tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16092027122703955872024-03-18T23:49:32.314-04:00Pure PointLorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.comBlogger293125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-79888297598539247042008-11-10T09:54:00.002-05:002008-11-10T09:59:38.735-05:00Soccer players more prone to Motor Neuron DiseaseDozens of former "football" players have died from the paralyzing ailment, one form of which is commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, to the extent that in Italy, professional soccer players, especially midfielders, are seven times more likely to develop the disease than the general population. So far, scientists have yet to establish a link between the sport and the activity.<br /><br /><li>Footballers fall prey to fatal disease [<a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article5114400.ece">Times Online UK</a>]Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-53366488431119661292008-11-10T09:10:00.003-05:002008-11-10T09:53:34.142-05:00Rapper vs. Baller: Eric B. & Rakim and Allen Iverson<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MO2tCBteW7U&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MO2tCBteW7U&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Even without any historical context, Eric B. and Rakim will blow you away. The hard flow of Rakim's rhymes weaving in and out of sample after sample interlaced together by Eric B. is sheer beauty. If "Paid in Full" or "Follow the Leader" were released in the last five years, they'd be among the top albums based solely on artistic brilliance. What makes the duo so much more impressive is how innovative they were. Eric B. and Rakim are so old that A Tribe Called Quest throws back to them ("My favourite jam back in the day was Eric B. for President", from "Steve Biko"). The two aforementioned albums, both considered to be among the most groundbreaking and influential of all-time, were released in 1987 and 1988 respectively, in other words, probably before most active rappers ever picked up a mic. Yes, Grandmaster Flash started producing mainstream rap music in the early 1980's, but suffice it to say that "Paid in Full", which Eric B. produced at the tender age of 18, was like nothing the world had ever seen.<br /><br />Before AI, we had seen crossovers, and they were well and good, but they were not AI's crossover. We take such things for granted in today's age of AND1 mixtapes, but in the 1996-1997 season, the number of broken ankles in the NBA skyrocketed. The laundry list of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEmS8ZQIhTA">top</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5tTAhf_iys">defensive</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkMkRwwISz4">players</a> that got rocked back on their heels is endless. Even compared to today's highlight reels, those old rookie year videos still catch our eye, and as such, the crossover became the deadliest innovation since Kareem's skyhook. Again, we stress, before Kareem, there were hook shots, but none like the skyhook. Also, the fundamental difference is that while the skyhook is recognized as impossible to stop, AI's crossover is such that if you try to stop it, you look ridiculous, if you try to contain it, you look even more ridiculous. Once he brings the ball to his hip, AI becomes the puppet master, with one string attached to the ball, and two attached to your feet.Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-21403883055621479942008-11-07T21:42:00.002-05:002008-11-07T21:50:54.335-05:00Ca-Caw!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3048/2850210203_bb5c88e97a.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3048/2850210203_bb5c88e97a.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><center><span style="color:gray;font-size:80%;">Photo by Flickr user <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/vickisnature/">Vicki's Nature</a></center><br />The baby Hawks have grown up, and seem to be building on last year's playoff appearance towards becoming one of the "dangerous" squads that everyone talks about (see: Blazers). Tonight they are in the process of dismantling the Raptors, who I picked early on to be very good in the East this year.<br /><br />Who thinks the Hawks could be a 5 seed this year? (Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, Orlando, I guess)Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-1022114938089736482008-11-07T02:10:00.005-05:002008-11-07T05:33:57.875-05:00BasketborgasmAfter watching the last 1.9 seconds of the Rockets-Blazers game, I can now die happy. As a Rockets fan, I am crushed, but as an even bigger basketball fan, I have seen that there is light in this world.<br /><br />[edit] Now, with video! [courtesy of <a href="http://www.upsideandmotor.com/20081107285/articles/november-2008/game-recaps-11608.html">Upside and Motor</a>]<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2x9Xh3kYx5I&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2x9Xh3kYx5I&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-78608037536125057312008-11-03T14:00:00.003-05:002008-11-03T16:24:09.742-05:00Rapper vs. Baller: Lil Wayne and Tracy McGrady<span style="font-style:italic;">Rapper vs. Baller will be a new regular installment discussing a usually prominent rapper or rap group and picking an NBA Player whose career, style, or personality most resembles that rapper. Hopefully it will be fun and longer lasting than my other attempts at regular installments.