SiMA's Random Thoughts: Volume 1
by SgtinManusArmy on Mar 3, 2011 2:28 PM CST
in Off The Wall
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PrintSince I'm now on "staff" (snicker, snicker), I get to talk regularly with some of the other contributors. Several times the idea has come up for me to post a list of current rantings. The types of points that don't necessarily justify a complete Fanpost or Fanshot, but that require small commentary none-the-less. They see it as a way to keep SiMA from filibustering on the phone. I see it as a way to keep my stress level down, as well as hitting my monthly post quota from JRW; not to mention a way to aimlessly vent. So it's a win-win. Comment as you see fit, persuade if you're able, and contribute. If there's something I'm missing or a point you want to hear addressed, let me know.
(for those of you who love confusing abbreviations, "SiMART." Kind of like KMart, but without any neck tattoos.)
£. I'm getting fed up with all the news on Chauncey Billups and his trade. Living in Colorado I hear all sides... how noble and wonderful Chauncey is, how team-first Chauncey is, how good of a guy Chauncey is, how Chauncey and the Thuggets (can we still call them that?) both wanted him to retire there. Don't know if I'm the only one who sees it, but doesn't anyone else see the hypocrisy and fraud of both Billups and the Denver owners lamenting the trade? First off, we live in an era of PLAYERS calling the shots, not the teams. Especially when that player is so "loved" and so "respected." You're trying to tell me that Chauncey couldn't have prevented himself from being traded?? He couldn't have threatened retirement or gone public, getting his entire fanbase onboard and complicating things for the owners? Second, regarding the tear-filled press conference given by the team (Josh Kroenke and Masai Ujiri -http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/23/denver-nuggets-executives_n_827051.html) in which both architects lamented that they never wanted to trade Billups, that he's so important to Denver, that they hope their legacy isn't remembered for getting rid of him... REALLY??! An owner and GM apologizing for having to trade an icon in the community?
Guess what... they DIDN'T have to trade him. There are other pieces they could have traded but they simply didn't want to. They're in love with Ty Lawson and he's the PG future of the Denver organization; were he not on the roster, do you believe Billups would have ever been on the block? Absolutely not. All of this talk from both sides seems only to be a PR move to appease the community and maintain post-career opportunities in the area, nothing more. Just stop with the charade and the lies. Of course, I shouldn't be expecting any more from an organization so committed to dysfunction (Yes, JR and Kenyon are still on the roster) and a player so committed to selling himself. The overrated stature of Chauncey "self-proclaimed big shot" Billups should quickly lead me to be unsurprised at this latest con job. Don't think he's overrated? Turn on espn right now and see the constant replays from last night's Heat game. That was a regular season game. No more needs to be said.
But I really WANTED to stay in Denver. Really!
£. So I was reading Sports Illustrated (February 14, 2011 issue) in the doctor's office the other day and came across an interesting story about Amar'e Stoudamire. Normally I wouldn't put the words "Amar'e" and "interesting" in the same sentence, but it was interesting for several quotes that jumped out at me.
1. "He wasn't sure of himself, and when you aren't sure of yourself, you do two things: talk about how good you are and blame somebody else when things go wrong." -Dan D'Antoni, brother of Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni and current Knicks assistant, and former Suns assistant coach during Mike's tenure in Phoenix; talking about how Amar'e was when he was a Sun. Hilariously ironic, hearing a Kleenex Suns alum psycho-analyzing and pontificating about placing blame. Seems Dan might not just be referring to Amar'e in Phoenix. Sounds an awful lot like the entire coaching staff and team during your time in the desert, eh Dan? Somewhere out there, Big Shot Rob is nodding vigorously.
2. 'New York guard Roger Mason Jr. likens Stoudemire's leadership style to that of Tim Duncan, Mason's former teammate in San Antonio." Really Roger? REALLY?! No wonder you quickly became dead weight to us- you're an idiot. Once I supported you, but now you're just dead to me.
[Editor's note: What follows is and imaginary interview from JRW, following up with RoMaJu about the above quote.]
JRW: Roger, would you mind elaborating on you comment about the similarity between the leadership styles of Amar'e and Duncan?
RMJ: Uh, yeah. When coach isn't around, and something happens, somebody's got to say something. (Short pause) That's the way Tim was. He'd say something. Amar'e does too. See?
