SBNation.com User Blog: Duff_Man

Atlanta Area Residents Fighting "Cam Newton Drive"

Duff_Man — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 20:45:38 -0000

Atlanta Area Residents Fighting "Cam Newton Drive"

I'd pay good money to be at that Public Hearing. Mainly because I'd slap the idiot who thought this was a good idea.

Horford Officially Out For First Round

Duff_Man — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:52:29 -0000

Horford Officially Out For First Round

In related news, Zaza is out Thursday and may miss playoff games as well. Not good news at all.

NFL Sunday Ticket Price Drop

Duff_Man — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:16:09 -0000

NFL Sunday Ticket Price Drop

DirecTV is dropping the price of Sunday Ticket to $199 for current subscribers this year. Considering it cost me $400 last year, this is really GREAT news for us out-of-staters!

Josh Smith absolutely CRUSHES Serge Ibaka and any hopes of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Duff_Man — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 03:52:53 -0000

Josh Smith absolutely CRUSHES Serge Ibaka and any hopes of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Atlanta: Most Miserable Sports City

Duff_Man — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:00:09 -0000

Atlanta: Most Miserable Sports City

We're number one! We're number one!

Kirk To Miss Another Month?

Duff_Man — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 04:14:45 -0000

Consider the source, but this would be bad.

Kirk Hinrich apparently is not ahead of schedule to return from surgery to remove a cyst from his shoulder, and will miss about another month, according to Hawks VP Dominique Wilkins.

Link: http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=NBA&id=933&line=166353&spln=1

Color me concerned. We need to rid the team of the Pargo/Green backcourt and get some defense in there.

Am I the only one concerned with this? I know we have been playing very well, but we can't continue with this band-aid on the bench at PG.

Consider the source, but this would be bad.

Kirk Hinrich apparently is not ahead of schedule to return from surgery to remove a cyst from his shoulder, and will miss about another month, according to Hawks VP Dominique Wilkins.

Link: http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=NBA&id=933&line=166353&spln=1

Color me concerned. We need to rid the team of the Pargo/Green backcourt and get some defense in there.

Am I the only one concerned with this? I know we have been playing very well, but we can't continue with this band-aid on the bench at PG.

Don't Forget: GET TOGETHER This Weekend!

Duff_Man — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:04:09 -0000

Just a reminder to all who expressed interest in a get together this weekend. We will be staying at the Fairfield Inn And Suites Perimeter. Friday afternoon/evening we will be embarking on a small brewpub/beer bar tour. Saturday morning, we will meet again and be heading to places like the Vortex, Wrecking Bar and Porter Beer Bar. Others may be included on the fly. Saturday evening, there is a cookout in the Fairfield parking lot where Falcons fans cook, drink, and just have a great time. Lots of fantastic beers will be on hand. Sunday, obviously, is the game.

Hope to see some Falcoholics there. Anyone who wants more info, Email me at ed5275@gmail.com.

Edit: To give you an idea of the types of beer that will be there, here is what I am bringing from PA:

BEER UPDATE! Leaving between 1 and 2am tonight. Stopping (hopefully) at Toasted and Tapped in Flowery Branch for a brew before hitting Dunwoody. Here is my updated list of beers I am bringing:

Cigar City - Guava Grove Saison, and Marshal Zhukov's Imperial Stout
Fegley's Brew Works (PA only) - Devious Imperial Pumpkin
Voodoo Brewing (PA only) - Wynona's Big Brown Ale
Iron Hill (Brewery only) - Great Imperial Pumkin
Troegs - Scratch 41 (Choc Stout) and Scratch 48 (IPA)
Ithaca - Gorges, Thirteen, Cold Front, and Brut
Weyerbacher - Rapture (HUGE brewery exclusive sour), and Romeo

I couldn't find any really good growlers to bring within the past few days (so they can travel). All are 22s or 750s, except the Troegs.

Go Falcons!

Hope to see some Falcoholics there. Anyone who wants more info, Email me at ed5275@gmail.com.

Edit: To give you an idea of the types of beer that will be there, here is what I am bringing from PA:

Go Falcons!

Babineaux Has Partially Torn MCL

Duff_Man — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 02:50:56 -0000

Babineaux Has Partially Torn MCL

He did play through it Sunday, but needless to say that if this is true, it is not good.

About The New Hawks Owner

Duff_Man — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 14:11:09 -0000

I am speechless about the sale. Here is a write-up about the new owner. Pizza anyone?

Story Link

Alex Meruelo: From tuxedo rentals to owning the Atlanta Hawks
10:00 am August 7, 2011, by Mark Bradley

The man who’s buying the Atlanta Hawks played basketball himself — at Don Bosco Technical Institute, a Catholic high school in Rosemead, Calif. Alex Meruelo became a starter for the Tigers as a junior, whereupon vocational opportunity intervened.

“My father gave me the chance to run my own business,” Meruelo said, speaking on a conference call with two AJC writers. “He had a bridal-and-tuxedo business. He leased the tuxedo part to me.”

That was it for his hoops career. (Couldn’t stay for practice when there were groomsmen to be measured.) Thirty-two years later, it’s no longer an either/or consideration. Alex Meruelo has made a bunch of money, having gone from renting out cummerbunds to building a chain of Southern California eateries — La Pizza Loca — to owning a TV station in Los Angeles to buying a hotel and casino in Reno. And now the entrepreneur is about to diversify into basketball.

“This is more than a dream for me,” Meruelo said. “It’s like when you think, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice?’ ”

Those four words — “Wouldn’t it be nice?” — were the title of the opening track on the greatest album (”Pet Sounds”) released by that California success story we know as the Beach Boys. Alex Meruelo has his own California story, and it’s downright harmonic, too. The son of Cuban immigrants, he stands to be the first Hispanic owner of an NBA franchise.

“I’m a person who doesn’t give up,” Meruelo said. “I want to bring a championship to the city of Atlanta.”

To date, Meruelo has had only a passing relationship with our town. (”I’ve been through the airport a couple of times,” he said.) Should the NBA approve this sale, that stands to change. His teenage children have checked out Atlanta houses via the Internet. He won’t abandon Los Angeles — the Meruelo Group is too rooted for that — but he and his family will commute.

We cannot know whether Meruelo will be an upgrade on the current ownership, but we can say this: He’s not apt to wind up suing himself. Although some of the men who comprise the many-headed Atlanta Spirit will remain as minority partners, Meruelo leaves no doubt as to the buck’s point of stoppage. “I will be in complete control of the team,” he said.

