Thursday, December 18, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
The Year of the Snake Cock
I love this time of the year, but I guess pretty much everyone does. I mean, who doesn't love constant reruns of "Love Actually," the old guy with the shovel in Home Alone, or the turd merger that was Home Alone 4? ( Ok, I just realized that everything I cited was a movie, as opposed to an interaction with actual human beings. Yeah I live my life vicariously through movie characters, yayyy!) At the same time, the holidays are much more to me. They're a time to plaintively reflect upon the year that was, and contemplate the year that will be. And really, who am I to pass up an opportunity to be emo?
But as much as I'd like to regale you guys with stories about the number of otphj's I got this year from randoms (read: 1/2), and the number of otphj's I got from my ex-girlfriend (read: 0), I feel like such entries would hinder fegonomics' chances of mainstream success. So let's talk sports for a second. 2008 was a great year on the field for the sports that mattered (football and basketball, and frisbee...kinda). 2008 gave us two of the greatest championship games and two of the biggest clutch plays of all time (the Final Four Championship with Mario "Superintendent" Chalmers' three ball to send the game to OT and Super Bowl XLII with David Tyree's miracle. Not to be confused with the Sean Eliott miracle. No, I'm not talking about playing with one kidney). I don't feel as comfortable writing about ultimate because my name ain't Match Diesel but I know that we did see the ascension of a people's champion on a magnitude unheard of since The Rock.
As good as things were on the field, things were going to hell off it. Pac-Man Jones got suspended for drunken escapades. Again. I guess the age old maxim holds true: A Pac-Man does what a Pac-Man do. But by far the biggest story was the Plaxico Flexico debacle. Probably the stupidest story of the past 4 or 5 years. It's tough to have perspective on it, given all the play it's been getting in the media, but one of the most talented players in the league put a hole through his body. Shit, think of if Derrick Rose did some Norman Bates shit and gored open his arm. Oh wait, that actually happened? While doing what? Cutting an apple? Shit mang, athletes do the darndest things.
Stephen A. Smith wrote a compelling piece about the plight of the black athlete following Burress' arrest. If by compelling I mean that I couldn't hear him berating me and saying "Slava Medvedenko" every other word. I could only imagine him berating me and saying "Slava Medvedenko" every other word.
But as much as I'd like to regale you guys with stories about the number of otphj's I got this year from randoms (read: 1/2), and the number of otphj's I got from my ex-girlfriend (read: 0), I feel like such entries would hinder fegonomics' chances of mainstream success. So let's talk sports for a second. 2008 was a great year on the field for the sports that mattered (football and basketball, and frisbee...kinda). 2008 gave us two of the greatest championship games and two of the biggest clutch plays of all time (the Final Four Championship with Mario "Superintendent" Chalmers' three ball to send the game to OT and Super Bowl XLII with David Tyree's miracle. Not to be confused with the Sean Eliott miracle. No, I'm not talking about playing with one kidney). I don't feel as comfortable writing about ultimate because my name ain't Match Diesel but I know that we did see the ascension of a people's champion on a magnitude unheard of since The Rock.
As good as things were on the field, things were going to hell off it. Pac-Man Jones got suspended for drunken escapades. Again. I guess the age old maxim holds true: A Pac-Man does what a Pac-Man do. But by far the biggest story was the Plaxico Flexico debacle. Probably the stupidest story of the past 4 or 5 years. It's tough to have perspective on it, given all the play it's been getting in the media, but one of the most talented players in the league put a hole through his body. Shit, think of if Derrick Rose did some Norman Bates shit and gored open his arm. Oh wait, that actually happened? While doing what? Cutting an apple? Shit mang, athletes do the darndest things.
Stephen A. Smith wrote a compelling piece about the plight of the black athlete following Burress' arrest. If by compelling I mean that I couldn't hear him berating me and saying "Slava Medvedenko" every other word. I could only imagine him berating me and saying "Slava Medvedenko" every other word.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Ragin' Rondo and the young PG movement
Watching Rajon Rondo control the tempo of the Celtics Pacers game this past Wednesday I realized a few things. First, Rondo is the first true point guard that has ever played for a team that I have rooted for. The early to mid 90's Rockets got by with scoring guards like Vernon Maxwell and Kenny Smith who could knock down open threes and more importantly throw entry passes to Hakeem. When they acquired Drexler during their second championship season they had a guy who could get into the lane and pass, but he never really controlled the offense. The early 2000's Celtics had the shell theory of Kenny Anderson and existed on a steady diet of point forwards with Pierce and 'Toine Walker controlling most of the ball handling duties. The second observation I made is that Rondo is really the Ringo Starr of the Celtics' Beatles. Not as huge a celebrity as the big three but essential enough to keep the beat of the music. On Thursday night Rondo proved that his musical qualifications reach beyond rhythm and tempo and delve more deeply into composing as he hung pinball numbers of 16 pt, 17 ast, 13 rb on TJ Ford and the Pacers.