</span><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eaqde7D467E&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eaqde7D467E&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Lil Wayne, if nothing else, is probably the most discussed rapper of 2008. His gremlin voice has topped charts right and left and to some he is the second coming. To others, he is just more of the same: an example of rap heading in the wrong direction, away from the Golden Age of ATCQ, Wu-Tang Clan, and, well, The Roots. The about Lil Wayne is that you either love him or you hate him. Either you fall in love with his intricate rhyme scheme and wordplay or you are turned off by his simplistic flow, bubblegum beats, or gimmicky attitude. Moreover, you are always wary that he is just one OD away from ending his career and life, for better or worse. One thing that is undeniable is that he is prolific. He has released literally hundreds of albums and mixtapes in his career, so much that one might wonder whether he should employ some quality control. Also, it should be noted that his career truly took off once he joined the DJ Khaled stable (seen above), as he often can't carry an entire song with his gremlin voice, but rather can act as the headliner and showstopper of a hit with a solid supporting cast.<br /><br />Similarly there are mixed opinions about Tracy McGrady. At this point in his career, you might only expect 60 games played per season, and with stats that won't jump off a page. Even so, you never know when he's going to blow up and have a 40-point night. He's still one of the most dangerous players in the NBA for that reason, but you also wonder when that gimpy back of his will finally give out. In his prime, was he one of the best players in the NBA? Some would say so, but others would point to teh fact that he has never been out of the first round as evidence that he was not. Earlier in his career, he was the NBA points leader, but it is this season when he could achieve real success, alongside a revamped Houston Rockets supporting cast. It is obvious that he will take on a lesser role this season, but he is still the star and go-to guy in the clutch for this team.<br /><br />Sidebar:<br /><br />Akon = Yao Ming, a staple for any song/game he's in, but undeniably soft.<br />T.I. = Ron Artest, capable of tearing it up and being the unsung hero, as well as being arrested for <a href="http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2007/10/15/TIappears_1015.html">possession of assault weapons</a>.<br />Rick Ross and Fat Joe = Carl Landry and Luis Scola, the less heralded big men who patrol the middle. <br />Birdman = Rafer Alston, throws up the assist for Weezy Mac to throw it down at the end.<br />DJ Khaled = Shane Battier, a seemingly limited role, but actually behind the scenes the glue that holds everything together.Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-28371147591761186892008-10-30T09:17:00.004-04:002008-10-30T09:55:27.384-04:00Belated 2008-2009 Prediction Post<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/131/399633120_388587f0ec.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 392px; height: 480px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/131/399633120_388587f0ec.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><center><span style="color:gray;font-size:80%;">Photo by Flickr user <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/gandhiji40/">gandhiji40</a> used under a Creative Commons license.</span></center><br />Now that the season is underway and I'm back to blogging, I thoguht it would be apt to throw one of these bad boys up. Let's see how wrong I am. (Note: I did not check that the league as a whole finishes at .500. Please do not send me angry e-mails saying that I don't know math.)<br /><br /><b>EASTERN CONFERENCE</b><br /><br /><li>1. Boston Celtics (57-25)<br /><li>2. Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30)<br /><li>3. Toronto Raptors (50-32)<br /><li>4. Orlando Magic (48-34)<br /><li>5. Detroit Pistons (49-33)<br /><li>6. Philadelphia Sixers (45-37)<br /><li>7. Miami Heat (41-41)<br /><li>8. Atlanta Hawks (39-43)<br /><li>9. Washington Wizards (37-45)<br /><li>10. Indiana Pacers (37-45)<br /><li>11. Chicago Bulls (36-46)<br /><li>12. New Jersey Nets (33-49)<br /><li>13. Charlotte Bobcats (32-50)<br /><li>14. New York Knicks (30-52)<br /><li>15. Milwaukee Bucks (27-55)<br /><br /><b>WESTERN CONFERENCE</b><br /><br /><li>1. Los Angeles Lakers (63-19)<br /><li>2. New Orleans Hornets (55-27)<br /><li>3. Utah Jazz (54-28)<br /><li>4. Houston Rockets (52-30)<br /><li>5. San Antonio Spurs (51-31)<br /><li>6. Dallas Mavericks (46-36)<br /><li>7. Portland Trailblazers (45-37)<br /><li>8. Denver Nuggets (42-40)<br /><li>9. Phoenix Suns (41-41)<br /><li>10. Los Angeles Clippers (38-44)<br /><li>11. Sacramento Kings (38-44)<br /><li>12. Minnesota Timberwolves (32-50)<br /><li>13. Golden State Warriors (30-52)<br /><li>14. Oklahoma City Thunder (28-54)<br /><li>15. Memphis Grizzlies (23-59)<br /><br />I'm not going to explain most of my picks, but you can note that I have Toronto higher than most people. This is because JO and Bosh complement each other perfectly and Calderon is one of the most efficient point guard's in the league. Nay-sayers will note that second unit players are often the beneficiary of lessened competition, but Calderon's stats improved when TJ Ford was out in previous seasons, so there isn't evidence that they'll decline in a starting role this year. As for the Suns missing the playoffs, they've completely lost their identity as the Run-and-Gun Suns with the acquisition of the Big Cactus and new Coach Terry Porter. Other notes, the Lakers looks unstoppable, Blazers look just OK, Bulls are intriguing. Clippers and Hawks face-off for the title of best collection of fantasy players on a mediocre at best team IRL.<br /><br />Other Picks:<br /><br />League MVP: Chris Paul (Voters love the assists, see: Steve Nash).<br />ROY: Derrick Rose looks like he could be something else.