Beyond that, Meruelo can’t say much about his plans for the Hawks. The NBA doesn’t allow prospective owners to comment on personnel, and even if it did the lockout has imposed a league-wide silence. Throughout the half-hour conference call, Ruben Gonzalez, the Meruelo Group’s vice president for external affairs, would gently interrupt with reminders that a particular subject was “beyond the scope of our discussion.”

What did come though was Meruelo’s enthusiasm. He claims to love basketball without being a wonk: “I couldn’t name every single player on every single team.” He didn’t grow up a Hawks’ fan. (Born in New York, he followed the Knicks and the Jets and the Mets even after the family moved to California.) He goes to Angels games but prefers basketball. He has inquired — so discreetly as to have called no attention to himself — about buying other NBA teams.

Regarding the Hawks, he knows whispers of a Mystery Buyer have been circulating. The mystery at its end, Meruelo said: “I wasn’t trying to be coy. I just didn’t want my name to circulate until I had something certain.”

Here he said to his audience of two: “You guys know Atlanta and cover Atlanta. I wanted to talk to you. I owe you that respect.”

An owner who respects his constituency? That’s a concept this city should embrace. It has worked for Arthur Blank and his Falcons. Liberty Media, by way of conspicuous contrast, has made no effort to endear its Colorado-based self to the folks who actually buy Braves tickets. But you don’t turn one La Pizza Loca into a string of 50 by ignoring your customers, and the hope/guess is that Meruelo will connect with those who’ve soured on what has become, on the record, a pretty good NBA club.

If you check Meruelo’s Facebook page, you’ll find a list of the teams he follows. The Angels are there, and so is the soccer L.A. Galaxy. (So, too, are the Philadelphia Eagles — Meruelo likes DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick.) Also mentioned is the team he’s poised to buy. “I’m 1,000 percent an Atlanta Hawks fan,” he said.

Soon enough, Alex Meruelo won’t just be following the Hawks. He’ll be leading them. And if you’re asking if he should be taken seriously … well, he wants this team badly enough to buy it when the league is locked out. Takes some guts, wouldn’t you say?

I am speechless about the sale. Here is a write-up about the new owner. Pizza anyone?

Story Link

Alex Meruelo: From tuxedo rentals to owning the Atlanta Hawks
10:00 am August 7, 2011, by Mark Bradley

The man who’s buying the Atlanta Hawks played basketball himself — at Don Bosco Technical Institute, a Catholic high school in Rosemead, Calif. Alex Meruelo became a starter for the Tigers as a junior, whereupon vocational opportunity intervened.

“My father gave me the chance to run my own business,” Meruelo said, speaking on a conference call with two AJC writers. “He had a bridal-and-tuxedo business. He leased the tuxedo part to me.”

That was it for his hoops career. (Couldn’t stay for practice when there were groomsmen to be measured.) Thirty-two years later, it’s no longer an either/or consideration. Alex Meruelo has made a bunch of money, having gone from renting out cummerbunds to building a chain of Southern California eateries — La Pizza Loca — to owning a TV station in Los Angeles to buying a hotel and casino in Reno. And now the entrepreneur is about to diversify into basketball.

“This is more than a dream for me,” Meruelo said. “It’s like when you think, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice?’ ”

Those four words — “Wouldn’t it be nice?” — were the title of the opening track on the greatest album (”Pet Sounds”) released by that California success story we know as the Beach Boys. Alex Meruelo has his own California story, and it’s downright harmonic, too. The son of Cuban immigrants, he stands to be the first Hispanic owner of an NBA franchise.

“I’m a person who doesn’t give up,” Meruelo said. “I want to bring a championship to the city of Atlanta.”

To date, Meruelo has had only a passing relationship with our town. (”I’ve been through the airport a couple of times,” he said.) Should the NBA approve this sale, that stands to change. His teenage children have checked out Atlanta houses via the Internet. He won’t abandon Los Angeles — the Meruelo Group is too rooted for that — but he and his family will commute.

We cannot know whether Meruelo will be an upgrade on the current ownership, but we can say this: He’s not apt to wind up suing himself. Although some of the men who comprise the many-headed Atlanta Spirit will remain as minority partners, Meruelo leaves no doubt as to the buck’s point of stoppage. “I will be in complete control of the team,” he said.

Beyond that, Meruelo can’t say much about his plans for the Hawks. The NBA doesn’t allow prospective owners to comment on personnel, and even if it did the lockout has imposed a league-wide silence. Throughout the half-hour conference call, Ruben Gonzalez, the Meruelo Group’s vice president for external affairs, would gently interrupt with reminders that a particular subject was “beyond the scope of our discussion.”

What did come though was Meruelo’s enthusiasm. He claims to love basketball without being a wonk: “I couldn’t name every single player on every single team.” He didn’t grow up a Hawks’ fan. (Born in New York, he followed the Knicks and the Jets and the Mets even after the family moved to California.) He goes to Angels games but prefers basketball. He has inquired — so discreetly as to have called no attention to himself — about buying other NBA teams.

Regarding the Hawks, he knows whispers of a Mystery Buyer have been circulating. The mystery at its end, Meruelo said: “I wasn’t trying to be coy. I just didn’t want my name to circulate until I had something certain.”

Here he said to his audience of two: “You guys know Atlanta and cover Atlanta. I wanted to talk to you. I owe you that respect.”

An owner who respects his constituency? That’s a concept this city should embrace. It has worked for Arthur Blank and his Falcons. Liberty Media, by way of conspicuous contrast, has made no effort to endear its Colorado-based self to the folks who actually buy Braves tickets. But you don’t turn one La Pizza Loca into a string of 50 by ignoring your customers, and the hope/guess is that Meruelo will connect with those who’ve soured on what has become, on the record, a pretty good NBA club.

If you check Meruelo’s Facebook page, you’ll find a list of the teams he follows. The Angels are there, and so is the soccer L.A. Galaxy. (So, too, are the Philadelphia Eagles — Meruelo likes DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick.) Also mentioned is the team he’s poised to buy. “I’m 1,000 percent an Atlanta Hawks fan,” he said.

Soon enough, Alex Meruelo won’t just be following the Hawks. He’ll be leading them. And if you’re asking if he should be taken seriously … well, he wants this team badly enough to buy it when the league is locked out. Takes some guts, wouldn’t you say?

