Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Around SBN: Bengals WR Chris Henry Dies From Severe Injuries In Accident

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Norsktroll

Jun 17, 2008 Dec 15, 2009 436 39547

"I shall vanish and be no more,
But the land over which I now roam
Shall remain
And change not."
-Omaha Warrior's Song

I'm trying to be a good troll, much closer to the original mythological creatures in Scandinavia and Iceland and not what is typically associated with Internet trolls. I rarely have insider information and most posts are pure speculation. But unicorns approve of my comments.

Greg Oden = Robert Parish (HOF, 4x NBA champion, 9x NBA All-Star). The only other rookie with more than 500 points, 400 rebounds, and 65 blocks in under 1400 minutes played. Since 1946.

Greg, despite all your injuries you're still young enough to make the HOF despite only playing 82 regular season games in 3 years

"The playoffs now are my grind. My grind for a championship,'' Roy said. "Whatever needs to be done to get there I'm gonna do it.''

Text on a 1979 RC Cola can (series with 35 players): "Bill Walton, 6'11'' 225 C, 11-5-52 UCLA, Best center in NBA in '77-'78. Deft passer as well as high percentage shooter. In a class of himself when healthy." Love that last sentence.

a fan of

Portland Trail Blazers National Basketball Association Team

Stanford Cardinal NCAA Men's Basketball Division 1 Team

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Lance Armstrong (if he didn't use EPO) Cyclist(s)

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Stayhumble

Wendell Maxey wrote the "Stay Humble" post-it in Roy's locker was gone. I think I also remember something like that from Jason Quick, but might be a mistake. Well, it's back again - or never went away.

Little detail from Kings post-game interview. Screenshot from Oregonlive video.

1 day ago Troll_stone_cropped_tiny Norsktroll 8 comments 1 recs

Fiba2010groups

Results of the group draw for the FIBA 2010 world championships in Turkey. Rudy vs. Nic, woot woot! Also Team USA got some interesting opponents.

2 days ago Troll_stone_cropped_tiny Norsktroll 9 comments 0 recs

Rudy Fernández underwent a minor intervention in his back to end the pain in his right leg caused by pressure on the ciatic nerve, Rudy was operated by Dr. George Shannon from the Southwest Washington Regional Surgery Center in Vancouver, Washignton, and left for home on the same day. Rudy said to www.rudy5.net that "after evaluating the situation carefully with my agents and the medical staff from the Blazers, and after considering all the options possible, looking for different medical opinions, it was decided that this intervention was the best way to end with the strong pains in my leg that prevented me from practicing and playing normally for the past few weeks¨. Rudy starts now with the recovery with optimism and hopes ¨to get healthy to be able to help the team as soon as possible¨.

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8 days ago Troll_stone_cropped_tiny Norsktroll 0 comments 0 recs

Patella Injuries in NBA History (And Other Sports)

Click through for a thorough, inspired look at Patella injuries throughout the NBA and other sports, courtesy of all-world commenter Norsktroll.  

Want to know what Greg Oden is facing and how other athletes have dealt with similar injuries over the last 30 odd years?  This is the post for you.

-- Ben Golliver | (benjamin.golliver@gmail.com) | Twitter

Continue reading this post »

73 comments  |  49 recs

Junk Drawer Black Friday - Bad By Design

Happy shopping day. 

Here is a little rant about badly designed products: I have an electric light in my office (on the ceiling) that is the worst design ever. And it wasn't some cheap crap, it was very expensive.

The little halogen bulb inside is almost impossible to get out, and I have broken the old one at least 2 times to even get it out. Then stepped on the broken glass splinters of course. When you try to mount it back on while standing on a step or a ladder, there literally comes a moment when you expect the little instructions flyer to say "and now, please grow a third hand". Because in that moment you are holding a screwdriver for a tiny screw (only workable with an electric one to have any chance), a glass on the outside that is only attached to the base via that tiny screw and will crash down and shatter into a million pieces at any moment, and holding up the lamp. Ridiculous.

I’m sure the designer has only constructed that lamp on his PC or at best sitting at a desk. Never tried it above his head or even just on a wall. I would want that guy to not only have to pay back the money for this job, but also get his degree deferred retroactively until he has improved his creation. My simple yet slightly inelegant solution: Clear scotch tape to attach the glass to the lamp. Only needed until the screw is in, but I just left it there.

