Now that I’ve got my feet wet using Flash, I decided to study hard for about the last year and have learned how to do HTML and CSS. I can also tinker with PHP & Javascript now.
As a result, I decided it was time to make the Shaka Dula website a bit more … interactive. So look for the new updated website coming soon!
My y0ungest son is hardcore obsessed with basketball and, in particular, Like Mike.
His favourite part? The “Basketball” Video by JD and Lil Bow Wow.
I have to say that he has good taste. 
I’ve heard that song about a dozen times in the last few hours, but it’s okay cuz I like it. lol.
In a few years, I’m gonna introduce him to Jurassic 5′s basketball song.
Even the Old Spice Guy (Isiah Mustafa) is getting in on the LeBron kicking!
Another spoof video that proves you don’t have to resort to pee and fart jokes to be funny.
This is one of the funniest spoofs on the Internet regarding LeBron’s “Decision” Infomercial. And I’ve seen a lot of them. Let me save you the clicking. Most of them revolve around LeBron “coming out of the closet” or some such jackassery. Pretty Lame. This one, however, is a classic!
LMAO!
Warren P. Chili!!!
So the dust has finally settled and, as we start to gear up for the preseason a few things have become clear:
1. No matter WHAT LeBron does, he’ll be criticized by everyone but knowledgeable basketball fans. The latest Twitter feed, #bronsmentalnotes, is the perfect example of the venom being thrown LeBron’s way. He’s become the lightning rod for any negative reaction towards virtually any player right now. Bosh fans, Bron fans, Amar’e fans … everyone and their dog is tossing barbs at Bron.
2. LeBron is angry about it. The joke right now is that he tweeted that he’s taking notes on everyone who is talking trash about him. Laugh now, cry later. This goes towards any Laker and Cavs fan in particular but also, in general, to all naysayers who are calling LeBron a loser and what not. If things come true for LeBron, then we’re in for a real treat this year as his stat line of 27,7 & 7 could MAYBE increase to a full on triple double? I have a feeling that LeBron is gonna terrorize the League this season and any fantasy managers worth their weight in salt will make Bron #1 overall. You heard it here first.
3. Miami has become Public Enemy #1. Even myself, a true LeBron fan, has a hard time seeing anyone wearing a Heat jersey right now. For me, it’s the bandwagon aspect of it, which is really funny because I’m left with no choice (as a LeBron and Bosh fan) to cheer for the Heat this winter. But for other teams (the have nots), seeing a team with 3 superstars in their prime destroy them while their teams languish with sub-500 records will be painful to watch. And teams that are creeping up there (Celtics and Mavs, I’m looking at you), well their fan bases will also be upset when they compare what Miami has with what they have at home.
Really, there’s no way around it. The Heat are the villains this year. For better or for worse. Regardless of letters, ads, TV opportunities and appearances that they make at functions …. they’re in a position where they just can’t win.
I don’t know. I find it hard to go from hating these guys whom I have admired for the last 6 years and simply turn on them on a dime. I have a hard time cheering against them. I’d rather hate Kobe.
And he needs to get his mouth washed out with soap …. and yet, I can’t help but love him for it. lol.
This last 7 days has been abvsolutely bananas as far as NBA Basketball Trades!
NOT ONLY did we see Chris Bosh and LeBron James leave the Raptors and the Cavaliers respectively to join the Heat and Wade in Miami, but we’re also seeing MORE transactions complete with grudge matches, and more!
Witness this ….
LeBron James lures Zydrunas Ilgauskas away from Cleveland
This is a HUGE shock to me. Ilgauskas has been a Cavalier since WAY before LeBron and was considered by many to be “Mr. Cavalier” and that he was gonna retire there as well!
But in the end, LeBron was able to pull him into Miami to compete for a chip on his new team! I wonder what Dan Gilbert has to say about this …
Rumours swirled for a few days that Shaq was, somehow, gonna end up in Miami for a second time. But this article does a great job of explaining why it will never happen. A shame. Bron, Wade, Bosh, Ill Gaga and Diesel? Might as well have handed them the chip!
On the flip side, Mike Miller and Juwan Howard are both aggressively trying to come to terms with contract negotiations that would put them in prime real estate for a Finals berth. Both these acquisitions are AWESOME for a Heat team trying to find affordable pieces to complete a potential championship team!
But don’t get it twisted. Wade still insists that the Lakers are the team to beat and NOT the Heat. I actually agree with him 100% on this. The Lakers are the 2-time NBA champions. Back to back. Until they are dethroned, everyone else is just playing for runner up ….. God I hate saying that. It’s like vomit emanating from my mouth …
Speaking of the Lakers, rumours swirled for DAYS that The LA Lakers were gonna sign Raja Bell but today Bell decided to flip off KB24 and signed with the Jazz! This headline makes me SO happy because it shows that not everyone can be swayed by money and power. Good for Bell for standing up to Kobe and sticking to his convictions. Let’s not forget their rivalry and how Kobe has repeatedly treated Bell with disrespect on and off the court. Bell, for his part, has fired back. But this year, things cooled and it appeared that the hatchet had been buried. But Bell signing with the Jazz and not the Lakers says a LOT more than what people are leading you to believe. It means that Bell might still hold a grudge. It means that Kobe is gonna try to “take it out” on the Jazz all year long and try to abuse Bell for big numbers. It means that we’ll see a great Jazz/Lakers rivalry renewed partially. The Jazz, however, get a lot stronger with Bell. He’s a good shooter and will provide Deron Williams with another solid perimeter presence to take away pressure off him during the season.
