http://www.nba.com/suns/news/joegil_blog_080222.html

Great article...mostly. The last line?  Not so much:

"The bottom line: Although he's only been here a couple of weeks, The Big Answer has already solved so many problems you wonder if he could lend a hand with the illegal immigration issue"

What a way to splice in your agenda, Joe.  Just say whether or not you want the fence built so we can say "fuck it, what's this got to do with the game" and watch the Suns against Detroit.
 

Poll

Was Gilmartin out of line?

15%

Yes

3 votes

40%

No

8 votes

5%

Yes, but....

1 votes

0%

No, but...

0 votes

40%

PURPLE MONKEY DISHWASHER

8 votes

20 votes | Poll has closed

...somebody incorporate the song by Roxette "It must've been love" with a Shawn Marion montage.  

It'd be sick, it'd be twisted, it'd funny, it'd say "SAYONARA" with a swagger.

295 296

297 297.5 298 TWO NINETY NINE 300 CHARACTER LIMIT MET, yes si oui?

No?  I hate you, 300 character limit.  

The main logo iz rip-off of "Donnie Darko". The 'Most Recent Photos' include a stupid tattoo and some asshole thinking he's 'cool', 'cruising' in what appears to be a '89 Honda CVCC.

If these are representative of the 'citizens' of 'Planet Orange', I can be confident in my report back when I say "THERE ARE NO SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE".

GO CRAZY!  PUNCH A HIGHER FLOOR!

------------

I write for a few select folks, and one of 'em said 'DAMMIT, STROM, TAKE THIS PUBLIC!'

So here's my analysis:
***

The Fakers traded Kwame Brown (big contract with dead weight), a rookie, and two 1st round picks for Pau Gasol.

Upon the return of Andrew Bynum (circa March/early April), the Fakers will have the best front-court in the league:

C Bynum
PF Gasol
SF Lamar Odom

Bynum and Gasol are both 7 footers....and can rebound.  Bynum blocks shots.  Gasol can shoot from outside.
Odom is 6'10 and can pretty much do it all.

Either the Suns are just posturing, or Shawn Marion is about to get a taste of Key West.

Marcus Banks would also be shipped, which is just fine considering his contract is too hefty for his lack of contribution.

The obvious problems:  Shaq's old, injured, overpaid, and not motivated.  A trade to the Suns eliminates the last problem, but it doesn't buy a time machine or a money tree.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Arr0CTW9kHJeEXh0_JLegG45nYcB?slug=ap-shaq-trade&prov=ap&am p;type=lgns

But if it works, and he takes the all-star break to heal and run and get in shape....

C O'Neal
PF Amare Stoudemire
SF Grant Hill
SG Raja Bell
PG Cap'n Canada

key reserves:  Brazilian Blur, Frenchman, Brian "I'm a great journeyman center" Skinner (good for 22-25 SOLID minutes a night).

The rotation won't change too much, and the team immediately becomes the craziest experiment since the time I turned off my brain and instinctually used 5 different liquors to create a drink that tasted exactly like Dr. Pepper.

Doncha wanna be a Pepper too?

For us Suns fans, it seems Super Tuesday hasn't ended.  How's Wednesday gonna treat us?

am I reading this right?

Did Nash just use media to throw one hell of a barb at Diaw?

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap;_ylt=AmyDcOBU.K3bU0WGVwYpfYi8vLYF?gid=2008011221&prov=ap
(courtesy yahoo! sports)

"An unbelievable player," Nash said of the inconsistent Diaw. "When he uses all his weapons and is aggressive, he's a fantastic talent. I'd love to see him play like that all the time, and I don't mean the numbers. I mean being involved, being part of the game, putting pressure on the defense"

I translate that to mean "When you quit pouting and get off your lazy ass, we're, as a team, a hell of a lot better...so quit fucking around and get your head in the game!"

And Diaw could very well be a lynch pin in the pursuit of a title...

oh, and:   I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!

You're a goddamn vulture.  Yeah, I said it.  VULTURE.  

