One Two

One of the more obvious video selections in the short history of The Cold Draft.

How hilarious was this dance from Shaq? For the duration of his routine I kept thinking "This should be winding down soon." And then it kept going. In all of its 350-pound shockingly-rhythmic glory.

A sexy dance from Nate Robinson:



Nate's pre-game warm-up:



Next season they should have a dance-off on All-Star Saturday night. Lebron can break some nice moves, Dwight Howard and Shaq are obvious choices, and you'd even get an awkward white guy like David Lee or Dirk Nowitzki to attempt 'The Worm'. Can't miss television. All-Star Saturday night needs a circus-like competition of ridiculous consequence. Somewhat like the Barkley/Bavetta race from a couple years back. That race had nothing to do with basketball skill and neither does a dance competition. If you're gonna purposely ham it up with telephone booths, costumes, and fake posturing, you might as well give us some sanctioned dancing.

The Meadowlands

Let's take a quick step into the Martlet columns.

Here is the first, in which I attempt to make the argument that Bosh will leave in two years. Does the Marion trade change that? Meh, not really. Marion's contract is expiring, he's aged significantly over the past two seasons, and he doesn't make them a playoff-bound NBA squad. Some problems get patched up, others pop up. This is one of those cases. The Raps get much better at SF and get to attempt a Suns-like game approach. However, they lose a post player and bring in a character with questionable locker room attributes.

This other column is from a couple weeks back. The thrust of the article is that the fans are terrible at voting for the All-Star Game. I mean, Iverson and Stoudemire are certainly not the best at their respective positions in their respective conferences. And Bruce Bowen and Yi Jianlian were nearly voted in. AI and STAT are one thing, but the Chairmen represents a level of futility unacceptable for the game. After a couple weeks of separation from the article's release I feel strange about the argument. You can't take voting away from the fans. Stern depends on the Game/Fan relationship too much for the coaches to take those starting votes away. Yet the Bowen thing, especially, registers a furrowed eyebrow.

(Jianlian, on the other hand, doesn't surprise when you've got a nation 1.4 billion strong supporting you. In a sense, it's almost pathetic he couldn't get the votes. Shouldn't Yao-Jianlian be finishing one-two?)

Did Rudy Embarrass all of us White People?

I really don't think so. He finished one point behind JR Smith for last place. Yet both of his dunks were decent. Nothing great, however. The second, disregarding the first eight attempts in which Pau tried some cheeky passes, looks like a dunk that semi-updates the Iguodala/Howard dunk (this time a reverse) and packs a good amount of flair and style. The first was lesser Rex Chapman, a fact pointed out by Kenny 'The Jet' Smith.

Which Brings Me to this Video:



Aside from Nate's dunks - and Nate being a deserved Slam Dunk Champion - listen to Smith and Reggie Miller disagree with each other continually. Did the producers of the show say "Hey Reggie, spice things up a little and say the opposite of everything Smith says?" Or was there a bizarre competition between them as to who the Great Basketball Analyst was? Initially my thoughts were leaning towards the latter. Throughout the telecast, if they weren't arguing with each other over "tactics" for the games, they were calling each other out for failed predictions or whatever else they could dig up.

Now I realize that Miller must've felt a little pressure for taking the Chuckster's place at the head table. Maybe pressure is the wrong word. Miller was a crunch-time player, so a broadcasting situation shouldn't faze him. But filling the role that Barkley brings - ie. hilarity and insight in equal doses - comes down to personality and intelligence, neither of which Miller can fake.

Thunder Dan

Reggie miller couldn't analyze his way out of a wet paper bag. Charles Barkley is sorely missed from this telecast. An example:

-Referring to Kevin Durant as Kevin Garnett, as in "Kevin Garnett was fantastic in the Rookie/Sophomore game last name." When Kevin Harlin is calling you out on basic NBA facts, this is not good for your broadcasting career.

Miller's oratory is on the opposite end of the spectrum as Barack Obama.

Good lord, they're promo-ing a Britney Spears song for the All-Star Events! C'mon TNT, just buy the rights to some songs from A Tribe Called Quest, Mos Def, De La Soul, etc. It would fit much better with 90s pseudo-indie conscious rap seeing as basketball fans are often into this type of music. Plus it's catchy and not something on the playlist of a 12-year-old girl.

Lisa Leslie has a terrible shot. There's this awkward hitch in the middle of the release.

"They gotta make it in." Wise words from Miller. As instructions for what you need to do to win this bizarre competition where an NBA player is teamed with a WNBA player and a former NBA star and they take a variety of shots. Whoever is in charge of All-Star weekend, and it's probably Stern, really thinks this lame shooting competition is fantastic. I guess it's the only time an NBA player sees a WNBA player during the calendar year.

Michael Cooper and Bill Laimbeer have both hit half-court shots. That's the reason why this competition doesn't involve skill. Laimbeer has the body of an elderly poker player.

Barbosa has no mid-range game.

It's so forced when the NBA player, retired guy, and WNBA player fake cheer with one another after they make the hall-courter. As if they're old buddies from the schoolyard. Except David Robinson's still nearly two feet taller than whoever the WNBA player is. Tim Duncan could be baked right now (highly unlikely) and it wouldn't matter what happens in the competition.

Rip Hamilton is by far the worst player endorsed by Jordan Brand. This difference between him, at this point, and Joe Johnson , is a wide chasm of talent. But hey, it's gotta be nice for his ego.

Gotta love the ball boy who nearly jumped in the way of bounce pass from Mo Williams. That was the difference between Williams going ahead of Harris for the final round.

The end of the NBA Cares spiel was almost cut-off by Kevin Harlin lauching into a "The Three-Point competition continues after this commercial break!"

Reggie Miller's "Homer" Count: 5.

Chris Tucker has apparently gained 100 pounds.

Adonal Foyle was given a seat behind Kapono in the stands. Ah, the perks of being Adonal Foyle.

A message to Dwayne Wade: You don't need to rock the Nelly-style band-aid under your eye. Plus the band-aid matches your sweater. Who the hell is your stylist? My guess is a girlfriend. Nobody else could possibly convince him (well, probably an agent).

Dwayne Wade and Lebron James might have a competition between them to see who can wear the weirdest clothing.

Dwight Howard is quite a bizarre guy.

I hope Rudy doesn't embarrass all the white people in the building.

Howard's theatrics are way too planned-out, however spectacular the dunk is. Having Stern on the phone, getting into the phone booth - this is all too prop comedy for me.

Nate is about six inches shorter than Cheryl Miller. Miller is 6-foot-2 , thus making Robinson 5-foot-8.

