The New York Knicks have made two big moves this year. They added star power forward, and coach Mike D'Antoni favorite, Amare Stoudemire, who is having a breakout year as a leader. Then they traded for Carmelo Anthony, another high-scoring All Star. But, even with two centerpieces like they have, they still can not win. But why?
All great teams need certain things. They need a bench, something that New York really does not have. Though they gave up mostly starters, the New York Knicks has a depleted bench. They have certain key guys like energy big man Ronny Turiaf and sharpshooting Toney Douglas, but they don't have good rotations. They also need more help up front. They gave up a usable big man in Timofey Mozgov, and they now have no real starting center. They also need more defense, but this goes into coaching philosophy. D'Antoni has been known as a fast team that has loads of offense, but not much defense. They try to score more rather than try to get the other team to score less. They also need a better point guard. Though Chauncey Billups is one of the mentally stronger and experienced point guards, his skills are on the decline, though he puts in valuable minutes as a veteran.
The Knicks need to wait for the free agency class of 2012. This is when big names like Deron Williams and Dwight Howard start to show up. Adding either of these spectacular players will definitely boost the Knicks because it helps solve problems in the rotation, and in doing so, allows for starting-caliber players to be available on the bench. But until then, unless they find some miracle player on their bench that can plug in the hole at center or play unparalleled defense, the Knicks will be nothing more than an afterthought.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Questioning the Answer: How Doug Collins Helped the Philadelphia 76ers Forget About Allen Iverson
The 76ers at one point had the most feared scorer in basketball: Allen Iverson. He was supposed to be a surefire Hall of Famer, but his career was derailed after leaving Philly. The 76ers were thrown for a loop, culminating in the number 2 pick last year. They went from lottery to potential playoff shocker. How did they do that? Well the first thing to look at is their coach Doug Collins.
I am no basketball expert, but looking at their roster, Doug Collins must've done something to this team to make them improve this much. In the first half of the season, it looked like the 76ers were headed for another lottery finish. Then, they hit it. They have been one of the stronger teams in the NBA after the All-Star break. But they are doing it with an oft-injured starting power forward in Elton Brand, a seemingly overhyped shooting guard in Evan Turner, and a dialed down Andre Iguodala.
Doug Collins has changed this team. They are more defensive despite giving up a strong defensive center in Samuel Dalembert away for a more offensively minded center in Spencer Hawes. He diminished the scoring role of Andre Iguodala and made him more of a distributor. He found talent in late picks like Jodie Meeks and Louis Williams. He is letting his talented big men work the post, and moved former starter Thaddeus Young to a key bench role. He has transformed this team, and though they are far from winning, they won't be for long.
I am no basketball expert, but looking at their roster, Doug Collins must've done something to this team to make them improve this much. In the first half of the season, it looked like the 76ers were headed for another lottery finish. Then, they hit it. They have been one of the stronger teams in the NBA after the All-Star break. But they are doing it with an oft-injured starting power forward in Elton Brand, a seemingly overhyped shooting guard in Evan Turner, and a dialed down Andre Iguodala.
Doug Collins has changed this team. They are more defensive despite giving up a strong defensive center in Samuel Dalembert away for a more offensively minded center in Spencer Hawes. He diminished the scoring role of Andre Iguodala and made him more of a distributor. He found talent in late picks like Jodie Meeks and Louis Williams. He is letting his talented big men work the post, and moved former starter Thaddeus Young to a key bench role. He has transformed this team, and though they are far from winning, they won't be for long.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Singin' the Blues: Moving On Without a Hall of Fame Coach and a Franchise Point Guard
The Utah Jazz are a great franchise. The last 2 or so decades have been characterized by outstanding point guard play, primarily by Deron Williams and John Stockton, and a strong post presence like Carlos Boozer, Al Jefferson, and Karl Malone. But the biggest part of this team for the last couple of decades has been their undoubtedly deserving Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan. But, in two deft moves, the Jazz have cut ties with both their coach and their franchise player Williams.
The Jazz also sustained the loss of many good players like Boozer, but with Paul Millsap in the ranks, they felt that Boozer was unnecessary and that role players like Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver could be replaced. They were partially right as they played very well for about half of the season. Then, everything went downhill. The Jazz knew that Williams was not exactly fond of Sloan, which began when he was benched as a rookie. But it reached a breaking point when Sloan was fired after a supposed argument between both the coach and the star player. Ty Corbin, an apt replacement, stepped in and looked to take over Sloan's former team. But then the next big bombshell dropped. They traded Deron Williams.
The Jazz can certainly recover from this. They got Devin Harris, who is good, but not great, and lottery pick Derrick Favors, a young player with loads of potential. But Ty Corbin is no Jerry Sloan. Devin Harris is no Deron Williams, who is definitely no John Stockton. The Jazz must move on, but they don't have the pieces in place to return to the Finals, to return to the glory days. That is why the Jazz are fittingly singing the blues.
The Jazz also sustained the loss of many good players like Boozer, but with Paul Millsap in the ranks, they felt that Boozer was unnecessary and that role players like Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver could be replaced. They were partially right as they played very well for about half of the season. Then, everything went downhill. The Jazz knew that Williams was not exactly fond of Sloan, which began when he was benched as a rookie. But it reached a breaking point when Sloan was fired after a supposed argument between both the coach and the star player. Ty Corbin, an apt replacement, stepped in and looked to take over Sloan's former team. But then the next big bombshell dropped. They traded Deron Williams.
The Jazz can certainly recover from this. They got Devin Harris, who is good, but not great, and lottery pick Derrick Favors, a young player with loads of potential. But Ty Corbin is no Jerry Sloan. Devin Harris is no Deron Williams, who is definitely no John Stockton. The Jazz must move on, but they don't have the pieces in place to return to the Finals, to return to the glory days. That is why the Jazz are fittingly singing the blues.
Monday, March 28, 2011
End of the Ming Dynasty: Where Talent Meets Injury
The Houston Rockets were experiencing the aftermath of losing a dominant big man. But in the draft, they made up for it by taking 7'6'' Yao Ming, and he was supposed to change their fortunes. They had a dynamic scorer in Steve Francis, but then they traded him for an even more talented scorer named Tracy McGrady. They were on their way up, but now, they have been waning. One of the biggest reasons for this decline is Yao Ming.
Yao Ming was supposed to be a talented player. Though he did have a massive voting push from the Asian population, Yao was still arguably a deserving a starter for the All-Star when he is healthy. But, health is something that has eluded Yao. Yao has a good range for a center, and his height allowed him to dominate in the post. But injuries kept him sidelined, and as the Rockets continued to get more talent around their centerpiece, their centerpiece was kept out of the game. Yao Ming could have been one of the best centers in the league now, but his injuries kept him from reaching his potential.
After back-to-back sidelined years, the Rockets have to determine whether Yao can come back and return to his All-Star form. You can't teach height, so the Rockets may be tentative to release such a versatile and tall player. But you also can't avoid injury when dealing with as injured a player as Yao. The Rockets seem to be moving past Yao after making moves to get #2 pick Hasheem Thabeet. He is still a great center and can fill in a void for any team looking for reserve big man. It is a sad story because this is what happens when talent meets injury.
Yao Ming was supposed to be a talented player. Though he did have a massive voting push from the Asian population, Yao was still arguably a deserving a starter for the All-Star when he is healthy. But, health is something that has eluded Yao. Yao has a good range for a center, and his height allowed him to dominate in the post. But injuries kept him sidelined, and as the Rockets continued to get more talent around their centerpiece, their centerpiece was kept out of the game. Yao Ming could have been one of the best centers in the league now, but his injuries kept him from reaching his potential.
After back-to-back sidelined years, the Rockets have to determine whether Yao can come back and return to his All-Star form. You can't teach height, so the Rockets may be tentative to release such a versatile and tall player. But you also can't avoid injury when dealing with as injured a player as Yao. The Rockets seem to be moving past Yao after making moves to get #2 pick Hasheem Thabeet. He is still a great center and can fill in a void for any team looking for reserve big man. It is a sad story because this is what happens when talent meets injury.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Reading the Obie-tuary: The Indiana Pacers' Best Move of the Season
The Indiana Pacers have been seeking their big break since losing Reggie Miller. They have not made the playoffs in the last couple of seasons, and this season looked like another losing one. But then, they made their big move. They dumped their coach Jim O'Brien.
Jim O'Brien, or Obie to some, was a decent coach. He was never one of the best offensive or defensive minds in the game, but he was able to turn around the Boston Celtics after Pitino left. He had the ability to turn around struggling franchises. That is something that the Pacers hoped O'Brien would work. But O'Brien also had a couple of problems. He needed certain players, and he kept other players in the dog pound. In Indiana, that included Tyler Hansbrough, a talented college power forward whose game didn't seem to translate in the NBA. But that was partially because Jim O'Brien kept these developing players in his dog pound. So the Pacers fired him, and the Pacers are back in the race.
Maybe Jim O'Brien did have reason to keep Hansbrough in the dog pound. But other issues included his inability to determine talent in the game. He kept hot players on the bench and substitutes them with his personal favorites. He kept players with high potential on the bench, while working out his personal favorites. He was needed to be dumped in order to get the Pacers into the race. And now they've locked up the 8th seed, so far...
Jim O'Brien, or Obie to some, was a decent coach. He was never one of the best offensive or defensive minds in the game, but he was able to turn around the Boston Celtics after Pitino left. He had the ability to turn around struggling franchises. That is something that the Pacers hoped O'Brien would work. But O'Brien also had a couple of problems. He needed certain players, and he kept other players in the dog pound. In Indiana, that included Tyler Hansbrough, a talented college power forward whose game didn't seem to translate in the NBA. But that was partially because Jim O'Brien kept these developing players in his dog pound. So the Pacers fired him, and the Pacers are back in the race.
Maybe Jim O'Brien did have reason to keep Hansbrough in the dog pound. But other issues included his inability to determine talent in the game. He kept hot players on the bench and substitutes them with his personal favorites. He kept players with high potential on the bench, while working out his personal favorites. He was needed to be dumped in order to get the Pacers into the race. And now they've locked up the 8th seed, so far...
Friday, March 25, 2011
The Curious Case of Monta Ellis: The Woulda Coulda Shoulda All-Star
The Golden State Warriors have been a relatively bad team for the last couple of years. Though they were able to make some noise in the playoffs from time to time (taking down #1 seed Dallas Mavericks, fresh off a Finals appearance in 2005, in 2006 in the first round), they have had more side stories than anything else. There was the "hot shooting" point guard Baron Davis. There was high-flying shooting guard Jason Richardson. There was the off-season acquistion of David Lee. Of course there was Don Nelson, looking to break the record for most wins by an NBA coach. But the biggest story for the Warriors is the development of Monta Ellis from 3-point shooter to potent star scorer.
The big story with Ellis is that he should be the first Golden State All-Star since Latrell Sprewell in the 1996-97 season. Monta Ellis was a second round draft pick straight from high school. Ellis was largely known as a quick 3-point shooter with poor shot selection, before sneaking into the conversation as one of the top scorers in the league. He was a silent threat because of the supposed star power of Baron Davis overshadowing the young Ellis. Ellis eventually burst onto the scene after his rookie season, taking home the Most Improved Player. He continued improving the next season, but his development was cut off after an injury. His immaturity showed when his injury was caused by a moped accident, something he hid from the Warriors. This led to a 30 game suspensions, which didn't matter due to his injury. He recuperated and picked up right where he left off.
This season, he is in the top 10 of scoring in the league, but he was snubbed from the All-Star team. Despite being a young, talented (if trigger-happy) shooter and scorer, he was passed over. There are great players in the West, but this is a great player and a star on the Warriors. He has somehow managed to maintain his scoring despite having a similar caliber player (Stephen Curry) on the roster. Ellis deserved an All-Star position. But he has nothing to worry about because he will be on the All-Star roster soon enough.
The big story with Ellis is that he should be the first Golden State All-Star since Latrell Sprewell in the 1996-97 season. Monta Ellis was a second round draft pick straight from high school. Ellis was largely known as a quick 3-point shooter with poor shot selection, before sneaking into the conversation as one of the top scorers in the league. He was a silent threat because of the supposed star power of Baron Davis overshadowing the young Ellis. Ellis eventually burst onto the scene after his rookie season, taking home the Most Improved Player. He continued improving the next season, but his development was cut off after an injury. His immaturity showed when his injury was caused by a moped accident, something he hid from the Warriors. This led to a 30 game suspensions, which didn't matter due to his injury. He recuperated and picked up right where he left off.