Atlanta Hawks: SOLD

Duff_Man — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 14:09:10 -0000

Atlanta Hawks: SOLD

Our long nightmare is over, Hawks fans! The Atlanta Hawks have been sold to Alex Meruelo. CRY FREEDOM!!!

DOL vs Miko Grimes: When Tweetin' It Real Goes Wrong.

Duff_Man — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:33:30 -0000

WARNING: Some very salty and just plain profane (albeit hilarious and awesome) language will be included in the quotes in this post!!

Anyone read the online AJC Sports section this morning? If you did, you may have come across this article. In it, DOL hypothesizes that Brent Grimes may be thumbing his nose at $2.61 million...yadda, yadda, yadda. He also took a small (what I consider) shot at Grimes' Pro Bowl visit last year. Maybe I am wrong, but go and read it for yourselves because we have bigger fish to fry here.

Apparently Brent wasn't really happy about the tone of the article and went to everyone's favorite soapbox: Twitter. Here is what he had to say:

"@AJCFalcons stop trying to paint me in a negative light... I can't practice until the 4th, you don't know what I have going on right now"

@AJCFalcons like I said you dont know wht i have going on. Just dont try & make me out as not appreciating wht the Falcons have offered me

Innocent enough in my book. Beat writer gets under a player's skin a little, player gets miffed, speaks his piece, and that's that. He pretty much went to "Shark Week" and baby poop commercial posts after that. Brent gets over it, moves on and DOL lives to fight another day....UNTIL...

Remember the time when suckas and hatas blatantly forgot about Dre? Well DOL could never have expected what was about to happen. DOL made a critical error...he forgot about MIKO.

For those not in the know, Miko is Brent Grimes' wife/manager. And anyone familiar with her Tweets knows that there ain't no future in your frontin' and there CERTAINLY ain't no shame in her game. The Twitter fury that was unleashed by Miko was like watching a Chuck E Cheese girl fight give birth to a 2 Live Crew album. Cover your ears if you feel the need, because this just went from "mild beef" to "INCREDIBLE ROUND-HOUSE FACE PUNCH OF AWESOME".

Initially, Miko had expressed mild displeasure with the article:

@iHeartMiko: I cant WAIT to get in the house & on my computer! Im about to light a fuckin match under Bedwetter's ASS! U fucked ...

@iHeartMiko: I let hella shit slide in the past but u fucked up this time! U dont know SHIT but ur raggedy ass mouth is always open!

DOL...U fucked. And as Brent's manager (!), Miko wanted to make sure that DOL knew their finances are under control and Brent is happy with a 1st round tender (an unusual leverage ploy):

@iHeartMiko: Ayo bitchass @ajcfalcons u better listen up and listen good u fucking idiot! My husband is NOT holding out! If he were ID REPORT IT, not u!

@iHeartMiko: my husband is VERY appreciative of a 1st rd tender! As his wife, I want him to get a contract extension but he just wants 2 play

At this time, she felt that DOL needed to know that she remembers last year:

@iHeartMiko: @ajcfalcons i let u slide last yr when u tried to said Smitty blamed him for bad D b/c i thought u were retarted & didnt know any better.

And then IT GOT REAL:

@iHeartMiko: @ajcfalcons All the people that did sign their 1 year deal or whatever they got are bored or jacking off like YOU DO every night u LOSER!

@iHeartMiko: @ajcfalcons I cant wait for him to report to camp because Im gonna find your stupid ass and tell u exactly what i think of you TO YOUR FACE!

Then it got laughably ironic:

@iHeartMiko: @ajcfalcons how the fuck did you get your job anyway? you're illiterate! you have a speech impediment! your UGLY! and your DUMB as hell! SMH

@iHeartMiko @Ajcfalcons they need to give me YOUR DAMN JOB! Id be better at it and I wouldnt report LIES or shit I had no clue about, unlike YOU!

Then it got manic:

@iHeartMiko: #AnywayDoe... How is everybody doing today? :)

@iHeartMiko: @Shantigo Lol yes, me and @LilBGrimes20 are doing well thanks for asking! :)

This was the eye of the storm. Everything was steady on the waters until DOL decided to respond. Bad move.

@AJCFalcons: is standing TALL in the pocket! Ignoring the foolishness.

Oh god...

@iHeartMiko: then ignore yourself u fucking IDIOT! report the TRUTH u bitch! RT @AJCFalcons is standing TALL in the pocket! Ignoring the foolishness.

@iHeart Miko: Funny thing is...i REALLY let this bitch @ajcfalcons slide so many times last year. Not this year! Im on your ASS u BITCHASS MF'er!!

@iHeartMiko: and @ajcfalcons knows EXACTLY who i am too and u better run fat boy! And dont try speaking to my son anymore! He dont fuck with u either!

@iHeartMiko: @ATLFalCANsChick yeah with his hand in his pocket jackin that little ass dick!

And Finally, THIS happened:

@iHeartMiko: I just called in to @2livestews and me and hubby are about to be on LIVE and put all this BULLSHIT to REST! Suck It Easy @ajcfalcons

Yes. She and Brent actually went on the Two Live Stews and lost very little steam in giving the unlistenable duo a curse-free recap of the day's Twitter events and just continuing to blast poor DOL. In keeping with the theme, Brent was toned down and level headed. Miko was, well Miko.

WARNING: Some very salty and just plain profane (albeit hilarious and awesome) language will be included in the quotes in this post!!

Apparently Brent wasn't really happy about the tone of the article and went to everyone's favorite soapbox: Twitter. Here is what he had to say:

"@AJCFalcons stop trying to paint me in a negative light... I can't practice until the 4th, you don't know what I have going on right now"

@AJCFalcons like I said you dont know wht i have going on. Just dont try & make me out as not appreciating wht the Falcons have offered me

Remember the time when suckas and hatas blatantly forgot about Dre? Well DOL could never have expected what was about to happen. DOL made a critical error...he forgot about MIKO.

Initially, Miko had expressed mild displeasure with the article:

@iHeartMiko: I cant WAIT to get in the house & on my computer! Im about to light a fuckin match under Bedwetter's ASS! U fucked ...

@iHeartMiko: I let hella shit slide in the past but u fucked up this time! U dont know SHIT but ur raggedy ass mouth is always open!

