Friday, November 05, 2004
The Riley Factor
Pat Riley is fed up with the incessant whining of malcontent multi-millionaire NBAers. Said Riley: "Until a team will actually just make a stand and suspend the guy for conduct detrimental (to the team), and for breach of contract, tortious interfering with the development of his team, and will suspend him and fine him and make the players' association and the NBA go to court and arbitration, then these guys will continue to do it." -- Toronto Star
A-freakin-men, Pat! I'm talking about drawing a line in the sand, man. Across this line, YOU DO NOT--also, Dude, "malcontent multi-millionaire" is not the preferred nomanclature. Economically Dissatisfied, please.
Seriously though, if I were wearing a hat today, which for all you know I am, I'd tip it to Pat Riley for a great moment of Jerry Maguire-esque wisdom.
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A-freakin-men, Pat! I'm talking about drawing a line in the sand, man. Across this line, YOU DO NOT--also, Dude, "malcontent multi-millionaire" is not the preferred nomanclature. Economically Dissatisfied, please.
Seriously though, if I were wearing a hat today, which for all you know I am, I'd tip it to Pat Riley for a great moment of Jerry Maguire-esque wisdom.
# posted by j.h.k. @ 6:04 PM 
Quote of the Millenium
I think the following quote from The Golden State Strangler, Latrell Sprewell, aptly represents everything people hate about professional sports these days...
After calling the Minnesota Timberwolves' contract extension offer "insulting," Sprewell explained his perspective in the case by saying, "I've got a family to feed."
In the final year of his current contract, Latrell Sprewell is due to receive 14.6 million dollars this season. Perhaps by "family" he means Somalia.
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After calling the Minnesota Timberwolves' contract extension offer "insulting," Sprewell explained his perspective in the case by saying, "I've got a family to feed."
In the final year of his current contract, Latrell Sprewell is due to receive 14.6 million dollars this season. Perhaps by "family" he means Somalia.
# posted by j.h.k. @ 8:56 AM
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
The Secret of Mihm
Welcome to the Chris Mihm Era. I had zero expectations for Chris Mihm when he was acquired other than for him to fill the Token Goofy White Guy role. After watching the 7-foot Longhorn for just a few minutes in an exhibition game, I knew he was no Travis Knight. Mihm proved it to the world last night with a coming out party to the tune of 23 points, 12 boards, and 2 blocks. The knucklehead TNT postgame crew laughed it off, but I'm telling you right now, this is not the last solid game we will see from Chris "Of Mice and" Mihm. He's got an intensity and an on-court work ethic that are going to get him boards, blocks, and wide open dunks all season long.
Let's face it, it has been tough to be a Laker fan these past few seasons. They gave you the feeling that they didn't really care about the regular season, like they were playing on a Dayquil buzz until they finally sobered up--IN JUNE. I'll always be a fan of the team, but it became difficult to root for them in good conscience knowing they were not playing the type of ball the fans appreciate. If I was not an LA resident and a Laker fan, I would have been gung ho for the Pistons last year--in spite of Rasheed Wallace. They played team ball and hustled while the Lakers loafed around and waited for their reputation to beat the Pistons so they wouldn't have to break a sweat. I mourned the loss of Phil Jackson and Shaq as much as anybody, but deep down, I welcomed the change...any change.
I'm not bothered that most experts pick us to lose this year, that they're rallying around the predicted failure of Kobe Bryant and Co. I actually like it. It makes me excited that the Lakers won't only be underdogs this year, but that, with this new coach and personnel, that they will actually play like underdogs. I'm predicting an entire team of Derek Fisher-like effort for four quarters of every game. I love this team already because they feel like they have something to prove. Do you think the Shaq-guided Lakers felt like they had anything to prove? It was almost tragic last year to see a sportsman like Karl Malone busting his 40-year-old butt to win his first title while surrounded by a team that treated their quest for a fourth like an errand they have to run a few nights a week. I sincerely hope Karl comes back because I think this year's team is the type of group that he belongs with. With The Mailman doing his route in LA, I would not be surprised if he did win his first championship.
After all, are the 2004 Lakers all that different from the 2003 World Champion Pistons? The Pistons won it with a group of decent players who played well together and they didn't even have the benefit of a go-to guy like Kobe. I'm pretty sure Chucky Atkins and Chauncey Billups are the same guy and you already know how I feel about Mihm. With Caron Butler, Luke Walton, and Brian Cook all developing on schedule, I like that matchup very much. If Lamar Odom figures things out, I'm telling ya, look out NBA.
