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The Pesky Washington Wizards and the NBA Hierarchy

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

I had a moment during the black out at the Super Bowl, a terrible, unexpected moment of clarity and understanding that shook me to my core.  Through the beer and brandy mixture in my stomach, over the yelling and arguing that comes with a 34-minute break during the Super Bowl I found myself thinking; not about the impending 49er’s comeback or the fact that I would have to take the most-obvious sick day possible tomorrow, but about the end of the NFL season.  I was spoiled during the 2012 NFL season.  Not only did my Redskins actually compete and win the division (still in disbelief), they played a home playoff game (and lost in the most heart-crushing fashion possible)?!  I was plugged in, cynical as ever, but still trying to believe.  It was around the time I saw RG3′s knee go in ten different directions that my heart sank deep, deep within my rectum.

The NFL season ended, somehow Ray Lewis did what every aging vet hopes to do, going out on his terms.  But even as the confetti was still falling in New Orleans I was hit with a hard truth.  I’m going to have to really get back into Wizards Basketball.  You read that right, I’ve made a concerted effort to watch, not less, but more of one of the least watchable teams in basketball!  And you know what?  This team isn’t half as bad as you might think.

Following the blackout I knew football was ending. Now my DVR’s full of Wiz games I’m not sure I want to watch.

Here are 5 things I’ve learned since returning to the hardwood:

1) These guys really defend.  Say what you will about them on offense, and there’s plenty you can say, these guys defend their asses off.

2) The jury is still out on John Wall; his ceiling as a player and his value as a former #1 overall pick.

3) Nene can ball, Beal will blossom.

4) Ariza and Okafor can contribute, but it’s their expiring contracts in 2014 that make them important pieces in the rebuild.

5) The Eastern Conference is going through changes from top-to-bottom.  If the Wiz are careful it’s not crazy to think they could make a run at a playoff spot, next year. 

The end of this season and next year will be paramount in the development of our “Star”, John Wall.

With less than 30 games remaining in the season there are still too many variables up in the air to fully assess what direction the Wizards are headed.  John Wall, having just recently returned from a knee injury, needs to show improvement this last half of the season.  Yes, we took him #1 overall,  he struggles with his jump shot and is turnover-prone.  But figuring him and his game out as soon as possible should be #1 goal for the organization.  If Wall can begin to use his strengths (explosive speed, active hands on D, superior athleticism) while hiding his weaknesses better (poor range on his jumper, one-gear mentality, poor decision making) he could  start playing like a top-tier point guard.

Where there’s nothing but uncertainty and misguided hope in Wall, Bradley Beal gives the Wizards a real building block at shooting guard.  The 19-year old rookie, #3 overall selection out of Florida has come on these last two months (winning Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month in both December and January).  He’s still learning how to use angles on the court, but when his game is on, watch out.  His, then, career-high 28 points in an upset win over the Thunder (dropping in the winning bucket with 0.3 seconds remaining) gave Wizards fans a glimpse at the type of player he can become.  Now the real question becomes: Can the Wizards player development staff actually develop some home grown talent?

A season ago the Wizards shed a lot of young, albeit frustrating talent (Blatche and McGee are now both causing other fanbases to scratch their heads) and opted to re-start with more savy veterans surrounding Wall and Beal.  Emeka Okafor, Nene, and Trevor Ariza are those savy vets, and they’ve all contributed for the team this season.  Nene, the oft-injured PF/C from Brazil, has shown he can demand double-teams and rebound well in the post.  Even with his high $13 million price tag, he should hold down the center spot here in Washington, assuming he can stay healthy, for years to come.  Both Okafor and Ariza have gone through injuries the last few seasons but have contributed in big ways these past few weeks.  Their contracts expire at the end of the 2014 season.  Those expiring deals will give the Wizard’s front office some must-needed flexibility when it’s time to possibly re-sign John Wall long term.

The core of Wall, Nene and Beal has looked solid in their brief time together this season. What’s their ceiling moving forward?

Since the All-Star beak and John Wall’s return before that, the Wizards have shown flashes of the team they could be in the near future.  With long athletic guys on the wings, big sturdy defender/rebounders in the paint,  paired with enough shooting around them to space the floor the Wiz have gone 7-3 in their last ten games and have actually started to develop some home-court advantage at the Phone Booth.  This last month of watching the Wiz has easily been the most enjoyable for me, as a fan, since Gilbert was draning gamer winners.  But in the grand scheme of things how good can it really get?

Watching this team bottom out, ship out all of their talent and rebuild has become commonplace in the DC area.  Even now it’s almost a foregone conclusion that John Wall, when his contract is up in another year, will opt to leave for a more attractive market.  The Washington DC basketball franchise has long been without an identity.  With only one NBA Title, two finals appearances (none since 1979), and only a handful of playoff appearances in the last twenty years a Wizards/Bullets fan will often ask themselves “What’s the point?”

And that’s where I find myself today.

I watch the games, learn the players, judge the coach and front office, but atthe end of the day (and this goes for any small-to-mid-market franchise in the NBA) we’re not winning championships any time soon.  So what the hell are we doing?