DOL...U fucked. And as Brent's manager (!), Miko wanted to make sure that DOL knew their finances are under control and Brent is happy with a 1st round tender (an unusual leverage ploy):

@iHeartMiko: Ayo bitchass @ajcfalcons u better listen up and listen good u fucking idiot! My husband is NOT holding out! If he were ID REPORT IT, not u!

@iHeartMiko: my husband is VERY appreciative of a 1st rd tender! As his wife, I want him to get a contract extension but he just wants 2 play

At this time, she felt that DOL needed to know that she remembers last year:

@iHeartMiko: @ajcfalcons i let u slide last yr when u tried to said Smitty blamed him for bad D b/c i thought u were retarted & didnt know any better.

And then IT GOT REAL:

@iHeartMiko: @ajcfalcons All the people that did sign their 1 year deal or whatever they got are bored or jacking off like YOU DO every night u LOSER!

@iHeartMiko: @ajcfalcons I cant wait for him to report to camp because Im gonna find your stupid ass and tell u exactly what i think of you TO YOUR FACE!

Then it got laughably ironic:

@iHeartMiko: @ajcfalcons how the fuck did you get your job anyway? you're illiterate! you have a speech impediment! your UGLY! and your DUMB as hell! SMH

@iHeartMiko @Ajcfalcons they need to give me YOUR DAMN JOB! Id be better at it and I wouldnt report LIES or shit I had no clue about, unlike YOU!

Then it got manic:

@iHeartMiko: #AnywayDoe... How is everybody doing today? :)

@iHeartMiko: @Shantigo Lol yes, me and @LilBGrimes20 are doing well thanks for asking! :)

This was the eye of the storm. Everything was steady on the waters until DOL decided to respond. Bad move.

@AJCFalcons: is standing TALL in the pocket! Ignoring the foolishness.

Oh god...

@iHeartMiko: then ignore yourself u fucking IDIOT! report the TRUTH u bitch! RT @AJCFalcons is standing TALL in the pocket! Ignoring the foolishness.

@iHeart Miko: Funny thing is...i REALLY let this bitch @ajcfalcons slide so many times last year. Not this year! Im on your ASS u BITCHASS MF'er!!

@iHeartMiko: and @ajcfalcons knows EXACTLY who i am too and u better run fat boy! And dont try speaking to my son anymore! He dont fuck with u either!

@iHeartMiko: @ATLFalCANsChick yeah with his hand in his pocket jackin that little ass dick!

And Finally, THIS happened:

@iHeartMiko: I just called in to @2livestews and me and hubby are about to be on LIVE and put all this BULLSHIT to REST! Suck It Easy @ajcfalcons

ESPN Makes New QB Rating System. Nerd Rage Ensues.

Duff_Man — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:46:07 -0000

So this morning, ESPN printed an NFL Blog piece about this fancy new QB rating system. The idea for this is simple: the old system is neato, but it ignores too many good things a QB does besides lobbing TDs and having gaudy yards. Here is what goes into it:

The QBR formula takes into account down, distance, field position, time remaining, rushing, passing sacks, fumbles, interceptions, how far each pass travels in the air, from where on the field the ball was thrown, yards after the catch, dropped balls, defensed balls, whether the quarterback was hit, whether he threw away the ball to avoid a sack, whether the pass was thrown accurately, etc. Each play carries "clutch weight" based on its importance to game outcome, as determined by analyzing those 60,000 plays since 2008. The stats adjust for quarterbacks facing an unusually high number of these situations.

Well hey, that's pretty sweet. I love the idea. Now let's see how this list sorted the NFL's best and worst:

Top tier: Brady, Peyton Manning, Matt Ryan, Michael Vick, Rodgers and Drew Brees.

Well above average: Josh Freeman, Eli Manning and Philip Rivers.

Above average: Ben Roethlisberger, Tony Romo, Joe Flacco, Matt Schaub, David Garrard and Kerry Collins.

Around average: Matt Cassel, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Mark Sanchez, Carson Palmer, Colt McCoy, Kyle Orton and Jon Kitna.

Below average: Shaun Hill, Jason Campbell, Jay Cutler, Matt Hasselbeck, Chad Henne, Donovan McNabb, Sam Bradford and Alex Smith.

Poor: Derek Anderson, Brett Favre and Jimmy Clausen.

Uh oh. Here is where people lost their freaking minds. The comments section and certain Message Boards lost all ability to look at this list from the math incorporated in it and the torches were lit. Said one butt-hurt (probably New Orleans) fan:

These rankings are ridiculous. Matt Ryan, who doesn't even have a playoff win, is in the top tier, ahead of Superbowl-winning QBs Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning? Come on.

But isn't that failing to look at the list objectively? You know...like as if it was a mathematical equation? First off, the rankings are from last season. Regular season at that. Secondly, going by the most decorated is null because a lot of guys ride a great defense to a Lombardi Trophy.

Numbers don't lie. The experts and Ph.D's have spoken: Matt Ryan is a top tier NFL QB. It will be explained August 5th at 8pm on a Sportscenter Special.

What? Who? Trent Dilfer helped create it? Oh then forget I said anything. This list sucks now.

Article Link

The QBR formula takes into account down, distance, field position, time remaining, rushing, passing sacks, fumbles, interceptions, how far each pass travels in the air, from where on the field the ball was thrown, yards after the catch, dropped balls, defensed balls, whether the quarterback was hit, whether he threw away the ball to avoid a sack, whether the pass was thrown accurately, etc. Each play carries "clutch weight" based on its importance to game outcome, as determined by analyzing those 60,000 plays since 2008. The stats adjust for quarterbacks facing an unusually high number of these situations.

Well hey, that's pretty sweet. I love the idea. Now let's see how this list sorted the NFL's best and worst:

Top tier: Brady, Peyton Manning, Matt Ryan, Michael Vick, Rodgers and Drew Brees.

Well above average: Josh Freeman, Eli Manning and Philip Rivers.

Above average: Ben Roethlisberger, Tony Romo, Joe Flacco, Matt Schaub, David Garrard and Kerry Collins.

Around average: Matt Cassel, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Mark Sanchez, Carson Palmer, Colt McCoy, Kyle Orton and Jon Kitna.

Below average: Shaun Hill, Jason Campbell, Jay Cutler, Matt Hasselbeck, Chad Henne, Donovan McNabb, Sam Bradford and Alex Smith.

Poor: Derek Anderson, Brett Favre and Jimmy Clausen.

