played with, because he was the best. The Some Skunk band features Michael's brother Randy (hence the band The Brecker Brothers) Dave Weckl on drums, James Genus on bass, and Mike Stern on guitar. The 3rd video features:
Makote Ozone Trio With Mike Brecker
Between October 3-8, 2001
Blue Note Tokyo, Japan
Makoto Ozone: Piano
Michael Brecker: Tenor
James Genus: Bass
Clarence Penn: Drums
and it's a great example of how hard he could swing.
I put in a 4th video as well featuring another of my heros in music, Pat Metheny, with Larry Goldings on organ, of course MB on sax, and I believe Bill Stewart on drums.
Michael Brecker - I love you for putting it all out there and inspiring me and so many others.
Michael Brecker Feature Page at All About Jazz
Makote Ozone Trio With Mike Brecker
Between October 3-8, 2001
Blue Note Tokyo, Japan
Makoto Ozone: Piano
Michael Brecker: Tenor
James Genus: Bass
Clarence Penn: Drums
and it's a great example of how hard he could swing.
I put in a 4th video as well featuring another of my heros in music, Pat Metheny, with Larry Goldings on organ, of course MB on sax, and I believe Bill Stewart on drums.
Michael Brecker - I love you for putting it all out there and inspiring me and so many others.
Michael Brecker Feature Page at All About Jazz
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)