This season, he is in the top 10 of scoring in the league, but he was snubbed from the All-Star team. Despite being a young, talented (if trigger-happy) shooter and scorer, he was passed over. There are great players in the West, but this is a great player and a star on the Warriors. He has somehow managed to maintain his scoring despite having a similar caliber player (Stephen Curry) on the roster. Ellis deserved an All-Star position. But he has nothing to worry about because he will be on the All-Star roster soon enough.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
The NBA's Tower of Babel: Where Every Year Is A Rebuilding Year
The Tower of Babel. It may have been the greatest tower never built. It is always unfinished, essentially being rebuilt every single time it is referenced. That is exactly what the Charlotte Bobcats are. Ever since their birth in 2004, the Bobcats have been in rebuilding mode, only making the playoffs once in this span. Whether it was getting a dominant big man like Emeka Okafor, or adding a point guard like Raymond Felton or D.J. Augustin, it always seemed like the Bobcats did not have a plan for their future.
The Charlotte Bobcats are the NBA's youngest team, so there really should not be anything expected from them. They had seasoned NBA coach Bernie Bickerstaff as coach and general manager, a first in the NBA. They started out with a good addition in do-it-all small forward Gerald Wallace, though their expansion draft was unsurprisingly poor otherwise. The 2004-05 draft gave them the #2 pick Emeka Okafor from UConn. They struggled their first year, but it gave them good positioning for the next draft. The 2005-06 draft gave them two North Carolina players in Sean May and Raymond Felton. But they staggered into another poor record. Fortunately, they got a boost from another Carolina icon: Michael Jordan. Jordan pushed Bickerstaff out of the way, but then came 2007. In 2007, they drafted a long Brandan Wright, but traded him for Jason Richardson, a high-scoring, high-flying swingman. But they struggled again, leading to the firing of another coach and the entrance of legendary coach Larry Brown. Brown missed the playoffs in his first season, but added a young point guard D.J. Augustin, despite having Raymond Felton. But he brought them into the playoffs and made Gerald Wallace an All-Star. They ended the season early, but they were looking up. With an All-Star and a playoff berth, no one was going to be surprised by the Bobcats anymore.
Fast forward to now. Guess who is gone? Their first All-Star and only remaining player from the expansion draft Gerald Wallace. The only coach capable of bringing the Bobcats to the playoffs Larry Brown. And Gonzaga superstar Adam Morrison (known by many as one of the biggest busts ever). But this is no surprise. The Bobcats are always rebuilding. Despite finding good players, like Felton, they don't complement them with different players; they draft yet another point guard. They don't find another post player to complement Emeka Okafor; they find Sean May, an out-of-shape, undersized "power" forward. They will always find a way to break down their tower and try to rebuild again, much like a Tower of Babel.
The Charlotte Bobcats are the NBA's youngest team, so there really should not be anything expected from them. They had seasoned NBA coach Bernie Bickerstaff as coach and general manager, a first in the NBA. They started out with a good addition in do-it-all small forward Gerald Wallace, though their expansion draft was unsurprisingly poor otherwise. The 2004-05 draft gave them the #2 pick Emeka Okafor from UConn. They struggled their first year, but it gave them good positioning for the next draft. The 2005-06 draft gave them two North Carolina players in Sean May and Raymond Felton. But they staggered into another poor record. Fortunately, they got a boost from another Carolina icon: Michael Jordan. Jordan pushed Bickerstaff out of the way, but then came 2007. In 2007, they drafted a long Brandan Wright, but traded him for Jason Richardson, a high-scoring, high-flying swingman. But they struggled again, leading to the firing of another coach and the entrance of legendary coach Larry Brown. Brown missed the playoffs in his first season, but added a young point guard D.J. Augustin, despite having Raymond Felton. But he brought them into the playoffs and made Gerald Wallace an All-Star. They ended the season early, but they were looking up. With an All-Star and a playoff berth, no one was going to be surprised by the Bobcats anymore.
Fast forward to now. Guess who is gone? Their first All-Star and only remaining player from the expansion draft Gerald Wallace. The only coach capable of bringing the Bobcats to the playoffs Larry Brown. And Gonzaga superstar Adam Morrison (known by many as one of the biggest busts ever). But this is no surprise. The Bobcats are always rebuilding. Despite finding good players, like Felton, they don't complement them with different players; they draft yet another point guard. They don't find another post player to complement Emeka Okafor; they find Sean May, an out-of-shape, undersized "power" forward. They will always find a way to break down their tower and try to rebuild again, much like a Tower of Babel.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
No Offense: Defense Doesn't Always Win Championships (At Least For The Bucks)
The old adage is defense wins championships, and it typically reigns true. But that is not the case with the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks do have one of the best defenses in the league by all accounts. They are strong against the three, they force many turnovers, and they allow low points and field goal percentage. But what good is that when you have one of the worst offenses in the league?
The Bucks are expected to have a great defense. Their coach Scott Skiles is a defensive-minded guy and they have pure defenders like Luc Mbah A Moute. They have delivered defensively. They have held great teams to low field goal percentage and they can force turnovers. But where will the offense come from? They do have great scorers like Corey Maggette and Michael Redd, but Redd is injured and Maggette is a role player. They have developing shooters like Chris Douglas-Roberts, but he is still growing. They also have a good post player in Andrew Bogut, but he is also in and out of the lineup with injury. But the Bucks' true weak link is most likely Brandon Jennings. He has had signs of offensive genius (like the 55 point outburst against the Warriors in his rookie year), but he seems to have reached a sophomore wall. He is producing the same amount of points a game, but he has more turnovers and fewer assists. Add onto the fact that he was also facing injuries, he looks like he needs time to still develop.
The Bucks are a great defensive team no doubt. But they have no offense. They are out of the playoffs after making it last year and pushing the Atlanta Hawks to a Game 7 in the first round. They can score, but there are things that must change. Bogut and his fellow post players must establish more inside. They have to get Redd back and shooting. Jennings must become more of a distributor. Skiles has to create a plan to score more profusely. And they have to find another scorer.
The Bucks are expected to have a great defense. Their coach Scott Skiles is a defensive-minded guy and they have pure defenders like Luc Mbah A Moute. They have delivered defensively. They have held great teams to low field goal percentage and they can force turnovers. But where will the offense come from? They do have great scorers like Corey Maggette and Michael Redd, but Redd is injured and Maggette is a role player. They have developing shooters like Chris Douglas-Roberts, but he is still growing. They also have a good post player in Andrew Bogut, but he is also in and out of the lineup with injury. But the Bucks' true weak link is most likely Brandon Jennings. He has had signs of offensive genius (like the 55 point outburst against the Warriors in his rookie year), but he seems to have reached a sophomore wall. He is producing the same amount of points a game, but he has more turnovers and fewer assists. Add onto the fact that he was also facing injuries, he looks like he needs time to still develop.
The Bucks are a great defensive team no doubt. But they have no offense. They are out of the playoffs after making it last year and pushing the Atlanta Hawks to a Game 7 in the first round. They can score, but there are things that must change. Bogut and his fellow post players must establish more inside. They have to get Redd back and shooting. Jennings must become more of a distributor. Skiles has to create a plan to score more profusely. And they have to find another scorer.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
LA Clippers In The Shadows: Where Even Blake Griffin Can't Top The Lakers
Team rivalries are great. You have Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. You've got the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers. Rivalries are even better when they are in the same town, like Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs. But what about the L.A. Clippers and the L.A. Lakers? What do you make of that rivalry? The fan-base clearly goes to the Lakers, where they have A-listers like Chris Rock, David Beckham, and long-time fan Jack Nicholson following the team. But fan-spirit has got to go to the Clippers, especially to Clipper Darrell. They share the same stadium, so neither gets props there. The Lakers have a better dance team, according to their A-list audience. But when it comes to basketball, nothing can top the Lakers in L.A., no matter how much Griffin-ocity you have.
The L.A. Lakers may have one of the most storied NBA histories this side of the Mississippi. They have 17 championships in their franchise. They have been the home to players like Wilt Chamberlain, James Worthy, Kobe Bryant, Shaq, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, George Mikan and all-time NBA leading scorer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. They have retired seven numbers. They have one of the best banners in all of basketball. The L.A. Clippers have none of anything. They have no championships or retired numbers. Their history is the complete antithesis of the Lakers history. But there is more that shows that the Clippers can't top the Lakers.
We're gonna look at the top. The Lakers front office has somehow found a way to get superstars to play together. The Lakers front office somehow managed to keep Kobe Bryant despite his seemingly unwillingness to play for the Lakers. The Lakers somehow managed to get Pau Gasol with dropping talent-wise. They somehow got Phil Jackson to come back and coach. Let's look at what the Clippers front office have done. They drafted suchsuperstars busts like Michael Olowokandi. They have wasted money signing players like Tim Thomas, Baron Davis, and injury-prone Elton Brand. But how about looking at what their owner Donald Sterling has done this year alone. Donald Sterling has verbally mocked their starting point guard Baron Davis. He thought that March was African American Appreciation month. He was exposed to have rejected a $70,000 surgery to an assistant coach that would have saved his life. All-in-all, comparing the two is like comparing apples to rotten tomatoes.
Now the players of now. Comparing the players of the past would just be an embarrassment for the Clippers. The Clippers actually are more talented in a way. DeAndre Jordan is an athletic, but raw, center. Eric Gordon is almost as potent a scorer as Kobe Bryant. But the kicker is Blake Griffin. Blake Griffin is an athletic beast. He puts up astounding numbers for a rookie. He is a human highlight reel with rim-rocking dunks. Throw in the fact that the Clippers have beaten the Lakers, it looks like the future is good for the Clippers in L.A. But then reality sets in. Gordon will never be Kobe Bryant, no matter how good of a scorer Gordon is. Bryant has a cold-blooded demeanor when he needs it. He can create his own shot better than anyone in the league this side of LeBron James. Andrew Bynum is an established center when healthy. Pau Gasol played at MVP level basketbal early in the season. Lamar Odom can come off the bench at any time and shift the momentum of a game. Derek Fisher seems to be the best clutch scorer not named Robert Horry. But most importantly, the Lakers are winning. The Clippers aren't. No amount of talent can beat winning.
Are the Clippers doomed to be under the Lakers' shadow forever? Not exactly. They have a strong core in place and the Lakers are getting older. Eventually the Clippers may be king of L.A. But if they want it, they're gonna need something. They're gonna need rings. They're gonna need wins. And neither looks like their coming to the Clippers any time soon.
The L.A. Lakers may have one of the most storied NBA histories this side of the Mississippi. They have 17 championships in their franchise. They have been the home to players like Wilt Chamberlain, James Worthy, Kobe Bryant, Shaq, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, George Mikan and all-time NBA leading scorer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. They have retired seven numbers. They have one of the best banners in all of basketball. The L.A. Clippers have none of anything. They have no championships or retired numbers. Their history is the complete antithesis of the Lakers history. But there is more that shows that the Clippers can't top the Lakers.
We're gonna look at the top. The Lakers front office has somehow found a way to get superstars to play together. The Lakers front office somehow managed to keep Kobe Bryant despite his seemingly unwillingness to play for the Lakers. The Lakers somehow managed to get Pau Gasol with dropping talent-wise. They somehow got Phil Jackson to come back and coach. Let's look at what the Clippers front office have done. They drafted such
Now the players of now. Comparing the players of the past would just be an embarrassment for the Clippers. The Clippers actually are more talented in a way. DeAndre Jordan is an athletic, but raw, center. Eric Gordon is almost as potent a scorer as Kobe Bryant. But the kicker is Blake Griffin. Blake Griffin is an athletic beast. He puts up astounding numbers for a rookie. He is a human highlight reel with rim-rocking dunks. Throw in the fact that the Clippers have beaten the Lakers, it looks like the future is good for the Clippers in L.A. But then reality sets in. Gordon will never be Kobe Bryant, no matter how good of a scorer Gordon is. Bryant has a cold-blooded demeanor when he needs it. He can create his own shot better than anyone in the league this side of LeBron James. Andrew Bynum is an established center when healthy. Pau Gasol played at MVP level basketbal early in the season. Lamar Odom can come off the bench at any time and shift the momentum of a game. Derek Fisher seems to be the best clutch scorer not named Robert Horry. But most importantly, the Lakers are winning. The Clippers aren't. No amount of talent can beat winning.
Are the Clippers doomed to be under the Lakers' shadow forever? Not exactly. They have a strong core in place and the Lakers are getting older. Eventually the Clippers may be king of L.A. But if they want it, they're gonna need something. They're gonna need rings. They're gonna need wins. And neither looks like their coming to the Clippers any time soon.
