The NBA is no longer basketball as we knew it. It has turned into a 'skills exhibition'. A showcase for offensive talents as it were. True, the NBA almost went under in the 70's from all the fist fighting. Yes, we must classify it as such because just calling it fighting would be an understatement. The last boxing match in the NBA happened in 1977. Yep, Kermits actions that day caused a lot of fans to turn their back on the League. This is why Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were credited with turning the league around in 1979. These guys brought a level of excitement and competition to the NBA unlike any players before them. Most importantly, these guys played against players that aren't allowed to exist in todays NBA. THE ENFORCERS. Names like Rick Mahorn, Charles Oakley, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Bill Laimbeer, James Edwards, Xavier McDaniels, George Lucas, Anthony Mason and Dennis Rodman to name a few of the more serious offenders. These guys were truly feared by opponents, not because they were good players, but because you knew that these guys were hell bent on sending messages to the other team. Sending a message usually meant anyone going to the hole or the paint is going to get put down hard. The coined phrase that was used is "go hard in the paint, leave some paint where paint ain't". Scary, huh? This is the NBA I grew up with,  

via seattletimes.nwsource.com

.

     Magic and Larry don't get any of the credit for being as great as they were. They faced players that carried over from the 70's, like Artis Gilmore and Moses Malone. Hell, Magic played center, in the Finals, as a rookie guard against true 70's centers Daryl Dawkins and Caldwell Jones. AND WON. They call Jordan the GOAT, yet he could never have done what Magic accomplished. Remember, Magic replaced our HOFer Kareem at center, in the Finals. Not to mention he played all five positions to win that ring. That is the true definition of GOAT. Something that no rookie has ever done, before Magic or after. Again, the deception to make it about Jordan showcasing his own talent instead of coveting the true team player and leader. The 20 year old rookie that won Finals MVP.

     So yes, the 80's were the last of the true basketball players. After that, it has just  gotten easier and easier for these players. Some say the new rules were put in to protect players. Marketing is really the reason. They've commercialized the sport to bring in more revenue. Follow me back in time so we can teach the youth. The NBA used only two refs all the way up until 1988. Magic and Larry had to expect to get a call against an opponent with only 2 refs on the court? And with all those ENFORCERS the league had? Incredible. That means almost an entire decade of missed calls for those guys. I mean, even today fans want one more refs on the court. Focus now, on the pattern about to form. Jordan came into the league in '84, played his entire rookie year. The next year he played 18 games because of injury. As exciting as it was to watch this guy play, I'm sure the league wanted to smooth out the road for Jordan, as we see the league is doing for BronBron with all those offensive no calls.

     The league flat out made it easy for the players as opposed to what Magic and Bird had to deal with. The league, however, allowed a by-product of the rule changes to be born. DECEPTION. From the AND1 dribbling to the flop. These moves were not part of the game in the 80's. If your game isn't complete, substitute in one of these plays to bail yourself out of a jam. The HANDCHECK lasted until 1994. Another gift for your great Jordan. That means there was ALWAYS a hand on your hip or waste, whether you had the ball or not. Imagine THAT modern day fans. Imagine being pushed and held and it being legal. Yes, you that argue about refs not making calls these days, I'm talking to you.

     The face-up forearm was removed in '97, defensive 3 seconds added in '01. The picture I'm painting here is that the NBA has become pussified for this new generation of ballers. No, not even the mighty Kobe could have competed in the 80's. How can I be so sure? Well, to this day, since Kobe came to the league, who throws the biggest tantrums in the league if a call isn't made. Who flails his arms and argues with the refs as the fast break for the other team starts? Don't come with the "he's not like that anymore" statement. Even if he stopped doing it four years ago, which he hasn't, he's done it his entire first decade in the NBA. Not ragging on Kobe, just the facts. It is what it is. You can't expect one to work hard for something when its a given that it will be given. These days, players look for the whistle, back then, well, you worked hard cause nothing was given.

   Jordan averaged over 200 steals per season until he came back from retirement. After he came back with the new rules in '94 of no hand check, what happened? Never went above 200 steals again. I mean, before the rule change, Jordan established himself as the premier defender by securing the top three spots for steals in a season. Of course, they happened when he was allowed to hand check the opponent. Interesting. It goes without saying that the top ten  steals records are forever safe.

