So Dwight Howard to the Lakers, eh? It may only last a year (Dwight will still enter free agency next summer), but the Lakers pull off a coup, landing the league's best center to go with arguably the league's best-passing point guard and its most dominant shooting guard of the past decade, who still has enough in the tank to make it interesting.
And, oh by the way: The Lakers are apparently also keeping Pau Gasol. That's a Big Four if you're keeping track. A very Big Four. Arguably the most talented foursome since Jordan-Pippen-Rodman-Whoever, if not Magic-Worthy-Kareem-Whoever and Bird-McHale-Parish-Whoever. The point is: It's an incredible group.
The Lakers' Big Four is every bit as good as Miami's Big Three -- better, if you consider the balance and extra star; slightly worse, if you consider LeBron to be the most dominant force in the NBA, whether you paired him with Wade and Bosh or 6-year-old Gabe and 3-year-old Jonah Shanoff. And the Lakers' Big Four is better than the Thunder's Big Three.
It is nothing short of gobsmacking that the Lakers would be able to land Howard without having to give up Gasol. And all of a sudden, the Lakers are the team to beat in the NBA next season -- a short run for the Heat dynasty.
More pieces from the deal:
*Sixers get Bynum: Love this risk. Bynum is the best center in the East, moving within an hour of where he grew up and will be treated like the franchise cornerstone he has always wanted to be. When you have the chance to get a year to recruit a top-tier free agent like Bynum, you do it.
*Nuggets get Andre Iguodala: Arron Afflalo is an underrated player -- savvy on offense, hard-working on D. He has a reasonable contract (albeit one lasting a bunch of more years). But Iguodala is arguably the best perimeter defender in the NBA. You're not doing anything in the West if you can't lock down either Durant or Harden when you play OKC -- Iguodala can defend either/both. His deal also expires after the '14 season.
*Magic get...: Well, they get Afflalo, who is solid, if not spectacular. They get Nikola Vucevic who is a bruiser, but no one that Sixers fans will miss. They get Al Harrington, who shoots a lot. And they get Moe Harkless, who has some potential, but that's about it. (And with Harrington on the team, good luck with getting shots.) And they get a bunch of really mediocre draft picks, because the Sixers, Nuggets and Lakers won't be Lottery teams. Is this really the best Orlando could do? Was this better than Houston's offer? Was this better than Brooklyn's offer?
More:
*Usain Bolt wins 200: Again. Along with his 100 gold, following up his double gold in the 100 and 200 in 2008. Does nothing to change the idea that he is the greatest sprinter of all time. If he wants to crow about it a bit -- or dump on Carl Lewis? He's earned it. It might not be your cup of tea, but you can't say he hasn't earned the right to say whatever he wants.
*US women's soccer win gold: An unstoppable team, with no signs of slowing down. The "revenge factor" against Japan is precisely what they needed to stay sharp. That and Carli Lloyd.
*US goes gold-silver in the decathlon: Remember when Bruce Jenner was the king of the U.S., Wheaties box, etc? Now, you'd be hard-pressed to find fans who could name both guys who went 1-2. But still: An amazing accomplishment a half-century in the making.
*NFL Preseason starts in earnest: Peyton's body didn't fall apart, so that's a win.... RG3 looked terrific, which was awesome to see... and don't miss Steelers rookie Chris Rainey (a favorite of mine when he was at Florida) with a zip-zoom-to-the-moon TD run.
-- D.S.
Thursday, August 09, 2012
08/09 (Olympics) Quickie
The Olympics are winding down, but not without some drama: Misty and Kerri's third straight Olympic gold in women's beach volleyball, Allyson Felix winning the 200, more US gold in the women's long jump and men's 110 hurdles, USA hoops cruising to the semis (and Nic Batum's never-to-be-forgotten crotch-punch on Spain's JC Navarro). We've still got women's soccer gold today (US vs. Japan) and watching Bolt destroy the 200 and the always-entertaining 4x100 and 4x400 relays.
Ever the instant-historian, I'm fascinated by the "Best Evers" in their respective sports: Misty May and Kerri Walsh, Usain Bolt, Kim Rhode, Michael Phelps (obviously).
I can't help presuming that in LeBron, we're watching the greatest player to ever participate in Olympic basketball, catapulting past Michael Jordan's '84/'92 combo. And the potential that, in Missy Franklin, we've just got our first glimpse of another "Best Ever."
This is, of course, why we watch: To see "best ever" performances -- maybe not of all time, which is a luxury, but there's something appealing about "personal best," to watch someone culminating a lifetime of commitment with a gold (or even a silver or bronze).
There was this moment during Bolt's 200 semi where, immediately afterward, this young South African competitor rushes over to Bolt to give him a hug -- partly it was out of respect, partly out of admiration and partly out of his joy to come in second.
Imagine coming in second to the greatest sprinter in the history of the world -- not a bad place to be.
We also watch for the disappointment and the surprises and the collective "moments" and rooting interest in sports we mostly couldn't care less about the other 3 years and 50 weeks of every four-year stretch. But what a joy to watch greatness -- the achievement and the pursuit.
More:
*Best thing I read today, this week, this month and in the lead-up to the college football season: Wright Thompson on Urban Meyer. Give yourself 15 minutes to read it, then set aside some other time to think about two things: (1) Do you think there's any way that Meyer can change his essential nature -- can any of us? And (2) What are the personal costs you are willing to assume to achieve professional success? What level do you expect/demand from your sports heroes?
How does this second question make you think about Andy Reid and the tragic death of his son Garrett? Without presuming to know how he parented -- Andy was clearly more involved after Garrett got older and got into more trouble -- what about the choices Andy Reid clearly made about how involved he would be with his kids when they were little and most likely to benefit from his influence, versus his obsession with creating a professional career for himself at the highest levels of football? There is always a trade-off, and we don't talk about it enough.
*NFL Camping: I was all set to pick Trent Richardson in my fantasy draft far higher than almost anyone would find reasonable -- back of the first half. Now, news of his knee surgery makes me a wee bit nervous about that kind of investment. Tough break for the Browns, because this has ominous foreshadowing written all over it.
*More NFL: I'm totally rooting for Terrell Owens, well past the twilight of his career, to make it in Seattle.
*Meanwhile, if you missed the first episode of "Hard Knocks" with the Dolphins on Tuesday night, it was outstanding.
Note: Taking the family down to Florida for our annual summer pilgrimage to St. Augustine, but I look forward to having some time to write and reflect while I'm down there. Posts continue here, daily.
-- D.S.
Ever the instant-historian, I'm fascinated by the "Best Evers" in their respective sports: Misty May and Kerri Walsh, Usain Bolt, Kim Rhode, Michael Phelps (obviously).
I can't help presuming that in LeBron, we're watching the greatest player to ever participate in Olympic basketball, catapulting past Michael Jordan's '84/'92 combo. And the potential that, in Missy Franklin, we've just got our first glimpse of another "Best Ever."
This is, of course, why we watch: To see "best ever" performances -- maybe not of all time, which is a luxury, but there's something appealing about "personal best," to watch someone culminating a lifetime of commitment with a gold (or even a silver or bronze).
There was this moment during Bolt's 200 semi where, immediately afterward, this young South African competitor rushes over to Bolt to give him a hug -- partly it was out of respect, partly out of admiration and partly out of his joy to come in second.
Imagine coming in second to the greatest sprinter in the history of the world -- not a bad place to be.
We also watch for the disappointment and the surprises and the collective "moments" and rooting interest in sports we mostly couldn't care less about the other 3 years and 50 weeks of every four-year stretch. But what a joy to watch greatness -- the achievement and the pursuit.
More:
*Best thing I read today, this week, this month and in the lead-up to the college football season: Wright Thompson on Urban Meyer. Give yourself 15 minutes to read it, then set aside some other time to think about two things: (1) Do you think there's any way that Meyer can change his essential nature -- can any of us? And (2) What are the personal costs you are willing to assume to achieve professional success? What level do you expect/demand from your sports heroes?
How does this second question make you think about Andy Reid and the tragic death of his son Garrett? Without presuming to know how he parented -- Andy was clearly more involved after Garrett got older and got into more trouble -- what about the choices Andy Reid clearly made about how involved he would be with his kids when they were little and most likely to benefit from his influence, versus his obsession with creating a professional career for himself at the highest levels of football? There is always a trade-off, and we don't talk about it enough.
*NFL Camping: I was all set to pick Trent Richardson in my fantasy draft far higher than almost anyone would find reasonable -- back of the first half. Now, news of his knee surgery makes me a wee bit nervous about that kind of investment. Tough break for the Browns, because this has ominous foreshadowing written all over it.
*More NFL: I'm totally rooting for Terrell Owens, well past the twilight of his career, to make it in Seattle.
*Meanwhile, if you missed the first episode of "Hard Knocks" with the Dolphins on Tuesday night, it was outstanding.
Note: Taking the family down to Florida for our annual summer pilgrimage to St. Augustine, but I look forward to having some time to write and reflect while I'm down there. Posts continue here, daily.
-- D.S.
Monday, August 06, 2012
08/06 (Bolt) Quickie
Wow. I'm not sure there's much I can add to the discussion of Usain Bolt's jaw-dropping 9.63 in the 100M finals yesterday, except to marvel at how EASY it was for him.
He started slow -- cautiously, so he wouldn't get a false-start DQ -- was seemingly behind (or "behind"), then simply zoomed past the fastest group of runners ever assembled.
It wasn't even close. It was less than 10 seconds, but felt like an entire three-act play: Seeming conflict (he's behind!), thrilling middle (look at him surge!), triumphant conclusion (easy win!)
What also isn't even close is that Bolt is the greatest sprinter of all time. I think because of that -- not to mention the best-ever competitive set -- he deserves consideration among the Top 10 Olympians of all time.
Here's how good Bolt is: The second-best story of the 100M -- Tyson Gay openly weeping after the race -- was entirely a reflection of Bolt. Gay is one of the greatest sprinters of all time, did his absolute best... and it wasn't even close. Now, maybe he was weeping at not medaling, but even Justin Gatlin's response was a variation on "What can you do?"
Bolt's mastery of the event -- one of the handful of signature events in all of sports -- is so extreme that I'm not sure any other athlete or team is as dominant against an insanely competitive field as Bolt is of the sprinters.
That he does the entire thing with panache -- his pre-race and post-race preening for the cameras are part of the show, because he backs it up -- only makes it all the more spectacular.
*****
More:
*McKayla Maroney: Ah, McKayla. So pissed at losing, and I love it. She could have settled for a simple second vault to secure her gold, but she went for the tough vault -- because it's her event, because that's how she's hard-wired... to assume she would not just win gold, but nail the toughest routine (HER routine) while doing it -- and that's why I think she's even more awesome for it.
*Sonya Richards-Ross: Hell, almost as dominant in her event (400M) as Bolt is in his. What an electrifying talent.
*Andy Murray gets his title at Wimbledon, over Federer no less. That it was Olympic gold and not a Slam title shouldn't make it any sweeter for him that he was able to pull it off in front of his countrymen, who were jubilant for him in a way that the staid Wimbledon crowd never could be.
*Is it too late to say again how much I love a jubilant Serena? Her win made me think of my favorite athletes of all time, and she's on the short list. It was so fun to watch her domination of Sharapova with my kids and explain who Serena was and why I'm such a fan.
*Today: Gabby on the uneven bars. Women's soccer semi. And Spain vs. Brazil in hoops, with the loser avoiding the US as long as possible -- massive game-tanking potential.
*Non-Olympics news: The NFL preseason started last night, which means it's time... to start thinking about my fantasy drafts. (Nah, but just a reminder that the Saints and the post-bounty-punishment reality are the most compelling storyline of the season.)
*Meanwhile: In what shouldn't be unexpected, the NFL is negotiating with the Saints to reduce player suspensions -- the NFL got the P.R. bump it needed from "looking tough," and now they can back down on the suspensions because people aren't paying attention to it anymore.
*Penn State Watch: Did you see that Penn State football commit who backed out to pick Notre Dame? There's going to be a lot of that this year. (And that doesn't even count the top WR who bolted for Oklahoma -- as with RB Silas Redd, more power to him.)
*The Garrett Reid story is so sad -- you don't have to be a parent to lament how badly Andy Reid and his family must feel. Condolences to the Eagles family.
*The Mars landing should affirm your faith in what we can accomplish in science.
-- D.S.
He started slow -- cautiously, so he wouldn't get a false-start DQ -- was seemingly behind (or "behind"), then simply zoomed past the fastest group of runners ever assembled.
It wasn't even close. It was less than 10 seconds, but felt like an entire three-act play: Seeming conflict (he's behind!), thrilling middle (look at him surge!), triumphant conclusion (easy win!)
What also isn't even close is that Bolt is the greatest sprinter of all time. I think because of that -- not to mention the best-ever competitive set -- he deserves consideration among the Top 10 Olympians of all time.
Here's how good Bolt is: The second-best story of the 100M -- Tyson Gay openly weeping after the race -- was entirely a reflection of Bolt. Gay is one of the greatest sprinters of all time, did his absolute best... and it wasn't even close. Now, maybe he was weeping at not medaling, but even Justin Gatlin's response was a variation on "What can you do?"
Bolt's mastery of the event -- one of the handful of signature events in all of sports -- is so extreme that I'm not sure any other athlete or team is as dominant against an insanely competitive field as Bolt is of the sprinters.