Shannon Brown, meanwhile is flirting with leaving the lush pastures of LA for somewhere where he can shine a bit more. It didn’t work for Ariza and it probably won’t work for Brown either. But anything that can disrupt the Lakers and make them vulnerable to a non-title season (where I can watch Kobe cry cuz he didn’t win) is great. So I say do it, Brown! Though sources close to that situation are now saying that he’s leaning towards signing with the Lakers again. The Lakers continued their off season work by signing Steve Blake to their team. Personally, I think Steve Blake is a bum. One dimensional. That one dimension happens to be that of sharpshooting ace (the man shoots the 3 with a ridiculous amount of accuracy) but he’s so lame defensively that I doubt he will be anything more of a victory cigar by December.
Someone who was tired of being a victory cigar was Jordan Farmar, who signed with New Jersey this month for a 3 year $12 Million Dollar deal.
One player who is reupping is Derek Fisher. He had been courted heavily by LeBron and Co. in Miami. But he decided to be loyal and re-sign with the Lake Show. I can understand that and respect his decision. But I still hate him for being a Laker – and let me say this: Once Kobe dies and decomposes on this earth, I will be a Lakers fan. Believe that. I will be the only mummy on the face of the earth wearing a Lakers hat once Kobe rots.
Speaking of the Jazz, on top of signing Raja Bell, official word is that they have acquired Al Jefferson via trade with Minnesota. This is an interesting decision and one meant to plug the hole left behind by Boozer. I think it’s a shrewd move because he’s an exclusive player to the low post with a good skill set, offensively. He’ll allow Paul Milsap to play bigger minutes and expand on his skill set and experience. And with Mehmet Okur (Mr. Glass) being a more perimeter oriented player, I think it adds a great deal of versatility to the Jazz! Not Championship contenders but maybe a playoff team …
The Celtics are seeing a slight modification in their roster after losing Tony Allen to the Grizzlies via Free Agency. I think Tony Allen is a very under-appreciated player. Skilled defender, good locker room guy – glue guy – albeit with an abysmal perimeter shot and prone to bouts of mindless play. He’s normal. And I can relate to and appreciate that in him. I wish him luck. I don’t know what kind of role he’ll play in Memphis …. though thinking about it, I think it’ll be a good fit, a Shane Battier kind of fit. He’ll plug the holes left behind by the young guns and will be allowed to just roam on D. It will be good for him, I think, to get out of Boston and see some new things. For his part, Danny Ainge is confused about Tony Allen. On the plus side (sort of) they signed Nate Robinson and Jermaine O’Neal to contracts in Beantown. The Nate Robinson deal was good, I think. He’s an X Factor who, when channeled, can be very explosive. Jermaine O’Neal ….. he’s a conundrum. He did nothing for the Raptors and was sub par for the Heat ….. I think that man needs to retire. I think he’s living proof that some people make it in the NBA only because they’re tall (Jermaine O’Neal, Greg Ostertag, Bryant “Big Country Reeves, Todd Macullogh, etc etc etc). Anyway, the Celtics also re-sign Ray Allen (to a 2 year, $20 Million Dollar deal) which is a GREAT move, I think. Especially since Ray Allen has already declared war on the Heat, after being courted by them for a minute. Should make for some FUN games this year. Heat-Cavs, Heat-Lakers, Heat-Celtics. Must see TV!
The Grizzlies also did their homework and re-signed Rudy Gay this week as well! The deal was worth a reported $80 Million over 5 years …. seems a bit steep to me. But I think he might be good for it.
Another contender shaking up their roster (albeit, not by choice) is the Cavs. They tried to sign Kyle Lowry this week away from the Rockets but that deal was quashed as the Rockets matched the offer in order to keep Lowry in Houston for another few season. I think the Cavs are a sad team right now. With Ilgauskas gone, they only have Mo Williams (now a bum) and Antawn Jamison as legitimate offensive threats because everyone else was able to score because of the attention LeBron demanded. Without LeBron … that team looks sad, man. So sad for Cleveland fans …
The Raptors are also busy remolding their roster since Bosh’s departure. This week they traded away Hedo Turkoglu to Phoenix for Leandro Barbosa and Dwayne Jones. I say good riddance to that lazy so-and-so. It’s sad that I have to scratch him off my fave players list – he was there for his entire career – but that’s what he gets for quitting during Toronto’s most important season ever. And while there was good reason to believe that Calderon was going to be traded away to the Bobcats for Boris Diaw and Tyson Chandler, the deal was nixed at the last minute by Michael Jordan. I don’t know that this would have been a step forward by Toronto. Calderon is still a decent player, if a bit prima donna-ey right now, and Chandler has proven he is inconsistent and not skilled. Diaw would have been awesome with Barbosa again ….. but that’s a pipe dream now. In the process, the Suns acquire Hedo Turkoglu and Josh Childress, who will make his return from Greece after leaving the Hawks last season.