JRW: Uh huh. Back to you SiMA.
Why, yes. I do happen to have some Grey Poupon.
£. Many of you already know, I've worked tirelessly over the last decade to put together a "Spurs man-cave." Framed pictures, balls, flags and other memorabilia don the walls. To the dismay of Mrs. SiMA, it's a place to watch games and get away from Mrs. SiMA. LatinD called it a sort of "batcave" when he visited. I was internet browsing the other day, just looking for new additions to the cave, and I came across Timmy's Fathead available for purchase. I spent the next 20 minutes laughing out loud and reminiscing on "those days." Remember the 'fro?!
I can see what's happening to Manu. I'd better grow this 'fro while I still can.
£. Aside from the impending potential lock-out, the league is sitting on another powder keg. In the wake of events over the past year, there is a clear potential for massive change in the NBA as stars gravitate to large market teams for limelight and money. We've seen "LeDecision," the "MeloDrama," and the catchy-nameless "Deron jumps from the Jazz and heads to New Jersey Brooklyn." The effect this trend has and will have on smaller market teams is frightening. While the new CBA could change this trend by mandating different rules and allowing 'franchise' tags, it's curious to wonder how a smaller market team can ever truly compete with a Florida, NY, LA or Boston. The Spurs caught lightening in a bottle with the lottery... TWICE!, and likely won't have the same luck again. With the seemingly unlimitted resources of the above-mentioned 4 locations/franchises and with the arrival of the "I wanna play with pals in a big market above everything else" (or, the "athlete who thinks themselves bigger than the game itself") mantra, the league's dynamic of team-building has changed. True, smaller-market teams have always had a more difficult time than the Big 4. They're behind the 8-ball in that they must compete relying more on the draft, developing talent, and overseas imports and less the dollars and the allure of attention. I've always said this very fact alone makes our wins so much more valuable. But this past year has seemed to forecast a trend in the way our athletes perceive themselves and their careers. Athletes are far more "me-focused" and far more concerned about peripheral ventures (off-court endeavors, sponsorships, post-career planning, etc.) than the very game itself. If this pattern continues, how much MORE challenging and difficult will it be for the outlining teams/cities to remain more consistently viable? How hard will it be for the Portlands, the OKCs, the Milwaukees, the San Antonios to pose serious threats to the all-star squads in the media markets when the major stars aren't willing to play there?
[Ed. note: the following are a few pieces SiMA recommends for further reading on this topic.]
Related quote from Bill Simmons' latest NBA article- "EVERYONE WHO CLAIMS THE NBA IS BEING RUINED BECAUSE SUPERSTARS WANT TO CONTROL WHERE THEY PLAY. What a lazy argument. Over the past six decades, the following players pushed their way from a worse situation to a (seemingly) better one either by trade or free agency: Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Shaquille O'Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Rick Barry, Charles Barkley, Scottie Pippen, Bill Walton, Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson, Gary Payton, Ray Allen, Jason Kidd, Clyde Drexler ... should I keep going? Now this "phenomenon" is endangering the game??? As Kenny Smith said last night, "If [a small-market team] builds the right pieces around the right guy, he will stay." Period. Duncan stayed in San Antonio because it built the right team around him. Stockton and Malone stayed in Utah because they had each other. Durant will stay in Oklahoma City because of Westbrook and everyone else. LeBron left Cleveland mainly because it made bad trades and signed the wrong guys. And Utah never would have thought it might lose Deron Williams if it hadn't screwed up the roster around him. Besides, why is it such a bad thing to have six or seven loaded teams and six or seven terrible ones? Oh crap, I hate seeing the Finals with all these elite players! Give me a break."
Related Rick Reilly article
Related Jason Whitlock article
Such showmanship! Such grace! Such humility!
£. A poll I'm curious about : Who among you actually cares about the overall finishing RS record? I've caught myself getting wrapped up in finishing with a record-setting and attention-getting record, but does it really matter and do we really want that? Ask Dallas how debilitating it is to win nearly 70 and get embarrassed so early in the playoffs. Not saying we're falling into that role, but when so much attention is placed on regular season success, doesn't it set you up for failure in the playoffs?