That he does the entire thing with panache -- his pre-race and post-race preening for the cameras are part of the show, because he backs it up -- only makes it all the more spectacular.
*****
More:
*McKayla Maroney: Ah, McKayla. So pissed at losing, and I love it. She could have settled for a simple second vault to secure her gold, but she went for the tough vault -- because it's her event, because that's how she's hard-wired... to assume she would not just win gold, but nail the toughest routine (HER routine) while doing it -- and that's why I think she's even more awesome for it.
*Sonya Richards-Ross: Hell, almost as dominant in her event (400M) as Bolt is in his. What an electrifying talent.
*Andy Murray gets his title at Wimbledon, over Federer no less. That it was Olympic gold and not a Slam title shouldn't make it any sweeter for him that he was able to pull it off in front of his countrymen, who were jubilant for him in a way that the staid Wimbledon crowd never could be.
*Is it too late to say again how much I love a jubilant Serena? Her win made me think of my favorite athletes of all time, and she's on the short list. It was so fun to watch her domination of Sharapova with my kids and explain who Serena was and why I'm such a fan.
*Today: Gabby on the uneven bars. Women's soccer semi. And Spain vs. Brazil in hoops, with the loser avoiding the US as long as possible -- massive game-tanking potential.
*Non-Olympics news: The NFL preseason started last night, which means it's time... to start thinking about my fantasy drafts. (Nah, but just a reminder that the Saints and the post-bounty-punishment reality are the most compelling storyline of the season.)
*Meanwhile: In what shouldn't be unexpected, the NFL is negotiating with the Saints to reduce player suspensions -- the NFL got the P.R. bump it needed from "looking tough," and now they can back down on the suspensions because people aren't paying attention to it anymore.
*Penn State Watch: Did you see that Penn State football commit who backed out to pick Notre Dame? There's going to be a lot of that this year. (And that doesn't even count the top WR who bolted for Oklahoma -- as with RB Silas Redd, more power to him.)
*The Garrett Reid story is so sad -- you don't have to be a parent to lament how badly Andy Reid and his family must feel. Condolences to the Eagles family.
*The Mars landing should affirm your faith in what we can accomplish in science.
-- D.S.
Sunday, August 05, 2012
08/05 (Olympics) Twitter
One of the things I love about the Olympics is the way you can suddenly -- even instantly -- get enthralled by a sports event you otherwise wouldn't care about.
Case in point: The men's 10K final, which started slow but ended as dramatically as you could imagine, with Britain's own Mo Farah sprinting to gold in front of a frenzied crowd, and his training partner Galen Rupp finishing 2nd, the first medal for an American runner in the 10K in half a century. It is impossible not to love that, even if shortly afterward, it's on to the next.
BTW: The read of the morning is SI's Tim Layden on that race, one of the best pieces of deadline writing I've read this year.
More:
*Michael Phelps finishes with gold -- that's 22 medals overall in his three-Olympic career, including 18 golds, which is double the nearest Olympian. Hell of a way to wrap a career.
*Meanwhile, US swimming is in great shape -- the Missy Franklin-led women's 4x100 medley relay team won gold and broke the world record while doing it. Franklin probably has two Olympics still to go, and she could easily finish her career with more than a dozen medals, mostly gold.
*The men's 100m semis and final are today. Usain Bolt is a must-see, but so is the rest of the most compelling field in track. Here's a good essay from Joe Posnanski on the 100.
*USA Hoops: Lithuania got as close as anyone will get to knocking this team off, and good for them -- if you can't win a gold, universal respect is a pretty good consolation prize. USA is going to roll on from here. (BTW: Lots of love for Russia's coach David Blatt. Instead of my Wizards hiring the mediocre Jerry Sichting as an assistant coach, I would have loved for them to bring in Blatt. Presume Randy Wittman doesn't want an assistant coach so clearly more talented than he is.)
*Serena: I tweeted this yesterday just after she won -- Jubilant Serena is one of my favorite images in sports.
*McKayla Maroney is my favorite of the gymnastics Fab Five (or "Fierce Five," in Maroney's view). She'll be the heavy favorite in the vault after her stunning leap in the team comp.
Enjoy the day.
-- D.S.
Case in point: The men's 10K final, which started slow but ended as dramatically as you could imagine, with Britain's own Mo Farah sprinting to gold in front of a frenzied crowd, and his training partner Galen Rupp finishing 2nd, the first medal for an American runner in the 10K in half a century. It is impossible not to love that, even if shortly afterward, it's on to the next.
BTW: The read of the morning is SI's Tim Layden on that race, one of the best pieces of deadline writing I've read this year.
More:
*Michael Phelps finishes with gold -- that's 22 medals overall in his three-Olympic career, including 18 golds, which is double the nearest Olympian. Hell of a way to wrap a career.
*Meanwhile, US swimming is in great shape -- the Missy Franklin-led women's 4x100 medley relay team won gold and broke the world record while doing it. Franklin probably has two Olympics still to go, and she could easily finish her career with more than a dozen medals, mostly gold.
*The men's 100m semis and final are today. Usain Bolt is a must-see, but so is the rest of the most compelling field in track. Here's a good essay from Joe Posnanski on the 100.
*USA Hoops: Lithuania got as close as anyone will get to knocking this team off, and good for them -- if you can't win a gold, universal respect is a pretty good consolation prize. USA is going to roll on from here. (BTW: Lots of love for Russia's coach David Blatt. Instead of my Wizards hiring the mediocre Jerry Sichting as an assistant coach, I would have loved for them to bring in Blatt. Presume Randy Wittman doesn't want an assistant coach so clearly more talented than he is.)
*Serena: I tweeted this yesterday just after she won -- Jubilant Serena is one of my favorite images in sports.
*McKayla Maroney is my favorite of the gymnastics Fab Five (or "Fierce Five," in Maroney's view). She'll be the heavy favorite in the vault after her stunning leap in the team comp.
Enjoy the day.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, August 01, 2012
08/01 (Phelps) Quickie
What a jaw-dropping day yesterday: Michael Phelps loses his signature event at the wall touch, then turns around and wins his record-setting 19th medal (gold, no less, in a U.S. rout).
Greatest Olympian ever? No question.
But my favorite moment was the sincere joy on Phelps' face for Chad Le Clos, who was overwhelmed by the moment. Phelps was pissed immediately after the race, in the water, but by the time he got to the medal stand, he was relaxed and able to enjoy the moment for Le Clos. Honestly, that is the essence of the Games. (Meanwhile: The interview with Le Clos's dad. Oh wow.)
Also, the reason to watch on TV, even though I saw the race live in the afternoon: The NBC reaction shot of Phelps' mom, who thought Phelps won, raised her arms and face in exultation, only to be told by her daughter a moment later that Phelps had come in second.
Meanwhile, the women's gymnastics gold was no less compelling in primetime than it was live -- maybe even more so; NBC knows how to weave a narrative, combined with awesome footage that the BBC world feed just doesn't have. This is a fun "fab five," and McKayla Maroney's vault was the most spectacular moment of the Games so far for the U.S.
More later.
-- D.S.
Greatest Olympian ever? No question.
But my favorite moment was the sincere joy on Phelps' face for Chad Le Clos, who was overwhelmed by the moment. Phelps was pissed immediately after the race, in the water, but by the time he got to the medal stand, he was relaxed and able to enjoy the moment for Le Clos. Honestly, that is the essence of the Games. (Meanwhile: The interview with Le Clos's dad. Oh wow.)
Also, the reason to watch on TV, even though I saw the race live in the afternoon: The NBC reaction shot of Phelps' mom, who thought Phelps won, raised her arms and face in exultation, only to be told by her daughter a moment later that Phelps had come in second.
Meanwhile, the women's gymnastics gold was no less compelling in primetime than it was live -- maybe even more so; NBC knows how to weave a narrative, combined with awesome footage that the BBC world feed just doesn't have. This is a fun "fab five," and McKayla Maroney's vault was the most spectacular moment of the Games so far for the U.S.
More later.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
07/31 (Olympics Tuesday) Quickie
I've been immersed in Olympics live-blog coverage for USA Today all day. I won't spoil things here until tomorrow morning, in case you're waiting. The swimming is worth watching tonight, whether you know what happened or not.
Meanwhile:
*Tunisia hanging with USA Hoops for a quarter qualifies as one of the great moral victories in the history of basketball. And I'm not even kidding.
*MLB Trade Deadline: Ryan Dempster to the Rangers. Between the Angels getting Greinke and the defending AL champs getting the Cubs' ace, the AL West is going to be superb -- and if both teams make it to the playoffs (even one in the Wild Wild Card one-game playoff), both are tough outs.
*Penn State RB Silas Redd transfers to USC: It will be very interesting to see what the reaction is -- clearly, he is within his rights to leave. Still: There will be plenty about his perceived disloyalty. I side on "Good for him."
(Meanwhile, USC gets that much better. I still don't think they can hang with the best of the SEC -- whether that's LSU or Alabama, it almost doesn't matter -- but they certainly size up as a team that will run the table and position itself for the second spot in the title game against the SEC champ.)
Much more later.
-- D.S.
Meanwhile:
*Tunisia hanging with USA Hoops for a quarter qualifies as one of the great moral victories in the history of basketball. And I'm not even kidding.
*MLB Trade Deadline: Ryan Dempster to the Rangers. Between the Angels getting Greinke and the defending AL champs getting the Cubs' ace, the AL West is going to be superb -- and if both teams make it to the playoffs (even one in the Wild Wild Card one-game playoff), both are tough outs.
*Penn State RB Silas Redd transfers to USC: It will be very interesting to see what the reaction is -- clearly, he is within his rights to leave. Still: There will be plenty about his perceived disloyalty. I side on "Good for him."
(Meanwhile, USC gets that much better. I still don't think they can hang with the best of the SEC -- whether that's LSU or Alabama, it almost doesn't matter -- but they certainly size up as a team that will run the table and position itself for the second spot in the title game against the SEC champ.)
Much more later.
-- D.S.
Monday, July 30, 2012
07/30 (Olympics) Quickie
First, about the whole #nbcfail thing: I have absolutely no problem with the decision by NBC to tape-delay. And the ratings bear that out -- if you get out of the Twitter vortex, you realize most people are fine with it. And you can watch anything you want live, via the Web or tablet app.
EXCEPT: The Web and tablet live video feeds have been shaky -- I was OK on Saturday, but missed a bunch of swimming on Sunday because of iffy feeds, which was maddening. Presuming NBC can work out those issues, there is nothing wrong with having a "live online now, taped on TV later" strategy.
Meanwhile:
There are two main dynamics at the Olympics, beyond winning gold: You can win silver, you can lose the gold.
Allison Schmitt? Won silver.
Men's 4x100 free relay team? Lost gold.
That's the whole thing -- expectations. Perceptions. That was the US's 4x100 to win, and Lochte couldn't do it. I called him a choker on Twitter immediately afterward, but that isn't fair to him -- it's the coach's fault for putting a swimmer without the right experience or skillset to anchor a 4x100 race (especially coming so shortly after Lochte's own 200 free semi heat). Blame Greg Troy.
Last thing: Yikes, you have to feel terrible for Jordyn Wieber. Those shots of her on TV last night were brutal -- and a reason to watch the tape-delay even though we all knew the results already. Devastating visuals, but an intrinsic and important part of the Games. We can argue whether the "only 2 from each country make it" is fair, but that's the way it is in swimming. It's harsh. If it was Raisman who finished 3rd and Wieber in the money, no one would be complaining.
As for the scoring of Wieber? Now THAT was unfair. It all combines to create the epic disappointment that seems to be as much a part of the Olympics as success.
-- D.S.
EXCEPT: The Web and tablet live video feeds have been shaky -- I was OK on Saturday, but missed a bunch of swimming on Sunday because of iffy feeds, which was maddening. Presuming NBC can work out those issues, there is nothing wrong with having a "live online now, taped on TV later" strategy.
Meanwhile:
There are two main dynamics at the Olympics, beyond winning gold: You can win silver, you can lose the gold.
Allison Schmitt? Won silver.
Men's 4x100 free relay team? Lost gold.
That's the whole thing -- expectations. Perceptions. That was the US's 4x100 to win, and Lochte couldn't do it. I called him a choker on Twitter immediately afterward, but that isn't fair to him -- it's the coach's fault for putting a swimmer without the right experience or skillset to anchor a 4x100 race (especially coming so shortly after Lochte's own 200 free semi heat). Blame Greg Troy.
Last thing: Yikes, you have to feel terrible for Jordyn Wieber. Those shots of her on TV last night were brutal -- and a reason to watch the tape-delay even though we all knew the results already. Devastating visuals, but an intrinsic and important part of the Games. We can argue whether the "only 2 from each country make it" is fair, but that's the way it is in swimming. It's harsh. If it was Raisman who finished 3rd and Wieber in the money, no one would be complaining.
As for the scoring of Wieber? Now THAT was unfair. It all combines to create the epic disappointment that seems to be as much a part of the Olympics as success.
-- D.S.
Friday, July 27, 2012
07/27 (Olympics) Quickie
How can you not love the Olympics? For what it's worth, I'm immersed in USA Today's coverage of the Games (along with Quickish coverage of the Games), so please visit both (and tell friends!)
I'll try to chime in here with little notes, etc. But it's going to be awesome. It's the first Olympics where my kids really know what's going on, so that's going to make it extra-fun.
-- D.S.