You make your money off others.  You are NOT A PRIMARY OPTION.  You are very, very talented, and could very well be a Pippen to Kobe's 'Jordan', but you CANNOT WIN ON YOUR OWN.  We've seen what happens when you're the primary option, and it's awful.  

So go ahead:  go to the Fakers, be a traitor, just because your name ALWAYS COMES UP IN TRADE RUMORS (typical with high-dollar-high-value players) and the Suns don't want to discuss an extension whewn you still have TWO YEARS on the contract.

Fuck you.  Go.  Play with Kobe.  Kiss his ass and wonder why he doesn't pass it to you for the dunk.  DO IT!

If I were Vegas, I'd offer odds regarding the exact time (to the minute) that David Spurn*s "resigns".

But, I'm not, so shall we all not have a guess?

DrStrom:  July 26 2007 9:48 AM EST

(yeah...it's his last move without screwing himself)

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=88754

He's choked himself with such blind support for The New Cruelty:

http://www.probasketballrefs.com/

DO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO THE STUPID REF VIDEO IN THE LOWER-LEFT HAND CORNER!

Notice there is NO mention of the situation at hand?

Bastards part of The New Cruelty...the lot!

Since there isn't a damn thing I can do to change the (seemingly) abysmal situation for the Suns and the NBA, and given it is a weekend and we should all just ...relax... go grab cold one, and settle in...for....

I GIVE TO YOU...

TURKISH...STAR....WARS!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7069307816427160377&q=turkish+star+wars&total=227&a mp;start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

(and yes, it IS...'real':  

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0182060/)

choose full screen...and wait as the credits play, and play, and play...listing many of your favorite Turkish actors and actresses!  The movie begins at  1:53, with subtitles galore about the whole...erm...reason...why...the movie apparently has a ....plot...of...no value)

Does Mehmet Okur have a cameo?  we will never know.

I play fantasy football, so I often check a few of the sites online for information...most of which often have basketball intel.

rotoworld.com offered this:

Phoenix saves $8.1 million by dumping Thomas, who had one year left on his deal. Seattle now holds five first-round picks over the next three drafts. Thomas is probably done as a fantasy contributor, and the Sonics could opt to buy out the final year of his contract if he doesn't fit well with their youngsters

That's an intriguing scenario.  What if this deal had the ol' "wink and a smile" in it, where:

1. The trade takes effect
2. Sonics buy out Thomas' contract and KT signs with the Suns for the vet minimum
3. Suns use part or all of the 8.9 million trade exception for a PF/C, possibly a sign-and-trade.

Under that scenario, the Suns give up 2 future first rounders (likely high 20s) for most of KT'S
salary AND position themselves to acquire another post player.  

Thus, essentially, they'd keep KT at a fraction of the cost, and grab another pretty good big guy...and that sounds like a bitchin' idea for a team ready to win the title.

Capologist rosewood, does this work?

I missed it...I should've seen this when it was written:

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/story/2007/7/11/102513/433

THIS SEASON, Marion is within striking distance of both the Rebounds (6152 Marion - 6937 Adams) AND Steals (1150 Marion - 1237 Adams).

Maybe I'm reading into it, but it seems as if AA just said "It's been 40 years.  This is the team"....

I know you're excited about being the Admin and feel like you have big shoes to fill... and you'd like to make a good "first impression" but...trust me...

...go get some sleep.

You've got several lengthy articles spaced throughout yesterday and today (including your "inauguration").  You've obviously been awake for ages.

All of this will still be here, tomorrow.

Relax, and enjoy the ride!

The Cavs have a 50/50 chance of beating Detroit....I'd go into details, but if you've watched games 1 and 2, you'd understand:  in the 4th, Detroit got a few 'beneficial' good calls, and Cleveland made several mistakes...

...and for 4 games, Cleveland has fucked around in the 3rd quarter.  They're still 2-2 (and potentially could've swept the Pistons).  

Of course, the same argument could be made for Detroit, with the exception above (bad 3rd quarters for the Cavs).  