State Trooper

Must say that I vehemently disagree with Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon's lauding of Kobe's 61 points at MSG as some kind of "statement" game now that Bynum, like last season, is on the fritz.

I agree with the fact that his performance was monumental and ranks with MSG's finest. But if I were the San Antonio Spurs - or any other Western squad looking to compete with a more vulnerable Lakers franchise - this is exactly what I want.

How were Kobe's other numbers? 3 assists and 0 rebounds. Hardly inspiring.

Kobe gets the benefit of the doubt since Odom and Gasol each pulled down 14 rebounds. But somebody else last night (and someone who wasn't in the Garden) pulled down one greater. It was Tim Duncan, who put up an impressive 32 points and 15 rebounds in a win over Golden State.

Maybe the Lakers simply didn't need Kobe's rebounding services. But I can tell you one thing - Odom and Gasol aren't pulling down that many against Duncan and Kurt Thomas.

And another thing: Kobe won't be getting 20 free throws against the San Antonio Spurs. He'll be lucky to exceed 12 on any night of a seven-game series. (Another note is that the Lakers were playing the New York Knicks who, while improved, are still one year removed from the Isiah Thomas-era.)

This is exactly the type of one-man basketball other teams want the Lakers to play. Remember the Lakers pre-Bynum-and-Gasol? Kobe had enough skill to will them into the playoffs, but when the Phoenix Suns had the Lakers for a best-of-seven series, they were able to expose how thin those teams were.

I'm not saying the Lakers are nearly as thin as those squads from a few years back, but a one-man Lakers attack can't possibly be seen as a good approach from a highly-talented team most successful when players aside from Kobe can alleviate his pressure by assuming a more integral role in production.

Head Spins (Extended Version)

When I just went on YouTube, the box which recommends you videos - presumably based on what you continually search for and watch - featured a video of Charles Oakley elbowing John Paxson in the head and a sports broadcast feature on Kelenna Azubuike. This new YouTube feature can predict or even reinforce your fascinations. I mean, c'mon, do you really need to entice me with a five minute video of Kelenna Azubuike? I like the guy, he's a great player, but that's five minutes you'll never get back.

Oh wait, you have video of MJ making an appearance on that Wayans Bros. family comedy "My Wife and Kids?" Okay:



The thing about Jordan in this video is that deep down you can tell he's trying. And that he's trying to embarrass that Wayans guy, whose name might be Damon. Which brings me to some stuff Chuck Klosterman and Bill Simmons were talking about: Jordan's homicidal tendencies. In a new bit of information, for me, Simmons reveals that Jordan - after having murdered Clyde Drexler in the 92 Finals - continued to school Drexler well into the Dream Team practices of the Barcelona Olympics, until someone told Jordan to stop.

Of course I can't verify the facts of this story - Simmons threw it out there as such - but it's still compelling and totally Jordan-esque in its level of lunacy. There couldn't be another basketball player as little understood as Jordan. I revere the guy's success, work ethic, and competitiveness, but he was certifiably nuts, with a dark side the public either never saw or simply ignored. Kobe got the raw end of the stick in public judgment.

Well, the reason for posting is this video of Dell Curry, one of the great Raptor bench players:



A video like this makes you pine for the Carter-era Raptors.

One last thing: the latest article in the Martlet, a review of the first half of the season, including awards for Best Team, Most Disappointing Player, and more.

Will Vince Carter Make the Hall of Fame?

The title gets a 2nd place award - behind some post I made about liking Ricky Davis - for the most direct title of this blog's short history.

So with that in mind, does Carter make the Hall of Fame after he unlaces his sneakers for the final time? In a pragmatic way I'll try to break down his chances, with a number of categories: Statistics, Best String of Years, Signature Team, Team Accomplishments, All-Star teams, and Other Appeal. If that's not an airtight way of assessing his chances, I don't know what is.

In lieu of the fact that the categories are self-explanatory - a couple minutes earlier I actually thought they needed explanation - I'll begin by stating that Toronto Raptors fans, myself included, have this morbid fascination with anything Carter-related. It's pathetic. When Vince does something awful or spectacular during the game, a flood of interest and emotion flare up in Toronto and across Canada. Vince Carter could walk out on a bill in a New Jersey steakhouse and I'd be fascinated.

Statistics. They've reacted well this season with the addition of Devin Harris, but after this season he'll fall off and keep up appearances for a reasonable amount of time before suffering a life threatening injury, let's say, four or five years from now.
If we evaluate his early career, there are four, maybe five solid years of basketball when Carter averaged mid-to-high 20s in ppg, over 5 boards per game, and even three seasons over 40% from the 3-point line.
Yet his stats don't really wow you. Whenever a player makes the Hall, two stats appear over-and-over on the sports broadcast byline: Stats and All-Star game appearances. Carter's statistics don't fare too well when you compare him to two other guys from the very early post-Jordan NBA: Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson. For Carter's stats to shine during his reign of a very hungover, misaligned NBA, he needed to be better than these guys, and McGrady is very borderline as a HOF candidate.
He needed a couple seasons where he cracked 30 ppg.

Best String of Years. Definitely the three seasons with the Raptors, his second and fourth, from 1999 to 2002. After that his career slid big time. The injuries piled up, Raptor nation turned on him, he turned on Toronto, and when he was healthy he wasn't the same explosive guy. Still a good player, but not the same.
After this he had a one-off shorter year with the Nets when he cracked 27 ppg for the first time.
In short, not a great string of years for Vince.

Signature Team. This one is a killer for Carter. Most great players are identified with one franchise and synonymous with that city's sports history. Do you envision Carter as a Raptor? Well, not really. He turned on his team when times got tough and revealed his true character. What about as a New Jersey Net? Um, not much better. They made the post-season with Carter on numerous occasions - even advanced beyond the first round - but the fact remains that New Jersey has been a terrible place for basketball for so long. And it looks like they could be leaving. New Jersey has a very underwhelming history that looks to get worse.

Team Accomplishments. This will be brief: Carter never was a number-one player and option. He could've been a great second banana - this banana term is really catching on, I hope - but inexplicably another good player wasn't put ahead of him in the team's pecking order, probably because Richard Jefferson and Jason Kidd weren't quite good enough to fill the role. Carter had the responsibility of heading-up that threesome and it squandered his best opportunity to win big at the playoff level.

All-Stars. The other stat in the byline. This could help Carter. Eight All-Star selections, many of them voted in as a starter. Ten's a nice round number but I don't think he gets it.

