Is it time to drop Ridnour and pick up Flynn?  I'm not really that knowledgeable of the Timberwolves so I was just hoping for some insight as to how the playing time may be distributed for the next couple weeks.  I know you can't say much from one game, but it looks like Flynn may finally start taking on more minutes.  I'm just wondering if anyone has any knowledge specific to that situation.  Any response is appreciated.

The obvious answer is yes.  You don’t win over 1,000 games of anything without wanting to do so.  Why then, does Larry Brown insist on making decisions that seem so antithetical to winning?  Well, for Brown, winning simply cannot be everything.  Brown’s "play the right way" motto has been tossed around so often that it’s become a laughable cliché.  It’s a phrase that’s more often the butt of a disgruntled fan’s joke than a meaningful message.  However, Brown’s career, a career that’s currently dragging the Bobcats into a serious pitfall, is the result of something far deeper than Brown’s adherence to principled basketball.  The man wants to win, but he seems far more invested in playing out an underdog narrative than the end result.

Larry Brown, for all that he has won, has underachieved in terms of NBA titles.  He helped to build a Pacer’s team that became a serious championship contender in the years after he left.  He left the 76ers only two years removed from an incredible run to the NBA Finals.  Brown coached the Piston’s for only two of their six straight trips to the Eastern Conference Finals; leaving to coach a horrific Knicks squad.  He left the Nets and the Clippers shortly after turning each into playoff teams.  Several factors are certainly involved in Brown’s leaving each team, and at least the 76ers appeared to be on the down swing as he saw his way out, though one running theme throughout Brown’s career hold true.  He cannot stand to be on top.  Larry Brown could have easily had a career similar to Gregg Popovich or Jerry Sloan.  He had opportunities with the Pacers and the Pistons to win multiple titles.  Every action that Brown has taken, however, suggests that he has other goals.

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I don't have too much to say today, but I do want to know what happened to Tyson Chandler?  Tyson, I know that you're healthy now, but you were supposed to be healthy last season as well.  I'm sure that Jason Kidd is a far better passer than any player that's ever played in Charlotte, but that's only netting you 2 more points per 36 minutes (those extra points largely coming from improved foul shooting).   How about the rebounding?  You've grabbed 17 or more rebounds in 3 of your last 5 games. 

The simple stats don't even tell the whole story.  Last season's adjusted PER (12.92) doesn't come close to what you're producing this season (18.84).  Are you that dependant on having great players around you to make you useful, or did Larry Brown just rub you the wrong way?  Maybe you are far healthier now than you ever were as a Bobcat, but you'll forgive me if I'm a little miffed.  Seriously, not cool bro. 

As with most movements in popular culture, I came a little late to fantasy sports.  I didn’t relent to the draw of fantasy basketball until a friend of my insisted that I join a league just prior to this NBA season.  Within a few short days of my first fantasy draft I had joined a total of seven leagues.  The appeal of fantasy sports is obvious: Collect a group of players that you like for one reason or another, assign point values to most things that said players do over the course of a game, tally points and compare your group to other groups.  The epitome of sport neatly packaged for consumption by even the most casual of fans. 

Ironically, however, fantasy basketball has completely changed how I view the game.  In years past, I had one choice team usually favored due to geographic proximity.  I then had one or two second tier teams that were fun to watch, though did not fall victim to the insufferable quality of winning too often (i.e., modern day Lakers, 90’s era Bulls).  This year, those teams were to be the Charlotte Bobcats, the New York Knicks, and the Washington Wizards.  All three teams would be vying for a low seed in the playoffs (meaning most regular season games should count for something).  All three teams had a healthy mix on intriguing young talent and veteran stars.  All three teams were facing significant questions after offseason changes.  How does D.J. handle being a starter?  How do Felton and Amar’e pair together?  Will a backcourt with Gilbert and Wall work?  Regardless of the answers, each team is fun to watch. 

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A friend of mine, a friend trained as a psychologist, once said that "we’re all screwed up; successful people just find an area that suits their pathology."  That’s a cleaned up synopsis of an R-rated quote, though I bring it up because it illustrates a fundamental truth in professional sports.  Competitiveness, taken to an unhealthy extreme, is highly rewarding.  Combined with even the smallest measure of skill, a freakish need to win invariably leads to winning.  Wining brings public acclaim despite the occasional vilification for aggressive behavior (behavior that would make you hate the guy in real life). 

Kevin Garnett, for better or worse, is the epitome of the hyper-competitive athlete.  Juxtaposing Boris Diaw and Garnett, we see that the qualities that make Garnett so valuable to his team are the same qualities that Diaw seemingly lacks; making him infinitely frustrating to many.  While Garnett’s channeling his inner canine to prepare for a game, Diaw may be riding a Segway around the arena; perhaps not wanting to expend too much energy. While Garnett’s racking up allstar appearances and trips to the Finals, Diaw’s becoming the butt of yet another joke and facing questions about whether or not he’ll be traded.  Why is it then, that I appreciate Diaw as a player far more than Garnett?  The answer is simple:  Garnett, and every player like him, is completely foreign to my world.  Garnett’s personality is far more suitable to the NBA than that of Diaw’s.  We may like to think that we bring the same work ethic to our jobs, though, in reality, many of us go about our business in a manner that more closely resembles Boris Diaw. 