These are the moments Detroit REALLY misses Big Ben (The Cavs' Gibson, of all folk, has learned he can go down the lane and take a decent shot, or get fouled doing so...damn good for a rookie).  LeBron's slowly picking up on that idea:  if he drives hard to the lane and is double-teamed, so what?  He's gonna get hit hard, and even in Detroit he might be allowed to shoot free-throws.

the mantra:  ONLY PASS IF THE SHOT IS OPEN FOR THE WINDOW IN WHICH YOUR TEAMMATE RECEIVES THE BALL!  NOT 2 SECONDS BEFORE, NOT A SECOND AFTER.

He's good at that.  As much as Fakers fans love Back-Biter Bryant, they'd drool at the opportunity to trade (straight across) Bryant for LeBron:  I cannot imagine a scarier front-court of LeBron, Lamar Odom, and the quickly-developing Andrew Bynum.  Just put two decent guards in the backcourt (who are good defenders, decent 3-point shooters, and adequate passers) and Showtime is rebuilt:  unlike Bryant, LeBron makes the folk around him BETTER, not WORSE.

And that is the fatal flaw within the current Faker construct:  Bryant believes his own press.  He sees no reason why he should consider Lamar Odom his right-hand-man, the "Scottie Pippen" to his "Michael Jordan".  It is beyond his grasp of reality that Lamar Odom is, in many ways, SUPERIOR to top-50-all-time Scottie Pippen.  He cannot accept the REALITY that, in achieving his own greatness, he just MIGHT have to yield some of the limelight to a contemporary on HIS team.

The ridiculous commentators content he is the "best" "right now", gushing nonsense regarding his abilities and at the same time condemn the Lakers for having "no team".  

And if I were Lamar Odom, or Andrew Bynum, or Luke Walton, or hell...even Ronny Turiaf, I'd consider that to the most base of insults.  

Sadder yet, Kobe lied about his trade threat, and said 'screw the management, too' for not surrounding HIM with the players necessary to win.

That sound?  Yeah, I heard it too.  That's the dam bursting, because Odom, Bynum, Walton, et al. WILL take that personally....and I don't blame them.

(ahh, crap...Tex, if you read this, please copy and paste it into your Kobe thread...I got off topic)

---------------------

If the Cavs win, PANDEMONIUM ENSUES.

Who will guard LeBron?  Bowen CAN'T.  His low-down cheating ass would either

1) get kicked

or

2) blown around.

LeBron is far too large and quick for him.

Duncan?  hah....big enough, but not quick enough.  

Oberto/Francisco?  free fouls also means free throws.

If the Cavs can win the East (50/50 as stated above), I'd give them another 50/50 against the Sp*rs.

...I just want YOUR half.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dQLkxz6c2E

"THEY NEED ME HERE AND I KNOW YOU'RE THERE
WHERE THE AIR GOES BY LIKE THE HUMID AIR

AND IT STICKS LIKE A BROKEN RECORD

EVERYTHING STICKS LIKE A BROKEN RECORD...EVERYTHING STICKS UNTIL IT GOES AWAY

AND THE TRUTH IS WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING

(300 character limit reached?)

Tex:  Take the Enterprise-F for a short trip around New Caprica, using phasers to destroy pesy Cylon raiders, TieFighters, and possibly a few Goa'uld 'death gliders'.

Vash:  Take point in the Millenium Falcon and scream "LAS CUCARACHAS ENTRAN, PERO NO PUEDEN SALIR" and fight your way toward the Borg cube.

srp:  Joyride "Doctor Who"'s telephony machine and go back in time to when Chocodiles were only a dime apiece.

I'm not sure when that might be...  all I can offer is a wiki page that might help:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocodile

This is an IMPORTANT MISSION:  AN ARMY CAN ONLY GO AS LONG THE CHOCODILES ARE PART OF THE FEAT.

Bring 'em back by the dozen, and while back there, invest heavily in tech and dot.com stocks so my financing of this operation is complete.

Dan: grab a towel.

jasonsuns:  Pilot the "Heart of Gold".  Don't worry about much other than that....for NOW.

Twinner:  Call Richard Dean Anderson and ask him if "Stargate is for real".  If he says
"no", call him a GODDAMN LIAR because you SAW *THAT* EPISODE OF THE SIMPSONS...then rub in a "MacGyver" comment.