Part 2 Coming Soon

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Jubilation, Reclamation, Devastation

Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Our global culture changes faster than the weather.  What we like, hate, root for, vote against, and otherwise hold an opinion on comes and goes with the wind.  Sports are one of the few constants that we as a people can count on to be there.  The Olympics is the only event, save for the World Cup that can engross our entire planet with a sense of fanatical patriotism.  Every two years we come together and praise the men and women who represent our respective homelands.  It’s an absolutely beautiful spectacle in most cases; the games give people hope, inspire the masses, and truly connect the planet; if only for a short time.
 

The Men’s 100m Final in London gave us more than one story to follow

Some people care more about sports than others, it’s inevitable.  There are those who couldn’t care less about the Olympics, or any organized sport for that matter.  To them sports are just games, pointless and overblown, that fill in time between commercials.  That viewpoint isn’t wrong per se, but it’s a shortsighted way to think of sports that are so much more than running, jumping, and finishing first.

 
It’s hard to connect with athletes today.  Yes, we have Twitter, Facebook, Four Square, Instagram,  eight different ESPN’s and other avenues to use, but it’s harder to connect on a personal level.  Years ago, before TV money and multi-million dollar player salaries, professional athletes had day jobs to help make ends meet, just like me and you.  They were the people.  Today, they’re the elite and it’s that fact that can turn prospective fans away from these great games.
 
What gets overlooked far too often now is the work these great athletes put into their craft.  Too often are we distracted by DUI arrests, bar brawls, and reality TV shows, when we should be concentrating on how hard these men and women work.  Every event in these Olympics had stories of triumph and heartbreak, second chances and last shots, and poignant examples of the human condition overcoming unimaginable pressure and adversity.
 
On August 5th, 2012 the Men’s 100 meter final was set to begin in London.  Each runner, the fastest men in the world, had worked their entire lives to earn a spot in the final.  Each man, no more and no less worthy of their lane in the race, had the same goal in mind: Gold.  Only one man would win, the other seven would ultimately be disappointed with the result; but it’s their stories, their lives that should take center stage.

Jubilation

Usain Bolt is a showman.  What he did at the Beijing Olympics made him a hero in his home country, a legend in the world of Track & Field, and a worldwide celebrity worth millions.  The hardest thing about being the fastest man in the world, however is the fact that it can’t last forever.  When his fellow countryman, Yohan Blake beat Bolt leading up to these Olympics there were serious questions surrounding Usain.  Can he repeat?  Is he in shape, at the top of his game?  Has the younger Blake passed him by already?  All through the qualifiers for the Olympic final the questions remained.

“Without a doubt, the top is harder than anything else.” Bolt said.  “Sometimes you lose sight of what’s going on around you.  Yeah, you know what it takes to get there, but sometimes you lose sight because everybody is praising you.”

Bolt, the unquestioned Fastest Man Alive, dominated the 100m & 200m in London

If you saw the 100 meter final, you saw what most people expected from Bolt; dominance in the home stretch.  The field was even midway through the race, but with Bolt’s long strides and unparalleled power he pulled away to clinch his second consecutive gold medal and retained his title as Fastest Man in the World.  He finished with an Olympic Record breaking time of 9.63, second fastest time ever to his own 9.58.

For all of the celebrating we see him do, all the posing and smiling, it’s his work ethic and motivation that got him to this legendary point.  Bolt’s friend and training partner, Blake (22) finished second with a time of 9.75.  It was Blake who pushed Bolt to raise his game and rise to the level we saw in London.

“When Yohan beat me twice, it woke me up.  It opened my eyes.  Pretty much he came and knocked on my door and said, ‘Usain, wake up.  It’s an Olympic year.  I’m ready.  Are you?”In Bolt’s victory we saw the best his sport has to offer.  We saw hard work and incredible talent overcoming the pressure that is defending a world title.  The happiness expressed by Bolt following the final is one of the purest, most sought after feelings in the world; not just in the realm of sport, but in life.  In Bolt winning we can find inspiration to strive for greatness and motivation to work harder than everyone else.

Reclamation

Justin Gatlin is a warrior.  In 2004 at the Athens Olympics he took gold in the 100 meters and found himself at the top of his craft.  But he knows now how low things can get.  In 2006 he was stripped of his world record in the 100m and suspended from competing for four years after testing positive for a banned substance.  Then 26, it was thought to be the end of his career.  He would not be allowed to compete in Beijing and would be 30 by the time the London games came around.  The four year ban seemed like a death sentence to some, but Gatlin had other ideas.  At first though he bulked up and lost sight of what really mattered.  He grew depressed and started to believe that his time was really over.  A four year ban for a runner in his prime can do that.

Still, through it all he found the right mixture of training, support, and love to push him through the hardest period in his life.  He says his son was a major reason why he kept working.

“When I bring him to the track, he empowers me.”

“This gave me an opportunity to understand life as a whole.”  Says Gatlin in regards to his ban and road back to an Olympic final.  Since his youth all he knew was sprinting, he was sheltered from the outside world.  When all of that was suddenly taken away from him Gatlin knew he would have to mature, grow up and work harder than he ever had.  Now 30, Gatlin knew this would be his last shot at an Olympic medal.  With the Jamaican tandem of Bolt and Blake all but assured a 1-2 finish, Gatlin was considered a long shot for a medal from the start.  But in the closest 100 meter final in Olympic history nothing was impossible and every runner had a chance at a medal.

