There is so much angst and misunderstanding going on, people seem to be overlooking some basic, yet very important points about the Suns. There seems to be a divide amongst fans and within the team itself, as Jerry Brown points out - "There appears to be at least a peripheral disconnect between Kerr — a staunch believer in defense and depth — and D’Antoni’s high-octane offense/tight rotation mantra that will also play a role in the decision-making."
Personally, I don't see what all the fuss is about. I still insist that people aren't panicking. It's just a wide scale miscommunication amongst the ranks of Sunsland. It's true that a lot of fans don't want to hear that Amare Stoudemire is a glaring issue, but it's not like I'm insisting on anything. I'm just making an observation when I say things like...
"People are getting louder about their discontent with Amare, while more people are jumping back on the DEE-WOW wagon. Boris is playing like a madman [compared to Amare], even when he's not getting stats. Amare's just been sloughing up and down the court. Whatever the reasons, be it laziness or the knees, he's starting to wear thin on the fans, the media, and his own f-in team. He [could be] on his way out, if the Suns can get 75 cents on the dollar in return. The team proved when he was out that they didn't need him to get to the WCF. Injuries and inconsistent play derailed them, and the team has upgraded in both areas with SKYNYR and ULYSSES."
The brackets are edits I've made, since hearing from Paul Coro in his weekly Blogback, where he responds to fans e-mails. Apparently, he's gotten a lot of them about the same thing. But he did reference some of my comments, so I felt it appropriate to correct myself based on his reply. The original response is on page 17 here.
The criticism is valid, as he points out, "You absolutely nailed it as far as Stoudemire's defense, or lack there of it." But he disagrees with the idea that the perimeter defense has been solid, and that Diaw is "playing like a madman." So I will have to look closer at those areas tonight and perhaps reevaluate my stance on that. It could just all be relative to Amare's no-show that they've looked good to me. We shall see.
So you see, it is OK to look for faults because everyone is. You don't look to improve by addressing strengths. You learn by focusing on the weaknesses, and there is never a presumption that things need to change. It's like searching for the perfect woman.
You start off like everyone else, going for style over substance, the hot dingus over the homely love slave, and you eventually start to find a balance. You start meeting good, attractive women that are more like you in most ways, but with just a few minor differences that can't be overcome.
There's the beautiful exotic student of life who lives to serve her man. She loves to cook and clean and be an extraordinary lover. She is everything you ever dreamed of, and you start thinking that you're on the right track. This one's a keeper, until one day you find out how important your friends are. You take her to meet your friends, the first stop at the lunatic reading porn when you stop by unannounced with a new lady. You ask him politely to put it away, but you understand that he has every right to be doing so, considering the circumstances. No big deal. You're a guy.
Then you go to another friend's house, where a party is under way. It's a normal adult gathering with alcohol and disillusioned twenty-somethings, with a few partiers hanging out before they go off to participate in a midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. And they're already in full costume.
On the way home, she informs you that she does not like your friends, and you need to get new ones. How she doesn't make it home on foot is a miracle of Cosmic proportions. But you drop her off at her car, and a week later you drop her off at the curb. You learn that you can't and won't change who you are for anybody. You recognize the importance of your friends, and that they are a reflection of you. You are who you are, and she didn't like that.
A few years later, you meet Miss Right. She's young, beautiful, intelligent - a ballet dancer, we'll say. Long dark, shiny brown hair, pink cheeks, and eyes that light up the universe. She's perfect, and she comes from a similar background. You two are so similar in make up, people sooner think you're siblings than a couple with big plans. But she's young. Everything that you went through growing up, she went through. If you're just barely getting over those traumas, what makes you think she has? Well, Miss Right turns out to be Miss Holy Jesus She Needs Therapy when she goes nuts when she finds pictures of ex-girlfriends on a computer disk that you thought was long gone. This girl is going to drive you insane.
At the same time, though, she's a lot like you, so you hold on. You try to make it work, but it's just not meant to be. You never really get over it, but moving on is the only option when you feel that your sanity is too important, and it's not fair to her to play doctor when you're just as messed up as she is. The whole thing ends in a spectacular flameout, and you realize how lucky you are that the meteor never hit the ground when, right away, you find The One.
She is everything. She is young, exotic, beautiful, intelligent, and well-adjusted. She loves you for you, she doesn't care about your past because it was before she came around. She's supportive and understanding, and you love her for it. It works. You're happy, you're on the right track, and everything is meant to be except one fundamental difference in culture. You realize that, as much as you love this girl, you can't change who you are, even though you really want to this time. That's what love does, after all. It compels us to be the best person we can be for the right woman, but we forget that we're not as good as we think we are. We are not supposed to look for perfection of the highest order. In order to do that, we'd have to become what he hate. There is an expectation of change that needs to occur, and you realize that it is you that is expecting it.
This is when you realize where everything went wrong. This is where you figure out for the first time that you've been looking at the wrong things. Every step of the way, you learned what was right for you. You got better and better at finding the girls that you felt best matched you, your standards. This is the epiphany. You were looking for change from the outside, when you really needed to look deep inside Your Self. You find out that the right woman has been right in front of you the whole time, even if you've never seen her. She's not Miss Right, she's not Miss Perfect, she's Miss You.
Of course, I'm talking about the Suns here.
This whole time we've been looking at what has been going wrong the last three years. There has always been a great collection of our strengths improving with each rendition of the team, and there have always been outside factors that derailed the whole steam engine. Now it's the regular season of the fourth swipe at the ring, and the team is starting to look at its weaknesses. They are looking in the right direction, within, to find ways to improve. It takes time for that realization to hit, but once it does, it will seem as if the entire cosmos has fallen into place.
All things essential. Life, philosophy, dreams...the Phoenix Suns. When they all come together like this, know you've found perfection. You've met the girl of your dreams.
December 27, 2007
December 17, 2007
Suns at Spurs
Introduction
OK, folks. This is the first one of these neat-o mosquito in game play-by-play blogs of the season, and I can only hope that it's as enlightening and fun as the playoff entries I did. I doubt it, though, since no one really cares about the game (except the media, of course, with its general tendency to overhype every match up throughout the season). Yes, contrary to what they say, I have it on good authority that not a single fan in the entire Clockwork universe gives a rat's ass about a December game against the Spurs without Tony Parker. All we really care about is some energy, some offense, and a good, clean game, right? RIGHT?!
For those of you new to this format, I basically write down every significant play in as trite and succinct way as possible (there will be TONS of spelling errors, accidental homonyms, and other such grammatical inconsistencies, as I type as I watch and listen and have no time to go back and edit), hopefully adding a spot of humour and cynicism along the way. I log every minute of action, posting updates during every commercial break. This includes, but is not limited to pregame commentary, commentary on the game action, commentary, refereeing, coaching, commercials, and whatever odd thoughts may cross my mind during the game. If you're not a fan of questionable language and adult themes, I suggest you set your V-Chip to its Disneyland setting and let the adults have the room. Comments are welcome and encouraged, but I tend not to keep up with them, as this is not an easy task. The fun begins when Kevin Ray and Tom Chambers take the stage. Stay tuned...
For anyone having as much difficulty as I am getting a little psyched for this, here's something to consider...
Look at this video, then see if it jives with this quote...
"I'm from the old school. When I came in the league, during the playoffs, foul hard; no blood, no flagrant foul. It was just a hard foul. My intention was to take a charge, but I got there too late. Of course, when you've got 150 (pounds) meets 250, 150 is going to go flying. It's all good. You learn from it and move on"
Anyone who knows me knows my disdain for people who lie. It is with this in mind that I say, Robert Horry better not run into me on the streets of Phoenix. He will have no use for an athletic supporter after such an encounter. The discrepency between his words and his actions should offend anyone with an ounce of intelligence. More to come....
Pregame
OK, I love listening to TC. It sounds like he's bucking for a coaching gig with the Suns. HE GETS IT!!! Yes, Coach. Listen to the Gas Chambers' words! Get rough, get tough, and slap them lazy boys around when they're not performing!
Blah blah blah Leander talks and no one listens. TC keeps pushing the point, and hopefully D'Antoni is listening. No TP, but we got TD, and TC is always here for us. Oh, yay. Manu Ginobili gets the spotlight. I liked him a lot better when he was on "Perfect Strangers." Who knew Balki Bartokomous would grow up to be a key player on an NBA championship team? IMMIGRANTS RULE!!!
Great. The Gorilla reminds me of a nasty, filthy, disgusting habit that I just so happen to have. More after this break. Good...I don't want to listen to them talk about that rag. Farkin lying piece of shit on a stick.
I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome our old friends from The Official Clockwork Orange (and Purple) message board, as well as new friends from Bright Side and Planet Orange. Yes, we are all-inclusive on the ACOP game blog. The more the merrier, I always say when I need an audience.
My apologies to Dallin, I am NOT tobacco free at this moment, but it will happen some day.....yes, someday. For now, though, I am a slave to RJ Reynolds.
KIDS!!! DO NOT SMOKE!!! IT IS A TERRIBLE ADDICTION THAT YOU WILL REGRET YOUR ENTIRE LIFE!!! LISTEN TO THE GORILLA AND HIS GHETTO RAP!!!
The best thing about these games against the Anti-Alamo is that we get to relive the heartbreak and anger of that lame series that redefined "injustice" for everyone outside of San Antonio and Los Angeles. Nothing like a little sado-masochism to make a game worthwhile.
How does TC get sunburned in the middle of December? Or maybe he's just as ticked off watching those replays as we are? Whatever the case, the makeup department really dropped the ball here. At least he bringeth the wise words of a man who himself felt the heartbreak of coming oh so close.
TC's buzzer beaters: He speaks what all Suns fans feel -- BRING IT BORIS AND AMARE!!!
This Peter Piper Pizza commercial still smacks of edible erotica. Seriously...TEASE ME, CHEESE ME, WITH TOPPINGS THAT'LL PLEASE ME?!?!?! Is that how we want our kids to think of food? Interesting...I wonder what the relationship between fast food and cheap sex really is. Lord knows, I like a good spicy beef burrito after plantin' the ol' pipe as much as the next guy, but there are kids in that commercial.
LMMFAO!!! How perfect a choice is "Basketcase" here?
No, I don't have the time to listen to you whine, TD.
See what I mean about Leander? He doesn't even know that the Evil Empire resides in the Bronx. This is the Anti-Alamo, dontcha know?! Did Majerle just say Robert Whorey?
Paul Coro asked us today for our score predictions. I say 115-108 Suns. I can't even stand by that, really. Who knows what to expect with a missing player and an inconsistent team so far?
Oh, yay. Another lame "Where Amazing Happens" commercial. You know what's amazing? A game where you don't notice the referees. I'd pillow-smother a small child to see a game where the officials actually did a good job and didn't allow flopping.
1st Quarter
(10:23) Jump ball goes to Oberto. Finley can't handle Bell's smothering defense, and TD hits a hook. Hill fakes a three then drives half way for the long jumper. THE SHOTS MUST FALL!! Bowen misses badly, but somehow Duncan gets the put back. Hill lobs to Trix, and Vaughn forgets that you're not allowed to hold a guy to the ground. A miss by Hill, and the reboudning looks shabby so far. Duncan puts a great move to spin between Stat and Trix, but Marion taps the miss (HA!) to Nash who rewards his lightning quick wing with the Oop on the other end. Pop doesn't like it too much, and he scolds the kids in white.
(7:09) Back to TD in the post again, and the double comes quickly. Too bad their ball movement is spot on, as is Vaughn's three. Shawn misses, but Duncan doesn't. FINALLY a rebound. And another! Two offensive rebounds in a row, now if we just didn't need those. And Stat hits the inside shot. Nice. Oh look. TD in the post again. Why do they keep leaving Vaughn open? Hill misses again, and the shooting looks like crap. For us anyway, as Duncan hits again. BELL FOR THREE!!!! Finally the Spurs miss, and Stat and Trix fight for it. TD rebounds, but Trix swipes it. Ugh. Pass for Marion goes through his hands and into Vaughn's. GET THAT SHIT OUTTA HERE!!! Bell blows the fast break layup. At least the ref has a functioning whistle.
(6:25) Raja gets the free throws, and it's only a one point game. That's good, but it needs to be more. Tim takes a breather, and here comes the punk bitch. G-Knob slips but still hits it. Hill's midrange game might prove useful with SA's three point defense. These guys run out so much, all it takes is a three step dribble to get a clean shot. I hope LB is taking notes. Unlike Mike, Pop doesn't seem to like this development and asks his guys to step into a circle for a bit of a chat. A clipboard and high pitched voice seems to be involved. 14-13 Bad guys.
(2:58) Diaw and LB step onto the court, and Ginobili can't take advantage. Boris is true blue from the top of the key! Good to see him take the open look. Oberto gets an open look, but misses badly. There goes Diaw again! COME ON, FREN-JE!!! Manu pushes himself into Bell, and the ref doesn't like Bell's physical abuse. Oberto forgets that Marion is a good defender and loses it out of bounds. Suns offense looks fluid with LB and Diaw, but shots still aren't falling. The rebounding has GOT to change. Oh good, Oberto saves the Suns the trouble by hitting his shot. Bell misses from three. OLE! Says Vaughn as he blows by Leandro. Oh, great. Punk Boy blocks LB's ill advised lay up attempt. USE THE RIM, LITTLE MAN!!! NO SOUP FOR MANU!!! Boris breaks down Oberto, and Marion's three rocks the net. Jacque Cousteau gets his second foul pushing Bell out of bounds on the baseline. A turnover is a turnover. Bell back to the line as he goes for the lane shot. The TV wants to sell us something, so we look for a new beer. Suns up 20-18.
I don't know what to think about htree aging Cindy Crawfords struttin' to Kylie Minogue. Forget keeping her out of my mind. I can't even get her in there. I likes 'em young, I does. More pie. There's that food and sex link again.
HI ROBBY!!!
Yes, Tom. We're well aware of the similarities between Punk Boy and the Fresh Prince. We hadn't heard it in 14 years, so thanks for reminding us. Bell hits the first, and then the second. Four points is the lead.
TD 's back and misses his patented glass hook thing, and somehow gets it back and a foul for good measure. Good thing he sucks at the line. Bad thing the Suns keep missing. Amare plays good defense for all but two steps, and Duncan hits with two minutes to go. Amare misses the key jumper. He needs to drive on Duncan. Oh, shock. Another O rebound. Not that time. Hill streaks on the break and makes the lay in on the change of direction. Thanks, Dan, for your wonderful analysis. It helps me keep up as I stare at the keyboard when I type. Hill hits another one, and we have a six point lead. LB fouls Barry for some odd reason. That was a beautiful move by Hill, I must say. OHHHH!!! Stat says GET THAT SHIZZLE OUTA HIZZLE!!! Another missed three, and SA gets the last shot. 26-20 Suns Side of the Phorce.
HAHAHAHAHA!!! Horry forgets that there's a clock running, and launches a shot about a minute too late, to the dismay of Spurs fans who STILL believe that rules do not apply to them.
2nd Quarter
(11:05) Back to the action, and Grant stays aggressive. Gee...I wonder if D'Antoni's testing his theory that Hill's game would have put us over the top last season. He makes both. OMG DUNCAN GETS CALLED FOR THE TRAVEL!!! THEY'RE RIGHT!!! AMAZING HAPPENED!!! Diaw finds Hill, and he's on a personal 10 point run. Stat holding firm against TD, but Trix a little late and gets the whistle. Duncan to the line for two. 30-20 Us.
(8:42) He actually made them. Darn. YES!!! DEEWOW!!! Spin move and reversal!!! Oops. Marion doesn't bite the first fake, but he does the second. Finley scores. Suns miss, and Leander informs us that Finley has WAY more money than all of us combined. Diaw sets up LB just inside the arc. Bad angle, bad shot. Stat blocks Duncan, but then no one helps by grabbing the damn ball. LB hits the long range, and all's right in Brazil. Here we go. Things really have settled down with LB and Diaw, but LB misses again. Took them long enough to call that travel on Finley. Never mind. It was an O-foul on O-berto. Even better. Here comes the beer, pie, and sex again. 35-28 Clockwork.
Interesting note...the Suns are holding SA to less than 43% from the field while shooting better than 48%. Keep that up, and this will be a blowout. No horny trio, but we got the Room Store with a Harlem Globetrotter. Nice change of pace.
(6:56) Never mind. Slow box score. Suns are over 46%, and Spurs under 42%. Still good. Stat gets his second, and Leander is excited as all hell. Someone REALLY needs to tell the Spurs what a Red Rocket is. Now the dog wiener hits a three. TD rejects BJ. Red Rocket (Matt Boner?) misses, but Marion tips it out of bounds. Finley travels and hits. Whistle? Better not call it on Marion. SKYNYR!!!! A nice surprise he's been. Somehow TD scores on Nash. Stat gets a dunk finally, and one. Good head fake for our Saviour. 41-35 Suns.