     Yes, Jordan could flat out score, as evidence in the '86-'87 season. But to call him the GOAT is far fetched compared to the defenders and defenses he faced as opposed  to what Magic and Bird faced. By the end of Magic and Birds career, the rough play had diminished a lot. After that, they gave the game to Jordan. It went from no hands to no forearm to no touchy. Which brings me full circle to the point that the NBA thrives on deception. You are led to believe that what you are watching are superstars. Whereas, in actuality we are watching a skills exhibition. Who has the best carry the ball move? Best flopper? Best traveler?

     You see, its not about being the best team anymore. Its about being the most deceiving. I look at games now under the premise of not who's got the stronger game but who is the best at fooling the refs. This NBA is a watered down version for the masses to enjoy. I don't miss the fights, I miss the all out war like competition. The women should give the WNBA acronym to the men. That way we could call it like it is.

Wimpy New Basketball Association.

     The NBA is no longer basketball as we knew it. It has turned into a 'skills exhibition'. A showcase for offensive talents as it were. True, the NBA almost went under in the 70's from all the fist fighting. Yes, we must classify it as such because just calling it fighting would be an understatement. The last boxing match in the NBA happened in 1977. Yep, Kermits actions that day caused a lot of fans to turn their back on the League. This is why Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were credited with turning the league around in 1979. These guys brought a level of excitement and competition to the NBA unlike any players before them. Most importantly, these guys played against players that aren't allowed to exist in todays NBA. THE ENFORCERS. Names like Rick Mahorn, Charles Oakley, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Bill Laimbeer, James Edwards, Xavier McDaniels, George Lucas, Anthony Mason and Dennis Rodman to name a few of the more serious offenders. These guys were truly feared by opponents, not because they were good players, but because you knew that these guys were hell bent on sending messages to the other team. Sending a message usually meant anyone going to the hole or the paint is going to get put down hard. The coined phrase that was used is "go hard in the paint, leave some paint where paint ain't". Scary, huh? This is the NBA I grew up with,  

via seattletimes.nwsource.com

.

     Magic and Larry don't get any of the credit for being as great as they were. They faced players that carried over from the 70's, like Artis Gilmore and Moses Malone. Hell, Magic played center, in the Finals, as a rookie guard against true 70's centers Daryl Dawkins and Caldwell Jones. AND WON. They call Jordan the GOAT, yet he could never have done what Magic accomplished. Remember, Magic replaced our HOFer Kareem at center, in the Finals. Not to mention he played all five positions to win that ring. That is the true definition of GOAT. Something that no rookie has ever done, before Magic or after. Again, the deception to make it about Jordan showcasing his own talent instead of coveting the true team player and leader. The 20 year old rookie that won Finals MVP.

     So yes, the 80's were the last of the true basketball players. After that, it has just  gotten easier and easier for these players. Some say the new rules were put in to protect players. Marketing is really the reason. They've commercialized the sport to bring in more revenue. Follow me back in time so we can teach the youth. The NBA used only two refs all the way up until 1988. Magic and Larry had to expect to get a call against an opponent with only 2 refs on the court? And with all those ENFORCERS the league had? Incredible. That means almost an entire decade of missed calls for those guys. I mean, even today fans want one more refs on the court. Focus now, on the pattern about to form. Jordan came into the league in '84, played his entire rookie year. The next year he played 18 games because of injury. As exciting as it was to watch this guy play, I'm sure the league wanted to smooth out the road for Jordan, as we see the league is doing for BronBron with all those offensive no calls.

     The league flat out made it easy for the players as opposed to what Magic and Bird had to deal with. The league, however, allowed a by-product of the rule changes to be born. DECEPTION. From the AND1 dribbling to the flop. These moves were not part of the game in the 80's. If your game isn't complete, substitute in one of these plays to bail yourself out of a jam. The HANDCHECK lasted until 1994. Another gift for your great Jordan. That means there was ALWAYS a hand on your hip or waste, whether you had the ball or not. Imagine THAT modern day fans. Imagine being pushed and held and it being legal. Yes, you that argue about refs not making calls these days, I'm talking to you.