Other Appeal. Another category that helps Carter a ton in the HOF debate. His dunking ability was a little bit of a precursor - during those opening stages to the post-Jordan culture - to the hyperathleticism we see from Josh Smith, Dwight Howard, and Amare Stoudamire. He might even go down as the top dunker of all time.

Final Verdict. Unless Carter has a late career renaissance as the second-option behind Lebron James in Cleveland en route to five championships, he isn't getting in. And I think Carter's the type of person who - when he fails to get in - will probably sulk about it for a while and believe that he's worthy. But it doesn't look like he is, according to my pragmatic and heavily flawed system of evaluation.

Rolling Thunder

Around the half-way point of the regular season I think it's safe to assume that the Raptors have faltered, will not meet their pre-season expectations, and look poised for a trip to the Draft Lottery (as luck would have it, this draft is considerably weaker than most from the past half-decade).

On MLK Day, versus the Atlanta Hawks, it became readily apparent that Jamario Moon did not have the mental fortitude to prevent a matinee loss in - let's try out the hip lingo - Hotlanta. Not only did the watching public notice this, but so did Chris Bosh, who vented on Moon in a public forum (via the Toronto Star). Here's an excerpt:

"Watch the film. He gives him a straight line to the basket," said Bosh. "Joe Johnson. All-star. Whatever you want to call him, one of the best players or two-guards in the league and you give him a straight line? You can't.

What Bosh neglected to mention were the ensuing two plays, each nearly as deplorable as letting Joe Johnson - who I believe is terribly underrated as a superstar player - get a clear line to the bucket.

The next biggie came with the Hawks down one with time winding down. Mike Bibby threw a pump-fake, which Moon naturally jumped on, clearly forgetting he had upwards of 8 inches of height on Bibby and greater arm length. Bibby's veteran move ended up drawing the foul. He then knocked down both subsequent free throws to give the Hawks a one point edge.

All of which pales in comparison to the next immediate play.

Down one Moon received a pass outside the three-point arc, and in an attempt to win back Bosh's love and admiration, heaved an ill-advised shot, which obviously didn't go in, because let's face it - Moon got popular last season for dunking, not his three-point skills.

The fact remains that Moon received this pass with tons of time remaining in the shot clock, enough to feed Bosh in the post or run a play for Bargnani - the two players who should've been taking a crunch time jumper.

Jamario Moon needs to be thrown under the bus. But is Bosh venting in a very public forum a good manner of discourse?

Radar Maker

Nash is the only one who didn't wax his chest. Idiot.

To start I have a couple columns from the Martlet I'd like to share. The first contends that the Raptors need to shore up a couple problems - and at the time this was written, coaching and Andrea Bargnani were the top candidates - to secure Bosh's trust for the longterm. Because if they don't, the franchise puts themselves in a hole for at least a few years. And given a marginal draft history - their best drafting was probably done by Isiah Thomas - Bosh's faith in the franchise's direction must be the number one priority over the next 18 months.

With a couple weeks of retrospection I maintain that the Raps could improve at the head coach position. That said, give Jay Triano the rest of the season to prove his merit. If the Raps finish well below .500, then I think you look elsewhere.

Andrea Bargnani, on the other hand, is safe. Since he took the starting centre position from an injured Jermaine O'Neal he's flourished in the new system. Bargnani has been borderline infuriating at times in his short career, but in the past two or three weeks we've seen more than enough evidence that he belongs on this team and factors heavily in their future.

(Note: I'm watching the MLK Day action, which is fantastic for someone such as myself who works nights and thus watches far less action than I wish to. The matinee MLK match-ups might be one of the unheralded aspects to the NBA. And then Dirk Nowitzki - who looks a little Aryan - nails a buzzer-beater against the 76ers. Oh, and Mike Bibby just missed an open lay-up against the Raps. And I'm not talking about a straight-on, clanked-against-the-back-rim missed lay-up. Bibby has an angle on the rim and went SHORT on the bank.)

This is the second, and current, column in the Martlet. Which is really a more comedic piece about the five biggest career collapses among current players. I really wanted to include Tracy McGrady in this piece, but seeing as the Chinese voters might put him in the starting line-up in Phoenix, with no regard for his actual on-court play, I didn't think I could swing it. Certainly one of the better columns in a while.

So how about these JO for Shawn Marion rumours?

There's no doubt the Raptors play infinitely better when JO is out of the line-up. Bargnani has filled the centre role with ease and helps their squad play at a quicker pace. JO keeps them stagnant on offence and has increasing difficulty finding points. In short: they don't need Jermaine O'Neal on their team.

Obviously his large contract holds some trade value around the league. It expires by 2010 - in other words it passes the first question other teams might ask about your trade bait.

But does Marion fit with the Raps? From a basketball standpoint, yes. From a personality standpoint, no.

Marion could immediately step into the small forward position that has caused the Raps such difficulty this season. Does this stagnate the development of Joey Graham? Sure does, but he's had three years to prove his merit, and despite improvements to his game, he's not their answer at small forward.

Marion would give them a spark of athleticism and defence at the perimeter (which is more than some Raps SFs can offer). If the Raps really want to implement a high-tempo offense, Marion is a great option for the receiving end of some Calderon alley-oops.

The biggest downsides in a potential trade are character issues with Marion and his considerable decrease in efficiency. Throughout his tenure with the Phoenix Suns, Marion had problems with accolades being showered upon Amare Stoudamire and Steve Nash, who, unbeknownst to Marion, took his play to a much higher level with his arrival. If Marion came to Toronto, he'd be far from the top alpha dog. This is Bosh's team. It's even Jose and Andrea's team before it's Marion's.

Plus Marion's stats have plummetted since his Phoenix departure. His rebounding statistics remain passable at 9 per game, but his scoring is 10 points fewer than his best Phoenix seasons. Marion is no longer a young man, though still pretty spry. You can't say that he isn't surrounded by good players. Mario Chalmers isn't a slouch at point guard, regardless of being a rookie. Dwayne Wade, despite his scoring prowess, can pass the ball. And yet Marion isn't scoring.

Could Jose inject some moxy into Marion's career? If Colangelo pulls the trigger, with the assistance of Pat Riley, we'll find out.

At least Marion has an expiring contract. That's all anyone cares about.

Brothersport

Vince Carter, in the eyes of some, has pieced together an overachieving season (with his 32nd birthday falling at the end of January) to help bolter New Jersey - a team I unequivocally thought would be terrible. And for some bizarre and deep-rooted reason I still become fascinated with anything Carter-related. Which is why I think this video of his ejection indicates that his 23 points-per-game is an early season fluke and an indicator of the frustration he might be feeling as his career enters the slippery slope of aging.

