If this crazy looking dude can almost beat Manu Ginobili one-on-one, some team should give him a workout.
Instead of referees, perhaps the NBA should get a little more like the playground and use the honor system. The problem is that in the NBA, that last second shot can be career-changing, and worth millions. On the playgrounds where the honor system works, that last second shot might be worth a cold beer or two. The NBA is one very tall order for the honor system.
Suns fans are saying: wait a second Commissioner Stern, you can just put league rules aside for referees, but not for Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw? HoopsBlogging writes (many blogs have similar takes): "In both cases, the players walking on the court and the referees stepping into a casino, rules were broken that didn't cause any additional harm except for the fact that the actions went against a preconceived set of regulations. The cause for concern, however, arises when we see that the NBA dealt with both issues in completely opposite ways. On one side, the league announced that the Suns were automatically penalized regardless of the situation based on the fact that a league policy was already in place. On the other side, however, we see that the referees situation was handled with subjectivity. It was handled correctly, yes, but it still raises the question of inconsistency." Here's my understanding: the league likes the don't leave the bench rule, and wants to keep it. It serves the league, even if it has bad moments. But the gambling rule, the league is saying, does not serve the league, and is therefore being permanently abolished. You might question that -- hell, I do -- but I don't question that if that rule is going away forever, it's ridiculous to punish dozens of referees for hacing broken it in the past.
The Blazers passed the 100-point mark last night, which meant everyone in the Rose Garden would get a free chalupa. Jack Brown of the blog Deceptively Quick was there and felt something was wrong: "See, when the Blazers used to hit the chalupa mark, a picture of Zach Randolph would flash on the jumbotron. He'd be wearing a sombrero and a poncho, with a facial expression and body posture suggesting he just did a magic trick and yelled 'TA-DAAA!' It was almost as delicious as the free baja chalupa I would be enjoying on the ride home."
The Nets -- eager to impress their new market in Brooklyn and New York -- have massive ads in at least the New York area Sports Illustrated quoting Lawrence Frank saying that they will settle for nothing less than the division championship. SI, however, predicts they'll miss the playoffs entirely.
Something for Taurean Green to put on his bulletin board from Dwight Jaynes of the Portland Tribune: "These same coaches also seem particularly vulnerable to Scrappy Syndrome. And you know what I'm talking about they fall in love with players who seem not as physically gifted, not as smooth, but who are hard-nosed, who play with grit and determination. Nothing wrong with that, of course. Baseball managers have been doing it for years falling in love with the David Ecksteins of the world. Eckstein is the everlasting all-sports symbol of a player who seems to play so hard that you don't notice how singularly untalented and overmatched he is. You root for him so passionately that your heart drowns out the constant screaming from your brain that on any Triple-A roster, you could find someone more talented to fill his position. This is Scrappy Syndrome. And I believe Nate McMillan, a pretty scrappy player in his day, may be stricken with it. Particularly when it comes to rookie point guard Taurean Green."
Billy Donovan -- who for a brief time was the next coach of the Orlando Magic -- is back at the University of Florida and can hardly walk with back pain. ESPN's Andy Katz reports (Insider): "Donovan had to lie face down with ice on his back, sprawled over three seats, on a team chartered flight to go to SEC media day in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday. But he was back at practice Wednesday night, standing up and instructing his rebuilding Gators. Donovan said Thursday he has dealt with lower back pain for years. He said his second-to-last vertebrae has two fractures in it from his basketball career at Providence and the NBA in the late 1980s. Donovan said in the past, he would get fatigued after working out and have trouble bending over. But he would get through the rough patch after a few days and move around.This past Sunday, it went from bad to worse. He went for a run on Sunday after practice, and then the Gators had their fan appreciation day. He said he was on the bench when 'boom, my whole back tightened and I nearly saw stars. I went down. I couldn't walk.' Donovan said on Tuesday, he awoke in his Gainesville home, tried to get out of bed and couldn't."
Ben Gordon wants Krispy Kremes, but rookie Joakim Noah brings Dunkin' Donuts. Gordon complains publicly, and the team -- sponsored by Dunkin' Donuts -- freaks out a little. To make amends, Gordon worked a stint behind the counter at a Dunkin' Donuts. There's some kind of lesson in there. Here's a rough draft: take your free speech, and your free will, and light them both on fire, 'cause there's money on the line.
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