<br />MIP: Ty Thomas is going to make Chicago breathe a sigh of relief that they aren't in another Ty Chandler situation.<br />DPOY: Ron Artest, because Shane Battier never gets any credit.<br />6MOY: Lamar Odom, with Manu out, the title is up for grabs.<br />COY: Sam Mitchell, because I picked the Raptors to outperform expectations and the team that does that usually wins this award.<br />Exec. OY: Daryl Morey and Co. Because of <a href="http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Higher_Learning-287072-34.html">this</a> and <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?section=magazine&id=3658571">this</a> and <a href="http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=478881">this</a>.Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-86593209684484607842008-10-30T09:04:00.005-04:002008-10-30T09:58:08.793-04:00We're Baaaaaack (Theoretically)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c6/We%27re_Back!_Movie_Poster.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 324px; height: 490px;" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c6/We%27re_Back!_Movie_Poster.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Sorry for the Olympic hangover, but now that baseball is gone and basketball is back, so are we (back, not gone... for now).<br /><br />Not that any of you care, but here is what I have been occupied with:<br /><br /><li>Moving back into school.<br /><li>Getting addicted to gambling on sports.<br /><li>Losing my bankroll by gambling on sports.<br /><li>Getting addicted to online poker.<br /><li>Exams/Homework? (Not that time-consuming)<br /><li>Being surprisingly good at online poker (I make more in poker than at my job, which is both great and sad).<br /><li>Drafting probably the worst fantasy basketball team in history in the <a href="http://upsideandmotor.blogspot.com/2008/10/1st-annual-upside-and-motor-fantasy.html">U&M Fantasy Basketball Classic</a> <br /><br /><blockquote>"Loren's underground. And something tells me that he's not only down with that, but that he embraces it. Power to you, Loren, and stick it to the man.<br /><br />-<span style="font-weight:bold;">Rob Mahoney</span>, <a href="http://upsideandmotor.com">Upside and Motor</a></blockquote> <br />What that basically means is that no one has ever heard of me. I guess I embrace it, but that's not to say that I would turn down exposure. But with great power comes great responsibility and the inability to go on season-long breaks.Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-49407793091165041162008-09-05T13:59:00.002-04:002008-09-05T14:10:15.893-04:00U mad cuz Djokovic styled on Roddick?If you are following the US Open at all, chances are you caught the Novak Djokovic on-court interview post his 4-set takedown of American fan-favorite, Andy Roddick.<br /><br />While I agree that his words may have been in poor taste, I can't see where people like <a href="http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/the_sporting_blog/entry/view/11746/what_did_he_say_about_roddick?_booooo!">Chris Mottram</a> are coming from in attacking this move.<br /><br /><blockquote>Wise decision that was, Novak, to get that outta your system in front of 20,000+ Roddick fans, not to mention the television audience. Alienating Americans is gonna do wonders for your career.</blockquote><br /><br />What exactly is going to happen to Novak Djokovic's career because of his statement? Are American teams going to blacklist him? No, there are no teams in tennis. Is he going to be banned from American tournaments? Possibly the most ridiculous thing that I've ever heard.<br /><br />Tennis is not baseball or basketball. As an individual sport, your career in tennis depends solely upon your own ability and does not hinge in any way on the public perception. We've seen countless tennis players with attitude problems become the best players in their generation. John McEnroe was one of the most hated guys on tour in his time, but is now one of the faces of tennis. Even Andy Roddick and the Williams sisters have been known to throw hissy fits after losses, and how much has that affected their careers? Absolutely zero.<br /><br />Novak Djokovic is 21 years old and already ranked #3 in the world. If he wins the US Open, he goes up to #2. At this stage in his fledging career, I'd would say that he is already the best all-around player in the game, surpassing Federer, and maybe, just maybe, behind Nadal. I don't think one incident where he gets booed by a crowd of Americans is going to change that.Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-48340096185041863482008-08-22T18:30:00.005-04:002008-08-22T21:49:29.475-04:00Olympians love sexMaybe I'm the only the one who missed out on this rumor, but apparently it seems to be common knowledge that all the Olympians have <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article4582421.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1">crazy, hot sex</a> all the time in the Olympic Village. Since you must actually be in the Olympics to have access to the Olympic Village, here are supposedly some of the easiest Olympic sports. You might try <a href="http://www.newsliders.com/olympics.htm">skeleton</a>, which I had never heard of before today; it consists of racing head first down an icy track, and you're especially lucky if you're female since it seems to be a heavily male-dominated sport. At least with skeleton you'll probably be able to maintain much more dignity than telling people that you're competing in <a href="http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/programme/index_uk.asp?SportCode=HB">handball</a>. Yes, that's right, handball is an official Olympic sport.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQM7UBOBEAyQ3J_io9IhxPOMShdV0baHZpg4a4kXGuRzkrYDM2L8qqHZ1r7QYQY4pdCo5Hahtm3NbgQXY0OOyEPpvRxjnBhjWroSrP8-uZylNT08tS-7EMn231BigvOxoxIRuh2HTb9HCA/s1600-h/handball.