21Duncan:  is a Cylon.

GoSpursGo:  is Borg.

("We are...the Borg...the Borg that go boom...
...we're bio....mechanic...WE'LL ASSIMILATE *YOU*!")

Me: I'm gonna flip off some asshole Aunts, befriend some insects, make a spider create a kinetc bond between some birds and my vessel, AND RIDE THIS FUCKIN' PEACH ALL THE WAY TO NEW YORK!

WOOOOHOOOOOOO!

And that's how we'll regain our pick from Atlanta.

...in loss, their integrity is intact.  

For is it not the competition, the steady judgement of brinksmanship of two warring parties, that matters more than the outcome?

To be witness to greatness, even in defeat, does not diminish its value....and I, for one, will treasure this season.

--DrS

Hey...WHAT'S THIS LYIN' AROUND SHIT?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K92OVFeGgIE

--------------------

AARRRRRRRRRRRGH!  THREE...HUNDRED...CHARACTERS!

You want 300 characters? YOU WANT IT? YOU WANT IT?  YOU WANT IT? I'LL GIVE YOU 300 CHARACTERS, I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU RIGHT IN THE

The Charge of the Light Brigade
Alfred, Lord Tennyson

1.

Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
"Forward, the Light Brigade!
"Charge for the guns!" he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

2.

"Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldier knew
Someone had blunder'd:
Their's not to make reply,
Their's not to reason why,
Their's but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

3.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.

4.

Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turn'd in air,
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel'd from the sabre stroke
Shatter'd and sunder'd.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.

5.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.

6.

When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honor the charge they made,
Honor the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred.

DO NOT GO GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT

        Do not go gentle into that good night,
        Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
        Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

        Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
        Because their words had forked no lightning they
        Do not go gentle into that good night.

        Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
        Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
        Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

        Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
        And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
        Do not go gentle into that good night.

        Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
        Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
        Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

        And you, my father, there on the sad height,
        Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
        Do not go gentle into that good night.
        Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

• Do what they do best:  play scatterball until a half-court set is necessary.
• In the halfcourt set, do what they do best....play the two-man game, with a twist...make it high-low:  
  

stick Kurt high in the key, Amare low.  It should offer at least 3 opportunities:  

1. a double on Amare, meaning somebody is open (usually Kurt)
2. Steve can split between the two as they set picks  and shoot
3. as #2, with a quick 1.2=1.5 second reset (picks reset about 28 inches toward lower post) as somebody cuts off the wing toward the basket, set for a lob forcing Duncan or Oberto/Elson to trample over Amare/Kurt to attempt position/block the shot.  It'd be even more effective with someone who'd cut the baseline at the same time.  I think Raja and ElMatrix could execute this strategy, yielding great results.  

I figure if the baseline cutter comes off the weakside, Nash should provide a barrier to the cutter's defender....and Raja's use of a high-screen for a "curl, stop and pop" bugs the hell out of SA.  

This, of course, all assumes that Nash will not float TOO much, and the refs will let him get away with it (more often than not he'd spend 3 in the key...not much more, but enough that if he continuously lingered around 4.8-5.2 seconds, he'd start getting called).

--------

heheh...ya know, I really have no idea how all that I wrote would work.  Hell, I doubt I used all the proper terminology.  I don't know jack shit about playing basketball, which (by convention).   I suppose that rules out my "coaching" advice ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oGfwdfPBWI&mode=related&search=

Disregard the comments on the youtube board.

I haven't watched this since I saw it live...but Steve Kerr, initially, actually accused Barbosa of "clotheslining" Parker.

I never knew somebody could be "clotheslined" by going underneath.

Craplan Harlan later said "submarined" (a more accurate term).

But shit...fancy that!  Ratboy talking shit to stick up for his former teammate.  

sigh

I'm really pissed off about the outcome of Game 3.  I've had my share of disappointment in life (as we all have), and for some reason, I think this game will disappoint me for years to come:  I can always accept it when the Suns are beat, fair and square...in fact, I relish it.  It gives the Suns obvious goals for improvement.

