Lindell Singleton is helping us understand Kobe Bryant and Los Angeles (read the whole thing): "Being from L.A. means you understand L.A. The city doesn't want you. You arrive there with your precious little hopes and fragile dreams and the city eats you-- not in the voracious, uncaring way that NYC finishes people off--no, not that way at al. In L.A., everyone just smiles, tell you what you want to hear as they systematically fleece you of your hopes and dreams. 'Have a nice day,' or 'I'll call you.' someone always says, right before the knife separates you from your hopes and dreams. 'Do you know the way to San Jose' is more than a song, it's a secret code to maitaning your sanity. If Miami is the capital of Latin America, L.A. is the capital of Pacificas (my term for the domain that reaches from the West Coast to Japan and South to Oceania. As L.A. goes,so goes the world. Everyone wants to be in L.A. Except, of course, Kobe Bryant. I have been an ardent supporter and apologist for Kobe Bryant. I believed -- and still do -- that he is the finest player on the planet, embodying the best of what the game meant. Now, I must say this: Kobe has disrespected the game by not playing hard and giving his absolute best. And, for me, that is the abyss from which one cannot return. Disrespecting the game is sinful."
Sekou Smith of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution met a dude in line for breakfast who is totally convinced the Hawks will be winning 50 games. Hawks fans are pumped. And Smith adds this: "Little tidbit picked up while eavesdropping on a conversation on the sideline before a recent exhibition game. The conversation turned to the contract extensions that weren't given to Josh Smith and Josh Childress. A star point guard from an opposing team was stunned. 'They're not going to sign Josh Smith to an extension. That's crazy. I wish I had him. With all the [this is a family blog so I can't include this word] he can do, he'd be an All-Star if he played with me. I hope they're crazy enough to let him go. I'll take him right now.'"
One night into the season, the best PERs in the league belong to, in order, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, LaMarcus Aldridge, Kobe Bryant, and Carlos Boozer. Still seething that Jeff Ma for taking Aldridge one pick before I was going to in our fantasy league.
The NBA's League Pass, by the way, is free for most most of you for these first few days of the season.
Look, here's big Udonis Haslem squeezing into a tiny car. At least he didn't have to ride in the trunk, like one of the PR people. Nicholas Spangler of the Miami Herald writes: "The PR people said six-foot-six was nearer the actual limit. There were two of them, and since the Fortwo really is just for two, one had to ride in the trunk on the way over to AmericanAirlines Arena. 'It's OK,' the PR person in the trunk said. 'Really, it's fine.' At one point she said something about the car reaching 90 on the highway, but her voice was muffled."
NBA.com has some new statistics in their box score. There's +/-, which is cool. And then there is "BA." Bad attitude? Big altitude? Consulting with reigning TrueHoop Stat Geek Smackdown champion Justin Kubatko of Basketball-Reference.com reveals that is stands for "blocks against." I think they should change the name of the category to "facials." That's what that column is all about, right? Humilation! Jarrett Jack, by the way, leads the league with three BA's per game. "I'm not sure why a block is much worse than any other type of miss," Kubatko adds. "What they should really track is assisted field goals, as in: 'Kobe Bryant made twelve field goals, and four were assisted.'" That would be cool.
How was last night for the 900 or so Warrior fans who attended with Golden State of Mind?
The judge in that Seattle case writes "[The Owners'] attempt to side-step Article II and shoot for Article XXVI is as errant as a typical Shaquille O'Neal free throw." Geoffrey Rapp of the Sports Law Blog points out that O'Neal has made more than half of his career free throws, meaning a typical one is a make.
Steve Nash is talking seriously like someone who would one day like to own Tottenham Hotspur (although not now). At one point he even seems to be trying to prove he's the right guy for the job, citing his extensive experience in sports.
I have been talking to people about the state of New Orleans, and what the Sacramento Bee's Sam Amick writes on his blog seems to be consistent with what everyone has said: "I've been in the city for nearly 32 hours now, and it looks as if nothing ever happened. The French Quarter is hopping like always, the Riverwalk is in working order, and the same mix of culture and cuisine seems to have survived." Outside the French Quarter, however, the story is different.
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