well... i apologize for not having posted in quite a while but i am currently sunning myself on the beaches of the greek island of naxos. so sports have meant very very little to me in the last week. however, i did make it a point to follow the wimbledon final (surprised? i thought not). i won't break the match down because i only saw a set and a half on television... but i will say a few things:
(1) roger is still the best. he may not be able to do it on clay against rafa, but he is still the best overall players.
(2) the fourth set roger clearly had no intentions of winning. after the call that he was not pleased with (about which i was surprised to see how visibly upset he got), it appeared to me that he decided to basically take the set off and just play like a man possessed in the fifth. now maybe you argue that you should never throw in the towel on a set (or any segment of a sporting event) but the strategy made sense to me. plus, when you're already in the hole 4-0, do you really have a chance? no, not really.
(3) the gap is closing and roger knows it. rafa played exceptionally well and he will win a wimbledon. i think roger still has one, maybe two, that he can get without much trouble, but the young spaniard is right there and his game is improving more and more every tournament he plays.
(4) could roger's outfit have been any more spectacular?
other sport things that intrigue me...
- vlad won the home run derby... remind me again why they still do this event?
- home field advantage will be decided this evening with the all-star game... remind me why that rule hasn't been changed yet?
- mark buehrle is off the market... so much for all that business that he was a lock to return to his hometown team (the cardinals)
- in good news, the notre dame recruiting class is shaping up quite nicely. the defensive side of the ball is coming together really well... all we need now it two top flight wide receivers and another linebacker or two and i'll be satisfied.
and last thing... choi, one of our readers has suggested that we make a bracket of "who's not now." recommended division names: the leaf bracket, the bias bracket, the ankiel bracket, the landis bracket, or the harding/gillooly bracket.
what do you think? maybe a project for the rest of our summer? i'll be back stateside on friday, so look for a major increase in my banter in a few days. until then, take care all.
-riley.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Great...
Well, the Sonics had a 50 percent chance of making a really good decision and a 50 percent chance of making an awful decision. Dwane Casey, the tenured local guy, or the coach everyone hates especially Latrell Sprewell? On paper, it seems like an easy decision right? In the words of you Riles, FANTASTIC. Either the Sonics took a huge step back or they're destined to be sold in a couple months. As Michael Scott put it, Step 1 is the lose-lose scenario.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
I am a good friend with bad habits??
So its been a few days since the flurry of wheelin' and dealin' of the NBA draft so without further ado, I will try to recap and analyze what happened.
The Sonics had the second pick and "cornerstones" of Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis to make a final attempt of keeping the Sonics in Seattle. I had a few ideas back when the Sonics miraculously received the second pick on what they could try the following season http://talkinboutbanter.blogspot.com/2007/05/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me.html.
However, I had no idea that our new 30 year old GM, Sam Presti, with no head coach, would have such cajones. Don't get me wrong, I totally disagree with some of the personnel decisions he made but he still traded Ray Allen, Seattle's only bottom-line type of asset. That's either gutsy or just plain dumb. I'm hoping its just part of this big vision he's got for this team.
Around 8:20 am PT, there were two proposed trades that had been rumored with the Sonics.
Atlanta's 11th pick straight up for Luke Ridnour.
Delonte West, Wally Szcerbiak, and the Celtics 5th pick for Ray Allen.
I was definitely excited for the Atlanta's 11th pick because dumping Ridnour wasn't a bad idea. Ridnour was also a lottery pick (or he might have been 14th) and hadn't really shown marked improvement year upon year. He was awful on defense, too streaky of a shooter, and overall not a good team manager. With the 11th pick, I (as were the Sonics I believe) was thinking the Sonics were going to pick up Rodney Stuckey, local boy out of Eastern Washington, 6-5, a combo guard that was regarded as the best passing 2-guard in college and a "poor man's Dwyane Wade". The way I saw it was, with Durant in the mix, we didn't need the reincarnation of Dwyane Wade. As you can see, pretty pumped about that rumor.
Both rumors never materialized during the time I was being taught microtubules and actin filaments.