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQM7UBOBEAyQ3J_io9IhxPOMShdV0baHZpg4a4kXGuRzkrYDM2L8qqHZ1r7QYQY4pdCo5Hahtm3NbgQXY0OOyEPpvRxjnBhjWroSrP8-uZylNT08tS-7EMn231BigvOxoxIRuh2HTb9HCA/s400/handball.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237480132865200914" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:78%;">Slawomir Szmal of Poland blocking the shot from Snorri Steinn Gudjonsson of Iceland in the Men's Quarterfinal match between Iceland and Poland in Beijing.</span>Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10812628476909609142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-37042623067463925262008-08-18T18:24:00.004-04:002008-08-18T18:27:01.993-04:00I'm pretty confused by this gymnastics article<a href="http://www.nbcolympics.com/gymnastics/news/newsid=230935.html#tough+math+leaves+liukin+silver">Tough math leaves Liukin silver</a><br /><br />It isn't the "tough math" that phases me, but rather the use of vernacular in the beginning of the article.<br /><br /><blockquote>It seemed she wuz [sic] robbed, China's He Kexin getting the gold, Liukin left with silver. China's Yang Yilin got the bronze, the bars results adding to the host nation's sensational gymnastics performance at these Games -- the great haul of China.<br /><br />Wuz [sic] Liukin robbed? </blockquote><br /><br />Is there a reason why someone would write "was" as "wuz"?Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-31601772543299291722008-08-15T09:09:00.011-04:002008-08-15T09:52:41.012-04:00Olympic Headlines<li><span style="font-weight:bold;">Phelps is a beast:</span> 6 events, 6 golds, 6 world records. Pure domination. But can he swim faster than <a href="http://www.faniq.com/blog/Video-Ocho-Cinco-Chad-Johnson-Says-He-Can-Beat-Michael-Phelps-In-The-Pool-On-PTI-Blog-11059">Chad Ocho Cinco</a>?<br /><br /><li><span style="font-weight:bold;">Gym-Nastia is Liukin good:</span> Nastia Liukin had <a href="http://awfulannouncing.blogspot.com/2008/08/your-olympic-video-du-jour-more-bela.html">a near flawless all-around final</a> to secure gold. Shawn Johnson came up big when it mattered, scoring 15.025 on the floor to nab the silver by a mere 0.075 points. The real question is, <a href="http://freedarko.blogspot.com/2008/08/olympic-fever-induced-camping-trip.html">are male gymnasts the gayest straight men in the world, or the straightest gay men</a>?<br /><br /><li><span style="font-weight:bold;">Newsflash: The US is Hellas good:</span> The US Men's Basketball Team brushed off their first "big" challenge, beating Greece by a score of 92-69. Other scores of note: Yao keeps China's hopes alive, scoring 30 in a 85-68 win over Angola. Spain routs Dirk, 72-59.<br /><br /><li><span style="font-weight:bold;">Call of the night:</span> Whoever the announcer is on CBC, calling Round 2 of the Men's 100m dash: "And here comes Dix pumping hard!." Dix finished second to Asafa Powell in the heat with a time of 10.08. Video of the event not found.<br /><br />[edit] Is anyone else excited about the prospect of a Gay-Dix-Bolt heat? How about Bolt-Burns-Gay-Dix?<br /><br /><li><span style="font-weight:bold;">Add another to your list of hot female Olympians you've never heard of and never will again:</span> <a href="http://withleather.uproxx.com/post.phtml?pk=6628">Almudena Cid</a>, <a href="http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/olympians-funding-careers-with-their-sex-appeal-19267">Leryn Franco</a>, <a href="http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/index.php/2008/08/13/hot-german-olympic-athletes-grace-the-pages-of-playboy">most of the German team</a>, and now <a href="http://www.theworldofisaac.com/2008/08/yet-another-hot-olympian-victoria.html">Victoria Pendleton</a>. Downside: Despite most of the above not being in contention for a medal, they all could probably still maim you in some way in your quest to lock them in your basement.Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-30313211158262135612008-08-13T15:40:00.002-04:002008-08-13T15:43:09.931-04:00Sacramone isn't all badLest we judge her entire life on the events of last night, here is a video of some lighter times, in which Alicia does what she does best: inflict pain upon others.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2QA6s7p-zU8&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2QA6s7p-zU8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />[H/T: <a href="http://thebiglead.com/?p=7124">The Big Lead</a>]Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-38992081871057888812008-08-13T09:50:00.006-04:002008-08-14T01:19:10.184-04:00No village for USA Basketball<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.suathletics.com/news/basketball/mbasket/2007/3/30/..%5C..%5C..%5C..%5C..%5C..%5Cimages/basketball/mbasket/2007%5C3%5C14%5CJuli9.05colorchange.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://www.suathletics.com/news/basketball/mbasket/2007/3/30/..%5C..%5C..%5C..%5C..%5C..%5Cimages/basketball/mbasket/2007%5C3%5C14%5CJuli9.05colorchange.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I was talking to my sister yesterday as she returned from a trip to Vancouver, and she discloses that on her flight out, she sat next to none other than Juli Boeheim and her three kids, who were flying out to Beijing.<br /><br />The conversation went something like this:<br /><br /><blockquote>Sister: On the flight, we sat next to someone who said that she was the wife of the assistant coach of the Men's Basketball Team, but I don't remember the name.<br />Me: Well, there are a few assistant coaches. Was she Black or White?<br />Sister: White.<br />Me: Judging by the fact that she is sitting in coach class and doesn't have a direct flight to Beijing, it is probably Jim Boeheim's wife. [pulls up a picture of Boeheim and wife]<br />Sister: Yeah, that's right.