I'll try to chime in here with little notes, etc. But it's going to be awesome. It's the first Olympics where my kids really know what's going on, so that's going to make it extra-fun.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
07/24 (Penn State, Cont'd) Quickie
Long term, Penn State football is going to be hurt badly by the scholarship reductions. In the short term, I'm most fascinated by how many players choose to leave.
There might be a quasi-macho attitude of "I made a commitment and I'm sticking it out!" but I'm not so sure that's the rational (or optimal) choice. I've been looking around for an expert take, and Andy Staples' evaluation is as good as any:
If you're an NFL prospect, you should leave. If you can get an offer from a top-level program, you should leave. If Penn State was the best you can do and your next-best alternative is a MAC school and the Little Caesar's Bowl, you should probably stick around. (That said: I can't imagine that even the weakest links of each Penn State recruiting class wouldn't be welcome at, say, Maryland or Rutgers, two nearby programs desperate for a talent infusion.)
If it was my kid? I don't know. That's a pretty awful football experience for the next 1-4 years. If they had NFL aspirations, I'd probably encourage them to see what else was out there. If college football was merely the means to a scholarship and diploma, I think there is a lot to be gained by going through the next 1-4 years at Penn State.
Most of all: I'd want to know that coach Bill O'Brien was going to stick it out with my kid -- if he bolts after next year because the situation is so brutal, what kind of message does that send the kids? If he is in it for the long haul, it's easier to join him. The problem is that even if he sincerely thinks he's in it for the long haul now, what happens when it's a slog two years from now -- with no end in sight -- and an NFL team comes calling with a sweet job offer that comes with no baggage?
There are no guarantees, which is why it is ludicrous for anyone to judge any player who chooses to leave. What is unclear is if the "Can leave at any time without penalty" extends throughout a player's remaining time at Penn State, not just a one-week window to make a life-altering decision. I hope it does include that provision -- I suspect it doesn't.
More:
*Ichiro: I feel for my Mariners friends, but I think all of them knew this was coming eventually. It was nice that the fans could give him an ovation last night, even if he was in pinstripes.
*USA Hoops: If I'm Spain, I'm tanking the game tonight -- lose by 30. Worst-case scenario is that they keep it close (or win) and the US is ultra-motivated for the presumptive rematch in the gold medal game. If I'm the US, I'm sizing up the Gasol brothers and the US size issues -- and playing Anthony Davis a ton. Give the kid a chance, Coach K. He's not Christian Laettner in '92.
-- D.S.
There might be a quasi-macho attitude of "I made a commitment and I'm sticking it out!" but I'm not so sure that's the rational (or optimal) choice. I've been looking around for an expert take, and Andy Staples' evaluation is as good as any:
If you're an NFL prospect, you should leave. If you can get an offer from a top-level program, you should leave. If Penn State was the best you can do and your next-best alternative is a MAC school and the Little Caesar's Bowl, you should probably stick around. (That said: I can't imagine that even the weakest links of each Penn State recruiting class wouldn't be welcome at, say, Maryland or Rutgers, two nearby programs desperate for a talent infusion.)
If it was my kid? I don't know. That's a pretty awful football experience for the next 1-4 years. If they had NFL aspirations, I'd probably encourage them to see what else was out there. If college football was merely the means to a scholarship and diploma, I think there is a lot to be gained by going through the next 1-4 years at Penn State.
Most of all: I'd want to know that coach Bill O'Brien was going to stick it out with my kid -- if he bolts after next year because the situation is so brutal, what kind of message does that send the kids? If he is in it for the long haul, it's easier to join him. The problem is that even if he sincerely thinks he's in it for the long haul now, what happens when it's a slog two years from now -- with no end in sight -- and an NFL team comes calling with a sweet job offer that comes with no baggage?
There are no guarantees, which is why it is ludicrous for anyone to judge any player who chooses to leave. What is unclear is if the "Can leave at any time without penalty" extends throughout a player's remaining time at Penn State, not just a one-week window to make a life-altering decision. I hope it does include that provision -- I suspect it doesn't.
More:
*Ichiro: I feel for my Mariners friends, but I think all of them knew this was coming eventually. It was nice that the fans could give him an ovation last night, even if he was in pinstripes.
*USA Hoops: If I'm Spain, I'm tanking the game tonight -- lose by 30. Worst-case scenario is that they keep it close (or win) and the US is ultra-motivated for the presumptive rematch in the gold medal game. If I'm the US, I'm sizing up the Gasol brothers and the US size issues -- and playing Anthony Davis a ton. Give the kid a chance, Coach K. He's not Christian Laettner in '92.
-- D.S.
Monday, July 23, 2012
07/23 (Penn State) Quickie
I've seen a few people with the "We were... Penn State" line, and it is entirely apt.
The NCAA has obliterated that program.
The scholarship reductions -- 10 immediately, 20 per year for the next four years (capping them at 15 schollys per year and 65 scholarship athletes on the team, period) -- are brutal. You can't compete with that dearth of depth. Not against the Big Ten, not against the Atlantic 10.
Letting any incoming or existing player transfer without penalty -- no sitting out a year. I appreciate the loyalty of those who stay, but if it was me and I cared about the commitment I'm about to make for the next 1-4 years of my life, I'm leaving. It will be fascinating to see how many leave.
The fine ($60M) sounds huge, but it's a big school with a big endowment and rich donors. They'll put that together in a weekend. And it's $12M a year over 5 years -- hardly taxing for a school that size.
The bowl ban is of a piece with the transfer rule -- it speaks to the experience the athletes will have if they stay. It keeps the team from practicing in December. It keeps them off TV in bowl season.
And then there are the vacated Paterno wins from 1998-2011 -- entirely symbolic, but much more important than typical vacated wins, because of Paterno's place as the all-time winningest coach. That is about humiliation, and it is an appropriate piece of this punishment.
Taken in total, the punishment is as comprehensive and obliterating as any since SMU -- perhaps more. There is an argument that the program will be in tougher shape after this than if they had shut down the program for a year. I think the NCAA knew that.
The entire thing isn't justice for the victims -- not even close. But it is punitive for a football program that deserves it.
More:
*Sucks to be Adam Scott.
*NBA Summer League ends: Damian Lillard is even better than the hype.
*USA Hoops: Needs tests like Argentina yesterday to remind them to stay focused.
This Penn State story will dominate the day -- maybe all the way up to the Olympics on Friday.
-- D.S.
The NCAA has obliterated that program.
The scholarship reductions -- 10 immediately, 20 per year for the next four years (capping them at 15 schollys per year and 65 scholarship athletes on the team, period) -- are brutal. You can't compete with that dearth of depth. Not against the Big Ten, not against the Atlantic 10.
Letting any incoming or existing player transfer without penalty -- no sitting out a year. I appreciate the loyalty of those who stay, but if it was me and I cared about the commitment I'm about to make for the next 1-4 years of my life, I'm leaving. It will be fascinating to see how many leave.
The fine ($60M) sounds huge, but it's a big school with a big endowment and rich donors. They'll put that together in a weekend. And it's $12M a year over 5 years -- hardly taxing for a school that size.
The bowl ban is of a piece with the transfer rule -- it speaks to the experience the athletes will have if they stay. It keeps the team from practicing in December. It keeps them off TV in bowl season.
And then there are the vacated Paterno wins from 1998-2011 -- entirely symbolic, but much more important than typical vacated wins, because of Paterno's place as the all-time winningest coach. That is about humiliation, and it is an appropriate piece of this punishment.
Taken in total, the punishment is as comprehensive and obliterating as any since SMU -- perhaps more. There is an argument that the program will be in tougher shape after this than if they had shut down the program for a year. I think the NCAA knew that.
The entire thing isn't justice for the victims -- not even close. But it is punitive for a football program that deserves it.
More:
*Sucks to be Adam Scott.
*NBA Summer League ends: Damian Lillard is even better than the hype.
*USA Hoops: Needs tests like Argentina yesterday to remind them to stay focused.
This Penn State story will dominate the day -- maybe all the way up to the Olympics on Friday.
-- D.S.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
11 Years Ago Today: The First Date
I was going to tweet this story out in 20 parts, but that felt like a bit much (you don't say!), so instead I just republished the tweets below in one stream:
Quick story: 11 years ago today, I got set up on a blind date by a b-school classmate. I was in NYC for the summer...
I talked with my date briefly on the phone. I was living with my gram at the time, so suggesting we meet at 5:30 for dinner seemed normal
She politely countered with 7. I'm hardly a foodie. I actually went to the restaurant I had picked out the night before to scout the menu.
She met me outside the lobby of her building. She was probably like "Is he wearing khakis? He's wearing khakis." I was wearing khakis.
I suggested we head to the restaurant, but she said she had just gone there, so could we try something else? (But... my menu-scouting!)
We went for a walk. We stopped by West 4th Street and the basketball courts. She was as enthusiastic to stop and watch as I was. Swoon.
Chatting the whole way. I think we're hitting it off. We end up at a new restaurant but - yes! - it's the sibling of the one I picked out.
Still chatting away. She's from Gainesville and a die-hard Gators fan. I find that exotic. (Foreshadowing, cc: @timtebow)
On to the second bottle of wine. She is arguing offensive rebounding is underappreciated. Swoon. Context here.
Getting late. Walk her back to her apt. Realize my subway back to Brooklyn is out of service for the night. No, wait: For the next 2 years.
I awkwardly explain this. I'm more offended by the idea of spending $70 on a cab ride back to BK than I fear rejection asking to stay over.
The next morning my gram, back in Brooklyn, laughed at me on the phone. She sort of stopped giggling when I told her I'd see her Monday (!)
I called my shidduch friend, who asked how the date went. Me: "I'm still on it." Her: "WHAAAT?!" Day 2 of Date 1 was in full swing.
Another dinner out. A movie. Back to her place -- remember, the subway still wasn't running back to my gram's. Kinda late night.
I got up the next morning and realized I had a Page 2 column due. On no sleep, I filed some sleepy dreck, hoping I could fake it.
About 30 min later, I got a call from Lovinger. "This is... not good," he said. At the time, I was still sort of trying out. I was freaked.
He spiked the column. I promised to do better. What I really wanted to do was tell him about my improbable two-day first-date blind-date...
...And that I'm pretty sure I'm going to marry the woman I spent the weekend with. With that context, he'd understand, right?
Two weeks later, for our third date, she met me in Italy. (Longer story/better story here, via @awl)
Most things take a leap of faith, blind dates no exception. I had never had a good one, but I trusted my friend and had an open mind.
That first date, 11 years ago today, was the best day of my life. Thanks for 11 amazing years, @mimshanoff. I love you.
-- D.S.
Friday, July 20, 2012
07/20 Quickie
Just awful, heart-breaking news about the massacre in Aurora, Colorado
last night. Among the murdered, an aspiring sports reporter named
Jessica Ghawi, whose final blog post was about being in Toronto during
the Eaton Centre shooting. Horrible tragedy.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
07/17 (Kiss-Cam) Quickie
The video/meme of the day: The Obamas on the Kiss-Cam last night at the USA Basketball game.
You've gotta love the Kiss-Cam. One time Mrs. Quickie and I were at a Florida football game at The Swamp, and during a TV time-out, the camera cut to us in our seats and I spontaneously gave her a kiss for the cam. Alas, it cut away too quickly for the fans to truly appreciate my kiss-cam homage.
Meanwhile, yes, the US team has some size issues, but (a) few teams have the size of Brazil (Spain is one of them, of course), and (b) the rest of the team is so dominant that they will be fine without it. They might not win by 30+ they need to to pay tribute to the Dream Team, but it'll be enough.
Kevin Youkilis returns to Boston: Of course he was going to get cheered; he is one of the most popular Red Sox players of the past 20 years. I'm not sure fans miss him, though.
Matt Forte gets paid: Did the Bears really have to wait this long?
(Ray Rice, too: Deserves it based on past production, but you always wonder with paying big dollars for a "franchise" running back.)
NBA: Mavs sign OJ Mayo. This is called "Plan D."
On the road today. More tomorrow a.m.
-- D.S.
Are you a Knicks fan revoking your fandom in exchange for Brooklyn Nets' fandom? I won't judge. (I'll never judge your fandom, however you want to exercise it. I'm the guy who adopted Florida because of a woman I fell in love with.) I appreciate the frustration level. I'm now thinking that the team will eat the luxury tax implications and match the Lin deal.
You've gotta love the Kiss-Cam. One time Mrs. Quickie and I were at a Florida football game at The Swamp, and during a TV time-out, the camera cut to us in our seats and I spontaneously gave her a kiss for the cam. Alas, it cut away too quickly for the fans to truly appreciate my kiss-cam homage.
Meanwhile, yes, the US team has some size issues, but (a) few teams have the size of Brazil (Spain is one of them, of course), and (b) the rest of the team is so dominant that they will be fine without it. They might not win by 30+ they need to to pay tribute to the Dream Team, but it'll be enough.
Kevin Youkilis returns to Boston: Of course he was going to get cheered; he is one of the most popular Red Sox players of the past 20 years. I'm not sure fans miss him, though.
Matt Forte gets paid: Did the Bears really have to wait this long?
(Ray Rice, too: Deserves it based on past production, but you always wonder with paying big dollars for a "franchise" running back.)
NBA: Mavs sign OJ Mayo. This is called "Plan D."
On the road today. More tomorrow a.m.
-- D.S.
Are you a Knicks fan revoking your fandom in exchange for Brooklyn Nets' fandom? I won't judge. (I'll never judge your fandom, however you want to exercise it. I'm the guy who adopted Florida because of a woman I fell in love with.) I appreciate the frustration level. I'm now thinking that the team will eat the luxury tax implications and match the Lin deal.