The counterargument is that Kobe is selfish and will hurt the offense by trying to do too much. He'll win the MVP, they say, but the Lakers will miss the Playoffs. I completely disagree. Kobe Bryant wants to win. Maybe he felt as frustrated as us fans did that his old mates wouldn't run and defend with him. In the Lakers first game last night, Kobe was a creator and a distributor. He drew the defense and kicked to his teammates. He played great team ball and still got an unselfish 25 points. Kobe had more assists than field goals, which, depending on how you look at it, is either great or terrible. I think it's a very positive sign.
Maybe the Lakers won't win it all this year. I'm not ruling it out, but let's say they don't. As a loyal fan, I will be just as proud of an inspiring team with an uninspiring record as I would be of last year's Western Conference Champion All-Hall team that had no heart. Actually, even more so.
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Let's face it, it has been tough to be a Laker fan these past few seasons. They gave you the feeling that they didn't really care about the regular season, like they were playing on a Dayquil buzz until they finally sobered up--IN JUNE. I'll always be a fan of the team, but it became difficult to root for them in good conscience knowing they were not playing the type of ball the fans appreciate. If I was not an LA resident and a Laker fan, I would have been gung ho for the Pistons last year--in spite of Rasheed Wallace. They played team ball and hustled while the Lakers loafed around and waited for their reputation to beat the Pistons so they wouldn't have to break a sweat. I mourned the loss of Phil Jackson and Shaq as much as anybody, but deep down, I welcomed the change...any change.
I'm not bothered that most experts pick us to lose this year, that they're rallying around the predicted failure of Kobe Bryant and Co. I actually like it. It makes me excited that the Lakers won't only be underdogs this year, but that, with this new coach and personnel, that they will actually play like underdogs. I'm predicting an entire team of Derek Fisher-like effort for four quarters of every game. I love this team already because they feel like they have something to prove. Do you think the Shaq-guided Lakers felt like they had anything to prove? It was almost tragic last year to see a sportsman like Karl Malone busting his 40-year-old butt to win his first title while surrounded by a team that treated their quest for a fourth like an errand they have to run a few nights a week. I sincerely hope Karl comes back because I think this year's team is the type of group that he belongs with. With The Mailman doing his route in LA, I would not be surprised if he did win his first championship.
After all, are the 2004 Lakers all that different from the 2003 World Champion Pistons? The Pistons won it with a group of decent players who played well together and they didn't even have the benefit of a go-to guy like Kobe. I'm pretty sure Chucky Atkins and Chauncey Billups are the same guy and you already know how I feel about Mihm. With Caron Butler, Luke Walton, and Brian Cook all developing on schedule, I like that matchup very much. If Lamar Odom figures things out, I'm telling ya, look out NBA.
The counterargument is that Kobe is selfish and will hurt the offense by trying to do too much. He'll win the MVP, they say, but the Lakers will miss the Playoffs. I completely disagree. Kobe Bryant wants to win. Maybe he felt as frustrated as us fans did that his old mates wouldn't run and defend with him. In the Lakers first game last night, Kobe was a creator and a distributor. He drew the defense and kicked to his teammates. He played great team ball and still got an unselfish 25 points. Kobe had more assists than field goals, which, depending on how you look at it, is either great or terrible. I think it's a very positive sign.
Maybe the Lakers won't win it all this year. I'm not ruling it out, but let's say they don't. As a loyal fan, I will be just as proud of an inspiring team with an uninspiring record as I would be of last year's Western Conference Champion All-Hall team that had no heart. Actually, even more so.
# posted by j.h.k. @ 3:39 PM
The Mourning After
I don't want to get into too much of a political discussion. We have a sister site for that and as much as its posts irritate me this morning, I will leave most of the discourse where it belongs. However, I would like to express my feelings with the following sports comparison.
As a strong minded Kerry voter, this morning I know what it felt like for the 2003 Red Sox, feeling in their souls that they deserved to win, to lose to the Yankee empire on a Game 7 walk-off homerun. On that chilly autumn night one year ago, it was Aaron "F'in" Boone who took the Sox to the cleaners. Last night, it was the state for which Boone used to play, O-hi-ho, that spoiled John Kerry's Presidential hopes.
Now I know the pain. Now I feel the dull, weighted ache. Now I too throw my hands up and say "Won't the good guys ever win? Just once?"
The difference is the Red Sox only had to wait 12 months for their day of reckoning. I have to wait four more years.
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As a strong minded Kerry voter, this morning I know what it felt like for the 2003 Red Sox, feeling in their souls that they deserved to win, to lose to the Yankee empire on a Game 7 walk-off homerun. On that chilly autumn night one year ago, it was Aaron "F'in" Boone who took the Sox to the cleaners. Last night, it was the state for which Boone used to play, O-hi-ho, that spoiled John Kerry's Presidential hopes.