Monday, March 21, 2011
My Next Contribution
Hey guys, aside from the blog, I also contribute for Yahoo. My first article has been included as Associated Content. It's about Derrick Rose and his candidacy for MVP. It was more of a retaliation article than anything else. For all of the people who support Rose for MVP, there are a lot of people (who are a lot louder and a lot less experienced with basketball than say Michael Jordan) who are against him. Well here is the link. Please read it!
Ripping Them Apart: How To Restore The Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons used to be one of the strongest franchises in the NBA. They had the Motor City Bad Boys led by Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars in the 1980s, and then they shocked the Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals. They never had one true superstar, but many players that knew their role. They had strong point guards like Chauncey Billups and Thomas. They had outstanding, though undersized, rebounders like Dennis Rodman and Ben Wallace. They were characterized by a hard-nosed defense. But now, their coach John Kuester could hardly control his team. They are out of the playoffs again. How could you possibly fix this franchise?
First things first. They must fire John Kuester. John Kuester may have been the mastermind behind the effective Cavaliers offense under LeBron James, but the Pistons have to face the facts that the mastermind behind that offense was not Kuester, but two-time MVP James. Kuester may have a great offensive scheme, but that is never how the Pistons won. Then you have to realize that Kuester did not treat his veterans correctly, primarily Richard Hamilton. Rip Hamilton is an NBA Finals champion, and a 3x All-Star. He was benched early on in the season, essentially being put into Kuester's dog pound. So Hamilton, feeling slighted, called a practice boycott, getting many other veterans to join him. He tore apart Kuester in the locker room. In order to go forward, Kuester must be replaced. Maybe they could get someone like Larry Brown to come back and coach, but it is clear that Kuester must leave.
The next person that must go is Richard Hamilton. I know that Rip Hamilton has been a great leader for the Pistons for the last couple of years, but he has turned from a leader into locker room problem. He completely destroyed Kuester in front of the rookies. He showed rookies that the only way to get what you want is to terrorize the coach. He staged a practice boycott, convincing other veterans to skip practice. This is horrible off-the-court actions. When he plays, he is still effective, but he far removed from his All-Star years. He must go.
They also have to start rebuilding. Though it is good to have some veteran leadership, players like Tracy McGrady and Charlie Villenueva are no longer necessary. They are players barely past their prime and likely unwilling to give up playing time to allow younger players to develop. They could have a strong core with young players like Jonas Jerebko, Rodney Stuckey, and especially rookie Greg Monroe, which could upstart this team. Then, with a couple of draft picks, they can start finding other crucial pieces. But this team must realize that they are in a time of rebuilding.
The Detroit Pistons have good players like Monroe and Stuckey, but there are too many flaws on this team. They have a coach who can't even control the locker room. They have veterans who are too unwilling to listen to their coach. They have players willing to boycott practice. But they also have youngsters who can develop into starters, and maybe stars. They are far removed from the Bad Boys, but they are not far from restoration.
First things first. They must fire John Kuester. John Kuester may have been the mastermind behind the effective Cavaliers offense under LeBron James, but the Pistons have to face the facts that the mastermind behind that offense was not Kuester, but two-time MVP James. Kuester may have a great offensive scheme, but that is never how the Pistons won. Then you have to realize that Kuester did not treat his veterans correctly, primarily Richard Hamilton. Rip Hamilton is an NBA Finals champion, and a 3x All-Star. He was benched early on in the season, essentially being put into Kuester's dog pound. So Hamilton, feeling slighted, called a practice boycott, getting many other veterans to join him. He tore apart Kuester in the locker room. In order to go forward, Kuester must be replaced. Maybe they could get someone like Larry Brown to come back and coach, but it is clear that Kuester must leave.
The next person that must go is Richard Hamilton. I know that Rip Hamilton has been a great leader for the Pistons for the last couple of years, but he has turned from a leader into locker room problem. He completely destroyed Kuester in front of the rookies. He showed rookies that the only way to get what you want is to terrorize the coach. He staged a practice boycott, convincing other veterans to skip practice. This is horrible off-the-court actions. When he plays, he is still effective, but he far removed from his All-Star years. He must go.
They also have to start rebuilding. Though it is good to have some veteran leadership, players like Tracy McGrady and Charlie Villenueva are no longer necessary. They are players barely past their prime and likely unwilling to give up playing time to allow younger players to develop. They could have a strong core with young players like Jonas Jerebko, Rodney Stuckey, and especially rookie Greg Monroe, which could upstart this team. Then, with a couple of draft picks, they can start finding other crucial pieces. But this team must realize that they are in a time of rebuilding.
The Detroit Pistons have good players like Monroe and Stuckey, but there are too many flaws on this team. They have a coach who can't even control the locker room. They have veterans who are too unwilling to listen to their coach. They have players willing to boycott practice. But they also have youngsters who can develop into starters, and maybe stars. They are far removed from the Bad Boys, but they are not far from restoration.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
From Russia With Loss: When Money Can't Win Championships
The New Jersey Nets are owned by Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov. They are planning on moving from small market New Jersey to large market Brooklyn (but let's forget about the entire Brooklyn New Yorkers debacle). They already have the full support of the king of New York, Jay-Z. They looked poised to make a big noise in the free agency. They looked poised to be one of the top teams in the NBA. But now, they look like the richest laughingstock in the NBA.
Well, they started out well. When Prokhorov bought the Nets, many were wondering how the Russian would handle the NBA. Many thought that the Nets owner would use his money to sway big names like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to New Jersey. Unfortunately, the biggest move the Nets made was adding...Anthony Morrow, a 3-point shooter. But no one really considered this a failure by the Nets, but with money and fame on their side, many were surprised that they didn't make much of a splash. But many thought their tide has turned when they heard that Carmelo Anthony was being shopped by the Nuggets. Though Anthony wanted to be traded to Chicago or New York, many thought that the aggression that the Nets were working with would eventually sway Anthony's decision.
So they shopped around a lot of people, even willing to part with their #3 pick, who would turn out to be Derrick Favors. They were about to dump many picks and players for one great scorer before the season even started. But Anthony would not sign an extension with the Nets, which made the addition of Anthony useless as he would be a free agent in 2011. So the preseason came and went with Anthony staying put. The New Jersey Nets were looking for a better season. They had the pieces in place to be better. They had a strong power forward prospect in Favors, a good inside man with Brook Lopez, and a good scorer and guard in Devin Harris. Though they played better this season, they still found themselves in the dregs of the Eastern conference.
They then further pursued Carmelo Anthony. They had a deal lined up and many people had said that Anthony would be a Net in the coming days. Prokhorov was going to meet with him in Denver. Then, suddenly, the embarrassment set in. The Anthony trade was off and Prokhorov looked like a fool. They put so much on the line and were so close, but the deal fell through. When the New York Knicks put their name in the running, the Nets tried to make another play at Anthony. But Anthony went to the Knicks. The Nets then made a great play at grabbing Deron Williams, a star point guard, costing the Nets a inferior point guard in Harris and a struggling prospect in Favors. Williams is a great point guard and current has the Nets somehow in the running for the 8th seed. But what can the Nets offer Williams as a future? He will most likely bail in 2012 when his contract expires because the Nets have nothing to offer as a team. Lopez is a great center and Kris Humphries is very impressive as a forward, but the rest of the team is very weak.
The Nets have everything they need. If they need money, they can look for Prokhorov. If they need some publicity, they have Jay-Z. But if they want championships, they have nothing to look forward to. For all of Prokhorov's money and all of Jay-Z's fame, the Nets still lack the basketball to make a blip on the championship radar.
Well, they started out well. When Prokhorov bought the Nets, many were wondering how the Russian would handle the NBA. Many thought that the Nets owner would use his money to sway big names like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to New Jersey. Unfortunately, the biggest move the Nets made was adding...Anthony Morrow, a 3-point shooter. But no one really considered this a failure by the Nets, but with money and fame on their side, many were surprised that they didn't make much of a splash. But many thought their tide has turned when they heard that Carmelo Anthony was being shopped by the Nuggets. Though Anthony wanted to be traded to Chicago or New York, many thought that the aggression that the Nets were working with would eventually sway Anthony's decision.
So they shopped around a lot of people, even willing to part with their #3 pick, who would turn out to be Derrick Favors. They were about to dump many picks and players for one great scorer before the season even started. But Anthony would not sign an extension with the Nets, which made the addition of Anthony useless as he would be a free agent in 2011. So the preseason came and went with Anthony staying put. The New Jersey Nets were looking for a better season. They had the pieces in place to be better. They had a strong power forward prospect in Favors, a good inside man with Brook Lopez, and a good scorer and guard in Devin Harris. Though they played better this season, they still found themselves in the dregs of the Eastern conference.
They then further pursued Carmelo Anthony. They had a deal lined up and many people had said that Anthony would be a Net in the coming days. Prokhorov was going to meet with him in Denver. Then, suddenly, the embarrassment set in. The Anthony trade was off and Prokhorov looked like a fool. They put so much on the line and were so close, but the deal fell through. When the New York Knicks put their name in the running, the Nets tried to make another play at Anthony. But Anthony went to the Knicks. The Nets then made a great play at grabbing Deron Williams, a star point guard, costing the Nets a inferior point guard in Harris and a struggling prospect in Favors. Williams is a great point guard and current has the Nets somehow in the running for the 8th seed. But what can the Nets offer Williams as a future? He will most likely bail in 2012 when his contract expires because the Nets have nothing to offer as a team. Lopez is a great center and Kris Humphries is very impressive as a forward, but the rest of the team is very weak.
The Nets have everything they need. If they need money, they can look for Prokhorov. If they need some publicity, they have Jay-Z. But if they want championships, they have nothing to look forward to. For all of Prokhorov's money and all of Jay-Z's fame, the Nets still lack the basketball to make a blip on the championship radar.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Are The Toronto Raptors Going Extinct: The Inevitable Irrelevancy of the Token Canadian Team
There once was a time that there were two Canadian teams: the Vancouver Grizzlies and the Toronto Raptors. The Vancouver Grizzlies are now better known as the Memphis Grizzlies, but the Raptors stayed in Toronto. They have had their chances to exceed in the NBA. They had superstars like Vince Carter and Chris Bosh. But, as this season comes to a close, I continue to forget that the Raptors are still an NBA team. Much like the dinosaurs, the Raptors are going extinct.
The Raptors have had great seasons. They have made the postseason. They have had All-Stars. They had Vince Carter, one of the most exciting players in the league. He was a high-scoring guard. He may have had the best ever dunk contest performance ever with an alley-oop between-the-legs dunk, the original arm-in-the-rim dunk, and a reverse 360 windmill. Then you had guys like Morris Peterson, who may be known best as the guy who caught the celebration ball that Michael Ruffin threw up and eventually tied it with a near half-court three or Anthony Parker, who may be known best as Candace Parker's brother. But then you had Chris Bosh. Bosh was an athletic power forward from Georgia Tech and a great lefty player. He stretched defenses with a good jump shot and could rebound rather well. But even when these teams made the playoffs, they never made that much noise. Now, I could hardly imagine them getting into the playoffs.
Let us look at the poor trades and signings they have made. Of course, they parted ways with Vince Carter rather acrimoniously. Carter later stated that he was not trying those last couple of seasons, adding some salt to the wound. Then there was the addition of Jermaine O'Neal, who was a great player at one time, but he has seriously lost some game after injuries and age caught up to him. But the worst move may have been signing Hedo Turkoglu. Turkoglu, in my opinion, is heavily overrated. He is a streaky shooter, who is cold more often than not, and cannot play any defense. He has no interior game despite being a pretty big guy. They gave him too much money for a designated shooter. He wanted out, and eventually got his wish granted, making Turkoglu a major bust.
Then you have their inability to draft well. The Raptors are consistently in the lottery. This is who they have drafted since getting Chris Bosh: Rafael Araujo, Charlie Villenueva, Andrea Bargnani. Though Villenueva was voted second for Rookie of the Year, all three of these picks (especially number 1 overall Bargnani) were scrutinized. Though they were taken in reasonably weak draft years, they still did not lay any ground to the future of their franchise. I highly doubt that their current roster of Bargnani, James Johnson, Jose Calderon, Amir Johnson, and DeMar DeRozan are going to contend with the Chicago Bulls, the Miami Heat, the Boston Celtics, and other elite teams in the league.
The Toronto Raptors are nearing extinction or irrelevancy a lot sooner than you would think. Though they are headed to the lottery again, with another weak rookie class, I doubt that General Manager Bryan Colangelo or Coach Jay Triano will find their savior. It would be a sad ending for a young franchise, starting in 1995. But at least they can remember the good days in Air Canada Centre, when Carter was dunking, Bosh was owning, and the Raptors were winning.
