That y’all find your game in 2009. (Actually, that might be a wish for myself.)
As for last night...well, there was no blood. But the Erz did look like the Washington Generals out there. Ugh.
Three other quick hoops notes before I sign off for the holiday break:
1. How psyched are you for this Christmas Day “rematch” game? On a scale from 1 – 10, I’m at about an 8.5.
2. Why isn’t anyone talking about the Spurs this year? Everyone is finally healthy, they’re playing very well, Pop is Pop, etc. From what you read, you’d think the C’s, Lakers, and Cavs are the only legit teams in the L.
3. A personal plea: Can the members of the sports media please stop referring to the Lakers as “the Lake Show”? It doesn’t even make sense. There is no lake. This isn’t the “Showtime” Lakers, so I object to that allusion. Stop trying to force something just ‘cause you think it sounds cool. It’s a name rendered from nothing — just metered verse with no cartilage. As nicknames go, it’s a flaccid dong (read: it’s just not working...and embarrassing).*
With that, I wish you a happy and healthy holiday week, UDawg. I’m not a religious guy, but any inklings of peace on earth and good will toward men is cool by me. Plus, it’s fun to watch the wide-eyed kids opening their gifts.
Peace,
G.
* Add this to the flaccid dong list: the Flyers being referred to as “the Fly Boys.” Just awful.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
The Boston Ass Whippers
Not looking forward to tonight’s game. At all.
Once when I was a kid, I was out with my parents and did something “bad,” so my dad told me in the car that I was going to get the belt when we got home. Now, the actual belting wasn’t so bad (as beltings go), but the anticipation of the belting near made me sick. Just sitting there in that quiet car...no radio, no conversation, no nothing...just the hum of rubber rolling steadily on the asphalt...my stomach aching...just waiting, waiting, waiting to get my ass whipped.
That’s kinda how I feel right now, waiting for this game tonight. Just how bad could it be? Might broken bones come piercing through flesh? Might bashed-out teeth fly falling to the pine? Might Sammy cry? Might Dre quit in the 3rd quarter and walk off, never to play another game in a Sixers uni? Might BK inexplicably get rehired on the spot by Snider? It feels like even my darkest nightmares are distinct possibilities tonight.
Ugh. Let’s just get this shit over with. Please, please.
On a related note, what was going on in that press conference after the C’s beat the piss out of the Knicks the other night? Check it out (below): KG and PeePee responding to the press off a script. Who’s writing this stuff for them? Did the C’s front office hire a PR firm to handle players’ press conferences specifically? Notice how they both repeat the new tagline of “pursuing the perfect game.” The organization is now molding the personalities of 10+ year veteran ballers to match the “brand” of the team? What the hell is going on here? I hope this doesn’t indicate some sick new trend that’s about to descend on the L.
P.S. Addendum on my last EB/Iggy post: U, my point, though not terribly clear, is that I agree with you fully that need a real 2-guard and that Iggy can never fill that role. Moreover, Iggy will likely never quite be the fully realized throat-cutter SF we envisioned...and all the while, Young Thaddeus is waiting in the wings! I like Thaddeus’s potential more than Iggy’s jumper (or anything else he does for that matter).
As for EB, yes the window of opportunity is narrow, and in retrospect maybe this signing wasn’t the wisest move. But now you gotta work with what you got. No, the Sixers haven’t managed to succeed with him yet. But by contrast, look how much worse the Clips are without him. Good golly. You can build around EB — you just need to do it quickly.
Once when I was a kid, I was out with my parents and did something “bad,” so my dad told me in the car that I was going to get the belt when we got home. Now, the actual belting wasn’t so bad (as beltings go), but the anticipation of the belting near made me sick. Just sitting there in that quiet car...no radio, no conversation, no nothing...just the hum of rubber rolling steadily on the asphalt...my stomach aching...just waiting, waiting, waiting to get my ass whipped.