When fucked by the refs, it's far more nebulous.  There's a constant doubt that hangs in the air, one that causes everyone, from fans to affected players to coaches (and especially the commentators) to second guess their opinions.  That moment of hesitation is what cost the Suns this game:  if they have to worry that somebody's gonna smack the shit out of them, with IMPUNITY, and the rules are DIFFERENT around 90 feet away...

...hell, any team, or person, couldn't deal with that on a regular basis, regardless if it's in basketball or the workplace or the family BBQ.

It's ridiculously abusive, and should not be tolerated.

And as much as David Stern has been on a crusade to the "thug" out of basketball...

...he forgot to take basketball out of the "thug".

I am proud to support a team that has the integrity to not do what I'd prefer:

If this were hockey, Pat Burke would've been sent in to throw two very, very hard fouls on Duncan.  Sean Marks would 'accidently' trip Gin-floppi and send him head first into the wood of the scorer's table.  A microsecond after the whistle is blown for a bullshit call, Eric Piatkowski would pick up a T as he runs on to the floor and questions the ref's sexuality, parenthood, and debt to a loan shark.  Jalen Rose (hands in the air the whole time) would pick up a T for storming over to the Spurs bench while screaming "FOUL THIS YOU HYPOCRITICAL ASSHOLES!  C'MON!  WHATSAMATTERWIDYA?  YA CAN CASTRATE A GUY ON THE COURT WHO'S TRYING TO PLAY THE GAME, BUT CAN'T DO IT WHEN I YELL 'TIMMY, YOUR MOM WOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOUR LACK OF SPORTSMANSHIP, IF SHE WERE STILL ALIVE'?"

But the Suns have integrity.  

----------------------------

I don't know much about of any of you folk, other than what I've been able to glean with reading, and conversation.  But, in a sick way, I think I've learned (and extrapolated) quite a bit.

For instance:

* Dan's kid had best have at LEAST a "Happy Mother's Day" card in hand, before church, or somebody's gonna be in world of shit (and it won't be Dan's spawn).

** I could be wrong... maybe Dan already forgot, and is planning ahead, and he'll run out during hymns to "use the restroom" and hit up a Circle K for the "Mother's Day Morning $5 'FELIZ DE LA DIA A MADRE POR TI!' card and Corn Dog Special".  

Shit, come to think of it...that's a good deal, and the corndog only sweetens it

• Travis alluded to being a single, custodial father.  In the current climate of juvenile affairs, somebody in his life has met a tragic fate....I hope I'm wrong on that.
• TexSUN has already illustrated her position on procreation, and why she probably won't...but I'd bet she's quite affectionate for being a nerd who can code.
• On Bright Side, Vash is the perpetual enigma:  almost always pessimistic (suggests kids), but sometimes quite chipper....sounds like a parent potty-training a toddler.  
• Turumbar is...well, PROBABLY childless:  as I recall, he just spent a good chunk of time in Germany and has recently returned to the states.

But since (my best guess) he's military, he just might have a little one yonder, and a very heartbroken Frau.

• jasonsuns1 probably lowers the "median age" curve of the Bright Side:  he's 16-25 and has a penchance for knowledge, uses youtube to illustrate that.  If he has (or ever will have) a kid, it's gonna be his worst nightmare:  a cute AND tech savvy daughter.  
• srp is also a bit of an enigma.  I'll say "is a twin, or will give birth to twins".  I'm not sure why....but it makes sense.

----------

Forgive me if I haven't wrote you up, yet.  I'm gonna take a quick peek around the site and determine whom I'm missing.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother%27s_day

I just saw the stupidest goddamn thing.

I hate Spike TV on Fridays because there's no Star Trek....it's all "World's Wildest Police Shit" and it seems that "Sheriff" John Bunnell always hosts it, and he's a dick.

Say what you will about Sheriff Arpaio, that guy doesn't pull any punches.  I think he's a dick, and played up his publicity a bit...but in no way like that Bunnell asshole.

Anyways, the point I was gonna make was that I forgot it was Friday and SpikeTV is showing that stupid "World's Wildest Police Shit" and they had a segment about the guy was outside the front gates of the White House and shot his Ak-47 into the Compound.  He wasted his clip and got tackled by two bystanders.

That's pretty brave.