The Raptors have had great seasons. They have made the postseason. They have had All-Stars. They had Vince Carter, one of the most exciting players in the league. He was a high-scoring guard. He may have had the best ever dunk contest performance ever with an alley-oop between-the-legs dunk, the original arm-in-the-rim dunk, and a reverse 360 windmill. Then you had guys like Morris Peterson, who may be known best as the guy who caught the celebration ball that Michael Ruffin threw up and eventually tied it with a near half-court three or Anthony Parker, who may be known best as Candace Parker's brother. But then you had Chris Bosh. Bosh was an athletic power forward from Georgia Tech and a great lefty player. He stretched defenses with a good jump shot and could rebound rather well. But even when these teams made the playoffs, they never made that much noise. Now, I could hardly imagine them getting into the playoffs.
Let us look at the poor trades and signings they have made. Of course, they parted ways with Vince Carter rather acrimoniously. Carter later stated that he was not trying those last couple of seasons, adding some salt to the wound. Then there was the addition of Jermaine O'Neal, who was a great player at one time, but he has seriously lost some game after injuries and age caught up to him. But the worst move may have been signing Hedo Turkoglu. Turkoglu, in my opinion, is heavily overrated. He is a streaky shooter, who is cold more often than not, and cannot play any defense. He has no interior game despite being a pretty big guy. They gave him too much money for a designated shooter. He wanted out, and eventually got his wish granted, making Turkoglu a major bust.
Then you have their inability to draft well. The Raptors are consistently in the lottery. This is who they have drafted since getting Chris Bosh: Rafael Araujo, Charlie Villenueva, Andrea Bargnani. Though Villenueva was voted second for Rookie of the Year, all three of these picks (especially number 1 overall Bargnani) were scrutinized. Though they were taken in reasonably weak draft years, they still did not lay any ground to the future of their franchise. I highly doubt that their current roster of Bargnani, James Johnson, Jose Calderon, Amir Johnson, and DeMar DeRozan are going to contend with the Chicago Bulls, the Miami Heat, the Boston Celtics, and other elite teams in the league.
The Toronto Raptors are nearing extinction or irrelevancy a lot sooner than you would think. Though they are headed to the lottery again, with another weak rookie class, I doubt that General Manager Bryan Colangelo or Coach Jay Triano will find their savior. It would be a sad ending for a young franchise, starting in 1995. But at least they can remember the good days in Air Canada Centre, when Carter was dunking, Bosh was owning, and the Raptors were winning.
Friday, March 18, 2011
The Opposite of Progress: Why The Washington Wizards, Not Congress, Is The Least Productive Team in Our Nation's Capital
I jest with my Congress comment because I'm sure those guys are getting a lot of stuff done. But I'm not kidding around about these Wizards. The Washington Wizards were never exactly a proud franchise with an illustrious history, but they certainly are not slouches. They were coming off a tumultuous season last year after the entire Gilbert Arenas' gun incident and his suspension. They did some selling of their own, trading Antawn Jamison to the Cavaliers. But things started to look up when they won the lottery and picked up point guard extraordinaire John Wall, a gifted and athletic guard from Kentucky. With the addition of Kevin Seraphin, Kirk Hinrich, and the return of Gilbert Arenas into lineup, the Wizards looked poised to have a decent season. They were probably going to miss the playoffs, but at least, they would give us something to look forward to in the future. Unfortunately, they did not do that at all.
Let us start with one of the bigger problems early on in the season: Gilbert Arenas. Agent Zero was nothing but an agent of chaos for this young team. He had the issues with a loaded gun last season. He had scoring issues ever since his ankle injury. He now has stunted the growth of John Wall. He was supposed to either move to the 2 guard or teach him. Recently acquired Kirk Hinrich was a mentor to John Wall, but Arenas was definitely messing with the chemistry. So Arenas was traded for Rashard Lewis, going from one overpaid player to another. But then the Wizards traded Hinrich for Mike Bibby, Jordan Crawford, and Mo Evans. Bibby was waived because he didn't want to play for another lottery team, so Wall was left without a teacher. But those aren't the only problems
Then of course you have the young front court of Javale McGee and Andray Blatche. These are two very talented big men. Blatche is a great offensive player and McGee is extremely athletic, as shown by his impressive and arguably winning performance in the dunk contest. But neither of them is mature, basketball-wise. Just look at their attempts at the triple-double. Blatche, who was one rebound away from a triple double, got angry at a teammate for snaring down the rebound that would have put him over the top. McGee, who was 1 point away from a triple double, missed a free throw, clanked two contested shots, turned the ball over, and dunked in the ball, but then got a technical foul for hanging on the rim. McGee is a highlight reel offensively and defensively, but he isn't that great on either side. He gets lazy on defense and unless he is in blocking range, he won't contest you. Blatche is great offensively, but has poor shot selection.
Then you have the inexperience of the team. They have some veteran players like Rashard Lewis, Maurice Evans, and Josh Howard. They have some great scorers like Nick Young, who is a veritable candidate for Most Improved Player. But they are very young and not playoff-tested. They have started 3 rookies at one point. It does not reflect on the talent of the team, but it reflects on its youth. The Wizards should not lose hope because they do have a strong coach. Flip Saunders is a great coach, but he will need a lot more than John Wall, Nick Young, and Javale Mcgee to get back on top. He will need to turn an offensively and defensively immature team into a contender. Unfortunately, things like this don't always work out. Hopefully, the Wizards will bring back some progress to the nation's capital, but as of now, we will watch and see how Wall and Saunders will save this ship.
Let us start with one of the bigger problems early on in the season: Gilbert Arenas. Agent Zero was nothing but an agent of chaos for this young team. He had the issues with a loaded gun last season. He had scoring issues ever since his ankle injury. He now has stunted the growth of John Wall. He was supposed to either move to the 2 guard or teach him. Recently acquired Kirk Hinrich was a mentor to John Wall, but Arenas was definitely messing with the chemistry. So Arenas was traded for Rashard Lewis, going from one overpaid player to another. But then the Wizards traded Hinrich for Mike Bibby, Jordan Crawford, and Mo Evans. Bibby was waived because he didn't want to play for another lottery team, so Wall was left without a teacher. But those aren't the only problems
Then of course you have the young front court of Javale McGee and Andray Blatche. These are two very talented big men. Blatche is a great offensive player and McGee is extremely athletic, as shown by his impressive and arguably winning performance in the dunk contest. But neither of them is mature, basketball-wise. Just look at their attempts at the triple-double. Blatche, who was one rebound away from a triple double, got angry at a teammate for snaring down the rebound that would have put him over the top. McGee, who was 1 point away from a triple double, missed a free throw, clanked two contested shots, turned the ball over, and dunked in the ball, but then got a technical foul for hanging on the rim. McGee is a highlight reel offensively and defensively, but he isn't that great on either side. He gets lazy on defense and unless he is in blocking range, he won't contest you. Blatche is great offensively, but has poor shot selection.
Then you have the inexperience of the team. They have some veteran players like Rashard Lewis, Maurice Evans, and Josh Howard. They have some great scorers like Nick Young, who is a veritable candidate for Most Improved Player. But they are very young and not playoff-tested. They have started 3 rookies at one point. It does not reflect on the talent of the team, but it reflects on its youth. The Wizards should not lose hope because they do have a strong coach. Flip Saunders is a great coach, but he will need a lot more than John Wall, Nick Young, and Javale Mcgee to get back on top. He will need to turn an offensively and defensively immature team into a contender. Unfortunately, things like this don't always work out. Hopefully, the Wizards will bring back some progress to the nation's capital, but as of now, we will watch and see how Wall and Saunders will save this ship.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
The Sacramento Kings Put the Fun in Dysfunctional: The Most Interesting Trainwreck in the NBA
The Kings were looking up after last season. Yes, they missed the playoffs again, but they had a good team. They had NBA rookie of the year Tyreke Evans, and a lottery pick in a pretty deep NBA draft. They went ahead and grabbed DeMarcus Cousins. Though they still had a lot to go before becoming a contender, they were expected to play with some resiliency. Instead, they are on a trainwreck and last place in the Western Conference.
They have had success as a team, and some very exciting plays. The first, and really only, play that comes to mind is Tyreke Evans' halftime buzzer-beater. But this play also accentuates a lot of problems with the Kings. First, they have a bad defense. The shot that O.J. Mayo took on this play was a high-difficulty shot, but there wasn't a hand in his face. Then you have to rely on a prayer to win a game. Yes, it was beautiful and magical, but you should never have to rely on a play like that to win a game. It will end up on a lot of highlight reels, but after the initial shock, you gotta admit that the Kings were thinking that they got away with a win right there.
It isn't like the Kings are completely void of talent. Jason Thompson is a young power forward with potential. Samuel Dalembert is a strong starter for many teams. Of course, you have Tyreke Evans who is a very explosive point guard and DeMarcus Cousins, undoubtedly Rookie First-Team this year. But they just never got it together. They don't exactly have chemistry problems. It is more that they never improved from the last season. Evans still hasn't developed a steady jump shot, his shot selection is still iffy at best, and he does not make the best passes all the time. And by giving up Kevin Martin last season, they lost a very dependable scorer, and though they have sort of replaced him with Marcus Thornton, they did not make a play for a great perimeter scorer until late in the season. For all of the strength defensively inside, they really only have Cousins producing from inside offensively. The opposite problem occurs on the outside. They have some decent outside options, but defensively, they aren't that strong on the outside.
The Kings coach Paul Westphal also has trouble with his team. This is nothing like the situation in Detroit, but there are some clear problems, especially with DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins is arguably the most talented player on the team, but he has the biggest problems with Westphal. Cousins is a deserving starter in my opinion, but he has an attitude. He gets into other people's faces, and that was one of the big asterisks by his name in the draft. Those character problems really showed when he was benched. Westphal had every reason to do so, but he handled the situation very badly. Fortunately they seemed to have passed this early struggle. But now another problems has risen for this team.
The Sacramento Kings may no longer be the Sacramento Kings. Sacramento could be moving to Anaheim. Though fans tried to convince the team that it is better off in Sacramento, but considering the markets in Anaheim and Sacramento, it seems more financially wise to move to Anaheim. But it does destroy a great history that the Kings had in Sacramento. There once was a time when Sacramento was feared. There once was a time that Sacramento competed with the West's elite. But that time has come and gone. Maybe Evans, Cousins, and the rest of the Kings are better off starting their new history. But there is no doubt that the Kings have collapsed. Maybe the only way to stop a trainwreck is to change rails. Here's hoping for the future of the Anaheim Kings is as great as the past of the Sacramento Kings.
They have had success as a team, and some very exciting plays. The first, and really only, play that comes to mind is Tyreke Evans' halftime buzzer-beater. But this play also accentuates a lot of problems with the Kings. First, they have a bad defense. The shot that O.J. Mayo took on this play was a high-difficulty shot, but there wasn't a hand in his face. Then you have to rely on a prayer to win a game. Yes, it was beautiful and magical, but you should never have to rely on a play like that to win a game. It will end up on a lot of highlight reels, but after the initial shock, you gotta admit that the Kings were thinking that they got away with a win right there.
It isn't like the Kings are completely void of talent. Jason Thompson is a young power forward with potential. Samuel Dalembert is a strong starter for many teams. Of course, you have Tyreke Evans who is a very explosive point guard and DeMarcus Cousins, undoubtedly Rookie First-Team this year. But they just never got it together. They don't exactly have chemistry problems. It is more that they never improved from the last season. Evans still hasn't developed a steady jump shot, his shot selection is still iffy at best, and he does not make the best passes all the time. And by giving up Kevin Martin last season, they lost a very dependable scorer, and though they have sort of replaced him with Marcus Thornton, they did not make a play for a great perimeter scorer until late in the season. For all of the strength defensively inside, they really only have Cousins producing from inside offensively. The opposite problem occurs on the outside. They have some decent outside options, but defensively, they aren't that strong on the outside.
The Kings coach Paul Westphal also has trouble with his team. This is nothing like the situation in Detroit, but there are some clear problems, especially with DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins is arguably the most talented player on the team, but he has the biggest problems with Westphal. Cousins is a deserving starter in my opinion, but he has an attitude. He gets into other people's faces, and that was one of the big asterisks by his name in the draft. Those character problems really showed when he was benched. Westphal had every reason to do so, but he handled the situation very badly. Fortunately they seemed to have passed this early struggle. But now another problems has risen for this team.