Friday, July 13, 2012
07/13 (Friday) Quickie
The Paterno-Penn State-Freeh story is so sad/aggravating that I just point you to Quickish's excellent collection of the top takes and analysis.
To the extent that the "Should they take the Paterno statue down?" thing has become the only way most people can internalize the horror of the story, I'm ambivalent -- I see both sides. It seems insane to keep the statue up as tribute; if people look at it and consider the extent of the abdication of JoePa's leadership, then it is valuable. The bottom line is that if the school doesn't change the way it works -- football as king, etc. -- then it doesn't matter what sort of symbolism is out there and how it's handled.
More:
*Dwight Howard Watch: Good for the Rockets to do whatever it takes to pry Howard from Orlando. I'd rather be in a position of trying to retain him over the next year (including financial advantage) than trying to woo him over about 48 hours -- against every other competitor, including rival Dallas -- next summer. I'd like to see Daryl Morey's creativity and obsession rewarded.
*Blake Griffin knee injury: Yikes. The downside of playing any basketball outside of your club team -- but, then again, injuries can happen anytime, so why not participate?
*USA Basketball rolls: Durant with that international 3-point-line is so amazing to watch. This team is going to be on a mission to win by 40 and make those comparisons to the 1992 team a little bit more interesting.
*Baseball is back: Let's go Nats. I'm 100% on board with pitching Strasburg past his innings limit if the team is in contention -- flags fly forever. The smarter play would be for the team to acquire a 6th starter and stretch Strasburg out a little bit.
*Just asking: Why isn't every team going after Justin Upton? I'm clearly missing something.
*Do the Phillies need to pay big to keep Hamels? Have you seen their record? (Of course, paying big for Hamels won't do anything about the aging and massively expensive lineup.)
Fun weekend of baseball and USA hoops and more ahead. Maybe we'll even get a Dwight Howard trade. After yesterday's Freeh Report release, I think we all want/need the psychological break.
-- D.S.
To the extent that the "Should they take the Paterno statue down?" thing has become the only way most people can internalize the horror of the story, I'm ambivalent -- I see both sides. It seems insane to keep the statue up as tribute; if people look at it and consider the extent of the abdication of JoePa's leadership, then it is valuable. The bottom line is that if the school doesn't change the way it works -- football as king, etc. -- then it doesn't matter what sort of symbolism is out there and how it's handled.
More:
*Dwight Howard Watch: Good for the Rockets to do whatever it takes to pry Howard from Orlando. I'd rather be in a position of trying to retain him over the next year (including financial advantage) than trying to woo him over about 48 hours -- against every other competitor, including rival Dallas -- next summer. I'd like to see Daryl Morey's creativity and obsession rewarded.
*Blake Griffin knee injury: Yikes. The downside of playing any basketball outside of your club team -- but, then again, injuries can happen anytime, so why not participate?
*USA Basketball rolls: Durant with that international 3-point-line is so amazing to watch. This team is going to be on a mission to win by 40 and make those comparisons to the 1992 team a little bit more interesting.
*Baseball is back: Let's go Nats. I'm 100% on board with pitching Strasburg past his innings limit if the team is in contention -- flags fly forever. The smarter play would be for the team to acquire a 6th starter and stretch Strasburg out a little bit.
*Just asking: Why isn't every team going after Justin Upton? I'm clearly missing something.
*Do the Phillies need to pay big to keep Hamels? Have you seen their record? (Of course, paying big for Hamels won't do anything about the aging and massively expensive lineup.)
Fun weekend of baseball and USA hoops and more ahead. Maybe we'll even get a Dwight Howard trade. After yesterday's Freeh Report release, I think we all want/need the psychological break.
-- D.S.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
07/12 (Freeh) Quickie
If you are a Penn State alum or fan, it should be impossible this morning not to be (even more) horrified at the conduct of your administration -- and your football coach -- during the terrifying Sandusky era.
I think we all knew that the school's board and its AD and Paterno knew far too much about Sandusky and chose -- chose -- not to do anything about it. It is damning to see it in this report.
It is hard to say what the "proper" punishment is -- nothing feels adequate. On the other hand, that Joe Paterno will be remembered in history as a kind of monster, rather than "one of the greatest football coaches ever" -- and that, hopefully, members of the Penn State administration go to prison -- is better than nothing.
The hope is that every school takes a hard look at the power they have conceded to the football program and their football coach -- that is one of the things at the root of this scandal.
-- D.S.
I think we all knew that the school's board and its AD and Paterno knew far too much about Sandusky and chose -- chose -- not to do anything about it. It is damning to see it in this report.
It is hard to say what the "proper" punishment is -- nothing feels adequate. On the other hand, that Joe Paterno will be remembered in history as a kind of monster, rather than "one of the greatest football coaches ever" -- and that, hopefully, members of the Penn State administration go to prison -- is better than nothing.
The hope is that every school takes a hard look at the power they have conceded to the football program and their football coach -- that is one of the things at the root of this scandal.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
07/10 (All-Star) Quickie
Let's be clear: Fans have an inalienable right -- an inalienable right -- to boo. It is as fundamental of a right of fandom as anything. It is damn near close to the First Amendment of fandom.
And so to the fans of Kansas City who booed Robinson Cano last night: Good for you. Cano took it in stride (as he should have -- and good for him), even if it clearly unnerved him.
KC fans are mostly genteel, but under all that is a fair amount of discontent and desperation, mostly because their team sucks and is unlikely to ever get much better.
This felt like a primal release, not just at some superficial affront by Cano in not picking a Royals slugger for the AL HR Derby team, but just as catharsis.
In that way, they weren't booing Cano. They were booing their lot in life, right there on national TV, when everyone was finally paying attention to them: Our team sucks and we're not happy about it.
The release was productive, healthy and entirely entertaining. Frankly, I don't care what their reason was; they have the right to boo whatever (or whoever) they want. Boo away, friends.
(I also hear that there's a movement for fans to turn around and cheer Cano tonight -- I'm sure they will, and hopefully it will simmer down the hysterics who hated their booing last night. Good for KC for having a little bit of nuance about the whole thing.)
More:
*I don't blame the rest of the NBA for not wanting slop to facilitate the Nets getting Dwight Howard and creating a half-decade contender.
*I have no idea why the Magic won't take Bynum and take their chances that with a year to woo him (and the ultimate financial advantage via his Bird rights) that he will stay. Totally worth it.
*I don't watch much NBA Summer League, but I enjoy perusing the box scores for summer studs. Jared Sullinger is off to a good start, and I really like Orlando Johnson.
*Player I'm most excited to watch tonight: RA Dickey.
*Today's must-read/must-buy: "Dream Team," the new book by Jack McCallum about the fabled 1992 USA Olympic Basketball team.
*EA's NCAA Football '13 also comes out today. I'm not a huge gamer, but if I was, I would appreciate the ability to put Tim Tebow on any team in the country. I don't have to worry about that.
-- D.S.
And so to the fans of Kansas City who booed Robinson Cano last night: Good for you. Cano took it in stride (as he should have -- and good for him), even if it clearly unnerved him.
KC fans are mostly genteel, but under all that is a fair amount of discontent and desperation, mostly because their team sucks and is unlikely to ever get much better.
This felt like a primal release, not just at some superficial affront by Cano in not picking a Royals slugger for the AL HR Derby team, but just as catharsis.
In that way, they weren't booing Cano. They were booing their lot in life, right there on national TV, when everyone was finally paying attention to them: Our team sucks and we're not happy about it.
The release was productive, healthy and entirely entertaining. Frankly, I don't care what their reason was; they have the right to boo whatever (or whoever) they want. Boo away, friends.
(I also hear that there's a movement for fans to turn around and cheer Cano tonight -- I'm sure they will, and hopefully it will simmer down the hysterics who hated their booing last night. Good for KC for having a little bit of nuance about the whole thing.)
More:
*I don't blame the rest of the NBA for not wanting slop to facilitate the Nets getting Dwight Howard and creating a half-decade contender.
*I have no idea why the Magic won't take Bynum and take their chances that with a year to woo him (and the ultimate financial advantage via his Bird rights) that he will stay. Totally worth it.
*I don't watch much NBA Summer League, but I enjoy perusing the box scores for summer studs. Jared Sullinger is off to a good start, and I really like Orlando Johnson.
*Player I'm most excited to watch tonight: RA Dickey.
*Today's must-read/must-buy: "Dream Team," the new book by Jack McCallum about the fabled 1992 USA Olympic Basketball team.
*EA's NCAA Football '13 also comes out today. I'm not a huge gamer, but if I was, I would appreciate the ability to put Tim Tebow on any team in the country. I don't have to worry about that.
-- D.S.
Saturday, July 07, 2012
07/07 (Ray Allen) Quickie
Now, I'm no Heat fan, and the idea of a still-very-potent Ray Allen on that team -- destroying everyone with that beautiful 3-point-shot and helping the Heat to another title or two -- is brutal.
That said: Allen not only had every right to make the jump to the Heat, but good for him for snubbing the Celtics.
*The Celtics tried to trade him mid-season. The "Let's pry the window open for one more run!" was more of a function of Derrick Rose's injury and the temporary stand-off with the Heat -- in other words, a combination of luck and reductive hindsight -- than Grand Design. The reality is that Danny Ainge was willing to blow it up in March -- with Allen the first to be thrown overboard. Let's not listen to Boston sports fans talking about loyalty or "team." There is no moral high-ground there.
*Allen and Rondo had a terrible relationship, and it was clear to Allen (and everyone else) that the Celtics are fully committed to enabling Rondo's insanity -- however genius it may be. Why should Allen deal with that?
*Allen wants to win a championship. The Heat puts him in the best position to win one. I'm never going to begrudge a free agent for going to a team to help them win a title.
*He took less money to do it. I'm never going to begrudge a free agent for taking less money to join a winning team. (For what it's worth, LeBron and Wade did the same thing in Miami.)
I'm a huge Ray Allen fan -- somewhere in a moving box is a UConn shooting shirt I bought during Allen's magnificent junior year of college. His one-on-one with Allen Iverson in the Big East Tournament final in 1996 remains an indelible memory. I love that his skills are ageless, and I love that he has put himself in a position not just to contribute to a champ, but to be a major part -- he'll have more open looks in Miami than he ever did in the Big Three era in Boston.
Good for Ray. Bad for the rest of the league, but good for Ray.
-- D.S.
That said: Allen not only had every right to make the jump to the Heat, but good for him for snubbing the Celtics.
*The Celtics tried to trade him mid-season. The "Let's pry the window open for one more run!" was more of a function of Derrick Rose's injury and the temporary stand-off with the Heat -- in other words, a combination of luck and reductive hindsight -- than Grand Design. The reality is that Danny Ainge was willing to blow it up in March -- with Allen the first to be thrown overboard. Let's not listen to Boston sports fans talking about loyalty or "team." There is no moral high-ground there.
*Allen and Rondo had a terrible relationship, and it was clear to Allen (and everyone else) that the Celtics are fully committed to enabling Rondo's insanity -- however genius it may be. Why should Allen deal with that?
*Allen wants to win a championship. The Heat puts him in the best position to win one. I'm never going to begrudge a free agent for going to a team to help them win a title.
*He took less money to do it. I'm never going to begrudge a free agent for taking less money to join a winning team. (For what it's worth, LeBron and Wade did the same thing in Miami.)
I'm a huge Ray Allen fan -- somewhere in a moving box is a UConn shooting shirt I bought during Allen's magnificent junior year of college. His one-on-one with Allen Iverson in the Big East Tournament final in 1996 remains an indelible memory. I love that his skills are ageless, and I love that he has put himself in a position not just to contribute to a champ, but to be a major part -- he'll have more open looks in Miami than he ever did in the Big Three era in Boston.
Good for Ray. Bad for the rest of the league, but good for Ray.
-- D.S.
Friday, July 06, 2012
07/06 (Friday) Quickie
Still totally comfortable with Steve Nash on the Lakers...
Wimbledon: With a handful of exceptions (notably Tebow), I tend to underappreciate the truly awesome athletes until their careers are in twilight. That's why I am really paying attention to Serena at Wimbledon right now...
Knicks/Lin Watch: I like Jeremy Lin in New York -- although I'm not a Knicks fan and find their disregard of salary restraints to be competitively unfair. The Knicks are going to match the Rockets' offer sheet to Lin -- Lin is too good (and too marketable). I honestly wonder, though, whether Lin would rather be playing for Houston -- playing with Carmelo can't possibly be ideal for a point guard like Lin. (Also: How will Lin enjoy playing with future Hall of Famer Jason Kidd as his back-up? How does THAT work?)
Brandon Roy to the T'wolves? Sounds great. It's a good risk for Minnesota, which needs a shooting guard to go with Rubio and Love. (They aren't going to get Nicholas Batum, but it was worth a try, because they need a small forward, too.)
MLB Final Vote: I'm surprised that David Freese got more votes than Bryce Harper -- it's a testament to the vitality of Cardinals fans (versus Nats fans, who are still trying to figure this whole thing out). I think that a year from now, Harper is voted into the starting lineup anyway. (Yu winning the AL Final Vote wasn't a surprise. The entire vote-by-Twitter thing gets points for being innovative, but was really annoying for users.)
This NCAA-AAU scandal begs a simple but important question: Isn't AAU hoops, as a whole, assumed to be corrupt to the core? So four teams are nicked? How about all of them?