When Gatlin crossed the finish line with a time of 9.79 (1/100th of a second faster than 4th place) he reclaimed a spot in the winner’s podium after many had counted him out.  His work ethic, determination, and never-say-die attitude is something we can all learn from.  Gatlin wasn’t supposed to make it to London, his career was supposed to have flat lined six years ago.  Now he brings a bronze medal home to add to his collection and he can rest easy knowing he’s once again an Olympic medalist.

Devastation

Tyson Gay is a worker.  For his career he’s one of the fastest Americans ever but he also holds the distinction of never winning an Olympic medal, of any color.  During the summer of 2011 he opted to have hip surgery hoping he’d heal in time to compete in the London Olympics.  As recently as four months before the games he was still only running on grass, unable to put the needed work and stress on his body that comes with training on a track.  He, like Gatlin, was a long shot to even run in London.  But as we’ve learned over the years a winning mentality and unrelenting drive can overcome a lot more than surgery and rehab.

Having run and failed in Olympics past Gay knew what was at stake.  Always coming up short by only margins of a second surely sat heavy on his mind.  Still, through it all he never gave up hope that he would get his chance, one final shot at a medal.  Through the surgery, the rehab, and the excruciating training that led up to the London games he was questionable to compete at all.

Gay did in fact make it to London, still not considered 100% healthy, but healthy enough to challenge Bolt and Blake in the 100 meter final.  What happened after the sub ten second race will remain one of the lasting moments from these Olympics.  Gay crossed the finish line 1/100th of a second behind his American teammate, Gatlin and missed out o n another chance at an Olympic medal.  He collapsed to the ground exhausted and emotional as Bolt, Blake and Gatlin rejoiced in their medal winning efforts.  Gay was an afterthought in that moment, with joy all around him he lay on the ground began to weep.

Tyson Gay left everything he had out on the track

 

Gay eventually did what he always does, he got up.  As he made his way off the track the cameras found him and a microphone was stuck in his face.  “How do you feel?“ An interviewer asked.  Gay couldn’t fight back the emotion as tears flowed down his face.

 ”That’s all I had man.  I gave it my all.  I feel like I ran with the field, and came up short.”

 In a moment of such triumph for some there will always be disappointment and devastation only a few feet away.  Gay finished with a time of 9.80 seconds, one of the fastest times ever run in the 100 meters, but he will never win an individual medal in an Olympic games.  For him, he should find solace in the fact that he got there and only missed out by a fraction of a second.  For us, we should learn how much of themselves these athletes put into every single race.  How much love and passion they have and how in the end there is only one winner.

But they’re all champions.Usain Bolt would later go on to win the men’s 200m final in London, further growing his legend and beginning debates about his legacy that will last far longer than his career.  Gatlin and Gay both won the silver medal in the men’s 4×100 relay, second only to the power team from Jamaica.  Gay finally earned a medal, not the medal he had set his sights on, but a medal nontheless.  Both he and Gatlin will come home having accomplished something special.

What’s often lost in all of the hoopla surrounding professional sports are the stories of humanity.  Far too often do we view these athletes, not as people but as brands; larger than life figures that aren’t susceptible to the average person’s tribulations. Stories like Gatlin’s, a man who had been counted out by everyone in his field, banned and shunned from the only life he knew only to persevere and transform himself; that’s a story people can relate to, it’s a story that inspires us. 

At a time when genuine inspiration is low, sports can give us something we all need.  Yes, they’re just games, the same games we played growing up.  But these games have the innate ability to show us ourselves, the true human condition, in it’s most raw form.  In one race we saw the happiest man in the world, a man who rebuilt himself and his life, and a man at the depths of misery; just in one race, one ten second blip.  Stories like these are in every game, every arena, every sport around the world.

The next time you find yourself watching a sporting event, any event, try to put yourself in those athlete’s shoes.  Whether it’s a quarterback who just threw a interception to lose a game, a pitcher who just clinched a perfect game, or a runner who just missed his shot at an Olympic medal, try to put yourself in their stead.  You’ll find sports can help you learn things about yourself, the people around you, and how to reach goals you set out to acheive. 

Don’t scoff, just watch and learn.

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Redskins vs. Bills–Preseason Game 1 Podcast (8/13)

Monday, August 13, 2012

Frank and David discuss what they liked, what they didn’t like, and where the Redskins go from here following week one of the preseason.  Also, Dwight Howard and the Lakers, Adrian Peterson’s super-human ability, and the return of fantasy football.

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7/18 Podcast

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Frank & David discuss a plethora of topics including: Penn State, the Redskins, and other news around the NFL.

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Optimistic Pessimism and the Washington Redskins

Monday, August 6, 2012

As I’ve gotten older there are only two things I know to be true:

1) Things can always get worse.

2) Never, ever believe in the Washington Redskins.