The Raptors frustrate me. They re-signed and (in my opinion) GREATLY overpaid for Amir Johnson (5 years, $34 Million) and their attempts to move Jose Calderon (or Jarrett Jack) speak, to me, of a team that is headed in the wrong direction. Maybe Bryan Colangelo has no idea what he’s doing and he simply shoots darts at players faces while blindfolded ….
I know what you’re thinking … Rico, since the Raptors were unsuccessful in getting Tyson Chandler, what happened? Well, I can tell you that Tyson Chandler and Alexis Ajinca were traded away to Dallas! A 5 player deal sent Eduardo Najera, Erick Dampier and Matt Carroll as well as cash considerations to Charlotte in exchange for the two players mentioned above. With Erick Dampier being shipped out, Mark Cuban rewarded Brendan Haywood with a 5 year $45 Million Dollar deal (cheap by Cuban standards) for his excellent play during the post season. I think this was a shrewd move by Cuban. Dampier is on the tail end of his lackluster career and Haywood is just hitting his prime. He’s sure to be a starter now …
For their part, Charlotte agreed to terms for a new contract with Tyrus Thomas (for an undeserving 5 year $40 Million). I don’t know that Thomas has ever done anything to actually warrant this kind of payday. He’s okay, sure. And he blocks shots. But $40 Mil?!?!?!? That means I’m worth at least $3 or $4 Million per season … hear that guys?!?!?!
The Nets signed Travis Outlaw, Anthony Morrow and Johan Petro. This is an interesting move because Morrow is a great shooter (46% from 3) and Petro is a tough defender. Seems like Prokhorov is starting to put some solid pieces in play.
Oh, and I forgot to add this in but Morris Peterson was moved to Oklahoma City on Draft Day. And Kyle Korver left Utah and went to Chicago for a 3 year stint worth $15 Million. I don’t know that Korver will get any more minutes, touches or shots than he did in Utah (he is playing with Uber Ball Hog Derrick Rose, after all – oh did I forget to tell you that? I think he’s a bit of a hog now. I’ll write more on that later.)
Captain Kirk Hinrich was also shipped away to Washington … for draft picks. This deal originally happened a bit before Draft Day, but it still has to suck. Erick Dampier gets massive contracts and gets moved in multi player deals and Kirk Hinrich gets moved for guys who don’t exist in the NBA yet … so sad …
And speaking of SAD, The LA Clippers continue their journey through suck-ville by signing Randy Foye and Ryan Gomes from Minnesota. They also signed Brian “Cookie”Cook. Average players who bring nothing special to the table. No noteworthy talents, just guys that can score and get some rebounds. What the hell is Donald Sterling doing?!?!? George Steinbrenner dies and yet Donald Sterling is allowed another year of life?!?!? At least Steinbrenner was a guy who could make a winner! Sterling is just a bottom feeder.
Golden State also continued their descent into limbo by trading away forward Anthony Randolph, forward Kelenna Azubuike, forward Ronny Turiaf and a 2012 second-round draft pick to New York for David Lee. It’s just as well, I suppose. Lee was never loved in New York and Randolph was never loved in G-State. I think the change in scenery might do these guys some good as well.
My Spurs have been relatively quiet this offseason. Their only moves being the signing of Tiago Splitter and a renewal of contracts for Matt Bonner (for roughly 4 years and $12 Million). I love Matt Bonner so I am glad he’s back on my favorite squad. Tiago Splitter is an X Factor at the center position, but I think his presence might be something like what Fabricio Oberto brought to the table a few years ago, albeit with more natural talent. He’s kind of a pretty boy, but he could turn out to be like Manu Ginobili and Luis Scola …. so I might like him.
And ALL of this activity has taken place in …. 14 days.
What a sideshow.
I watched the entire “Decision 2010″ video on ESPN and could not ignore the fact that when he started to note his decision, a smirk came across his face.
LeBron James, today, chose to go to South Beach to play with Dywane Wade and Chris Bosh. Eastern Conference and NBA Landscape changes aside, the impact that James’ decision had on the populace of Cleveland was deep. To understand why, you have to understand the stink of Loser that permeates Cleveland Sports like a fat guy after eating a garlic, anchovy pizza ….
Long considered the armpit of professional sports cities, Cleveland had experienced a resurgence since James’ arrival. He made the ugly girl at graduation feel pretty despite having more folds than a Texas Hold Em Tournament. And people feel hurt and reaction to James’ decision was almost immediate.