But the stupid show had to show (without acknowledging it) MY worst nightmare:

When everyone ducked for cover, I saw a baby buggy scoot along from a final, rather minor push....unattended by parent.

"Oh, Cripes," I thought.  "That's messed up!"

It wouldn't be a big deal if I had seen the parent grab the kid, or show evidence the kid wasn't in the Killbasket (nah, apparently the kid was ok, I guess, since the disgruntled fellow was shooting in almost exact opposite direction...but doesn't the term 'Killbasket' sound like something from Orwell's '1984'?)

Anyways, I saw it from two different angles (as Sheriff John Bunnell's Three Ring Circus) likes to detail.

Mama didn't have baby in either angle.

Now, I could be wrong about it, but I sincerely doubt it:  inevitably, in any show involving Shareef J-Sack Funnel, he'd pitch a shit if a kid (especially a baby) was in harm's way because he'd like to talk about the mother's heroism.

But he didn't.  

That's not a nice person.  That's not even a mom.

All you Moms out there can do better than that!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eDJ3cuXKV4

The idea that "Pink" wrote this baffles me...but it's still damn good, from a point of musical aesthetics.  The message is...well, that's for you to decide.

Oh, and yeah, I'm the young hippie liberal you've been warned about.  Funny, how I appreciate it when folk form their own opinions...

"Pico and Sepulveda"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_lvDLeTae8

"One-line diaries are prohibited on Bright Side Of The Sun. Give your diary a bit more thought"

AAARRRGH!

look, this diary has everything to do with nothing.

I've already wrote 300 characters, how many more times do I have to write subplots for them (ta dum da dem!)

I didn't pay close enough attention to help Tex before she left the forum (due to t-storm activity)

If you ever get bound up and have nowhere else to turn, there IS another option:

http://www.myp2p.eu/NBA.htm

I once posted this, about 4-5 months ago, and received only one response, so I did not pursue it any further.

Naturally, I assume no responsibility for what you do with this knowledge, blah, blah blah....

But from a purely aesthetic geek point, most of these sites (since it's playoffs) should work well....one must only make sure they have the proper software installed (the site is good about listing clients, their uses, and where to get them, and whether or not it has spyware involved).

That which shall be known as the "Allegory of the Suns" shall continue.

--------------------

This is Ground Control to Major Tom
You've really made the grade
And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear
Now it's time to leave the capsule if you dare

--------------------

When the shit gets a bit more Harry than Reasoner, I figure we'll let Peter Schilling's version take over!

I took a look at our sister site Spurs blog, and it's good.  It's well written, and the writers and bloggers (for the most part) seem just as disappointed in the NBA.

However, I noted this, from a blogger o'er yonder:

And this brings me to my final point.  IF (and its still a big if regardless of what many in the press are now saying) Detroit and San Antonio make it to the Finals again, we will be treated to a series of nearly flawless team basketball.  Both teams understand their own strengths and weakness.  They know how to use the stars they have and they know how to use strategy to overcome their deficiencies.  The battles between these two teams literally becomes a chess match, -played out in a much more entertaining and engaging fashion than baseball could ever hope to present.  That is why I love this game... and of course this team.  Go Spurs Go

1. I don't think this individual knows what it means when it says "nearly flawless basketball".  I find "82-80" scores and "uh oh, let's just wait, wait, wait while Billups dribbles in the same spot for 12 seconds to..turn around and shoot and miss!" to be quite FLAWED basketball.
2. The battles between these two teams literally becomes a chess match, -played out in a much more entertaining and engaging fashion than baseball could ever hope to present

BASEBALL?  The sport that was made so Anheuser-Busch and Oscar Mayer could sell their products, as people drank 2 beers and ate a hot dog in between PITCHING CHANGES?

Frankly, I'd rather watch chess (especially if I'm playing). At least I could entertain:  I'm better than the average bear, and I never play sober.  Also, I've decided to never again play in North America...or, at least, the United States.

So screw the Pistons-Spurs final.  Knight to Q4, bitches.