</blockquote><br /><br />They had a conversation during the flight, in which two things were disclosed.<br /><br />1. The Olympic committee wouldn't pay for their flight out to Beijing, hence the sitting in coach and stopping in Vancouver. Moreover, they weren't even able to secure tickets to all the basketball games let alone the ceremonies. Can't they arrange that for them?<br /><br />2. Neither they nor any members of the USA basketball team is living in the Olympic village. Instead, they are staying in a hotel in Beijing. Apparently, in all the years of Boeheim being a national team coach, they have never lived in the Olympic village.<br /><br />So much for needing those <a href="http://thebiglead.com/?p=7120">100,000 condoms</a>.Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-56931899891612479022008-08-13T09:20:00.003-04:002008-08-13T09:50:44.771-04:00Sorry, Alicia. We may have lost your ticket home.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.faniq.com/images/blog/Picture%2039(5).png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://www.faniq.com/images/blog/Picture%2039(5).png" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Yesterday's battle during the Women's Gymnastics Team Final started out as epic as advertised. The United States and China were paired up on rotations, so it seemed like no one else was even competing. With three stuck landings, the US pulled out to an early lead on vault after the first rotation.<br /><br />Moving along to the uneven bars, we had solid, though unspectacular performances by Chellsie Memmel and Shawn Johnson before an amazing showing by Nastia Liukin, who seems like a lock to win the individual gold in the event with an unreal score of 16.9 (in comparison, Memmel scored 15.7, Johnson scored 15.375). However, the Chinese proved to have the best uneven bars team in the world, throwing in two scores that nearly matched Liukin's, and edging into a slight 1 point lead after two rotations.<br /><br />On the balance beam, the Chinese showed definite nerves. Captain Cheng Fei fell off the beam, while Deng Linlin never looked completely balanced in her entire routine, driving the Chinese to an average score of 15.7 on the event. Seeing as every single US gymnast put up a score of above 15.9 in qualifications, this seemed like a great chance to take the lead going into the final rotation.<br /><br />Alicia Sacramone, <a href="http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=109833151&highlight=sacramone">object of many a fancy</a>, quickly put an end to that notion as she fell off the beam on her mount of all things, leading to an automatic 0.8 point deduction and a score of 15.1. Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson took care of business, but the US Women had their work cut out for them to finish off.<br /><br />Going into the last rotation, floor exercise, the United States trailed by exactly 1 point, which is not that much early on, but a lot with only three scores to rely on. In other words, they needed nothing short of perfection. Alicia Sacramone was first up, and if she delivered anything, it wasn't perfect as she sat on of her passes, and stepped out of bounds on another to give her a dismal score of 14.6, effectively ending all hope for the Americans. You could see it in the reactions of her teammates after her routine. Coach Marta Karolyi met her, but wouldn't hug her. None of the American gymnasts approached her to say anything or give any comfort. They knew and she knew.<br /><br />After her also imperfect routine, Nastia Liukin seemed to be the first gymnast to walk over to Alicia to give any sort of support. They embraced and then Nastia whispered a pretty long motivational speech to her. It was probably something along the lines of "You tried your best, it's not your fault, etc," but Nastia Liukin feels so cold to me that I wouldn't be surprised if it went something like "You have singlehandedly destroyed our chances at winning the team gold. I hope you are happy to be an American."<br /><br />Some will point to Nastia and Shawn's missteps on the floor, but remember those came after the US was already pretty much eliminated. Some will point out that the Chinese cheated by using "<a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/gymnastics/news?slug=dw-karolyis081308&prov=yhoo&type=lgns">little babies</a>" , but it doesn't take away from the fact that they, the little babies, stepped up to the plate, while Alicia Sacramone, our 20-year-old team captain, hailing from the town of Winchester, Massachussetts, where I happen to be typing from right now, couldn't meet the challenge.Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-35433608611096494092008-08-12T09:24:00.003-04:002008-08-12T09:39:05.061-04:00Olympic dreamsLots of things happened last night and I will touch upon each.<br /><br /><li>Phelps won his third gold in three tries by setting a new world record in the 200m freestyle. Natalie Cog-lin took home bronze in the 100m Backstroke.<br /><br /><li>The US Men took Bronze in the gymnastics team final behind very strong showing by Jonathan Horton and Justin Spring, and a clutch pommel horse performance by Sasha Artemev. David Durante, the team's only alternate, was visibly in tears after the final scores were posted, showing no regrets and real patriotism. You can read his Olympic blog <a href="http://durante08.blogspot.com/">here</a>.<br /><br /><li>China took Spain to OT behind very strong showings by Liu Wei and Zhu Fangyu. This marks the second straight game that they have outperformed my expectations and also the second game in which Yi Jianlian was nowhere to be seen. I know this gets thrown around a lot, but I really think his basketball IQ is not really there.