£. Speaking of, are the Mavs coming on strong and do they pose a serious threat? Jason "paper airplane" Terry seems to think so. But check out Marc Stein's comment from today- they "have already played 23 games decided by five or less. That was their season total in Carlisle's first two." Not a good sign if you're a Mavs fan. Point differential is such an important and often overlooked stat, and struggling-to-close-out-games isn't a challenge you want your team to have going into the post season.
Some things can't be ignored, Mark.
£. You know all these edited commercials in which they digitally plug someone into old footage of a player? I can't wait for the one with Timmy. It's grainy footage of a pool in the tropics, and there's this long, skinny kid doing laps and oblivious to the world around him. Then there's this pretentious old white man dangling his legs in the water and pleading with him to pick up a basketball because those rednecks in Texas are gonna love him. Then he says that Timmy's gonna have fun playing with "Manu Ginobili," and we have to imagine Timmy giggling because he's still underwater and doesn't even hear the comment.
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Well, done, SC.
Now you just need to get a JTU, win the roll call in one of the Game Threads, make the Quotes page, and coin a term that’s added to The Lexicon. =]
You’re on your way.
Pounding the Rock
I cannot wait for the sixth fifth. - LasEspuelas
I’m working on the quotes page, but my wittiness leaves me when I’m posting semi-anonymously on an internet forum type thing
"If the NBA season is a marathon, Gregg Popovich is a full-blooded Kenyan."
-Timothy Varner 48MoH
by Jordan Leithart on Mar 3, 2011 2:59 PM CST up reply actions
Hq!
Honestly. You kids today, with your hippity-hop music and your Twiddle. - Lauri
by p2cat on Mar 3, 2011 3:35 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Now that the important stuff is out of the way, I have to say that I like those new commmercials you’re talking about. Would LOVE to see one with Timmy. I thought they were only going to do them with the younger players until I saw the Steve Nash one.
"I know everthang they is to know about the shrimpin bidness."
doubt there would be one of Timmeh, unless they maybe place bballs in swimming pools. >.<
by i luv this site on Mar 3, 2011 4:18 PM CST up reply actions
Nice thoughts. Only things missing from the conversation are background bar noise and a beer.
/cheers!
T
Honestly. You kids today, with your hippity-hop music and your Twiddle. - Lauri
by p2cat on Mar 3, 2011 3:37 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
About the BS (Simmons’) quote:
Sure it’s great to have all those elite players playing in the finals, IF YOU ARE A FAN OF THOSE TEAMS! Try selling that to already hard to build teams in cities. The only chance they have is lucking out in the lottery at least once and lucking out (ok, that involves more scouting than luck but still) drafting/trading for other 2 all-stars, all of them probably can’t wait to get out of town like the stars mentioned.
We have to appreciate how lucky we are to have had Timmy and David, plus Manu and Tony. It will have to take that amount of luck and hard work before there is another franchise that comes close to what the Spurs have done. Years from now this will be seen as a perfect storm which small-mid markets teams will try to emulate.
A casual diehard Spurs fan.
I agree completely. If these players were spurning Boston, we would never hear the end of it.
"If the NBA season is a marathon, Gregg Popovich is a full-blooded Kenyan."
-Timothy Varner 48MoH
by Jordan Leithart on Mar 3, 2011 3:25 PM CST up reply actions
Exactly if he was a die hard fan of cle/min/port ect he would not feel that way at all…who would…you would have a league of 6-8 teams in the huge markets and make money there why should anyone else care. I see the point of wanting to have a lot of talent in only a few teams to have exciting playoffs but only some one who is a fan of those teams really thinks this is a good thing.
Look, it’s all about having smart people run your team. If Min/Cle/Port ect. had smarter people running their franchises they’d be better. It doesn’t matter if a big market gets a few stars a smart FO and coaching staff can overcome that.
Plus, it helps to have a VERY fortunate draft or two or three.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Mar 4, 2011 12:17 AM CST up reply actions
I agree with that, my problem is with Simmons’ comment or anyone who says his idea is a good one. I’m one that says the new CBA shouldn’t change things a lot, specially not in favor of owners. You should never make laws or rules to protect stupidity because you will end up with people doing stupid things and blaming the lack of protection for them.
A casual diehard Spurs fan.
True, I don’t see what they can change to “fix” this. And honestly, I don’t want just the teams to have control over their players or just the players to have control. There has to be a balance where both sides are working for each other. Not to toot the Spurs horn, but when a player asks to leave, we do our best to give that to him.