Beyond the box score of the triple double, which I'll get to in a second, Rondo's performance was a Holden Cauflield game. He came of age on the court demanding the ball on every possession and creating mismatches and then distributing. He showed his savvy knack for gauging which of his teammates is hot and who needs an easy bucket. When Ray Allen was knocking down threes Rondo was looking for him on the wing in transition. Pierce couldn't by a bucket in the first half and Rondo tried to create lanes for him to penetrate and get to the line. He worked the high screen and roll with Garnett enabling KG to hit the 18 footer that he's fallen in love with. He even coaxed KG into playing around the rim hitting him with two perfectly thrown oops on back door cuts that left Troy Murphy's pants around his ankles. It was the first game I thought of Rondo as the leader of a team already known for its tremendous experience and heart. The triple double itself was stunning. Rajon nearly had one at the end of the half, and ended up getting his 10th rebound on an offensive board that he dished to KG for an easy putback and his 10th assist. This was with 10 minutes left in the third quarter. To put in perspective what Rondo did, only two other men have achieved a 16/13/17 game since the 86-87 season. They are two of the most prolific triple double machines in history, Magic Johnson and Fat Lever. If Rondo can continue to play with such shrewd court awareness expect to see him at this year's all-star game with Devin Harris and A.I. (sorry Jose).
Devin Harris' has some explaining to do to the Yahoo Java draft applet. In this year's fantasy bball draft I was slated to pick next and I needed a PG to couple with Dwyane Wade. It was between Tony Parker and Harris and I queued my boy Devin knowing that losing Richard Jefferson would free up a lot of room around the basket for him to penetrate, which is the strongest part of his game. As I was about to make the pick my computer froze and yahoo chose Parker, leaving Harris for the team after mine. This same exact thing happened to me last year, except it was during the 3rd round and yahoo auto-selected Marcus Camby. This ended up paying dividends as Camby had a monster blocking and rebounding year. Thus this phenomenon is now known as the Camby Corollary. I thought the CC was coming to fruition when T. Parker dropped 55 in a game earlier this year, but then he decided to take on another Camby trait and ghost rolled his ankle in the next game. Anyways, Harris has been a beast this year as he's in the top 5 in scoring at around 25 ppg and is carrying the Nets team (along with a rejuvenated Vince Carter) to a top 8 record in the East. If he doesn't win most improved player after dropping 47 on the Suns then holy Nene.
Number one draft pick Derrick Rose has also risen to to the preseason hype and looks like a potential perennial all-star. Thanks Kirk Hinrich! His first step and cross over are just dastardly and he has the athleticism to hang around the rim just long enough to draw contact and get off high percentage shots. Unfortunately he's playing with a team that has no real three point shooter and a heavy backcourt. It won't be long before he has an NBA version of this mixtape. Sickwitit.
Some other PGs of note are Jose Calderon and Chris Duhon. Of course Duhon is benefiting from the reverse Chicago problem in that the Knicks don't have a backcourt (Thanks Steph!) and D'Antoni loves the 8 seconds or less fast break O. I know everyone is saying what if D'Antoni had waited to see who got the number 1 pick before he made his choice, but with the firing of Sam Mitchell what would happen if D'Antoni went to the Raptors? Sure he'd be moving out of a major market and giving up his chances at Lebron in a few year, but aren't the Raptors PERFECT for the D'Antoni system. Calderon is an exact clone of Nash who shoots high percentages and is an adroit passer. Bosh is Amare with a little less athleticism and much better defense. Jamario Moon is a poor man's Shawn Marion but he's young and very athletic and then they have sharpshooting Jason Kapono. Colangelo, make this happen...kthnx.
I'm going to the Celtics/Blazers game tonight and expect it to be close in the first half, but for the Blazers to really lean on Roy in the second half and for the Celts to pull away. Rondo may have a 20-10-5 night with Steve Blake and Sergio Rodriguez trying to defend him, and Lamarcus Aldridge won't have it easy with KG pressing him all night. Hopefully Oden doesn't score a basket for every pock mark on his face, or we're in for a blowout loss. Celtics extend it to 11 in a row with an 11 point victory.