(6:22) Stat makes it an old fashioned three ball, and it's back to seven. Skynyr guards Duncan well, but somehow the Suns get called for a D-3? I didn't see who was in there, but someone better be aware of those little white lines. YES!!! SKYNTASTIC WITH THE BLOCK ON DUNCAN!!! Hill tries to go through Vaughn instead of around or over him. Time out for some odd reason. 42-36 Suns.
How did Wile E. Coyote get a job in San Antonio? Don't they know his work history?
Bonner schools Amare from the corner, and Hill tries a little too hard to help. marion's defense wasted on Finley, and Duncan scores over Amare. BJ did his job, though. Nash lets it go out of bounds. Weird sequence. Amare covers Bowen on the wing, and Skynyr comes to double? It goes around the horn, and another three. Diaw and LB coming back in. That's a good idea, since they got us the lead to begin with. Skynyr hits again. KT who? Good job Nash! Bonner pushed his arm out, and Nash went the other way. But Diaw wastes the effort with a good miss. SKynyr kinda misses that open look, but he's earned a pass. Um...what just happened? Nash to Diaw, then his pass just kinda dribbled out of bounds? No one touched it? Really?
(2:50) Tie game as Bell loses G-Knob on the back door. Bowen gets to know Skynyr intimately and gets popped for the foul. Nash turns it over again. Give it to Diaw on the elbow, Mike. Manu misses badly after he falls backwards for no reason, and we got our first Donaghy whistle. Maybe he was whistling his next foul? Time for more corporate manipulation of our brains. 44 all.
Note to self: Do not get future daughter a pony. She wants a cell phone. Yeah...like I'm going to trust a teenage girl with a device that charges for every minute she opens her mouth to her friends. Replay shows that the whistle was called only when Amare secured the rebound, as Knob takes the stripe.
(1:37) Suddenly, the Spurs are hitting 49% to the Suns' 48%. Diaw posts Finley, and the ball finds LB just in time for him to miss the three. Diaw rebounds the other end. Then spins, dishes to Amare who gets the bucket and foul. Number three for Fabio. I gotta say, I'm liking what I'm seeing from Le Boris tonight. This is good. Very good. Amaremisses the freebie, but we're tied until TD goes glass yet again. 22 in the first half? Are you serious?! Amare gets hit on the other end, and it's two for him.
One of two for Stat, and his career FT% continues to dwindle. Good call! TD walks again! He's made a career out of that shuffle step, and he ain't getting away with it tonight. Imagine if TP were in there. Diaw slips and slides and scores easily. Suns regain the lead with under a minute. Then Duncan does it again. Bell drives in, and things are looking good. The idea, though, is to come out strong in the third. Nash rebounds Knob's miss, and Diaw misses the last shot. Check it out y'all. Suns lead 51-50 going into the half. Stay tuned for the half time report. Jey needs a break!
Halftime
Well, the Sun are holding their own. Can't say I like Duncan going off for 24 and 12 in the first freakin' half, but Amare's not doing much worse than KT did. It seems that Marion's defense is wasted without Parker in the game, as his usually spectacular weakside help is irrelevant with TD going glass every time.
TC calls out the Suns' defense, which was good for a whole quarter. Diaw is the key to this game because he's the only guy SA can't defend in any way. He's too small for their bigs, too big for their guards, and his passing is tremendous in a half court game like this. He's off to a great start with 8-3-3, and I look for coach to use him a lot more in the secod half. LB's doing well compared to the playoffs, but he's missing too many open looks. Maybe the Spurs are still in his head, as a lot of his shots look short, which means he's rushing them.
The rebounding is atrocious. The Spurs are +8 overall, and +5 on the offensive glass. This is NOT a good rebounding team, but the Suns are actually worse. We've only seen Skynyr for 6 minutes, and that needs to change as well. Nash has yet to score, but he's got 5 assists. He needs to take a little better care of the ball, though, as he has 3 turnovers already. It's not like he's been hounded too badly. All the mistakes are easily fixed, and the team just needs to come out swinging in the third quarter. A little more defensive activity, and the Spurs won't know what hit them. The Suns are just a step slow, which tells me their energy is down. Figures.
Ginobili is almost nonexistent with his 2-9 shooting, and no one outside of Duncan is doing any real damage. Note to Shawn: Double fast and hard! Trust your teammates to rotate. If they don't, it's on them. There should be no reason the Suns lose this game if they just focus and play with some energy on the defensive end. Bottom line...slow Duncan a tad more, and this game is ours. He's the only one hurting us.
3rd Quarter
Nash shoots a tech for some reason. Oh neat. It was on Bowen. Hill misses, but let's keep an eye on Shawn off the ball. He's just kinda standing there. Good job by Nash with the hard double, then takes the charge. Stat blows the pass to Hill. Good idea, bad execution. Suns half court offense looks lazy, and Nash misses his patented sideways fall away. Duncan can't get position on Amare, but Vaughn hits. Hill goes in and hits again. Think he might have been useful last year? Amare lets Vaughn go by. At least he boxed out. Bell misses another three, and here we go again. Good man defense by Stat! Tries to score over TD. Seems he's about an inch too tall for that maneuver. Nash finally hits the net, and we're tied again. Marion faces up Horry hard, and there's a foul?
(7:18) More good D by Amare on TD. Nash's shot is way off. MARION HUSTLES and saves it to Nash. The Fresh Princess shoves Nash into Vaughn, and the refs screw him again. Duncan gets it alone inside, and Marion picks up another foul as he slaps the ball away. TD to the line. Odd no timeouts called so far. Duncan misses both.
(6:04) Shawn gets the rebound, but the refs disagree and call it out of bounds on him. Hill fouls before the ball is inbounded, and no one but the uni-colored zebras understands why. One of two for Knob, and Bell secures it. NICE!!! Hill slips the screen, and avoids the charge by dishing to Matrix for the dunk. Hill swipes it from Duncan, and the defense is picking up. Still missing open shots. Horry falls down, cries about it, and gets T'ed up.
QUIT CRYING YOU BIG BABY!!!
(5:57) Nash hits the freebie. Ugly sequence. This isn't pinball! Nice hustle by LB, though. Boris misses the open jumper, then stops the break. Time for some more brainwashing.
Is it just me, or has the game suddenly got really boring? Come on guys! Give me something to work with here! I'm not god or Michelangelo! I can't create a man out of clay!
Leander reminds us how old the Spurs are, and no one cares.
TD works on Diaw, who does a fine job according to me, not so much according to Jack Nies. Maybe he should watch for that forearm Duncan's throwing. Duncan breaks character and hits both.
(2:53) Geez. Moving screen on Marion. Balki scores through everyone, and Bowen finally gets busted for riding Nash. LB looks indecisive with the ball. Amazing how often the Spurs foul while the Suns aren't shooting. Nash drains the rainbow through the bucket, and we're only down by one. Nash stops Balki from making it to the whole, and Barry decides that it's easier to move the feet than take the hit. That's a blocking foul, Rick Junior! LB gives us the two point lead, then somehow Balki gets away with the goal tend. Diaw passes up a lane shot, but it was a good pass. Bell's three, however, was not so good. Barry makes them pay, then LB still can't shoot long. 65-65.
Suns are keeping it close in the third, which is better than previous match ups. But this is a Spurs team without Parker and TD's front court side kick, so this score should look a lot different. Credit the Spurs defense a little, but these are some open shots the Suns are missing. At this point, it's all in the head.
5-15 for the Suns, 6-13 for the Spurs. Yikes.
(1:58) Oberto taps Vaughn's miss to Hill, and we're in the red zone again. Skynyr's out there finally, LB HITS THE BUZZER BEATING THREE!!! Oh, look. Balki get's another late whistle, this time from Eric Lewis. Skynyr got nailed with a Balki elbow, and we're back in Donaghy territory. Two freebies, and the Spurs are down by 1, 68-67.
(1:03) Diaw gets the tip! I'm telling you, he is key to these match ups. Seems he prefers the tough ones. YES! Barry saves it to Leandro, and Finley doesn't give him room to land. Foul on the Finster, MEEP MEEP to the line. Let's hope he's cured his free throw ills. 2 for 2, and we're happy in Sunsland as the Suns push the lead to five.
Good defense on TD, and Barry takes and misses a 30 foot three ball. Suns rebound (YAY), and Hill hits another midrange jumper off the dribble. OMG!!! Vaughn finds a wide open Duncan, whose three inch vertical gets him stuffed by the rim...TWICE!!! Time runs out, and the Suns are up by seven going into the final frame. 74-67.
Some blonde bimbo who can't act for crap is excited. She gets to buy shoes AND gets free tickets to a Suns game. I wonder if complimentary binoculars and oxygen tank come with that.
I gotta say, I'm VERY disappointed in the advertisement selection on channel 45. It's like watching Nick at Nite for commercials. It's all about the rerun, baby.
4th Quarter
(9:00) We come back to Balki cutting the lead to five. Finley hits a lengthy three, and this could be interesting. LB makes his beautiful leaner in the lane. Man, I can see Ginobili's bald spot from here. No three for Barry, but he gets the deflection on Leandro's shot. Ugh. Great defense by Skynyr wasted as the ball rolls to Balki in the corner for three, and it's a one point game. That was dumb. Hill just throws his arm into Barry, and the ref has no choice but to call it. Someone has to box out Duncan. The guy can't jump, ya know. Hill drives and Vaughn picks up his fourth. 77-76 dipwads.
(7:47) Hill gets two free throws, and makes both to retake the lead. Skynyr does a great job keeping TD out of his comfort zone, and Marion picks up the miss. LB picks up a fade away, and the lead grows slightly. Skynyr gets schooled that time, and no one came to help. Diaw airs one out, and it may as well be a pass to Duncan. Pop takes no chances, but he does take a timeout. 80-79 Complacent bunch.
I'll be honest...I'm bored off my ass. THIS is Spurs basketball. I hope we don't meet them in the playoffs. Not because I think we'll lose (I don't), but because I can't stand watching this borefest. I'd rather watch frogs mating.
Oh, look, Balki knocks over Raja, but he's allowed. It's his world, ya know. Disgusting. DONAGHY!!!
Amare and LB both pass up open shots, and it seems that D'Antoni has a plan to post Diaw. Amare looks unhappy, but it's his own fault for hitting Duncan on the arms. Now if only that consistency went both ways. Amare's so upset about the last foul, he just stands there as Nash passes him the ball. Good thing the refs bailed him out, as Nash gets fouled on the pass. See what I mean about expendable, folks?
(3:20) LB hits a three, and I'm still bored. Diaw's the key. I'm telling you. He got that assist from the post. Stat rebounds Fabio's miss, but LB leaves the three about that many inches short. Can someone call a foul on San Antonio, please? Leandro didn't fall on his own, ya know. Nash decides that Amare isn't bringing it, so he scores on the screen and roll. Amare gets lost on the pick and roll, and Balki hits another three. Leandro's runner from the wing is a bit too strong, and Oberto picks up the air mail. Raja strips Balki, and we all hold our breath. Amare scores over Manu, and we're back up. Vaughn comes back with a three, and Mike D can't take it anymore. 88-87 Lunesta.
Honestly...who needs Nytol when we have the Spurs?
(1:55) Marion brings the ball up court. Nash drives the baseline and dishes around Duncan's back to Amare, who's promptly fouled on the dunk attempt. Still shouldn't have caused him to miss that one. Is it the knee? He hits one of two free tosses, and I'm fighting to stay awake. Hill blocks Duncan! Still asleep, though. Marion gets a second chance on that New Orleans shot, and it bounces, not once but twice and falls in. Duncan gets in low, but the refs decide that two travel calls on Duncan is a game limit. Instead, Marion gets called for reaching in. I dunno...maybe the head? They'll figure it out after the game when they review their calls and decide they were flawless, as usual. Somewhere, David Stern is smiling with his pants around his ankles, a bowl of cheetohs at his side, and a mysteriously orange penis. 90-88 Plasma Balls.
For those who are wondering, it's the offensive rebounding. The Suns are winning everything else (FREE THROW SHOOTING, TOO!!! I HAD NO IDEA!!!).
Duncan makes a couple of free throws in the clutch, and no one mistakes him for Shaq.
(39.8)OHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Nash dribbles and dribbles and dribbles, and suddenly finds Amare underneath and it's NASTY. Then SharkFin hits a three. Bowen looks like he just ate a lemon for breakfast after he's called for fouling Nash. I'd be surprised, too, if I were him. And of course, he draws the offensive foul on Amare. Weak call, but oh well. Amare pops the ball loose, Marion picks it up, a little movement as the break is broke, and Hill hits the open 15 footer. Nice. 94-93 US.
That's the scrappy defense the Suns are supposed to be known for. Let's keep that up, as we try and hold onto this lead. No...I repeat NO THREES AND NO FOULS!!!
PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE THAT ALL THAT IS HOLY IN THE CHURCH OF PURPLE AND ORANGE!!! PLAY SMART!!!
Replay shows a possible foul on that Amare dunk, but it's Duncan, and he's Christ incarnate. So sayeth the Stern, so sayeth the flock.
(17.4) Ginobili drives, throws it 40 feet in the air and hits. Amare gets the bucket on the other end, but it's waved off. Gee. I'm SOOOOO surprised. Funny how they call the foul quickly right there. I tend to agree with Thunder Dan on this one. He didn't dribble, he went straight up, and that's a continuation. They must have forgotten to send us the updated rulebook. Stat makes one to tie it. Then he makes the second for the lead, and Pocked-ovich wants to mull over his options. 96-95
(9.9) Amare's out for defensive purposes, which makes you wonder. Skynyr is on Duncan. Great movement by the Spurs, but the Suns movement is better. Bowen clanks the three, and Hill secures the rebound. Spurs foul immediately, and Hill goes to the line to prove his worth. Sure enough, Grant earns his veteran's minimum, and it's a three point game. Pop's got 20 to talk. 98-95
NO THREES!!! I RE-REPEAT!!! NO THREES!!!
And if you foul, make sure they don't hit the shot.
Yes, I'll admit. I jumped up and screamed when Hill got that rebound. I guess I'm awake now. OK...it was more of a yell a la YEAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! But it's all the same when there's no gravity.
Here we go. DEEWOW STEALS IT AND IS FOULED WITH NO ONE IN THE WAY!!!! A crappy free throw shooter, he sure did a number on the bald spot. Two freebies and the ball. Nice. He makes one of two, and they've got to get it to Nash.
So they do, and they call the ticky tack touch foul on Balki the Balding Flopperella. Nash is money from the line, as they say. I say he's ice fucking cold as he misses the second one. No matter, though. Suns win. 100-95.
Yes, that felt good, but we all know what everyone who hates us is going to say tomorrow. Time for another break (yes, typing at this fantastically furious pace is tiring in a strange heart attack way). Stay tuned for the post game, and some smart ass comments.
Postgame
Let the Spurs fan caveats begin. The Suns barely beat a short-handed Spurs team, and Duncan killed our front line, and we got waxed on the boards. OK. We've got that out of the way.
That last one is certainly a problem, as Nash was the leading rebounder for the Suns with 8 rebounds. He and Hill both outrebounded Marion and Stoudemire, which makes me question Stat's commitment to defense. He wandered around aimlessly most of the game, but still managed 3 blocks. He only took 9 shots, but made 6 of them for 17 points. That won't get it done in the playoffs. He was sulking about his five fouls most of the night, and he needs to get over it and just be the nasty freak of nature that he used to be, sore knees notwithstanding.
As I said earlier, Marion's defense is wasted in a game like this, as he has no one difficult to guard. His 6 rebounds might be excusable, considering the Spurs' penchant for hitting threes when Duncan is doubled. Without Parker to slow down, he's too far away most of the time to get any of those rebounds. Still, Grant Hill managed 7, and he was guarding Ginobili most of the night.
Leandro had a nice game, although he took far too many shots. I can't say that any of them were bad, though, as most were clean looks from all over the floor. He just needs to forget what happened in the playoffs and just do his thing. With MEEP MEEP, it's all about confidence.
I'm quite happy with Skynyr's minutes, though I think D'Antoni could find more than 6 per half. Come on...he was a defensive replacement for Stoudemire in the closing seconds. What does that tell you? I'm surpised to see that he only had 2 rebounds and one block, as I thought his defense was at least as good as Kurt Thomas'. Sooner or later, preferrably before April, Mike's going to have to figure out a way to work him in a few more minutes a half. Don't be afraid to bench Amare, coach, especially when he plays like he did tonight.
