SB Nation User Blog: you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows

The (L)Eastern Conference is Bad

you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 05:45:04 -0000

The (L)Eastern Conference is Bad

The NW division nearly has as many teams over .500 (4) as the entire Eastern Conference (5).

Yowza. Not good, East, not good at all.

Cakes Gone Wrong

you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:54:18 -0000

Cakes Gone Wrong

SHH!!! don't tell pritchard!!!

Saw this article and immediately thought of the Blazers... is that weird?

And yes, I do actively read the wining & dining section of the NY Times. And no, that's not weird.

Sam Smith: Top 5 to be Traded

you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:56:00 -0000

Sam Smith: Top 5 to be Traded

Among other Blazer tidbits and thoughts, you will find this:

...as Portland also will have Rudy Fernandez handling the ball more.

How do you react to this? What about his other thoughts?

Top Backcourts: Roy/Miller #7?

you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:54:36 -0000

Top Backcourts: Roy/Miller #7?

Here's the author's top 10...

1. Rondo/Allen
2. Nelson/Carter
3. Parker/Ginobili
4. Fisher/Bryant
5. Nash/Richardson
6. Williams/Brewer
7. Miller/Roy
8. Bibby/Johnson
9. Kidd/Terry
10. Chalmers/Wade

Thoughts?

OT: Is E$PN Acting Irresponsibly re: Roethlisberger?

you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:23:10 -0000

This is nowhere near Trail Blazer news, basketball news, or even real sports news... my apologies for that. The events building up around this story have left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth and I find it worthy of discussion. And let's face it, it's the dead quiet of the off-season and there's little else to discuss anyway.

If you've only been getting your sports news from watching SportsCenter or by reading ESPN.com than you haven't heard yet...

...a woman has filed a lawsuit against Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, whom she claims sexually assaulted her.

I don't care to get into the specifics of that messy allegation in this post nor do I care to find either party innocent or guilty... that's a discussion for elsewhere.

What's alarming to me is that ESPN has decided not to cover this story. Last I recall ESPN reported sports stories ranging from legal filings involving athletes to actual on-field coverage. SportsCenter (ESPN's flagship television program) and ESPN.com have both grown to be the premier outlets for sports news. Roethlisberger is a high profile sportsman in the most popular sport in America who is now involved in brand new legal matters, meaning he would qualify as a good subject for a sports media outlet to report on right now, and every major media outlet is... except for ESPN.

ESPN has said they take matters such as this on a case by case approach, a formula which they proclaim includes many factors. There's speculation (I'd link but I heard this on the radio) that the close relationship the network has with the team and player may be the cause (I guess the fear being the network would lose their open door to the team if they reported on this, even if it's already being reported on by everyone else).

Some background: ESPN was owned for over a decade by ABC, who was bought in the 1990's by The Walt Disney Company.

Me? Why am I posting about this? I question the motive behind the silence. It would seem dreadfully unethical if it's at all related to the new ABC reality show Shaq Vs. set to launch in August. The series is based on Shaq "challenging" premier athletes of other sports at their own sport. Challenges are to include slugger Albert Pujols, Gold Medal magnet Michael Phelps, Tennis champion Serena Williams, boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya... and, yep, Ben Roethlisberger. It probably wouldn't keep the squeeky clean image the network strives to maintain if the athlete chosen to represent the NFL (full of many great characters, mind you) was involved in the allegations. Gotta sell the new product, right?

Does this bother anyone else or am I merely way off base? Should media mainstays get to chose what's reported as news and what's not? How stupid does this make ESPN look? Does this at all resemble the media/news lockdowns we've recently seen in Iran and China?

It feels dirty to me.

The Idaho license plate of our very own Dave. (side note: are you from Portland/Oregon originally...

you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows — Thu, 07 May 2009 22:16:06 -0000

The Idaho license plate of our very own Dave. (side note: are you from Portland/Oregon originally Dave, or is Idaho your state of origin?)

At first I thought the tag was for 2002, meaning it was 7 years late on getting renewed. This made me wonder if Idaho loosened their Air Quality laws in 2002 or if Dave is really just a hardcore rebel sticking it to the man at heart.

Then I blew up the photo and realized it expires Feb of 2010. Way to keep it real, Dave.

Is that a Honda Element that you drive?

Does Jerryd Bayless moonlight as a Bulls dancer? Bayless? Ben, can this be true? Or perhaps...

you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:37:22 -0000

Does Jerryd Bayless moonlight as a Bulls dancer?

Bayless? Ben, can this be true?

Or perhaps he has a twin sister...

The resemblence is uncanny... I mean, that's the Bayless Face.

Ben, I need your backing here. I know how deep your love for Rex goes... but this is the Bayless Face, right?

ATTN: BF1 (SOPHIA)... Batum video

you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 05:34:18 -0000

ATTN: BF1 (SOPHIA)... Batum video

You may want to see this...

This appears to be old but is new to me. Apologies in advance if it's been through before.

West Coast Bias?

you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 05:37:52 -0000

West Coast Bias?

Twice now I've seen a commercial on ESPN for a new SportsCenter that is based out of the Pacific Time Zone. It starts at 10PM next monday (I think). Does this mean we'll get adequate West Coast highlights for once? Is this a Sports Television Revolution? HAS ESPN COME UP WITH ONE OF THIER GREATEST IDEAS EVER?

Houston, You Have A Problem...

you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 20:25:00 -0000

Fear not, Blazermaniacs! This isn't about Gregory Wayne. It's not about Comcast. There's no scandal involved. Actually, this problem isn't even ours; it's Houstons.

I'd like to present to the forum evidence that strongly suggests why it will be Houston who collapses down the stretch.

I giveth you:

13 Games In 22 Days... DUM, DUM, DUM!!!

Please direct your attention to the March schedule for Houston below. Now be careful; what you're about to see may shock you.

via farm4.static.flickr.com

I don't know what Houston ever did to David Stern and the League's schedule makers, but this is just severely brutal on so many levels:

13 games in 22 days
No more than ONE day off in between any games throughout that time
3 back-to-backs, all of which are a home & an away game (NASTY!)
6 road games, including: Denver, New Orleans, San Antonio, Charlotte (before flying out that night for a game against San Antonio the next day and the 4th game in 6 days), and Utah TWICE!
7 home games, including San Antonio (after flying in from an away game the night before and the 5th game in 7 days), Toronto (before flying out for a game at Utah the next day... trap game?), a (rejuvinated?) Phoenix team, the F*kers, Detroit, Minnesota (before flying out to face San Antonio and Utah), and Memphis (before flying out for a game at Denver the next day and with the F*kers a couple days out, also the 1st of 5 games in 7 days... trap game?)
No road trip or home stand longer than 2 games

That's 9 of the next 13 games against teams vying for a playoff spot (legitimately good teams). The only potential gimme's come with the caveat of stupidly difficult games ahead.

Is this the end of the line for Houston? Can they possibly hold on? Will Yao be able to stay fit? Can they muster even a 7-6 record? Is Houston doomed? Will the Trail Blazers make it to the postseason regardless of their own record just due to the jacked up nature of Houston's schedule? Vote... and let's discuss.

Poll

Will Houston represent the Western Conference in the Finals?

Yes.

0 votes

No.

0 votes

0 votes | Poll has closed