The most obvious reason for Carter's increased output can be attributed to Devin Harris's emergence as a top-tier NBA point guard. One thing we've quickly determined from Harris is that he's not your prototypical PG, at least in the role of being a pass-first facilitator. His assist numbers are pretty average for a player with the ball constantly in his possession. But he takes the heat off Carter. No longer does a team shut Carter down and trample over the Nets. If Carter is the number one option in an offence and the top priority of opposing defences, the attention directed his way will usually cripple him.

(I hate to slam Carter like that because (a) he was the first superstar for the Toronto Raptors and helped Toronto get taken seriously for basketball on an international scale, (b) in his prime with T.O. he was an electrifying and streaky offensive talent, and (c) the sheer volume of Carter highlight footage. But he's still the unlikeable guy with questionable desire and a tendency to quit on his team.)

Carter has enjoyed some success as a number-one option in New Jersey. Frequently he torches his former club, often at the Air Canada Centre. But can you remember any big game situations - we're talking playoff ball here - where Carter could not be stopped and willed his team to victory? He had some decent Raptor moments, but they were still a ragtag bunch who repeatedly were knocked out in first- and second-rounds.

Now with Harris torching Eastern Conference point guards on a nightly basis, the opposing team is more focused on keeping Harris out of the paint. Which, if you were the competition, would you prefer to happen: Harris driving to the tin and shooting mid-range jumpers or Carter settling to shoot outside threes?

You can't deny that Carter has taken opportunity of his new situation. He might be the most athletic and offensively accomplished (secretly) second banana players we've seen in some time.

But Carter is soon 32. He's always one injury away from missing significant time. He lacks the speed and athleticism from earlier in his career. (This, especially, was evident during last year's season when Carter, on the rare occasion, made a drive to the basket. Only now he can't blow by defenders for high-percentage field goals and settles for obscure maneuvers to get off his shot.) Things can't get much better for Carter than 23 ppg. Down is the only place he can go.

Which brings me back to this video. Now we don't get very much out of the videos outside of Carter barking to the referee a little, him getting T'd up, and then being escorted from the floor. But from published reports Carter was escorted from the floor by a Nets security member after initially refusing to leave.

Could Carter be reaching basketball senility? That time in an experienced players career when they lose it on the floor? Just to clarify what 'losing' it means, this is when a player gets angry and (a) has a spirited verbal exchange with a fan he wants to bludgeon, (b) fights an opposing player, (c) fights his own teammates, or (d) gets tossed from a New Year's Eve game in the second quarter for no apparent reason and needs Lawrence Frank to hold him back from a referee.

This doesn't spell good things for Carter. And why wouldn't his career - albeit successful for the moment - be headed for tough times? The New Jersey Nets could be moving to Brooklyn within a couple years. The future Brooklyn Nets should be a player in the Lebron sweepstakes, thus no room for Carter in his athletic senescence. Plus New Jersey isn't exactly a basketball state willing to get behind its athletes and inspire its players. When I watch a game being played in NJ the atmosphere resembles a sparsely attended Junior Varsity game. It's like the Nets play opponents in a local YMCA. There's very little in the way of cheering and excitement. You'd almost forgive Carter for maybe not giving it 100% every night.

Then he makes a wincing face of pain after landing on a defender's ankle and your forgiveness fades.

Sleeper

My brother just said: "I hate Steve Nash." Not a good way to start the holidays in my family.

Today I'll be running a live blog on the upcoming Lakers/Celtics match. Currently Phoenix trails by one and Tim Duncan - during the past two minutes - has objected to 41 questionable calls.

Tony Parker just received a technical foul with a minute left to play. Duncan looks like he wants to murder the next ref who crosses him.

My brother: "You know what looks bad, white people with cornrows." Agreed, Charlie. Agreed.

Mike Tirico's hairline has regressed quicker than the lawn at Wimbledon's Centre Court by the second week of play.

The Suns run a beautiful play to Grant Hill for the go-ahead bucket. I thought Stoudamire was going to blow it, as he has down the stretch this game. I was even yelling at the television.

Roger Mason nails a three-pointer to win the game after Richardson comes in to defend to Parker drive. Please check the archives, where I've hyped up the Spurs acquisition of Mason in the early season. (It's Christmas, let me take the opportunity to talk myself up a little.)

Spurs 91 Suns 90

The NBA really favours those low-angle shots of players. Yeah ABC, these NBA players don't really look tall enough. More low-angle shots to spike the inferiority complexes of NBA fans.

ABC clearly put their top broadcasting crew on this game. No disrespect to Hubie Brown or anything.

Really hope we see those phony Christmas sound bites of Kobe wishing Merry Christmas to his competitors. As if he cares whether Kendrick Perkins had a nice day. Two quick fouls on Rondo.

Rondo has burned Kobe twice for open lay-ups. Then he throws a wicked baseline behind-the-back bounce pass to Perkins.

I like the Lakers feeding Kobe in the post with Ray Allen guarding him. Allen's quickness has regressed quicker than Ben Wallace's popularity.

Hey look, it's the Pandering Populist Trio sitting courtside: Mark Wahlberg, Adam Sandler, and Kevin James.

Luke Walton nails a corner three to tie the game. I had a mini-stroke during that one.

ABC just showed a Los Angeles cityscape, flanked by a mountain range behind the skyscrapers. Since when did LA have scenic beauty? That video looked like a tropical climate Vancouver.

Man, NBA players have a lot of charity responsibilities. I can't remember the last time I heard about NHL players handing out turkeys.

End of First Quarter: Boston 24 LA 23

Kevin James and his hair piece have a new movie coming out. Yawn.

The Machine vs. Eddie House. A three-point shooting orgy.

Kobe Bryant has it going early. I really think they need to establish a second offensive option quickly.

Jeff Van Gundy is a phenomenal basketball commentator. Strangely I agree with everything he says.

Derek Fisher going to the line as the Lakers open up their biggest lead of the game, 32 - 26. The Machine drives the lead to 9 points. The Celtics have gone stone cold on offence. (Note the spelling of offence, which indicates how Canadian I am.)

Kevin Garnett goes back-door for the alley-oop from Rondo. This is followed by a back-door lay-up by Rondo from Garnett. Beautiful passing.

The lead in the Notorious B.I.G. biopic might be Glen 'Big Baby' Davis.

Van Gundy: "Garnett just took a cheap shot at Vujacic running down the floor."

Garnett has started to establish himself in the second quarter, perfect from the field.