Granted, I haven’t been given too much to believe in.  I missed the glory days of the franchise by only a few years, but never got to bask in the fading light of those three Super Bowl trophies; trophies that today seem all but unattainable and forgotten.

Since Joe Gibbs stepped down in 1992 our beloved franchise has tried desperately to reignite its winning ways, and has failed miserably in the process. (this list, the most recent names, is like a who’s who in bad coaching).  Not only do the Redskins currently represent mediocrity in it’s purest form, but for some reason or another the fans continue to come back for more and more punishment each year, without ever contemplating tempering expectations.

We’ve talked ourselves into a washed-up Donovan McNabb at QB, Rex vs. Becks, and that terrible season when Spurrier thought he was still at Florida.  We’ve witnessed complete team breakdowns (looking at you Zorn), total asses counting their money, and departed players calling us the worst organization in football.  Through Head Coach Mike Shananhan’s first two seasons he’s a game worse than both Spurrier and Zorn, yet he’s still considered the right coach for the job.  To top it all off we’ve mortgaged the future of our team on a quarterback that this time a year ago was grading out as a receiver in the draft.

Redskins fans have been victims of hype for years.  Sometimes we’ve bought in to the wrong coach, thinking he would lead us out of the mud.  Other times we’ve been fooled by the big-money free agent, only to find they’d rather count their money then help build a winner.  The only constant of the last twenty years has been how wrong we, as fans have been.

Even during Joe Gibb’s second stint as head coach the Skins didn’t seem to move in the right direction, only laterally really.  The team made tons of money, “Joe’s Back!” was the headline in the Post, but the team never went anywhere (we did make the playoffs three times, winning one game, spitting in one player’s face, and bowing out twice in Seattle).  To many it was clear the game had passed Joe by, but to the D.C. faithful we had to believe our chosen son could lead us back to the promised land.  When Joe retired for the second time he was four games under .500 (he was 60 games over .500 during his first tenure).  What Joe gave us was a sense of hope, but that never lasts, does it?

All that need be said about the Jim Zorn era can be summed up with this video: Worst Play Ever

I’ll paraphrase a great line from the movie The American President to further drive through my point:

We just want to believe in something, that’s it.  We’re so thirsty for genuine hope, genuine success that we’ll crawl through the desert toward a mirage, and when we discover there’s no water we’ll drink the sand.  The only problem is, it’s been so long since we’ve known success, known greatness, we’re not drinking the sand because we’re thirsty; we’re drinking it because we can’t tell the difference.

Last season as I watched our rival Giants raise another Lombardi Trophy I had a moment of clarity.  I cannot for the life of me envision these Redskins reaching that pinnacle.  Year after year of dashed expectations and foiled hopes have left me cynical and unable to dream big.

But, there is an upside to everything…

Actual hope in the D.C. area has a new face

After years of uncertainty Redskins fans have something we haven’t had in decades: stability.  Whether you think Robert Griffin III is the next John Elway or the next Akili Smith, he’ll be the starter in D.C. for years to come, and that’s more than we’ve been able to say for years.  The list of starting QB’s in D.C. since Joe Theismann’s leg was detached from his body is a long one.

In RG3 the fans see a smart, charismatic, athletic young man we can build around, unlike any we’ve had at the position (sorry Mark Brunell).  Yes, we traded away too much to move down two slots to get him, yes he has just as many question marks in his game as sure-things, but no one can argue that this was the right move.  We started Rex Grossman last year, somehow in only 13 starts he threw 20 interceptions.  Being a gunslinger is one thing Rex, throwing the ball into quadruple coverage is something else.

The defense ended last season ranked 13th overall and they should be much improved this coming season.  The defensive line, led by bookends Brian Orkapo and Ryan Kerrigan, should be dominant.  We convinced the ageless London Fletcher to come back and likely end his career with the Skins.  In London we have a leader, someone to show everyone on the team how to be a professional, and his impact on the team can’t just be measured in tackles (he led the league in total tackles last year with 166).

RG3 will be a project, there’s no denying that.  The offensive line, running backs, receivers, and other skill positions are still in flux, but it’s fair to say they’re on the up & up.  Coach Shanahan has a mountain of pressure on his shoulders to win and win now, that’s the way it’s always been in this market.  I hope for once we give this team, this quarterback, and this organization time to grow and learn.

It’s hard for me to think positively about the team that’s let me down time and again.  You never want to set yourself up for disappointment.  The Redskins have been a laughing stock for nearly two decades, but maybe they’ve actually turned the corner.

We’ve drank the sand long enough; no more mirages.  Here’s hoping against hope that, for once, we get it right.

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That Moment when the Heat took over the NBA

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Under enormous pressure the Heat's Big 3 have banned together

Last night I was watching the final minutes of Game 4.  The Heat had just wrestled control of the game back into their hands, LeBron was fake-limping his way into the annals of NBA lore, and the young Thunder were shrinking under the lights.  Russell Westbrook had carried the Thunder on this night to the tune of 43 points, but no one will remember.  No one will remember what Westbrook or Durrant do in these Finals because these Finals aren’t about the Thunder.  Just like the last two seasons in the NBA, these finals are all about the Miami Heat, and last night they had their moment.