Bow_10-15_medium

I also love turnstiles at airports that you can't get through with luggage. The one place where you can expect almost everyone to have luggage. E.g. at Charles de Gaulle. Amazing. It pays off to camp there for a while and see how other people are trying to get over that obstacle. I have seen couples hand it over quite elegantly, and business men shot-putting their bags over before they went after it. Or the the old "I'm through and can't get back". 

 

Overall more and more companies care about good design and test it with consumers. But it's still easy to find more than enough bad design with an increase in products and pressure on costs. I'm sure you possess or know things that are horribly designed. If you are unlucky you have bought one today - or will do so - on your shopping spree. Working quite extensively with product innovations in the past, I always like to hear those stories. Or do you have things that you love because they are so simple to use that a child or a stressed out adult could do it, without reading the manual?

For creating, getting and delivering well designed products and services, I e.g. can recommend these books and sources (I have no financial incentive from any of those materials):

  • "The Art of Innovation", by Tom Kelley (founder of IDEO)
  • Also "The Ten Faces of Innovation" by the same author and "Thoughtless Acts?", a great photo book by Jane Fulton Suri, another IDEO employee and expert for observing real humans (mis-)use products and their environment
  • Cards to flip through to stimulate your ideas. E.g. the IDEO "Method Cards"; the "Creative Whack Pack" and the "Innovative Whack Pack" by Roger von Oech.
  • "Designing Interactions", by Bill Moggridge (for design of interfaces, electronic devices, etc.)
  • "Why Are You Creative", by Hermann Vaske
  • "Making Innovation Work, by Davila, Epste in, Shelton (managing an innovation process)
  • "The Killer Innovation Podcast", by Phil McKinney (HP, "killer innovation questions")
  • Most stuff Target sells
  • Most stuff Apple sells
  • A paper notebook or other repository to collect all your good ideas (I love Moleskines, but anything works)
  • Your own eyes and hands and experiences

1134 comments  |  5 recs

Some very detailed information here on all players' offensive performance of the last season. Especially regarding where they are taking their shots and how effective they were with it. Other information on usage, passing, offensive rebounding, and fouling.

Some initial observations (endless possibilities):
- Roy had almost the same eFG% from <= 6 ft (in the paint) as Greg. Amazing.
- Travis took by far his most shots (35.3%) from >13 ft (2pt). Unfortunately that's also where he was much less efficient than around the rim or shooting threes.
- Similar with Steve, though not as extreme. Most of his shots came from threes and corner threes.
- Rudy had less of his mid-range shots assisted on than Travis. Odd.
- Nic's numbers mirror Travis' almost exactly, except for mid-range shots assisted on
- LaMarcus is just as efficient shooting from 13-20 ft as from 6-13 ft (42.0%). Those were also the shots he took the most. But in the paint is eFG% was 20% better!
- Only about 15% of Channing's shots were threes, but he was pretty efficient on them. 58% of his shots were > 13 ft twos. Suns just pushed him back a bit, and now it works.

All other teams are available as well.

25 days ago Troll_stone_cropped_tiny Norsktroll 3 comments 0 recs

Who has the best hair in the NBA?

And now for something completely different amid all the worrying about what might be going wrong with the Blazers (if anything at all): Who has the best hairstyle in the NBA? Vote below, and then comment on your favorite styles. Yes, I see myself that white guys are over-represented, but they just have some of the more interesting hairdos. Please keep it funny and friendly.

Inspired by an old poll on "Pounding the Rock". Photos from their ESPN player profiles.

61_medium 1021_medium 1026_medium 3224_medium 2419_medium 609_medium 1135_medium 2792_medium 2789_medium 1781_medium 1013_medium 194_medium 2421_medium 3206_medium 3418_medium 3997_medium 3231_medium 2990_medium 511_medium 2171_medium 851_medium 2758_medium 2799_medium 3447_medium 3204_medium 300266_medium 272_medium 1977_medium 2011_medium 558_medium