A common enough request is for a franchise tag. In my opinion, that’s a horrible idea for basketball. Look at what happened in game 5 against Boston in the Cleveland series. Does LeBron really want to spend another year in Cleveland after that? Melo could’ve been franchised, but then we watch a team go through the motions for the next year, instead of working like the new look Nuggets do now
"If the NBA season is a marathon, Gregg Popovich is a full-blooded Kenyan."
-Timothy Varner 48MoH
by Jordan Leithart on Mar 4, 2011 10:52 AM CST up reply actions
My hope:
1) Is that we hold onto the #1 seed. So Dallas and LA go through eachother.
2) Memphis continues on their hot streak and plays Dallas in their opening round.
3) Then Dallas has another difficult #2 vs. #7 seed.
The only problem I feel is that if we are the #1 seed we could play; Memphis, Portland, or New Orleans. All of which we have been terrible against.
If Phoenix could somehow make it as the #8 seed, then I would feel so much better, and we would get revenge for last years sweep.
No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try.
we would get revenge for last years sweep.
I’ve been looking forward to such an opportunity all season.
Memphis shoul solidify themselves at #7; Portland will likely be #5 or 6. I have no problem facing the Hornets. If you make your outside shots you beat up that team since they can’t score enough to keep up. Their closing schedule is not easy and could land them out of the playoffs if Paul can’t carry them to the finish line.
- Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
- I vow to never again mention "playoffs" and "49ers" together until we have a "quarterback."
- You gotta bring ass to get ass.
Apparently, I’m unable to comprehend what I read, so I’ll just say it here: I meant to vote “2”, rather than “4”.
Listen to Coach "B", kids. Use both hands!
breathlessly await
Superman wears Manu Ginobili pajamas to bed. ~ CMoney
I am happy. I am proud. ~ Manu Ginobili
Full of breath, me too
"If the NBA season is a marathon, Gregg Popovich is a full-blooded Kenyan."
-Timothy Varner 48MoH
by Jordan Leithart on Mar 3, 2011 6:55 PM CST up reply actions
I don’t know why you think players can dictate where and when they are traded. It’s a rare circumstance that allows this. Chauncey didn’t have the clout, star power or leverage to negate a trade.
The regular season record is very important to me. I don’t necessarily care about the number of wins the Spurs end up with so long as the Spurs end up with the top seed, homecourt through out. It’s not so much that I feel like the Spurs can’t win on the road but more that I truly believe the other western conference elite teams CAN NOT.
The last time the Lakers played in a series that they did not have home court advantage was 2008 in the finals versus the Celtics. That didn’t turn out well for them. The Thunder are barely above a .500 team on the road this season and I think they’re too young to get it done in the playoffs, on the road. The Mavs are just nincompoops.
All that said, I still think the Spurs will make it to the finals only to lose.
Tiago Splitter > Matt Bonner
Wait… you think we’re going to lose in the finals?!? Where is your Spurs colored glasses joined closely at the collective hip of blind fanaticism?
"If the NBA season is a marathon, Gregg Popovich is a full-blooded Kenyan."
-Timothy Varner 48MoH
by Jordan Leithart on Mar 3, 2011 5:20 PM CST up reply actions
I am really concerned with Dallas now. They are so deep that they have Brewer. I wish we could get Al Thronton before he goes to Golden State to be our backup SF.
Not sure why I am in panic mode all of a sudden. Maybe its due to us playing Miami, then LA, or Tony being out, but the Memphis game shot my confidence alittle. I hope Tony comes back by March 18. I am heading to DFW to represent the Spurs for the game.
No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try.
Every loss shoots my confidence in the foot.
"If the NBA season is a marathon, Gregg Popovich is a full-blooded Kenyan."
-Timothy Varner 48MoH
by Jordan Leithart on Mar 3, 2011 5:51 PM CST up reply actions
true, but not like the Celtics game. We played it hard and gave it 110%. There were so many players that had waaaaaay above average nights. (Not that some memphis players didn’t)
We just looked really bad on both sides of the ball. Im glad George came back strong and knew he would, but Chris Quinn is not our answer at 2nd or 3rd string PG at all. Wish we grabbed temple back before the Bobcats did.
No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try.