At the Half: LA 51 - Boston 45

Pierce is getting hot. That's one of the more dangerous things that can happen in an NBA game.

Andrew Bynum's D looks pretty suspect.

The Chris Paul anti-perspirant ad is terrible. Don Draper never would've let that one reach the air.

Elton John's "Benny and the Jets" melody might be the most classic in-game instrumental. Beats the Ying Yang Twins "Whisper Song" any day.

Tie game after a Ray Allen lay-up.

Pierce gives the Celtics their first lead since early in the 2nd quarter.

Play has been a little chippy at times for the past couple quarters. Lamar Odom hits a three-pointer to put the Lakers up 4. Back-to-back threes by Odom. Robert Towne - easily the coolest guy in the arena, even when Jack is there - must be pleased. May Chinatown forever live on in screenwriting workshops.

End of the Third Quarter: LA 71 Boston 67

Get ready for an intense finish. Andrew Bynum finally clocks in with a block. Unfortunately, this comes against Tony Allen, perhaps the worst player in this game thus far.

Tony Allen has two consecutive baskets. Maybe we'll undo that last comment. We'll pass off the worst player monker to, hmm, Eddie House.

Coming soon to a television broadcast near you: ABC's Homeland Security U.S.A., the biggest piece of 2009 propaganda. Watch old white guys bust Mexicans at the El Paso border.

Damn it. Eddie House just gave the Celtics the lead with a three-pointer. Worst player on the floor? Toss-up between Kevin James and Penny Marshall.

Trevor Ariza might have an angel tattooed on his neck. Very festive Trevor.

With five minutes left, the Lakers have a two-point lead.

Garnett converts the alley-oop for a Celtics lead.

Gasol hits the floater to give the Lakers a four-point lead with two minutes remaining.

Pau converts a three-point play to put the Lakers up five.

Ariza makes a ballsy reverse dunk. I would've gone for the Karl Malone special.

God bless the Celtics for not drawing out the end of the game with unnecessary fouls.

End of Game: LA 92 - Boston 83

Walk It Off

Tomorrow I hope to live blog the Lakers/Celtics Christmas Day match because: (a) this is the best holiday game we've seen from a pure basketball standpoint; (b) my undergraduate degree has been completed and affords me an inordinate amount of time to dedicate to basketball; and (c) I have nothing better to do on Jesus' birthday.

(As a little sidenote I'm staying with parents and our basement is outfitted with a large flat-screen television, a serious upgrade from the used television I bought in September and the crumby streaming video I watch online. Plus we get ABC in High-Definition. I might have to move back in with my parents.)

I can't think of a more hyped regular season game - one in which the two teams have a combined record of 50 wins and 7 losses - than tomorrow's Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers tilt. Right now head honcho David Stern must be licking his chops in anticipation. The only thing which could wipe the miniscule smile from Stern's face is a potential Garnett/Vujacic fourth-quarter throwdown in which Garnett yanks the Slovenian machine by his dark locks.

Coming into this game you can't deny that the Celtics remain the favourite to beat the Lakers. They have the better record, a mental edge from last season's win, and improved play from their role players. But I'm going to make a case for the Lakers as the better team. (Make note that I cringe at this thought, but as somewhat of a closeted Lakers fan - and someone who has a growing disdain for Garnett's posturing - I'll play the role of Devil's Advocate.)

Deeper Bench. The Lakers have gotten considerably deeper with the improved health of Andrew Bynum and Trevor Ariza, the latter of whom provides a nice pop of offense at 9 points per contest and a shade under 2 steals. With Bynum you get the low-post presence sorely missed when the Lakers got manhandled in the Finals.

When Farmar gets healthy - and he'll be missed tomorrow against a surging Rajon Rondo - the Lakers can throw both a veteran point guard and young guy with enough quickness and energy at Rondo. It's quite easy to make the case that Rondo's the best guard on either teams. But I think Farmar - who possesses truer point guard instincts and a far better jumper than Rondo - has the mental fortitude to play on Rondo's level and exceed it. Plus who backs up Rondo? Eddie House? His ballhandling abilities are more suspect Michael Jordan's managerial decision-making.

When you look at the Celtics roster, the only players who have made a leap in their play are Rondo and Kendrick Perkins - both starters propelled to the level of fellow starters Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. But guys like Leon Powe and Glen Davis haven't made any big leap. Who is the Celtics best bench player? Tony Allen? I can't find a star player on that bench, just a couple guys who sometimes have a break-out game.

The Lakers, on the other hand, can throw out Lamar Odom as a sixth-man when most teams in the NBA would use him as their de facto second-option. (I really hesitate to call Odom a big factor for the Lakers after his levels of Romo-esque choke jobs, but I do like him taking on a lesser role in their game plan. Mentally Odom is missing something - as opposed to, say, Garnett or Kobe - thus less pressure to perform will probably help him.) Mid-way or far down the bench you'll find two three-point specialists in Vladimir Radmanovic and Sasha Vujacic, both of whom would see significantly more burn on a team with Boston's depth. Throw in Ariza and, hopefully, a healthy Farmar and you've got a ridiculous amount of bench versatility.

Age. Yes, Rondo and Perkins have improved their play and clock in at youthful ages, but the undisputed top three players - Allen (33), Garnett (32), and Pierce (31) - carry major mileage (this is Garnett's 14th season) and probably face upwards of 100 games this season. This all becomes problematic when you factor in a weak bench which requires Allen - the most ravaged veteran from an injury perspective - to play upwards of 37 minutes per night. If Allen goes down you end up losing 19 points per and I hardly see Tony Allen filling that role with any success.

As for the Lakers, most of their key guys - Kobe (30), Gasol (28), Bynum (21) - fall on or below that 30 years of age threshold, which, in the world of basketball, is a pretty good barometer for a player's decline.

Slipping under the radar. Many of these historic regular season teams end up accumulating so much hype and expectation that crumbling under its weight becomes inevitable. The Mavericks recent 67-win season didn't end up going so well. The Pistons in recent memory posted a mid-60s win total but also bowed out early. Look at other sports too. Last year's Patriots team had so much expectation thrust upon them after going undefeated in the regular season, yet, when it comes down to it, the regular season doesn't mean jack if you can't win in the postseason. You can't look at that Patriots team and call it a success because they loss when it mattered.