     The face-up forearm was removed in '97, defensive 3 seconds added in '01. The picture I'm painting here is that the NBA has become pussified for this new generation of ballers. No, not even the mighty Kobe could have competed in the 80's. How can I be so sure? Well, to this day, since Kobe came to the league, who throws the biggest tantrums in the league if a call isn't made. Who flails his arms and argues with the refs as the fast break for the other team starts? Don't come with the "he's not like that anymore" statement. Even if he stopped doing it four years ago, which he hasn't, he's done it his entire first decade in the NBA. Not ragging on Kobe, just the facts. It is what it is. You can't expect one to work hard for something when its a given that it will be given. These days, players look for the whistle, back then, well, you worked hard cause nothing was given.

   Jordan averaged over 200 steals per season until he came back from retirement. After he came back with the new rules in '94 of no hand check, what happened? Never went above 200 steals again. I mean, before the rule change, Jordan established himself as the premier defender by securing the top three spots for steals in a season. Of course, they happened when he was allowed to hand check the opponent. Interesting. It goes without saying that the top ten  steals records are forever safe.

     Yes, Jordan could flat out score, as evidence in the '86-'87 season. But to call him the GOAT is far fetched compared to the defenders and defenses he faced as opposed  to what Magic and Bird faced. By the end of Magic and Birds career, the rough play had diminished a lot. After that, they gave the game to Jordan. It went from no hands to no forearm to no touchy. Which brings me full circle to the point that the NBA thrives on deception. You are led to believe that what you are watching are superstars. Whereas, in actuality we are watching a skills exhibition. Who has the best carry the ball move? Best flopper? Best traveler?

     You see, its not about being the best team anymore. Its about being the most deceiving. I look at games now under the premise of not who's got the stronger game but who is the best at fooling the refs. This NBA is a watered down version for the masses to enjoy. I don't miss the fights, I miss the all out war like competition. The women should give the WNBA acronym to the men. That way we could call it like it is.

Wimpy New Basketball Association.

This backup point guard situation is just frustrating. When does someone get a clue and develop themselves into future stars instead of being the 'also rans'. Farmar has no fire in his eyes and the job, basically, is there for him to lose, not win. I love the potential in Farmar, he just lacks the sense of urgency that you would expect from the relay runner as the baton is being passed. I love the potential in SB. Shannon Brown has earth, wind AND fire in those eyes. The Drill Sargent from Full Metal Jacket would have fun with him. SB, however, can't seem to control his gearing. He is so energetic and athletic that he spends more time trying to control his speed (to no avail) than the job at hand, which would be helping to create. Both of these players are diamonds in the rough and I'm damn proud to know that they're Lakers. My thoughts are on another diamond by the name of Will Bynum. Bench player in Detroit. This guy is pure platinum(i know, i know), waiting to be mined. He is getting less than a million right now and he is not under contract after this season. What are the chances the FO is looking at this guy? He would start on a lot of NBA teams and I'm sure someone is looking to give him a contract. He has a large body like our PGs(little body=jennings, brooks) and the guy is a borderline star. He gets no PT so exposure is limited. Any doubters in his talents weren't watching him last season. I'm sure he can be you tubed. Is it just me or is this an opportunity thats just too good to ignore under our current circumstances?  Talk to me, family.

This is a post I put on CeltsBlog September 22, 2009 named 'Who retires first and how do you replace them?' . Long before the pre-season started, the last few lines show my confidence in Brandon Jennings by paying him a HUGE compliment. To watch this guy in high school was astounding. He was so Kobe'ish in work ethic. His stature was similar to Iverson, but his game was Kobe sans the dunks. I'm speaking at the high school level. Watching players there shows me who has an NBA future. Yes, there are ones that are incredibly good and complacent. Its the ones that have that talent, PLUS the ability to add to that talent with hard work, even more talent. Jennings had this written all over him. The will to learn more. Thats why he was sent to Oak Hill instead of just settling for Dominguez High in Compton like Tyson Chandler did. He needed to destroy the best. Winning a school record 40 games at The Hill said it all. The really good ones without the work ethic, like Farmar, make me upset. To watch him at Taft High, "omg, i hope the Lakers get this guy", then to see him now, "JORDAN, WTF???" I liked Trevor Ariza at Westchester, but he was no Farmar. Anyhow, I'm just hoping that we replace Kobe with Brandon so the good times will keep on rolling. By replace I mean to bring in someone that will be a Superstar Guard. Magic Johnson replaced West and Kobe replaced Magic. So you see, replacement of Superstars can span a decade, or a few years if we're lucky.

