Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Welcome to the neighborhood


1. San Antonio just got bucked
Last night was one of the greatest games that Coach K has ever been a part of. No, not the Coach K that choked away Duke’s first round game of the big dance for the first time since 1996. We’re talking about coach Larry Krystkowiak who snapped San Antonio’s 13 game winning streak in his first game as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks after Terry Stotts was fired on Wednesday. Well, a little credit has to go to Michael Redd who chipped in 29 points, five rebounds and five assists in the upset. Stotts was even able to make Andrew Bogut keep his fingers to himself. The win is nice but when a team has only won nine of their last 36 games, there’s really nowhere to go but up.

2. Miami’s heat check

Dallas’ 17 game winning streak is long gone and has since been replaced with a two game losing streak, and San Antonio had their 13 game win streak snapped by the Bucks last night which leaves Miami as the possessor of the league’s longest consecutive string of victories. The Heat were supposed to struggle without their superstar point guard in the lineup. But instead of flaming out (insert your own John Amaechi reference here), Miami has been torching opponents and have slowly worked their way up the playoff ladder in the East. With a win over Sacramento tomorrow, the Heat can grab the lead in their division via a 2-1 head-to-head tiebreaker with Washington and vault all the way from their current seed (sixth) to either third or fourth in the Eastern Conference.

3. Say cheese!
Scot Pollard took a brief moment during a 20 second timeout in the midst of Cleveland’s decimation of Indiana on Sunday to let the world in on his personal message to the future of America. As a camera passed, Pollard moved into frame and said, “Hey kids, do drugs.” There’s been no confirmation on if Pollard was actually inebriated at the time of the remarks but we’re guessing he probably had a nice buzz going. The white Dennis Rodman minus the skills has since apologized and said the comment was a “bad joke.” But we really know that the guy with the dyed locks, funny hairdos and ridiculous facial hair is the most comical punch line.

In other camera related news, the last time Mark Cuban was seen he was shoving a camera after storming across the court following the Mavs double overtime heartbreaker to the Suns. So far, the league has not come down on Cubes for the incident but you know that David Stern is frantically thumbing through all the latest manuals on rules, regulations, policies and procedures just scanning for a fine or suspension to slap on the league’s most annoying owner.

Thursday’s Player of the Day: Kobe Bryant @ Denver 38 min, 25 pts (FG: 9-19, 3FG: 0-5, FT: 7-8), 5 reb, 9 ast

Friday’s Game to Watch: Detroit (41-22) @ Phoenix (50-14) This could be a preview of the championship series later this year. The Suns are hotter than they have been all year after pulling out the biggest game of the season against Dallas earlier in the week and the euphoria from such an epic contest could be the momentum that sends Phoenix off on another long win streak. But the Pistons will be no pushover as they hold an impressive 22-10 record away from Detroit. The Pistons have so many people who can step up when it counts and now Chris Webber has become a valuable offensive contributor to the cohesive unit. But it will take a trademark Detroit defensive effort to shut down the trio of Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion.

Buzzer Beater: You have to believe in yourself in order to achieve your goals and nobody personifies this idea better than Shawn Marion. After the double overtime instant classic against Dallas on Wednesday, Marion was more than happy to share his opinion about his performance. “I think I should be the defensive player of the year,” he said. “I’m going to do my own publicity.” At least he’ll be endorsing a quality candidate. Marion guards everyone from Kobe Bryant to Kevin Garnett and averages two blocks and two steals to go along with 10 rebounds. But just so there’s no confusion, Marion is more than willing to clarify his stance on the matter. “Defensive player of the year, hands down,” Marion said of himself.

Categories
NFL General

Brett Favre wants to know if he can still retire



New home game celebration?

There’s a rumor speculating that Randy Moss’ ass could be calling the Green Bay end zone home after a trade would send Moss to the Pack for backup QB Aaron Rodgers. Green Bay’s 2008 7th round pick and Raiders tight end Courtney Anderson are also expected to be involved in the deal which could be signed by Friday.