With the Celtics posting the greatest start in league history and closing in on a 20-game win streak, Boston is poised to become a national story. To sustain that expectation for upwards of 100 games will be a difficult task for a team with aging stars and a shallow bench. Perhaps for the first time in ages the Lakers will end up going under the radar, an enviable position when they head into the playoffs. All the distractions that come along with being the NBA's top team - and a historic one to boot - could end up crippling a The Big Three who, combined, has as many rings as Kobe. Both teams know what it takes to win a championship, but only Kobe, at this time, knows how to repeat. (Although he did ride Shaq's coattails to an extent.)

Please. Argue with me on this.

Me

Well folks, it's official. The Jay Triano era has officially hit new levels of disappointment.

The Toronto Raptors dropped a game to the Oklahoma City Thunder this evening by a score of 91 - 83. Yes, the same OKC Thunder who have appeared in numerous sports websites under speculations of being the worst team in NBA history. With the victory OKC improves to 3 wins and 24 losses on the season.

A couple years back, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Hornets played a fair share of games in Oklahoma City as a test-run before Seattle got absolutely ransacked for their beloved franchise. This is like the basketball equivalent of foreplay with Joan Holloway of Mad Men only for Kathy Griffin to come in for the real deal.

For the Raps to lose to the lowly Thunder doesn't bode well for Triano, the first Canadian to coach in the NBA as the head guy. Bosh looks disgruntled. Bargnani remains inconsistent. The wing players are severely outmatched. Jermaine O'Neal is an absolute shell of his former self. But in short, the motivation and hunger has been replaced with apathy and complacency. This team, given the way they've performed since Sam Mitchell's departure, is destined for the draft lottery.

Yet the season is barely past the quarter mark. The playoffs remain a reasonable expectation, but management needs to act now. Which is why I propose two names to take over in Toronto: Eddie Jordan and Avery Johnson.

To start, I realize Avery Johnson's reputation in the league took a serious hit after the 67-win Dallas Mavericks bowed out in the first round to the Nellie-ball G-State Warriors. People say he's too much of a hard-ass, he's too controlling, and with the emergence of Devin Harris as an elite-level point guard, that he stifles the development of young players. All of this is true, to an extent, yet you can't deny that Johnson's Mavericks played wildly successful basketball during his brief tenure. Outside of Don Nelson sticking it to him in that opening playoff round, the Mavericks were greatly improved with Johnson's arrival as opposed to Nelson's former loose style. The Raptors could use some discipline. Triano, like your typical Canadian, seems like a mild-mannered, patient fellow. Sorry, but that's not going to work with this sack of unmotivated guys (save for Bosh and a couple other exceptions).

Eddie Jordan is another name which could help the sorry state in Raptorland. Over his tenure in Washington Jordan has repeatedly extracted maximum results from injury-depleted teams. The make-up of those Wizards teams was never built for success - rather based around two or three big-time players - yet Jordan could take them to the second round of the playoffs. Finally, this season, he met a situation which he couldn't remedy and received a pink slip. But he remains a bona fide leader and motivator, both characteristics which a future head coach in Toronto should exemplify. (Something tells me his style would take really well to the college game...)

So please, for the sake of Raptors fans, let Triano slip back to the outside of the huddle as an assistant. Plenty of talented NBA coaches have drifted from their professions and need to be dragged from the commentator's booths. Either one of these two guys will suffice.

A Rainbow Aims

There are few more pleasurable or infuriating looks than the patented Vince Carter sulk. After quite possibly one of his worst games as a professional basketball player Friday night against the Raptors, he had that look going for two hours-plus. The look of a kid whose Power Ranger was stolen by a bully in the playground. Or worse, the look he might display after discovering a ding on his Mercedes in the parking lot of a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.

And there are few things more hilarious than watching Jermaine O'Neal decide that he'll take Devin Harris one-on-one for a possession.

After watching the Raptors completely demolish the Nets the most glaring thing - outside of putrid performances from the Nets' starting guards - might be that New Jersey really doesn't give a rip about basketball. With a potential move to Brooklyn on the horizon, and more competitive professional sports franchises in the area, you could see that sports apathy has reached East Rutherford in a big way. Tons of empty seats and little fan involvement. The game could've packed more excitement in a local YMCA. Not to mention that eight-foot nets could've helped Carter immensely.

One thing I took away from this non-game (and I say that in the most caring way) is that the Raptors need to make Jason Kapono a pivotal player in their offensive attack. And it looks like Jay Triano might do that. Sure, Anthony Parker rode the bench in his CNN political correspondent duds, and Kapono remained lukewarm from the field for most of the game, but when he started nailing shots he injected the Raptors with a surge of potency like few players on their roster are capable of. Shooters like Kapono keep shooting until they start to fall. And that's what he did.

Another note: does Izod really have enough money to buy the namesake of the Nets home arena? Do people wear Izod? I suppose they do if Izod is still affiliated with Lacoste, but even still, they make golf shirts. It's not like they're making Pepsi.

Despite Devin Harris's lack of offensive output, you can plainly see that Lawrence Frank has done an impeccable job in making him their number one option and unleashing his offensive arsenal. That step-back jumper is deadly.

Another Triano positive has to be the play of Joey Graham. For the first time in years Graham looks like he belongs in the NBA.

The Visualz

It's been more than a minute since I last posted. I could blame clinical depression from the Raptors' horrendous slide of late, but that would be a cop-out. My (hopefully first) degree has taken precedence in its waning hours. As it should.

(Outside of final touches on a degree, I've written a few things for the Martlet: a dated article on the Suns; some thoughts about the 2010 Lebron sweepstakes, most of which manages to slander King James despite the fact that he's playing basketball better than anyone in the world; and a review of Q-Tip's latest album, The Renaissance.)

I'll toss a couple links your way:

Malcolm Gladwell, via an old article from the New Yorker, tackles the age-old question: why are African-Americans kicking such serious ass in professional sports? Now I'm sure some of his facts could be disputed on several grounds - as is common with his articles - but there's some good reading here. And it's nice to have a sports writer who may have been a good athlete. Not that Mike Toth doesn't dominate his rec league squash tournament or anything.


Ta-Nehisi Coates, a solid young writer I recently got hip to, has a friendly discussion with John McWhorter over hip-hop and society, via BloggingheadsTV (fantastic site). McWhorter takes a black conservative approach and states that hip-hop, beyond its role as music genre, does not inspire constructive thinking in poor black culture, but rather influences its followers with a message of cynicism.

So while McWhorter makes some valid points, I must lean to Coates' side of the debate. Sure, a lot of music which comes out of political inequality uses a cynical tone, but cynicism doesn't necessarily beget cynicism. There's a reason why Chuck D called himself and Public Enemy the 'Black CNN.' And that was the need to present black history from an African-American perspective. You can inspire people even when your work uses a jaded tone, and that's what socially-conscious music has done across more genres than rap.