Now you know why we picked up Grant Hill. It was obvious from the start that this was going to be the Grant Hill show, as D'Antoni was probably as anxious as we were to see how he would help the team against these flaming douchebags. His 22 points, 3 assists, and 7 rebounds are a welcome upgrade over James Jones, who some people still inexplicably miss.
But the story of the game is Boris Diaw. 11 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, and one VERY BIG STEAL...you remember...it was the strip of Ginobili on the inbounds at the end of the game that secured the win. This is the thrid game in a row that he's shown why D'Antoni defends him every time he has a bad game. It's that versatility and basketball IQ that will prove instrumental in finally dethroning the Spurs this season. He took 11 shots to get those 11 points, but both are better than the 0-fer he's been bringing this season. He can do anything he wants against San Antonio because they simply have no way to defend him. In a series against this team, he should be the primary facilitator, since Nash will be lucky to see an open passing lane. The Suns have to slow the game down against San Antonio if their shots aren't falling, and Diaw's post play is pivotal for that to work. Tonight showed us how true that is.
That's it for tonight, as my wrists, fingers, and head are quite sore after not having done this in six months. Hopefully, I'll be in better shape on Wednesday, when we do this all over again for another "big" game against Dallas. The Suns will need to step up the energy level in order to win that game, but I won't complain, since the Spurs have a nasty habit of sucking the life out of anything that breathes. A tough win, to be sure, but it's a step in the right direction. This is a sign of things to come, folks. It may take a couple more months to put it all together, but this game showed us a lot of what this team can be come playoff time. Leandro's ability to break free for open looks is there. Grant Hill's midrange game is just what the doctor ordered. And Diaw will most certainly be DEEWOW in a series against the slowest, most boring, dirtiest team in the history of the NBA.
Thanks for following along, and don't forget to tell your friends about Wednesday night!
OK, folks. This is the first one of these neat-o mosquito in game play-by-play blogs of the season, and I can only hope that it's as enlightening and fun as the playoff entries I did. I doubt it, though, since no one really cares about the game (except the media, of course, with its general tendency to overhype every match up throughout the season). Yes, contrary to what they say, I have it on good authority that not a single fan in the entire Clockwork universe gives a rat's ass about a December game against the Spurs without Tony Parker. All we really care about is some energy, some offense, and a good, clean game, right? RIGHT?!
For those of you new to this format, I basically write down every significant play in as trite and succinct way as possible (there will be TONS of spelling errors, accidental homonyms, and other such grammatical inconsistencies, as I type as I watch and listen and have no time to go back and edit), hopefully adding a spot of humour and cynicism along the way. I log every minute of action, posting updates during every commercial break. This includes, but is not limited to pregame commentary, commentary on the game action, commentary, refereeing, coaching, commercials, and whatever odd thoughts may cross my mind during the game. If you're not a fan of questionable language and adult themes, I suggest you set your V-Chip to its Disneyland setting and let the adults have the room. Comments are welcome and encouraged, but I tend not to keep up with them, as this is not an easy task. The fun begins when Kevin Ray and Tom Chambers take the stage. Stay tuned...
For anyone having as much difficulty as I am getting a little psyched for this, here's something to consider...
Look at this video, then see if it jives with this quote...
"I'm from the old school. When I came in the league, during the playoffs, foul hard; no blood, no flagrant foul. It was just a hard foul. My intention was to take a charge, but I got there too late. Of course, when you've got 150 (pounds) meets 250, 150 is going to go flying. It's all good. You learn from it and move on"
Anyone who knows me knows my disdain for people who lie. It is with this in mind that I say, Robert Horry better not run into me on the streets of Phoenix. He will have no use for an athletic supporter after such an encounter. The discrepency between his words and his actions should offend anyone with an ounce of intelligence. More to come....
Pregame
OK, I love listening to TC. It sounds like he's bucking for a coaching gig with the Suns. HE GETS IT!!! Yes, Coach. Listen to the Gas Chambers' words! Get rough, get tough, and slap them lazy boys around when they're not performing!
Blah blah blah Leander talks and no one listens. TC keeps pushing the point, and hopefully D'Antoni is listening. No TP, but we got TD, and TC is always here for us. Oh, yay. Manu Ginobili gets the spotlight. I liked him a lot better when he was on "Perfect Strangers." Who knew Balki Bartokomous would grow up to be a key player on an NBA championship team? IMMIGRANTS RULE!!!
Great. The Gorilla reminds me of a nasty, filthy, disgusting habit that I just so happen to have. More after this break. Good...I don't want to listen to them talk about that rag. Farkin lying piece of shit on a stick.
I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome our old friends from The Official Clockwork Orange (and Purple) message board, as well as new friends from Bright Side and Planet Orange. Yes, we are all-inclusive on the ACOP game blog. The more the merrier, I always say when I need an audience.
My apologies to Dallin, I am NOT tobacco free at this moment, but it will happen some day.....yes, someday. For now, though, I am a slave to RJ Reynolds.
KIDS!!! DO NOT SMOKE!!! IT IS A TERRIBLE ADDICTION THAT YOU WILL REGRET YOUR ENTIRE LIFE!!! LISTEN TO THE GORILLA AND HIS GHETTO RAP!!!
The best thing about these games against the Anti-Alamo is that we get to relive the heartbreak and anger of that lame series that redefined "injustice" for everyone outside of San Antonio and Los Angeles. Nothing like a little sado-masochism to make a game worthwhile.
How does TC get sunburned in the middle of December? Or maybe he's just as ticked off watching those replays as we are? Whatever the case, the makeup department really dropped the ball here. At least he bringeth the wise words of a man who himself felt the heartbreak of coming oh so close.
TC's buzzer beaters: He speaks what all Suns fans feel -- BRING IT BORIS AND AMARE!!!
This Peter Piper Pizza commercial still smacks of edible erotica. Seriously...TEASE ME, CHEESE ME, WITH TOPPINGS THAT'LL PLEASE ME?!?!?! Is that how we want our kids to think of food? Interesting...I wonder what the relationship between fast food and cheap sex really is. Lord knows, I like a good spicy beef burrito after plantin' the ol' pipe as much as the next guy, but there are kids in that commercial.
LMMFAO!!! How perfect a choice is "Basketcase" here?
No, I don't have the time to listen to you whine, TD.
See what I mean about Leander? He doesn't even know that the Evil Empire resides in the Bronx. This is the Anti-Alamo, dontcha know?! Did Majerle just say Robert Whorey?
Paul Coro asked us today for our score predictions. I say 115-108 Suns. I can't even stand by that, really. Who knows what to expect with a missing player and an inconsistent team so far?
Oh, yay. Another lame "Where Amazing Happens" commercial. You know what's amazing? A game where you don't notice the referees. I'd pillow-smother a small child to see a game where the officials actually did a good job and didn't allow flopping.
1st Quarter
(10:23) Jump ball goes to Oberto. Finley can't handle Bell's smothering defense, and TD hits a hook. Hill fakes a three then drives half way for the long jumper. THE SHOTS MUST FALL!! Bowen misses badly, but somehow Duncan gets the put back. Hill lobs to Trix, and Vaughn forgets that you're not allowed to hold a guy to the ground. A miss by Hill, and the reboudning looks shabby so far. Duncan puts a great move to spin between Stat and Trix, but Marion taps the miss (HA!) to Nash who rewards his lightning quick wing with the Oop on the other end. Pop doesn't like it too much, and he scolds the kids in white.
(7:09) Back to TD in the post again, and the double comes quickly. Too bad their ball movement is spot on, as is Vaughn's three. Shawn misses, but Duncan doesn't. FINALLY a rebound. And another! Two offensive rebounds in a row, now if we just didn't need those. And Stat hits the inside shot. Nice. Oh look. TD in the post again. Why do they keep leaving Vaughn open? Hill misses again, and the shooting looks like crap. For us anyway, as Duncan hits again. BELL FOR THREE!!!! Finally the Spurs miss, and Stat and Trix fight for it. TD rebounds, but Trix swipes it. Ugh. Pass for Marion goes through his hands and into Vaughn's. GET THAT SHIT OUTTA HERE!!! Bell blows the fast break layup. At least the ref has a functioning whistle.
(6:25) Raja gets the free throws, and it's only a one point game. That's good, but it needs to be more. Tim takes a breather, and here comes the punk bitch. G-Knob slips but still hits it. Hill's midrange game might prove useful with SA's three point defense. These guys run out so much, all it takes is a three step dribble to get a clean shot. I hope LB is taking notes. Unlike Mike, Pop doesn't seem to like this development and asks his guys to step into a circle for a bit of a chat. A clipboard and high pitched voice seems to be involved. 14-13 Bad guys.
(2:58) Diaw and LB step onto the court, and Ginobili can't take advantage. Boris is true blue from the top of the key! Good to see him take the open look. Oberto gets an open look, but misses badly. There goes Diaw again! COME ON, FREN-JE!!! Manu pushes himself into Bell, and the ref doesn't like Bell's physical abuse. Oberto forgets that Marion is a good defender and loses it out of bounds. Suns offense looks fluid with LB and Diaw, but shots still aren't falling. The rebounding has GOT to change. Oh good, Oberto saves the Suns the trouble by hitting his shot. Bell misses from three. OLE! Says Vaughn as he blows by Leandro. Oh, great. Punk Boy blocks LB's ill advised lay up attempt. USE THE RIM, LITTLE MAN!!! NO SOUP FOR MANU!!! Boris breaks down Oberto, and Marion's three rocks the net. Jacque Cousteau gets his second foul pushing Bell out of bounds on the baseline. A turnover is a turnover. Bell back to the line as he goes for the lane shot. The TV wants to sell us something, so we look for a new beer. Suns up 20-18.
I don't know what to think about htree aging Cindy Crawfords struttin' to Kylie Minogue. Forget keeping her out of my mind. I can't even get her in there. I likes 'em young, I does. More pie. There's that food and sex link again.
HI ROBBY!!!
Yes, Tom. We're well aware of the similarities between Punk Boy and the Fresh Prince. We hadn't heard it in 14 years, so thanks for reminding us. Bell hits the first, and then the second. Four points is the lead.
TD 's back and misses his patented glass hook thing, and somehow gets it back and a foul for good measure. Good thing he sucks at the line. Bad thing the Suns keep missing. Amare plays good defense for all but two steps, and Duncan hits with two minutes to go. Amare misses the key jumper. He needs to drive on Duncan. Oh, shock. Another O rebound. Not that time. Hill streaks on the break and makes the lay in on the change of direction. Thanks, Dan, for your wonderful analysis. It helps me keep up as I stare at the keyboard when I type. Hill hits another one, and we have a six point lead. LB fouls Barry for some odd reason. That was a beautiful move by Hill, I must say. OHHHH!!! Stat says GET THAT SHIZZLE OUTA HIZZLE!!! Another missed three, and SA gets the last shot. 26-20 Suns Side of the Phorce.
HAHAHAHAHA!!! Horry forgets that there's a clock running, and launches a shot about a minute too late, to the dismay of Spurs fans who STILL believe that rules do not apply to them.
2nd Quarter
(11:05) Back to the action, and Grant stays aggressive. Gee...I wonder if D'Antoni's testing his theory that Hill's game would have put us over the top last season. He makes both. OMG DUNCAN GETS CALLED FOR THE TRAVEL!!! THEY'RE RIGHT!!! AMAZING HAPPENED!!! Diaw finds Hill, and he's on a personal 10 point run. Stat holding firm against TD, but Trix a little late and gets the whistle. Duncan to the line for two. 30-20 Us.
(8:42) He actually made them. Darn. YES!!! DEEWOW!!! Spin move and reversal!!! Oops. Marion doesn't bite the first fake, but he does the second. Finley scores. Suns miss, and Leander informs us that Finley has WAY more money than all of us combined. Diaw sets up LB just inside the arc. Bad angle, bad shot. Stat blocks Duncan, but then no one helps by grabbing the damn ball. LB hits the long range, and all's right in Brazil. Here we go. Things really have settled down with LB and Diaw, but LB misses again. Took them long enough to call that travel on Finley. Never mind. It was an O-foul on O-berto. Even better. Here comes the beer, pie, and sex again. 35-28 Clockwork.
Interesting note...the Suns are holding SA to less than 43% from the field while shooting better than 48%. Keep that up, and this will be a blowout. No horny trio, but we got the Room Store with a Harlem Globetrotter. Nice change of pace.
(6:56) Never mind. Slow box score. Suns are over 46%, and Spurs under 42%. Still good. Stat gets his second, and Leander is excited as all hell. Someone REALLY needs to tell the Spurs what a Red Rocket is. Now the dog wiener hits a three. TD rejects BJ. Red Rocket (Matt Boner?) misses, but Marion tips it out of bounds. Finley travels and hits. Whistle? Better not call it on Marion. SKYNYR!!!! A nice surprise he's been. Somehow TD scores on Nash. Stat gets a dunk finally, and one. Good head fake for our Saviour. 41-35 Suns.
(6:22) Stat makes it an old fashioned three ball, and it's back to seven. Skynyr guards Duncan well, but somehow the Suns get called for a D-3? I didn't see who was in there, but someone better be aware of those little white lines. YES!!! SKYNTASTIC WITH THE BLOCK ON DUNCAN!!! Hill tries to go through Vaughn instead of around or over him. Time out for some odd reason. 42-36 Suns.
How did Wile E. Coyote get a job in San Antonio? Don't they know his work history?
Bonner schools Amare from the corner, and Hill tries a little too hard to help. marion's defense wasted on Finley, and Duncan scores over Amare. BJ did his job, though. Nash lets it go out of bounds. Weird sequence. Amare covers Bowen on the wing, and Skynyr comes to double? It goes around the horn, and another three. Diaw and LB coming back in. That's a good idea, since they got us the lead to begin with. Skynyr hits again. KT who? Good job Nash! Bonner pushed his arm out, and Nash went the other way. But Diaw wastes the effort with a good miss. SKynyr kinda misses that open look, but he's earned a pass. Um...what just happened? Nash to Diaw, then his pass just kinda dribbled out of bounds? No one touched it? Really?
(2:50) Tie game as Bell loses G-Knob on the back door. Bowen gets to know Skynyr intimately and gets popped for the foul. Nash turns it over again. Give it to Diaw on the elbow, Mike. Manu misses badly after he falls backwards for no reason, and we got our first Donaghy whistle. Maybe he was whistling his next foul? Time for more corporate manipulation of our brains. 44 all.
Note to self: Do not get future daughter a pony. She wants a cell phone. Yeah...like I'm going to trust a teenage girl with a device that charges for every minute she opens her mouth to her friends. Replay shows that the whistle was called only when Amare secured the rebound, as Knob takes the stripe.
(1:37) Suddenly, the Spurs are hitting 49% to the Suns' 48%. Diaw posts Finley, and the ball finds LB just in time for him to miss the three. Diaw rebounds the other end. Then spins, dishes to Amare who gets the bucket and foul. Number three for Fabio. I gotta say, I'm liking what I'm seeing from Le Boris tonight. This is good. Very good. Amaremisses the freebie, but we're tied until TD goes glass yet again. 22 in the first half? Are you serious?! Amare gets hit on the other end, and it's two for him.
One of two for Stat, and his career FT% continues to dwindle. Good call! TD walks again! He's made a career out of that shuffle step, and he ain't getting away with it tonight. Imagine if TP were in there. Diaw slips and slides and scores easily. Suns regain the lead with under a minute. Then Duncan does it again. Bell drives in, and things are looking good. The idea, though, is to come out strong in the third. Nash rebounds Knob's miss, and Diaw misses the last shot. Check it out y'all. Suns lead 51-50 going into the half. Stay tuned for the half time report. Jey needs a break!
Halftime
Well, the Sun are holding their own. Can't say I like Duncan going off for 24 and 12 in the first freakin' half, but Amare's not doing much worse than KT did. It seems that Marion's defense is wasted without Parker in the game, as his usually spectacular weakside help is irrelevant with TD going glass every time.
TC calls out the Suns' defense, which was good for a whole quarter. Diaw is the key to this game because he's the only guy SA can't defend in any way. He's too small for their bigs, too big for their guards, and his passing is tremendous in a half court game like this. He's off to a great start with 8-3-3, and I look for coach to use him a lot more in the secod half. LB's doing well compared to the playoffs, but he's missing too many open looks. Maybe the Spurs are still in his head, as a lot of his shots look short, which means he's rushing them.
The rebounding is atrocious. The Spurs are +8 overall, and +5 on the offensive glass. This is NOT a good rebounding team, but the Suns are actually worse. We've only seen Skynyr for 6 minutes, and that needs to change as well. Nash has yet to score, but he's got 5 assists. He needs to take a little better care of the ball, though, as he has 3 turnovers already. It's not like he's been hounded too badly. All the mistakes are easily fixed, and the team just needs to come out swinging in the third quarter. A little more defensive activity, and the Spurs won't know what hit them. The Suns are just a step slow, which tells me their energy is down. Figures.