These rankings are ridiculous. Matt Ryan, who doesn't even have a playoff win, is in the top tier, ahead of Superbowl-winning QBs Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning? Come on.

Numbers don't lie. The experts and Ph.D's have spoken: Matt Ryan is a top tier NFL QB. It will be explained August 5th at 8pm on a Sportscenter Special.

What? Who? Trent Dilfer helped create it? Oh then forget I said anything. This list sucks now.

Article Link

GET TOGETHER: Panthers at Falcons Oct 13-17 Weekend

Duff_Man — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 15:26:09 -0000

I mentioned this in passing in the Friday Night Open Thread, but wanted to post this out in the open to see if there is any interest.

Every year since 2000 or 2001 the members of the Atlanta Falcons Message Board have arranged a weekend to gather, have some fun, and attend a Falcons game. This season (and we are assuming this game is happening) we selected the Panthers at Falcons (Oct 16) as the game to build around. We have already contacted the hotel and the ticket office to arrange some group rates, so all that work is done.

What we typically put together goes a little something like this:

Friday - Beer/Brewpub bar crawl, dinner.

Saturday - Beer/Brewpub crawl #2, cookout in the hotel parking lot with beer, food, music, etc.

Sunday - Gameday. Tailgating optional.

Every year has been a blast. We've had people in from Australia, UK and Canada. I'll be making the trek from PA yet again. I felt this was a good opportunity to invite some Falcoholics to join in the festivities. Check out the hotel and ticket info at these links:

Hotel Info

Ticket Info

Hope this is OK to post here, and hope to see some new faces to hoist some beers with!

If you have any questions, let me know.

I mentioned this in passing in the Friday Night Open Thread, but wanted to post this out in the open to see if there is any interest.

What we typically put together goes a little something like this:

Friday - Beer/Brewpub bar crawl, dinner.

Saturday - Beer/Brewpub crawl #2, cookout in the hotel parking lot with beer, food, music, etc.

Sunday - Gameday. Tailgating optional.

Hotel Info

Ticket Info

Hope this is OK to post here, and hope to see some new faces to hoist some beers with!

If you have any questions, let me know.

Hawks All-Time "Cup Of Coffee" Players

Duff_Man — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 23:09:09 -0000

The off-season sucks. We all know it. This one looks like it will be sucking far longer than most with a lockout looming. Hell, we even lost the Summer League. Not cool. However, there has been one big, bright star shining down upon us NBA nuts in the form of NBATV showing "Classic NBA Drafts". I'm DVRing them. Seriously. Every bad suit (Anthony Avent), every horrible sentence (Avent again), every bust pick (Avent sweep!)...it's all been amazing and hilarious at the same time.

So, as I am watching this, I see Kenny Anderson's name get called. As chance would have it, I Googled him to see what his career stats were and as I looked down the list I saw it there staring back at me...Kenny Anderson was a Hawk?? He sure was. Not much of one, either. Well that got me to thinking: Who else of note came and went from the Hawks without so much as a whimper? I began to research and what I found was shocking. There are a ton of notable guys that put on a Hawks uniform for a brief moment in time and were swiftly forgotten. So I decided to document that list of awesomeness.

Now, we can't throw every player on the list or it would be filled with Ennis Whatleys. Here is the criteria:

The player must have been a serviceable NBA player at one point in their career. This eliminates guys like Jeff Sanders. I'll be testing the limits of this criteria.
They must not have played for the Hawks for more than one full season. This means you, Matt Maloney. Piece of cake.
They have to be a recognizable name to fans other than Hawks fans. Sorry, Reggie Jordan.
The list will start at 1990 because it took forever and it's my list. Deal with it.

Let's have a look at who/what I amazingly found (Stats are Points/Rebounds/Assists)...

Haywoode Workman (1989-1990)

Peak stats: 8.0/3.3/4.8

Hawks stats: 1.0/0.5/0.3

An unspectacular start, I know, but he is a well-known player. Yes, the referee and former Hawk killer with the Pacers came into the league with your Atlanta Hawks. A second round draft pick, he logged 6 games played, 6 total points. He would later go to become a key piece of the perennial playoff Pacers teams of the early 1990s.

Sidney Moncreif (1990-1991)

Peak Stats: 22.5/5.8/3.9

Hawks Stats: 4.7/1.8/1.4

The former Bucks great was picked up by Atlanta well past his prime and chipped in with 4.7ppg in an amazingly unspectacular season. I actually got to see him play in person when they visited Philly that year. His shoot-around was an incredible array of trick shots. I loved it. It's a shame to see a legend go out with such a whimper.

Maurice Cheeks (1991-1992)

Peak Stats: 15.6/3.2/7.9

Hawks Stats: 4.6/1.7/3.3

Another well past his prime point guard was brought in to steady the position. If by steady, they meant 4.6ppg, then they were spot on. Cheeks is an NBA legend, or at least he was in Philly. The Hawks actually sent the Knicks Tim McCormick and a 1st round pick for Cheeks. The Knicks used that pick to get Charlie Ward.

Randy Breuer (1992-1993)

Peak Stats: 12.0/6.8/1.3

Hawks Stats: 2.7/2.3/0.5

The former Bucks lifer actually logged minutes for the Hawks during two 10-day contracts. He appeared in a whopping 12 games. Primary skills included: Height (7'3") and seat warming. Famous for his signature quote, "No, I am not Paul Mokeski". OK, I made that up.

John Bagley (1993-1994)

Peak Stats: 14.2/3.3/7.0

Hawks Stats: 5.5/2.8/8.3

Former Celtics hero who may have been the fattest PG ever until Mateen Cleaves and Kalid El Amin came along. Made an appearance in 3 games for your Hawks, logging a monster 0.7ppg. He was perfect from the FT line in those three games. Called it a career shortly after.

Sean Rooks (1995-1996).

Peak Stats: 13.5/7.4/1.3

Hawks Stats: 5.8/3.2/0.6

Came over with Christian Laettner in a mid-season trade from the T-Wolves. Saw the floor in 16 games for the Hawks and couldn't leave for the Lakers fast enough. Highly forgettable.

Jon Barry (1996-1997, 2004-2005)

Peak Stats: 9.0/2.9/3.3

Hawks Stats: 5.2/1.3/1.8 (2005)

OK, I admit that I am stretching the limits of my own criteria here, but I think everyone who knows NBA knows all-time Hawks hater Jon Barry. First stint: 58 forgettable games. Second stint: 16 games and a brief playoff appearance, he probably never unpacked his suitcase. Not sure what happened behind the scenes, but he was notoriously unhappy and his anger against the team is strong to this day.