Now I know the pain. Now I feel the dull, weighted ache. Now I too throw my hands up and say "Won't the good guys ever win? Just once?"
The difference is the Red Sox only had to wait 12 months for their day of reckoning. I have to wait four more years.
# posted by j.h.k. @ 8:53 AM
Monday, November 01, 2004
Change of Plans
As we learned over the weekend, the Angels have decided against resigning Troy Glaus. This goes against my original plan, but I totally understand why they're letting him go. If he was going to be looking for Eric Chavez money then it makes good business sense to take your chances with the cheaper McPherson. It also appears as if they are very willing to deal Jose Guillen. Another route different from what I had mapped out, but that's fine, Stoneman. I can play this thing on the fly if you force me to.
With Glaus and Guillen gone, our lineup is out half of its G-Force. Enter one Carlos Ivan Beltran. Stoneman indicated that he was letting go of Glaus to free up the money it might take to get Carlos Beltran and I'm fine with that. Carlos is a future member of the 40/40 Club, a true centerfielder and he more than proved his mettle this postseason. Sign him up. I hope this doesn't make me racist, but let's appeal to his Puerto Rican roots and get our Latin-American players and owner to recruit him.
That's the obvious move. After that, I want to scrap all other names from my free agent pitcher list and pursue one man, a certain 6'10" left-hander dubbed The Big Unit. This team needs a true dominator. This team needs somebody who can match up with a Schilling/Prior/Clemens. Nobody can fill that role like Randy Johnson can. I know the big rumor is that Steinbrenner will do whatever it takes to get him in pinstripes and that was the only place Randy wanted to go last year. However, the Yankees situation is no better now than it was at the trading deadline. They have no viable prospects and the contracts of their stars are immovable. It would almost certainly have to be a three-way deal and I just don't see anybody rushing to help the Yankees anytime soon.
So why not us? With the nearly $40 million in savings from last year's payroll, the Angels should have plenty for Beltran, Weaver, and Johnson. The rumor is that the Angels will pursue Pedro, but I think that would be a mistake. Pedro is on the way down and is not worth a long-term, highly lucrative deal, especially when a better, albeit older, Randy Johnson can be acquired for $16 million. I realize he's almost as old as the franchise itself, but he also was the best pitcher in the National League last year and would win the Cy Young if he had any help at all from his offense. He didn't consider the Angels to be true contenders last year, but don't a first round playoff loss and rumors of Carlos Beltran change that a bit?
I think the Angels have plenty to offer the D-backs in return, certainly more than the Yankees. How about Jose Guillen, Ramon Ortiz (sign-and-trade), Kasey Kotchman, and Kevin Gregg? Would any knowledgeable Angel fan not make that deal to get Randy Johnson? I know Stoneman didn't want to part with Kotchman or McPherson before, but given our glaring need for starting pitching, would getting one of the three best pitchers in the game not warrant letting the lesser of the two rookies go? Kotchman is not going to supplant Erstad anytime soon anyway. Make that deal and announce our presence with authority.
How's this for a team:
Figgins
Beltran
Guerrero
Anderson
McPherson
Erstad
Molina (Jose or a cheaper Bengie)
Kennedy
Eckstein
Johnson
Colon
Escobar
Washburn
Lackey
Weaver
Shields
Donnelly
Rodriguez
Percival(?)
I think that team goes to the ALCS for sure, if not further. Stoneman, let's not mess around with Pedro or Pavano. Let's get The Big Unit over in Anaheim and get Carlos Beltran with him. You've wet our appetites with an AL West banner, and now we're hungry for a pennant.
My God, how long until March?
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With Glaus and Guillen gone, our lineup is out half of its G-Force. Enter one Carlos Ivan Beltran. Stoneman indicated that he was letting go of Glaus to free up the money it might take to get Carlos Beltran and I'm fine with that. Carlos is a future member of the 40/40 Club, a true centerfielder and he more than proved his mettle this postseason. Sign him up. I hope this doesn't make me racist, but let's appeal to his Puerto Rican roots and get our Latin-American players and owner to recruit him.
That's the obvious move. After that, I want to scrap all other names from my free agent pitcher list and pursue one man, a certain 6'10" left-hander dubbed The Big Unit. This team needs a true dominator. This team needs somebody who can match up with a Schilling/Prior/Clemens. Nobody can fill that role like Randy Johnson can. I know the big rumor is that Steinbrenner will do whatever it takes to get him in pinstripes and that was the only place Randy wanted to go last year. However, the Yankees situation is no better now than it was at the trading deadline. They have no viable prospects and the contracts of their stars are immovable. It would almost certainly have to be a three-way deal and I just don't see anybody rushing to help the Yankees anytime soon.