Ginobili is almost nonexistent with his 2-9 shooting, and no one outside of Duncan is doing any real damage. Note to Shawn: Double fast and hard! Trust your teammates to rotate. If they don't, it's on them. There should be no reason the Suns lose this game if they just focus and play with some energy on the defensive end. Bottom line...slow Duncan a tad more, and this game is ours. He's the only one hurting us.
3rd Quarter
Nash shoots a tech for some reason. Oh neat. It was on Bowen. Hill misses, but let's keep an eye on Shawn off the ball. He's just kinda standing there. Good job by Nash with the hard double, then takes the charge. Stat blows the pass to Hill. Good idea, bad execution. Suns half court offense looks lazy, and Nash misses his patented sideways fall away. Duncan can't get position on Amare, but Vaughn hits. Hill goes in and hits again. Think he might have been useful last year? Amare lets Vaughn go by. At least he boxed out. Bell misses another three, and here we go again. Good man defense by Stat! Tries to score over TD. Seems he's about an inch too tall for that maneuver. Nash finally hits the net, and we're tied again. Marion faces up Horry hard, and there's a foul?
(7:18) More good D by Amare on TD. Nash's shot is way off. MARION HUSTLES and saves it to Nash. The Fresh Princess shoves Nash into Vaughn, and the refs screw him again. Duncan gets it alone inside, and Marion picks up another foul as he slaps the ball away. TD to the line. Odd no timeouts called so far. Duncan misses both.
(6:04) Shawn gets the rebound, but the refs disagree and call it out of bounds on him. Hill fouls before the ball is inbounded, and no one but the uni-colored zebras understands why. One of two for Knob, and Bell secures it. NICE!!! Hill slips the screen, and avoids the charge by dishing to Matrix for the dunk. Hill swipes it from Duncan, and the defense is picking up. Still missing open shots. Horry falls down, cries about it, and gets T'ed up.
QUIT CRYING YOU BIG BABY!!!
(5:57) Nash hits the freebie. Ugly sequence. This isn't pinball! Nice hustle by LB, though. Boris misses the open jumper, then stops the break. Time for some more brainwashing.
Is it just me, or has the game suddenly got really boring? Come on guys! Give me something to work with here! I'm not god or Michelangelo! I can't create a man out of clay!
Leander reminds us how old the Spurs are, and no one cares.
TD works on Diaw, who does a fine job according to me, not so much according to Jack Nies. Maybe he should watch for that forearm Duncan's throwing. Duncan breaks character and hits both.
(2:53) Geez. Moving screen on Marion. Balki scores through everyone, and Bowen finally gets busted for riding Nash. LB looks indecisive with the ball. Amazing how often the Spurs foul while the Suns aren't shooting. Nash drains the rainbow through the bucket, and we're only down by one. Nash stops Balki from making it to the whole, and Barry decides that it's easier to move the feet than take the hit. That's a blocking foul, Rick Junior! LB gives us the two point lead, then somehow Balki gets away with the goal tend. Diaw passes up a lane shot, but it was a good pass. Bell's three, however, was not so good. Barry makes them pay, then LB still can't shoot long. 65-65.
Suns are keeping it close in the third, which is better than previous match ups. But this is a Spurs team without Parker and TD's front court side kick, so this score should look a lot different. Credit the Spurs defense a little, but these are some open shots the Suns are missing. At this point, it's all in the head.
5-15 for the Suns, 6-13 for the Spurs. Yikes.
(1:58) Oberto taps Vaughn's miss to Hill, and we're in the red zone again. Skynyr's out there finally, LB HITS THE BUZZER BEATING THREE!!! Oh, look. Balki get's another late whistle, this time from Eric Lewis. Skynyr got nailed with a Balki elbow, and we're back in Donaghy territory. Two freebies, and the Spurs are down by 1, 68-67.
(1:03) Diaw gets the tip! I'm telling you, he is key to these match ups. Seems he prefers the tough ones. YES! Barry saves it to Leandro, and Finley doesn't give him room to land. Foul on the Finster, MEEP MEEP to the line. Let's hope he's cured his free throw ills. 2 for 2, and we're happy in Sunsland as the Suns push the lead to five.
Good defense on TD, and Barry takes and misses a 30 foot three ball. Suns rebound (YAY), and Hill hits another midrange jumper off the dribble. OMG!!! Vaughn finds a wide open Duncan, whose three inch vertical gets him stuffed by the rim...TWICE!!! Time runs out, and the Suns are up by seven going into the final frame. 74-67.
Some blonde bimbo who can't act for crap is excited. She gets to buy shoes AND gets free tickets to a Suns game. I wonder if complimentary binoculars and oxygen tank come with that.
I gotta say, I'm VERY disappointed in the advertisement selection on channel 45. It's like watching Nick at Nite for commercials. It's all about the rerun, baby.
4th Quarter
(9:00) We come back to Balki cutting the lead to five. Finley hits a lengthy three, and this could be interesting. LB makes his beautiful leaner in the lane. Man, I can see Ginobili's bald spot from here. No three for Barry, but he gets the deflection on Leandro's shot. Ugh. Great defense by Skynyr wasted as the ball rolls to Balki in the corner for three, and it's a one point game. That was dumb. Hill just throws his arm into Barry, and the ref has no choice but to call it. Someone has to box out Duncan. The guy can't jump, ya know. Hill drives and Vaughn picks up his fourth. 77-76 dipwads.
(7:47) Hill gets two free throws, and makes both to retake the lead. Skynyr does a great job keeping TD out of his comfort zone, and Marion picks up the miss. LB picks up a fade away, and the lead grows slightly. Skynyr gets schooled that time, and no one came to help. Diaw airs one out, and it may as well be a pass to Duncan. Pop takes no chances, but he does take a timeout. 80-79 Complacent bunch.
I'll be honest...I'm bored off my ass. THIS is Spurs basketball. I hope we don't meet them in the playoffs. Not because I think we'll lose (I don't), but because I can't stand watching this borefest. I'd rather watch frogs mating.
Oh, look, Balki knocks over Raja, but he's allowed. It's his world, ya know. Disgusting. DONAGHY!!!
Amare and LB both pass up open shots, and it seems that D'Antoni has a plan to post Diaw. Amare looks unhappy, but it's his own fault for hitting Duncan on the arms. Now if only that consistency went both ways. Amare's so upset about the last foul, he just stands there as Nash passes him the ball. Good thing the refs bailed him out, as Nash gets fouled on the pass. See what I mean about expendable, folks?
(3:20) LB hits a three, and I'm still bored. Diaw's the key. I'm telling you. He got that assist from the post. Stat rebounds Fabio's miss, but LB leaves the three about that many inches short. Can someone call a foul on San Antonio, please? Leandro didn't fall on his own, ya know. Nash decides that Amare isn't bringing it, so he scores on the screen and roll. Amare gets lost on the pick and roll, and Balki hits another three. Leandro's runner from the wing is a bit too strong, and Oberto picks up the air mail. Raja strips Balki, and we all hold our breath. Amare scores over Manu, and we're back up. Vaughn comes back with a three, and Mike D can't take it anymore. 88-87 Lunesta.
Honestly...who needs Nytol when we have the Spurs?
(1:55) Marion brings the ball up court. Nash drives the baseline and dishes around Duncan's back to Amare, who's promptly fouled on the dunk attempt. Still shouldn't have caused him to miss that one. Is it the knee? He hits one of two free tosses, and I'm fighting to stay awake. Hill blocks Duncan! Still asleep, though. Marion gets a second chance on that New Orleans shot, and it bounces, not once but twice and falls in. Duncan gets in low, but the refs decide that two travel calls on Duncan is a game limit. Instead, Marion gets called for reaching in. I dunno...maybe the head? They'll figure it out after the game when they review their calls and decide they were flawless, as usual. Somewhere, David Stern is smiling with his pants around his ankles, a bowl of cheetohs at his side, and a mysteriously orange penis. 90-88 Plasma Balls.
For those who are wondering, it's the offensive rebounding. The Suns are winning everything else (FREE THROW SHOOTING, TOO!!! I HAD NO IDEA!!!).
Duncan makes a couple of free throws in the clutch, and no one mistakes him for Shaq.
(39.8)OHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Nash dribbles and dribbles and dribbles, and suddenly finds Amare underneath and it's NASTY. Then SharkFin hits a three. Bowen looks like he just ate a lemon for breakfast after he's called for fouling Nash. I'd be surprised, too, if I were him. And of course, he draws the offensive foul on Amare. Weak call, but oh well. Amare pops the ball loose, Marion picks it up, a little movement as the break is broke, and Hill hits the open 15 footer. Nice. 94-93 US.
That's the scrappy defense the Suns are supposed to be known for. Let's keep that up, as we try and hold onto this lead. No...I repeat NO THREES AND NO FOULS!!!
PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE THAT ALL THAT IS HOLY IN THE CHURCH OF PURPLE AND ORANGE!!! PLAY SMART!!!
Replay shows a possible foul on that Amare dunk, but it's Duncan, and he's Christ incarnate. So sayeth the Stern, so sayeth the flock.
(17.4) Ginobili drives, throws it 40 feet in the air and hits. Amare gets the bucket on the other end, but it's waved off. Gee. I'm SOOOOO surprised. Funny how they call the foul quickly right there. I tend to agree with Thunder Dan on this one. He didn't dribble, he went straight up, and that's a continuation. They must have forgotten to send us the updated rulebook. Stat makes one to tie it. Then he makes the second for the lead, and Pocked-ovich wants to mull over his options. 96-95
(9.9) Amare's out for defensive purposes, which makes you wonder. Skynyr is on Duncan. Great movement by the Spurs, but the Suns movement is better. Bowen clanks the three, and Hill secures the rebound. Spurs foul immediately, and Hill goes to the line to prove his worth. Sure enough, Grant earns his veteran's minimum, and it's a three point game. Pop's got 20 to talk. 98-95
NO THREES!!! I RE-REPEAT!!! NO THREES!!!
And if you foul, make sure they don't hit the shot.
Yes, I'll admit. I jumped up and screamed when Hill got that rebound. I guess I'm awake now. OK...it was more of a yell a la YEAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! But it's all the same when there's no gravity.
Here we go. DEEWOW STEALS IT AND IS FOULED WITH NO ONE IN THE WAY!!!! A crappy free throw shooter, he sure did a number on the bald spot. Two freebies and the ball. Nice. He makes one of two, and they've got to get it to Nash.
So they do, and they call the ticky tack touch foul on Balki the Balding Flopperella. Nash is money from the line, as they say. I say he's ice fucking cold as he misses the second one. No matter, though. Suns win. 100-95.
Yes, that felt good, but we all know what everyone who hates us is going to say tomorrow. Time for another break (yes, typing at this fantastically furious pace is tiring in a strange heart attack way). Stay tuned for the post game, and some smart ass comments.
Postgame
Let the Spurs fan caveats begin. The Suns barely beat a short-handed Spurs team, and Duncan killed our front line, and we got waxed on the boards. OK. We've got that out of the way.
That last one is certainly a problem, as Nash was the leading rebounder for the Suns with 8 rebounds. He and Hill both outrebounded Marion and Stoudemire, which makes me question Stat's commitment to defense. He wandered around aimlessly most of the game, but still managed 3 blocks. He only took 9 shots, but made 6 of them for 17 points. That won't get it done in the playoffs. He was sulking about his five fouls most of the night, and he needs to get over it and just be the nasty freak of nature that he used to be, sore knees notwithstanding.
As I said earlier, Marion's defense is wasted in a game like this, as he has no one difficult to guard. His 6 rebounds might be excusable, considering the Spurs' penchant for hitting threes when Duncan is doubled. Without Parker to slow down, he's too far away most of the time to get any of those rebounds. Still, Grant Hill managed 7, and he was guarding Ginobili most of the night.
Leandro had a nice game, although he took far too many shots. I can't say that any of them were bad, though, as most were clean looks from all over the floor. He just needs to forget what happened in the playoffs and just do his thing. With MEEP MEEP, it's all about confidence.
I'm quite happy with Skynyr's minutes, though I think D'Antoni could find more than 6 per half. Come on...he was a defensive replacement for Stoudemire in the closing seconds. What does that tell you? I'm surpised to see that he only had 2 rebounds and one block, as I thought his defense was at least as good as Kurt Thomas'. Sooner or later, preferrably before April, Mike's going to have to figure out a way to work him in a few more minutes a half. Don't be afraid to bench Amare, coach, especially when he plays like he did tonight.
Now you know why we picked up Grant Hill. It was obvious from the start that this was going to be the Grant Hill show, as D'Antoni was probably as anxious as we were to see how he would help the team against these flaming douchebags. His 22 points, 3 assists, and 7 rebounds are a welcome upgrade over James Jones, who some people still inexplicably miss.
But the story of the game is Boris Diaw. 11 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, and one VERY BIG STEAL...you remember...it was the strip of Ginobili on the inbounds at the end of the game that secured the win. This is the thrid game in a row that he's shown why D'Antoni defends him every time he has a bad game. It's that versatility and basketball IQ that will prove instrumental in finally dethroning the Spurs this season. He took 11 shots to get those 11 points, but both are better than the 0-fer he's been bringing this season. He can do anything he wants against San Antonio because they simply have no way to defend him. In a series against this team, he should be the primary facilitator, since Nash will be lucky to see an open passing lane. The Suns have to slow the game down against San Antonio if their shots aren't falling, and Diaw's post play is pivotal for that to work. Tonight showed us how true that is.
That's it for tonight, as my wrists, fingers, and head are quite sore after not having done this in six months. Hopefully, I'll be in better shape on Wednesday, when we do this all over again for another "big" game against Dallas. The Suns will need to step up the energy level in order to win that game, but I won't complain, since the Spurs have a nasty habit of sucking the life out of anything that breathes. A tough win, to be sure, but it's a step in the right direction. This is a sign of things to come, folks. It may take a couple more months to put it all together, but this game showed us a lot of what this team can be come playoff time. Leandro's ability to break free for open looks is there. Grant Hill's midrange game is just what the doctor ordered. And Diaw will most certainly be DEEWOW in a series against the slowest, most boring, dirtiest team in the history of the NBA.
Thanks for following along, and don't forget to tell your friends about Wednesday night!
December 14, 2007
Panic Attack
[W]here are all the people who said 'It’s OK if you lose some games early? Don’t work them too hard, don’t turn the screws too hard early.’ Where did those people go?
- Mike D'Antoni
Where, indeed.
They are on message boards and blogs, in living rooms and bar rooms, watching from afar - their words muted by the much louder (hence more influential) voices of the valley's B and C reporters' (Bickley, Bordow, Boivin, and Brown; Coro) perception that there is panic in the streets of Sunsland.
Do these people really represent the beliefs of Suns fans? Sure, there are fans wandering through the season in a haze of a 40-year title drought, and their nerves stand on the thinnest of precipices with the lingering memory of three straight playoff disappointments. There are also those out there who have written off the season long before it even started, wondering how the Suns can win it all in a league so oblivious to its own shortcomings (see: Donaghy, Tim; Stern, David; justice, in). These are the fans who see any sign of failure as justification of their beliefs that the Suns cannot and will not win a title, even in a hypothetical two-team league.
The purpose of the media is two-fold.
1. Question and critique the status quo that precipitates from powers standing on high cliffs overlooking the valley throngs. It is meant to challenge any person or conglomeration who attempts to usurp the freedom of the people for the benefit of personal gain. Unfortunately, the media itself is equipped with the same flaws and weaknesses as any human being on Clockwork earth, and tend to be open to manipulation (see: Iraq, War in; News, Fox).
2. Document history and tie historical events to modern times. The media serves as a recording device that prevents our past from washing away with the passage of time. It is imperfect, to be sure, as the documentarians are human beings who bring their own biases and points of view to these events, but the general idea is that not all of them share the same views with each other. The assumption is that biases balance themselves into something close to objective fact (see: history, revisionist).
Now, the very act of writing and posting my thoughts publicly places me in the pantheon of social, political, and cultural critics and historical human TiVos that have been largely responsible for shaping the attitudes and beliefs of our society as a whole, however small a part I may play. I speak not as loudly as the voices that Mike D'Antoni and his players most often hear, but certainly louder than anyone in a bar room, living room, or break room (by virtue of a larger potential audience). It's a strange place to find oneself, both speaking to and representing two sides at once.
So who's panicking?
Although some members of the media will take the slightest ripple in the tidal pool as evidence of an approaching tsunami (Dan Bickley and Paola Boivin), at least one (Paul Coro) has actually begun taking the time to step back and listen to concerns of the fans who haven't been loud enough for D'Antoni and Marion's ears. I guess that's the difference between a columnist and a beat writer - one's job is to relate the ongoing story line of failure and disappointment, the other's is to put it into a more current perspective. Both are valuable, and both are valid.
