Some of you may have seen my grassroots movement, started by a poster, on the Fox Sports recap. Here it is earlier in the night: Steve, in my eyes, you can say anything. Later, here I am two rows in front of Lon Babby (he's not in the picture): I don't see why I can't be GM. Both Lon and I have a license to kill practice law. Right now, though, I feel like he gave me a pen. My wife liked the game because Kris Kardashian was playing. She hates Kim now. Someone else had a pretty cool sign that said "Team Kardashian." Some drunks next to her were chanting, "Reggie Bush, Reggie Bush." I guess that team-choosing has something to do with those movies where middle-aged women drool over adolescent vampires and werewolves with rock-hard abs. Anyway, I got a picture of that famous Kardashian Kaboose: So, there you go. Here's the thing: I enjoyed watching the Suns play tonight. I think about how good Markieff Morries will become once he's been battle-hardened. I like thinking about the Suns in 2-3 years with Marcin Gortat as a solid force in the middle. I like the Suns' defense this year (just work on the rebounding). I would like to think that a young point guard could learn to hit Dudly and Frye for open jumpers. Ronnie Price didn't look horrible (but he won't stay around too long). I think that a good player who can create his own shot will open things up for the team. I like rooting for the Bad News Bears because they can only get better. Who doesn't love Major League? The main problem is that Steve Nash is so damn good that he can keep the tema from getting a top-5 pick next year. Further, he deserves a shot to win. This, too, shall pass. The Suns aren't going anywhere this year, and Nash's outstanding skills are making it harder -- yes, harder -- to rebuild. Everyone must chill and learn to lose a few more games. Free Steve Nash.

Even though I suggested that I should shut up in this post, I'm going to do this thing one last time.

The difference between the team that ended the game Tuesday night in Portland and the team that ended the games last year was one player.  I won't name him, and I'm not calling him out.  He is what he is.

Two things I connected really got my panties in a bunch.

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Here's the true part of the story: I watched Game 6 of the Lakers' series in a bar in Las Vegas, because my anniversary falls dangerously close to Memorial Day every single year.

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I'm going to have to miss this game.  I've been to every home game so far.

I want to make some money on them (to help pay for the Finals tickets), but I'd rather sell them to a Suns' fan than put them up to bid.  I'm not a complete mercenary, and I took special joy in being as annoying as possible to the Lakers' fans in my section last night.

Two tickets in Section 112, Row 24, Seats 3 and 4 (aisle).  It is in the lower level, along the baseline, across from the Lakers' bench.  I paid $127.50 per ticket.  You've got to come to the Central and Thomas area to get them and I will have to ask for cash (if the writers here bounce checks, how can I trust the posters?).  If possible, I'd like to make the exchange tomorrow.

If you're interested, go to my profile to get my email and send me a bid.  If it gets nuts and I get a whole bunch of emails, I'll let all bidders know what is going on.  If I'm not getting good bids, I'm going to have to post them on ticketexchange.  FYI, on ticketexchange, tickets in my section for Game 4 were going for between $250 and $300 each.

"So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak."

Since Sun Tzu is all the rage these days, I figured I'd throw that out there (and you thought you'd see that cheesy SNL cowbell skit).  Actually, I had thought there was a quote out there about choosing your battlefield.  For example, a narrow pass diminishes the capacity of a large army to fight and gives the smaller army a fighting chance to win (unless a disgruntled citizen is tricked into showing the other army the secret mountain pass, allowing the larger army to surround the smaller army).

Robin Lopez went 6-7 with 14 points in 24 minutes and Leandro Barbosa went 5-7 for 11 points in 17 minutes.  Which line scares Phil Jackson more?

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In case you missed it, Bill Simmons started a twitter account for chants at the game.  http://twitter.com/celticschants

Listening to the fans chant, "New York Knicks" at the end of the game last night may have been the highlight of my week -- unless Sunday counts as part of this week.  If Sunday is part of this week, then this was the second most enjoyable thing that happened.

I may have to join Twitter or something.  I have trouble posting things here, but I bet I can open a Twitter account.  Do you get charged for text messages, though?  I still haven't gone over to the unlimited texting plan, because I do it so infrequently.

I think I'm going to set this up.

Comments, criticisms, un-dying support and proposed chants in the comments section, please.

Since we have to wait until Monday to get this started, BSOTS needs to fill some space.  It will give all us arm-chair coaches a lot of time to discuss, analyze and pretend to know what we're doing.  Mental masturbation, that is.

We can all remember Dan Dan Tony's love notes to LB.  "Go to the hoop."  "Don't worry about defense."  Those sorts of things.  Now, LB is a tested veteran.  He really needs to show up.  If he cannot perform in this series, against a team he traditionally plays well against, it's hard to see him as a member of the 2nd Unit next year.