<br /><br /><li>Greece, after looking sloppy against Spain, came back and destroyed Germany, 87-64. So Spain beats Greece by 15, Greece beats Germany by 23, China take Spain to OT, China should be able to handle Germany right?<br /><br /><li>Abhinav Bindra took home India's first gold medal ever by edging out favorite, Zhu Qinan of China in the Men's 10m air rifle.<br /><br /><li>Medal race: US leads China overall 21-20, but China has a big edge in golds with 13 to the US' 7.Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-78454091649183200402008-08-09T22:50:00.000-04:002008-08-09T23:38:17.891-04:00Team China Olympic Basketball ScheduleI guess the hot thing to do is to list the games for a certain team that your readers might be interested in. Since my main source of traffic is coming from image hits for Team China basketball, I said to myself, "why not?"<br /><br />I'll give a little preview of each match too, so that you can see how wrong I am.<br /><br />A lot of people are writing China off as not being able to make it out of a tough Grou B featuring USA, Spain, Germany, and Greece. I say they have their work cut out for them, but that there's always hope. You really only need 2 wins to make it out of the group, which means that China needs to take care of business against Angola, and then steal one from either Germany or Greece.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Game 1 vs. USA, Sunday 8/10, 10 AM EST</span><br /><br />In the Pre-Olympic warm ups, we've seen a couple weaknesses for Team USA, mainly efficient, guard-oriented offense (limit turnovers) and a swarming, but not overaggressive team defense to try to force them into isolation plays.<br /><br />The Chinese team has neither of those, so get ready for a blow out.<br /><br />Prediction: USA 113 - China 68<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Game 2 vs. Spain, Tuesday 8/12, 4:45 AM EST</span><br /><br />The Chinese probably have the toughest first two games of any team as they open against the like gold and silver medalists. I'm not sure if the Spanish offense is quite as good as the US one, but I do know that they own a ridiculous defense, which ut on a show during their 85-60 win over fellow international powerhouse Argentina, who seem to be on the decline (In an earlier game this year, the score was a bit closer, 90-88). If Argentina has trouble putting up points against Spain, China is going to <a href="http://purepoint.blogspot.com/2008/07/this-must-have-been-fun-game-to-watch.html">have a lot of fun this game</a>.<br /><br />Prediction: Spain 92 - China 54<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Game 3 vs. Angola, Thursday 8/14, 2:30 AM EST</span><br /><br />China has to win this game if they want to have any chance at making it out of the group, and they definitely should. They had a solid performance against them during the Diamond Ball tournament, winning by 9 and shooting 59% behind 21 points on 8/10 shooting from Yao Ming.<br /><br />Prediction: China 85 - Angola 76<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Game 4 vs. Germany, Saturday 8/16, 8 AM EST</span><br /><br />Germany is a dark horse for a medal in these Olympics, but in my opinion, this is China's best chance for an upset. China matches up almost perfectly against Germany, with Yao neutralizing Kaman and Yi chasing around Dirk. Neither of them really have world-class guards, but could Sun Yue, with his new 2-year contract from the Lakers, be the X-factor in this game? Maybe, if he got some playing time in, as he averaged only 21 minutes in the Diamond Ball Tournament throwing in averages of 4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and less than 1 assist (what a point guard).<br /><br />Prediction (Upset Special): China 72 - Germany 69<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Game 5 vs. Greece, Monday 8/18, 2:30 AM EST</span><br /><br />Greece kind of resembles the old guys you find at the Y who play really dirty, push you around, and just jack up threes. They are guard-led and could definitely be a big problem for Team China because of that. China's bigs would destroy Greece's, but the team has historically has had a problem with post-entry passes and if you can't get the ball to your big man, they can't help you. This means that Yi and Sun really need to step up in this game, as they will be the ones who can both handle the ball on the perimeter and keep it away from those pesky Greek guards and fire in a pass to Yao for some punishment. Maybe we'll see a coming out party for Ricky Rubio-esque guard Chen Jianghua also?<br /><br />Prediction: Greece 84 - China 72Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-45683846030477041272008-08-09T22:42:00.002-04:002008-08-09T22:48:26.983-04:00Bomb ChinaThey royally screwed up the US National Anthem during the presentation of the gold medal to Michael Phelps for the 400 IM, in which he crushed the world record by about a full second and finished 3 seconds ahead of the field, which is pretty much like winning by 70 in basketball.<br /><br />They started the song at about "[O say] can", played the intro verse three times (instead of twice), and then cut the song off at about "land [of the free]". George Bush was in attendance and had a good laugh, but I'm sure if he were a ballsier world leader, there would be hell to pay.<br /><br />Hopefully, someone comes through with a video, but in the meantime, listen to this one which is tear-jerking for any country-and/or-basketball-loving American:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rbZTmcIfdBQ&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rbZTmcIfdBQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-82527571048253226572008-08-08T16:10:00.002-04:002008-08-08T16:12:37.957-04:00Shanoff totally stole my idea.