A post on the legitimacy on the Cavs to come.
Beyond the box score of the triple double, which I'll get to in a second, Rondo's performance was a Holden Cauflield game. He came of age on the court demanding the ball on every possession and creating mismatches and then distributing. He showed his savvy knack for gauging which of his teammates is hot and who needs an easy bucket. When Ray Allen was knocking down threes Rondo was looking for him on the wing in transition. Pierce couldn't by a bucket in the first half and Rondo tried to create lanes for him to penetrate and get to the line. He worked the high screen and roll with Garnett enabling KG to hit the 18 footer that he's fallen in love with. He even coaxed KG into playing around the rim hitting him with two perfectly thrown oops on back door cuts that left Troy Murphy's pants around his ankles. It was the first game I thought of Rondo as the leader of a team already known for its tremendous experience and heart. The triple double itself was stunning. Rajon nearly had one at the end of the half, and ended up getting his 10th rebound on an offensive board that he dished to KG for an easy putback and his 10th assist. This was with 10 minutes left in the third quarter. To put in perspective what Rondo did, only two other men have achieved a 16/13/17 game since the 86-87 season. They are two of the most prolific triple double machines in history, Magic Johnson and Fat Lever. If Rondo can continue to play with such shrewd court awareness expect to see him at this year's all-star game with Devin Harris and A.I. (sorry Jose).
Devin Harris' has some explaining to do to the Yahoo Java draft applet. In this year's fantasy bball draft I was slated to pick next and I needed a PG to couple with Dwyane Wade. It was between Tony Parker and Harris and I queued my boy Devin knowing that losing Richard Jefferson would free up a lot of room around the basket for him to penetrate, which is the strongest part of his game. As I was about to make the pick my computer froze and yahoo chose Parker, leaving Harris for the team after mine. This same exact thing happened to me last year, except it was during the 3rd round and yahoo auto-selected Marcus Camby. This ended up paying dividends as Camby had a monster blocking and rebounding year. Thus this phenomenon is now known as the Camby Corollary. I thought the CC was coming to fruition when T. Parker dropped 55 in a game earlier this year, but then he decided to take on another Camby trait and ghost rolled his ankle in the next game. Anyways, Harris has been a beast this year as he's in the top 5 in scoring at around 25 ppg and is carrying the Nets team (along with a rejuvenated Vince Carter) to a top 8 record in the East. If he doesn't win most improved player after dropping 47 on the Suns then holy Nene.
Number one draft pick Derrick Rose has also risen to to the preseason hype and looks like a potential perennial all-star. Thanks Kirk Hinrich! His first step and cross over are just dastardly and he has the athleticism to hang around the rim just long enough to draw contact and get off high percentage shots. Unfortunately he's playing with a team that has no real three point shooter and a heavy backcourt. It won't be long before he has an NBA version of this mixtape. Sickwitit.
Some other PGs of note are Jose Calderon and Chris Duhon. Of course Duhon is benefiting from the reverse Chicago problem in that the Knicks don't have a backcourt (Thanks Steph!) and D'Antoni loves the 8 seconds or less fast break O. I know everyone is saying what if D'Antoni had waited to see who got the number 1 pick before he made his choice, but with the firing of Sam Mitchell what would happen if D'Antoni went to the Raptors? Sure he'd be moving out of a major market and giving up his chances at Lebron in a few year, but aren't the Raptors PERFECT for the D'Antoni system. Calderon is an exact clone of Nash who shoots high percentages and is an adroit passer. Bosh is Amare with a little less athleticism and much better defense. Jamario Moon is a poor man's Shawn Marion but he's young and very athletic and then they have sharpshooting Jason Kapono. Colangelo, make this happen...kthnx.
I'm going to the Celtics/Blazers game tonight and expect it to be close in the first half, but for the Blazers to really lean on Roy in the second half and for the Celts to pull away. Rondo may have a 20-10-5 night with Steve Blake and Sergio Rodriguez trying to defend him, and Lamarcus Aldridge won't have it easy with KG pressing him all night. Hopefully Oden doesn't score a basket for every pock mark on his face, or we're in for a blowout loss. Celtics extend it to 11 in a row with an 11 point victory.
A post on the legitimacy on the Cavs to come.
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