Probably because everything out there is all gloom and doom about the best team in the league. It’s others who should be worried, but that doesn’t fit the media established meme. That other teams are so desperate to add new players at this juncture shows that their teams are not yet good enough, and if someone expects a March addition to put them over the top I have to question how championship worthy they really were.
- Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
- I vow to never again mention "playoffs" and "49ers" together until we have a "quarterback."
- You gotta bring ass to get ass.
1. I don’t think Chauncey had as much leverage as you believe. Could he have made things difficult? Of course, but he’s never been that kind of player… so why would he change?
2. Ditto on the Roger IQ check. What a Dumas.
3. Speaking of Spurs memorabilia… I’m looking for a David Robinson black and white poster. It’s very striking. The Admiral is facing the camera and he’s shot from the chest up. Only one half of David’s face is shown with his arm outstretched and palming a basketball. The only color in the poster is the orange basketball. It’s half face, one half of those incredible guns and the ball. Anyone? Or did I dream this?
4. I hate to say it, but I think the Spurs successful run ends when GOML retires. (I’m hoping the wine will keep him sufficiently pickled and upright well into his 90’s).
5. Just about every team that makes the Western conference playoffs will be dangerous. But I say bring it on… the best team will win. (Ohplease ohplease ohplease, let that be us).
6. Love, Love, Love your commercial idea. Make it happen, Sima.
Good post, yada yada, stop eating salt. ;)
Superman wears Manu Ginobili pajamas to bed. ~ CMoney
I am happy. I am proud. ~ Manu Ginobili
Im looking forwards for the next volumes. Great Stuff SIMA, I enjoyed your rants a lot.
The duncan commercial idea is brillian , but sadly Tim Duncan is not as popular as a guy like Nash to the casual fan. And casual fans are the biggest audience.
"Kevin Garnett once described defending Tim Duncan as "trying to guard a tree"
He couldn’t have threatened retirement or gone public, getting his entire fanbase onboard and complicating things for the owners?
And you of all people would’ve hated him if he had, and it would’ve confirmed every bad thought you had about him. Some players, fortunately, aren’t like that. I do believe Billups is one of those players.
I don’t care about the RS record at all. I do care about HCA – a lot. It keeps me awake at night.
The Decision, the Melodrama, and Deron away?
Not All That Jazz?
The 1 that got away?
8 has had enough?
Salt Lake Shitty?
D’ Will to Succeed?
The Latter Day Sinner?
TrageDWill?
Last Will and Testament?
Surprising Uprising?
I’m out of ideas.
"Yes, it's important that I have good numbers, and I'm well-respected as a player. But I think it's more important that I'm respected as a man." - Some Tall Guy Who Wore #50
This was a great post SIMA – I look forward to volume 2. 5 got my vote. I know it’s where you’re playing in June that counts, but seeding is every bit as important, and that top seed would look very nice. I do not want Dallas to catch up, and yes, I also want Dallas and LA to have to go through eachother. That would be a thriller of a series.
Is Pop the grainy old white man you’re referring to?
Personally, I miss Duncan’s minifro.
All these GIFs are breaking my browser.
by quincyscott on Mar 3, 2011 10:02 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Great write up SiMA. Awesome rants. I think the only I kinda disagree about is the Major Market vs. Smaller Market deal.
I don’t think it makes the NBA better to have the Knicks, Celtics, Lakers, Bulls, ect. better. It does help the ratings. So it’s good for the NBA in that regard. That said, it would make it a little bit harder for teams in smaller markets to compete for big time free agents or getting big stars via trades, but is that really a bad thing? Look at teams that have gotten that guy…the only team that has had any proven success with that is Boston. Of course all the other teams are trying to copy what Boston did. Will it work? We shall see. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Miami not win the East, much less a title, until they get rid of Bosh (or at least one of the “big 3”) and bring in several solid role players…or just get them for cheap. They’ll have to improve that roster with more than washed up role players.
The same type of thing happens in baseball, but it’s even more of a gap with no salary cap With that being the case, look at who’s winning World Series. The Yankees have won once in the past 10 years despite having the largest payroll and most of the big time free agents. Boston has only won twice since they became big time spenders. The Cubs, Mets, Angels, White Sox are all big spenders who haven’t seen the great results. Much like in baseball, I see the same issues coming into play for all these big market teams that have 3 max guys.