The Sacramento Kings may no longer be the Sacramento Kings. Sacramento could be moving to Anaheim. Though fans tried to convince the team that it is better off in Sacramento, but considering the markets in Anaheim and Sacramento, it seems more financially wise to move to Anaheim. But it does destroy a great history that the Kings had in Sacramento. There once was a time when Sacramento was feared. There once was a time that Sacramento competed with the West's elite. But that time has come and gone. Maybe Evans, Cousins, and the rest of the Kings are better off starting their new history. But there is no doubt that the Kings have collapsed. Maybe the only way to stop a trainwreck is to change rails. Here's hoping for the future of the Anaheim Kings is as great as the past of the Sacramento Kings.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Looking For Love in All the Wrong Places: The Bright Light At The End of the Timberwolves' Tunnel
Another season, and another sad year for Minnesota Timberwolves fans. Near last place in the West, they are just waiting for another lottery pick, and considering their last couple of picks (Jonny Flynn, Ricky Rubio, Wesley Johnson) it looks like they are destined to pick up another bust. But they can take solace in that one player has lived up to, or exceeded, expectations. I present to you Kevin Love.
Love has many reasons to be excited after this season, but his team is definitely not one of them. There are some decent players on the team like "bust" Michael Beasley, but they never got anything together. They don't have the necessary chemistry to work as a team, and they don't have the pieces necessary to run their triangle offense. Kurt Rambis should not have employed this offense, primarily known for its effectiveness with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Rambis was in over his head. But he has Kevin Love to work his team around.
Love has a lot of potential in this league. He is an amazing rebounder, even though he is not the highest jumper. He is a great rebounded because he has mastered the timing. And it isn't just on defensive boards. He is a great offensive rebounder, averaging 4.6 offensive rebounds this season. He averages an astounding 15.7 rebounds total, and he looks to be the next player to average more than 15 rebounds a game since Ben Wallace in the 2002-03 season. He also is not a liability on offense. He can work the post if it is necessary, but where he really kills you is on putbacks from offensive rebounds and from the outside. At 6'10'', he doesn't seem to be an outside shooter. But he is hitting three-pointers at a 43% clip, which is amazing for a big man like him. He could improve his percentage of both field goal percentage and 3-point percentage is he started attacking the post more often, but that's a nitty-gritty detail that he can improve in the off-season.
Then you look at the individual performances and accolades that Love has gained this season. He was an NBA All-Star, one of two all-stars on a losing team (the other being Blake Griffin). He has the first 30 point-30 rebound game in 28 years. The most recent since his went to Moses Malone, who is currently in the Hall of Fame. He broke the record for most double-doubles in a row since the ABA-NBA merger, also held by Moses Malone. Individually, Kevin Love may have had one of the best seasons ever. Too bad, it will be one of the few high points in this abysmal season.
Kevin Love is a great player, but is he going to be stuck on a horrible team like the Timberwolves for the rest of his career? LeBron James may be right that Love is in the wrong place. Maybe he deserves to be on a contender, because the way the Timberwolves are going, it does not seem like they are on their way up. Should Love jump from the sinking boat, or should he bail them out? The one question that is no longer on anybody's mind is whether Kevin Love is going to be a star in this league. Let's just see how bright that star is gonna shine.
Love has many reasons to be excited after this season, but his team is definitely not one of them. There are some decent players on the team like "bust" Michael Beasley, but they never got anything together. They don't have the necessary chemistry to work as a team, and they don't have the pieces necessary to run their triangle offense. Kurt Rambis should not have employed this offense, primarily known for its effectiveness with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Rambis was in over his head. But he has Kevin Love to work his team around.
Love has a lot of potential in this league. He is an amazing rebounder, even though he is not the highest jumper. He is a great rebounded because he has mastered the timing. And it isn't just on defensive boards. He is a great offensive rebounder, averaging 4.6 offensive rebounds this season. He averages an astounding 15.7 rebounds total, and he looks to be the next player to average more than 15 rebounds a game since Ben Wallace in the 2002-03 season. He also is not a liability on offense. He can work the post if it is necessary, but where he really kills you is on putbacks from offensive rebounds and from the outside. At 6'10'', he doesn't seem to be an outside shooter. But he is hitting three-pointers at a 43% clip, which is amazing for a big man like him. He could improve his percentage of both field goal percentage and 3-point percentage is he started attacking the post more often, but that's a nitty-gritty detail that he can improve in the off-season.
Then you look at the individual performances and accolades that Love has gained this season. He was an NBA All-Star, one of two all-stars on a losing team (the other being Blake Griffin). He has the first 30 point-30 rebound game in 28 years. The most recent since his went to Moses Malone, who is currently in the Hall of Fame. He broke the record for most double-doubles in a row since the ABA-NBA merger, also held by Moses Malone. Individually, Kevin Love may have had one of the best seasons ever. Too bad, it will be one of the few high points in this abysmal season.
Kevin Love is a great player, but is he going to be stuck on a horrible team like the Timberwolves for the rest of his career? LeBron James may be right that Love is in the wrong place. Maybe he deserves to be on a contender, because the way the Timberwolves are going, it does not seem like they are on their way up. Should Love jump from the sinking boat, or should he bail them out? The one question that is no longer on anybody's mind is whether Kevin Love is going to be a star in this league. Let's just see how bright that star is gonna shine.
Glee Review: Original Song
So there was a lot of stuff that went on last episode. Will has the glee kids writing original songs, Rachel and Quinn are frenemies, and Pavarotti died (leading to a beautiful solo by Kurt). Am I missing something? Oh yes I am. Meet the brand new couple of Blaine and Kurt. Or Blurt, as they shall now be known. The passion and love in that kiss between that new couple was amazing. But they had bigger fish to fry at Regionals. Sue, and her dastardly-ness, forces the kids to write original songs after they could no longer do "Sing" from My Chemical Romance. She also, once again, knows the judges for Regionals. So back at McKinley High, Quinn is set upon the Prom Queen, but she needs Finn in order to win. The problem is that Finn may still love Rachel because he just won't commit to Quinn. So Quinn "teams" up with Rachel, but she lets her know that Finn's her man. But Rachel won't have it, and then she is compelled to write the song that would later be performed in Regionals. So to recap what happened, Sue's Aural Intensity did some serious pandering, Blaine and Kurt showed unbelievable chemistry in "Candles", and Rachel took home the MVP with a (duh!) winning performance in both original songs "Get It Right" and "Loser Like Me" (inspired by Sue's dastardly-nessocity). The judges were not so great. Given the comedienne portraying her, Kathy Griffin's Palin-esque politician should have been a lot funnier. Rod Remington fortunately saved the day by adding a dash of Rod to this lady soup. Long story short, New Directions wins Regionals and is headed for Nationals. But with the hiatus coming up, a lot of storylines are beginning to develop. Who will Finn choose: Rachel or Quinn? I know that sounds so last season, but that storyline is back! What will become of Santana and Sam/Santana and Brittany/Brittany and Artie? Where is the Sunshine? What will be of Sue and her knockout performance at Regionals? Props to Glee for once again having someone meekly holding a sign, except instead of saying "Too much?" it said "Hell no" to another one of Santana's verses for "Trouty Mouth" inspired by her heterosexual life partner Sam and his huge lips. Best song of the night: "Get It Right". It was catchy, but it put over the top by Rachel's unbelievable performance. Best line of the night goes to Sue: "Actually, I did not sleep with the drummer from My Chemical Romance, but the drummer from Jimmy Eat World." I found it very funny. Bonus note: way to work in Holly into the plot. Typically, a character like that would disappear, but Will gives us a little glimpse into that relationship. So the hiatus is coming up, which sucks, but hopefully Glee will be back with some power.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Where Losing Isn't Everything: What Really Highlighted the Cleveland Cavaliers' Fall from Grace
We all know by now that the Cleveland Cavaliers are now the "proud" owners of the longest losing streak in the NBA. They went from the number 1 team in the league to the worst team in the league after one preseason. They didn't lose much in quantity, but they lost a lot in quality, primarily in the name of LeBron James. But what makes their fall so intriguing is that it goes beyond losing.
Most importantly, they would not be in this position if they were not losing like they are now. Yes, they have played significantly better since their streak-breaking win, but that is null and void considering the fact that they lost 26 straight games. This is the longest losing streak in all professional sports, adding insult to injury. They find themselves dead last in the league. It's hard to believe that they actually were on top of the world last season. But there is more than meets the eye when it comes to the Cavaliers.
Let's start with the good news. They probably should not be in this position. They dealt with an unfortunate amount of injuries. They lost Mo Williams, newly acquired Baron Davis, Antawn Jamison, J.J. Hickson, and Daniel Gibson, all productive members of the Cavs, to injury at some point in the season. They also lost Anderson Varejao, one of the bright linings of the Cavs typically, for the entire season. They were forced to start multiple no-names. Their rotation includes 3 undrafted players (Manny Harris, Samardo Samuels, and Alonzo Gee) and a bunch of other no-names (Christian Eyenga? Luke Harangody? Ryan Hollins?). They put up a valiant effort for most of the season. Byron Scott has had to push the Cavs at times, but you cannot blame the Cavs for a complete lack of effort. They were just outmatched. You can't expect their rotation to do much. Many of the players should be developing in the NBDL in my honest opinion.
But there is a lot of bad news. First, let's consider where the Cavs are. They are in Cleveland. This may sound stupid to some people, but Cleveland is notorious for having horrible sports luck. Cleveland has been subject to "The Shot", "The Drive", "The Fumble", "The Catch", and now "The Decision". Cleveland was finally in the spotlight for a winning reason, but then they got knocked down because someone thought he should take his talents to South Beach. This fall from grace is just another addition to an already horrible sports history.
Second, the Cavs lost their hometown boy. LeBron James was not like Michael Jordan in this regard. James was highly-touted as a prospect. Michael Jordan was given a lot of credit as a collegiate player, but he did not have nearly the fanfare of James. It may be a sign of the times, but this adds to the blow. Furthermore, LeBron James grew up in Akron, not too far from Cleveland. When the Cavs had the number 1 pick in the 2003 draft, the Cavaliers were ecstatic to add a homegrown talent like James. Fast forward 7 years and to this 2010 preseason. When James appeared with his ESPN special "The Decision", very few people expected the hometown hero to betray them like that. He knew the history of Cleveland right? He knew that they dealt with sports issues all the time. They finally returned to prominence that was unheard of in Cleveland since probably the Jim Brown days. And then James ripped out Cleveland's heart. Cleveland's fall from grace was caused by their golden boy.
Third, the Cavs were subject to "The Decision". I touched base on this event a little bit in both of the previous reasons, but "The Decision" is one of the biggest reasons for the prestige of this spectacular fall. When most teams fall like the Cavs did, it was because of a transitional period caused by one of their star players retiring. Consider the fall of the Bulls when Jordan retired a second time. They were in a rebuilding period because Jordan retired. It wasn't because Jordan bailed the Bulls for another team. Jordan decided that his time was up in the NBA as a player. LeBron James bailed the Cavaliers. No team dealt with this type of embarrassment before the season even started.
Lastly, the Cavs responded incorrectly, actually horrifically badly, to LeBron James' move to Miami. Dan Gilbert should have responded professionally to a valid move by an NBA player. As much hate as James gets for bolting to Miami, it is mostly at how he did it rather than why he did it. I think that the move to Miami was all about winning at all costs, and you cannot get down on a guy for trying to win. But that is exactly what Dan Gilbert did. I could understand his motives for doing so. He wanted to rally the troops, show that the Cavs are not out of the playoffs yet. But he could have done so by actively pursuing guys who could help soften the blow. He could have dealt veterans who would not be part of the rebuilding process. Instead he guaranteed, guaranteed, that the Cavaliers would win a championship before LeBron James. But this season showed that that was simply bold talk. There was no substance in that proclamation. The embarrassment of losing this season is hurt by Gilbert's arrogance.
The Cavaliers will have a difficulty living down this season. It wasn't made any better by the hubris of Gilbert. It wasn't made any better by "The Decision" or the untimely and unprofessional departure of LeBron James. It wasn't made any better by Cleveland's history. This is a true fall from grace. It's sad to think that the Cavaliers, after so many seasons on top, will be relegated to the lottery until their next LeBron James comes. Or I should rephrase, if their next LeBron James comes.
Most importantly, they would not be in this position if they were not losing like they are now. Yes, they have played significantly better since their streak-breaking win, but that is null and void considering the fact that they lost 26 straight games. This is the longest losing streak in all professional sports, adding insult to injury. They find themselves dead last in the league. It's hard to believe that they actually were on top of the world last season. But there is more than meets the eye when it comes to the Cavaliers.