The solution isn't easy: Basically, AAU needs to be disrupted by a start-up grassroots league that is "clean" (or, maybe, cleaner). Then, college coaches need to say to recruits "I will not recruit you -- I don't care how good you are -- if you are playing AAU. You need to play in this league." I'm not saying the NCAA has to create a HS development pipeline, but it is absolutely in the NCAA's (and NBA's) best interest to fund a competitor to AAU that is nothing less than an existential threat.
Should be a fun weekend ahead. It's been a weird week, between the DC storms that knocked out our power from Friday through Wednesday and the mid-week holiday break. Enjoy your weekend, folks. More updates here each morning -- and on Quickish all weekend.
-- D.S.
Wimbledon: With a handful of exceptions (notably Tebow), I tend to underappreciate the truly awesome athletes until their careers are in twilight. That's why I am really paying attention to Serena at Wimbledon right now...
Knicks/Lin Watch: I like Jeremy Lin in New York -- although I'm not a Knicks fan and find their disregard of salary restraints to be competitively unfair. The Knicks are going to match the Rockets' offer sheet to Lin -- Lin is too good (and too marketable). I honestly wonder, though, whether Lin would rather be playing for Houston -- playing with Carmelo can't possibly be ideal for a point guard like Lin. (Also: How will Lin enjoy playing with future Hall of Famer Jason Kidd as his back-up? How does THAT work?)
Brandon Roy to the T'wolves? Sounds great. It's a good risk for Minnesota, which needs a shooting guard to go with Rubio and Love. (They aren't going to get Nicholas Batum, but it was worth a try, because they need a small forward, too.)
MLB Final Vote: I'm surprised that David Freese got more votes than Bryce Harper -- it's a testament to the vitality of Cardinals fans (versus Nats fans, who are still trying to figure this whole thing out). I think that a year from now, Harper is voted into the starting lineup anyway. (Yu winning the AL Final Vote wasn't a surprise. The entire vote-by-Twitter thing gets points for being innovative, but was really annoying for users.)
This NCAA-AAU scandal begs a simple but important question: Isn't AAU hoops, as a whole, assumed to be corrupt to the core? So four teams are nicked? How about all of them?
The solution isn't easy: Basically, AAU needs to be disrupted by a start-up grassroots league that is "clean" (or, maybe, cleaner). Then, college coaches need to say to recruits "I will not recruit you -- I don't care how good you are -- if you are playing AAU. You need to play in this league." I'm not saying the NCAA has to create a HS development pipeline, but it is absolutely in the NCAA's (and NBA's) best interest to fund a competitor to AAU that is nothing less than an existential threat.
Should be a fun weekend ahead. It's been a weird week, between the DC storms that knocked out our power from Friday through Wednesday and the mid-week holiday break. Enjoy your weekend, folks. More updates here each morning -- and on Quickish all weekend.
-- D.S.
Thursday, July 05, 2012
07/05 (Nash) Quickie
You can't begrudge Steve Nash. He wanted to be close to his kids. And he wanted to play for a good team -- a contender.
You can't begrudge the Suns. They were going to lose their franchise player with nothing in return.
You can't begrudge Suns fans for being a little bitter. It's not quite LeBron and "The Decision" with Cleveland fans, but they have a right to feel ticked.
You can't begrudge the Lakers. They have a small championship window -- which looked closed a few weeks ago when they were drummed out of the playoffs -- and this widens it just enough to make them much more interesting.
(OK: You can begrudge the Mavs for trading for Lamar Odom and freeing up a trade exception that the Lakers used to get Nash.)
I'm a huge Steve Nash fan, but I dislike the Lakers. I feel like I can still do both.
Where does that net out? I'm excited to see what Nash can do side-by-side with Kobe and with post players like Gasol and Bynum to work with. It's fascinating. The NBA (and NBA fans) are better off for this deal, even if it stings Suns fans -- I hope they appreciate the good run they had with Nash.
-- D.S.
You can't begrudge the Suns. They were going to lose their franchise player with nothing in return.
You can't begrudge Suns fans for being a little bitter. It's not quite LeBron and "The Decision" with Cleveland fans, but they have a right to feel ticked.
You can't begrudge the Lakers. They have a small championship window -- which looked closed a few weeks ago when they were drummed out of the playoffs -- and this widens it just enough to make them much more interesting.
(OK: You can begrudge the Mavs for trading for Lamar Odom and freeing up a trade exception that the Lakers used to get Nash.)
I'm a huge Steve Nash fan, but I dislike the Lakers. I feel like I can still do both.
Where does that net out? I'm excited to see what Nash can do side-by-side with Kobe and with post players like Gasol and Bynum to work with. It's fascinating. The NBA (and NBA fans) are better off for this deal, even if it stings Suns fans -- I hope they appreciate the good run they had with Nash.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, July 04, 2012
07/04 (July 4th) Quickie
Deron Williams re-signed with the Nets, bringing star power, legitimacy and a pretty decent chance to get to the NBA's playoff final eight (if not final four).
But the most interesting part about it for me is the Nets' original gamble -- that given a 17-month head-start and, not insubstantially, a franchise relocation to the hippest city in the NBA, they could convince a top-tier NBA player to stay with the team.
It is instructive, because it offers a new path to acquiring stars: Give up a huge package to get players while they are still under your control, then use that time to recruit them. It's a risk, but the expected value feels a hell of a lot safer than rolling the dice as part of the scrum of teams wooing free agents during the 48 hours a player actually is a free agent.
It helps understand why the Rockets are smart to try to put together a package for Dwight Howard, even if he insists he won't resign with them next summer. A year is a long time, and cap space is a fickle thing. Wouldn't you rather have a year, up close and personal, to try to close the deal than be one of 6 teams that will be wooing Dwight next summer?
Wizards owner Ted Leonsis wrote an interesting series of posts this week talking about how acquiring players with time left on their contracts via trade is much more stable (and often more economical) than trying to do battle in the free-agent market, which is only guaranteed to deliver two things: Unpredictability and the lock that you will overpay, probably not even for the A-tier target you wanted.
It's the new Moneyball: Trade for a star with some time left on his deal, then work like crazy to recruit them with the time and opportunity you have.
Not every team has the cachet of Brooklyn to throw around. Not every team has an owner with an unlimited willingness to pay (what luxury tax?) And this all makes sense because Williams picked the Nets; if he had picked the Mavs, we'd be killing the Nets right now.
But regardless of the outcome, the process seems to be a lot safer -- and smarter -- than most pundits were giving them credit for. If your goal is to be elite -- and not merely climb onto the Treadmill of Mediocrity -- then you have to take bold, smart approaches like this.
Good day for Brooklyn. Good day for the NBA. Happy July 4th. Be safe and eat plenty.
-- D.S.
But the most interesting part about it for me is the Nets' original gamble -- that given a 17-month head-start and, not insubstantially, a franchise relocation to the hippest city in the NBA, they could convince a top-tier NBA player to stay with the team.
It is instructive, because it offers a new path to acquiring stars: Give up a huge package to get players while they are still under your control, then use that time to recruit them. It's a risk, but the expected value feels a hell of a lot safer than rolling the dice as part of the scrum of teams wooing free agents during the 48 hours a player actually is a free agent.
It helps understand why the Rockets are smart to try to put together a package for Dwight Howard, even if he insists he won't resign with them next summer. A year is a long time, and cap space is a fickle thing. Wouldn't you rather have a year, up close and personal, to try to close the deal than be one of 6 teams that will be wooing Dwight next summer?
Wizards owner Ted Leonsis wrote an interesting series of posts this week talking about how acquiring players with time left on their contracts via trade is much more stable (and often more economical) than trying to do battle in the free-agent market, which is only guaranteed to deliver two things: Unpredictability and the lock that you will overpay, probably not even for the A-tier target you wanted.
It's the new Moneyball: Trade for a star with some time left on his deal, then work like crazy to recruit them with the time and opportunity you have.
Not every team has the cachet of Brooklyn to throw around. Not every team has an owner with an unlimited willingness to pay (what luxury tax?) And this all makes sense because Williams picked the Nets; if he had picked the Mavs, we'd be killing the Nets right now.
But regardless of the outcome, the process seems to be a lot safer -- and smarter -- than most pundits were giving them credit for. If your goal is to be elite -- and not merely climb onto the Treadmill of Mediocrity -- then you have to take bold, smart approaches like this.
Good day for Brooklyn. Good day for the NBA. Happy July 4th. Be safe and eat plenty.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, July 03, 2012
07/03 (Hawks) Quickie
Working through some Quickish CMS issues. Apologies in advance for the lack of Quickish updates today.
Meanwhile, Danny Ferry won Monday: He offloaded Joe Johnson's monster contract and Marvin Williams' bloated contract to turn the Hawks into a lean, mean, we-have-tons-of-cap-room machine. If Dwight Howard and CP3 want to come to Atlanta next summer, the Hawks can accommodate. (I think the Magic would trade Howard for Horford -- it's unclear Howard wants a homecoming enough to sign long-term with the Hawks. I think it's worth the risk for Ferry.)
And the Nets are well-positioned, too: Joe Johnson is a good 2nd piece (and a great 3rd one). Deron Williams and Joe Johnson in a backcourt (with Jason Kidd off the bench?) is the gold standard in the NBA. Add in Gerald Wallace, and you probably have three players versatile enough to give the Heat a tough series in the playoffs. (Brook Lopez would be a bonus, as would this mysterious Bosnian stretch-4 that they plan on signing, and who could take the NBA by storm.) The question is: Can they pull off a deal for Dwight Howard? Even if they don't, the Nets are a formidable playoff team.
Olympics: What a waste that they didn't have that run-off last night. And what a shame Dara Torres fell .09 seconds short of making the Olympic team in the 50 free.
More later. But a fun day of offseason intrigue in the NBA.
-- D.S.
Meanwhile, Danny Ferry won Monday: He offloaded Joe Johnson's monster contract and Marvin Williams' bloated contract to turn the Hawks into a lean, mean, we-have-tons-of-cap-room machine. If Dwight Howard and CP3 want to come to Atlanta next summer, the Hawks can accommodate. (I think the Magic would trade Howard for Horford -- it's unclear Howard wants a homecoming enough to sign long-term with the Hawks. I think it's worth the risk for Ferry.)
And the Nets are well-positioned, too: Joe Johnson is a good 2nd piece (and a great 3rd one). Deron Williams and Joe Johnson in a backcourt (with Jason Kidd off the bench?) is the gold standard in the NBA. Add in Gerald Wallace, and you probably have three players versatile enough to give the Heat a tough series in the playoffs. (Brook Lopez would be a bonus, as would this mysterious Bosnian stretch-4 that they plan on signing, and who could take the NBA by storm.) The question is: Can they pull off a deal for Dwight Howard? Even if they don't, the Nets are a formidable playoff team.
Olympics: What a waste that they didn't have that run-off last night. And what a shame Dara Torres fell .09 seconds short of making the Olympic team in the 50 free.
More later. But a fun day of offseason intrigue in the NBA.
-- D.S.
Monday, July 02, 2012
07/02 (Run-Off) Quickie
Busy weekend, busy week...
*Greatest. Side. Ever. -- Spain wins Euro 2012. And, in a way that gets "Quickie Instant History" approval, folks like SI's Grant Wahl and ESPN's Jeff Carlisle are already declaring this Spain side (which also won the Euro title in 2008 and the World Cup in 2010) as the "Greatest Side Ever."
*Olympics US Women's 100M Run-Off: It's the coolest idea ever (particularly on a quiet sports night like tonight), but neither Tarmoh nor Felix seem particularly enthusiastic about it, Tarmoh especially after she read the SI.com report that the initial ruling from the official judge of photo finishes that she won. She says she might not do the run-off. Prediction: They get to the starting line, then both back off, ostensibly due to fear of injury. (But from a fan perspective, it would be fun to see.)
*Olympics Name to Know: Gabby Douglas, who edged out Jordan Wieber to become USA gymnastics' No. 1. It's gold or failure for Team USA.
*MLB ASG: That was an impressive bit of ballot-stuffing by the Giants fans, particularly to get Pablo Sandoval into the starting lineup at 3B ahead of David Wright. It's not a reason to abolish fan voting for the spot -- it's a reason to ask your team (say, the Mets) why they didn't have a better strategy for bolstering their guy. In the Mets' case, they should have expanded their campaign beyond NY and Mets fans to all MLB fans with the argument: "Don't let Giants fans spoil your game. Vote Wright at 3B." Thinking that All-Star campaigns are limited to your own fan base -- particularly in the final week of the voting -- is a big mistake. Clearly.
*MLB Final Vote: I thought that Bryce Harper was a lock to win the popular vote for the NL's "Final" spot... right up until they put Chipper Jones on the ballot with him. Jones -- the future Hall of Famer in his final season before retirement -- represents the edge-case exception to the "Harper Rule," and should beat out the phenom for the spot. (Don't cry for Harper -- he is a near-lock to be an All-Star starter for the next decade or two.)
*Dwight Howard, cont'd: He insists he will only sign with Brooklyn next summer as a free agent, no matter who he is traded to (Lakers, Rockets, etc). If I was one of those teams, I would trade for him anyway, then spend the next year convincing him -- in person, with no restrictions -- to re-sign. Meanwhile, the Nets aren't waiting around and are apparently lining up a big trade to take the expensive Joe Johnson off the Hawks' hands, creating the potential for a Deron Williams-Joe Johnson backcourt, which would be the best in the league. (The Nets are also re-signing Gerald Wallace. If they can find a defensive stopper to at least try and guard LeBron, it's not a bad playoff team, given that the Heat has no big presence down low, aside from LeBron.)