As basketball is his day job, the man's one hell of a writer.  I've had an e-mail exchange or two with him (I even had my question read and answered on the Suns.com interview show), and for some reason I'm still on his mailing list.  What I post below is ...well...quite obviously Paul Shirley (and the line formatting mine, a simple copy and paste job):  

----------

My first book, called Can I Keep My Jersey?, will be released by
Random House on May 15.

Find its amazon page here:

http://www.amazon.com/Can-Keep-Jersey-Countries-Basketball/dp/034549136X/

If it has annoyed you that I have abused my emailing privileges by
sending you this note, stop reading and delete this message.

If not, read on.

At some point in the last year and a half, you sent an email to my
column at ESPN.com.  During my stint with the dot-com, my diligence
for returning messages has wavered between two extremes.  Sometimes, I
was a veritable pen pal.  Other times, I was about as efficient as a
post office in Pakistan.

(In my defense, in the last 18 months I have played for three
basketball teams, had two knee surgeries, produced a television show,
and finished a book.)

But fear not, for I have read your email.  I may have done it in a
rather tardy fashion:  I plowed through a few just now--some of which
were written around Christmas of 2005.  But I have read them all.

I appreciate the thoughts and questions.

But no, Steve from Pawtucket, you cannot be my butler/masseuse.

As I mentioned, my book comes out this month, on May 15.  It
chronicles three years of my life as a professional basketball player.
 In those years, I spent time with the Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls
and Phoenix Suns.  And I discuss those stops.  But I also spent time
in Spain, Russia, and Yakima, WA--places that made me enjoy the first
three even more.

My first three years of professional basketball were much like the
first three years of anyone's first post-college job.  My experience
was similar to that of the guy whose first job was at IBM,
Caterpillar, or Randy's Sanitation.  Mine was just a bit more
outlandish...and a little more public.

I think it's a good book.  I hope you'll read it.

(In case further arm-twisting is necessary:  I somehow managed to
convince Chuck Klosterman to write the foreword.  So, if nothing else,
go to Border's or Barnes and Noble and read his page and a half while
you stand in the aisle, slowing the progress of old ladies in search
of the latest mindbender from Sue Grafton.)

Two more tidbits, and then I'll stop, I promise.

I continue to write for ESPN.com, although sporadically.  Look for
more from me around the time of the book's release.  In addition, I
will be doing a back-and-forth with Neal Pollack about the NBA
Playoffs for slate.com.

And, as always (okay, three tidbits), find me at myspace.com/paulshirley.

Thanks.

Paul Shirley

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I can only imagine how deliciously ribald his book will be.

What kind of bullshit is that?  Nash's nose looks broken, gushing blood, and he goes over to check on poor lil' Tony Farker, who ROLLED AROUND IN "AGONY".

Of course, when the game was over, Farker had a small lump on his head (as any of us would if we fell down a bit), but he was all smiles...especially after he tangled Barbosa and dove into the sidelines.  

Typical San Antonio.  Flop the moment you feel the wind, and whine and cry.  Smash the head and go over the back for a rebound and complain you got caught once out of every four times.  Or Robert Horry yourself out and stick your hand up through the cylinder for goaltending TWICE and throw your arms up in the air and say "what did I do wrong?"

Being labelled "a good defensive team" has only taught them "we can be BULLIES!  We can get away with some THUG BULLSHIT, and THEN CRY WHEN WE GET A LITTLE-WIDDLE HIT".

I thought there was integrity on this Spurs team, but apparently that left with the Admiral.  I'm most disappointed in Duncan:  of all folk, he should know better.

I'm also disappointed in the commentators who say "the refs are just letting it go, this is playoff basketball".

For some reason, the 82-game rulebook is thrown out for the playoffs, meaning CHEATING is allowed?

It's too bad that the NBA rewards headbashing, because the Suns are going to do it when they win this year...and I'd rather it didn't come to that.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-070504

Y'all see anything wrong in that?

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There's too many dolts that believe in the Spurs.  Apparently, an ESPN editor is one of them:

WEST SEMIFINALS
Spurs vs. Suns
Game 1: Sun., 3:30 ET, at SAS

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I screen-captured it, for posterity, and in case it gets corrected before y'all read this rambling of mine.