So why not us? With the nearly $40 million in savings from last year's payroll, the Angels should have plenty for Beltran, Weaver, and Johnson. The rumor is that the Angels will pursue Pedro, but I think that would be a mistake. Pedro is on the way down and is not worth a long-term, highly lucrative deal, especially when a better, albeit older, Randy Johnson can be acquired for $16 million. I realize he's almost as old as the franchise itself, but he also was the best pitcher in the National League last year and would win the Cy Young if he had any help at all from his offense. He didn't consider the Angels to be true contenders last year, but don't a first round playoff loss and rumors of Carlos Beltran change that a bit?
I think the Angels have plenty to offer the D-backs in return, certainly more than the Yankees. How about Jose Guillen, Ramon Ortiz (sign-and-trade), Kasey Kotchman, and Kevin Gregg? Would any knowledgeable Angel fan not make that deal to get Randy Johnson? I know Stoneman didn't want to part with Kotchman or McPherson before, but given our glaring need for starting pitching, would getting one of the three best pitchers in the game not warrant letting the lesser of the two rookies go? Kotchman is not going to supplant Erstad anytime soon anyway. Make that deal and announce our presence with authority.
How's this for a team:
Figgins
Beltran
Guerrero
Anderson
McPherson
Erstad
Molina (Jose or a cheaper Bengie)
Kennedy
Eckstein
Johnson
Colon
Escobar
Washburn
Lackey
Weaver
Shields
Donnelly
Rodriguez
Percival(?)
I think that team goes to the ALCS for sure, if not further. Stoneman, let's not mess around with Pedro or Pavano. Let's get The Big Unit over in Anaheim and get Carlos Beltran with him. You've wet our appetites with an AL West banner, and now we're hungry for a pennant.
My God, how long until March?
# posted by j.h.k. @ 6:11 PM
Rock The Vote...Or Maybe Don't
I understand the reasoning behind getting all eligible voters to the polls tomorrow to "rock the vote," but I'm starting to think it might not be such a good idea.
On my way in this morning, KROQ's Kevin and Bean were taking calls from undecided voters to try to help them make up their minds one way or the other. Within three callers, the segment had already entrenched itself as one of the most blatant exhibitions of stupidity in recent memory. There was one guy who went back and forth listing such criticisms as "Kerry looks like a wuss" and "Bush seems like he just cares about making money for his buddies" before finally settling on Kerry as his candidate of choice. How did he finally make up his mind after months of heavy campaigning and debate?
"I just saw that new Eminem video and I really like Eminem."
In case you haven't caught Marshal Mathers' latest, it's called "Mosh" and is decidedly anti-Bush.
Is it really important for all eligible voters to cast their votes if this is the kind of thinking that's going into them? I think not. Why is it so important to make a decision if it's a totally uninformed one? Don't tell me it's about making use of our freedom because this jackass voting with the extent of his research being the latest Eminem video would be an absolute disgrace to that freedom. Seriously, that makes about as much sense as voting for the candidate you find to be better looking. Or maybe we should just flip a coin.
Sean "P Diddy" Combs is in the midst of his own voter encouragement campaign called "Vote or Die." Before people like those on KROQ this morning make that choice too quickly, I implore them to think about what is really going to help their community more. In many cases, I believe it may be the latter.
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On my way in this morning, KROQ's Kevin and Bean were taking calls from undecided voters to try to help them make up their minds one way or the other. Within three callers, the segment had already entrenched itself as one of the most blatant exhibitions of stupidity in recent memory. There was one guy who went back and forth listing such criticisms as "Kerry looks like a wuss" and "Bush seems like he just cares about making money for his buddies" before finally settling on Kerry as his candidate of choice. How did he finally make up his mind after months of heavy campaigning and debate?
"I just saw that new Eminem video and I really like Eminem."
In case you haven't caught Marshal Mathers' latest, it's called "Mosh" and is decidedly anti-Bush.
Is it really important for all eligible voters to cast their votes if this is the kind of thinking that's going into them? I think not. Why is it so important to make a decision if it's a totally uninformed one? Don't tell me it's about making use of our freedom because this jackass voting with the extent of his research being the latest Eminem video would be an absolute disgrace to that freedom. Seriously, that makes about as much sense as voting for the candidate you find to be better looking. Or maybe we should just flip a coin.
Sean "P Diddy" Combs is in the midst of his own voter encouragement campaign called "Vote or Die." Before people like those on KROQ this morning make that choice too quickly, I implore them to think about what is really going to help their community more. In many cases, I believe it may be the latter.
# posted by j.h.k. @ 1:51 PM