Someone is listening to the wrong story.
Taking a more critical look at D'Antoni's question, I would say that he was questioning the media as much as he was the fans. After all, those people didn't drop off the face of the earth, nor did every single one of them do an about-face and join the bandwagon of freak-outs and cliff-jumpers. There have been no reports of mass spontaneous combustion.
We are right here, Coach. We are with you all the way. We understand that losses and losing streaks will happen. We still don't care about the team's record through 23 games of the season. Our concerns have either not been represented adequately, or they have been completely misrepresented in the name of sales and marketing.
How do I know?
I talk to them every day on message boards, in their living rooms, in bar rooms and break rooms. I am one of them.
Here is what we, the shielded masses, care about:
1. Defensive energy.
As far as I know, no one cares about consecutive losses. Games like the one in Minnesota happen, and we understand tired legs, aching backs, and flu-like symptoms. It was just the loss at home against Miami that bothered us. The guys had a day off, they got to sleep in their own beds and spend time with their families. They got to play in front of the home crowd - even though most of the lower bowl is empty at the start of EVERY third quarter. Yes, Shaq and Zo are huge. But they were on the second half of a back-to-back at the end of a long Western road trip. Our boys let us down by not putting forth the necessary energy on the defensive end to take the Heat out quickly and soundly.
It wasn't "just another loss" to us. It was an inexcusable loss, and one that points to an historical pattern of early season malaise that seems to show up throughout the season. We don't want to see that after three playoff disappointments, simple as that. It's not so much about looking ahead. It's about looking back.
2. Boris Diaw.
Seriously...what gives? One day he's right there with us, and then he's gone for two weeks. We don't like hearing the coach say that "he's fine" and that "he'll come around." We don't want to hear D'Antoni blame himself for not playing him enough or for shuffling him around. That's his own fault, not the coach's.
Boris proved to us against the Jazz that he is more than capable of finding his way in the Suns offense with Amare Stoudemire and Grant Hill in the lineup. He played well next to Amare against the Jazz in the fourth quarter, picking his spots to score and dish to near perfection. Like you, Coach, we don't care about his numbers. We care about his performance beyond the numbers. When Diaw chooses his spots like he did in that game, this team (in our completely unbiased and objective opinion, of course) is unbeatable, plain and simple.
(In all fairness, I must say that I was thoroughly impressed with every minute of Diaw's performance against the Jazz...if I hadn't made that clear already. One was quite pleased.)
3. Where's the bench?
I've given up on even caring about the bench anymore. In all honesty, I prefer seeing the top seven or eight players on the court an entire game. I don't like seeing constant stops-in-play and rotation shuffles. I'm in complete agreement with D'Antoni's philosophy here.
I would, however, like to see these guys get a chance when others are struggling. In baseball, position players get a day off every once in a while to keep themselves fresh later in the season. Their substitutes come in and do an adequate job of filling in, then it's back to normal the next day. The baseball season is almost twice as long as the NBA season, so that is not a practical practice.
But if Leandro is under the weather or his shooting elbow is hurting him, or if Raja has a bad tendinitis flare-up, what's the harm in bringing in DJ Strawberry or Marcus Banks for an eight to ten minute stretch? As we saw against the Jazz, Steve Nash and Shawn Marion are capable of carrying the team offensively so long as the defense does its job. I can't see how DJ would be a liability here, especially when the team was 4-17 from the three point arc anyway. And wouldn't a Sean Marks sighting do a number on Diaw if he decides to revert to his passive ways for a two week stretch? None could have been worse in the showing against the Heat, that's for sure.
I don't know. I'm just sayin'.
We understand that the team is going to lose games. It is not impossible to win all 82, but it has never been done before, and there is no expectation that it ever will happen. No reasonable fan is panicking at this point of the season. Really, is there ever an appropriate time to panic? Probably not, but December hardly would qualify if there were. All that any fan of this team wants to see is consistent effort to try and win, and consistent (read: HIGH) energy on defense. Sure, the season is a grind, but that is no reason to take a night off.
Mike, Shawn, Steve - please stop reading the paper. If you get curious and feel an insatiable desire to commit an exercise of self-torture, try to remember this one thing: What you read is not the whole story.
Update: Nash reflects these feelings perfectly when discussing Marion's energy in the Jazz game.
We've got to play with that energy and intensity we played with against everybody. It made the game fun. It made us feel like a team. It made us feel like we could do some things, and we have a future, so it was nice.
Win or lose, that is all we ask. Win or lose, that was fun. Win or lose, just play.
December 12, 2007
Pride
(Rated R for language, adult themes, and mild sexual content.)
Can someone explain to me how, a month ago, the team could complain about the fans in the building, then come back home after a long road trip and lay THAT egg on them? And then say "no big deal"?!?! Do these guys really think they're playing for themselves? Is Nash the ONLY one who gets it?
Steve Kerr needs to step down from his office, quit having meetings with management, walk onto that practice court, and reintroduce himself to his team.
"Hi. I'm Steve Kerr. I own five...that's FIVE championship rings. I've played next to the greatest player in the history of the game. He punched my lights out in practice, but he was still my brother in arms. I played next to the greatest power forward in the game, as well as one of the greatest role players and greatest centers. I was also on a team that won an NBA record 72 god damn games! Ya know why we won that many god damn games?
Because we expected to win every time we stepped onto the court. That included the regular season AND playoffs. We made no excuses for losing. We did not accept losses as part of the natural order. We took losses personally, as something WE did wrong, and we corrected them really fucking fast. Other teams may have played great against us, but we were better 87 times, and nobody...NOBODY questioned our heart, our fire, and our dominance.
*whips out his diamond-encrusted gold hardware*
See these? These are my CHAMPIONSHIP rings. I have FIVE. Everyone pull theirs out and show them to me.
*everyone looks around and down at the floor, except Steve Nash and Grant Hill, who both look square into Kerr's eyes*
I didn't think so.
Next time I hear someone say it's a long season, I'm gonna fine you $25000.
*Amare, Shawn, and Boris all clutch their wallets*
Next time I hear anyone say, "they're a great team," another twenty five grand. And the next time you let someone come into OUR house and walk all over you, you'll be suspended without pay one game for every ring I'm holding right now.
Have some fucking pride.
*Boris hides in his locker*
I don't care if it's Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Larry Bird walking onto that floor in their primes. If you don't play them with every ounce of your very being the entire time you're on that court, you're gonna be watching the next five games from the visitor's locker room.
I'm Steve Kerr, and I'm an NBA Champion."
Ya know? Just once, I'd like to hear that someone reminded these guys what it means to be a champion.
They've been through the fire. Instead of tempered steel, we've got charcoal. Instead of a bunch of pissed off players with a huge collective chip on their shoulders, we've got this...
"It's y'all overreacting,"
"We just got to take one game at a time. Y'all be going ballistic when we lose. Like we can't lose games or something. I don't understand it. You can't expect a team to win every game. This is the NBA. People do have good teams."
“Sometimes you all think we can’t lose. It’s just the regular season. It’s a long regular season. We have ups and we have downs.”
"What are we, 16-6? The third-best record in the league? Y'all are blowing it out of proportion. I'm reading that shit in the paper, going, 'Wow.' I’m like 'What is that?’ We ain’t Superman. That game's over with. We lost. Deal with it. Suck it up. We play the Utah Jazz tomorrow night, that's who we got to think about right now."
(Shawn Marion quoted on azcentral and eastvalleytribune)
...and this...
“They did a good job, they had some timely baskets and some timely stops. It’s how you play the game, it doesn’t matter what the records are, you go out there and you play and they were the better team tonight.”
-- Raja Bell
“I don’t think so, I just think we need to have a little more activity. We just have to focus in a little bit more, and I think that’s about it. It is definitely a situation I think we can correct. We’ll see what we can do tomorrow in practice and go from there.”
-- Amare Stoudemire
“We are just not fast to the ball, we are not getting in to people. No legs, somebody had the flu or whatever, but we will cure that. We will get back. And when they are scoring all these points it puts so much pressure on the offense. And then I thought we looked jittery. Although we had nice moments, but 17 point third quarter. Just a little bit out of sync.”
--Coach Mike D'Antoni
(From suns.com post game quotes)
Honestly, does that sound like a team working on building a championship season?
Third best record is good enough? Telling the media (vicariously the fans) to deal with it? Someone else was better? We'll see?
A quick question for our coach - remember the last time Michael Jordan played with the flu? I do. He walked away with another ring.
Of course, I realize that I'm being hypercritical, and that things probably will work out just fine in the long run. But we're supposed to be "enjoying the ride," aren't we? Well, as a fan, I have to say that I enjoy the ride a helluva lot more when my team is winning. I enjoy it even more when they play like they're the baddest bunch of no-good sons of bitches ever to walk across the plains into this sleepy western town.
I've never played professional basketball. I'm no champion, and I never will be.
I am, however, an observer of all things great and small. I have seen enough of The Discover Channel to understand the difference between predator, prey, and scavenger. To be more frank than beans - the Suns resemble the latter when they win, the second when they lose, and the former rarely if ever this season.
"Early in the season" is not a reason or excuse for not trying to win every game. If a player is ailing or aching, let his own stat line show it. The other guys need to pick up that slack and let the record hide it for him.
Communication, team work, and pride know no offseason, so how can none of those be present 22 games into the regular season?
Steve Kerr - you're a champion. You explain it to them.
Can someone explain to me how, a month ago, the team could complain about the fans in the building, then come back home after a long road trip and lay THAT egg on them? And then say "no big deal"?!?! Do these guys really think they're playing for themselves? Is Nash the ONLY one who gets it?
Steve Kerr needs to step down from his office, quit having meetings with management, walk onto that practice court, and reintroduce himself to his team.
"Hi. I'm Steve Kerr. I own five...that's FIVE championship rings. I've played next to the greatest player in the history of the game. He punched my lights out in practice, but he was still my brother in arms. I played next to the greatest power forward in the game, as well as one of the greatest role players and greatest centers. I was also on a team that won an NBA record 72 god damn games! Ya know why we won that many god damn games?
Because we expected to win every time we stepped onto the court. That included the regular season AND playoffs. We made no excuses for losing. We did not accept losses as part of the natural order. We took losses personally, as something WE did wrong, and we corrected them really fucking fast. Other teams may have played great against us, but we were better 87 times, and nobody...NOBODY questioned our heart, our fire, and our dominance.
*whips out his diamond-encrusted gold hardware*
See these? These are my CHAMPIONSHIP rings. I have FIVE. Everyone pull theirs out and show them to me.
*everyone looks around and down at the floor, except Steve Nash and Grant Hill, who both look square into Kerr's eyes*
I didn't think so.
Next time I hear someone say it's a long season, I'm gonna fine you $25000.
*Amare, Shawn, and Boris all clutch their wallets*
Next time I hear anyone say, "they're a great team," another twenty five grand. And the next time you let someone come into OUR house and walk all over you, you'll be suspended without pay one game for every ring I'm holding right now.
Have some fucking pride.
*Boris hides in his locker*
I don't care if it's Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Larry Bird walking onto that floor in their primes. If you don't play them with every ounce of your very being the entire time you're on that court, you're gonna be watching the next five games from the visitor's locker room.
I'm Steve Kerr, and I'm an NBA Champion."
Ya know? Just once, I'd like to hear that someone reminded these guys what it means to be a champion.
They've been through the fire. Instead of tempered steel, we've got charcoal. Instead of a bunch of pissed off players with a huge collective chip on their shoulders, we've got this...
"It's y'all overreacting,"
"We just got to take one game at a time. Y'all be going ballistic when we lose. Like we can't lose games or something. I don't understand it. You can't expect a team to win every game. This is the NBA. People do have good teams."
“Sometimes you all think we can’t lose. It’s just the regular season. It’s a long regular season. We have ups and we have downs.”
"What are we, 16-6? The third-best record in the league? Y'all are blowing it out of proportion. I'm reading that shit in the paper, going, 'Wow.' I’m like 'What is that?’ We ain’t Superman. That game's over with. We lost. Deal with it. Suck it up. We play the Utah Jazz tomorrow night, that's who we got to think about right now."
(Shawn Marion quoted on azcentral and eastvalleytribune)
...and this...
“They did a good job, they had some timely baskets and some timely stops. It’s how you play the game, it doesn’t matter what the records are, you go out there and you play and they were the better team tonight.”
-- Raja Bell
“I don’t think so, I just think we need to have a little more activity. We just have to focus in a little bit more, and I think that’s about it. It is definitely a situation I think we can correct. We’ll see what we can do tomorrow in practice and go from there.”
-- Amare Stoudemire
“We are just not fast to the ball, we are not getting in to people. No legs, somebody had the flu or whatever, but we will cure that. We will get back. And when they are scoring all these points it puts so much pressure on the offense. And then I thought we looked jittery. Although we had nice moments, but 17 point third quarter. Just a little bit out of sync.”
--Coach Mike D'Antoni
(From suns.com post game quotes)
Honestly, does that sound like a team working on building a championship season?
Third best record is good enough? Telling the media (vicariously the fans) to deal with it? Someone else was better? We'll see?
A quick question for our coach - remember the last time Michael Jordan played with the flu? I do. He walked away with another ring.
Of course, I realize that I'm being hypercritical, and that things probably will work out just fine in the long run. But we're supposed to be "enjoying the ride," aren't we? Well, as a fan, I have to say that I enjoy the ride a helluva lot more when my team is winning. I enjoy it even more when they play like they're the baddest bunch of no-good sons of bitches ever to walk across the plains into this sleepy western town.
I've never played professional basketball. I'm no champion, and I never will be.
I am, however, an observer of all things great and small. I have seen enough of The Discover Channel to understand the difference between predator, prey, and scavenger. To be more frank than beans - the Suns resemble the latter when they win, the second when they lose, and the former rarely if ever this season.
"Early in the season" is not a reason or excuse for not trying to win every game. If a player is ailing or aching, let his own stat line show it. The other guys need to pick up that slack and let the record hide it for him.
Communication, team work, and pride know no offseason, so how can none of those be present 22 games into the regular season?
Steve Kerr - you're a champion. You explain it to them.
December 5, 2007
Best Big Man
I saw this commercial last month, and went straight to YouTube to look for it. Unfortunately, it wasn't there. Then I forgot about it. Good thing our old buddy, Lupecita was on the ball! (By way of Basketbawful, which is always a great read.)
Best point guard, best big man ... best promo.
Tell me that shit-eating grin by Nash isn't the funniest thing you've seen on TV since the fourth season of the Simpsons.
And here's an all Suns version of the Nike 25 Hangar commercial.
Best point guard, best big man ... best promo.
Tell me that shit-eating grin by Nash isn't the funniest thing you've seen on TV since the fourth season of the Simpsons.
And here's an all Suns version of the Nike 25 Hangar commercial.
Ex-lax Factor
OK. Diaw sucks. For the last season + 18 games there has been nothing but excuse after excuse for why Diaw is under-performing. The funny thing is, we had the same complaints about him his first year. We just forgot all that because he did so well against Dallas in the playoffs. The only reason he did that well was that we were down to six players, so he had no choice but to be aggressive. It's no coincidence that the only times he's played well this season were when Raja was out with injury and Amare sat down with foul trouble.
Diaw has all the talent in the world, but he has no desire to use all of it. He's never comfortable shooting (from the field or the free throw line), he's afraid of contact, he doesn't hustle (that game where he got those two offensive rebounds in a row...the ball bounced right to him off the rim, he never went after it), and he seems to believe that he's the best passer on the team. Who in this league would pass a ball handed to them by Steve Nash? Only Boris is dumb enough to do that because he seems to think that a longer shot is a better shot.
I don't care that it's ironic that anyone would be complaining about a guy who passes too much in a league built on selfish play. The truth, as I see it, is that Boris is being just as selfish by looking for the assist, which is obviously more valuable to him than points. He always passes because he wants that stat. It means something to him - so much so that he turns down perfectly good shots to try and get the assist.
I only remember two of his plays from last night against Indiana.
1. The refusal to get on the floor and grab a loose ball that had Mike D'Antoni yelling at him got him benched. Thank god for that, because D'Antoni's been apologizing for Diaw far more than any coach should defend any player not named Steve Nash.
2. In the third quarter, with the shot clock winding down and Indiana making a run, Diaw received the ball just below the elbow on a feed from Nash. Instead of taking the shot with four seconds left on the clock, he passed it to the three point line where Leandro Barbosa (who was 2-8 shooting at the time) had just stopped, forcing LB to rush the long ball as the clock expired. Not surprisingly, he missed, and Indiana got the rebound.