So around 4:15 pm PT, I'm driving in my car and Portland, not surprisingly, taken Oden. As I'm waiting for David Stern to go to the podium and say "Kevin Durant, University of Texas", I hear ESPN breaking the news that the Sonics had indeed acquired the 5th pick along with the others for Ray Allen. Honestly, I wasn't actually pissed off about Ray Allen leaving. He was a good player and all but we made one fluke playoff appearance with him around. I'm sure he'll be fine in Boston as well. The thing that really irked me was that the position of the pick was AWFUL. Figuring Luke Ridnour was expendable, I really really wanted Mike Conley Jr. More than his quickness or athleticism was the point guard IQ that he had that I thought Ridnour lacked. If you did watch Ridnour play in college, you would have seen that he was more a scoring point guard. Conley could impact a game in so many other different ways. Well, Memphis was going to take him and took him.
So who were the Sonics going to draft? Was I going to see Yi Jinlian jerseys at the team store? I would have killed something. Like an ant or a fly. Well, the Sonics said they would draft Jeff Green, Big East Player of the Year. So team the National Player of the Year with the Big East Player of the Year, good idea? We'll see but initially I thought no. I thought maybe this is the foundation Presti wants with Durant being Jordan and Green being Pippen but seriously what are the chances of that? They play virtually the same position, same height, Durant has a more diverse skill set. So who's playing the 4 and who's playing the 3?
I thought Green was a reach at five, I preferred Corey Brewer because he is just as tall but projects as 2, making the two lottery picks completely distinct commodities. Nonetheless, from watching Green, I definitely thought his basketball IQ was excellent and had the potential of being an even better pro than college player because of the Princeton offense he played in at Georgetown. He seriously would have been a great pick for ANY OTHER team.
At this point, I was pissed off beyond belief. The Sonics had compiled a stable of small forwards (Kevin Durant, Rashard Lewis, Jeff Green), no Ray Allen, no big man, and point guard issues. If according to Presti, was begged by the Celtics for Allen, why wasn't a young prospect like Al Jefferson taken? I know he's an up and comer but I would at least have been pleased with Rajon Rondo. But instead, a 2-guard trying to play point, and a 2 guard with spot up 3 ability. Rajon Rondo, you could have been a Sonic.
But hope springs eternal, and I thought the Sonics would get rid of Ridnour and draft Stuckey. Nope. The Hawks draft Acie Law. Hmmm...could work. Is Presti trying to assemble the 2007 NCAA All American team? Well, that was squashed as well. So at the end of the day, Ridnour is still a Sonic, we have a stockpile of small forwards, no Ray Allen, and Stuckey is a Piston. Wow.
The Sonics also held the 31st pick which meant first round ability availability. Gabe Pruitt, projected as a top-20 pick, point guard sitting pretty. No go says Presti. What is he waiting for?
Well, Rashard Lewis was given a max-deal by Orlando. Good Riddance. That opens up cap space for the 2009 season and gets rid of the one of the three small forwards. Rashard is definitely that second or third player every playoff team needs but definitely does not merit a max deal.
I don't really know where Presti is taking this team. Even amidst no Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, I am relatively calm. I guess that's what Kevin Durant does for now. But I expect the point guard, head coach issues to be dealt with soon.
Final Thoughts:
Tae, do you want Kobe or not? Drafting Javaris Crittendon was not the answer. Sure he's a 6'5 point guard that plays above the rim but not ready to contribute immediately. So what? You need triangle offense guys. Like Jeff Green possibly? Unless the Lakers miraculously get KG, the Crittendon pick was the dirt on the coffin being buried. He's good as gone to Chicago. Don't know when or how but he'll be there, trying to claim the glory in the arena the Great One had.
Mike Hargrove effing resigned during an eight game winning streak. Ok. The Sonics are stressing me out enough. The Mariners were a .5 game out of the wild card and he does this? One ridiculous Seattle sports event at a time please...