That’s kinda how I feel right now, waiting for this game tonight. Just how bad could it be? Might broken bones come piercing through flesh? Might bashed-out teeth fly falling to the pine? Might Sammy cry? Might Dre quit in the 3rd quarter and walk off, never to play another game in a Sixers uni? Might BK inexplicably get rehired on the spot by Snider? It feels like even my darkest nightmares are distinct possibilities tonight.
Ugh. Let’s just get this shit over with. Please, please.
On a related note, what was going on in that press conference after the C’s beat the piss out of the Knicks the other night? Check it out (below): KG and PeePee responding to the press off a script. Who’s writing this stuff for them? Did the C’s front office hire a PR firm to handle players’ press conferences specifically? Notice how they both repeat the new tagline of “pursuing the perfect game.” The organization is now molding the personalities of 10+ year veteran ballers to match the “brand” of the team? What the hell is going on here? I hope this doesn’t indicate some sick new trend that’s about to descend on the L.
P.S. Addendum on my last EB/Iggy post: U, my point, though not terribly clear, is that I agree with you fully that need a real 2-guard and that Iggy can never fill that role. Moreover, Iggy will likely never quite be the fully realized throat-cutter SF we envisioned...and all the while, Young Thaddeus is waiting in the wings! I like Thaddeus’s potential more than Iggy’s jumper (or anything else he does for that matter).
As for EB, yes the window of opportunity is narrow, and in retrospect maybe this signing wasn’t the wisest move. But now you gotta work with what you got. No, the Sixers haven’t managed to succeed with him yet. But by contrast, look how much worse the Clips are without him. Good golly. You can build around EB — you just need to do it quickly.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Dominant Forces
I think I'm 148 degrees into a 180 on my feelings about the Elton Brand signing. And it's not the slow start. This summer I felt pretty good about the aggressive move Stefanski made to get EB. I thought that we needed to establish a real low post offense if we wanted to cross the threshold of possible contention. It was a more mature look for our young, scrappy, atheltic squad.
While I have not eschewed all this sound thinking in one fell swoop, I have got a new (old) theory on what it really takes to contend. Basically, you gotta have a Dominant Force on your team. If you don't, you can't consistently get the big baskets and big stops in the biggest games. So, what is a Dominant Force? Simply put, it's a player who can have his way no matter what when he really needs or wants to. Now, let's distinguish what we're talking about here. Jamal Crawford is a guy who can light it up, take over for stretches of a game, even dominant an entire game, but he is not a Dominant Force. Dominant Force guys can do what Crawford did the other night on the biggest stages. By definition, Dominant Force guys are not one-way players. If you're a liability 50% of your time on the court, you can't be a Dominant Force. This doesn't mean you have to All-World on both sides of the ball, but you have to be superlative on one and at least competent on the other.
So who are the Dominant Force guys in the league right now?
Kobe, Flash, Lebron, CP3, PeePee, Fundamentals, and possibly a couple others. As you can see, it's not a long list. There's one guy on the cusp in my opinion, and that's Dwight Howard. He could be a decent impression of Shaq as soon as this playoffs. A guy who used to be, and still might be, is T-Mac. Now mind you, all these guys haven't done it all deep in the playoffs. It's not only guys who have proven it. Dominant Forces are guys you know, given the opportunity, could impose their will on games in the latest parts of the season. AI was a Dominant Force.
So why am I talking about all this? Until a team has one of these guys, they are not a true contender. You may be eager to say something about the Pistons in 05. Chauncey was a Dominant Force in the clutch at that time, and that's all they needed because their defense was so ridiculously tight.