Chuck Hayes of the Rockets has convinced me. We don't need AB at center. We don't even need a 7 footer at center. That being revealed, along with the fact that we have 7 footers to spare. Wouldn't a sign and trade and perhaps a little pocket change bring BronBron to LA? Bynum, Morrison, Farmar and Odom for BronBron. The numbers look good salary wise and the Cavs instantly are able to compete with Boston and Orlando. Win win for everyone. Bron makes more in endorsements than any team salary can bring him, which is why he stated the max signing isn't paramount in his decision making. Maybe knowing kobe is not #8 anymore(I will dunk on you and your unborn offspring) will make him seriously consider becoming part of our beloved legacy. He knows he could get 5 in a row playing with Pau and Kobe. With Kobe having to take the MLE when he signs again, the doors will be wide open for Brons salary.

This is a plausible scenario, kinda sorta, right?

This is an open letter to any and all Laker fans that find themselves doubting Artest. I don't see the team love going out to our newest contributor. I see alot of people writing about how they are worried that RonRon will disrupt our chemistry. One fan even went as far as to send an open letter to the guy. As if he was the gatekeeper and spoke for all Laker fans.(by use of the word 'we') I know I'm gonna catch 'ish for my next words but oh well. Where were all these concerned, open and public letters when Shaq and Kobe were going at it? How about concern over their egos when we were so close in '03 and '04. No one wanted to look like a 'giver of advice' back then. All I saw was a bunch of ostriches with their heads in the sand. Now, with a new out of towner in town, what happens? Vocal doubt over an excellent ball player that has a blemish on his record. Did you/we treat Kobe like this after Colorado? I remember exactly how quiet LA was. Artests issues are nowhere near as extreme. RonRon is the perfect ingredient to cause mental eruptions. Guys like 'Sheed or the Nuggets as a whole are just a sampling of weak minded men that will tech out of a game because of RonRons ability to annoy. Boards and assists, on and on. He destroyed B-Roy and Portland by being physical. Whats not to like? Oh, thats right, you're still holding on to the fight. Hold on to the fact that the last DPotY on the Lakers was Coop' in the 80's. We need that mentality to graduate. We were the first to repeat pre-Jordan and the first to repeat post-Jordan.

At first I thought the masses were just trying to inspire. You know, make him show you how wrong you are. Then it became clear, people fear the unknown. I fear these people have yet to make RonRon feel at home here in LA. Which leads back to my question. Just tell me(and the rest of the non-doubters)what the hell do you think you're doing?

Go make a new addition on some other squad feel unwelcome. Leave RonRon alone.

Lets get straight to the point. All of you people that keep saying The U is back, go back and root for the same teams you've been rooting for. UF or FSU or USC. Let us true 'Cane fans soak in this glory. I'm from Miami, moved to L.A. in '79 and have been strongly representing the 'Canes and 'Fins since I've arrived in the backyard of the overrated USC click, the Pac10. I feel its my right to voice this for all the TRUE HARDCORE 'Cane lovers out there. The ones that witnessed the birth of a National Powerhouse in the early 80's. For the newcomers, the 80's were special. The records only show that we won 3 rings in the 80's. They don't talk about how many times we played for the ring. It was like six times. Then the woeful 90's. We split the ring with Washington in '91 and went into a spiral after that. The NCAA hit us hard and all we could do was sit back and wait for our sentence to end. Even had a writer from Sports Illustrated give us a full front page cover story rant of why The U should shut down our football program in '95. Probation was a long hard bitch. Then '99 comes along and we get robbed of the chance to play for the ring by computers. WE BEAT FSU THAT YEAR. Yet in '01, at the Rose Bowl(i was there), we earn another ring. '02 was wrong, ref knew that call was late, he was soul searching for the midwest. Then another spiral after it was realized that Coker couldn't recruit, and even I could've coached that '02 team to back to back rings. So here we are, enjoying the fruits of the recruiting harvest that RS has brought to the table. Now EVERYONE wants to eat. That means you ANDREW SHARP!!! I want to show the 'Cane Nation a true jumper in all his glory. Go to the link and read up from the bottom of the page. How his comments start are far from how they end. This is how they start.

 
OU
Strikes
First:
Oklahoma
7
Miami 0

Redshirt freshman QB Landry Jones is maturing before our very eyes! His performance on Oklahoma’s opening drive was a far cry from the bed wetting we saw in the second half of Oklahoma’s loss to BYU. He was sharp throughout the drive (3-4, 62 yards), and finished it with a 16-yard strike to Cameron Kenney for the score. Sooners up seven, and Hurricanes defense on notice: Bradford or no Bradford, Landry Jones is no pushover.