Mark West (1998-1999)

Peak Stats: 11.8/8.3/0.8

Hawks Stats: 1.2/2.6/0.1

Phoenix legend and all-around good guy, Mark West was completely reluctant to retire...so where else to waste your twilight years than with the Atlanta Hawks? Embarrassingly, he actually appeared in 49 freaking games for the Hawks. The guy was 38 for god's sake. After his legendary Hawks run, he went back to Phoenix to rightly retire as a Sun.

Bimbo Coles (1999-2000)

Peak Stats: 12.8/3.9/5.7

Hawks Stats: 8.1/2.2/3.6

When Bimbo Coles was with the Heat, there were few players I hated worse. Just a smug jerk who made me want to punch my TV. Imagine my disdain when he appeared in 80 GAMES as a Hawk. They traded my beloved Mookie Blaylock to get him, too. That stung worse. He even started some of the season. Painful. His Basketballreference.com picture is him in a Hawks uniform. Kick in the balls.

Brevin Knight (2000-2001)

Peak Stats: 12.6/3.2/8.8

Hawks Stats: 6.9/3.4/6.1

Appearing in 47 games for Atlanta, I can't remember one single basketball related thing he did very well. All I remember is that he was really short and got abused by taller guards. Of course once he landed with the Bobcats he became a major pain in the Hawks' ass.

Bob Sura (2003-2004)

Peak Stats: 14.7/8.3/5.3

Hawks Stats: 14.7/8.3/5.3

A member of the now infamous "Try To Tank The Season" team. Hawks management went out of their way to trade away key pieces and gather a bunch of scrap heap items in an effort to lose as many games as possible. One problem: guys like Sura and Joel Pryzbilla actually gelled and started playing well together. Sura's most memorable moment was when he attempted to get three triple-doubles in a row and missed a shot on purpose to get the rebound. They took the rebound away. It was that kind of year.

Rasheed Wallace (2003-2004)

Peak Stats: 19.3/8.2/1.9

Hawks Stats: 20.0/6.0/2.0

One game he played for the Hawks. One. Part of a swift move that saw him acquired from Portland only to have him immediately shipped to Detroit. I am scratching my head to find a reason why they decided to allow their biggest trade piece to get 42 minutes in the one game he played, but that's the Hawks for you.

Terrell Brandon (2003-2004)

Peak Stats: 19.5/3.9/6.3

Hawks Stats: 0.0/0.0/0.0

Brandon was a Hawk. Well at least his contract was. In a savvy cap saving move, the Hawks traded to get the expiring contract of Terrell Brandon. Nothing like paying a guy $11 million to never even see the arena. I know, I know...listing this is unfair, but it is still interesting trivia.

Tom Gugliotta (2004-2005)

Peak Stats: 20.6/8.7/4.1

Hawks Stats: 7.9/5.5/2.1

The Gugs era lasted 27 memorable games. Well past his prime, Gugliotta was full of effort I guess. I can't even remember one thing he did in Atlanta except forget how to shoot. He got the hint and retired after his short stay in the ATL.

Kenny Anderson (2004-2005)

Peak Stats: 18.8/3.9/9.6

Hawks Stats: 5.0/2.1/2.5

Way, way, way past his prime, Anderson returned to his college town about 10 years too late. A backup PG at best, Anderson struggled through 39 games with the Hawks. After a 4-game stint with the Clippers the following year, he was out of the NBA. He has reportedly burned through $63 million and has 7 kids to 5 women. Great guy. Perfect fit for the list and a great note on which to conclude it.

So who am I missing? Whom did I leave out? Who actually remembers the storied Hawks careers of these players?

Want To Puke? Read This.

Duff_Man — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 20:01:58 -0000

Not only is Josh being taught to shoot more, people are encouraging it. Bonus: Josh's motivation is making an All-Star team.

This story appears in the Feb. 7, 2011 issue of ESPN The Magazine.

The term "extreme makeovers" is supposed to be reserved for decrepit houses and people suffering from midlife crises. Rarely does it apply to seasoned NBA vets like Josh Smith, Al Jefferson and Richard Jefferson. Smith and Al Jefferson are both in their seventh seasons; Richard Jefferson is in his 10th. After that many years, conventional NBA wisdom says there are no surprises about what players can do or how well they do it. Yet all three are posting double-digit percentage increases in a key facet of their games.

Nowhere is the surge more surprising than in Atlanta. Smith, the same J-Smoove who abandoned the three ball last season when he attempted -- and missed -- just seven shots, is now among the best three-point shooting power forwards in the Eastern Conference. Making 36.9 percent of his treys, Smith is shooting better than such feared marksmen as Danilo Gallinari and Rashard Lewis. Meanwhile, Al Jefferson was traded from lowly Minnesota to Utah last summer, and the career 70 percent free throw shooter is suddenly up 10 percent.

Then there's the Spurs' Jefferson, whose remodeling job is more subtle but actually more profound. For his first nine pro seasons, Jefferson was an off-the-dribble slashing wing, athletic and skilled enough to be a regular contributor on two Nets teams that went to the NBA Finals.

But none of that mattered when San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich sat Jefferson down after last season for what other Spurs call "The Big Talk." This is when Coach gets real about how a player's game needs to improve to really help the Spurs. Pop told RJ he had to trash his habit of setting up his shot with ballhandling. The offense runs through Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker or Tim Duncan, leaving little time for him to be creative. If Jefferson was going to score, it had to be as soon as the ball hit his hands or off one quick pivot. That meant everything from the release point on his shot to the way he moved around the court had to change.

First, shooting coach Chip Engelland shifted Jefferson's release from above his head to out in front. Then Popovich and assistant coach Chad Forcier drilled the following into him: stay low, knees bent at all times, always be ready to fire.

"Yeah, I had my concerns," says Jefferson. "My old way was 10 years in the making. What they were asking was simple but something I'd never done. But my competitiveness took over."

Synergy Sports Technology, a company that provides analytics to NBA teams, says Jefferson's efficiency rating for no-dribble catch-and-shoot scoring has gone from "average" to "excellent": 76.3 percent of his points scored, compared with 63.9 percent last season.