*NBA Free Agency: Aside from the Nets' machinations, the big story is where Steve Nash will end up. The Raptors are offering the most money (by a wide margin) and the chance to finish his career in Canada, providing at least a little lift for Canada's only NBA team. It's unclear why Nash would want to play in New York if Lin is the star PG or the Nets if they have Deron Williams -- presumably, Nash is Plan B if Williams goes to Dallas -- and I love the idea of him in Toronto. Meanwhile, the Rockets are apparently going to pry Omer Asik -- great defensively, limited offensively -- from the Bulls, whose title window appears to have closed (before it even really opened) with Rose's knee injury and hamstrung finances.
More later. Check out Quickish for great takes on today's best topics!
-- D.S.
*Greatest. Side. Ever. -- Spain wins Euro 2012. And, in a way that gets "Quickie Instant History" approval, folks like SI's Grant Wahl and ESPN's Jeff Carlisle are already declaring this Spain side (which also won the Euro title in 2008 and the World Cup in 2010) as the "Greatest Side Ever."
*Olympics US Women's 100M Run-Off: It's the coolest idea ever (particularly on a quiet sports night like tonight), but neither Tarmoh nor Felix seem particularly enthusiastic about it, Tarmoh especially after she read the SI.com report that the initial ruling from the official judge of photo finishes that she won. She says she might not do the run-off. Prediction: They get to the starting line, then both back off, ostensibly due to fear of injury. (But from a fan perspective, it would be fun to see.)
*Olympics Name to Know: Gabby Douglas, who edged out Jordan Wieber to become USA gymnastics' No. 1. It's gold or failure for Team USA.
*MLB ASG: That was an impressive bit of ballot-stuffing by the Giants fans, particularly to get Pablo Sandoval into the starting lineup at 3B ahead of David Wright. It's not a reason to abolish fan voting for the spot -- it's a reason to ask your team (say, the Mets) why they didn't have a better strategy for bolstering their guy. In the Mets' case, they should have expanded their campaign beyond NY and Mets fans to all MLB fans with the argument: "Don't let Giants fans spoil your game. Vote Wright at 3B." Thinking that All-Star campaigns are limited to your own fan base -- particularly in the final week of the voting -- is a big mistake. Clearly.
*MLB Final Vote: I thought that Bryce Harper was a lock to win the popular vote for the NL's "Final" spot... right up until they put Chipper Jones on the ballot with him. Jones -- the future Hall of Famer in his final season before retirement -- represents the edge-case exception to the "Harper Rule," and should beat out the phenom for the spot. (Don't cry for Harper -- he is a near-lock to be an All-Star starter for the next decade or two.)
*Dwight Howard, cont'd: He insists he will only sign with Brooklyn next summer as a free agent, no matter who he is traded to (Lakers, Rockets, etc). If I was one of those teams, I would trade for him anyway, then spend the next year convincing him -- in person, with no restrictions -- to re-sign. Meanwhile, the Nets aren't waiting around and are apparently lining up a big trade to take the expensive Joe Johnson off the Hawks' hands, creating the potential for a Deron Williams-Joe Johnson backcourt, which would be the best in the league. (The Nets are also re-signing Gerald Wallace. If they can find a defensive stopper to at least try and guard LeBron, it's not a bad playoff team, given that the Heat has no big presence down low, aside from LeBron.)
*NBA Free Agency: Aside from the Nets' machinations, the big story is where Steve Nash will end up. The Raptors are offering the most money (by a wide margin) and the chance to finish his career in Canada, providing at least a little lift for Canada's only NBA team. It's unclear why Nash would want to play in New York if Lin is the star PG or the Nets if they have Deron Williams -- presumably, Nash is Plan B if Williams goes to Dallas -- and I love the idea of him in Toronto. Meanwhile, the Rockets are apparently going to pry Omer Asik -- great defensively, limited offensively -- from the Bulls, whose title window appears to have closed (before it even really opened) with Rose's knee injury and hamstrung finances.
More later. Check out Quickish for great takes on today's best topics!
-- D.S.
Sunday, July 01, 2012
07/01 (July) Quickie
Trying to write this while having no power in the house/neighborhood/city from the DC storms...
Penn State email revelations: The Jerry Sandusky "guilty" verdict might have made people forget that the Penn State administration was complicit in his horrifying crimes. This is a good reminder.
NBA Free Agency begins: But, first, Dwight Howard wants out of Orlando (for Brooklyn), claiming the Magic "blackmailed" him (ha) when he signed that one-year extension last spring.
Meanwhile, the Nets are trying to deal to get Joe Johnson and Luis Scola and OJ Mayo... and it feels like everyone else, in order to put some talent around Deron Williams (if not Dwight Howard).
The big winners? Eric Gordon is looking for a max deal (from the Hornets, or anyone else), and I suspect he'll get it (the Hornets are on the verge of a dramatic turnaround). And Nicholas Batum reportedly has a huge deal from the T'wolves, who are desperate for a good SF.
Kevin Garnett re-signs with Celtics for 3 years: Totally reasonable.
Steve Nash has huge 3-year deal on table from Toronto: Again, totally reasonable.
Both guys -- but Nash in particular -- are freaks who will out-perform their age (which they already have). I think Nash will be the most productive 40-year-old player in NBA history, and easily worth his contract.
Texas A&M and Missouri join the SEC: Enjoy the rough reception.
TCU and West Virginia join the Big 12: I actually think both will be very successful -- like among the Top 4 football teams in the league.
July already?
-- D.S.
Penn State email revelations: The Jerry Sandusky "guilty" verdict might have made people forget that the Penn State administration was complicit in his horrifying crimes. This is a good reminder.
NBA Free Agency begins: But, first, Dwight Howard wants out of Orlando (for Brooklyn), claiming the Magic "blackmailed" him (ha) when he signed that one-year extension last spring.
Meanwhile, the Nets are trying to deal to get Joe Johnson and Luis Scola and OJ Mayo... and it feels like everyone else, in order to put some talent around Deron Williams (if not Dwight Howard).
The big winners? Eric Gordon is looking for a max deal (from the Hornets, or anyone else), and I suspect he'll get it (the Hornets are on the verge of a dramatic turnaround). And Nicholas Batum reportedly has a huge deal from the T'wolves, who are desperate for a good SF.
Kevin Garnett re-signs with Celtics for 3 years: Totally reasonable.
Steve Nash has huge 3-year deal on table from Toronto: Again, totally reasonable.
Both guys -- but Nash in particular -- are freaks who will out-perform their age (which they already have). I think Nash will be the most productive 40-year-old player in NBA history, and easily worth his contract.
Texas A&M and Missouri join the SEC: Enjoy the rough reception.
TCU and West Virginia join the Big 12: I actually think both will be very successful -- like among the Top 4 football teams in the league.
July already?
-- D.S.
Friday, June 29, 2012
06/29 (Beal) Quickie
So my near-hysteria leading up to the draft that the/my Wizards would get out-hustled for my favorite draft pick, Bradley Beal, ended up being gloriously unnecessary. When David Stern said "Michael Kidd-Gilchrist" for the Bobcats and the Wiz picking Beal was secure, it was as giddy as I've been as a Wizards fan -- such is the life of the Wizards fan.
(Of course, it wouldn't be a Wizards draft without a huge screw-up, which in this case was taking a positionless Euro without a jumpshot at No. 32 when terrific talents like Draymond Green and Jae Crowder were available -- smarter teams snatching them up as soon as the Wizards made their bungling pick was a pretty good indication that the Wizards mis-handled that completely.)
Still: I give the Wizards a very high grade for landing the best wing prospect in the draft -- "high" and "Wizards draft grade" doesn't happen very often, so I'll take it.
More fans that should be happy with their teams' drafts:
*Hornets: Davis is a franchise-changer. Hate the Rivers pick.
*Bobcats: MKG and Jeff Taylor aren't stars, but so valuable.
*Kings: Thomas Robinson is the bizarro DeMarcus Cousins.
*Pistons: Drummond was worth the risk at No. 9.
*Suns: It's cliche to say Kendall Marshall is the new Nash, but there it is.
*Rockets: Don't get the bad grades for Lamb/White/Jones - love these.
*Magic: Andrew Nicholson and Kyle O'Quinn both on everyone's sleeper list.
*Celtics: Sullinger and Melo were more than worth the risk.
*Thunder: Perry Jones III found his ideal spot. A steal for OKC.
Less good:
Cavs: I like Waiters; most Cavs fans seem underwhelmed.
Warriors: Barnes is meh. (Love 2nd-rounder Draymond Green pick.)
Hard to nick teams picking in back half of 1st round -- it's a mixed bag.
There is always a little day-after-Christmas feel to the draft -- so much anticipation and discussion heading in, then you either get what you want... or you don't. I'm thrilled with Beal, and now it is time to move on to NBA free agency, MLB zooming into mid-season and the Olympics. NFL training camps are only a month away.
-- D.S.
(Of course, it wouldn't be a Wizards draft without a huge screw-up, which in this case was taking a positionless Euro without a jumpshot at No. 32 when terrific talents like Draymond Green and Jae Crowder were available -- smarter teams snatching them up as soon as the Wizards made their bungling pick was a pretty good indication that the Wizards mis-handled that completely.)
Still: I give the Wizards a very high grade for landing the best wing prospect in the draft -- "high" and "Wizards draft grade" doesn't happen very often, so I'll take it.
More fans that should be happy with their teams' drafts:
*Hornets: Davis is a franchise-changer. Hate the Rivers pick.
*Bobcats: MKG and Jeff Taylor aren't stars, but so valuable.
*Kings: Thomas Robinson is the bizarro DeMarcus Cousins.
*Pistons: Drummond was worth the risk at No. 9.
*Suns: It's cliche to say Kendall Marshall is the new Nash, but there it is.
*Rockets: Don't get the bad grades for Lamb/White/Jones - love these.
*Magic: Andrew Nicholson and Kyle O'Quinn both on everyone's sleeper list.
*Celtics: Sullinger and Melo were more than worth the risk.
*Thunder: Perry Jones III found his ideal spot. A steal for OKC.
Less good:
Cavs: I like Waiters; most Cavs fans seem underwhelmed.
Warriors: Barnes is meh. (Love 2nd-rounder Draymond Green pick.)
Hard to nick teams picking in back half of 1st round -- it's a mixed bag.
There is always a little day-after-Christmas feel to the draft -- so much anticipation and discussion heading in, then you either get what you want... or you don't. I'm thrilled with Beal, and now it is time to move on to NBA free agency, MLB zooming into mid-season and the Olympics. NFL training camps are only a month away.
-- D.S.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
06/28 (NBA Draft) Quickie
I'm way too invested in tonight's NBA Draft: Bradley Beal is my guy and has been for a long time. My Wiz pick 3rd, which means they will just miss him (if Charlotte trades their pick) or they will get him at 3 (unless the Wiz GM, inundated with offers for Beal, trades the pick). I'm antsy.
Otherwise, it's an awesome night for Hornets fans -- the path to title contention starts now.
My annual list:
Players I like: Beal, Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Thomas Robinson, Damian Lillard, Royce White, Andrew Nicholson, Draymond Green, Jeff Taylor, Quincy Miller, Bernard James, Doron Lamb, Drew Gordon, Kyle O'Quinn, Jae Crowder.
Players I don't: Harrison Barnes, Austin Rivers, Andre Drummond, Jeremy Lamb, Perry Jones, Terrence Jones, Will Barton, Tony Wroten.
Nights like this I miss my old "Draft Fashion" column -- that was a fun one to do.
-- D.S.
Otherwise, it's an awesome night for Hornets fans -- the path to title contention starts now.
My annual list:
Players I like: Beal, Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Thomas Robinson, Damian Lillard, Royce White, Andrew Nicholson, Draymond Green, Jeff Taylor, Quincy Miller, Bernard James, Doron Lamb, Drew Gordon, Kyle O'Quinn, Jae Crowder.
Players I don't: Harrison Barnes, Austin Rivers, Andre Drummond, Jeremy Lamb, Perry Jones, Terrence Jones, Will Barton, Tony Wroten.
Nights like this I miss my old "Draft Fashion" column -- that was a fun one to do.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
06/27 (CFB Playoff) Quickie
On the road traveling today, but a quick note that college football is better served by the new playoff format. The battle over the 3rd and 4th playoff teams will be even more fierce than the complaints about who was being left out of the 1-2 game, but college football has always fed off of that kind of controversy -- and been stronger for it, frankly. It's going to be an odd pair of lame-duck years between now and then, with plenty of "If the 4-team playoff were in place..." talk. That's not a bad thing. Quickish has a great stream of playoff reactions.
Also, pop by Quickish for some great reads on the NBA Draft (including two interesting profiles of Royce White) and the Olympic Trials for swimming, which remain riveting.
-- D.S.
Also, pop by Quickish for some great reads on the NBA Draft (including two interesting profiles of Royce White) and the Olympic Trials for swimming, which remain riveting.
-- D.S.
Monday, June 25, 2012
06/25 (Olympic Trials) Quickie
Things I'm loving: The US Olympic Trials, nice things being said about Kevin Youkilis (the only Red Sox player I like), the final few days before the NBA Draft, Anthony Rizzo being called up, Lochte vs. Phelps.