Let's start with the good news. They probably should not be in this position. They dealt with an unfortunate amount of injuries. They lost Mo Williams, newly acquired Baron Davis, Antawn Jamison, J.J. Hickson, and Daniel Gibson, all productive members of the Cavs, to injury at some point in the season. They also lost Anderson Varejao, one of the bright linings of the Cavs typically, for the entire season. They were forced to start multiple no-names. Their rotation includes 3 undrafted players (Manny Harris, Samardo Samuels, and Alonzo Gee) and a bunch of other no-names (Christian Eyenga? Luke Harangody? Ryan Hollins?). They put up a valiant effort for most of the season. Byron Scott has had to push the Cavs at times, but you cannot blame the Cavs for a complete lack of effort. They were just outmatched. You can't expect their rotation to do much. Many of the players should be developing in the NBDL in my honest opinion.
But there is a lot of bad news. First, let's consider where the Cavs are. They are in Cleveland. This may sound stupid to some people, but Cleveland is notorious for having horrible sports luck. Cleveland has been subject to "The Shot", "The Drive", "The Fumble", "The Catch", and now "The Decision". Cleveland was finally in the spotlight for a winning reason, but then they got knocked down because someone thought he should take his talents to South Beach. This fall from grace is just another addition to an already horrible sports history.
Second, the Cavs lost their hometown boy. LeBron James was not like Michael Jordan in this regard. James was highly-touted as a prospect. Michael Jordan was given a lot of credit as a collegiate player, but he did not have nearly the fanfare of James. It may be a sign of the times, but this adds to the blow. Furthermore, LeBron James grew up in Akron, not too far from Cleveland. When the Cavs had the number 1 pick in the 2003 draft, the Cavaliers were ecstatic to add a homegrown talent like James. Fast forward 7 years and to this 2010 preseason. When James appeared with his ESPN special "The Decision", very few people expected the hometown hero to betray them like that. He knew the history of Cleveland right? He knew that they dealt with sports issues all the time. They finally returned to prominence that was unheard of in Cleveland since probably the Jim Brown days. And then James ripped out Cleveland's heart. Cleveland's fall from grace was caused by their golden boy.
Third, the Cavs were subject to "The Decision". I touched base on this event a little bit in both of the previous reasons, but "The Decision" is one of the biggest reasons for the prestige of this spectacular fall. When most teams fall like the Cavs did, it was because of a transitional period caused by one of their star players retiring. Consider the fall of the Bulls when Jordan retired a second time. They were in a rebuilding period because Jordan retired. It wasn't because Jordan bailed the Bulls for another team. Jordan decided that his time was up in the NBA as a player. LeBron James bailed the Cavaliers. No team dealt with this type of embarrassment before the season even started.
Lastly, the Cavs responded incorrectly, actually horrifically badly, to LeBron James' move to Miami. Dan Gilbert should have responded professionally to a valid move by an NBA player. As much hate as James gets for bolting to Miami, it is mostly at how he did it rather than why he did it. I think that the move to Miami was all about winning at all costs, and you cannot get down on a guy for trying to win. But that is exactly what Dan Gilbert did. I could understand his motives for doing so. He wanted to rally the troops, show that the Cavs are not out of the playoffs yet. But he could have done so by actively pursuing guys who could help soften the blow. He could have dealt veterans who would not be part of the rebuilding process. Instead he guaranteed, guaranteed, that the Cavaliers would win a championship before LeBron James. But this season showed that that was simply bold talk. There was no substance in that proclamation. The embarrassment of losing this season is hurt by Gilbert's arrogance.
The Cavaliers will have a difficulty living down this season. It wasn't made any better by the hubris of Gilbert. It wasn't made any better by "The Decision" or the untimely and unprofessional departure of LeBron James. It wasn't made any better by Cleveland's history. This is a true fall from grace. It's sad to think that the Cavaliers, after so many seasons on top, will be relegated to the lottery until their next LeBron James comes. Or I should rephrase, if their next LeBron James comes.
Monday, March 14, 2011
And Monday Comes After Sunday...
To those of you who have yet to see this wonderful video, I give to you "Friday" by Rebecca Black/RB. This video is the most entertaining video I have seen on Youtube in a while. Its entertainment value stems solely from the lyrics. I mean, I did not know before this video that Thursday comes before Friday and that the next day is Saturday. And of course Sunday comes afterward. Now I know that this isn't that difficult of a decision, but really I am torn between the front seat and back seat. Also keep an eye out for lookalike Usher. Now is anyone else looking forward to some fun (fun, fun, fun) or the weekend?
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Thoughts on the NCAA Brackets
I am far from an expert on the NCAA brackets, barely following the teams in the league. But I'm gonna take a gander at what could possibly go down in this bracket.
And the Winner Will Be...
Too difficult to determine. Though this was far from a variable season with regards to the top teams, there has not been a team that has established any dominance. Each team has been exploited for many reasons. I highly doubt that all four #1 seeds will make the Final Four. If I had to go with a winner right now, I would probably say that, as much as I hate to say this, Duke will repeat against #2 Notre Dame, which had a legitimate shot at a #1 seed anyway.
The Biggest Failure Will Be...
I would not put it past Texas to be ousted in the 1st round. I don't know much about this team, but I do know that they have monumental highs and lows. They are placed at a #4 seed, but that does not mean anything in the NCAA tournament. Texas is the most inconsistent of the top teams. I think BYU will be fine, contrary to popular belief. Losing their big man makes it very improbable to make the Final Four, or even the Elite 8, but they have a great guard in Jimmer Fredette.
The George Mason Will Be...
Uncertain as of now. It could certainly be Memphis, who will face Arizona. Memphis is not a bad team right now, but Arizona is known as a choker in the tournament. But that does not mean anything because they will be stuck facing either Texas or Oakland. I don't foresee any real upsets in the Sweet Sixteen, although we could always use some Morehead State (sorry Louisville fans, but my votes for Morehead).
Superlatives
Final Four: Duke, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Brigham Young University
Final Two: Duke, Notre Dame
Winner: Duke
Player of the East: Jared Sullinger, Ohio State
Player of the West: Nolan Smith, Duke
Player of the Southwest: Ben Hansbrough, Notre Dame
Player of the Southeast: Jimmer Fredette, Brigham Young University
And the Winner Will Be...
Too difficult to determine. Though this was far from a variable season with regards to the top teams, there has not been a team that has established any dominance. Each team has been exploited for many reasons. I highly doubt that all four #1 seeds will make the Final Four. If I had to go with a winner right now, I would probably say that, as much as I hate to say this, Duke will repeat against #2 Notre Dame, which had a legitimate shot at a #1 seed anyway.
The Biggest Failure Will Be...
I would not put it past Texas to be ousted in the 1st round. I don't know much about this team, but I do know that they have monumental highs and lows. They are placed at a #4 seed, but that does not mean anything in the NCAA tournament. Texas is the most inconsistent of the top teams. I think BYU will be fine, contrary to popular belief. Losing their big man makes it very improbable to make the Final Four, or even the Elite 8, but they have a great guard in Jimmer Fredette.
The George Mason Will Be...
Uncertain as of now. It could certainly be Memphis, who will face Arizona. Memphis is not a bad team right now, but Arizona is known as a choker in the tournament. But that does not mean anything because they will be stuck facing either Texas or Oakland. I don't foresee any real upsets in the Sweet Sixteen, although we could always use some Morehead State (sorry Louisville fans, but my votes for Morehead).
Superlatives
Final Four: Duke, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Brigham Young University
Final Two: Duke, Notre Dame
Winner: Duke
Player of the East: Jared Sullinger, Ohio State
Player of the West: Nolan Smith, Duke
Player of the Southwest: Ben Hansbrough, Notre Dame
Player of the Southeast: Jimmer Fredette, Brigham Young University
Saturday, March 12, 2011
A Look At The Replacements
With the NFLPA decertifying and the 2011 NFL season in limbo, I would like to take a look at the classic-ish NFL strike movie called The Replacements. Yes, The Replacements, starring Keanu Reeves as Shane Falco, the fictional choke artist of Ohio State and biggest NFL bust in a football related movie. This film also stars Gene Hackman as Jimmy McGinty, the maverick NFL coach, who decides to look at talented players who never got a chance to shine in the pros. I liked this movie because it was really the sum is greater than the parts type of deals with the football team. Individually, this team was pretty bad. Their quarterback was a trademark choker, their running back had a blown knee, their defense was led by a wild crazy SWAT member and a talented, but delinquent, safety, and their number one wide receiver could not catch a ball, despite his unbelievable speed. They had bright spots including an exceptional place-kicker, who got his start in soccer, a deaf tight end, who would've gone in the first round if he could hear, and an amazing tandem of guards, who only work well together. The movie was basically showing the NFL, both players and owners, as bad guys, while the good guys were the replacements, who were given one last chance to prove that they could have made it in the pros. They were less talented and less paid, but they had what truly mattered for a champion. They had heart and they had teamwork. It was definitely an uplifting movie (as well as a TBS movie) because it showed what greatness could happen when you get a second chance. It showed how important glory is, because pain heals, chicks dig scars, and glory is forever.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Falling Slowly: Analyzing the Irish Musical Once
Once is an indie Irish musical that does not exactly seem like blockbuster material. It is an indie starring two current no-names in the acting business. The entire movie did not use the hi-tech devices that many big movies use. It had practically no formal trailer on television. But it was a phenomenon. It garnered laudations from the likes of Joel Siegel. It was even rated as the best movie of 2006 by Roger Ebert, one of the most respected movie critics ever. It was certainly not because of the high budget direction or incredible acting by its two leads. It was one of the best movies because it was not just a movie, but it was an experience.
The story focuses on two nameless characters: a Guy and a Girl. The former is a broken-hearted, Hoover-fixer, guitar-playing guy, while the other is a single mother who can sing and play the piano. They first meet when the Girl sees the Guy playing his guitar on the sidewalk. Instantly, the audience could feel the chemistry between this Guy and this Girl. This connection between the two characters shaped the movie. As their relationship grew more and more, the audience’s relationship with these two characters grew too. This chemistry onscreen may have been helped by the relationship growing between the two actors in this movie. It was not a fake relationship either. There was not any love at first sight, seeing as both had former lovers whom they would soon go back to. The relationship between them was realistic. They had fun, but they also were angry with each other at times. The camera work made their relationship all the more true because the camera made the audience feel like an onlooker of their relationship.
However, the most defining characteristic of this movie was the music. The music was so touching in itself. The lyrics were pure, while the melody was nothing less than dulcet. When the characters sang these songs in the movie, the music became so much more surreal. These songs took place in the Guy’s room, on the sidewalk, in a music store, and in a recording studio. The surroundings contributed to the beauty of the music. Each note was sung with such raw emotion, and at least one characteristic of their surroundings emphasized this feeling. It could have been as little as a quick peek at the music store owner to the darkness of a room.
Why is this then not a movie, but rather an experience? You cannot expect anything from this movie. You have to watch without any preconceptions. The movie should not live up to your expectations, but rather change them. You cannot think about what will happen, but rather let it be. You have to let the movie change you. It will not change everyone the same way. It could do something as big as help someone out of a depressing time. But most changes are subtle. It changed me from the opening song Falling Slowly. It showed how much impact one person you hardly know could have on you. As the song says, “I don’t know you but I want you all the more for that…”
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Strategizing the Card Game Mafia
So I love the card game Mafia. I'm sure many of you have heard of it, even though it may be called something different. Mafia involves mafia members, a policeman/detective, a nurse/doctor/angel, and townspeople. The cards are distributed among the players and each card corresponds to a certain role in the game. Typically, aces count as mafia (there is typically at worst a 1 to 3 ratio of mafia to non-mafia), kings count as cops (typically only 1 cop), queens count as nurses (typically only 1 nurse), and everything else counts as a villager. The narrator makes everyone go to sleep, simulating night-time, where the special roles do what they have to do. The narrator will ask the mafia to wake up and choose someone to kill. When that decision is made, they will go to sleep and the narrator will ask the nurse to wake up, and ask that person to choose someone to save. If they save the person that the mafia chose to kill, then that person does not die. Then the nurse goes to sleep, and the narrator will ask the cop to wake up. The cop will accuse someone of being the mafia, and the narrator will allow the cop to know whether they are right or wrong. Then everyone will wake up and the narrator will allow everyone to know who died in the night or who was saved in the night. Then everyone has a chance to accuse someone of being the mafia. Mafia is an interesting game because it is really based on reading people's actions, most of the time. If you have played against people in mafia before, then it is easier to catch onto their tells. But there is a strategy that will ensure almost undoubted victory for the non-mafia members.