Diaw's play comes across as arrogant, as well as fearful. That is the only consistency about him, and it's time that D'Antoni recognizes his mistake and benches Diaw indefinitely, just as he's done with Marcus Banks. Diaw is hurting the team's offensive rhythm and on-court chemistry.
As a fan, I'm fed up. I just can't take the excuses or the frustration anymore. I don't have a lifetime supply of Maalox at my disposal, so I'd just as soon turn off the TV when Diaw steps onto the court, as I had to last night when the Suns coughed up the lead in the fourth quarter. I can live with poor shooting nights from Leandro, Raja, and Shawn, especially when Stoudemire explodes for 42 points. The rest of the team proved efficient through the trio's cold spells, shooting 62.3% when taking away the combined 12-38 shooting of the Streak Squad.
Those three were still aggressive, which is all it takes to get defenders to pay attention to a player. When it comes to Diaw, though, the Suns may as well be playing four on five because everyone in the entire arena knows that he won't shoot it, even when he's wide open.
It's time for the excuses to end. He's had a year to figure out how to play with Amare. He's had a year to get in shape. And he's had ample time for his ankles to heal. If I were a lower bowl season ticket holder, maybe these words would carry more weight - I do not want to see Boris Diaw in a Suns uniform again until I can be assured that he will put forth 100% effort in helping this team win every time the Suns take the court.
My hands have become blistered from hanging so closely to the frayed end of the rope for so long, and I'm letting go.
Boris was supposed to be the Suns' X-factor because he brings so much versatility to the team. But X is a variable that cannot be known until the equation has been solved, and he has already proved not to be the correct answer. Whatever he can bring, he won't. Whatever he should do, he doesn't. His on-court attitude is far too laid back, even by Arizona standards.
Boris Diaw is not the answer. He is the Unifying Theory of professional basketball - great if anyone could actually solve it, but nothing more than a really big headache for anyone who attempts to tackle the problem.
Forget the Maalox. I need some Tylenol.
Diaw has all the talent in the world, but he has no desire to use all of it. He's never comfortable shooting (from the field or the free throw line), he's afraid of contact, he doesn't hustle (that game where he got those two offensive rebounds in a row...the ball bounced right to him off the rim, he never went after it), and he seems to believe that he's the best passer on the team. Who in this league would pass a ball handed to them by Steve Nash? Only Boris is dumb enough to do that because he seems to think that a longer shot is a better shot.
I don't care that it's ironic that anyone would be complaining about a guy who passes too much in a league built on selfish play. The truth, as I see it, is that Boris is being just as selfish by looking for the assist, which is obviously more valuable to him than points. He always passes because he wants that stat. It means something to him - so much so that he turns down perfectly good shots to try and get the assist.
I only remember two of his plays from last night against Indiana.
1. The refusal to get on the floor and grab a loose ball that had Mike D'Antoni yelling at him got him benched. Thank god for that, because D'Antoni's been apologizing for Diaw far more than any coach should defend any player not named Steve Nash.
2. In the third quarter, with the shot clock winding down and Indiana making a run, Diaw received the ball just below the elbow on a feed from Nash. Instead of taking the shot with four seconds left on the clock, he passed it to the three point line where Leandro Barbosa (who was 2-8 shooting at the time) had just stopped, forcing LB to rush the long ball as the clock expired. Not surprisingly, he missed, and Indiana got the rebound.
Diaw's play comes across as arrogant, as well as fearful. That is the only consistency about him, and it's time that D'Antoni recognizes his mistake and benches Diaw indefinitely, just as he's done with Marcus Banks. Diaw is hurting the team's offensive rhythm and on-court chemistry.
As a fan, I'm fed up. I just can't take the excuses or the frustration anymore. I don't have a lifetime supply of Maalox at my disposal, so I'd just as soon turn off the TV when Diaw steps onto the court, as I had to last night when the Suns coughed up the lead in the fourth quarter. I can live with poor shooting nights from Leandro, Raja, and Shawn, especially when Stoudemire explodes for 42 points. The rest of the team proved efficient through the trio's cold spells, shooting 62.3% when taking away the combined 12-38 shooting of the Streak Squad.
Those three were still aggressive, which is all it takes to get defenders to pay attention to a player. When it comes to Diaw, though, the Suns may as well be playing four on five because everyone in the entire arena knows that he won't shoot it, even when he's wide open.
It's time for the excuses to end. He's had a year to figure out how to play with Amare. He's had a year to get in shape. And he's had ample time for his ankles to heal. If I were a lower bowl season ticket holder, maybe these words would carry more weight - I do not want to see Boris Diaw in a Suns uniform again until I can be assured that he will put forth 100% effort in helping this team win every time the Suns take the court.
My hands have become blistered from hanging so closely to the frayed end of the rope for so long, and I'm letting go.
Boris was supposed to be the Suns' X-factor because he brings so much versatility to the team. But X is a variable that cannot be known until the equation has been solved, and he has already proved not to be the correct answer. Whatever he can bring, he won't. Whatever he should do, he doesn't. His on-court attitude is far too laid back, even by Arizona standards.
Boris Diaw is not the answer. He is the Unifying Theory of professional basketball - great if anyone could actually solve it, but nothing more than a really big headache for anyone who attempts to tackle the problem.
Forget the Maalox. I need some Tylenol.
December 1, 2007
A November to Dismember
The first month and first sixteen games of the season have come and gone, and the long and painful offseason is now a distant memory. Somewhat ironic is the fact that we were looking forward to the season starting just to get our Suns fix, while many fans seem to be ready to bypass the whole grind and get right back to the playoffs - where our misery as fans is usually rooted.
Too early in the season to make any "bold predictions," there are still a few answers to some burning questions that we faced coming into this marathon, as well as a few new questions to ponder.
Can't we all just get along?
Honestly, so far this has to be the most uncomfortable season I've experienced in my tenure as a Suns fan. A veteran of countless message board wars, I'm used to having my loyalties challenged by fans of other teams, as well as those of this team who have never experienced the brand of cynical wit I tend to bring to my observations. Usually the questions die quickly. Then the Suns launched their own fan network site. To make a long story short, the predominant fan type over there almost had me chucking the whole thing, just to avoid being associated with such rabble.
For reasons too complicated for the subject matter of this platform, I won't get into the motivations of people uninhibited by the absence of face-to-face communication. Just know that the lack of eye contact and visual cues (body language) tend to embolden a person to say and do things that would be inconceivable during interpersonal interactions. Internet message boards are the talk radio of the new millennium. A person can say whatever is on his mind, however petty, trivial, or immature, without regard to repercussions because it is so easy to hang up on the caller. People want to be "who they really are" and their opinions to be expressed, if not validated, regardless how little substance any person has to support their beliefs.
That's fine. As the saying goes, opinions are like assholes, and everyone else's stinks. All I ask is that those opinions be based on some semblance of reality and not mere wishful thinking and hope. Fans need to realize that there can be more to supporting a team than simply believing in your heart of hearts that they will overcome and win against all odds, and disagreeing about small aspects does not make one person any more or less a fan than another. Holy wars have been started over less. Don't believe me? Ask the Sunni and Shia Muslims.
Will Shawn Marion's trade request hurt team chemistry?
I can't believe this was ever a concern. Professional basketball players are not fans. They don't look at each other and think, "This is MY guy, he belongs to me and my team, and he'll never ever EVER leave me! If he wants to leave, then it must mean he hates being around me and doesn't love me and isn't loyal to me." Team mates are business associates that may or may not become friends in their employment environment. They are all on the same level relative to management and ownership, and they are all well aware of the implications of trade requests/demands.
Every single one of them wants what is best for themselves, and with that comes the understanding that all are in the same boat and would probably do the same thing if placed in Marion's shoes. As the saying goes, "basketball is a business, and this is just business." Considering that Marion's request had everything to do with management/ownership and nothing to do with his business associates, I don't see how anyone could have bought into the media hype that chemistry would be an issue.
Will the officiating improve?
Apparently not. In fact (read: my opinion), the "quality" of officiating seems to have declined to even darker depths. That game in Miami was a major contributor (along with fan issues) to my self-imposed hiatus, as I just couldn't fathom 1) Amare getting called for fouls when he was taking elbows to the grill all night and 2) Amare getting ejected for demonstrating the disbelief any human being on the planet would display at such an egregious breech of both common sense and common courtesy.
Though not the call in question, this is the same game. This is exactly what Amare had to deal with in that game, and for his trouble, Mark Wunderlich decided to send Amare to the training room involuntarily. And for reasons beyond my comprehension, this very same official worked the game last week when the Rockets came to town. Apparently, Wunderlich is a fan of the early-90s Knicks and Dick Butkus.
I'm not saying that the officials have targeted the Suns. All I'm saying is that the officiating is noticeably worse this year than previous years. I have seen it go bad both ways, including last night when Orlando came to town. Seriously ... JJ Redick gets a technical?
And forget about transparency. We still don't know which of Amare's technicals the league rescinded from the Miami game. Well, we KNOW, but Stern and Co. haven't confirmed. With something so simple and so obvious, why the secrecy? One small chance to show us that things are changing ("We've rescinded Amare's second technical and fined/suspended referee Mark Wunderlich for not maintaining the high level of officiating that we, the league, require going forward..."), and they blew it.
No. According to the league, sitting Bennett Salvatore down to be interviewed by a blogger with two league axemen in tow confirms transparency. As my friend, "Lou Reed" pointed out to Henry Abbott via e-mail, "this Salvatore interview reeks of a PR blitz by Stern & Company to try and deflect well deserved criticism." I won't get into the particulars of Abbott's belief that this was "an honest piece of journalism." Think about it - of all the NBA reporters, of all the legitimate sports media professionals, why was this interview thrown to a blogger? And why have two NBA representatives there to oversee the interview?
How will the new additions fit in?
I'll answer that with my own question - how many times have you lost track of whether it was Marion or Hill guarding the oppositions best perimeter player? Even Tom Leander gets confused at times, especially on offensive rebounds and put-backs. When Matrix missed a break away lay up against the Clippers, and Hill came flying in for the put-back dunk, I thought for a split-second that the action occurred the other way around.
After six games of around 37% shooting, Hill has taken off in the Suns' system. He seems to have found his groove, knowing when to play his midrange game and when to settle for the three (he really likes the corners, it seems). His shooting percentage has grown to a respectable 46.4%, and seems to be on its way to a hefty 48% for the season. And did anyone expect the defense? Going back to any chemistry questions, Hill and Marion seem to be long lost brothers. Their games are in no way similar, they look nothing alike, but they've become interchangeable early in the season. Forget Rashard Lewis. In the upcoming "first trimester reports" from reporters around the country, the free agent signing of the year will be Grant Hill, and that shouldn't change come season's end.
Brian Skinner has been another pleasant surprise. It only took him a few games of limited minutes (coming off a minor injury suffered during the preseason) to blend right in with D'Antoni's style. Why Coach is so hesitant to use him more is beyond even Marvin's vast comprehensive abilities.
Skinner averages 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game, which seem marginal until we consider the 11.8 minutes of playing time he averages. To put that into perspective, Brian Skinner is 8th in the league in rebounds per 48 minutes at 15.7, which is the same as Tyson Chandler of the Hornets, and more than Carlos Boozer (Jazz), our own Shawn Marion, Kevin Garnett (Celtics), and Tim Duncan (Spurs).
His blocks? Compare them to the likes of Dirk, Rasheed, Al Jefferson, the aforementioned Chandler, Pau Gasol, and Chris Bosh. Now consider that he averages about the same as all of them in a third of the time. To be sure, Brian Skinner is third in the league in blocked shots per 48 minutes. Think a front line of Marion (22nd BPG), Stoudemire (15th BPG, 13th BP48), and Skinner could shore up the lane? Speaking of which . . .
Will D'Antoni use his bench, now that he has one?
It seems that the Laker game put a big scare in D'Antoni. It was only the second game of the season (with new parts and injured players, even), but it was enough to convince him to stick with his hard-to-crack circle of trust, regardless of the outcome. This despite the fact that his new bench played very well in that game, turning a 30+ point third quarter blowout into a more respectable 19 point loss.
Now we find out that Coach Mike would rather go with an injured Raja Bell than look one seat further down his bench to give Marcus Banks another shot - the same Banks whom Mike promised more playing time if he kept playing as well as he did against Sacramento. Well, he never got another chance to play (four minutes of a game that the entire team played like crap in the first half is not sufficient, Mike). It makes one wonder what is going on behind the scenes that has a guy, signed by D'Antoni the GM to a long term deal, relegated so deeply in the doghouse.
As a fan, I have to tell Coach to suck it up and play the guy. Whatever is happening beyond our view, YOU brought him here. Lie in the bed you made, and let the wins and losses come that way . . . not through your decisions to push an aging defensive specialist who has been feeling like he can't do the one job he was brought here to do. It's not fair to Bell, it's not fair to Banks, and it won't be fair to the fans once the playoffs roll around, and Raja goes down with another torn gastrocnemius.
No, I am not joining the troll bandwagon and calling for D'Antoni's head. Nor do I agree with the assessment that long minutes during the regular season are the cause of problems in the playoffs. I am saying that refusing to use the bench when a player is already injured is risking all of those players' careers, as well as our chance at a title. An injured Bell is not better than a healthy Banks or DJ Strawberry.
Every good amusement park ride has extreme highs, deep lows, and fast transitions in between. The excitement comes from not knowing what thrill lies behind the next corner and hilltop. The first time on any ride is the scariest and most gut-wrenching. It is only after we step out of the car and onto the platform that we can fully appreciate what we've just experienced. We've just gone over the first hill, which bottomed out against Golden State and Houston. Orlando proved to be a ride within the ride. There are still 66 more peaks to traverse and valleys to send our stomachs in three directions at once. There's no sense in riding on a broken wheel that could send us hurtling into the ground at 85 mph.
Hopefully, we'll have a safe go, and the next roller coaster, the playoffs, will be just as intriguing and fulfilling as the current one should prove to be. Let's just hope the park management feels the same way.
Too early in the season to make any "bold predictions," there are still a few answers to some burning questions that we faced coming into this marathon, as well as a few new questions to ponder.
Can't we all just get along?
Honestly, so far this has to be the most uncomfortable season I've experienced in my tenure as a Suns fan. A veteran of countless message board wars, I'm used to having my loyalties challenged by fans of other teams, as well as those of this team who have never experienced the brand of cynical wit I tend to bring to my observations. Usually the questions die quickly. Then the Suns launched their own fan network site. To make a long story short, the predominant fan type over there almost had me chucking the whole thing, just to avoid being associated with such rabble.
For reasons too complicated for the subject matter of this platform, I won't get into the motivations of people uninhibited by the absence of face-to-face communication. Just know that the lack of eye contact and visual cues (body language) tend to embolden a person to say and do things that would be inconceivable during interpersonal interactions. Internet message boards are the talk radio of the new millennium. A person can say whatever is on his mind, however petty, trivial, or immature, without regard to repercussions because it is so easy to hang up on the caller. People want to be "who they really are" and their opinions to be expressed, if not validated, regardless how little substance any person has to support their beliefs.
That's fine. As the saying goes, opinions are like assholes, and everyone else's stinks. All I ask is that those opinions be based on some semblance of reality and not mere wishful thinking and hope. Fans need to realize that there can be more to supporting a team than simply believing in your heart of hearts that they will overcome and win against all odds, and disagreeing about small aspects does not make one person any more or less a fan than another. Holy wars have been started over less. Don't believe me? Ask the Sunni and Shia Muslims.
Will Shawn Marion's trade request hurt team chemistry?
I can't believe this was ever a concern. Professional basketball players are not fans. They don't look at each other and think, "This is MY guy, he belongs to me and my team, and he'll never ever EVER leave me! If he wants to leave, then it must mean he hates being around me and doesn't love me and isn't loyal to me." Team mates are business associates that may or may not become friends in their employment environment. They are all on the same level relative to management and ownership, and they are all well aware of the implications of trade requests/demands.
Every single one of them wants what is best for themselves, and with that comes the understanding that all are in the same boat and would probably do the same thing if placed in Marion's shoes. As the saying goes, "basketball is a business, and this is just business." Considering that Marion's request had everything to do with management/ownership and nothing to do with his business associates, I don't see how anyone could have bought into the media hype that chemistry would be an issue.
Will the officiating improve?
Apparently not. In fact (read: my opinion), the "quality" of officiating seems to have declined to even darker depths. That game in Miami was a major contributor (along with fan issues) to my self-imposed hiatus, as I just couldn't fathom 1) Amare getting called for fouls when he was taking elbows to the grill all night and 2) Amare getting ejected for demonstrating the disbelief any human being on the planet would display at such an egregious breech of both common sense and common courtesy.