Things I'm not loving: The idea that Bradley Beal will get yoinked by the Cavs before he can go to my Wizards on Thursday night, an idea that is currently driving me batty; Venus being bounced from Wimbledon, the idea that Ray Allen and Steve Nash could join the Heat.
-- D.S.
Things I'm not loving: The idea that Bradley Beal will get yoinked by the Cavs before he can go to my Wizards on Thursday night, an idea that is currently driving me batty; Venus being bounced from Wimbledon, the idea that Ray Allen and Steve Nash could join the Heat.
-- D.S.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
06/23 (Title IX) Quickie
Exactly 20 years after Title IX was established, my wife entered college athletics -- something that would have not been possible before the groundbreaking 1972 legislation. She wore her college gear proudly today.
20 years after that, we walked along the Potomac River with our 3-month-old daughter (we have two other older kids, both boys who will never have to deal with gender issues in sports, except maybe their little sister kicking their ass.)
It is astonishing to think about where women's sports was in 1972, then 1992 and now in 2012, when a generation of women following in the footsteps of my wife's generation (which includes folks like Mia Hamm) who themselves followed in the footsteps of the original Title IX generation, along with the women who spent the first 20 years after its passage just trying to create a bit more opportunity for female athletes -- just a chance.
Over the next 20 years, it's hard to say what will happen. The infrastructure for our daughter's sports career has never been stronger -- the girls' youth soccer leagues in suburban Maryland are enough to make you think equality is here.
The number of girls participating will only increase, along with their confidence. The competition will be greater. It will become a lot more like boys' sports, where that increased competition means more girls don't get to reach higher levels.
But along the way, they get to experience the competition and teamwork and self-reliance and self-confidence and every other thing about sports that has less to do with sports itself than what it engenders in the athlete, what it gives them for the rest of their life. That is the legacy of Title IX.
It's not the US women's soccer team. It's not the WNBA. It's not -- and never has been -- about the professionalization of women's sports. It is about the aspiration for women's sports and what it might do for its participants. A college scholarship, maybe, but more importantly, a system to create a generation of even more talented women than the post-Title IX era has created.
My hope for our daughter isn't a college athletic scholarship -- in 20 years when college football has been reduced by insurance liability to a glorified version of touch football, the unintended consequence of all that money evaporating from the system is the hit to collegiate women's sports.
My hope for our daughter is that the Title IX system's trickle-down effect -- the local athletic institutions that get created and bolstered to feed the Title IX pipeline -- allows her to participate in sports as a girl and get all of the wonderful life lessons out of it that women have since 1972.
-- D.S.
20 years after that, we walked along the Potomac River with our 3-month-old daughter (we have two other older kids, both boys who will never have to deal with gender issues in sports, except maybe their little sister kicking their ass.)
It is astonishing to think about where women's sports was in 1972, then 1992 and now in 2012, when a generation of women following in the footsteps of my wife's generation (which includes folks like Mia Hamm) who themselves followed in the footsteps of the original Title IX generation, along with the women who spent the first 20 years after its passage just trying to create a bit more opportunity for female athletes -- just a chance.
Over the next 20 years, it's hard to say what will happen. The infrastructure for our daughter's sports career has never been stronger -- the girls' youth soccer leagues in suburban Maryland are enough to make you think equality is here.
The number of girls participating will only increase, along with their confidence. The competition will be greater. It will become a lot more like boys' sports, where that increased competition means more girls don't get to reach higher levels.
But along the way, they get to experience the competition and teamwork and self-reliance and self-confidence and every other thing about sports that has less to do with sports itself than what it engenders in the athlete, what it gives them for the rest of their life. That is the legacy of Title IX.
It's not the US women's soccer team. It's not the WNBA. It's not -- and never has been -- about the professionalization of women's sports. It is about the aspiration for women's sports and what it might do for its participants. A college scholarship, maybe, but more importantly, a system to create a generation of even more talented women than the post-Title IX era has created.
My hope for our daughter isn't a college athletic scholarship -- in 20 years when college football has been reduced by insurance liability to a glorified version of touch football, the unintended consequence of all that money evaporating from the system is the hit to collegiate women's sports.
My hope for our daughter is that the Title IX system's trickle-down effect -- the local athletic institutions that get created and bolstered to feed the Title IX pipeline -- allows her to participate in sports as a girl and get all of the wonderful life lessons out of it that women have since 1972.
-- D.S.
Friday, June 22, 2012
06/22 (LeBron) Quickie
I said what I needed to say just after the game last night in the post below.
But I woke up still thinking about that amazing quote from LeBron: "It's about damn time."
There are very few iconic quotes in NBA history. Plenty of iconic moments -- very few iconic quotes. I think LeBron's instantly joins the short list, because it is so pithy yet so profound. It expresses enthusiasm and frustration and joy and arrogance and relief, all in one sentiment.
I think it's how the rest of us feel, too. Maybe that's it: What he said reflects what we're all thinking, so I'm glad he said it -- it means we didn't have to. LeBron and fans and critics, we could all exhale together.
Now, LeBron is a champion. You can't ever take that away from him -- whether he wins multiple rings (still an expectation he can fall short of) or just the one (honestly? unlikely.)
It is a grand tradition of sports fandom that "champion" trumps almost everything. LeBron has a lot of career left -- and probably a ring or two left -- but I think it is fair to say that "champ" bumps "Decision" from the defining moment of his career. As it should be (says even the hater).
But LeBron has done more than become a champ. He has shown the fortitude -- no, the jaw-dropping excellence -- combined with the requisite joy that makes him impossible not to respect.
It's about damn time.
-- D.S.
But I woke up still thinking about that amazing quote from LeBron: "It's about damn time."
There are very few iconic quotes in NBA history. Plenty of iconic moments -- very few iconic quotes. I think LeBron's instantly joins the short list, because it is so pithy yet so profound. It expresses enthusiasm and frustration and joy and arrogance and relief, all in one sentiment.
I think it's how the rest of us feel, too. Maybe that's it: What he said reflects what we're all thinking, so I'm glad he said it -- it means we didn't have to. LeBron and fans and critics, we could all exhale together.
Now, LeBron is a champion. You can't ever take that away from him -- whether he wins multiple rings (still an expectation he can fall short of) or just the one (honestly? unlikely.)
It is a grand tradition of sports fandom that "champion" trumps almost everything. LeBron has a lot of career left -- and probably a ring or two left -- but I think it is fair to say that "champ" bumps "Decision" from the defining moment of his career. As it should be (says even the hater).
But LeBron has done more than become a champ. He has shown the fortitude -- no, the jaw-dropping excellence -- combined with the requisite joy that makes him impossible not to respect.
It's about damn time.
-- D.S.
LeBron, Heat Win the NBA Title
"It's about damn time."
That's LeBron with the quote of the year and a perfect coda to his first NBA title. You can root against LeBron -- I certainly do -- and still feel good for (and about) an all-time great NBA player winning his first ring. Love this instantly shown video from Nike:
Also, this essay from ESPN.com's Kevin Arnovitz is awesome, and quite possibly the best thing you'll read on the LeBron/Heat title, even though it just happened 10 minutes ago.
Congrats to Heat fans. You didn't quite earn it in a way the rest of us would recognize. You didn't quite suffer for it in a way the rest of us would sympathize. But a ring is a ring.
Full Quickish coverage here.
-- D.S.
That's LeBron with the quote of the year and a perfect coda to his first NBA title. You can root against LeBron -- I certainly do -- and still feel good for (and about) an all-time great NBA player winning his first ring. Love this instantly shown video from Nike:
Also, this essay from ESPN.com's Kevin Arnovitz is awesome, and quite possibly the best thing you'll read on the LeBron/Heat title, even though it just happened 10 minutes ago.
Congrats to Heat fans. You didn't quite earn it in a way the rest of us would recognize. You didn't quite suffer for it in a way the rest of us would sympathize. But a ring is a ring.
Full Quickish coverage here.
-- D.S.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
06/21 (Game 5) Quickie
Here's what is at stake tonight: Either LeBron wins his first championship or the Thunder takes the series back to the friendly confines of OKC with a puncher's chance to pull of a historic upset.
It will be a big deal if LeBron wins, but you get the sense that the almost-immediate reaction will be: "...And?" One ring will be a start; one ring will not be enough. Necessary, but not sufficient.
CFB Playoff nearly here: The conference commissioners agreed on a plan -- the most sensible plan of the options available (4 teams, best available, selection committee, bowl games host semis, title game site up for bid). In other words: SEC commish Mike Slive won again. It is expected to be ratified next week.
It is an improvement; it is not flawless -- the fury around picking the 3rd and 4th teams in the playoff field (potentially among a half-dozen or more reasonable contenders) is going to be intense, most likely centered around a one-loss SEC runner-up versus a one-loss conference champ (or unbeaten lower-conference team).
Euro 2012 Quarters: Portugal should get past Czech Republic today.
NBA: Trade! The Wizards (my Wizards) used their (our) Rashard Lewis albatross buy-out deal and prodigious cap space to take on two decent (but expensive) complementary players: Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor, two potential starters and shoring up areas of weakness: A solid defensive SF who can occasionally shoot the 3 and a shot-blocking anchor in the middle to complement Nene. To those NBA pundits ripping the Wizards for joining the "treadmill of mediocrity," I contend that it is a huge upgrade -- as long as they aren't contending for a title, they might as well be contending for a playoff spot.
NFL: Percy Harvin wants out. I think he's worth trading for -- a Top 5 most dynamic receiver talent in the NFL.
Today's best read: ESPN.com's Wayne Drehs on Ryan Lochte.
Best thing I found yesterday: SBNation's amazing video with Bill Murray.
Media: Top sports business reporter Darren Rovell is going back to ESPN after a good run at CNBC. It's a great move for Rovell and ESPN.
Tomorrow's headline today: "Back to OKC!"
It will be a big deal if LeBron wins, but you get the sense that the almost-immediate reaction will be: "...And?" One ring will be a start; one ring will not be enough. Necessary, but not sufficient.
CFB Playoff nearly here: The conference commissioners agreed on a plan -- the most sensible plan of the options available (4 teams, best available, selection committee, bowl games host semis, title game site up for bid). In other words: SEC commish Mike Slive won again. It is expected to be ratified next week.
It is an improvement; it is not flawless -- the fury around picking the 3rd and 4th teams in the playoff field (potentially among a half-dozen or more reasonable contenders) is going to be intense, most likely centered around a one-loss SEC runner-up versus a one-loss conference champ (or unbeaten lower-conference team).
Euro 2012 Quarters: Portugal should get past Czech Republic today.
NBA: Trade! The Wizards (my Wizards) used their (our) Rashard Lewis albatross buy-out deal and prodigious cap space to take on two decent (but expensive) complementary players: Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor, two potential starters and shoring up areas of weakness: A solid defensive SF who can occasionally shoot the 3 and a shot-blocking anchor in the middle to complement Nene. To those NBA pundits ripping the Wizards for joining the "treadmill of mediocrity," I contend that it is a huge upgrade -- as long as they aren't contending for a title, they might as well be contending for a playoff spot.
NFL: Percy Harvin wants out. I think he's worth trading for -- a Top 5 most dynamic receiver talent in the NFL.
Today's best read: ESPN.com's Wayne Drehs on Ryan Lochte.
Best thing I found yesterday: SBNation's amazing video with Bill Murray.
Media: Top sports business reporter Darren Rovell is going back to ESPN after a good run at CNBC. It's a great move for Rovell and ESPN.
Tomorrow's headline today: "Back to OKC!"
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
06/20 (Cramp Game) Quickie
It's going to go down as the "Cramp Game," but more on that in one sec.
First, be sure to pop by Quickish this a.m. -- a bunch of really good takes and reactions, put in a stream so fast it'll take you all of 30 seconds to inhale it (you can get more by clicking on the individual blurbs or watching the videos I posted). Plus, if you want to see new corporate synergy in action, check out the front page of USA Today Sports, which is linking to Quickish's coverage.
OK, so let's start with this: The Heat are up 3-1 and no team has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. My response: So what? OKC has been in both games in Miami right up until the end -- there is no reason (other than if they were broken last night) they can't win Game 5. All of a sudden, the series is 3-2 with the final two games in OKC, where the Thunder can absolutely win Game 6, take back all the momentum and then close out in Game 7.
The point is this: Anyone saying "It's over" this morning needs to go back two weeks and check out their "It's over" columns after Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.
Meanwhile, if -- IF -- the Heat go on to win the series in five games (maybe even at all), last night's dagger 3 from LeBron on that cramped-up leg is the defining moment of his career. It implodes the mythology that he's soft, that he's not a closer, that he lacks a killer instinct. (That narrative was already specious, but hopefully now it tucks it away. Pundits sure seem ready to do just that... at least until something else happens in Game 5.)
But -- and I say this as someone who roots against LeBron -- it was the single-best moment of his career (ironic, given that he spent the game's dramatic final minute on the bench with that cramp).
Two other thoughts: (1) My 6-year-old is a big Thunder fan, but where I love Durant, he loves Westbrook. When you watch Westbrook play last night, you realize why. (2) James Harden can't possibly play this badly in Game 5 (or 6 or 7), right? That's the difference in the game, not Westbrook committing that dumb foul out of the time-out when the Heat had just a few seconds to get a shot off.
Typically, a 3-1 playoff series would feel a bit lame. But this one feels as dynamic as ever. Game 5 shapes up with a pretty amazing pair of storylines: Either LeBron wins that first ring... or the Thunder send it back to OKC with every chance in the world to complete the greatest comeback in NBA history.