Riley, I have no idea how you actually feel about this but there's this thing on ESPN called who's now and its a bracket pitting the great athletes of our time against each other NCAA tournament style. Well...the Babe Ruth region has Tom Brady as the one seed and Roger Federer as the two seed. I expect you to make the right decision and vote accordingly...
Wow, Riley you better start posting like crazy. That took A LOT of time.
The Sonics had the second pick and "cornerstones" of Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis to make a final attempt of keeping the Sonics in Seattle. I had a few ideas back when the Sonics miraculously received the second pick on what they could try the following season http://talkinboutbanter.blogspot.com/2007/05/youve-got-to-be-kidding-me.html.
However, I had no idea that our new 30 year old GM, Sam Presti, with no head coach, would have such cajones. Don't get me wrong, I totally disagree with some of the personnel decisions he made but he still traded Ray Allen, Seattle's only bottom-line type of asset. That's either gutsy or just plain dumb. I'm hoping its just part of this big vision he's got for this team.
Around 8:20 am PT, there were two proposed trades that had been rumored with the Sonics.
Atlanta's 11th pick straight up for Luke Ridnour.
Delonte West, Wally Szcerbiak, and the Celtics 5th pick for Ray Allen.
I was definitely excited for the Atlanta's 11th pick because dumping Ridnour wasn't a bad idea. Ridnour was also a lottery pick (or he might have been 14th) and hadn't really shown marked improvement year upon year. He was awful on defense, too streaky of a shooter, and overall not a good team manager. With the 11th pick, I (as were the Sonics I believe) was thinking the Sonics were going to pick up Rodney Stuckey, local boy out of Eastern Washington, 6-5, a combo guard that was regarded as the best passing 2-guard in college and a "poor man's Dwyane Wade". The way I saw it was, with Durant in the mix, we didn't need the reincarnation of Dwyane Wade. As you can see, pretty pumped about that rumor.
Both rumors never materialized during the time I was being taught microtubules and actin filaments.
So around 4:15 pm PT, I'm driving in my car and Portland, not surprisingly, taken Oden. As I'm waiting for David Stern to go to the podium and say "Kevin Durant, University of Texas", I hear ESPN breaking the news that the Sonics had indeed acquired the 5th pick along with the others for Ray Allen. Honestly, I wasn't actually pissed off about Ray Allen leaving. He was a good player and all but we made one fluke playoff appearance with him around. I'm sure he'll be fine in Boston as well. The thing that really irked me was that the position of the pick was AWFUL. Figuring Luke Ridnour was expendable, I really really wanted Mike Conley Jr. More than his quickness or athleticism was the point guard IQ that he had that I thought Ridnour lacked. If you did watch Ridnour play in college, you would have seen that he was more a scoring point guard. Conley could impact a game in so many other different ways. Well, Memphis was going to take him and took him.
So who were the Sonics going to draft? Was I going to see Yi Jinlian jerseys at the team store? I would have killed something. Like an ant or a fly. Well, the Sonics said they would draft Jeff Green, Big East Player of the Year. So team the National Player of the Year with the Big East Player of the Year, good idea? We'll see but initially I thought no. I thought maybe this is the foundation Presti wants with Durant being Jordan and Green being Pippen but seriously what are the chances of that? They play virtually the same position, same height, Durant has a more diverse skill set. So who's playing the 4 and who's playing the 3?
I thought Green was a reach at five, I preferred Corey Brewer because he is just as tall but projects as 2, making the two lottery picks completely distinct commodities. Nonetheless, from watching Green, I definitely thought his basketball IQ was excellent and had the potential of being an even better pro than college player because of the Princeton offense he played in at Georgetown. He seriously would have been a great pick for ANY OTHER team.
At this point, I was pissed off beyond belief. The Sonics had compiled a stable of small forwards (Kevin Durant, Rashard Lewis, Jeff Green), no Ray Allen, no big man, and point guard issues. If according to Presti, was begged by the Celtics for Allen, why wasn't a young prospect like Al Jefferson taken? I know he's an up and comer but I would at least have been pleased with Rajon Rondo. But instead, a 2-guard trying to play point, and a 2 guard with spot up 3 ability. Rajon Rondo, you could have been a Sonic.