Though not the call in question, this is the same game. This is exactly what Amare had to deal with in that game, and for his trouble, Mark Wunderlich decided to send Amare to the training room involuntarily. And for reasons beyond my comprehension, this very same official worked the game last week when the Rockets came to town. Apparently, Wunderlich is a fan of the early-90s Knicks and Dick Butkus.
I'm not saying that the officials have targeted the Suns. All I'm saying is that the officiating is noticeably worse this year than previous years. I have seen it go bad both ways, including last night when Orlando came to town. Seriously ... JJ Redick gets a technical?
And forget about transparency. We still don't know which of Amare's technicals the league rescinded from the Miami game. Well, we KNOW, but Stern and Co. haven't confirmed. With something so simple and so obvious, why the secrecy? One small chance to show us that things are changing ("We've rescinded Amare's second technical and fined/suspended referee Mark Wunderlich for not maintaining the high level of officiating that we, the league, require going forward..."), and they blew it.
No. According to the league, sitting Bennett Salvatore down to be interviewed by a blogger with two league axemen in tow confirms transparency. As my friend, "Lou Reed" pointed out to Henry Abbott via e-mail, "this Salvatore interview reeks of a PR blitz by Stern & Company to try and deflect well deserved criticism." I won't get into the particulars of Abbott's belief that this was "an honest piece of journalism." Think about it - of all the NBA reporters, of all the legitimate sports media professionals, why was this interview thrown to a blogger? And why have two NBA representatives there to oversee the interview?
How will the new additions fit in?
I'll answer that with my own question - how many times have you lost track of whether it was Marion or Hill guarding the oppositions best perimeter player? Even Tom Leander gets confused at times, especially on offensive rebounds and put-backs. When Matrix missed a break away lay up against the Clippers, and Hill came flying in for the put-back dunk, I thought for a split-second that the action occurred the other way around.
After six games of around 37% shooting, Hill has taken off in the Suns' system. He seems to have found his groove, knowing when to play his midrange game and when to settle for the three (he really likes the corners, it seems). His shooting percentage has grown to a respectable 46.4%, and seems to be on its way to a hefty 48% for the season. And did anyone expect the defense? Going back to any chemistry questions, Hill and Marion seem to be long lost brothers. Their games are in no way similar, they look nothing alike, but they've become interchangeable early in the season. Forget Rashard Lewis. In the upcoming "first trimester reports" from reporters around the country, the free agent signing of the year will be Grant Hill, and that shouldn't change come season's end.
Brian Skinner has been another pleasant surprise. It only took him a few games of limited minutes (coming off a minor injury suffered during the preseason) to blend right in with D'Antoni's style. Why Coach is so hesitant to use him more is beyond even Marvin's vast comprehensive abilities.
Skinner averages 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game, which seem marginal until we consider the 11.8 minutes of playing time he averages. To put that into perspective, Brian Skinner is 8th in the league in rebounds per 48 minutes at 15.7, which is the same as Tyson Chandler of the Hornets, and more than Carlos Boozer (Jazz), our own Shawn Marion, Kevin Garnett (Celtics), and Tim Duncan (Spurs).
His blocks? Compare them to the likes of Dirk, Rasheed, Al Jefferson, the aforementioned Chandler, Pau Gasol, and Chris Bosh. Now consider that he averages about the same as all of them in a third of the time. To be sure, Brian Skinner is third in the league in blocked shots per 48 minutes. Think a front line of Marion (22nd BPG), Stoudemire (15th BPG, 13th BP48), and Skinner could shore up the lane? Speaking of which . . .
Will D'Antoni use his bench, now that he has one?
It seems that the Laker game put a big scare in D'Antoni. It was only the second game of the season (with new parts and injured players, even), but it was enough to convince him to stick with his hard-to-crack circle of trust, regardless of the outcome. This despite the fact that his new bench played very well in that game, turning a 30+ point third quarter blowout into a more respectable 19 point loss.
Now we find out that Coach Mike would rather go with an injured Raja Bell than look one seat further down his bench to give Marcus Banks another shot - the same Banks whom Mike promised more playing time if he kept playing as well as he did against Sacramento. Well, he never got another chance to play (four minutes of a game that the entire team played like crap in the first half is not sufficient, Mike). It makes one wonder what is going on behind the scenes that has a guy, signed by D'Antoni the GM to a long term deal, relegated so deeply in the doghouse.
As a fan, I have to tell Coach to suck it up and play the guy. Whatever is happening beyond our view, YOU brought him here. Lie in the bed you made, and let the wins and losses come that way . . . not through your decisions to push an aging defensive specialist who has been feeling like he can't do the one job he was brought here to do. It's not fair to Bell, it's not fair to Banks, and it won't be fair to the fans once the playoffs roll around, and Raja goes down with another torn gastrocnemius.
No, I am not joining the troll bandwagon and calling for D'Antoni's head. Nor do I agree with the assessment that long minutes during the regular season are the cause of problems in the playoffs. I am saying that refusing to use the bench when a player is already injured is risking all of those players' careers, as well as our chance at a title. An injured Bell is not better than a healthy Banks or DJ Strawberry.
Every good amusement park ride has extreme highs, deep lows, and fast transitions in between. The excitement comes from not knowing what thrill lies behind the next corner and hilltop. The first time on any ride is the scariest and most gut-wrenching. It is only after we step out of the car and onto the platform that we can fully appreciate what we've just experienced. We've just gone over the first hill, which bottomed out against Golden State and Houston. Orlando proved to be a ride within the ride. There are still 66 more peaks to traverse and valleys to send our stomachs in three directions at once. There's no sense in riding on a broken wheel that could send us hurtling into the ground at 85 mph.
Hopefully, we'll have a safe go, and the next roller coaster, the playoffs, will be just as intriguing and fulfilling as the current one should prove to be. Let's just hope the park management feels the same way.
November 16, 2007
Chico's Bail Bonds
This is a landmark case.
Barry Bonds indicted on perjury and obstruction charges goes well beyond baseball, steroids, and home run records. Oh, no. This is a far more compelling drama than a mere betting scandal or simple sports controversial, series-changing player suspension. This is a case where illegal drugs, America's hallowed historical past time, the American justice system, and hero-worship implicate every last living American in crimes against culture.
We are compelled to pay attention to this story because EVERYONE has an opinion about baseball. Whether revered for its tradition or reviled for its pace, everyone in America recognizes baseball as a cultural commonality. This is why everyone has an opinion about Barry Bonds. Even casual baseball fans, people whose only contact with the sport is the five minutes at the end of the ten o'clock news, "hate" Bonds and want to see him strung up because he (allegedly) cheated. He soiled the records.
Forget the fact that the second most hallowed record - the single-season home run mark - had already been the subject of controversy, not once, but twice before Barry Bonds came along in 2001. Forget the fact that Roger Maris hit his record-breaking 61st home run on the last day of a season eight games longer than Ruth's 60 home run seasons. And most importantly, forget the fact that three years prior, Maris' record was broken by a man now mired in this steroid controversy. That's not even mentioning Sammy Sosa.
EVERYBODY knows who Barry Bonds is. He's that jerk who charges kids for autographs and starts fights in the dug out. He's that arrogant bastard who plays solely for the money, despite his pedigree. He's the angry black man earning more in one year than his father and godfather combined earned in their entire careers, making up for past sins of the white man.
Real or not, that sums up the general perception of the reigning home run king. In mainstream terms, he is very easy to hate. Nothing like that OJ guy. So let's string him up.
This case points to celebrity and race, and it points to our cultural belief of the qualities that comprise a hero, whether that man is a baseball player, a football player, a supreme court justice, or a president. This is a case of a white justice system persecuting a prominent black athlete.
If Law and Order has taught me anything, it is that perjury and obstruction of justice are nothing more than prosecutorial knees to the groin. They are a last ditch effort to bring down an opponent who otherwise would not fall.
Bill Clinton was impeached for perjury, though he committed no other crime. Men with a lot to lose tend to lie about trivial things when put under pressure. This is a biological fact, easily verified by talking to any woman who has or has had a cheating boyfriend. Clinton did nothing worthy of losing office, despite the best efforts of a strong Republican contingent to prove otherwise. They couldn't get him thrown out for adultery or real estate scams, so they tried to get him for lying about it.
Unfortunately for Barry, he actually DID commit a crime. He broke a now 17 year old law intended "[t]o amend the Controlled Substances Act to provide criminal penalties for illicit use of anabolic steroids and for coaches and others who endeavor to persuade or induce athletes to take anabolic steroids, and for other purposes." At least, that's what the prosecution believes. They have a positive drug result from four years ago, and they've had it for four years.
So why now? Why let his trainer sit in jail for a year? Even the LAPD had a strong case filled with tons of incriminating evidence (the knife, the gloves, the shoddy alibi) before they went after OJ. A die-hard conspiracy theorist might say that Bud Selig was behind the delay. They decided to let everything play out knowing full well that Bonds was toast. Now the Steroid era gets to come to a nice clean end, and Selig doesn't have to answer questions as to why it happened in the first place. History can forget that he enabled the situation, if only it can be resolved on his watch in the most memorably spectacular courtroom drama.
Is Bonds really the fall guy for Bud Selig's Steroid era of baseball? Why not Mark McGwire or Sammy Sosa? Why not Ken Caminiti? Hell, why not Jose Canseco? Here's a guy who openly admits to using steroids, is hated by the general population, and is willing to talk. Why is Jose Canseco any less credible a patsy than a record holder, a retired player, a pathetic comeback player, and a dead guy?
Does it HAVE to be the black guy who speaks English?
I have no doubts that the NAACP and ACLU will use this as case study for any future indictments against prominent black men, even if they don't come to Barry's defense. He DID violate the sacred trust of our most hallowed of events. You can bet that ROE V. BARRY will ultimately be one of the cornerstone cases that people point to when looking for answers to grand ethical questions. It will be compared to cases involving girls with names like Monica, Anita, and Nicole, though there are no women involved here. Just men.
This is fascinating stuff. I can't wait to hear what Gloria Steinem has to say about this.
Barry Bonds indicted on perjury and obstruction charges goes well beyond baseball, steroids, and home run records. Oh, no. This is a far more compelling drama than a mere betting scandal or simple sports controversial, series-changing player suspension. This is a case where illegal drugs, America's hallowed historical past time, the American justice system, and hero-worship implicate every last living American in crimes against culture.
We are compelled to pay attention to this story because EVERYONE has an opinion about baseball. Whether revered for its tradition or reviled for its pace, everyone in America recognizes baseball as a cultural commonality. This is why everyone has an opinion about Barry Bonds. Even casual baseball fans, people whose only contact with the sport is the five minutes at the end of the ten o'clock news, "hate" Bonds and want to see him strung up because he (allegedly) cheated. He soiled the records.
Forget the fact that the second most hallowed record - the single-season home run mark - had already been the subject of controversy, not once, but twice before Barry Bonds came along in 2001. Forget the fact that Roger Maris hit his record-breaking 61st home run on the last day of a season eight games longer than Ruth's 60 home run seasons. And most importantly, forget the fact that three years prior, Maris' record was broken by a man now mired in this steroid controversy. That's not even mentioning Sammy Sosa.
EVERYBODY knows who Barry Bonds is. He's that jerk who charges kids for autographs and starts fights in the dug out. He's that arrogant bastard who plays solely for the money, despite his pedigree. He's the angry black man earning more in one year than his father and godfather combined earned in their entire careers, making up for past sins of the white man.
Real or not, that sums up the general perception of the reigning home run king. In mainstream terms, he is very easy to hate. Nothing like that OJ guy. So let's string him up.
This case points to celebrity and race, and it points to our cultural belief of the qualities that comprise a hero, whether that man is a baseball player, a football player, a supreme court justice, or a president. This is a case of a white justice system persecuting a prominent black athlete.
If Law and Order has taught me anything, it is that perjury and obstruction of justice are nothing more than prosecutorial knees to the groin. They are a last ditch effort to bring down an opponent who otherwise would not fall.
Bill Clinton was impeached for perjury, though he committed no other crime. Men with a lot to lose tend to lie about trivial things when put under pressure. This is a biological fact, easily verified by talking to any woman who has or has had a cheating boyfriend. Clinton did nothing worthy of losing office, despite the best efforts of a strong Republican contingent to prove otherwise. They couldn't get him thrown out for adultery or real estate scams, so they tried to get him for lying about it.
Unfortunately for Barry, he actually DID commit a crime. He broke a now 17 year old law intended "[t]o amend the Controlled Substances Act to provide criminal penalties for illicit use of anabolic steroids and for coaches and others who endeavor to persuade or induce athletes to take anabolic steroids, and for other purposes." At least, that's what the prosecution believes. They have a positive drug result from four years ago, and they've had it for four years.
So why now? Why let his trainer sit in jail for a year? Even the LAPD had a strong case filled with tons of incriminating evidence (the knife, the gloves, the shoddy alibi) before they went after OJ. A die-hard conspiracy theorist might say that Bud Selig was behind the delay. They decided to let everything play out knowing full well that Bonds was toast. Now the Steroid era gets to come to a nice clean end, and Selig doesn't have to answer questions as to why it happened in the first place. History can forget that he enabled the situation, if only it can be resolved on his watch in the most memorably spectacular courtroom drama.
Is Bonds really the fall guy for Bud Selig's Steroid era of baseball? Why not Mark McGwire or Sammy Sosa? Why not Ken Caminiti? Hell, why not Jose Canseco? Here's a guy who openly admits to using steroids, is hated by the general population, and is willing to talk. Why is Jose Canseco any less credible a patsy than a record holder, a retired player, a pathetic comeback player, and a dead guy?
Does it HAVE to be the black guy who speaks English?
I have no doubts that the NAACP and ACLU will use this as case study for any future indictments against prominent black men, even if they don't come to Barry's defense. He DID violate the sacred trust of our most hallowed of events. You can bet that ROE V. BARRY will ultimately be one of the cornerstone cases that people point to when looking for answers to grand ethical questions. It will be compared to cases involving girls with names like Monica, Anita, and Nicole, though there are no women involved here. Just men.
This is fascinating stuff. I can't wait to hear what Gloria Steinem has to say about this.
November 15, 2007
Fan Dance
At the risk of more bandwagon accusations, I feel I must comment on this whole "fan" issue making its way around the net and local talk radio. Unless you've been hanging by the wrists from iron shackles along a grimy Welsh granite dungeon wall for the past week, you have heard Mike D'Antoni's latest criticism of his "team."
I say "team" because he is essentially calling out a vital member of the Suns team that has yet to show up. Fans thought it would be the Matrix who didn't show up this season, and they hoped that Boris Diaw would (both beliefs proved unfounded in reality, so far), but it is they who haven't bothered to bring their energy to the game. They are the fans at America West Arena . . . I mean US Airways Center.
It all started innocently enough. After the Suns thoroughly dominated the Knicks without even trying on Tuesday night (a game that I thought was awesome in every way because Amare was kicking ass), Coach, for whatever reasons, turned his critical eye from the players and placed it squarely on the 18 thousand-some odd fans who are privileged enough to see the games live.
Almost daily a reporter from some paper or website from anywhere around the world asks him about his team's "sluggish start." His team is 6-2 with injury induced rotation shuffles. D'Antoni has been saying all along that the team isn't quite there yet - that they're still working out the on court chemistry with Grant Hill, getting him comfortable with his role. Amare has been in and out of the line up due to knee problems and a failed Wunderlich test, and now our designated 6th man is showing us why he should be in the starting line up instead of Raja Bell. The team is not anywhere near where it should be and will be in April, but the Suns are still winning. They've had conditioning issues in their two losses, both of which have come on the back end of a twin killing coming off a flight.
The team is 6-2! Where was the team after eight games the last TWO seasons? The Suns started 3-5 last year and 4-4 in the year without Amare. The last time the Suns started 6-2 was 2004, otherwise known as year one of the Nash era. And fans aren't excited. Not the ones who are fortunate enough to attend games, anyway. Remember, D'Antoni called out the crowds, not the general fan base. This was my first reaction:
The Suns arena crowd is more San Antonio than Oakland, or even Los Angeles. There have always been celebrities at Laker games, but why are they showing up at Suns games? Why are they drawing the yuppie Northeast Valley snobs instead of the people who absolutely love the team and would be standing up a full 48 minutes of regulation game time, letting our players know how much we appreciate them? When did Phoenix Suns basketball become The Bolshoi?
Perhaps the most inspiring scene of fan appreciation comes at the end of Major League, when the rag tag Indians rally from a run down in the bottom of the ninth for the division title. The die hard fans, the four guys sitting in the left field bleachers with the Tee Pee and the tom toms, the people who had supported the team, even as it bottomed out midseason were all there standing and cheering their team. They rode the roller coaster with their team, and this moment belonged as much to those fans as it did the players and manager. The fans had Municipal stadium rocking so hard that the quake began to spread.