For the Jazz's Jefferson, it wasn't about changing his form, it was about letting it take over. Last summer, before the Timberwolves traded him, assistant coach Dave Wohl, who also had been with Jefferson in Boston, finally unlocked the mystery of why a player with such solid free throw shooting form, a kid who shot 90 percent in high school, was so bad from the line. The answer: He needed to stop thinking.

As a 2004 prep-to-pro draftee Jefferson's learning curve was steep. And big things were expected of him from undermanned teams, first in Boston and then in Minnesota. Rather than let things flow at the line, his mind drifted to all of his postrelease responsibilities. His percentage suffered.

Wohl and Jefferson developed a remedy. Count to eight on every shot attempt to focus on the task at hand. Five dribbles, five seconds. At six the ball is rising, at eight he's letting it go. Jefferson made 36 in a row in a workout the first day and 35 in a row the second. With his mind clear and his burden shared, his top fear now is complacency. "When you hit so many in a row, you get cocky and start backsliding," Jefferson says. "I have to be consistent with it."

For Smith, the transformation required both a technical and mental shift. He thought abandoning the three to focus on shotblocking and rebounding would be his ticket to the 2010 All-Star Game. Instead, all he got was runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year and an uneven game. Enter Idan Ravin, the personal trainer known as the Hoops Whisperer for his unorthodox drills and positive reinforcement. In a two-week session prior to the season, Ravin, who has worked with Chris Paul and Elton Brand, straightened out Smith's lefty stroke so that the ball rises in a perfect vertical line instead of being brought over from the right side of his body. He also patched the hole in Smith's psyche with texts containing affirmations such as "You don't need their approval, so stop looking in their direction."

"Instant results," Smith says. "More than anything, he gave me confidence in myself." He needs it. Even now, Hawks' fans groan when he readies a three. Which is understandable. Such transformations aren't supposed to happen.

Hawks last win on road in an elimination game: 5-2-97 at Detroit. Steve Smith 28 Mookie 10-10-9. Hawks, 94-82.

Duff_Man — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 18:05:00 -0000

Hawks last win on road in an elimination game: 5-2-97 at Detroit. Steve Smith 28 Mookie 10-10-9. Hawks, 94-82.

Per Bob Rathbun via Twitter.

Hawks last win on road in an elimination game: 5-2-97 at Detroit. Steve Smith 28 Mookie 10-10-9. Hawks, 94-82.

Duff_Man — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 18:04:51 -0000

Hawks last win on road in an elimination game: 5-2-97 at Detroit. Steve Smith 28 Mookie 10-10-9. Hawks, 94-82.

Per Bob Rathbun via Twitter.

Per Bob Rathbun: Looks like GS Maggette out tonight (hammy) and Turiaf questionable (missed Sat...

Duff_Man — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:32:00 -0000

Per Bob Rathbun:
Looks like GS Maggette out tonight (hammy) and Turiaf questionable (missed Sat practice w/sinus infection) vs Hawks (SF Chron)

Road Woes: My Trip To Cleveland For Hawks/Cavs

Duff_Man — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:03:09 -0000

(ed. note: I found out Duff Man was headed to Cleavland and I asked if he would not filling a report from behind enemy lines. He did, and now I owe this man a beer for his fine work. Speaking of which, grab yourself one, sit back, read, and enjoy. This recap almost makes this game seem enjoyable. Thanks Duff Man!)

For those of you who don't already know, I currently live in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. I am 2 hours from New York, an hour and a half from D.C., an hour from Baltimore, and an hour from Philly. I have worn Falcons, Hawks and Braves gear into the toughest arenas and stadiums in the U.S. (Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Washington, Philly) and lived to tell about it. So imagine my delight when I was offered an opportunity to hit yet another "tough town" in Cleveland to support my beloved Hawks. Would the bite be as bad as the bark? Or would the Cavs fans turn out to be just another misunderstood fanbase? How would I, Duff Man, aka Ed be received as a Hawks fan? More importantly, how drunk could we get? Hit the jump for a recap of the night's events...

Pictured: Outside the scene of the crime.

5:15: Stopped at Local Heroes outside The Q for a bite to eat and some pre-game booze. Already taking shit for my Dominique throwback jersey. Conversely, the bartender and I are talking about how badly Nique got jobbed in the 1988 Dunk Contest. Cleveland is flirting with me already.

6:30: Brisk walk to the entrance of the Q. And by "brisk", I mean "19 degrees".

6:42: Stopped on the way to our seats to chat up the Cavs cheerleaders. Not the most attractive chicks, and their booing of my jersey was half-assed at best. We buried the hatchet when I told them to cut me a break on my birthday. I didn't tell them my birthday was May 2nd.

6:45: Just hit the seats with beers in hand, and the Lebron Birthday Bash has begun! The DJ is spinning the tunes and the world's lamest dance crew (The Scream Team) is poppin' and lockin'. Odds of hearing a Black Eyed Peas song: 4 million percent.

6:50: Five minutes later and there's "Boom Boom Pow".

For Drew: Zaza rules the pre-game jumbotron!

6:52: Lebron just threw in a half-court underhanded shot during warmups. The (already full) arena goes absolutely bananas.

6:53: Ilgauskas in all white seems redundant.

6:54: Bibby has yet to hit a warm-up 3. This disturbs me.

6:59: Bob's hair looks so glorious in person. Using my awesome powers of lip-reading, Nique says, "Bob's hair have that scorer's mentality."

7:00: Oh those wacky Cavs! They all put on party hats and brought a makeshift cake out for Lebron. You haven't lived until you've seen Zydrunas in a party hat. Shaq and Varejao are having way too much fun with it.

7:05: Some high school choir just did the National Anthem. I give it a 5.

7:10: Lebron just did his powder toss. Exclusive! What you didn't see on TV: Hawks staffers had to hold Larry Drew back from snorting it off the floor.

Pre-Game Notes:

The Cavs are like a bunch of little kids. Constantly laughing and messing around.
The Q has WiFi throughout the whole arena! Take notes, every other arena/stadium.
Every fan was in their seat before the National Anthem. Never knew that happened.
No sign? The Cavs have people every 50 feet to make one for you.

On To The Game:

7:20: First timeout. Cavs fans a little uneasy as Joe looks to be in beast mode.

7:35: Even the girls next to me are openly questioning the Hawks' lineup. Zaza, Joe Smith, Marvin? Come on, Woody...these spinsters are HAMMERED and they hate your lineup right now.