On the first day of a poetry workshop our professor told us not to assume that the speaker in the poem is the writer. This is the type of thing you need to tell undergraduate writers or they'll start thinking that half their peers are doing smack or come from abusive households. (ie. Many student writers write about incredible sex, only most of them are quiet and solitary and write a fantasy land to dwell in. So yes, do not make assumptions about someone's personal life from their poetry.)

Hip-hop is probably the closest in mainstream music genres to poetry, from its rhythms to line structures, and like poetry, the writer can and will access different states of emotion and/or write from another perspective. Do not assume that Big Boi in "Ms. Jackson" (by Outkast) is referring to himself when using the 'I'. The song is an examination of custody battles, money, and post-relationship frustration from the perspective of a slightly angry young man. The song succeeds in part because of Big Boi's ability to juxtapose down-tempo vitriol with Andre 3000's falsetto-laced fairy tale hook. A reproduction of these emotional states through hip-hop seems like an awfully constructive activity.

I could go on forever about, what I believe, are faults in McWhorter's argument, but I'll leave with one thought: how terrible would popular music be without cynical artists?

Luchini

So much has been made about the 2010 free agency pool. And for good measure.

The list of players - Lebron James, Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, etc. - has some of the game's biggest superstars. If you're a struggling team looking to spend some money and buy the Rock of Gibraltar upon which to build a team around for the next decade, then this is your best shot at legitimate talent (AKA it's not a year when a Ricky Davis or Anderson Varajao has you pondering a desperation signing).

After his game tonight against the Knicks, Lebron James was asked some questions about the 2010 free agency pool. He tried to keep everything cool, but there were more than enough hints about a move to New York, and I'm not just talking about his hobnobbing with Jay-Z. Okay, it has something to do with Jay-Z.

To start, he left all his answers very open-ended, as if he had no say in the matter. In Lebron's world, or the one he likes to depict for the media, anything can happen in this free agency class. Well it won't. A select group of teams will have a serious chance at Lebron and I would wager he has an idea which ones they are. Good luck putting together an offer that Lebron and his buddies wouldn't kill themselves laughing at if you're Oklahoma City or Memphis.

But later, when asked about his free agency speculation, he started using New York and Brooklyn as potential locations to go to. Here's another layer! Looks like only a few have a chance, indeed! So you don't include Cleveland in that category. Really, Lebron? The team you're playing with for the next year-and-a-half? Your best line-up ever that will allow you to seriously contend this season - you won't mention them in the argument?

Something about the Brooklyn talk makes it seem like Lebron thinks their move is a foregone conclusion. For Christ's sake Lebron is already calling them the Brooklyn Nets! Which is another bad sign for Cleveland fans.

I think we all know that Jay-Z is a part-owner of the Nets and that him and Lebron pretend they're brothers in a weird protege-scholar relationship. When you have Jay-Z on your speed-dial I'll make the assumption that he's giving you a bunch of advice, most of which would incense Cavs fans.

ESPN also showed the debut of some Lebron-endorsed Nike kicks. Gee, do you think Nike isn't in his ear about how much they'll give him in endorsement cash if he could only move to New York? They're debuting new shoes when he plays in the Big Apple!

I think Lebron needs to tell the media to stop asking these questions, especially for his sake. The guy has tried to be suave in the face of questioning, but way too much evidence stacks up which supports his departure of Cleveland.

When Doves Cry

Jermaine O'Neal. Rebound Specialist.

Things are a little hectic on my end right now, so I'll keep it brief.

Here is my latest column in the Martlet. This one is about the Toronto Raptors, mainly about how they're incapable of competing in a stronger Eastern Conference unless GM Bryan Colangelo pulls the trigger and gives them some depth.

So the column came out this evening, a Wednesday. The column was submitted on Saturday. In the span of a few days the Raptors have gone 2-1 and addressed many of the key issues I outlined in the article. For instance, they've outrebounded the competition behind some monstrous efforts from Jermaine O'Neal. Jamario Moon was yanked from the starting line-up (thank goodness) in favour of Bargnani, who, this evening, notched 25 points on some highly efficient shooting.

This is one reason why I love the immediacy of the internet. Because it doesn't make me look like a bit of a jackass in the time it takes for my words to reach print. The issue is out for the next week. Meaning the Raptors get the next seven days to screw everything up and make me look better.

To close, here is a link (via Pitchfork) about Prince magically appearing for some guitar jamming during a Q-Tip show, while the latter broke into his backpacker bling escapist hit "Vivrant Thing." Scroll to the bottom for a rundown. Completely bizarre and very Prince.

Don't Watch Me Dancing

The NBA season thrives on award season speculation.

Last season Kobe Bryant took home his first MVP award under a newfound media-friendly rubric, much to the dismay of Chris Paul supporters (myself included). Since the awards are announced early in the playoff season, the outcome can often propel cheated players to higher levels of excellence, particularly against those awarded ahead of them. (I think we all remember what Michael Jordan did to Karl Malone in the NBA Finals after Malone was crowned the league MVP.)

Look, I love award season. It provides NBA writers with some of the game's finest debates. But it's way too early to make predictions when the regular season just entered double-digit game totals. The Rookie of the Year has at least five or six legitimate candidates thus far. The MVP has no clear front-runner and won't have any legitimate candidates until a third into the season.

But the Most Improved Player has kicked off to a nice start and it's not too early to speculate. Here are some players who will most definitely garner some votes:

Devin Harris has posted multiple 30-point-plus games and surpassed Vince Carter as the de facto scorer in New Jersey. Could the Mavericks have made a worse move last spring to bring a mid-30s Jason Kidd back to Dallas? Kidd has a decade on Harris, considerably less foot speed, and a crazy (ex-)wife. In 40 minutes of play today, against the Knicks no less, Kidd tallied 3 points on 1 of 7 shooting. Last evening, in fewer minutes, and against the upstart Hawks, Harris racked up 33 points and 10 assists on 9 of 15 shooting. Most impressive was that Harris took 14 free throw shots. Something tells me the Kidd deal might have murdered the Mavs franchise for the considerable future. Looks like Devean George almost did Dallas a favour.

I love the moves Bryan Colangelo makes and I'll always worship the throne of the NBA's foremost metrosexual general manager, but how did he pass up on Danny Granger in favour of Joey Graham a few drafts ago? Granger has developed into a go-to scorer in Indiana, averaging well over 20 points per game and filling up the score sheet in other ways. Not only that, but his tooth loss accident, and the fact that he came back to play looking like a much taller Dougie Gilmour, would have the Raps faithful smelling a deep playoff run.