<a href="http://www.danshanoff.com/2008/08/lebron-kobe-europe-and-nbas-future.html">More support for the Overmax contract.</a><br /><br />And in case <a href="http://purepoint.blogspot.com/2008/08/solution-to-euro-crisis.html">you forgot what my idea was...</a>Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-32642527700253295832008-08-08T14:34:00.003-04:002008-08-08T14:37:05.851-04:00Let there be lightToday marks the 20th anniversary of the <a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6314323">first night game to be played at Wrigley Field</a>, making them the last franchise to install lights into their stadium. The Cubs celebrated this fact by playing a day game for the third game in a row.Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-2382912571896833892008-08-08T13:46:00.003-04:002008-08-08T17:20:56.216-04:00It's always Sunny in Los AngelesThe Los Angeles Lakers have signed Shaun Livingston clone, Sun Yue, to a two-year contract (I assume at the minimum salary). Only problem I see with this is that <a href="http://purepoint.blogspot.com/2008/01/sun-rise-sun-set.html">I've watched Sun Yue for the last 2 or 3 years</a> and he sucks. Also, the real Shaun Livingston is currently without a job, and is unlikely to sign with the Clippers now that they picked up Jason Williams. It'll be interesting to see where he ends up.Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-86743597981310190762008-08-08T11:54:00.004-04:002008-08-08T17:34:35.230-04:00Why Kobe isn't going to ItalyKobe said that he would take 50 million dollars a year to play for a team like Milan. Earl Boykins just became the highest paid Italian League player ever at 3.5 million dollars per year. Do the math.<br /><br /><a href="http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-33-150/An-Insider-s-View-of-Kobe-Bryant-or-LeBron-James-Heading-to-Europe.html">According to Alexander Chernykh</a>, writer for the Russian sports site sports.ru, the only teams with money are the two Greek Teams (Panathinaikos, Olympiakos) and the Russian teams (BC Khimki, CSKA Moskow, Dynamo Moscow), and I'm pretty sure that even if Kobe would be willing to go to Italy, he'd be more hesitant about living through a Russian winter.Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-65120790340558638592008-08-07T09:13:00.005-04:002008-08-07T10:01:36.206-04:00Solution to the Euro Crisis<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/134/342506270_c571f4a5a2.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 380px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/134/342506270_c571f4a5a2.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><center><span style="color:gray;font-size:80%;">Photo by Flickr user <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/enigmatic/">Bashed</a> used under a Creative Commons license.</span></center><br />Carlos Delfino, JC Navarro, Nenad Krstic, Jorge Garbajosa, Bostjan Nachbar, Primoz Brezec, Josh Childress, Carlos Arroyo, Earl Boykins. This is a supposedly complete list of NBA players that have defected (I love how we just throw around that term like nothing) to Europe this off-season alone. Who's next? <a href="http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/5904656.html">Carl Landry</a>? Jason Williams?<br /><br />We hear playful talk out of Lebron and Kobe saying that if offered 50 million dollars a year, they'd make the jump too. So what are we going to do about this?<br /><br />Before we enter this discussion, let it be known that I realize it is very hard to change a CBA. Also that any changes outlined wouldn't go into effect until 2012. But here is my idea anyway.<br /><br />I was thinking aout the David Beckham rule analogy I made when the Childress news broke, and I was wondering what would happen if a similar thing were espoused in the NBA. Let's keep the same basic structure of the current salary cap (Max Contracts, Mid-level exceptions, etc.), except allow for one exemption per team, an Overmax contract.<br /><br />The basics of the Overmax would be that it is outside the rules of the salary cap. The salary given to this player has no maximum and does not count against your salary cap. This way, we aren't handcuffed by the salary cap and simply outbid by European teams.<br /><br />Another problem with the current system is how it locks in mid-levelish players into an MLE type contract. Maybe Josh Childress was worth 8 million dollars to some NBA teams, but realistically most teams in the bidding were only going to offer a MLE. With the introduction of the Overmax, your second-tier player now gets between an MLE and a "max" contract.<br /><br />Obviously, like with any system, there are problems with this. The primary problem behind this is that unlike the MLS, the NBA hinges upon having <a href="http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/08/05/pareto-prediction-and-the-top-trios-in-2007-08/">3 superstars</a> on your team, abiding by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_principle">Pareto Principle</a>. The Overmax contract could lead to the death of the second (and third, for that matter) fiddle.<br /><br />However, here are the ways around that:<br /><br /><li>1. By trade: Teams can trade their Overmax players to other teams. The salary matching rules will still be in place, so a team will have to give up a lot to try to acquire an Overmax player by trade. However, we saw the Celtics trade away seven players to get Kevin Garnett last offseason, so such a thing isn't in the realm of impossible. Note that, unlike in the MLS, the team is not trading away their Overmax spot, just the player. The trading team then can go and sign another Overmax player in the off-season if they so wish.