I remember it vividly; both teams came walking onto the court from a timeout, the Thunder clenched their jaws and looked up at the scoreboard noticably shaken, unsure of how to proceed.  The Heat stood tall together, everyone knowing where to go, knowing their roles.  It was that moment, as the Heat’s three stars formed a circle in their paint that something became clear.  LeBron wacked Chris Bosh on the chest, Bosh shouted to his mates “Get a fuckin’ stop!”, and Wade looked off in the distance towards that elusive championship.  The three most scrutinized players in the game today stood together, ready for whatever may come their way; and only one thought came to mind:

These guy’s are really going to do this…

Turning the clock back almost three years brings us to LeBron’s ill-advised Decision.  Since then these three players have been dealing with unprecedented pressure to win, and win now.  On top of that each player has had to deal with attacks on their character and substance, just because of the way they all came together in Miami.  Bosh was Toronto’s star player, he could’ve resigned there and tried to make something of himself and the franchise that drafted and developed him.  Instead he took his talents to South Beach.  Wade, already the King of South Beach, brought these guys in to win titles and to do that he’s had to take a step back and hand his team over to LeBron, which has proven to be a not-so-easy task.  Then there’s LeBron who had his pick of destinations when he fled Cleveland, only to pair up with his friend in Miami.  Since he uttered the words “I’m taking my talents to South Beach” he’s had a target on his back, something only a championship can remedy. 

This is not the way it’s supposed to work.  The NBA has long since been about team building through the draft, sound front office decision making and a little luck.  When Pat Riley put this team together three years ago it was the first time three players of this caliber decided to join forces via free agency; it was the first time in league history where the players, not the NBA, held all of the power.

As the camera zoomed in and James, Wade, and Bosh prepared for the most important defensive possession of their careers it was clear how wrong we’ve all been.  Saying these guys took the easy way out couldn’t be further from the truth.  Saying that they went to Miami to play with their friends and not have to deal with pressure is absurd.  The pressure’s they’ve dealt with have never been matched before.  Sure, Jordan won six titles with each successive title adding more and more pressure onto his shoulders, but he never had to deal with today’s modern media, or the level of talent the NBA has today.  Miami’s Big 3 are sick and tired of not living up to expectations, they’re ready to become the team of destiny we all expected them to be from day one.  For James and Bosh they need this first title to justify their coming to Miami, for Wade he needs a second title to excuse his willingness to become second-fiddle.

Two Finals appearances in two seasons.  Had the Heat beaten the Mavericks last summer there wouldn’t be talk of James being overrated or Wade being washed up, there’d be talk of a dynasty.  Now that they’re within one win of their first title together there’s a sense of comfort coming from these Heat, a sense of it being their time.  They may have bucked the system when they decided to form the most hated team in the history of professional sports, but winning a title under this much scrutiny will be historic.

These guy’s are really going to do this, maybe it’s time we stand in awe.

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Grumpy Old Ballers: How the Spurs and Celtics can answer the Purist’s prayers

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

I’ve always regarded  basketball as the the hardest game to master physically, mentally, and emotionally.  Most people will disagree citing the speed and power that NFL players play with, or the ability of professional baseball players to play day-in and day-out while maintaining remarkable consistency; I don’t disagree with those assessments, I only view the levels of skill involved in basketball (the balance, body control, poise, awareness, and team aspects) superior to that of any other sport.  Watching someone who rarely plays the game try to make just one basket is the only research one needs to do to see how I came to this conclusion.  Most people can’t make a simple unguarded 10-foot jump shot, so how the hell do the pro’s make blanketed 25-footers look so goddamn easy?

The reason I bring this up isn’t to piss off baseball, football, tennis, or golf players, but to highlight what a golden age of basketball we, as fans, are witnessing.

All season long, hell for two seasons now, the NBA has teetered back and forth between a generational divide.  The game finds itself in the midst of a power struggle between young and old that will define the league for the next decade.  There’s Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kobe Bryant, the men that have been Kings of the league this past decade; all of whom are searching for their last few moments in the sun.  In contrast we have the next generation: LeBron, D-Wade, Durrant, Westbrook, and CP3; all of them, with the exception of Wade, are searching for their first title and the last one there is a rotten egg…

Durrant has a chance to become the best player of his generation, can he beat the Spurs?

The gap between young and old, or old-school, has never been more clear.  Before the shortened, intense season began pundits harked on how the old teams (Spurs and Celtics) wouldn’t be able to survive the gaunlet of a schedule while the young Thunder and Heat would run through and around all challengers.  Well, the Heat and Thunder both finished 2nd in their respective conferences, and both find themselves being tested by those ‘old’ teams that shouldn’t have anything left.

The Thunder find themselves up 3-2 on the Spurs with a home game tonight (Wednesday June 6th).  Winning tonight would send Durrant & Co. into their first Finals, and would all but end the Spurs reign atop the Western Conference.  A loss for the Thunder tonight would mean a game seven in San Antonio Friday with massive historical implications.