Fortunately, he's also shown some flashes of defense this year.  The Suns need him -- as he's usually been able to do -- to sprint down court and capitalize on the plodding tortoises.

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Roy-Parker-Bynum

Blazers-Spurs-Lakers

While the players can't get ahead of themselves, the fans can.  Someone in the comments suggested -- quite brazenly -- that one cannot affect the outcome of the game unless that person is actually, phyiscally present.

I think there's only one plane headed toward Phoenix tonight.

Let's discuss the desperation of opposing teams.

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This is a bit of an expansion from a comment on Scott's Playoff Post today.

I want the calls for Jarron to be removed to stop.  Look, when Lopez is ready to play, I'm sure he'll do more even if he only plays the 8-10 minutes Collins has been providing.  What remains troubling, however, is the lack of an institutional memory.  Saying that Collins is useless and calling for Frye, Jones or Admundson to start is falling back into the D'Antoni Trap of thinking you need 5 viable scoring options on the floor.

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Has anyone seen the Spartacus mini-series on Starz?  The first 10 episodes is mainly about Spartacus getting enslaved, abused, seeing his wife murdered, becoming a mindless gladiator, having visions, and the break-out scene. 

In it, much is made of the gladiators making money to earn their freedom.  Meanwhile, Roman citizens use the gladiators.  Rich women with too much time on their hinds use them for sex and watch them have sex with other slaves.  Pre-pubescent boys have gladiators fight and kill each at birthday parties much in the same way that Elmo might show up at a party today.

Political influence and economic power is gained and lost based on the success of the athletes.  Politicians fund stadiums with taxpayer funds and the fans show up and cheer.

Poor citizens were kept "fat, dumb, and happy" with free bread, free running water, government-sponsored athletic spectacles and rampant vice.

The "barbarians" (who are called that because they don't speak Latin and allegedly sound like sheep baa-baa-ing) are good enough to fight in wars at slave wages but are not good enough to stand up for their own families or become Roman citizens.  They really didn't want to invade Rome so much as they wanted to be Roman and enjoy the privileges of Roman citizenship -- it is questionable as to whether the Roman economy could have taken the weight.

Los Suns?

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Other than a paddlin'?

Mmmm ... tasty ...

 

If you're interested, read more ...

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I don't mean to throw a wet blanket on the party, and no one is in the mood to be upset, so I should probably archive this for posting at a later date, but the story just came out, and I'm really in the mood for run-on sentences with excessive punctuation.

Now, Stern's getting serious.  We can't have anyone else complaining.  If anyone complains, it might show a chink in the armor.

No need to improve the quality of the officiating, I've got a better idea for those who complain:

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This story was "due" a little bit earlier (Seth will just have to dock my pay), but I had trouble dealing with the trade situation.  I don't think, however, it makes a huge difference.  I'll get to that after the jump.

Let's look at the beginning of the Suns' season, where they are and whether they're living up to expectations.  I've also got a personal stake in this one.

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"Do not expect too much from me, and you will not be let down."  I love typing, saying, humming and singing that Gin Blossoms lyric. 

I'm looking around and seeing posts about Earl Clark and rivalries and Skywalker/Yoda allusions to the Lakers.  I had been thinking about this and it was about time to chime in.

What would you rather have?

Poll

What would you rather have? Hope or expectations?

71%

Hope

209 votes

28%

Expectations

82 votes

291 votes | Poll has closed

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Henry, a close friend of San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker, patted the ball down like a basketball player before remembering to use his feet.

Anywhere I go, I cannot get away from the Sp*rs.  I suppose that's my lot in life. 

 

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What I can't figure out is why the PA doesn't have a bark every time Dudley makes a hustle play.

Amundson has got the "Louuuu!" thing.

LB gets a "beep, beep"

Dudley yelps and barks if he gets a box out that prevents the other team from grabbing a rebound, resulting in a Suns' side-out.

He deserves a bark.  Let's vote on it.

If I was talented like Stan, I might have included clips so everyone could hear what I'm sayin'

Poll

Which bark is most appropriate for JYD?

36%

Jane's Addiction -- Been Caught Stealin' (particulary appropriate for defensive plays)

44 votes

22%

Ozzry Osbourne -- Bark at the Moon (evil, just evil)

28 votes

3%

Led Zeppelin -- Communication Song (the beginning part)

4 votes

16%

Werewolf in London -- Warren Zevon (for all you 'Yotes fans)

20 votes

21%

Gin & Juice -- Snoop-a-Loop ('cause there's so much drama in the LBC)

26 votes

122 votes | Poll has closed

I recently went to a Continuing Legal Education course put on the Suns.  In addition to getting one of the fifteen hours I need every year, I got this picture, a sales pitch and I heard Steve Kerr use the phrase "salary dump."  I thought I'd take a minute to pass on some of the highlights of the CBA, because it was eye-opening to me.

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