It’s an interesting idea to kick around because of all the implications involved. If Oakland grabs Rodgers from the cheeseheads then what happens to their No. 1 draft pick? It appeared that the Raiders were set to select LSU’s JaMarcus Russell to become their franchise QB. The move could free up the team to go after other skill position players like wide receiver Calvin Johnson or running back Adrian Peterson.

The trade would also leave the Packers without a play caller for the future. Brett Favre isn’t going to play forever, is he? And if Favre thought that Javon Walker was a selfish person, just wait until he starts sharing the locker room with Moss. Then you have Moss’ whole mock mooning performance after a TD in the Vikings/Packers 2005 NFC wild card game.

While there are tons of question marks surrounding this possible trade, it will all be worth it if Green Bay inspires Moss to produce more classic quotes like this famous line after his sideshow in the 05 wild card game netted him a $10,000 fine.


No, cause it ain’t sh*t. Ain’t nothing but 10 grand. What’s 10 grand to me? Ain’t sh*t … Next time I might shake my d*ck.

Links:

[BostonHerald.com]: MOSS HEADED TO GREEN BAY?

Categories
All Other Sports

Safin’s babe trades up



Worth $2.5 billion?

You might not know who Daria Zhukova is, but you’ll probably remember her as the smoking hot babe that was hanging out at all of Marat Safin’s tennis matches some months back. Well, she’s apparently moved on from Safin and into a much more profitable relationship. Zhukova, 25, also known as Dasha, is now rumored to be with playboy Roman Abramovich, 40.

Abramovich is a Russian businessman and owner of the Chelsea football club. In other words, the guys freakin loaded. But he’s now considerably lighter in the pocket after he settled to pay his ex $2.5 billion in the most expensive divorce of all time. But taking into account that Abramovich is worth a cool $18.7 billion and his wife Irina, 39, only got away with $2.5 makes his trade in for Dasha quite a steal. Irina could have scratched and clawed her way to half of his fortune probably, but nobody is going to argue when $2.5 billion is thrown on the table.

Links:

[News.com]: WIFE TO GET $2.5 BILLION
[MOSNews.com]: RUSSIAN TYCOON, CHELSEA OWNER ABRAMOVICH FACES COSTLY DIVORCE

Categories
NHL General

NHL players are lazy bastards


Wouldn’t you like to be able to just drop what you’re doing everyday at noon and just curl up for a catnap? We would too, but unfortunately we’re not professional hockey players. But for those lucky few who are skating in the NHL it’s basically written into their contracts. According to Maple Leafs center Travis Green,


It’s not a matter of `Will I?’ It’s a matter of ‘How long?’

Sounds pretty good, but it can have its downside as well. What about when you desperately need your daily midday nap and you have a roommate on the road that isn’t on the same schedule? Or if you’re trying to get 40 winks and some jerk is snoring like a pig? But the absolute worst is when you must deal with the dreaded somnambulist, or sleepwalker to us common folks. Here’s one terrifying experience that occurred between Steve ‘Stumpy’ Thomas and the snoozing Todd Gill.


We were sleeping one time, he woke up all startled and came over to me and he was shaking me. He says: `Stump, are you okay? Are you okay?’ I wake up and I’m like, `I’m fine.’ He goes: `Holy cow… I thought I ran you over in my golf cart.’

The other troubling aspect of partaking in excessive sleeping rituals is that it sometimes can become difficult to fully revive yourself before playing in the team’s next game. Just ask the Philadelphia Flyers who have been sleepwalking through the entire season.

Links:

[Toronto Star]: NAP TIME ISN’T JUST FOR THE CHILDREN

Categories
Washington Redskins

Jason Campbell is drowning in chalk


If you’re a Redskins fan, do you want a QB that takes risks or do you want a QB that just manages the game. Now an NCAA bracket isn’t a personality test but according to Jason Campbell’s bracket, he might be the biggest…er.. fraidy cat in the NFL. Look at this thing.