Once everyone gets their cards, the best thing for the non-mafia to do would be to have the cop reveal who he or she is. By having the cop reveal themselves, the mafia will undoubtedly try to kill the cop because the cop is the ultimate voice of reason in this game. Unfortunately for the mafia, the nurse should save the cop. This works best if this information is released before anyone dies because it makes it certain that the cop is actually the cop. If the cop reveals himself or herself later, then it could either be the cop telling the truth or the mafia taking a chance that the cop has already died. It is typically an unbeatable strategy, unless the mafia is lucky enough to kill the nurse or expose who the nurse is. The nurse's identity cannot be revealed in this strategy because it immediately puts a target on both the nurse and the cop because both have been exposed. The mafia has a 50/50 shot of killing either of these special characters once their identities are revealed. Then it is a crapshoot for both the mafia and the non-mafia. If enough games are played like this, then you probably would the same win percentage for playing the game when the cop does not come out. But this is a very rare scenario because the mafia will not know who the nurse is. By the time the nurse is dead, it is very likely that the cop would have discovered who the mafia is.
A lot of people dislike this idea because it takes away from the game. But it really does not, because though the mafia still will have a more difficult time to win, they still are not guaranteed to lose. It becomes a game where the mafia must strategize even more and the villagers must be ready for any given twist and turn. It also becomes more fun because it becomes a smarter game. Typically a mafia game is really just accusing people you know based on poor arguments. Now, the strategy forces people to use logic in order to save themselves rather than hunches to accuse whomever.
Once everyone gets their cards, the best thing for the non-mafia to do would be to have the cop reveal who he or she is. By having the cop reveal themselves, the mafia will undoubtedly try to kill the cop because the cop is the ultimate voice of reason in this game. Unfortunately for the mafia, the nurse should save the cop. This works best if this information is released before anyone dies because it makes it certain that the cop is actually the cop. If the cop reveals himself or herself later, then it could either be the cop telling the truth or the mafia taking a chance that the cop has already died. It is typically an unbeatable strategy, unless the mafia is lucky enough to kill the nurse or expose who the nurse is. The nurse's identity cannot be revealed in this strategy because it immediately puts a target on both the nurse and the cop because both have been exposed. The mafia has a 50/50 shot of killing either of these special characters once their identities are revealed. Then it is a crapshoot for both the mafia and the non-mafia. If enough games are played like this, then you probably would the same win percentage for playing the game when the cop does not come out. But this is a very rare scenario because the mafia will not know who the nurse is. By the time the nurse is dead, it is very likely that the cop would have discovered who the mafia is.
A lot of people dislike this idea because it takes away from the game. But it really does not, because though the mafia still will have a more difficult time to win, they still are not guaranteed to lose. It becomes a game where the mafia must strategize even more and the villagers must be ready for any given twist and turn. It also becomes more fun because it becomes a smarter game. Typically a mafia game is really just accusing people you know based on poor arguments. Now, the strategy forces people to use logic in order to save themselves rather than hunches to accuse whomever.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Glee Review: Sexy
In this week's Glee episode, Holly Holliday returns! Actually, I'm not too hot on the idea of Gwyneth Paltrow being a good singer, but she was very entertaining. Her return is far from the biggest news. There is of course Emma and Carl with their (ahem) intimacy problems, Kurt's "gas pain", and Santana's new realization. Well, the New Directions kids apparently have no knowledge of sex, there are only two people in the celibacy club (until Puck, Artie, Zizes, and Santana joins), and Zizes and Puck want to make a sex tape (which turns out to be illegal). So Holly decides to teach the glee kids about sex through song! I mean, how else is anything learned on this show? It works out well until Will had to join in the fun. He likes Holly, but Holly is damaged goods and doesn't think that Will would do well with her. Santana and Brittany are having problems (not like breakfast problems), so they act like adults and talk to Holly. This was a beautiful performance by Santana, showing a vulnerability only Kurt has shown so far. It was very impressive, especially learning that Santana loves Brittany. Sadly, Brittany has her eyes set on Artie, whom she loves. This is going to be an important relationship (not like that Sam, you gullible blonde) because it will definitely change the dynamic between the two. They have two directions. One is that Brittany breaks up with Artie and chases Santana. The other is that they bring in another character (like a female Blaine) who can act as the new girl for Santana. I hope that this doesn't change their relationship too much in the following episodes because I really like their chemistry. Kurt has no idea how to act sexy, so Blaine tries to talk with him. Unfortunately, Kurt is into romance and believes that the touch of the fingertips is the sexiest thing ever. So Blaine convinces Burt to talk to Kurt about sex, leading to another great sequence between these two great actors. To think that Mike O'Malley used to be on Yes, Dear. Emma is still a virgin even after 4 months of marriage (that darn hose monster!!). So in rebuttal of Holly's sex education, she sings "Afternoon Delight" (just watch Arrested Development to get a full appreciation of the incorrect/incestuous usage of that song). Carl sets up an appointment where it is revealed that (gasp!) Emma is still in love with Will, leading to Carl divorcing Emma (bye John Stamos). This opens the door again for the Will-Emma relationship, but I'm liking Will and Holly as a potential couple. Then of course, the return of Finn and Quinn! I like them together, but I don't know how this is gonna work out. Best song will go to the Warblers for their rendition of "Animal", which was the best vocal performance of the night. The best line will go to Finn, over Brittany (who seems to be well educated in the workings of Woody Woodpecker): "Cucumbers can give you AIDS?". Sometimes I forget how naive Finn really is (hot tub baby FTW!). Beiste sighting: her laugh at the potential "That's what she said" joke made for perfect comedy. Also check out (oh you know what I mean) Will in "Do You Wanna Touch Me". Very funny.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Ranking the Remaing 11 Glee Clubbers from the Original New Directions
You already may know that I am a major Gleek. You also know that I am quite fond of the internet. Well the two worlds collide yet again. You may have heard of a site 11 Points and I am going to do the same thing today. So if you watch Glee, you would know that there are only 11 remaining members of the original New Directions, and although one of them is on a different team, they are still all on the show. So here is my ranking for the most entertaining of the remaining Glee members.
11. Tina Cohen-Chang
I love her character to death, and I like how they are incorporating some storylines around her. But she has no depth, and unlike other characters, she seems to have very little back story. It doesn't help that she rarely is the lead singer, and that she dumped a cripple for a hot Asian. Oh well. This is what you get when you mess with the warrior.
10. Quinn Fabray
She is no longer a Cheerio, but is that really a good thing for her? I was never a big fan of Quinn ever since she cheated on Finn, but I'm actually starting to hate her more. She was a big storyline when she had the baby, but she has so many flaws. She is only a decent singer, but she is a poor entertainer. She also cannot cry at all. But she has depth. She has character flaws that are easily understood, but in terms of entertainment, that is all she has over Tina.
9. Mike Chang
Don't get me wrong. I love Mike Chang. He is the most talented dancer on New Directions and whenever he talks, we know it's gotta be funny. But he is being used more as a gimmick than a real character. Even though he has been promoted to the starting line-up, he still acts like he really only background music. Until he dances. He attracts attention and actually improves songs by his ability to dance.
8. Santana Lopez
She is the evil queen and she can only get better. But right now, she only works when she is being evil or with Brittany. She is another person who started out as really only part of the background. Then she got a few songs in the second half of the first season and is really coming into her own. I don't think that she is that great of a singer, but she is strikingly gorgeous and gives the couple of male viewers of Glee something more to look forward to.
7. Brittany S. Pierce
Oh Brittany. She will sometimes deliver the funniest line, but she will rarely have much character. She epitomizes dumb blonde, even though all she is doing is really being a second version of Karen from Mean Girls. I'm not saying that she isn't entertaining because she is. She has unbelievable athleticism and is an incredible dancer. Her singing I could do without, but she has a decent voice, much like a lot of the people before her. I like her character, but I don't think they are using her as a character. Like "Other Asian" Mike Change, Brittany is turning into "Dumb Blonde", and I think that she could do better than that.
6. Artie Abrams
Artie is being completely underused by the Glee creators. He has a great singing voice, but they have apparently decided that he is only useful as a rapper, which is something he can't do. Give him his guitar back. Have another dream sequence where he is standing. The reason he is this high is because of these two talents. He can play a guitar unlike anyone in Glee (other than Puck of course), and he is a great dancer. It's a shame that Glee can't realize the unused potential in Artie.
5. Mercedes Jones
Mercedes is the third best diva in Glee, so she has to stop using that. She has no good storylines, other than the entire weight issue and the best friends with Kurt thing. So you may be wondering why she is so high up. Well she can sing, and she lets that be known. She had a stirring rendition of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" as well as Glee Hall of Fame song "Bust Your Windows". She has a powerful voice and whenever she sings, it is frightening.
4. Finn Hudson
Poor Finn. He went from star quarterback to glee club outcast to cheated boyfriend to sad gullible sap to good boyfriend to creepy stalker to good boyfriend again all in the first season. Finn doesn't have the best male vocals (that would go to Kurt), but he does have the second best storylines. First he had the pregnancy with Quinn until he realized that Quinn cheated on him. Then he had the will-they-won't-they between him and Rachel, which was slightly overdone. But the best part about Finn is that you don't worry as much about his voice because he commands the stage. He is an entertainer that can sing, as opposed to a singer that can entertain. Yeah, he has some swagger now, but his true talent isn't as the character of Finn, but as the entertainer of Finn.
3. Noah "Puck" Puckerman
He and Kurt are the two best male vocals on Glee when it comes to the students. Throw in the fact that he is handsome and built, you have the makings of a great character. Sure he played bad guy for most of the first season, but he is really starting to change. He is more of an enforcer or bodyguard. And then he played lovestruck so well when he was swept off his feet by Zizes. I don't like this storyline that much, but it is played so well by Puck that I can't help but smile a little when he finally gets the girl. Also, he can rock the guitar. So he has that going for him.
2. Rachel Berry
Hands down the best vocalist on Glee. She has unbelievable range and power in her voice. Unfortunately, she is a little too good as the ultra-competitive and talented diva that is Rachel. She abuses the ability to be as annoying as possible to the pain of the viewers. She was only an okay girlfriend to both Jesse and Finn. Also sometimes, she is put into awkward situations that are made even more awkward by her. I think that her ability to sing trumps all of that, but I would agree with people who think that she has to tone it down a couple of notches.
1. Kurt Hummel
One of the best actors on Glee. He has all of the great storylines. He can sing with emotion that makes the audience sympathize with him. He and his father have a great relationship to work with and that is what makes Kurt so entertaining. Kurt is one of the best parts about Glee and it is his ability to sing and the story behind him that makes it work.
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| Oh Matt Rutherford, we hardly knew thee. |
11. Tina Cohen-Chang
I love her character to death, and I like how they are incorporating some storylines around her. But she has no depth, and unlike other characters, she seems to have very little back story. It doesn't help that she rarely is the lead singer, and that she dumped a cripple for a hot Asian. Oh well. This is what you get when you mess with the warrior.
10. Quinn Fabray
She is no longer a Cheerio, but is that really a good thing for her? I was never a big fan of Quinn ever since she cheated on Finn, but I'm actually starting to hate her more. She was a big storyline when she had the baby, but she has so many flaws. She is only a decent singer, but she is a poor entertainer. She also cannot cry at all. But she has depth. She has character flaws that are easily understood, but in terms of entertainment, that is all she has over Tina.
9. Mike Chang
Don't get me wrong. I love Mike Chang. He is the most talented dancer on New Directions and whenever he talks, we know it's gotta be funny. But he is being used more as a gimmick than a real character. Even though he has been promoted to the starting line-up, he still acts like he really only background music. Until he dances. He attracts attention and actually improves songs by his ability to dance.
8. Santana Lopez
She is the evil queen and she can only get better. But right now, she only works when she is being evil or with Brittany. She is another person who started out as really only part of the background. Then she got a few songs in the second half of the first season and is really coming into her own. I don't think that she is that great of a singer, but she is strikingly gorgeous and gives the couple of male viewers of Glee something more to look forward to.
7. Brittany S. Pierce
Oh Brittany. She will sometimes deliver the funniest line, but she will rarely have much character. She epitomizes dumb blonde, even though all she is doing is really being a second version of Karen from Mean Girls. I'm not saying that she isn't entertaining because she is. She has unbelievable athleticism and is an incredible dancer. Her singing I could do without, but she has a decent voice, much like a lot of the people before her. I like her character, but I don't think they are using her as a character. Like "Other Asian" Mike Change, Brittany is turning into "Dumb Blonde", and I think that she could do better than that.