I don't play fantasy basketball, but whoever nabbed Andris Biedrins in their drafts is counting their lucky stars. Just check his stats: 16.8 ppg, 14.9 rpg, 52.8 FG%, 1.5 bpg. Overnight the young Warriors centre has become the preeminent league-wide rebounder alongside Dwight Howard. Must be the ludicrous amount of hair gel.

This one feels a bit weird, yet Nate Robinson definitely deserves a couple votes. Every bench needs a gunner to throw in when the starting line-up gets a little stagnant. And Robinson has filled that role well with over 14 points per. Not only that, but he's averaging over 2 steals per game and up to 4 rebounds and assists.

A couple others deserve credit, including Jeff Green, Nick Young, Mickael Pietrus, and Aaron Brooks. Let the speculation begin.

Players I Shouldn't Like: Part I

For those of you who have tried to comment on any posts but couldn't because you didn't have a Blogger ID, I just turned that off. Anyone can now comment. Thus, comment away!

There's a lot of talk about playing the 'right' way.

Whether mentioned by commentators, coaches, or players, the 'right' way to play is an admittedly vague way of putting things. The best professional basketball players are aware of this vague set of rules but cause the unidentified framework of proper play to bend within their skill-set.

In other words: You can't break the rules unless you know them.

Lebron barrels through the lane like a reckless animal and tucks the ball in his side like a running back penetrating the defensive line. Kobe calls his own number with time running out, often passing up the opportunity of passing to an open teammate. I'm not sure where either of these fall under the 'right' way, but the game concedes to style.

For most professional players they'd get yanked if they pulled half the shenanigans of a Kobe or Amare. Think back to high school: most of us were benched for taking an ill-advised three, whereas the top couple players had free reign of the court. Granted these top-tier guys make unbelievable plays, but on the flipside they're given the opportunity to test the boundaries of the spectacular. Most aren't.

This will be an ongoing series for those other players.

Lebron scored 41 last night. His execution is a lesson in monotony. Give me an unbridled Al Thornton or a trigger-happy Nate Robinson any day of the week.

First up is Ricky Davis, or what I'll dub Player With Nice Stats But Always Plays on Shitty Teams.

You know a guy is not playing the 'right' way when his most memorable professional moment came from shooting on his own net and retrieving the rebound for the purpose of notching his first career triple-double. (Jerry Sloan was one anger management class away from sprinting on the court and clothes-lining Ricky.)

But I follow Davis for other reasons.

He is the only NBA player to dunk after putting the ball through his legs, during an NBA game. (Lebron did it in high school, Josh Smith in international competition, but only Davis possessed the testicular fortitude to pull such a stunt in-game.) The tales of Davis's clubbing history should be published by Random House, or at the very least influence some Penthouse Forum letters. Plus, the dude can flat-out score with the best of them.

For a long time I've been attracted to players who can catch fire, who for a five minute stretch reach levels of offensive excellence unparalleled at that very moment. And Ricky Davis, throughout his career, has proved that he can get hot.

He does not play the 'right' way. He may not even care about winning. But he's part of a small group of basketball players on the planet who could notch 40 on a whim and infuriate his coach at the same time.

Truth is, Davis' game is not nearly as selfish as it seems (or maybe he's matured) and far more well-rounded than that of your typical gunner (ahem, Ben Gordon).

But, without fail, Davis finds himself on yet another underachieving team (the Los Angeles Clippers) where he'll pick up stats, inevitably partake in the club scene, and launch into summer break around the same time as college kids. In his own way he makes consistency pretty damn exciting.

And, of course, there is this video, which adds to the Davis lore:

Dance on Glass

I had to post something about this Garnett/Calderon dust-up in Boston.

After watching it a few times I think it's safe to say that Garnett got a little too fired up and started acting like a dick. Sure, part of Garnett's shtick is that he's a really intense dude, but what other player in the league doesn't get a technical foul for that level of taunting? He was waving his finger in Jose's face Dikembo-style.

Taunting fouls are always a point of contention with me. You can show a little emotion, maybe look at a defender in the wrong manner, hang on the rim a little too long - all of which could book you for a T on a bogus call. We've seen them before. Those are the moments when a ref can get in the spotlight over a bad call. Very little is definitive about what 'constitutes' a taunting foul when outside of the extreme (ie. OJ Mayo dunking and heaving the ball in the crowd).

But that Garnett play crossed the line. I don't mind the guy playing a little D on Calderon, but being an ass while going about it brings down the class of such a likable athlete. (Good on Calderon to get back in his face, and also dish out to Kapono for a three-point make. Carmelo Anthony would've slapped him and run away.)

Dead Ringer

Just spent the weekend in Vancouver with some friends, hence a slow start to the week for The Cold Draft. Alas, here are some links and thoughts for a Monday afternoon.

For those of you literary folk out there, I stumbled across this article about Milan Kundera's recent political struggles. After just having read The Book of Laughter and Forgetting I find it astonishing that political turmoil has continued to follow him nearly thirty years after the book's release.

A line from a recent post on Inside the Clippers: "Marcus [Camby] has taken a liking to the underwater treadmill the team has at its new facility." The same post also mentions Tim Thomas and Al Thornton doing yoga. The Clippers have a better shot at releasing a workout video in time for Christmas than a berth in the postseason. If anyone knows what an underwater treadmill is like, please share. I wonder if the Knicks accidentally rig one up that electrocutes Stephon Marbury.



Plenty of talk on the internet today about the Raps looking to the Warriors and Bobcats for perimeter help. The two obvious choices are Al Harrington and Gerald Wallace, both of whom are being shopped around by their respective teams.

Personally I think the Raps should make a move for Kelenna Azubuike. Against the Raps earlier this season he penetrated their D with ease, especially late in the shot clock. Unfortunately this move wouldn't help their rebounding woes, but would help the fact their perimeter players have been severely outscored in the past three games.

So who's on the chopping block in Raptor land? Moon? Humphries? Bargnani? Colangelo won't dangle AB in a deal, but I can't find many other guys on that roster (Bosh and Calderon excluded) who would pique interest from another GM.



I watched this new video from Q-Tip over the weekend and started mulling it around with people as to whether Tip was the trailblazer for Andre 3000. Maybe Dre 2000? Or does his raccoon hat/cadet blazer look only follow a gauntlet thrown down by Andre Benjamin when his eccentricities became widely accepted? Regardless, this is nice form from Q-Tip, chock full of his hypothetical raps in female persuasion.