Thursday Morning Starting Five: March 12, 2009
This night job is making sure I don’t see any NBA games during the week unless I’m working
an actual game. Damn I wanted to see Lakers/Rockets. Ron and Kobe go way back. Check the interview. As far as work? Got to make the donuts so it’s chillllll. Can’t stop, won’t stop.
7 links for today.
Ron Ron gets lit up by Beans (L.A. Times)
Texas Tech’s Mike Singletary goes off for 43 in early Big 12 action–including 29 straight. Epic. (Houston Chronicle)
USA loses to Venezuela in Group C finale (MLB.com)
Shoe thrower gets three years? (Al Jazerra)
Why the poor stay poor (NY Times)
Google goes phone (BBC News)
Hip Hop Chess? (NBC Bay Area)
Had to include this as well because I saw it live. Republicans crack me up trying to deflect blame for the economic downturn. How much did we spend a month in the war? Get over yourselves and take the blame so we can all move on. 2012 is a long way way so stop trying to position for the takeover because you blew it when you had the chance. Ari Fleischer snaps back at Chris Matthews below. It was hilarious when Chris paused and said “What?” I laughed real loud.
Mizzo:
Now that idiot will have three years to work on $!#*!! aim.
That picture of Kobe (on the link) shows how strong you have to be physically, and mentally, to dominate in the league. I believe the things that set him apart from other players are conditioning, mental toughness, and will. LeBron may be as physically strong, but in big moments in big games, he has yet to demonstrate the same resolve and will. If game-winning shots were the measure, very few players stack up vs. KB. Carmelo and Wade are probably closest – but LBJ is a long way off. Wade has done a tremendous job improving his strength and conditioning. He’s proven he wants and will make the winning shot from anywhere on the court. The next step for him is to continue to lead the rebuilding effort in Miami. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them make a nice run THIS season if Jermaine gets it going.
That was classic Ron Ron last night, however Kobe got the W, and the last laugh.
T3,
Kobe isn’t as “money” as people make him out to be when taking the last shot. There is a stat-line up until 2006 (I think) where I read that he is shooting 21.9% when taking the last shot (7/32). He also holds the top spot in the most missed game winning shots.
Paul Pierce was shooting 7/20 (35%) and Wade was shooting 35% (6/17).
The top players taking the last shot in the game today are Carmelo Anthony (11/17) at 64.7%, Ray Allen (8/18) at 44.4% and Michael Redd at 42.1% (8/19).
Also of note, Lebron is shooting 21.1% (4/19) on game winners……
Now in the playoffs it’s a different story: Kobe, LeBron (both at 4/8) and Dirk(3/6) are tied at 50%. D-Wade is shooting 100% (2/2), Caron Butler is shooting 67% (2/3) and Gilbert Arenas is shooting 40% (2/5).
Again, these stats are through 2006.
GN:
Wow. Check out Carmelo.
I really would like to sit down with “chess-playing Hov” and get three games of chess in to see if he really knows what he’s doing, or if he’s just fronting.
on the show thrower: that might have been the best unintentional (or intentional) halftime show of any football game since Janet Jackson’s breast-gate. But it really makes you see just how much people outside of the USA despise us as a nation.
T3,
Yeah, Carmelo’s is ‘sick’ aint it?
But like I stated, this was through 2006. I’m sure that the past three years have affected those 2006 stats. Wade has two game winners in the last two games he played. Lebron has hit a few in the past 2 years that I know of. Ray Allen has hit a couple this year. I’m sure that Kobe has added to his legend also.
I’m not surprised that he ranked first — but what’s surprising is the gap between first and second.
I bet Chris Paul is doing well in this category as well.
Yep….i’m sure that he is.
I’m going to see what I can find on him as well.
Speaking of My Melo’ My Man, Screamin’ A. just put this down:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3973274
I’m half way through it and I’m back to thinking that Screamin’ A. has really out to be quite the Bitch Ass.
Anyway, my favorite example of a player blowing a coach off was when Peyton Manning waved off Tony Dungy on a 4th down this season. Can’t recall which game — but Peyton was like, “Hell to the naw…We got this!!”
And they made it…case closed.
Petty is as petty does…especially when its the New King of Bitch Assness, Screamin’ A. “The Walking Hit Job” Smith.
Oh, yeah. We’z about done.
So I’m not the only one?!?!?!? Yo, people used to try to verbally maim me when I spoke bad about Stephen (needs) A. (hairline) Smith. I’m jsut not a fan. Too much yelling, not enough substance. I must admit I didn’t read much of his Philly Inquirer stuff but his ESPN the Mag articles don’t really impress me and I HATE that he’s the go-to guy for all things NBA. I respect the pull he has with players though because I know how hard that is to cultivate.
Speaking of ESPN the Mag, um, am I the only person who didn’t know Candace Parker was pregnant? DAMN IT!! I had hope too. Yeah she’s too inches taller than me, so what. A man can dream right? RIGHT?!?!?!
D-Wade for MVP. He’s doing yeoman’s work down there in MIA. Lebron will get his few MVP’s. Kobe already has one. Any thoughts.
On balance, I believe SAS has done some very, very good work. However, I believe he is currently in a period of focused retrenchment. In other words, he’s reeling it in a bit — and delivering some “social responsibility smack down” in order to solidify some shaky ground beneath his very own two.
I could be wrong — but that’s what it looks like to a largely disinterested and very casual observer.
Frankly, as far as I can tell, my people were realized from Sun Up to Sun Down Plantation Duty way back in 1865 down Va-ginny way…so I just don’t need the need for ingesting pale phallus’ tonsil deep. I suppose everyone has their reasons. His legacy of great stuff should be enough to stand on. Isn’t the price of dignity being fired by all the dirty rat bastards — not just the local ones?
“realized” — “released” even…but you get the pick-cha.
JWJ
I though Candace already had the kid. Sheldon didn’t take too long warming that oven up. Lucky guy but since I’m spitting on 40 now I need to be cool so I don’t feel like a durty ol’ man
It’s scary to see Fleischer and others defend Saddam’s execution. Nobody asks why all of a sudden, we just had to get him after 9/11, when it was common knowledge he had nothing to do with 9/11. Bush knew (and probably still does) where Osama was, but both families have been in bed together for so long, Bush never was really out to get him, but to satisfy the American people’s thirst for justice, he had to get SOMEBODY. As usual, MSM wouldn’t question the obvious.