What I'm afraid of, is that I'm going to like the Sixers better without EB over the next month or so. I think I already do (and it's not just the win streak). If EB is not a game changer for our team, why not let Marresse Speights start at that 4 for 1/30th of what EB makes? I like his promise, more thanI like Elton's jumper. Why not trade EB for expiring contracts, picks and/or cheaper talent, and wait until we can go after a Dominant Force? I know it's early to call for EB to be traded. I know Stefanski will never admit a mistake this early. I just feel like a supervisor who's made a bad hire. When that new person ain't right, you usually know almost immediately, but you wait because it seems wrong to pass judgement that quickly. But you know, and you feel like you have to "give them a chance" even though it's an exercise by which they will hang themselves with the rope they've been given. You know what I'm talking about. EB is feeling a little C-Webbish to me. Not the crybaby ways, but the disappointing free agency big man who's past his prime. Honestly, this has less to do with Elton than it does with the Sixers. It's not him, it's us. We're not there, and overpaying him won't help us get any closer. Even though Iggy's overpaid, he's the one you keep out of those two. With EB, we're a disappointment for the next couple of seasons. Without him, we're a young, promising team waiting for the right thing to happen. We're us last year. Watching a team like that feels more fun than watching one doomed to let us down.
And just to be clear, I don't think this is about the summer of 2010. I think there are a couple of players already in the league who could become Dominant Forces, but are not there yet. Danny Granger and Brandon Roy come to mind. Given the right environment OJ Mayo could have the potential. It think it's about looking for one of those guys at the end of their rookie contract, or doing whatever needs to be done to get high enough in the draft if we feel we've identified one. I admit this strategy doesn't not feel nearly as concrete or satisfying as stealing EB from the Clips did. It's one where we we know we'll be good, but waiting for that missing piece. And, of course, you can't wait too long or folks lose steam. I just feel like getting a mulligan with Wally Szebriak's contract wouldn't be a bad way to go. I think an undue pressure would be released.
While I have not eschewed all this sound thinking in one fell swoop, I have got a new (old) theory on what it really takes to contend. Basically, you gotta have a Dominant Force on your team. If you don't, you can't consistently get the big baskets and big stops in the biggest games. So, what is a Dominant Force? Simply put, it's a player who can have his way no matter what when he really needs or wants to. Now, let's distinguish what we're talking about here. Jamal Crawford is a guy who can light it up, take over for stretches of a game, even dominant an entire game, but he is not a Dominant Force. Dominant Force guys can do what Crawford did the other night on the biggest stages. By definition, Dominant Force guys are not one-way players. If you're a liability 50% of your time on the court, you can't be a Dominant Force. This doesn't mean you have to All-World on both sides of the ball, but you have to be superlative on one and at least competent on the other.
So who are the Dominant Force guys in the league right now?
Kobe, Flash, Lebron, CP3, PeePee, Fundamentals, and possibly a couple others. As you can see, it's not a long list. There's one guy on the cusp in my opinion, and that's Dwight Howard. He could be a decent impression of Shaq as soon as this playoffs. A guy who used to be, and still might be, is T-Mac. Now mind you, all these guys haven't done it all deep in the playoffs. It's not only guys who have proven it. Dominant Forces are guys you know, given the opportunity, could impose their will on games in the latest parts of the season. AI was a Dominant Force.
So why am I talking about all this? Until a team has one of these guys, they are not a true contender. You may be eager to say something about the Pistons in 05. Chauncey was a Dominant Force in the clutch at that time, and that's all they needed because their defense was so ridiculously tight.
What I'm afraid of, is that I'm going to like the Sixers better without EB over the next month or so. I think I already do (and it's not just the win streak). If EB is not a game changer for our team, why not let Marresse Speights start at that 4 for 1/30th of what EB makes? I like his promise, more thanI like Elton's jumper. Why not trade EB for expiring contracts, picks and/or cheaper talent, and wait until we can go after a Dominant Force? I know it's early to call for EB to be traded. I know Stefanski will never admit a mistake this early. I just feel like a supervisor who's made a bad hire. When that new person ain't right, you usually know almost immediately, but you wait because it seems wrong to pass judgement that quickly. But you know, and you feel like you have to "give them a chance" even though it's an exercise by which they will hang themselves with the rope they've been given. You know what I'm talking about. EB is feeling a little C-Webbish to me. Not the crybaby ways, but the disappointing free agency big man who's past his prime. Honestly, this has less to do with Elton than it does with the Sixers. It's not him, it's us. We're not there, and overpaying him won't help us get any closer. Even though Iggy's overpaid, he's the one you keep out of those two. With EB, we're a disappointment for the next couple of seasons. Without him, we're a young, promising team waiting for the right thing to happen. We're us last year. Watching a team like that feels more fun than watching one doomed to let us down.