All four 1 seeds in the Final Four. 7 out of 8 1-2 seeds in the Elite Eight. (The exception is Duke… go figure.) And his sweet sixteen has 12 of the 16 overall top seeds. This is a travesty. You shouldn’t even be allowed to touch a bracket if you’re gonna go this route. His eventual champion? North Carolina of course.

Imagine Jason Campbell in the playoffs if the Redskins don’t get the #1 seed. “Oh, we’re a lower seed, we’ve got no shot.”

Links:
[AOL Sports]: Blog Bet: Would You Take the 1-Seeds vs. the Field?

Categories
College Basketball

Top 10 NCAA Buzzer Beaters Video

Buzzer beaters are the best part of the NCAA tournament. Here’s ESPN’S take on the top 10 NCAA Tournament buzzer beaters of all time. You don’t really even have to watch to know who #1 is going to be. (Hint: a teammate cries like a little girl.)

Categories
All Other Sports

So Tonya Harding really does live in a trailer



What the hell was Clinton thinking?

Tonya Harding is back in the news after calling police twice. Once because she thought four men and a woman tried to steal her car. The second time because she said people were stashing rifles on her property. (Probably for the coming revolution.) Police were unable to find any evidence that pointed to her stories and said that Harding was very frustrated that no one else could see what she saw.

Harding just started taking new medication so that could be the reason she’s gone batshit crazy.


The deputy took Harding back to her trailer on Northeast Sunset Falls Road and checked her home to “put her at ease.

A trailer? Didn’t she get paid for knocking out Paula Jones in Fox’s “Decline of Western Civilization and We’re Documenting It” boxing special? It is almost a guaranteed lock that we’ll be reporting this same exact story in 5 years but replacing “Tonya Harding” with “Britney Spears”?

Links:
[Fox 12 Oregon]: Police Respond To Two Calls Involving Tonya Harding

Categories
San Diego Chargers

Chargers will sport white helmets with new duds


The Chargers previewed their new uniforms today and they’re going in two different ways. First the uniforms themselves are looking a little bit like AFL and NFL Europe unis (why is it that all uni changes seem to veer towards AFL unis?); however, they are going throwback with the helmets and using a yellow thunderbolt on a white helmet. They wisely decided to leave off the number on the helmet like the original franchise helmets. We have to say that the white helmet on the dark blue uniform looks really odd but maybe we’ll get used to it. The sweet sweet powder blue unis will remain as an alternate jersey.

For the Chargers, no gnews is good gnews. They took only a little leap from their current uniforms so there isn’t going to be a huge uproar like with the Sabres new uniforms. If anything, Bolts fans think the new uniforms might do for them what it did for the Broncos in 1997. (That’s a SB for you history impaired.) Good luck Chargers. Hope you built in a special panel on Shawne Merriman’s jersey so he can more easily inject himself in the ass.

Links:
[SignOnSanDiego]: Chargers fashion a new look

[Chargers.com]: Bold New Tradition

Categories
Atlanta Falcons

It Was Either This Or A Head Shop



Why is everyone always checking
out what I’m drinking?

We all know how much Michael Vick loves to smoke pot, so it only makes sense that the Falcons’ quarterback would open his own restaurant to handle his frequent late night munchies. On Wednesday, The Tasting Room became a reality; opening in suburban Atlanta and for profits sake Vick had better pray that Falcons fans have forgotten about the dirty bird that No. 7 dropped on them after getting booed off the field following a 31-13 home loss to the Saints in November.

Maybe this will offset some of that attention I’ve been getting, whether positive or negative. It’s good for people to see that I’m giving back to the community, where people can see me trying to do something that’s positive. There’s a lot of people speculating about things I do that are not so positive.

You mean like trying to sneak a MacGuyveresque homemade bottle meant for smuggling dope on to an airplane? It’s not speculation after you get caught.