People all over the US, but especially in Ohio, started burning all manner of LeBron James paraphernalia from “Please Stay LBJ” to “Witness” shirts right down to LBJ shoes!
(Rico’s note: Did anyone notice that Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff’s “Summertime” was playing in the background?)
“He’s dead to me”
“This is worse than 9/11″
“This is the worst thing to happen to Cleveland since Modell took the Browns”
People be PISSED!
“THE HEEEEAT!!!”
“THE HEEEEAT!!!”
“Know how much I paid for this jersey? 80 Dollars. $80 Dollars”
I wasn’t gonna do it but okay, I’m gonna go off on this immature jackass ….
First of all, LeBron James Jerseys can be as much as $2000 for an autographed biddy. $80 means he bought a replica Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Jersey. That’s cheap – And I should know, I own one of those jerseys! hahahaha!
If $80 seems like alot of money, then don’t BURN YOUR MONEY AWAY, DUMMY! Sell your jersey – for peanuts even! – but don’t just burn your hard earned (dad’s hard earned?) cash away! Stupid. That boy needs to go back to school and learn Economics!
Second of all, if he’s so quick to turn on LeBron James, then he’s not “the Biggest LeBron James Fan of all time“. He’s a Cleveland Cavaliers fan who loves and idolizes LeBron James.
Third, he said he couldn’t wear the jersey no more, but he was OBVIOUSLY wearing it before he took it off to burn it.
Fourth, in his angry rage, he failed to punch a hole on the angled wall of his bedroom and only broke the one wall (and maybe his knuckles). Failure to rip hole in one’s own walls (no matter WHAT they are made of) means that the rage you are feeling is not as earth shattering as you thought. Time to hit the weights!
Fifth, even though he was in an angry rage, he never smashed his TV. If he didn’t smash his TV, he didn’t feel as angry as he says. Cuz it was obvious that the TV was the harbringer of armageddon over this guy’s perfectly balanced world.
Sixth, I find it funny that someone was videotaping his reaction. “WHAAAAT?!?!? Hold on ….. hold on …. I’m a call you back!”
Priceless.
DWade & Chris Bosh to play together in Miami
First of all, the NBA.com headline that follows reads
Brace yourself, Chris – you’re the new Vince Carter
And all I can say to this is “What a load of crap!” The situations between Vince and CB4 could not be further apart. Vince QUIT on the Raptors and whined and complained and acted, overall, like a primma donna! Chris Bosh was a warrior and played his best basketball until the day he went down with an injury!
Chris Bosh SHOULD NOT be hated at ALL by ANY true Raptors fan! Any Raptors fan that boos him needs to get shot into the Sun. I respect Bosh a great deal and understand his decision to leave. And unlike Vince, I know he’s gonna be GREAT in Miami! Any Raptors fan needs to cheer and congratulate him on bleeding Raptors Red even in the most trying of situations.
My only issue was with the way he handled the media and kind of said out right that he was not coming back. But you know what? First of all, it’s a business, first and foremost. Secondly, he played the media like he was supposed to, was a good sport, never disrespected his old organization and never acted a fool like Vince did.
One love to CB4 and best wishes to him! I’ll be cheering for him from here!
Knicks sign Amare to max deal, 5 years 100$ Million
It’s no surprise to me that Amar’e and D’Antoni reunite in New York. D’Antoni made Stoudemire into a star and he played his best basketball under his old coach. The prospect of playing with LeBron, Wade or Bosh made him pull the trigger sooner than later. And with the announcement that Wade and Bosh are playing in Miami, it seems now like he’s gonna be stuck on a worse team but putting up big numbers. The problem is that, unless NY can bring in a talented guard to feed him the ball, I imagine Amar’e is gonna be pretty ineffective as he does not have the ability to create his own shot, shoot the outside jumper with consistency or play the type of staunch defense that would make him a game changer. New York may be ABLE to offer max contracts, but I think they GROSSLY overpaid for Amar’e. I think both NY and Stoudemire will look back on this and realize that they shot themselves in the foot.
Boozer agrees to play for Bulls at 5 years, 84$ Million
This is a sideways step for the Booz. It makes no sense as he’s not in NY with Amare, Miami with Wade and Bosh or Cleveland with Bron.
Durant signs extension with Thunder to the tune of 5 years, 84$ Million
I hate the Thunder (even though I rooted for them against LA) for the way the ownership bit Seattle in the nuts. But they have an exciting young roster and, for better or for worse, Durant is the face of that franchise – the man that shoulders the fame or blame. Pinning down for 5 more years, it gives the Thunder SOME stability, provided Durant can continue to improve and develop his skill set and does not get bogged down in the glitz and glamour life that so often brings pro athletes crashing down like Icarus.
Del Negro to Clippers / Avery Johnson to Nets
These 2 guys can coach. The question now is which one will wear out his welcome sooner? Does Del Negro have the resume to demand the respect of Baron Davis and the rest of his spoiled, loser crew? Will Avery Johnson wear out his welcome with new Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov?