And just to be clear, I don't think this is about the summer of 2010. I think there are a couple of players already in the league who could become Dominant Forces, but are not there yet. Danny Granger and Brandon Roy come to mind. Given the right environment OJ Mayo could have the potential. It think it's about looking for one of those guys at the end of their rookie contract, or doing whatever needs to be done to get high enough in the draft if we feel we've identified one. I admit this strategy doesn't not feel nearly as concrete or satisfying as stealing EB from the Clips did. It's one where we we know we'll be good, but waiting for that missing piece. And, of course, you can't wait too long or folks lose steam. I just feel like getting a mulligan with Wally Szebriak's contract wouldn't be a bad way to go. I think an undue pressure would be released.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Oh, great...
I actually think this will help the team gel. Facing a bit adversity could make them play better. Speights will get some time to show what he can do. They can also slide Thad to the 4 and run when they need to get some baskets. Problem is, that's not the long-term plan.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Mo out. Eddie Jordan in?
Well, it happened. And now Stephen A. is prophecizing that Eddie Jordan will eventually be named the new Sixers head coach.
I don't know, man. EJ certainly overachieved in D.C. last year with Gil out. But this season has been a mess. Historically, while he's achieved some great things as an ASSISTANT coach, he's done very little at the helm.
Look at his head-coaching record:
-- 518 games
-- .444 win %
-- 4 playoff appearances
-- 3 first-round exits
Not exactly Red Auerbach numbers.
I do believe that EJ can help get this offense clicking. But will he stress an overall improvement in jump shooting? Will he stress D? Will he stress ball protection? These are all things that are killing the Sixers right now, and Fast Eddie doesn't really seem like the man who'll provide the needed remedies. Jot me down as "concerned."
As a final note, I thought this kid's analysis was particularly insightful:
I don't know, man. EJ certainly overachieved in D.C. last year with Gil out. But this season has been a mess. Historically, while he's achieved some great things as an ASSISTANT coach, he's done very little at the helm.
Look at his head-coaching record:
-- 518 games
-- .444 win %
-- 4 playoff appearances
-- 3 first-round exits
Not exactly Red Auerbach numbers.
I do believe that EJ can help get this offense clicking. But will he stress an overall improvement in jump shooting? Will he stress D? Will he stress ball protection? These are all things that are killing the Sixers right now, and Fast Eddie doesn't really seem like the man who'll provide the needed remedies. Jot me down as "concerned."
As a final note, I thought this kid's analysis was particularly insightful:
Friday, December 12, 2008
Remembering the "Van Gundy" Game
All right, I'm gonna use all this JVG talk to make a tenuous jump to this video, just so we can enjoy watching Jordan going nuts in his late-prime. A couple of things to add here:
1. Notice that, despite Jordan having a blissful game, the Bulls rarely get more than 4, 5, or 6 points ahead of JVG's Knicks. Huh. MJ went for 51 one this night...and the Bulls only won by one.
2. Hey, it's young(er) Doc Rivers! He's almost as bad a play-by-play guy as he is a coach. (Great ironic moment here, too: Verne Lundquist mentions that, earlier that day, JVG was watching a bunch of people reading Phil Jackson's book, Sacred Hoops, and he commented: "I can summarize that book in one quick swoop: 23." And Doc chuckles and says, "Yeah, there is some truth to that!" That is funny. And so is this: I can summarize your success, Doc, with three quick swoops: 34, 5, and 20.)
1. Notice that, despite Jordan having a blissful game, the Bulls rarely get more than 4, 5, or 6 points ahead of JVG's Knicks. Huh. MJ went for 51 one this night...and the Bulls only won by one.