Last night the Heat fell at home 94-90 to the Celtics.  Now the series shifts back to Boston, already up 3-2 the Celts could finish off the Heat Thursday night and punch their (big) ticket to their third finals appearance since 2008.

So now, with only a few more games until the Finals are set to begin, the NBA has two series that epitomize the clashing generations within the league.  Young vs. old, fast vs. deliberate, swagger vs. heart; the match up most would like to see is Thunder-Heat, and rightfully so.  Those teams would garner massive ratings for the NBA while hate-watching LeBron & Co. would sweep the nation.  Still, the series most should be pulling for is Spurs-Celtics.

A year ago the Spurs lost to Memphis in the first round while the Celtics fell to these same Heat in the second.  The Spurs looked completely outmatched against the Grizzlie’s size and athleticism and the Celtics just looked old.  Whether Duncan and Garnett know it or not, this is their last ride.  The Spurs have exceeded any and all expectations for greatness since Duncan was drafted.  The Celtics have missed some opportunities to truly leave their mark (injuries to Perkins and Garnett kept them from winning multiple titles), but have easily been the best Eastern Conference squad of the last five years.  These two teams have done it the right way, the players and coaches involved are respected and revered.  If you want to watch basketball as it’s meant to be played, rooting against this series would be a mistake.

Pierce's clutch 3 may have done the Heat in and sent Boston into an unexpected Finals

If the Thunder close out the series tonight, my argument won’t mean much this time tommorrow.  They’ll move on and likely win their first of many titles, Kevin Durrant, not LeBron, will become the player of the next generation.  The Spurs, with Duncan turning 37 next season, will likely have to start some sort of a rebuilding project.  But if the Spurs can find a way to win the next game and sneak into the Finals, a chance at a fifth title in the Duncan era would be a testament to the greatness of the Spurs organization.

If the Heat come back, down 3-2, to win this series in seven, no one will remember how close this Celtics team came to doing the impossible ten years from now.  They’ll only remember the Heat team that put it together and made another Finals appearance; history rarely remembers second place.  Still, if the Celtics win, if they ban together and close this series out on the parquet floor in Boston it will one of the most unexpected title runs in history.

Neither of these teams were supposed to have anything left; they’re too old, too banged up.  The window for these teams closed long ago, or so the experts said.  What people forget, what ESPN and others always overlook is the heart and mind of a championship team.  It’s not about the size, speed, and strength, but rather it’s always going to be about who wants it more.  Counting out men like Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett is a fools errand, they’ve been here before and they’re afraid of no one.  Whatever happens over the next few days, these teams are winners, leaders, and above all else champions.

Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett has battled one another for years, them meeting in the Finals would be the perfect ending.

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Contemplating Lottery Suicide

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Tonight the fates of many NBA franchises will once again be left up to the chaotic randomness of bouncing ping-pong balls.  The NBA Draft Lottery, which has been around in one form or another since 1985, will decide where the best amateur players in the country will be playing next season.  The system was put in place to deter teams from tanking, or losing games deliberately down the stretch of a lost season.  Although tanking is still very much a problem in the NBA (just ask anyone who watched the Bobcats play all season) the lottery aims to level the playing field when it comes to the top draft choices, and it does just that for the most part.

For any team not located in Miami the way to win in the NBA is to build through the draft, get lucky with a few picks, develop your talent, and instill a winning atmosphere throughout your organization.  That’s why the randomness of the lottery seems so out of place with the otherwise cut-and-dry blueprint for winning in the NBA.  In other words: a team can do absolutely everything right; hire the right coach, put the best staff available around him, scout players damn near perfectly, but if those ping-pong balls don’t bounce your way there’s nothing you can do about it.

The Boston Celtics tanked the ’96-97′ season, it’s no secret.  They saw Tim Duncan sitting there on their draft board and they understood he was the ticket to more championships in Bean Town, so they lost as many games as they could.  Had the NBA had a system in place like the NFL, the Celtics would’ve gotten the top pick, gotten Duncan, and won a few more titles.  The Spurs finished with the third worst record that year, yet as fate would have it, they ended up with the top pick and ultimately Duncan…Four championships in later (going on five?), the rest is history (the Celtics ended up drafting some kid out of Kansas named Paul Pierce).

The Draft Lottery is the only system in professional sports that takes a major decision for multiple franchises and leaves it entirely up to chance.  Franchises have folded and moved, players have been traded, good coaches and GM’s have lost their jobs all because of the way a particular ball decides to bounce.

The Bobcats have a 25% chance at the top pick this season.  For those of you who don’t know, the Bobcats are terrible.  Quite possibly the worst basketball team ever assembled played in Charlotte last season (that’s not even an exaggeration).  If they get the top pick, Anthony Davis, they’ll finally have a bonafide star to build around and the entire organization might actually get the shot in the arm it needs.  One franchise has already tried and failed in Charlotte (see: Hornets).  The Bobcat organization can’t afford another season like the last.  The top pick would change the fortunes of everyone involved with the Bobcats while missing out on the pick would likely end with the inevitable relocation of the franchise…all because one damn ping-pong ball bounced the wrong way.

