I know, I know... it's nowhere near as catchy or cleveras the NFL = No Fun League.  But after (finally) seeing the semi-controversial technical and ejection of Grant Hill from the Raptors/Suns game, I'm beginning to worry about my beloved league.

I follow other sports, but not as religiously as the NBA.  I've been a fan since early childhood, and part of the reason I fell in love with it was the fact I could see the players -- really see them.  They're not hiding under padding, they don't look as monumentally bored as baseball players.  They are active, they're emotional, they're human.  However, the NBA is in danger of stripping the human side of the players completely away from the league if they continue down the path they've been headed on with these kind of technical foul calls.

I was worried when I read about the revised technical guidelines over the summer, and wondered how much it was going to affect the game.  After seeing junk like Hill's ejection (which prematurely ended what could have become an epic butt-slapping competition between him and Evans) I'm even more worried than I was when I initially read about this.

This whole idea of "behavior modification" is an offshoot from the league's crackdown on players' unique personalities after Allen Iverson's jump in popularity.  Iverson was too threatening to the league's beloved affluent, primarily white lower-concourse and courtside fanbase, so they put rules in place to seemingly keep the audience comfortable.  From that has sprung even more ridiculousness in a misguided attempt to choke all personality from the players... without realizing that the personalities of the players is what keeps a lot of fans interested.

I've got no problem with officials telling players that complain after every single foul call against them (Bryant, Duncan... I hate to say it, but Nash at times as well) to chill out with a well-timed T.  But T's over this kind of thing?  T's over expressing a non-threatening but physical reaction to a foul call (a la Stoudemire)?  T's for actually caring about the game?  That, at least to me, spells danger for the league.  By punishing the more colorful characters on the court, they're getting rid of the character of the league itself.

I am confident that I double-checked the links posted and that this one wasn't in there.  Hopefully this time I can avoid the Wrath of Seth.

At any rate, Bleacher Report has a fairly interesting analysis of why the Suns may or may not be able to make it to the Finals.  I'm a little ticked that the Why Nots outweigh the Whys 5-2 (including once again knocking our defense and even raising the specter of a Steve Nash injury), but it's still an interesting read.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/378689-phoenix-suns-why-they-can-and-cant-make-it-to-the-finals

Coro just posted this not too long ago.  Hopefully we'll be able to get him back once we get to the 2nd round.

Robin's been a huge part of this team in the 2nd half of the season.  After seeing Collins play like he actually cares last night, I'm more hopeful about advancing than I was a few days ago.

It'll be up to Collins, Frye and maybe even Dwayne Jones to pick up the slack.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2010/04/13/20100413phoenix-suns-robin-lopez.html

No, seriously.

The only time I ever followed the sport was going to Phoenix Firebirds games prior to the Diamondbacks starting up in Arizona.

The only time I ever played the sport I went 0-4 and had 3 errors, though I did make a nice one handed grab on a line drive between 1st and 2nd.

The only game I ever watched from top of the 1st through the bottom of the 9th on television was Game 7 of the 2001 World Series.

I'm a basketball fan.  Born and bred.  Played the game, loved the game, follow the game obsessively... which is remarkably easy when your team is the Phoenix Suns.

But I find myself at a crossroads both in my fandom and my life.  I've managed to latch onto nearly every other sport out there in the past 30 years with the sole exception of baseball, that obscure niche sport occasionally referred to as "The National Pastime."   I've got to try once in my life to follow a team for a season - every game, every call up, reassignment & trade, every injury, every change to the lineup.  If I can do this for an entire season and still not appreciate baseball, I likely never will.  But at least I can say that I tried.

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So I'm still giddy from last night's game against Denver, enjoying thinking back to arguably one of the best quarters of basketball I've seen from my beloved Suns since I jumped on the bandwagon back in 88, surfing the net for all of the NBA Power Rankings to continue this b-ball high I'm feeling, when...