Chris Duhon to Magic ….. WHY?!?!?!?
This deal makes no sense to me. Duhon was ATROCIOUS last year and averaged what felt like about as many turnovers as assists.
His official stat line for 09-10 was …
0.373% FG
0.349% 3PFG
0.716% FT
2.7 RPG
5.6 APG
0.9 SPG
1.6 TOPG
7.4 PPG
I thought he was awful. And for a team that needs a PG who is able and steady with the ball, and a good shooter to draw out the D it makes no sense why they would bring him there.
Nowitzki re-signs with Mavs / Pierce re-signs with Celtics – Surprise Surprise
Pierce’s 4 year 61$ Million dollar deal is surprising. Reports say that he left “a lot of money” on the table to lure Ray Allen to re-sign. But I think the deal was steep for a player like Pierce who has a LOT more mileage and wear and tear than his 32 year old body suggests.
Nowitzki, he’s still in his prime and it doesn’t matter WHAT they paid him (The deal has a no-trade clause and is worth upwards of $80 million), it’s completely worth it.
Joe Johnson re-signs with Hawks
The deal he signed was for 6-years and worth around $119 million. And I was surprised given the way he treated (and was treated by) the fans and the way he acted during the playoffs this year.
My only thought on this is that they overpaid him. Big Time. The franchise may have turned around when he got there, but Mike Woodson, Al Horford and Josh Smith have a lot to do with that as well. TO strap their franchise down like that is just setting him him up for failure in the next few years when they lose Smith and Horford in free agency cuz they’re strapped for cash.
Did anyone notice that Rasheed Wallace retired?
I was not surprised to see him go. Only that he went out like a limp dick instead of the hard ass gangsta he professed himself to be. Maybe the NBA beat the G out of him. But come on, Charles Oakley played for longer and he was the same old Oak til the day he left! I don’t know what to make of this.
John Salmons signs with Bucks.
I don’t need to read or see anything. I can tell you exactly what the truth is here. OVERPAID.
Now that the hoopla about the damned Lakers winning the championship has died down, we get to the most active part of the NBA season – off season! Or rather, Free Agent Season!
Effective July 1, 2010, the list of available free agents reads like the roster of an NBA All Star Game (save for a few bums in there) …
* LeBron James
* Dwyane Wade
* Chris Bosh
* Yao Ming
* Dirk Nowitzki
* Joe Johnson
* Carlos Boozer
* Amar’e Stoudemire
* Marcus Camby
* Ray Allen
* Paul Pierce
* Rudy Gay (restricted)
* Luis Scola (restricted)
* Brendan Haywood
* Kenyon Martin
* Tyson Chandler
* Josh Howard (team option)
* Joel Przybilla
In 2 days we get to find out how the NBA version of Musical Chairs is gonna go …
For what it’s worth, I’m pretty resigned to the fact that Chris Bosh is gone. Ditto for Joe Cool, Boozer and Amar’e. Wade and James are still up in the air, but I expect them to re-up with their respective teams. A pleasant surprise is that Shannon Brown is opting out of his contract with the Lakers and looking to dip into Free Agency loot. Both Ariza and Brown get respect from me for 2 reasons:
1. Realizing that the NBA is a business and that the business is about making money
2. Realizing that playing with LA may not always be the best choice for you as a player
Although until he is officially gone from LA, Brown is still a Laker and therefore the equivalent of a cannibal that eats babies.
However it turns out, it’s pretty apparent that the biggest storm is gonna be in that first week of free agency. It’s gonna be interesting seeing how the balance of power shifts (or not) in the NBA.
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So Phil Jackson is leaning towards retirement and Kobe Bryant had surgery to repair his finger … the only thing I can say to this:
1. Let’s see if Phil can win without Kobe.
2. Let’s see if Kobe can win without Phil.
3. Let’s hope they accidentally amputate Kobe Bryant’s head during his finger / knee surgery – whatever the hell it is, who cares.
Ah, yes. How I hate the Lakers. And the fact that I have to listen to jackass Laker fans talk shit about “their team” makes me wanna shit in a bowl and feed it to an orphan or something. It just brings out the worst in me. People have no idea. No idea.
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So today is the day that Game 7 happens.
I’ve reluctantly watched the entire series, biting my nails and cursing at the TV all the while. I don’t think I’ve ever hated watching basketball this much in my entire life up until this point …
I know, I know. Lakers/Celtics, storied franchises, blah blah blah. To the average fan, this is “prime time TV viewing”. To me, watching this series is like watching 2 fat, slutty college girls in a cat fight. I watch cuz it’s my civic duty to watch, not cuz it’s enjoyable ….
Really, I just can’t help but to hate nearly every person that is playing in this series, except for Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo.
I can’t stand the fact that Kendrick Perkins, with as big an ego and diminutive skill set as he has might actually win another ring on the backs of Rondo and the “Big 3″.