(And last week wasn’t a fluke: Jacory Harris’ charmed run is coming to an end. He just threw his second interception of the night. We’ve been watching this game for about fifteen minutes.)

5:30p
by Andrew Sharp - 0 comments

And this is how they end.

http://www.sbnation.com/2009/10/3/1067948/cal-usc-oklahoma-miami

Incredible...

Do the math wagon jumpers. Our team has been consistently relevant. As a matter of fact, what other school has a National Championship in each of the last 3 decades?

We have Championships as Independents, as Big East members and coming as soon as this year, guaranteed next year, as ACC members. No other school in history has a football legacy such as ours. Yes the 50's, 60's and 70's blew past The U as far as football is concerned. Since the eighties, however, what D1 school has stayed in the national picture? That means a ring in each decade, not conference winning flags.

 Our school basically supplies the NFL with its elite talent. We call them ProCanes. As we true fans continue to support our 'Canes in bad times as well as the good, you wagon riders need to go where you're wanted, away from here...

Back??? We were still here while you were cheering for another team. Like the shirt says, "IT'S A 'CANES THING, YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND IT".

This post got shot down by the celticsblog moderators. If the tables were turned, would anyone here not want to see this post? I don't see any disrespect in it so whats the problem? This is the post...

1 or 1000 points. A win is a win. Blowouts don't get you a bye week or an extra trophy. In the 80's, Celts fans didn't sound like this current group of fans. They never got a back to back ring in the 80's like LA, but they always made us understand why we hated the Celts so much. Those Celts showed honor when they knew we were the better team, 'cause it was proven on the court. Proving it meant beating battle tested warriors each year.

Fast forward to today and all you hear are the Celts fans claiming that they were the best team in the league last season and the Celts would've won it all if KG was healthy. Yeah, welcome to the new breed of fan. Here is where I need help in understanding the method of thinking that led to this madness of claims. Even though you feel your team was the best, three things stick out, besides Marbury & Moore. Are you kidding me? Marbury & Moore??? Here are your facts.

1. 12.25.08 LA stops Boston's 19 game win streak with a 92-83 win in LA... KG w/22pts.

2. 02.05.09 LA stops Boston's 12 game win streak with a 110-109 OT win in Boston... KG fouled out w/16pts.

3. Boston ain't the same caliber of team as they were when they had PJ Brown & Posey.

Lets not forget we've just gotten a former DPoY in Artest. Ariza was good but couldn't create his own shot and wouldn't defend the opponents best player on every possession, like Artest will. To hell with the starters, we know whats coming from them. How much confidence do you have in the Celts bench to handle Odom & Artest rotating with our lesser thans? Is that what 'Sheed is for?

At least in the 80's we hated a powerhouse of a team. Even though as great as they were, only 3 rings were earned. LA as a whole still respected them as much as we hated green. Today, we just hate the ignorance you vocalize and lack of reverence you have displayed.

Now, sit back and watch how a crown is defended. Boston hasn't done that since the what, the 60's?

End quote...

Just a question. Not looking to get blocked or banned. White flag is waving people. The Big Ticket and The Black Mamba(WTF?) have been in the league and producing at high levels for a very long time. They mean the world to their team and are the spine of the NBA. The life of an NBA center can be as long as 20 years, being that they work mostly in the lower half of the paint. Add in lots of PF positioning according to the lineup, which KG has done over the years, and that 20 turns to 10 to 15 years. NBA guards can last 15 to 20 years, at PG. Add in SG duties and screens and drives and taking charges as well as athleticism and the number drops to 10 to 12 years. Those aren't concrete numbers, just par for what I've witnessed since I started watching the NBA 30 years ago. Anyhow, Kobe or KG, who goes first. I'm going on record now to say that Brandon Jennings will take Kobes spot when Kobe goes. If you didn't see Kobe at 17 and 18, look at Jennings now. Pretty hard to say who goes first though.

Lets not venture off to ignorance by saying these guys can't be replaced because they're sooo good. Truth is, if you guys got Durant to fill in for KG and we got D-Wade for Kobes departure, strong possibility the 80's would be back. Right???