2. Hey, it's young(er) Doc Rivers! He's almost as bad a play-by-play guy as he is a coach. (Great ironic moment here, too: Verne Lundquist mentions that, earlier that day, JVG was watching a bunch of people reading Phil Jackson's book, Sacred Hoops, and he commented: "I can summarize that book in one quick swoop: 23." And Doc chuckles and says, "Yeah, there is some truth to that!" That is funny. And so is this: I can summarize your success, Doc, with three quick swoops: 34, 5, and 20.)
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
No Mo'
So, I said a while back in one of our back-and-forths that Mo may be the problem with this team. Namely, his lack of passion and ability to get guys fired up. He doesn't have the temperment needed to get guys attention and get in their ass when he doesn't have it. Pressure is beginning to mount on the front office. First it's the "Who's in the Hot Seat?" articles. Next thing, you're getting called to the GM's office for a sit-down.
If we don't go on a winning streak int he next 2-3 weeks, I don't believe that Eddie will hesitate to pull the plug. At this point, I don't think I could be mad at the move. Mo has a new piece to add in Elton. Guys gotta gel. But, the team seems to be unable to establish any sense of progress, consistent or otherwise. They're staggalatin' at this point. From jump I said they're gonna need 25 games just to learn how to play together. We're about there, and things still ain't right and don't look like they're getting any righter. Another personnel move or two could help, but I think this coaching issue is still at the heart of our problems. Mo's got a lot of talent to work with. My gut is that other coaches in the league could come in here, take this roster and build a sense of momentum. Sometime soon it could be time to make the switch. We upgraded the roster. Now, we gotta get a general who can take us to the next level. We're not getting enough out of Iggy, Lou or most of our roster. Willie Green is about the only guy outplaying his expectations right now. Our defense still ain't ready (Sammy for Sheed or Camby could really help here), and our offense is stale. Mo's not hitting the mark on any of his benchmarks.
The problem I see is that there are no great coaching options right now. No guy is just sitting out there waiting for the right situation (a la Rick Carlisle last year). Firing Mo, just to let an assistant take over doesn't make sense (especially with Mo's freshly inked contract). Letting Mo stink it up for the rest of the year, and watching the team regress really doesn't make sense. Do we go get a Eddie Jordan and give him a shot? What to do? Let's help Stefanski think this one through.
If we don't go on a winning streak int he next 2-3 weeks, I don't believe that Eddie will hesitate to pull the plug. At this point, I don't think I could be mad at the move. Mo has a new piece to add in Elton. Guys gotta gel. But, the team seems to be unable to establish any sense of progress, consistent or otherwise. They're staggalatin' at this point. From jump I said they're gonna need 25 games just to learn how to play together. We're about there, and things still ain't right and don't look like they're getting any righter. Another personnel move or two could help, but I think this coaching issue is still at the heart of our problems. Mo's got a lot of talent to work with. My gut is that other coaches in the league could come in here, take this roster and build a sense of momentum. Sometime soon it could be time to make the switch. We upgraded the roster. Now, we gotta get a general who can take us to the next level. We're not getting enough out of Iggy, Lou or most of our roster. Willie Green is about the only guy outplaying his expectations right now. Our defense still ain't ready (Sammy for Sheed or Camby could really help here), and our offense is stale. Mo's not hitting the mark on any of his benchmarks.
The problem I see is that there are no great coaching options right now. No guy is just sitting out there waiting for the right situation (a la Rick Carlisle last year). Firing Mo, just to let an assistant take over doesn't make sense (especially with Mo's freshly inked contract). Letting Mo stink it up for the rest of the year, and watching the team regress really doesn't make sense. Do we go get a Eddie Jordan and give him a shot? What to do? Let's help Stefanski think this one through.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
Free Steph?
Where do you fall in the Starbury saga?
Has he been given a fair shake? It doesn't seem like it to me. If not, does he deserve one?
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