Links:

[11Alive.com]: VICK OPENS EATERY, MUM ON PROBLEMS
[AJC.com]: RESTAURANT OPEN, BUT VICK NOT

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Steve Nash Splash


1. NBA Action Is Fantastic!
Last night’s game between the Mavs and the Suns was billed as the biggest game of the season. And neither team disappointed, as the game went down to the wire and took a pair of overtimes before Phoenix walked away with a much deserved 129-127 victory in Big D. The loss marked the first time this year that the Suns defeated the Mavs as Dallas has now lost consecutive games for the first time since opening the season with a four game losing streak. The Suns are now only three games behind the Mavs for the best record in the league. Has there ever been a less productive 17 game win streak in the history of the NBA? Despite their long run of victories, both Phoenix and San Antonio are right on the heels of Dallas. Steve Nash had an epic performance in the triumph that consisted of big free throws, big threes and big steals in the most important moments of the game as he put up 32 points, 16 assists and eight rebounds. And Nash wasn’t even the team’s most productive player on offense because Amare Stoudemire torched the Mavs for 41 points on 16 of 19 shooting to go with 10 boards. Only 18 more days until Phoenix vs. Dallas IV!

2. Built Ford Tough

TJ Ford has been playing at a spectacular level of late, but last night might have been his best performance of the season as he racked up 18 points and matched that with a career-high tying 18 assists. About the only thing that didn’t go Ford’s way against the Knicks was his half time buzzer beater that was denied by the officials after reviewing the play. With the way the Atlantic Division is shaking out, Toronto has already locked up the division crown and with it a guaranteed home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. But everyone knows that Chris Bosh is the T-Rex amongst these Raptors, averaging 22.8 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.38 blocks per game. There are a lot of great point/forward combos in the league right now and these two are right in the midst of the most promising duos out there.

3. This Is Getting To Be Boston Bad
It wasn’t too long ago that Indiana was in the thick of the playoff race with the possibility of pulling down a home court advantage in the first round. Well, those days are long gone now that the Pacers have lost 11 straight, one shy of tying the franchises’ longest streak of futility. Not even the return of Jermaine O’Neal could pull the Pacers out of their funk, but it wasn’t due to a lack of effort on O’Neal’s part (24 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks) in his first game back after missing three games with a sprained knee. With the loss to Washington last night, Indiana has fallen out of the top eight in the conference and now suddenly faces the possibility of making an early draft selection. Hey, Reggie, are you sure you don’t want to come outta retirement?

Wednesday’s Player of the Day: Steve Nash @ Dallas 48 min, 32 pts (FG: 11-25, 3FG: 2-6, FT: 8-8), 8 reb, 16 ast, 1 stl

Thursday’s Game to Watch: Los Angeles Lakers (33-31) @ Denver (31-31) The Lakers are struggling monumentally at the moment but records really don’t matter when the game sports three of the league’s top five scorers. Denver’s dynamic duo is combining for 58 points per game thanks to Melo’s league best 29.8 points per game average and his partner in crime’s 27.9. But that’s still not going to be enough firepower to count out the explosive one man scoring machine known as Kobe Bryant. One of these games, LA is going to break out of their slump and when they do it will probably be due to a huge offensive outing by the Mamba. Tonight is as good as any to drop another 50 point performance.

Buzzer Beater: Kobe Bryant feels that the criticism of his play is “insulting.” Phil Jackson referred to the negative media attention as a “witch hunt.” Bryant said that he doesn’t “need to be a dirty player” and doesn’t “want the image of a dirty player.” Well Kobe, if you don’t want to have your integrity questioned then don’t perform acts that bring your integrity into question. The high elbows, the awkward releases and the flailing forearms are occurring all too frequently to be considered anything but intentional. As a highly skilled athlete and one of the greatest basketball players to ever hit the hardwood, Bryant has complete control over his body’s every movement at almost every moment of every game. He can twist, turn, squeeze and shoot all while in flight, but for some strange reason he loses all control of his arms anytime they come near a player’s face? C’mon, gimme a break.