But hope springs eternal, and I thought the Sonics would get rid of Ridnour and draft Stuckey. Nope. The Hawks draft Acie Law. Hmmm...could work. Is Presti trying to assemble the 2007 NCAA All American team? Well, that was squashed as well. So at the end of the day, Ridnour is still a Sonic, we have a stockpile of small forwards, no Ray Allen, and Stuckey is a Piston. Wow.
The Sonics also held the 31st pick which meant first round ability availability. Gabe Pruitt, projected as a top-20 pick, point guard sitting pretty. No go says Presti. What is he waiting for?
Well, Rashard Lewis was given a max-deal by Orlando. Good Riddance. That opens up cap space for the 2009 season and gets rid of the one of the three small forwards. Rashard is definitely that second or third player every playoff team needs but definitely does not merit a max deal.
I don't really know where Presti is taking this team. Even amidst no Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, I am relatively calm. I guess that's what Kevin Durant does for now. But I expect the point guard, head coach issues to be dealt with soon.
Final Thoughts:
Tae, do you want Kobe or not? Drafting Javaris Crittendon was not the answer. Sure he's a 6'5 point guard that plays above the rim but not ready to contribute immediately. So what? You need triangle offense guys. Like Jeff Green possibly? Unless the Lakers miraculously get KG, the Crittendon pick was the dirt on the coffin being buried. He's good as gone to Chicago. Don't know when or how but he'll be there, trying to claim the glory in the arena the Great One had.
Mike Hargrove effing resigned during an eight game winning streak. Ok. The Sonics are stressing me out enough. The Mariners were a .5 game out of the wild card and he does this? One ridiculous Seattle sports event at a time please...
Riley, I have no idea how you actually feel about this but there's this thing on ESPN called who's now and its a bracket pitting the great athletes of our time against each other NCAA tournament style. Well...the Babe Ruth region has Tom Brady as the one seed and Roger Federer as the two seed. I expect you to make the right decision and vote accordingly...
Wow, Riley you better start posting like crazy. That took A LOT of time.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
On the night before the 2007 NBA Draft...
Well, the moment is now. I have nothing to say at this point except that Portland better take Greg Oden. I don't want a guy who says he would have been a dentist had he not been 7 feet tall. I want a cold blooded killer. I want Kevin Durant. These words only seemed surreal less than a year ago.
"And with the second pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, the Seattle Sonics select Kevin Durant, forward, University of Texas."
I have homework to do tonight, so if you were looking forward to an Oden v. Durant showdown or a mock draft, I apologize. Maybe Riley will make up for my absence and try to break it down for you guys Dr. Jack Ramsey style before the draft actually occurs.
"And with the second pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, the Seattle Sonics select Kevin Durant, forward, University of Texas."
I have homework to do tonight, so if you were looking forward to an Oden v. Durant showdown or a mock draft, I apologize. Maybe Riley will make up for my absence and try to break it down for you guys Dr. Jack Ramsey style before the draft actually occurs.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Henry to Barca
well... it's a good thing we have an active football fan on the blog to analyze situations like this. so here are the angles:
(1) Ronaldinho and Henry may together combine to set up a great 1-2 punch in the Barcelona lineup. However, it will not create a position struggle as they do not play the same position. Ronaldinho is a mid (midfielder) while Henry is a striker. Ronaldinho will be the man bringing the ball up the field through the middle and then throwing it to (perhaps the world's best striker) Henry on the outside to set up incredible goals for the Barca squad.
(2) the possible position cramp comes between Henry and Samuel Eto'o the current star striker for Barca. however, in soccer you can play with two players up top so this may not make a problem. but rather than launch further into this let's focus on the real issue...