The Japanese grounds crew, who to this point had only said in their native tongue throughout the entire movie, "They're still shitty," pounded their shovels on the ground. Punks and yuppies arm in arm, banging bottles and beer mugs on the bars in front of them sent the shock wave through bars and homes throughout the entire city of Cleveland. The fans united in one thunderous explosion of team worship, and it all started with the few who were there from the beginning.
That can't happen here because the yuppies cut in front of the real fans, and those Teleband wagoners need a televisible reason to have any kind of reaction. It's like they're sitting on set waiting for some "methical" director to yell, "ACTION!"
The Suns are winning early, and the players are doing things worthy of praise. Stop waiting around for a championship that may never come. You had Amare playing like a defensive demon with four blocks and 12 rebounds, not to mention the fact that he literally exploded for 26 points. You had Steve "MVP" Nash collecting 12 assists as his team mates made more than half their shots. You had Leandro Barbosa and Shawn Marion matching each other's point production, as well as collecting five steals between them. You had Brian Skinner grabbing 7 rebounds in 18 minutes, not to mention his two blocks and three steals. Piatkowski made his first three of the season, and Boris Diaw is playing some nice post defense. And you had Marcus Banks . . . well, I can't defend you every time Banks.
The point is, there was a ton of entertainment value in that game, despite any perceived lackadaisical play. So the Suns committed 19 turnovers. Big deal. They outrebounded the Knicks, and that should be plenty to cheer.
I don't believe that Suns fans are "anxious," as Dan Bickley suggests, "I believe a large majority of Suns fans need a serious dose of the two P's: patience and perspective."
I believe that a majority of Suns fans HAVE those two P's. They should have one more P for having to be lumped in with the ignorant fans at the game who feel that paying money is praise enough. They're like bad tippers. They go to the most expensive restaurant in town, receive the best service they will ever get in their lives, are treated as French Nobility, then question the 15% gratuity added to the bill. They have no appreciation for the experience, and the only time they make noise is when they have a complaint.
And Mike D'Antoni called them out. Good. There are plenty of other fans who will buy single game tickets when holders throw away their season tickets. The Suns need fans that understand that it's not about the money, it's about the once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing the best team in the league play. The arena is a place for basketball fans - for Suns fans - not camera fans or "seen at the scene" fans.
A fan is a part of the team, not "a paying customer."
I say "team" because he is essentially calling out a vital member of the Suns team that has yet to show up. Fans thought it would be the Matrix who didn't show up this season, and they hoped that Boris Diaw would (both beliefs proved unfounded in reality, so far), but it is they who haven't bothered to bring their energy to the game. They are the fans at America West Arena . . . I mean US Airways Center.
It all started innocently enough. After the Suns thoroughly dominated the Knicks without even trying on Tuesday night (a game that I thought was awesome in every way because Amare was kicking ass), Coach, for whatever reasons, turned his critical eye from the players and placed it squarely on the 18 thousand-some odd fans who are privileged enough to see the games live.
Almost daily a reporter from some paper or website from anywhere around the world asks him about his team's "sluggish start." His team is 6-2 with injury induced rotation shuffles. D'Antoni has been saying all along that the team isn't quite there yet - that they're still working out the on court chemistry with Grant Hill, getting him comfortable with his role. Amare has been in and out of the line up due to knee problems and a failed Wunderlich test, and now our designated 6th man is showing us why he should be in the starting line up instead of Raja Bell. The team is not anywhere near where it should be and will be in April, but the Suns are still winning. They've had conditioning issues in their two losses, both of which have come on the back end of a twin killing coming off a flight.
The team is 6-2! Where was the team after eight games the last TWO seasons? The Suns started 3-5 last year and 4-4 in the year without Amare. The last time the Suns started 6-2 was 2004, otherwise known as year one of the Nash era. And fans aren't excited. Not the ones who are fortunate enough to attend games, anyway. Remember, D'Antoni called out the crowds, not the general fan base. This was my first reaction:
Season ticket holders act all bad like their the greatest Suns fans in the world just because they can fork down the thousands of dollars to get them, then they make the arena look like an opium den when the Suns are absolutely manhandling a busted down Knicks team. The LEAST those people should have done was boo Isiah Thomas incessantly for being a perennial black eye (no racial pun intended) on the entire freakin' league. Those people in the lower bowl should be forced to give up their tickets to real fans...those of us who would stand the entire game screaming for every rebound, every deflection, and every 24 second shot clock violation the Suns force. Too bad for our players that the REAL fans can't afford tickets to see their team play every other night.
The Suns arena crowd is more San Antonio than Oakland, or even Los Angeles. There have always been celebrities at Laker games, but why are they showing up at Suns games? Why are they drawing the yuppie Northeast Valley snobs instead of the people who absolutely love the team and would be standing up a full 48 minutes of regulation game time, letting our players know how much we appreciate them? When did Phoenix Suns basketball become The Bolshoi?
Perhaps the most inspiring scene of fan appreciation comes at the end of Major League, when the rag tag Indians rally from a run down in the bottom of the ninth for the division title. The die hard fans, the four guys sitting in the left field bleachers with the Tee Pee and the tom toms, the people who had supported the team, even as it bottomed out midseason were all there standing and cheering their team. They rode the roller coaster with their team, and this moment belonged as much to those fans as it did the players and manager. The fans had Municipal stadium rocking so hard that the quake began to spread.
The Japanese grounds crew, who to this point had only said in their native tongue throughout the entire movie, "They're still shitty," pounded their shovels on the ground. Punks and yuppies arm in arm, banging bottles and beer mugs on the bars in front of them sent the shock wave through bars and homes throughout the entire city of Cleveland. The fans united in one thunderous explosion of team worship, and it all started with the few who were there from the beginning.
That can't happen here because the yuppies cut in front of the real fans, and those Teleband wagoners need a televisible reason to have any kind of reaction. It's like they're sitting on set waiting for some "methical" director to yell, "ACTION!"
The Suns are winning early, and the players are doing things worthy of praise. Stop waiting around for a championship that may never come. You had Amare playing like a defensive demon with four blocks and 12 rebounds, not to mention the fact that he literally exploded for 26 points. You had Steve "MVP" Nash collecting 12 assists as his team mates made more than half their shots. You had Leandro Barbosa and Shawn Marion matching each other's point production, as well as collecting five steals between them. You had Brian Skinner grabbing 7 rebounds in 18 minutes, not to mention his two blocks and three steals. Piatkowski made his first three of the season, and Boris Diaw is playing some nice post defense. And you had Marcus Banks . . . well, I can't defend you every time Banks.
The point is, there was a ton of entertainment value in that game, despite any perceived lackadaisical play. So the Suns committed 19 turnovers. Big deal. They outrebounded the Knicks, and that should be plenty to cheer.
I don't believe that Suns fans are "anxious," as Dan Bickley suggests, "I believe a large majority of Suns fans need a serious dose of the two P's: patience and perspective."
I believe that a majority of Suns fans HAVE those two P's. They should have one more P for having to be lumped in with the ignorant fans at the game who feel that paying money is praise enough. They're like bad tippers. They go to the most expensive restaurant in town, receive the best service they will ever get in their lives, are treated as French Nobility, then question the 15% gratuity added to the bill. They have no appreciation for the experience, and the only time they make noise is when they have a complaint.
And Mike D'Antoni called them out. Good. There are plenty of other fans who will buy single game tickets when holders throw away their season tickets. The Suns need fans that understand that it's not about the money, it's about the once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing the best team in the league play. The arena is a place for basketball fans - for Suns fans - not camera fans or "seen at the scene" fans.
A fan is a part of the team, not "a paying customer."
November 13, 2007
Crossing the Fourth Wall
OK, Suns fans, here's the deal. Some of you may have noticed that I've been neglecting my blog duties. As well, you message board patrons may note that I've been a little on edge lately. There's a good reason for it, and I felt it appropriate to share my epiphany with my readers.
Today was a good day. I got my insurance card (finally), the pigeon landed after a long holiday layover, the Death Star arrived, and azcentral's own Paul Coro spoke to me. Now, I wasn't sure why at the time, but upon reading my name in a column by PC made me smile and feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It felt surreal having someone speak directly to me through a professional blog on a corporate website, and then it hit me. Paul wasn't talking to me. He was talking to a person who really only exists online.
It seems that I've been having an identity crisis of sorts, lately, and that response opened my eyes to what is really going on around here. The person writing is not the same as the person speaking (ambiguity intentional). I can actually distance and dissociate myself from the "character" I present online, thus separating myself from the iconic "Jey" (which, by the way, is not my "real" name).
If certain people don't get it, so be it. I am not going to change the identity that I so carefully constructed for satirical use in favor of "political correctness" (by extension, the opportunity to work more professionally).
I've had my integrity questioned, my fanship challenged, my methods criticized, and my insanity "duly noted." And you know what? Fuck* you. The only reason anyone could ever get pissed off at anything I say . . . is that I speak the truth.
You don't like my method for expressing my criticisms? Too bad. Focus on the problem, and don't worry about my attitude. There is no reason that a professional journalist should be speaking directly to a message board personality through his own corporate blog. It is highly unethical, as it shows how much you are forming your work based on external influences. You should be writing objectively - you should not be letting external biases creep into your work. You have enough of your own to worry about.
You don't think I'm a good enough fan? Outdo me. I challenge you to do what I do every day to express my loyalty to the Suns. All any of you do is talk on a message board and write cheaply written first person pseudo-blogs. I put effort into my work. I educate myself in more areas of study for the purposes of informing and entertaining than any of you consider for your own careers. This is not just some dude with an opinion spouting off on the Internet. This is an artist perfecting his craft, and who can ever question that I've chosen the Suns as my canvas? When you've crawled in my skin for three days, then you can question and/or criticize me. Until then, keep your blindfolded cheer leading to your corner closets. I'm working here.
To those who enjoy and appreciate the things I do in the name of Solar Redemption, thank you for your continued support.
There is no Planet. There is only A Clockwork.
Today was a good day. I got my insurance card (finally), the pigeon landed after a long holiday layover, the Death Star arrived, and azcentral's own Paul Coro spoke to me. Now, I wasn't sure why at the time, but upon reading my name in a column by PC made me smile and feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It felt surreal having someone speak directly to me through a professional blog on a corporate website, and then it hit me. Paul wasn't talking to me. He was talking to a person who really only exists online.
It seems that I've been having an identity crisis of sorts, lately, and that response opened my eyes to what is really going on around here. The person writing is not the same as the person speaking (ambiguity intentional). I can actually distance and dissociate myself from the "character" I present online, thus separating myself from the iconic "Jey" (which, by the way, is not my "real" name).
If certain people don't get it, so be it. I am not going to change the identity that I so carefully constructed for satirical use in favor of "political correctness" (by extension, the opportunity to work more professionally).
I've had my integrity questioned, my fanship challenged, my methods criticized, and my insanity "duly noted." And you know what? Fuck* you. The only reason anyone could ever get pissed off at anything I say . . . is that I speak the truth.
You don't like my method for expressing my criticisms? Too bad. Focus on the problem, and don't worry about my attitude. There is no reason that a professional journalist should be speaking directly to a message board personality through his own corporate blog. It is highly unethical, as it shows how much you are forming your work based on external influences. You should be writing objectively - you should not be letting external biases creep into your work. You have enough of your own to worry about.
You don't think I'm a good enough fan? Outdo me. I challenge you to do what I do every day to express my loyalty to the Suns. All any of you do is talk on a message board and write cheaply written first person pseudo-blogs. I put effort into my work. I educate myself in more areas of study for the purposes of informing and entertaining than any of you consider for your own careers. This is not just some dude with an opinion spouting off on the Internet. This is an artist perfecting his craft, and who can ever question that I've chosen the Suns as my canvas? When you've crawled in my skin for three days, then you can question and/or criticize me. Until then, keep your blindfolded cheer leading to your corner closets. I'm working here.
To those who enjoy and appreciate the things I do in the name of Solar Redemption, thank you for your continued support.
There is no Planet. There is only A Clockwork.
November 9, 2007
To Kill a Mocking Bird
Now gentlemen, in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal. I'm no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and of our jury system. That's no ideal to me. That is a living, working reality. Now I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence that you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this man to his family. In the name of God, do your duty. In the name of God, believe Tom Robinson.
Justice can prove too nebulous a concept to properly define in any given context. It involves compromise, a removal of self-evident rights and wrongs to reach a conclusion that pleases no man. Justice is reliant on our faith in a higher power, a sense of equity amongst a grander scheme than we can conceive with human minds. Yet we so often fail to achieve justice because we remove that standard in favor of our own tendencies to favor what is best for us personally.
When a person says that he wants justice, he is really saying that he wants vindication for a wrong that has been committed against him. This is the great fault of our court system, that man is allowed to inject his personal feelings into the pursuit of something that he can never rightfully obtain. Justice is objective, and objectivity goes well beyond any one man's cognitive capacity. We are human. We are emotional. We are subjective. It is a law as natural as Karma.
This condition has led to the erroneous belief that justice is found by weighing what we assume to be right and wrong, balancing the opposing views via attrition. We believe that mutually negating circumstances will lead to a just conclusion, which is really nothing more than deciding whether more rights have been committed than wrongs, or vice versa. This is not justice - it is moral economics, wherein he who has the most evidential gold wins the case.
Only the bravest of men challenges his own instincts in pursuit of justice. Only the strongest of men stands up to the criticism and accusations that he has acted in self-interest, whether his self or someone else's. Only the wisest of men realizes the fruitless nature of the pursuit and admits failure upon completion of his argument. He need not apologize for this failure, as his cause is "good," if not entirely righteous. The only requirement is that he allow Truth to guide him. For this, no man can be accused of doing "wrong".
Aside from human nature, among the enemies of justice are ego, deceit, and hypocrisy.
Ego is a quality of man alone, and it is what prevents him from admitting fault in his own missteps along the path to justice. It also prevents him from considering all necessary information when determining a just course of action because ego, more than all other human traits, convinces us that the decision is ours and ours alone. It tells us that our minds are sufficiently capable of determining what is just, despite the intrinsic objectivity of justice. How else can man be so certain that his emotions are not guiding his decisions if not for that belief?
He does so through deception - both of others and of himself. The mask of objectivity is the greatest lie put forth by our judicial system. Deceit allows us the comfort of coming to conclusions that we can only hope are just, rather than those that actually are just. We have laws, and we have punishments for violating those laws. We assume that, because the laws were written with the best intentions of society in mind through processes involving much debate and input, they must in truth be objective. We lie to ourselves because to admit the truth (that these laws and punishments are in fact based on subjective beliefs of how a person "should" act in his society) is to accept that we are not in control. Man's ego, in essence, forces him to lie to maintain his sanity.
It is very difficult, if not impossible, to control those factors of the human condition. The best that most of us can do is to recognize when we are guilty of succumbing to the pull of our own nature, and do what we can to minimize the effects on our decision-making. Unfortunately for the cause of justice, man is much more likely to form grand inconsistencies in thought and behavior, taking comfort in short-sightedness instead of facing the discomfort of violating his own beliefs. Hypocrisy serves as a short cut through reason, and any challenge to such is most often dismissed as "sour grapes" or "beating a dead horse."
Interestingly enough, humans seem inherently to recognize the differences between justice and its opposite, though most are unable to articulate those differences. Instead of peeling back the rights and wrongs of a situation, people tend to pile them together, search for which is the last on top, and determine that as their justice or injustice. In general, man is unable to cut through the rights and wrongs because that would mean tossing aside their own beliefs of both. Man's personal "right" is his evidence, and to him, to toss it aside looking for the Truth is akin to cutting off his own arm in order to fit through a narrow door.
It is this inability to articulate that allows instances of injustice to fester through time. A person cannot be satisfied until that instance has been resolved, and it cannot be resolved as long as he and his opposition fall victim to their own egos, deceit, and hypocrisy. It turns into a tedious cycle of accusations and repetitive defense, and people would just as soon give up the fight than pursue justice to its resolution.
I am not suggesting that I am brave, strong, or wise. I am, however, suggesting that David Stern is none of them.
The judgements have been made, and the punishments have been served. It has become an academic argument that will continue to flourish until everyone involved learns as much as possible from it. No learning can occur as long as one man is allowed to sink into cowardice, avoiding the consequences of a rash, short-sighted decision that he made. There were many possibilities to consider before making any decisions on suspensions. To wit...
Rule 12, Section VII(c) of the NBA Official Playing Rules says: "During an altercation, all players not participating in the game must remain in the immediate vicinity of their bench. Violators will be suspended, without pay, for a minimum of one game and fined up to $50,000.
The rule does not say "suspended the very next game." It simply states, "one game."
That, my friends, is the injustice committed by David Stern.
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