<br /><br /><li>2. Resigning: Similar to the current CBA, a team will always be allowed to offer an Overmax contract to keep a player on their team, regardless of cap situation. However, only one Overmax player's salary will be exempt from the luxury tax.<br /><br />This encourages teams to try to build up via the draft, as they know that after the rookie contract is up, they will be in prime position to offer the Overmax contract, as other teams might already have their hands tied. It does, however, give a lot of power to the player's current team to set their own price without a lot of negotiating power going to the player. But they are still theoretically bidding against Europe, so the player has that on their side.<br /><br />Another problem with this is that it leads to the death of the small market team. Maybe at the end of the day, the Utah Jazz can only pay Deron Williams 20 million dollars, while he hears offers of 40 from elsewhere. However, in this league, there are more stars than teams (I think, I haven't actually counted), so I'm pretty sure that some stars would have to settle for a normal max contract anyway (*tear*).<br /><br />I'm sure that there are many more problems that I haven't thought of or outlined here, so I'd appreciate your suggestions. Also, this all makes sense in my head, but if I haven't explained well enough, say so, and I will try harder to explicate more clearly.Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-13037571026471242212008-08-06T18:51:00.013-04:002008-08-06T22:25:52.534-04:00Can you tell the differenceOne is from MLB.com, one is from ESPN.com and both are from this year.<br /><br />Can you find the difference?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://mlb.mlb.com/images/players/mugshot/ph_137006.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px;" src="http://mlb.mlb.com/images/players/mugshot/ph_137006.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://assets.espn.go.com/i/mlb/profiles/players/65x90/6138.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px;" src="http://assets.espn.go.com/i/mlb/profiles/players/65x90/6138.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><i>[Ed. note: Curls]</i>Reptarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14910360773975453774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-86054667081053387142008-08-06T17:14:00.001-04:002008-08-06T17:16:26.585-04:00Jeff Karstens perfect through 6But the bigger stat is this: 69 pitches through 6 frames, 6-9 ground outs-fly outs.<br /><br />Yeah, I'm back to being 13 years old.Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1609202712270395587.post-86027897990154618512008-08-06T12:58:00.000-04:002008-08-06T14:57:21.214-04:00What's on TV again?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/159/363013819_0af546ae37.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/159/363013819_0af546ae37.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><center><span style="color:gray;font-size:80%;">Photo by Flickr user <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/jamesgood/">James Good</a> used under a Creative Commons license.</span></center><br />I'll wager that pretty much no one (check that, only "<a href="http://purepoint.blogspot.com/2007/10/whats-on-tv.html#comment-8217255914783945018">the review chick</a>") reading this right now read <a href="http://purepoint.blogspot.com/2007/10/whats-on-tv.html">this post last year</a>, but the 2008-2009 schedule was announced just now and here is how the teams rank in terms of national exposure. The teams will be listed in order of how many times they appear on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and TNT. I'm not counting NBATV because it isn't universally available.<br /><br />Here we go (Last year's ranking in parentheses):<br /><br />1. Boston Celtics: 25 (13)<br />1. Cleveland Cavaliers: 25 (4)<br />1. LA Lakers: 25 (1)<br />4. Phoenix Suns: 23 (1)<br />5. Dallas Mavericks: 21 (4)<br />6. San Antonio Spurs: 19 (4)<br />7. Denver Nuggets: 16 (8)<br />8. Detroit Pistons: 14 (8)<br />9. Houston Rockets: 13 (10)<br />9. New Orleans Hornets: 13 (22)<br />9. Portland Trailblazers: 13 (11)<br />12. Orlando Magic: 11 (20)<br />12. Utah Jazz: 11 (16)<br />12. Washington Wizards: 11 (14)<br />15. Chicago Bulls: 10 (7)<br />16. Miami Heat: 9 (1)<br />17. Golden State Warriors: 8 (11)<br />18. Philadelphia 76ers: 7 (28)<br />19. Toronto Raptors: 2 (20)<br />20. Atlanta Hawks: 1 (28)<br />20. LA Clippers: 1 (17)<br />20. Memphis Grizzlies: 1 (22)<br />20. Milwaukee Bucks: 1 (22)<br />20. New Jersey Nets: 1 (17)<br />20. OKC Somethings: 1 (-)<br />27. Charlotte Bobcats: 0 (22)<br />27. Minnesota T-Wolves: 0 (22)<br />27. Indiana Pacers: 0 (28)<br />27. New York Knicks: 0 (19)<br />27. Sacramento Kings: 0 (22)<br /><br />Big Jump: Boston Celtics, +12 spots<br />Freefall: Miami Heat, -15 spots<br /><br />Thoughts:<br /><br /><li>This is the second year in a row with 0 televised games for the Pacers. Ouch.<br /><li>Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley get the benefit of the doubt, combining for 19 games. Kevin Love and OJ Mayo only get 1 game between them.<br /><li>Dallas and Phoenix are still in the 20's, while Houston, Portland, New Orleans, Orlando, and Utah only get the low teens. This isn't 2005 anymore.<br /><li>Speaking of the shaft, Philly with only 7 televised games?<br /><li>Teams ranked in the top eight both years: Cavs, Lakers, Suns, Mavericks, Spurs, Pistons... Nuggets? Really?<br /><li>New Jersey has only one televised game, but it isn't against Houston. <a href="http://www.nba.com/nba_news/yaoyi_071110.html">Smart move, NBA</a>.<br /><li>New York: First in population, last in nationally televised basketball games. Epic fail.Lorenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18317180217960118990noreply@blogger.com0