7:42: Some poor woman has been selected to play "Plinko" for fabulous gift cards up to and including $100. She missed every attempt and came away empty-handed. I just killed section 130 by yelling "YOU CAN'T PLINKO FOR SHIT, LADY!!".

7:50: Hall of Fame moment: Shaq dribbles forward barrels into Jason Collins for the funniest exchange in NBA history. It may have been the slowest live athletic movement since Mo Vaughn retired.

8:01: Cavs fan two rows away "Hey Nique, which Collins brother is that?" Me: "The fat one!"

8:02: First Josh T of the game. I predicted an ejection. We're halfway home.

8:15: Halftime. Hawks are shooting the lights out. The crowd is just waiting for Birthday Boy to get it going with a vengeance...as if 23 at the half wasn't "going" enough.

8:20: Worst. Halftime Show. Ever. A hot chick and a horrible magician did a magic act that the County Fair would turn down. The name of the act: "The Magic Of Bruno!" I can't make this crap up.

Your halftime score. Also shown: "World's Crappiest Magic Show".

Halftime notes:

As far as wearing a Hawks jersey in an opposing stadium, this place is really tame. Most Cavs fans are obviously casual fans because instead of booing me or throwing things at me, they are asking me questions about the players on the team and how they play.
Right now the fans are acting like the Hawks have no business winning the game.
Cavs fans are some of the most uneducated fans I have heard in my life.
Celebs in attendance: James Harrison, T.O., Akon, Bob Rathbun.

Back to the game:

8:25: My god to they love the Scream Team. They hit the floor every timeout.

8:35: Bibby technical. Bad. Collins in again. Worse.

8:36: One thing I'll give the Cav fans: they know a scrub playing good defense when they see it.

8:45: Lebron drills a 3. Building just exploded. This crowd now has a frenzy like it's the Finals.

Side note: Marvin Williams literally stands outside the three point line every play and is not involved in any way. Maybe I should have noticed this earlier, but he is only in for defense at this point. They do nothing to get him involved in the offense.

Side Note 2: There is a portly young man in front of us. He leaves for about 20 minutes and comes back to his seat with a carton of 12 Quaker Steak and Lube wings. It's the messiest, smelliest thing you could eat. Why would you order something so messy at a sporting event? By the way, I have never held back a flurry of jokes so much in my life.

8:51: Nice little Hawks run capped off by Bad Josh hitting a jumper.

9:01: Woodson just marched onto the court to ream Marvin a new one. He's right...Marvin doesn't know what half the plays are. I never noticed this on TV. Woody calls the plays in and Marvin looks at the bench or at Bibby and makes the "huh?" sign.

9:03: 107 decibels in the arena as the Cavs start taking over. This place is absolute pandemonium.

At this point of the game, I am trying to hold three conversations:

My buddy and I are discussing the size of Akon's earrings. You can see them from across the arena. Blingtastic!
A Cavs season ticket holder and I are discussing how it could be possible for the Hawks to end up with Horford out front on Lebron so much. I casually explain to him that teams all do that to the Hawks. They dictate the matchups they want because they know the Hawks will switch.
The single older woman next to me who missed a quarter and a half to guzzle beers at a blistering pace. My odds of some road strange have gone up exponentially. Now I know how Shawn Kemp felt.

9:13: I get beer "spilled" on me as Anthony Parker makes every highlight reel in the country. My response? I take the jersey off and start sucking the beer out of it. Three guys howl at my disgusting display. Two of the women they were with were not as impressed. I really do hope that was beer.

Food update: That fat bastard in front of me is still working on those wings. He can't move anything but his arms and mouth. Good thinking in the second half of a great game.

9:20-9:30ish: Here's where the game went from "ugly" to "Susan Boyle". Hawks get a rebound off a Cavs airball and the scorekeepers never reset the shot clock. Hawks come down and cross mid-court with 11 seconds to shoot. My buddy yells "How can they only have 10 seconds?" I start yelling and the fans around me are in complete denial as I scream about the clock. Of course THREE refs never notice the clock, the Hawks rush a shot, and the Cavs get a reverse layup on the other end. At this point I am furious as the Hawks just had their balloon deflated on so many levels. Woodson was going absolutely bananas and somehow everyone at the scorer's table and three refs never heard him. I smell a rat...or a ref who once served federal time.

9:35: I'll take Varejao shooting that bomb every day. Except today. FML. 17.2 left.

This is where I start to take a little heat from the crowd around me. The Cavs passed the ball around and somehow the ball ended up in Varajo's hands. I immediately yell "SHOOT IT PLEASE!!" and of course he hits his first career three. The people in front of me are dancing in my face and having the time of their lives. Even my would-be drunken hook-up has lost her respect for me and possibly her balance. How soon everything can fall apart.

9:38: Hawks get a good look by Bibby and can't get a board. Ballgame. Final Score: Cavs 106, Hawks 101.

9:45: Back to Local Heroes to take a ton of medicine from the local Cav fans. My buddy and I were the first ones back. I proudly take off my coat to reveal my Nique jersey as if to bait the homers into getting into it with me. Doesn't take long. The chants of "Hawks suck!" have begun all around me and to my right, I have two older gentlemen literally dancing at their barstools. I snap and tell them to enjoy this season because next year you'll have to watch Lebron on MSG Network. I get booed loudly, but not in a mean-spirited way. We all enjoyed a couple beers together as fans.

Post-Game Wrap-Up:

So after it is all said and done, I feel like I had an overall good experience at The Q. On the plus-side, the fans were mostly welcoming, the arena is beautiful and engaging to fans, and we got to see an epic performance by Lebron on his birthday and Joe Johnson on a Wednesday. On the down-side, the Hawks lost and got jobbed, I got beer spilled on me, and I didn't get to violate a drunken divorcee. As a Hawks fan, I am leaving this game with an awful taste in my mouth. The Hawks clearly were the better team and had the rug pulled out from under their feet in an epic way. As an NBA/sports fan, I feel that I was greeted with open arms into one of the better crowds and games you'll ever see. That arena full of people LOVES Lebron and it shows. They expect a magic moment every time he has the ball. It's very tough to not get caught up in all the excitement, even as an opposing fan.

Thanks for having me, Cleveland. I'll be back. But after this game, I'll be taking a few of these:

NOT a dramatization

For more blurry photos of the game, go here: My Picasa Page