Winning the lottery can be a shock, as Irene Pollin found out two years ago, but it's what your team does after that first pick that really counts

The Wizards have the second-best odds at securing the top pick with a 19.9% chance.  The Wiz won the lottery only two years ago and drafted John Wall out of Kentucky.  To think, as a Wizards fan, that they have a chance at getting the often dominant Davis out of Kentucky is exciting (although they’d be one step closer to becoming the Washington Wildcats, tying my beloved franchise to my least favorite college basketball coach for years to come).  The Wizards are one of the youngest teams in the league, but they are far from devoid of talent.  Getting Davis would fast track the Wizards rebuilding process, give Wall a running mate to go along with the young pieces that started putting it together last season, and ultimately revitalize the great basketball market that is the Washington D.C. metro area…but that ball has to bounce right.

It’s clear that the future of the NBA, in terms of how any front office should look to build their team, is the draft and player development.  The Thunder are a prime example of how drafting wisely (‘reaching’ for Westbrook at No. 4), getting lucky (Durrant at No. 2 after Greg Oden), and developing talent to fit their scheme (Harden off the bench) can turn your team into a title contender in only a few seasons.

So, however pointless televising the lottery is, when you’re watching tonight and your favorite team wins, or doesn’t win, just remember it’s all random.  If, by some miracle your team gets that pick, count your blessings, watch the Celtics-Heat game, and hope against hope that your team doesn’t fuck it all up.

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Western Conference Finals Preview

Friday, May 25, 2012

Duncan has raised his game in the playoffs while Durrant has been clutch, who gets the last laugh?

The San Antonio Spurs are the NBA’s best team.  Ask anyone in the know; they’re the deepest, smartest, best coached, most experienced, most explosive team left in the playoffs.  Tim Duncan and Tony Parker have steered their team beautifully this year, from ‘over the hill’ to championship favorites.  The NBA landscape was shaken and changed for good when LeBron did what he did, and the Spurs became an afterthought when that happened.  Now, with the Western Conference Finals set to begin on Sunday, the Spurs are back in the limelight yet again, and the NBA should finally take notice.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been fun to watch this season.  Any NBA fan who’s watched Durrant grow into the player he’s become knows just how dangerous the Thunder are.  Durrant, Westbrook, and Harden will each leave their mark on the NBA when it’s all said and done.  For years they were too young and too inexperienced to be taken seriously as title contenders.  Now, with only one loss in the playoffs to date they’ll face their toughest test yet.

The Spurs have yet to lose in these playoffs, in fact they haven’t lost since mid-April.  After destroying the Jazz in four games, only one of which was close, they then dispatched the Clippers in four, finding different ways to win each game.  To say the Spurs have been dominant in these playoffs would be a gross under exaggeration; they’ve been one of the best playoff teams of all time.  To think, this time last year everyone knew the Spurs were D.O.N.E.  They were so over matched and outplayed by the Grizzlies in round one  last year that everyone proclaimed their title window had officially closed, handing the West over to the Thunder.

Now the two teams will meet in what will surely be the best series of the playoffs.

Breakdown: Point Guard

“Point Guard” is a very broad term when looking at this series.  Here we have two All-Star level point guards who both play the game very differently.  Tony Parker, who took the reigns as the Spurs best player this season, has always been a slash-and-kick point first.  Along with that he’s the best finishing point guard in the league when he gets in the paint.  His ability to collapse the defense opens up so many opportunities for the great shooters on the Spurs.  He’s what makes the team go.

Both points need to play well, but who plays better?

Russell Westbrook is a new kind of point guard; a shoot first, shoot second, shoot third kind of guy that has no conscience and no memory.  If he’s having a bad shooting night you wouldn’t know it the way he keeps firing.  Sometimes his aggressiveness helps the team, other times he’s clearly shooting the Thunder out of games.  Westbrook’s athletic ability is unmatched at his position, but he needs to learn to play within himself while getting his talented teammates involved more often. 

This could go either way the way these guy’s can both dominate a game.  Still, with three championships already under his belt and a more talented team around him, you gotta give the nod to Parker.  Advantage: Spurs

Breakdown: Shooting Guard

No disrespect to Thabo Sefolosha (the starting shooting guard for the Thunder), he’s been a good, if not great defender in the league for some time, he can also knock down open shots; but when discussing the 2-guard spot in OKC the conversation starts and ends with James Harden.  The NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year came into his own this season, and has showed flashes of bigger things in these playoffs.  When Harden’s on the court he becomes the primary play maker for OKC, and more often than not he makes the right play.

Much like the Thunder the Spurs have a cast of characters at the 2 spot.  Danny Green starts for them, James Anderson and Gary Neal can contribute off the bench, but when he’s healthy it’s still all about Manu Ginobli.  It’s funny to think about how the Spurs have remained intact with all of the distractions and player movement around the NBA, but they have.  Manu, very much like Harden, comes off the bench and immediately goes into attack mode for the Spurs.  When he’s been healthy, especially in the playoffs, he’ s been the most dangerous player on San Antonio’s roster.