6. Artie Abrams
Artie is being completely underused by the Glee creators. He has a great singing voice, but they have apparently decided that he is only useful as a rapper, which is something he can't do. Give him his guitar back. Have another dream sequence where he is standing. The reason he is this high is because of these two talents. He can play a guitar unlike anyone in Glee (other than Puck of course), and he is a great dancer. It's a shame that Glee can't realize the unused potential in Artie.
5. Mercedes Jones
Mercedes is the third best diva in Glee, so she has to stop using that. She has no good storylines, other than the entire weight issue and the best friends with Kurt thing. So you may be wondering why she is so high up. Well she can sing, and she lets that be known. She had a stirring rendition of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" as well as Glee Hall of Fame song "Bust Your Windows". She has a powerful voice and whenever she sings, it is frightening.
4. Finn Hudson
Poor Finn. He went from star quarterback to glee club outcast to cheated boyfriend to sad gullible sap to good boyfriend to creepy stalker to good boyfriend again all in the first season. Finn doesn't have the best male vocals (that would go to Kurt), but he does have the second best storylines. First he had the pregnancy with Quinn until he realized that Quinn cheated on him. Then he had the will-they-won't-they between him and Rachel, which was slightly overdone. But the best part about Finn is that you don't worry as much about his voice because he commands the stage. He is an entertainer that can sing, as opposed to a singer that can entertain. Yeah, he has some swagger now, but his true talent isn't as the character of Finn, but as the entertainer of Finn.
3. Noah "Puck" Puckerman
He and Kurt are the two best male vocals on Glee when it comes to the students. Throw in the fact that he is handsome and built, you have the makings of a great character. Sure he played bad guy for most of the first season, but he is really starting to change. He is more of an enforcer or bodyguard. And then he played lovestruck so well when he was swept off his feet by Zizes. I don't like this storyline that much, but it is played so well by Puck that I can't help but smile a little when he finally gets the girl. Also, he can rock the guitar. So he has that going for him.
2. Rachel Berry
Hands down the best vocalist on Glee. She has unbelievable range and power in her voice. Unfortunately, she is a little too good as the ultra-competitive and talented diva that is Rachel. She abuses the ability to be as annoying as possible to the pain of the viewers. She was only an okay girlfriend to both Jesse and Finn. Also sometimes, she is put into awkward situations that are made even more awkward by her. I think that her ability to sing trumps all of that, but I would agree with people who think that she has to tone it down a couple of notches.
1. Kurt Hummel
One of the best actors on Glee. He has all of the great storylines. He can sing with emotion that makes the audience sympathize with him. He and his father have a great relationship to work with and that is what makes Kurt so entertaining. Kurt is one of the best parts about Glee and it is his ability to sing and the story behind him that makes it work.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Why Lloyd Dobler's Boom Box Is The Most Romantic Gesture Ever
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Joke(s)!
I'm feeling incredibly lazy today, so I am just going to tell you a joke. But first the story of the joke. Once again, I was in my Political Theory class. I thought of this joke and I told my friend. He said that it was pretty funny and that I should tell my teacher. Now I never have been told that I was a funny person, especially after saying a joke, so I told him that the joke was probably really stupid and I did not want to sound any stupider. He apparently thought otherwise, so after class, he told my teacher the joke. My teacher gave a nice big "HA!" and said that it was hilarious. My friend, who acted as a true bro, gave me the credit. So here is the joke...
What do you call an impatient Chinese communist?
A Now-ist!
What do you call an impatient Chinese communist?
A Now-ist!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Celebrating My Philippineness
As I continue to blog, I will reveal more and more about myself. But I don't know if I've ever talked about being Filipino. I don't think that the Philippines gets enough credit, partially because no one knows how to categorize the Philippines. Are they Asian or Pacific-Islander? I have literally taken a test where they had Asian, Pacific-Islander, and Filipino. Another is that no one knows how to spell Filipino. People spell it Filipino or Philipino and either pretty much works (but from my editing side, apparently Google spells it the former way, not the latter). There aren't that many famous Filipinos either, at least primarily Filipino. There are a lot of people who were born in the Philippines to non-Filipino parents (Tim Tebow is typically the first name to come to mind) and a lot of people who are a little bit Filipino (Jessica Alba is the most cited one, but she's a little bit of everything). There are famous Filipino people like boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao. A lot of great singers are Filipino, primarily Charice (or Sunshine on Glee). But being Filipino is a great thing. We are like one big large ethnically similar family. If you are Filipino and you see another one in any state outside of Hawaii or California, it is like a dream come true. Filipinos will always have your back, and we always put family first. Maybe we aren't as stereotypically smart as your "typical" Asian, but Filipinos are more beautiful, more talented at singing and dancing, and more social than the rest of Asia, stereotypically of course. Hey, I'm biased. I may be a little bit further removed from my heritage, but I gladly say that I am a Filipino-American. So I'm gonna throw out some Tagalog for you (pronounced Ta-ga-log, not Tag-a-log). Salamat sa pagbabasa!
P.S. Did you catch the joke in the title? I actually made that joke before in my Political Theory class. We were talking about nationalism and in turn each countries' "-ness" or history/heritage/pride. The funniest part was when my teacher did not catch the joke. So he gave a serious lecture about the pride of the Philippines, and by then the entire class was laughing. He caught on eventually, but it had to be one of the best moments of my high school career.
P.S. Did you catch the joke in the title? I actually made that joke before in my Political Theory class. We were talking about nationalism and in turn each countries' "-ness" or history/heritage/pride. The funniest part was when my teacher did not catch the joke. So he gave a serious lecture about the pride of the Philippines, and by then the entire class was laughing. He caught on eventually, but it had to be one of the best moments of my high school career.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Hide and Seek: (Yet) A(nother) Metaphor for Life
“Ready or not, here I come!” These six words signal the start of a new game of hide and seek. The players can be old or young; however, older players play differently than younger players. The age gap in the game of hide-and-seek translates to the age gap in the real world.
The younger seekers seem to have a different agenda compared to the older seekers. Younger seekers look everywhere to find their hiders, from the most obvious hiding place to the smallest crevice or corner in a room. Despite the stereotype that children are incredibly impatient, most young players will be thorough in an attempt to “win” this game. This concept does not hold true for older players. Older players are supposedly logical in their approach. They believe that in order to stay hidden the longest, the hiders will look for difficult and unusual hiding places. So these smallest crevices, where most people do not fit, and these obvious hiding places, which would most likely be avoided, are overlooked. They are logical, but not thorough. They do not take the time to look everywhere in order to find someone. This idea of thoroughness holds true in the real world. Children take their time when they do things. They may not be skilled at what they do, but they are thorough when they do this. Older people, especially teenagers, believe that everything is a completion grade. As long as it is finished, it is fine, even if it is not rechecked for errors. There is always a sense of urgency for older people, so they lose the thoroughness that they had as a child.
The hiding strategy of older and younger players also differs. Young players love the thrill of hiding. Whenever the seeker passes them, many inevitably let out a squeak of a laugh, which normally leads to their quick finding. When these youthful hiders are found, they may complain, but usually they are just ready to hide again. They do not care because they tricked the seeker. However, older players have a different goal: win. They are completely emotionless, even when the seeker passes them. But they outburst when they are found asking how could they have found them or that they somehow cheated. They are mad because they missed their goal and lost. This is true in life. Kids love the thrill of life, even if they fail. Kids will always be optimistic because they are always entertained by everything. Adults and teens react to failure by many ways. Some implode emotionally, while others become completely enraged at themselves and others around them.
The effects of time on people are shown very well in hide-and-seek, and these effects are eventually translated into life. Children are more happy-go-lucky than adults, who have a violent impulse at times. Children have no sense of time, while adults need to have everything done quickly. Sometimes, kids do know better than adults and even teenagers. Sometimes it is important to let out our inner child even if it is just during a game of hide-and-seek.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Nerds of the '90s...TODAY
I'm feeling a little bit nostalgic today. I watch television today, and I realize that I miss quality television programming like The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Family Matters, and Saved By The Bell during prime time. But these shows are special for many reasons. One is that they are in syndication and because of that, I have probably seen almost every single episode of each of these shows (thank you TBS!). The other is that they feature very prominent and famous nerds from the 1990s. They are Carlton Banks, Screech Powers, and Steve Urkel (as opposed to his alter ego, Stefan Urquelle). Now, all of them were the same in the 1990s. They were awkward, socially inept, and pure hilarity. Unfortunately, time did not treat them all well. There were different paths for each nerd.
There is the path of Screech Powers or Dustin Diamond. He used to be the sweet, awkward nerd chasing after Lisa Turtle in Bayside. He was Zack Morris' best friend and the valedictorian, over his equally smart and hard working friend Jessie Spano. He was the perfect foil to Zack Morris' pure confidence and AC Slater's brawn. Yes, his portrayal of the typical high school nerd was very stereotypical and fell back on lame bug references and generally creepy tendencies. But in all of that creepiness was an endearing, but nerdy, character that America knew and loved.
Unfortunately, time did not do well for Screech. He took the route of most child stars and became a raving lunatic. I kid, of course, but his descent for stardom is pretty much the usual when dealing with child stars. He never became famous after his turn as Screech Powers, so he did what any regular washed-up star would do and joined as many reality television shows he could. But he made enemies nearly everywhere he went, especially on Celebrity Fit Club. He had a sex tape, wrote a tell-all autobiography which talked about all of the goings-on in the SBTB background, and pretty much became a total jerk. He shed his nerdiness for the worse. Instead of being considered a nerd, he is now considered a tool.
The next nerd is Steve Urkel. He was the sweetest, but undoubtedly most awkward, nerd of them all. He had the suspenders, the giant glasses, and the clumsiness. He even had his own catchline ("Did I do that?). But, like Screech, he was in love with a woman way out of his league named Laura. Steve had more gadgets and inventions than Screech, including a working nuclear reactor and a cloning machine. He also had a suave clone named Stefan Urquelle. The show went a little crazy near the end, but Steve was always a major draw. He was funny, clumsy, and of course endearing. He is one of the better nerds on television.
Well, Steve Urkel matured. A lot. Jaleel White, who played Steve Urkel, is one guy you would not want to mess with. Steve Urkel would back away from a fight, but Jaleel White looks like he would start one. It was pretty clear that Steve Urkel would grow out of his nerdy shell and become a smooth talking player (just look at that portrayal of Stefan Urquelle. Give Jaleel White his Emmy now!). He also was arrested for assault so he actually will fight you. If you look at the picture, you will realize that that man is not someone to be messed with. Instead of being considered a nerd, he is now a pimp.
Then we come to Carlton Banks. He was spoiled and elitist. He was snobbish. He had a shrewd business sense. He was bound for Princeton. He had some great moves and he could sing. Carlton Banks was a great character on a great television show. But he was a nerd. He followed all of the rules, over-studied everything, and had very little luck with the ladies (for the most part). But he was a nice guy on many levels and was a great part of the Banks family.
Now, he really isn't that much different. I mean, he isn't a nerd or elitist, but he hasn't drastically changed his appearance or demeanor. He will always be known as Carlton Banks, and though the other two entries will also be known for their nerdiest role, Alfonso Ribeiro, who played Carlton Banks, has not done much to alter his nerdiness. I think that that is why Carlton Banks has aged the best of all three showcased nerds. He allowed nature to do its work. He never really shed his nerdy shell.
So there are the three 90s nerds. But I think that you, as viewers, deserve something more. I mean, it's not unusual for a blogger to be kind to his readers. So here it is. I present to you, Carlton Banks.
There is the path of Screech Powers or Dustin Diamond. He used to be the sweet, awkward nerd chasing after Lisa Turtle in Bayside. He was Zack Morris' best friend and the valedictorian, over his equally smart and hard working friend Jessie Spano. He was the perfect foil to Zack Morris' pure confidence and AC Slater's brawn. Yes, his portrayal of the typical high school nerd was very stereotypical and fell back on lame bug references and generally creepy tendencies. But in all of that creepiness was an endearing, but nerdy, character that America knew and loved.
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| Pictured: Screech Powers, NOT Novak Djokovic |
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| Pictured: Dustin Diamond, NOT Doug from The Hangover |
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| Steve Urkel, suspenders and all |
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| Jaleel White, pimpin' outfit and all |
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| Carlton Banks circa 1990s |
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| Carlton Banks circa 2000s |
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