I can’t stand that Rasheed Wallace and Ron Artest are riding cock to get a ring.
I can’t stand that chumps like Jordan Farmar, Adam Morrison and Sasha Vujacic get to boast about another ring while worthy vets like Steve Nash, Jason Kidd and Grant Hill go fishing.
I can’t stand Pau Gasol, his “Blue Steel” Llama Look or his incessant flopping. He tries to knock down claims that he’s soft while just BARELY being able to fend off a washed up Kevin Garnett … gimme a break.
I can’t stand Derek Fisher. He is a great human being and I respect how he is off the court but I have never seen a point guard who flops on the ground in an attempt to get calls more than Fisher. I mean, the guy could coach the ENTIRE ITALIAN NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM on how to flop!
I can’t stand that Lamar Odom can be “Vince Carter” lazy in one game and put up 19 and 19 the next. Doesn’t the man want to be remembered as anything other than “The Best Bench Player Ever”? He has such potential and yet is content to languish in mediocrity. I can’t stand that Andrew Bynum’s lazy, overrated 7 foot ass can brag about being in the Finals twice, let alone win another ring.Oh, and I will NEVER be a fan of Andrew Bynum’s if he comes to the Raptors. Quote me on that.
I can’t stand that KG is washed up and still shit talks like he’s in his prime – really, Duke?
I can’t stand that Nate Robinson might get a ring before Dwight Howard.
I can’t stand Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce, their overinflated egos and the fact that they will need an additional Jumbo 747 for each player’s ego when this series is done! I can’t stand that Paul Pierce plays for 2 quarters yet has the GALL to scream at his teammates to give “everything you’ve got!”. I can’t stand the fact that Kobe Bryant is allowed to whine like a 2 year old, flail his arms in the air and swear like a sailor without so much as a foul called when a call doesn’t go his way.
And most of all, I can’t stand the posturing by the lunatic and idiotic fans of these two respective franchises! This is a qualitative statement and I WILL be doing a post dedicated to each fan base and why they are the most insipid and moronic fan groups in all of sports (save for, perhaps, Yankees Fans) and why they deserve to be shot into the sun … I’ll add examples and even some quotes sprinkled in for good measure!
I’ve been in a bad mood over the last few weeks and had not been able to figure out why until tonight … it’s the fucking playoffs and those damned Lakers and Celtics.
I swear … I can’t wait for this Playoffs to be over – WORST. PLAYOFFS. EVER. – and yet, the prospect of another 6 months of Kobe or KG/Paul Pierce cock sucking makes me ill to my stomach.
Here’s a news flash to all them fans, in advance – Kobe Bryant is not God in purple and gold and Paul Pierce should never be mentioned with the words “Best Celtic Ever” in the same breath – it’s an insult to all the great Celtics that wore the Green and White.
Screw it, I’m outta here … I gotta find a kitten to kick or something …
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For those that don’t know, that is the title of a Brand Nubian tune circa 1992.
This weekend, our basketball team has a tournament that we’re playing in and our tournament was started with a W tonight!
We played the home team – we could tell by the rolls they got and the 100% partisan crowd at the gym.
Despite the slow start, we were able to hold them in points and were up by 3 at the half. We ended up winning by 22 (75-53) but it wasn’t the score that was so sweet as much as the act of winning against a group of kids who thought they were king shit.
You ever play against the type of baller that comes out and acts like he’s Jesus Shuttlesworth and ends up playing like Butterbean? Yeah, these guys would hoot and holler after every basket like it was the greatest thing they had ever seen! They would celebrate on the court after a block or made basket and, though it was irritating, we did not do enough to bring them down to earth til late in the game.
They had no idea who they were playing.
With the precision of a surgeon, we carved them up and ended up taking their spirit with 4 minutes left in the game. Once you play the game for a while, you learn to see the exact moment another team (player’s) spirit is forcibly removed. Demoralizing an opponent to the point of quitting is something I never get tired of seeing.
It was a sweet feeling, seeing that douchebag get brought down a rung or two.
As another of Brand Nubian’s tunes goes …. Don’t let it go to your head, no, cuz what goes up must come down!
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I have always loved Hedo Turkoglu ever since he came into the League with the Kings and played with Stojakovic and Divac. He just always seemed to be such a good player and always said “If we had a guy like him …”.
I’ve followed his entire career until now.
This Article, which came out on May 30th, quoted Turkoglu as saying that he didn’t want to be in Toronto any more and that he wants out.
It made me lose a LOT of respect for him.
Quoth the proverbial Raven …
“When the circumstances turned against me, I lost my enthusiasm for this city,” Turkoglu said in the interview. “My lawyers have talked to the front office recently. Honestly, I do not want to go back to Toronto. My lawyers talked to Mr. [Bryan] Colangelo and I hope that they will come up with a solution soon.”
Really, Hedo?
Who the HELL do you think you are?!?!?