All in all, both teams have depth here.  It comes down to which player makes the bigger impact in this series: Harden or Ginobli.  Given his age and minute restrictions, Manu can’t quite change the game like he used to whereas Harden will get plenty of opportunities to make his mark.  Advantage: Thunder

Breakdown: Small Forward

There’s not too much to say on this one.  The Thunder have Kevin Durrant, the most dangerous scorer in the league, while the Spurs start rookie Kawhi Leonard and bring Captain Jack (Stephen Jackson) off the bench.  Leonard is a good player, and he will get better in time, but Durrant is a top five player in the league and he’s only beginning to learn how to win.  Advantage: Thunder

Breakdown: Power Forward

Tim Duncan versus Serge Ibaka.  One has four championships to his name and will go down as the best power forward of his generation, if not all time…the other blocks a lot of shots and has little-to-no offensive game.  The Thunder will throw a lot of bodies Timmy’s way to try and wear him down as the series goes on, but Duncan’s a pro and he’s learned how to pace himself this season.  Look for Duncan (Blair and Splitter, the backups) to dominate Ibaka and whomever the Thunder throw his way.  Advantage: Spurs

Breakdown: Center

Kendrick Perkins won a title with the Celtics.  When he was traded to the Thunder last season the Celtics players and coaches were devastated while the Thunder were elated.  The guy oozes toughness and will not back down to anyone.  Although his offensive game is very limited, his post defense is the best in the NBA and he’s one of the smarter team defenders the league has.  The Spurs start Boris Diaw at the five spot, rotate Duncan, Splitter, Blair, and Matt Bonner in and out.  Perk gives the Thunder a clear defensive anchor in the paint, it’s his presence (blocking/changing shots) that could swing the series. Advantage: Thunder

Coloring page basketball

If you’re a fan of basketball this is the series you need to watch.  Whichever team that makes it out of the East may be irrelevant; these two teams right here are the best in the NBA.  We all know the story lines, the players, the coaches, the fans…now it’s just time to go out and play the game. 

Can Duncan, Parker, and Ginobli continue to play at this high of a level?  Will the Thunder’s youth and athleticism be too much for the Spurs?  Will the Spurs depth cause the Thunder problems?  How badly will Popovich out-coach Scotty Brooks?

All the speculation and prognostication can be thrown out the window come Sunday.  That’s the great thing about the playoffs, they still have to play the games.

The Spurs Big 3 is primed to make another Finals appearance

Also, the Spurs win in 6.

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The Totally UnNecessary Review of Battleship

Monday, May 21, 2012

If you’re like me you enjoy a good movie.  You like the anticipation that builds from weeks, months, even years building up to you sitting in that seat, staring at that large screen.  Every so often a movie will come around that surpasses what you wanted, make you take a step back and say “Damn.”  It’s those movies that keep us coming back, keep us in the theatre even if the tickets cost $16 a pop! (3D is $18, I payed for something called DE yesterday.  Whatever DE is, it most certainly did not enhance my movie experience $5 worth…)

There’s a flip side to that coin, though.  Have you ever found yourself in those precious moments right before the previews start, those anticipatory butterflies in your stomach have all but subsided, you’re there, the movie’s about to start…and you don’t want to fucking see it?

My friends as I felt that way about twelve seconds into Battleship.

Maybe it was the Hasbro Studios opening credit that started the movie off on the wrong foot.  Or maybe the “Based on the Hasbro Board Game” credit that plunged that final nail into the coffin for us, but by the time these battleships started battleshipping, we had all but checked out.

I’m not going to say that this movie isn’t worth seeing.  If you saw any of the Transformer movies you have no right to judge anyone for seeing this.  Don’t forget, Hasbro Studios was behind those god awful movies too. 

Still, the movie was exactly what I thought it would be.  When I plunk my money down to see a movie called Battleship there sure as hell better be two things that are constant throughout: 1) Battles and 2) Ships, and I got more than enough of both.  My friend actually had the gall to say to me at the end: “I expected a lot more.”

Did ya?  What the fuck did you expect?  Did you think Quentin Tarantino wrote some script revisions in the final hour to add some sort of depth to a movie based on a board game?  Was there a scene cut where Sir’s Antonthy Hopkins and Sean Connery played Battleship while discussing the futility of modern warfare?  No!  This movie was called Battleship!  Rihanna plays a minor character with no acting jobs to her credit, there’s a super model playing a major character, John Carter cut his hair and joined the Navy and you’re disappointed in the result?  For shame…

As we enter into the summer movie season, gearing up for heavy-dark movies like Prometheus and The Dark Knight Rises, it’s important to keep things light and enjoy shitty movies like Battleship.  The movie won’t surprise you, you’ll even find yourself correctly predicting the plot the moment the movie starts, but that’s okay because America wins.  The world is safe again from those damn aliens, Liam Neeson delivers yet another great American accent, and we can never have enough movies that serve as two-hour commercials for our armed forces.

So go see Battleship if you want to turn your brain off and see stuff blow up, 90 year old Navy vets fight aliens, the U.S.S Missouri recommissioned, all of Hawaii destroyed, or a large paraplegic man fight a large alien in a space suit.  Or don’t see it and I’m sure you’ll carry on the same life, just without Hasbro Studios playing a slightly larger role.

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