The thing it will all boil down to is how good is your coach and front office. If your front office can’t get good draft picks, solid young role players and make smart FA pick ups then it won’t matter what stars you get. If your coach can’t coach worth a lick it won’t matter what stars you have. It’s all about having a solid core and building around them smartly. These big market teams have had the advantage for a long time and the only one of them that’s had a lot of success is the Lakers and it was because a brilliant FO move in trading for Gasol that even made their recent success possible.
Smart guys beat dumb guys more often than not.
by Big50 on Mar 3, 2011 10:45 PM CST reply actions 3 recs
Screw green, this should be platinum.
It's in the dictionary under D-E-F-E-N-S-E...I may be wrong, I may be wrong, I may be wrong, I may be may be may be wrong, but I doubt it.
by SpursfanSteve on Mar 3, 2011 11:38 PM CST up reply actions
I think it helps the NBA to have one established eastern team (Celtics or Knicks but could be Bulls or Pistons) and one established western team (Spurs or Lakers but could be Blazers or Jazz) be at the top. It creates a power structure for each conference around franchises that long-time fans know and have feelings towards.
Good piece.
- Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
- I vow to never again mention "playoffs" and "49ers" together until we have a "quarterback."
- You gotta bring ass to get ass.
Interesting post, SiMA. Your next challenge is to top this in Volume 2.
I agree with those who say the HCA is more important than the RS record; all they need is one more win than the next best team.
FWIW, here is my projection for the playoffs (and beyond):
The Spurs win the WCC in 7 against the Mavs with each game decided by 5 or less and two games in OT. By the end of game seven, there is a dire shortage of cardiologists and cardiac beds in SA, so the league forces Mark Cuban to pay to bring in 100 additional cardiac specialists to man the San Antonio ERs. The league does this because league execs, high paid national media types and refs are among the patients in desperate need of care.
The Spurs then win the Championship against the Bulls in 6, but game six is delayed two days because the Bulls get stuck on the tarmac at O’hare due to a freak June Chicago blizzard (hey, the weather’s been insane – it could happen).
GOML, the Sickness and GOAT PUFF each get a throne to sit on their river parade barges. And Pop is named the 2012 Fiesta El REY FEO even though he’ll be busy coaching. The Spurs haven’t won an even year championship yet, so Pop will have time to coach and raise money as ERF.
Okay, it’s been a long day and maybe that was just a weird dream when I dozed off grading photo assignments.
"Do something stupid and you’re going to regret it but, for God’s sake, don’t stand there and do nothing at all." - hirschof
& Billups. I think, he got caught in the Melodrama as a fly in a jam. He actually voiced his displeasure about going to NJ, and may have helped to derail that trade. At the end his story just shows how powerless are most players, except for all-powerful few.
& Mason. He is not a superstar, and he wants to stick around, so he doesn’t bite the hand that feeds him. And you call him an idiot, because he doesn’t say what you want to hear. That’s pretty pathetic, just leave the guy alone.
& Markets. So, a couple of overrated, overpaid egomaniacs went to what is considered to be “big market teams”, and now everybody and his mom is crying about the demise of small markets in the NBA, like something unprecedented is taking place. In truth, big markets always had advantages, just because there is more money there. Still, for whatever reason the Lakers are big market team, and the Clippers are small market team, even though they play in the same building. Boston had much more success than NY, even though NY is much bigger market. Are the Warriors a small market team? Really? What about NJ? Houston? Philly? DC? Is Miami bigger market than Orlando? If Wade and Bosh would come to Cleveland to play with LeBron, would it make Cleveland a huge market? Sure, it will be hard for San Antonio to win as much in this decade as they did in the previous one, but look how much struggles Chicago had after MJ. Was Chicago a small market at that time? All this talk doesn’t make much sense to me. Oh, yeah, athletes are “me-focused” now. Never happened before. Shaq and AI were never “me-focused”. Boozer wasn’t “me-focused” when we went to Utah. I guess, it was all right because Utah was a small market. Give me a break.
& Regular season success. I don’t remember when it really hurt. Yes, the Mavs. Do you know that it was the only time when a 1st seed lost in the 1st round? Having that 72-win season didn’t hurt Chicago. Having HCA clearly didn’t hurt the Lakers in last two seasons. Why should we be like Dallas, and not like better teams of the past?