Poll
Best hairstyle: One candidate per team, as selected completely subjectively by me. Define "best" however you want: Good-looking, funny, unusual, I would like to have that look, I would like my date to have that, ...
Mike Bibby, Atlanta Hawks (too bad they don't have Childress anymore)
0 votes
Brian Scalabrine, Boston Celtics (go Ginger. Rasheed is out of competition)
1 votes
Gerald Wallace, Charlotte Bobcats (go big or go home)
3 votes
Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls (beats out the hair of the captain and the coach)
10 votes
Anderson Varejao, Cleveland Cavaliers (the chosen two)
7 votes
Dirk Nowitzi, Dallas Mavericks (in the longer variant)
26 votes
Chris Andersen, Denver Nuggets (Birdman style)
28 votes
Charlie Villanueva, Detroit Pistons (the "no hair at all" style. Sadly Big Ben's afro and Rip's beard are all but gone)
8 votes
Ronny Turiaf, Golden State Warriors (somehow fits the style of the team)
7 votes
Luis Scola, Houston Rockets (Yao's hair was not eligible this year)
4 votes
Troy Murphy, Indiana Pacers (all-american hair?)
1 votes
Baron Davis, LA Clippers (beard + hair)
43 votes
Sasha Vujacic, LA Lakers (no kids, Kobe luckily for him has a nicely shaped head but his hair is no better than MJ's)
1 votes
Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies (at least one Gasol brother needs to be in the discussion, and he is the hair-apparent)
3 votes
Michael Beasley, Miami Heat (not much exciting hair here, so we go with about the last cornrows)
1 votes
Brandon Jennings, Milwaukee Bucks (bring the flattop back)
25 votes
Ramon Sessions, Minnesota Timberwolves (like the team on the court, not much to see here)
1 votes
Josh Boone, New Jersey Nets (this team has more than just hair issues)
1 votes
Sean Marks, New Orleans Hornets (New Zealand is known for good wool)
1 votes
Darko Milicic, New York Knicks (there had to be some buzz cut)
0 votes
Etan Thomas, Oklahoma City Thunder (his hair stats are quite impressive)
1 votes
Marcin Gortat, Orlando Magic (I think he beat his hair into submission)
2 votes
Lou Williams, Philadelphia 76ers (hair with potential)
0 votes
Robin Lopez, Phoenix Suns (this one was tough, lot of interesting hair here. Steve Nash's MVP hair narrowly edged out)
6 votes
Rudy Fernandez, Portland Trail Blazers (multiple candidates here, but he has the most to work with)
172 votes
Paul Westphal (coach), Sacramento Kings (a bit out of a cop-out. This team has quite bad hair)
5 votes
Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs (at least it gets talked about. Sorry Bonner, only one ginger)
2 votes
Chris Bosh, Toronto Raptors (one of the most recognizable hair styles)
20 votes
Kyle Korver, Utah Jazz (another difficult case. Deron might win "most styled beard")
16 votes
Mike Miller, Washington Wizards (narrowly edging out Fabricio Oberto to represent his team)
17 votes
No, no, no! All wrong! Other (explain in comments)!
7 votes

419 votes | Poll has closed

75 comments  |  8 recs

No, not to fill the void as our backup banger, the man is 45. Although, maybe...
From a very nice interview with Nick Rattner of SLAM Online.

SLAM: Are you happy doing what you’re doing?
CO: I’m happy. I’m thinking trying to get involved in doing a big man camp next summer. Might land a job with one of these teams. Hopefully, New York or somewhere I’ve really been around. I’ve had some talks with the Bulls, Portland.

SLAM: You talked to Paxson?
CO: I talked to Jerry Reinsdorf, I talked to Larry Miller in Portland about working with some guys. The opportunity is there. I think it’s going to happen soon.

Other topics include "his past, his business endeavors (including a cooking show), what’s wrong with the NBA, and what measures will bring it back to health. "

26 days ago Troll_stone_cropped_tiny Norsktroll 13 comments 0 recs

"No other play in the N.B.A. creates such havoc, no other play is used as often." A few surprises regarding which teams use it the most and the least, and what statistically is the best way to defend it. Great article. Via Kevin Pelton.

27 days ago Troll_stone_cropped_tiny Norsktroll 5 comments 3 recs

Oden is 4th in the NBA in FG%, shooting at a 60% clip. However, he is only getting 6.8 shots per game, ranking him 124th. When factoring in his limited amount of touches, one can see why he is only getting 1.8 free throws per game, which ranks 179th, while he is downing them at a respectable 75%. Also, his Points Per Shot is a solid 1.39, ranking him 21st. GET HIM THE BALL!!

27 days ago Troll_stone_cropped_tiny Norsktroll 20 comments 1 recs