You get a 5 year, $53 Million dollar deal which is a LOT of money for our particular franchise. You come out and lay 82 eggs, give up on the season and lose interest in playing, get caught lying and partying, help get our team out of the playoff race and you say you’ve “lost your enthusiasm for this city”?!?!?
As they say on the NFL on FOX ….. C’mon Man!
I was overcome with anger when I first read the article and what he said and then, as it all set in, the only thing I could do was shrug my shoulders, shake my head, utter a LOUD C’mon Man! and strike Hedo from my list of favourite players.
A damn shame ….
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Leave it to Joey “Crack” Crawford and his crew to make a series competitive, folks.
I watched all of Game 5 between Boston and Orlando and I have to say that the Orlando win was completely fabricated by the NBA.
Now granted, Orlando did play pretty well, but when Wallace and Perkins get tossed and the Celts have to go so deep as to bring in Shelden Frickin Williams into the game, well, that makes me wonder what is up.
Oh, the box score won’t show it. It wasn’t like the Suns-Lakers series where there is a clear discrepancy in foul (23-12) count given to the home team. Not that I WANT the Lakers to do well OR win, lol.
No, this was a 6 foul difference for the entire game and it wasn’t the quantity of the fouls so much as the timing and quality of those fouls that make me wonder. Just when Beantown is ready to take over, a foul is called that halts momentum and turns the tide in favour of Mickey Mouse. And there is a LOT of clutching, grabbing, shoving and elbowing going on down there.
Now, I’m not saying that Howard is a goon. Though he IS rough in the paint (witness the Baby Davis concussion), he is a dude who HAS to play like that because he’s a 7 foot man beast and because that’s the way he gets banged in there. But what I AM saying is that the game should be more evenly reffed down there. You get Pierce getting away with a blatant push on one end and then you get Perkins getting called for a phantom foul. It’s odd.
And then not so odd considering the reffing crew of Ed Rush, Tom Washington and Joey Crawford. Tom Washington is cool enough. But Eddie Rush has a history of making some ridiculous calls. From emotional Ts to some blatant no calls and bizarre foul calls, it’s like the guy is bi-polar and goes temporarily blind. Joe Crawford? He’s like David Stern’s right hand man. When the NBA needs to gutter out a win, Joey Crawford is usually running point. Ask New Orleans, San Antonio or any of the other teams he’s (s)crewed over.
I don’t know man.
I can’t believe that Orlando can go from 0-3 and a history worst playoff loss to winning 2 games while having 2 major starters (Lewis and Carter) go AWOL. Witness Carter and Lewis’s stat-line these last 2 games …
Game 5
Carter – 8 PTS on FG – 3/10, 3PT – 1/4, FT – 1/1, 3 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 4 PF
Lewis – 14 PTS on FG – 6/11, 3PT – 1/3, FT – 1/2, 7 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO, 5 PF
Game 4
Carter – 3 PTS on FG – 1/9, 3PT – 0/3, FT – 1/1, 2 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 3 TO, 4 PF
Lewis – 13 PTS on FG – 4/10, 3PT – 2/3, FT – 3/4, 5 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 4 PF
It is MIND BOGGLING that Orlando can win when these guys play like this. Are they trying to tell me that the Orlando bench is better than Boston’s? I highly doubt so.
So the only thing I can keep coming back to is the fact that reffing has played a HUGE role in the outcomes the last 2 games.
Call me a conspiracy theorist, call me a cynic. But I just don’t get the swings in overall scores. Especially when Boston has been on the door step of closing out the series and going to the Finals.
Speaking about Vince Carter during Game 3 of the Magic-Celtics series in the 2010 Playoffs, Jeff Van Gundy says this …
“How GOOD would Vince Carter be if he had Kobe Bryant’s will?”
After a brief commercial break, he comes back on and explains his stance ….
“In every walk of life, but particularly in basketball, there’s nothing worse than unfulfilled talents and promise. It’s just such a waste.”
Now I’m no Kobe Fan, and I believe I have chronicled that to death on this blog over the last 3 years, but JVGs analysis of Vince Carter is 100% spot on.
—
Vince Carter has always been an individual with limitless athletic potential and one fatal flaw: Laziness.
Or maybe it’s ego. Or maybe it’s both.
Consider that he was made a megastar and compared to Michael Jordan his first 4 or 5 years in the League. Consider that he was adored and considered the FACE of basketball for an entire country. Consider that his athletic ability was (and is – when he wants it to be) so smooth and effortless ….
To look at him now is sickening. The man who wanted to be a franchise player – who wants max money and star treatment – is content with being a role player. A lazy cog.
When looking at his peers (Garnett, Duncan, Bryant, Nash, Nowitzki and even Allen Iverson!) it becomes obvious that what he lacks is effort and a strong will. When the going gets tough his peers play through injuries …
Timmy with Plantar Fasciitis
Kobe with a broken finger, bad knee
Nash with bad back and black eye, broken nose
Manu Ginobili with broken nose
Paul Pierce with bad ankle, shoulder and knee
Garnett with bad knee
Allen Iverson – name a body part
… but Vince? When the going gets tough, he goes on vacation.