& Point differential. So, the Lakers won against a hapless Cleveland team by 50+. They must be great. Never mind that they lost to the same team next time they played them. Never mind that they have difficulties against better teams. This 50+ win is much more important than 15 losses by -2 each. Last year Hollinger thought that Utah and San Antonio were two best teams in the west, based mostly on the point differential. The Lakers won too many close games for his liking. Never mind that they kept winning those close games in the playoffs, including the Finals, while his favorite teams got kicked out from the 2nd round with total score of 0-8. Still, “point differential is such an important and often overlooked stat”, evidently much more important than regular season record. Really?
&& In general, you disappointed me, Sima. I’d expect to read something like that in Woj’s column, not from you. I liked your idea of Timmeh commercial though. This part is the best, and the part about “man-cave” is nice, the rest of the rants are … meh.
"If you can't tie your shoes, you can't play," - Pop
This should be fun.
"Resentments are the rocket fuel that lives in the tip of my sabre."- Charlie Sheen
I can’t stop staring…
"If the NBA season is a marathon, Gregg Popovich is a full-blooded Kenyan."
-Timothy Varner 48MoH
by Jordan Leithart on Mar 4, 2011 8:30 AM CST up reply actions
& I see exactly what you mean about aimless purposeless rants, thank you for your example and encouragement. My words will more adequately reflect your opinion next time.
"If I was the kind of guy who posted a signature line, this would be it from now on." -SiMA
by SgtinManusArmy on Mar 4, 2011 4:46 AM CST up reply actions
Do you know that it was the only time when a 1st seed lost in the 1st round?
This is wrong. Seattle lost to Denver in the first round in the mid-90’s. The Knicks beat the Heat in 1999 as the 8th seed.
Look I’m all for discussion and banter, but the tone you took here seems like you’re just trying to rile up SiMA or others. SiMA’s post was just a fun rant about things that he likes to talk about. There’s no point in trying to bash him for his opinion. Disagree if you want to, but try to have a little fun with it.
In the 7 game series era, Dallas is the only one though. You’re absolutely right, fiddy.
"If the NBA season is a marathon, Gregg Popovich is a full-blooded Kenyan."
-Timothy Varner 48MoH
by Jordan Leithart on Mar 4, 2011 10:48 AM CST up reply actions
My comment was just a fun rant about his rant, I was trying to follow the style. So if I offended you.
"If you can't tie your shoes, you can't play," - Pop
You didn’t offend. I obviously missed on sarcasm or playfulness or whatever. So I apologize for being a stick in the mud.
You really should plan a vacation in Detroit. I’ve heard it really helps with understanding sarcasm
"If the NBA season is a marathon, Gregg Popovich is a full-blooded Kenyan."
-Timothy Varner 48MoH
by Jordan Leithart on Mar 4, 2011 11:39 AM CST up reply actions
Considering that we still have our annual two games against Miami, two more against the Lakers, a home date with Boston and roady in Dallas (plus potential first round opponents Memphis, Portland and Phoenix) I think finishing strong is important. It would earn the number 1 overall seed and head into the playoffs with positive momentum and efficient team play. It would also finalize a mental edge against future playoff opponents right up through whom we’d play in the Finals.
- Thank you SF Giants for an incredible 2010 season and painting the City orange & black!
- I vow to never again mention "playoffs" and "49ers" together until we have a "quarterback."
- You gotta bring ass to get ass.
Lebron & ledecision
Interesting, and quite correct, take by Bill Simmons in his opinion piece on whether or not Lebron’s move south is “ruining the game” or whatever. While I agree with him, I still understand why people get upset about it. Two reasons really. One, sports is the only area of life where people can invest emotion, even money, without any real harm. When a team leaves a city we see this reaction, and when a player does it, well, it just feels like your investment has been violated, or dissed, or compromised, etc. The other reason, schoolyard sports. Nearly everyone at some point has played games at recess where you pick teams. Y’all know how the process is supposed to go: the two best players are captains of the two teams, they each take turns picking, and you end up with basically even teams. Everyone really really dislikes it when someone tries to stack one team. And that feeling rises up when people see stuff like what Lebron & co. did. What they did is not illegal, not against the rules, just against people’s basic sense of fairness and loyalty. For better or for worse, people admire those more who stick with one team and one town for their whole career.
by simonjude28 on Mar 4, 2011 8:57 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
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