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A short while ago I came across the idea of the democracy of the internet.  Indeed, the internet has given a voice in a public forum to countless people who would not otherwise have one (myself included).  The internet has become a place where a statement or action, no matter how thoughtful and informed it may be, will be scrutinized and exposed for all its various flaws.  This sort of thing, of course, is the hallmark of democracy. 

I really don’t have it in me to start waxing on about how profound (or un-profound) an idea like this really is.  I only bring it up because it sparked a hypothetical question that I’d like to explore.  What if the Bobcats, and the personnel decisions that the team has made since the arrival of Larry Brown, were run as a democracy?  If the public were allowed to vote on all of the major trades made since this time, how might the roster be different?  How would this team compare to the one we have today?  Larry Brown is well known for the way he shapes a roster.  This time around, he’s had to bring many fans kicking and screaming as he’s turned this team into a playoff contender.   One note before we get started.  I’m leaving draft choices and free agent signings out for the sake of clarity.  If we must consider every possible variable, this just becomes an endless game of "what if?"  Looking at the major – and often controversial – deals is enough.

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One of the more lasting images that I’ve taken from 90’s era NBA basketball was of Michael Jordan at the foul line.  That’s mostly because he spent so much time there.  A particular broadcaster, I don’t remember who, extolled Jordan for his willingness to draw shooting fouls when his jump shot wasn’t falling.  The ability to manufacture points, as it was called, has become a specialty in the NBA.  Free throws are so highly valued that some players appear to focus on little else.  Indeed, drawing fouls is the hallmark of every Larry Brown team.   

The broadcaster, I believe, was praising Jordan for his creativity and veteran savvy.  The metaphor of "manufacturing" points, however, speaks less to intelligence and more to will.  The value of free throws is obvious, and Jordan was simply doing what he always did.  He was refusing to yield. 

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Since the end of last season, there’s been a great deal of talk about the next big trade for the Bobcats.  In fact, the introduction of quick draw Larry Brown created a constant drone of trade speculation comparable to the introduction of the vuvuzela at a world cup match.  The simple fact is we like to talk about trade.  Given the glaring weaknesses present on the roster and a coach with a penchant for upheaval, we’ve also come to expect them.

Trade talk on a blog is likened to the most shameful of private acts (rosterbation) for a reason; it’s often self-indulgent, steeped in fantasy, and may lead to some embarrassing moments.  Though I’m not one to judge – we all need a little self-indulgence – I do believe that a focus on the more tangible aspects of any potential trade is prudent.  We know our positions of need, but we can speculate all day and be right back where we started in terms of knowing who may be coming to Charlotte.  One thing we can discuss with some level footing, however, is what we’d lose. 

Today, I’d like to discuss a few of the players most likely to be involved in any midseason trade. What will the relative impact be with the loss of each player?

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Halloween day.  Sunday afternoon.  An 0-3 start for the Bobcats.  I think it's time to examine the sins of the past. The Bobcats' roster mismanagement has been well documented.  The draft has yielded everything ranging from near misses to absolute failures.  Each successive trade has given us a better product on the court (sometimes only marginally so), but has also created an ever stifling cap situation resulting in a colossal salary dump during the offseason.  Further indignity arises from the fact that we took on more long-term salary just to get under the cap this season.  However, as I stated, this history has been written about extensively in the past.  Rather than re-hashing old stories, we're going to look at the ramifications for today.

Poor draft choices and a tricky salary cap situation caused the team to make moves that left glaring holes on the roster.  Do we need a point guard or a center?  The answer after the jump.

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If you're not familiar with Anthony Bourdain's Food Porn concept, he essentially parallels his passion for decadent food with other, more prurient interests.  It's a natural comparison that easily extends to the world of spectator sports.  As Bourdain explains, we're talking about "the vicarious enjoyment of people doing things on screen...that you yourself are not likely to be doing any time soon."

Today, we're going to talk about moments in basketball that are so exciting, so thoroughly thrilling that one may even begin to feel a small measure of guilt.  These moments can encompass single plays or entire games.  The only criteria is that they bring a special kind of joy into one's life.

Last night was tough.  Our vaunted defense wasn't enough to stop Dirk and friends from doing a little bragging of their own.  The offense was stagnant, and the preseason answers at point guard reverted back into regular season questions.  I think we've earned the right to be a little self-indulgent.  I'll share some of my favorite hoop porn moments, and ask you for yours.

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The polls are closed and the votes have been tallied (kind of easy when there was only one vote).  The prize is public recognition and a hearty fist bump.  Find out who won after the jump.

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As you already know, David has asked me to become a regular contributor to Rufus on Fire.  First, I’m honored that David asked me to start writing for RoF.  I’m also excited to take on a greater role in a community that comprises the most interesting and likable Bobcats fans that I’ve found.

David has operated this blog essentially by himself for some time now. That's quite a chore, so it's only natural that he'd want someone else to start adding content.  When David asked me to take on this role, he mentioned that he was interested in providing another voice.  I can’t promise that I’ll always be interesting, funny, or intelligent.  I do, however, hope to bring some new viewpoints to basketball, the Bobcats, and whatever else happens to come up.  I’ll be posting some basketball related content later this week, but first I’d like to introduce myself.

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