And nowhere has this been more apparent than in this year’s playoffs. Sure, he gets his 17.2 a night. But there’s no defensive intensity, negligible rebounding (4.2 – even Rondo grabs more per game and he is a PG!), negligible assists (2.2). And more disturbing is his reaction to criticism.
At that game 4, Carter had a missed defensive assignment. And rather than take Dwight Howard’s reprimand like a man (owning it and making the change) he hangs his head, pouts, waves Howard off and shakes his head in disbelief and frustration.
Honestly, I can’t hide my contempt for VC enough nowadays. Whereas I dislike KB24 because of his enormous ego and poor attitude, I can at least agree that the man works his ass off and has the skills to pay the bills.
Vince? He has the all skills and none of the work ethic or heart.
I just think it’s interesting that VC had to move to Orlando’s big market to be discovered for what he is: A quitter.
He is, and has always been, a cancer in the locker room. A poor teammate who demands the best and gives back nothing in return. A ball hog with delusions of grandeur and a paper will.
I betcha, with as bad a year as Turkoglu had, that Hedo’s not looking too long in the tooth now when comparing what both he and VC have to offer a team.
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I posted this in my Facebook Page, and I know it’s been a minute since I said boo, but this shit just HAD to get posted.
This video was created by and features many famous Cleveland personalities including US Governors and Senators. Grown ass men and women in their 40s and 50s BEGGING LeBron (a 25 year old kid) to stay ….. WOW.
EMBED-We Are Lebron Video – Watch more free videos
Between this, the Heat’s wewantwade.com campaign and the New York Daily News’ attempt to lure LeBron (Get LeBron), I’d say that people are going out of their way to find an ass to kiss.
I mean, I want Bosh to stay in Canada, but I am not gonna stoop to that level and beg like a dog for something like this.
People need to get their priorities straight and act right.
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I was contacting a member of my local Basketball Association, trying to plan out my summer with regards to basketball and I asked when the dates for the upcoming 3 on 3 tournament were. His reply was that it was canceled in ALL of Canada because of low attendance in cities like Calgary and Montreal.
Indeed, visiting the 3 on 3 website yields a black screen with “more info coming in the near future”
Now, I’ve been a die hard fan of the 3 on 3 tourney and have been at EVERY single one since it was started in 1994. The thought of not being in one this year literally fills me with sadness and frustration.
What sucks is that they canceled tourneys in the GOOD places because of the bad ones!
There HAS to be something that we can do …
And as soon as I can get an official press release, I will post it here.
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Basketball Shoes: $125
Ankle Braces: $89 each
Leather Basketball: $75
Beating someone half my age 1-0 in a 1 on 1 basketball game: Priceless
There are some things money can buy.
And sometimes, the sweet taste of victory and the sound of humbled silence are priceless.
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Who would have figured ….
I wonder how many people had their houses repossessed …
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Thursday March 18th. Got it marked on my calendar. I just can’t wait!
In the meantime, I’m gonna link to this little gem I did up for last year’s tourney.
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Dallas Mavericks complete a HUGE blockbuster deal with the Wizards that will move the following players around ….
To Dallas: Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood, DeShawn Stevenson, Cash Considerations
To Washington: Josh Howard, Quentin Ross, Drew Gooden, James Singleton
This trade immediately makes the Mavs a much better team as they now have a solid rebounder in Brendan Haywood and a tough wing option who can and will do anything to win.
I hear that Amare Stoudemire and Ray Allen are also on the block ….
The race to Thursday should be interesting …
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Highlights from the All Star Weekend by NBA.com
Easily the funniest moment is when Shakira turns Shaq down. Just watch.
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My pilgrimage in basketball always culminates over 4 points in time:
- opening night
- NBA all-star weekend
- NCAA Tournament
- NBA Finals
This weekend is the NBA All-Star Weekend. And, unlike other years, this year, I have the benefit of watching the festivities with a lap top nearby.
I’m currently watching the NBA Celebrity All-Star Game.
To most people, it’s a watered down marketing gimmick. And while I agree wholeheartedly, I have to say that I also enjoy watching it for many reasons. Here are a few …
1. To see how much weight Chris Tucker has gained from year to year. Dude got FAT!
2. To laugh at Michael Rappaport – though to put yourself out there for the love of the game, even if you suck, is commendable.
3. To watch the Globetrotters do their thing – Special K is great. And watching Flight Time and Big Easy is nice too.
4. To see which celebrity comes out of the woodwork to show he’s got game – this year, it’s Common!
5. To watch the sideline reporting that puts NBA stars in uncomfortable situations – this year, it’s cattle roping. For the record, Rajon Rondo may be able to thread the needle on the court, but I think he’d die out in the country without room service.
As a bonus this year, we get the privilege of seeing if Mark Cuban can play like he talks. So far I am merely whelmed.
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