BAM!: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/britt_robson/03/02/suns.notes/

Britt Robson decides to take the wind out of the sails.  Actually, scratch that... he full on destroyed the boat with a full air strike.

I'm not delusional.  My greatest hope for this franchise each year is a championship, but realistically, I'll be psyched if we make it out of the 2nd round.

I know that an article shouldn't upset me that much, but we've had a lot of success since the all-star break, and an article like this, solely written to make Suns fans feel like we're wasting our time rooting for a franchise consisting of "beautiful losers" frankly just pisses me off.

So here's my question: does he have a solid point?  Am I mainly upset because I know he's right, or because he's being a smug arsehole?

Hey there fellow Bright Siders!  Phxsuns asked a relevant question in the Suns/Celtics game thread, namely what is Channing Frye's nickname?  After a quick google search, only two popped up:

1.  Wet Willie - I was too afraid to look further into this one

2. Buffet of Goodness - Apparently Channing gave himself this one in a postgame interview while still with the Blazers.

Neither of these is worthy of our 3-point stroking, floor spacing, game-changing big man.  Channing needs a nickname that is both easy to throw into conversation and complementary of his abilities and what he brings to the Suns.  Something we can call out from the stands at the Purple Palace that rivals "LOOOOUUUUUUU".  Something to let Mr. Frye know that yes, he has arrived, and he is wanted and appreciated in Phoenix.

So I'm reaching out to you, my fellow Bright Siders, to help come up with a nickname for a player that has made so many fans in Phoenix in his short time here.

Here's the way this will work:  Submit your idea for a nickname for Mr. Frye below.  If you like what someone has put up, either rec their post (under actions -> rec) or give them a "+1" underneath their suggestion.  The top vote getter in one week's time (let's say January 10th) will have their nickname suggestion forwarded to Mr. Frye as a New Year's present and reminder of how much we appreciate him being in a Suns uniform!

So come on Suns fans!  Flex those creative muscles and give Channing Frye the best nickname ever!

http://phoenix.fanster.com/2009/10/28/the-sports-retorter-maybe-the-nba-did-have-it-in-for-the-phoenix-suns/

Stampchez posted an excerpt from Deadspin's copy of the Donaghy book yesterday.  Today we've got another tantalizing little quote as well as some interesting commentary.

As was stated in Stampchez's thread, it's Tim Donaghy, so all of this should be taken with a grain of salt.  But still, they are allegations that should at least be considered by Suns fans.

We're way beyond this at this point.  We're a semi-rebuilding team just looking for the playoffs now.  But what would/could have happened if we had actually won the title in 2007?  How different would this team look today both on-court and in management?

Kevin Johnson was elected mayor of Sacramento yesterday by a fairly large margin: 58% to 42%.

Considering that he was running against a 2-term incumbent, the fact that he won by a 16% difference is pretty impressive.

Here's hoping that KJ will do well in the office, handing out assists to the community like he used to with Thunder Dan, Tom Chambers and the Round Mound of Rebound.

Here's the link to the story: Bay Area News

EDIT: Here's a much better story on his election from ESPN

Announced today by The Hoop.

D.J. is joining former NBA'ers Joe Forte, Earl Barron and Qyntel Woods on the Italian Euroleague team.

Hopefully he'll be able to refine his game enough to get back into the League.  I always liked his energy on-court, but he could never seem to focus.

Here's wishing him luck, although it'll be hard for him to get minutes with 7 other guards on the squad fighting for playing time.

Here's my question: how long will it take before something drastic happens to bring parity between the Eastern and Western conferences? The East keeps getting weaker and the West keeps getting stronger. The Western Conference Finals are already referred to as the "true" finals.

The only real contenders in the East really are Boston and Detroit, and only Boston will likely still be a great team in a couple years. New Orleans, Portland, the Lakers and Utah are all young, talented teams that will add to the West's dominance both talent-wise and in the standings within the next few years.

I'm glad that the Kidd trade got shut down, even if only for the time being.  But when the #10 team in the West would be the #3 team in the East, something needs to happen.