(3) within the soccer world it is well-known that Barca's locker room was divided this season between factions led by 'Dinho and Eto'o. it is also known that the Barca owner and manager were not pleased by this at all so there has been much speculation that one of the two is on his way out. many have said that it would likely be 'Dinho as he is becoming pricey and there is a lot of interest coming from AC Milan in the Italian League. Now one could argue that this move suggests to the contrary -- namely that Eto'o will leave and Henry will replace him. this could be... however, at the same time one could say that Henry is coming in to replace the name recognition/marketing power of 'Dinho. so really this move doesn't reveal anything concrete.
needless to say, with Henry and either 'Dinho or Eto'o in the same attacking force Barca will be an imposing force. and if somehow the two can resolve their feud and Barca can keep all three... well, let's just say i'll be watching a lot more Barca games.
there ya go choi... thoughts from your local soccer expert. wimbledon starts tomorrow.. i'll hold off until at least we're through the first two rounds unless something crazy happens.
Go Roger,
-riley.
(1) Ronaldinho and Henry may together combine to set up a great 1-2 punch in the Barcelona lineup. However, it will not create a position struggle as they do not play the same position. Ronaldinho is a mid (midfielder) while Henry is a striker. Ronaldinho will be the man bringing the ball up the field through the middle and then throwing it to (perhaps the world's best striker) Henry on the outside to set up incredible goals for the Barca squad.
(2) the possible position cramp comes between Henry and Samuel Eto'o the current star striker for Barca. however, in soccer you can play with two players up top so this may not make a problem. but rather than launch further into this let's focus on the real issue...
(3) within the soccer world it is well-known that Barca's locker room was divided this season between factions led by 'Dinho and Eto'o. it is also known that the Barca owner and manager were not pleased by this at all so there has been much speculation that one of the two is on his way out. many have said that it would likely be 'Dinho as he is becoming pricey and there is a lot of interest coming from AC Milan in the Italian League. Now one could argue that this move suggests to the contrary -- namely that Eto'o will leave and Henry will replace him. this could be... however, at the same time one could say that Henry is coming in to replace the name recognition/marketing power of 'Dinho. so really this move doesn't reveal anything concrete.
needless to say, with Henry and either 'Dinho or Eto'o in the same attacking force Barca will be an imposing force. and if somehow the two can resolve their feud and Barca can keep all three... well, let's just say i'll be watching a lot more Barca games.
there ya go choi... thoughts from your local soccer expert. wimbledon starts tomorrow.. i'll hold off until at least we're through the first two rounds unless something crazy happens.
Go Roger,
-riley.
Friday, June 22, 2007
This is just ridiculous...
I just read that Thierry Henry is leaving English club Arsenal to sign with Barcelona. Now I'm just your casual soccer fan, only paying attention when UEFA or the World Cup comes around, but seriously? Ronaldinho AND Henry?
This is the equivalent of teaming KG with Duncan or Lebron with Wade. Marvin Harrison with Steve Smith. Johan Santana with Justin Verlander.
However, excluding the baseball analogy, therein lies the problem. In all the analogies, the players play basically the same position but there is only one ball. Thoughts? I mean if you really don't care at least talk about something. In the case of Riley, anything except Wimbledon. Let's start talking about Wimbledon when it gets to the quarters.
Oh yeah, I had a dream last night that Portland took Durant and the Sonics got Oden. In the dream, I took it relatively well. I wonder if I will react the same if this vision came true? Doubt it.
This is the equivalent of teaming KG with Duncan or Lebron with Wade. Marvin Harrison with Steve Smith. Johan Santana with Justin Verlander.
However, excluding the baseball analogy, therein lies the problem. In all the analogies, the players play basically the same position but there is only one ball. Thoughts? I mean if you really don't care at least talk about something. In the case of Riley, anything except Wimbledon. Let's start talking about Wimbledon when it gets to the quarters.
Oh yeah, I had a dream last night that Portland took Durant and the Sonics got Oden. In the dream, I took it relatively well. I wonder if I will react the same if this vision came true? Doubt it.
The Kid is back in Town
Griffey's back. As much as I love the Mariners, I'd rather watch Griffey go 15 for 12 with 15 home runs, take away 15 home runs, help the elderly cross 4th & Pine, save a cat, play centerfield, break the ground for the new Sonics arena, and draft Kevin Durant.
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