-- D.S.
First, be sure to pop by Quickish this a.m. -- a bunch of really good takes and reactions, put in a stream so fast it'll take you all of 30 seconds to inhale it (you can get more by clicking on the individual blurbs or watching the videos I posted). Plus, if you want to see new corporate synergy in action, check out the front page of USA Today Sports, which is linking to Quickish's coverage.
OK, so let's start with this: The Heat are up 3-1 and no team has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. My response: So what? OKC has been in both games in Miami right up until the end -- there is no reason (other than if they were broken last night) they can't win Game 5. All of a sudden, the series is 3-2 with the final two games in OKC, where the Thunder can absolutely win Game 6, take back all the momentum and then close out in Game 7.
The point is this: Anyone saying "It's over" this morning needs to go back two weeks and check out their "It's over" columns after Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.
Meanwhile, if -- IF -- the Heat go on to win the series in five games (maybe even at all), last night's dagger 3 from LeBron on that cramped-up leg is the defining moment of his career. It implodes the mythology that he's soft, that he's not a closer, that he lacks a killer instinct. (That narrative was already specious, but hopefully now it tucks it away. Pundits sure seem ready to do just that... at least until something else happens in Game 5.)
But -- and I say this as someone who roots against LeBron -- it was the single-best moment of his career (ironic, given that he spent the game's dramatic final minute on the bench with that cramp).
Two other thoughts: (1) My 6-year-old is a big Thunder fan, but where I love Durant, he loves Westbrook. When you watch Westbrook play last night, you realize why. (2) James Harden can't possibly play this badly in Game 5 (or 6 or 7), right? That's the difference in the game, not Westbrook committing that dumb foul out of the time-out when the Heat had just a few seconds to get a shot off.
Typically, a 3-1 playoff series would feel a bit lame. But this one feels as dynamic as ever. Game 5 shapes up with a pretty amazing pair of storylines: Either LeBron wins that first ring... or the Thunder send it back to OKC with every chance in the world to complete the greatest comeback in NBA history.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
06/19 (Not Guilty) Quickie
I think what frustrates me (and others) about the Clemens verdict is that the trial seemed so unnecessary. Everyone has an opinion: He cheated or he didn't. Most people are pretty willing to stipulate that he cheated. So the real question is: Do you care? And when we ask "do you care?" we're really asking "Should he be in the Hall of Fame?"
That Clemens had a Hall of Fame career is beyond question. I think most people are willing to overlook the PEDs -- if nothing else, as a product of the era itself -- and recognize that one of the 5 best pitchers of all time should be in baseball's Hall of Fame.
But others are hell-bent on denying him that entry -- the trial and its verdict was never going to change that. I have a bigger problem with the strident baseball writers -- baseball Hall voters -- than I do with Clemens' PED use (his lying is another thing).
The Hall's looming crisis isn't the vote on players like Clemens and Bonds or the integrity of the Hall should those players (and others from the so-called Steroid Era) be admitted. Its looming crisis is that enough of its runaway electorate themselves threaten to hijack the integrity of the Hall. The Hall's biggest problem is what happens when those all-time greats don't get in.
BTW: R.A. Dickey. Amazing. Best story in baseball this season and a clear-cut pick to start for the N.L. in the All-Star Game.
-- D.S.
That Clemens had a Hall of Fame career is beyond question. I think most people are willing to overlook the PEDs -- if nothing else, as a product of the era itself -- and recognize that one of the 5 best pitchers of all time should be in baseball's Hall of Fame.
But others are hell-bent on denying him that entry -- the trial and its verdict was never going to change that. I have a bigger problem with the strident baseball writers -- baseball Hall voters -- than I do with Clemens' PED use (his lying is another thing).
The Hall's looming crisis isn't the vote on players like Clemens and Bonds or the integrity of the Hall should those players (and others from the so-called Steroid Era) be admitted. Its looming crisis is that enough of its runaway electorate themselves threaten to hijack the integrity of the Hall. The Hall's biggest problem is what happens when those all-time greats don't get in.
BTW: R.A. Dickey. Amazing. Best story in baseball this season and a clear-cut pick to start for the N.L. in the All-Star Game.
-- D.S.
Monday, June 18, 2012
06/18 (Monday) Quickie
And so the dominant narrative is that the Heat learned from last year's Finals implosion and are applying that new residual toughness now.
I would say the bigger factor was Kevin Durant picking up his 4th foul late in the 3rd, Scott Brooks inexplicably sitting KD and Westbrook at the same time and James Harden working so hard on defense that his offense suffered -- he was in no shape to carry the O when KD/RW sat down.
The Thunder are one entirely winnable game in either of the next two games from having the Heat exactly where they need them to be: Two OKC home wins from a 4-3 series victory. In other words, I think the Heat winning had more to do with OKC tripping themselves up than Miami asserting.
The larger lesson? Stop worrying about the narratives and just enjoy the series.
More:
*Webb Simpson wins the U.S. Open: Nothing like watching a golfer win a major sitting inside the clubhouse. Tough break for McDowell (tougher break for Furyk...yeesh). Toughest break of all for Tiger, who had a horrible weekend and backslid into irrelevancy (or that old "maybe Tiger isn't back after all" storyline).
More later.
-- D.S.
I would say the bigger factor was Kevin Durant picking up his 4th foul late in the 3rd, Scott Brooks inexplicably sitting KD and Westbrook at the same time and James Harden working so hard on defense that his offense suffered -- he was in no shape to carry the O when KD/RW sat down.
The Thunder are one entirely winnable game in either of the next two games from having the Heat exactly where they need them to be: Two OKC home wins from a 4-3 series victory. In other words, I think the Heat winning had more to do with OKC tripping themselves up than Miami asserting.
The larger lesson? Stop worrying about the narratives and just enjoy the series.
More:
*Webb Simpson wins the U.S. Open: Nothing like watching a golfer win a major sitting inside the clubhouse. Tough break for McDowell (tougher break for Furyk...yeesh). Toughest break of all for Tiger, who had a horrible weekend and backslid into irrelevancy (or that old "maybe Tiger isn't back after all" storyline).
More later.
-- D.S.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
06/17 (Father's Day) Quickie
I woke up early this morning and took my 3-year-old to the ice-skating rink. Back in January, he got obsessed with hockey and he likes to go wobbling out on the ice.
Then I took my 6-year-old to a summer basketball thing I signed him up for -- he really likes baskeball (he's partial to the Thunder, although he favors Westbrook over Durant).
This is the day after we all went to Nats Park to watch the Nationals play the Yankees. It was the 6-year-old's second MLB game (we went to Wrigley two summers ago for his first) and the 3-year-old's first MLB game. It was a gorgeous day and a great atmosphere.
The influence dads have on sons when it comes to sports is highly variable. If your dad was a fan, you'll probably become a fan. Usually, team allegiance is inherited, father to son, like male-pattern baldness. (For example, I grew up a huge Cubs and Bears fan -- even in D.C. -- because my dad was a huge Cubs and Bears fan.)
My earliest sports memory is playing a game with my dad where he would say the city name and I would say the NFL team nickname. I was probably 8 or 9. My dad would almost always get us to an Orioles, Bullets and Caps game once a season (a Redskins game if we were really lucky). A few years later, he got a 10-game plan for the Orioles -- it was a fun tradition. By then, I was all-in as a sports fan. But I was also in my late teens.
At 6, Gabe watches NFL Red Zone. He watches ESPNews Highlight Express every morning. He follows my fantasy team. He knows dozens of NFL players -- probably a lot more. He knows every team of the four major sports. He has an insatiable appetite for sports (I just caught him watching Portugal-Holland Euro 2012.)
Maybe this is all of a piece -- kids growing up ever faster as technology makes information more available. Gabe knows every NFL player because he watches Red Zone, where I had to watch whatever Redskins broadcast was on. He knows all the scores, because he plays with my iPhone app Sportacular; I relied on reading the newspaper sports section -- no West Coast scores, obviously -- at breakfast.
He's not just a better fan at 6 than I was at 6 -- he's a better fan at 6 than I was at 10 and he's damn close to being a better fan at 6 than I was at 16. Thank you, Internet + iPhone + Red Zone + ESPN.
As a sports fan, I think it's fun that this is something we can relate to together. It bodes well for a lifetime of bonding over sports fandom, if nothing else. (Let's hope there is more, obviously.) As a parent, I wonder if it's all too much too soon -- but, for now, it's mostly benign, and I am thrilled to answer his many questions, even when we're at a Wizards game and his question is: "Daddy, why are they booing Andray Blatche?"
He is still at the stage of discovering how awesome sports can be -- which, as a dad, it makes me feel like I'm rediscovering how awesome sports can be, too.
-- D.S.
Then I took my 6-year-old to a summer basketball thing I signed him up for -- he really likes baskeball (he's partial to the Thunder, although he favors Westbrook over Durant).
This is the day after we all went to Nats Park to watch the Nationals play the Yankees. It was the 6-year-old's second MLB game (we went to Wrigley two summers ago for his first) and the 3-year-old's first MLB game. It was a gorgeous day and a great atmosphere.
The influence dads have on sons when it comes to sports is highly variable. If your dad was a fan, you'll probably become a fan. Usually, team allegiance is inherited, father to son, like male-pattern baldness. (For example, I grew up a huge Cubs and Bears fan -- even in D.C. -- because my dad was a huge Cubs and Bears fan.)
My earliest sports memory is playing a game with my dad where he would say the city name and I would say the NFL team nickname. I was probably 8 or 9. My dad would almost always get us to an Orioles, Bullets and Caps game once a season (a Redskins game if we were really lucky). A few years later, he got a 10-game plan for the Orioles -- it was a fun tradition. By then, I was all-in as a sports fan. But I was also in my late teens.
At 6, Gabe watches NFL Red Zone. He watches ESPNews Highlight Express every morning. He follows my fantasy team. He knows dozens of NFL players -- probably a lot more. He knows every team of the four major sports. He has an insatiable appetite for sports (I just caught him watching Portugal-Holland Euro 2012.)
Maybe this is all of a piece -- kids growing up ever faster as technology makes information more available. Gabe knows every NFL player because he watches Red Zone, where I had to watch whatever Redskins broadcast was on. He knows all the scores, because he plays with my iPhone app Sportacular; I relied on reading the newspaper sports section -- no West Coast scores, obviously -- at breakfast.
He's not just a better fan at 6 than I was at 6 -- he's a better fan at 6 than I was at 10 and he's damn close to being a better fan at 6 than I was at 16. Thank you, Internet + iPhone + Red Zone + ESPN.
As a sports fan, I think it's fun that this is something we can relate to together. It bodes well for a lifetime of bonding over sports fandom, if nothing else. (Let's hope there is more, obviously.) As a parent, I wonder if it's all too much too soon -- but, for now, it's mostly benign, and I am thrilled to answer his many questions, even when we're at a Wizards game and his question is: "Daddy, why are they booing Andray Blatche?"
He is still at the stage of discovering how awesome sports can be -- which, as a dad, it makes me feel like I'm rediscovering how awesome sports can be, too.
-- D.S.
Friday, June 15, 2012
06/15 (Father's Day) Quickie
A word about Father's Day in a minute. First, a quick note on last night's Game 2 (with the admission that I was in a sports bar where the DirecTV conked out in the final minute, so I had to go back and watch highlights and YouTube clips to see the relevant plays after the fact):
Shots miss. Even for Kevin Durant. He got a good look -- the kind of look he regularly makes. He didn't. Even the best perimeter players only shoot 50% or so. And Durant was only guarded by the one of the best defenders in the league, LeBron James. Speaking of which...
Fouls go uncalled. Particularly on superstars (or superduperstars). Did LeBron foul Durant? Probably. Should it have been called? Probably. Is it worth freaking out about? No. Durant moved past it, and so should everyone else. And that's because...
The Thunder lost the game in its first minutes, not its final seconds. The Thunder wouldn't have put Durant in that position at the end of the game if they hadn't gotten behind 40-2* in the game's first few minutes (* - it sure felt that wide). Start stronger, win the game. The Thunder's "slow start" schtick finally nicked them, at the worst possible time.
But I'll echo Simmons on Twitter last night: If you believe in the old maxim that it's not a series until the road team wins a game, we now have a series.
Check out Quickish's NBA stream for really good recs of the a.m.'s best NBA Finals reads.
More:
This weekend is Father's Day. Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. I don't ask for gifts or cards or breakfast or anything like that -- being a dad is my favorite thing in the world, and that is enough. This year I'm triply blessed to be Lucy's dad, too.
Two good friends were generous enough to offer us tickets to the Nationals-Yankees game on Saturday -- the hottest ticket in town (and, arguably, the most exciting game in the history of the Nats franchise in DC and one of the most exciting games this city has seen in a decade).
Taking Mrs. Quickie and the kids to the game is the best possible Father's Day weekend gift. The boys both have "curly-W" Nats hats and I'm sure I'll make it to the sporting-goods store in the next 24 hours to get them Bryce Harper shirseys.
The irony is that Gabe is just old enough to have picked up a kernel of Yankees fandom from living in New York. I'm not sure I can stomach getting him a Derek Jeter jersey that he really wants (but I ended up getting him his first baseball glove, a signed Jeter model, naturally).
I'm not one to influence the kids' rooting interests, but I'm hoping that the scene at Nats Park tomorrow is a seminal one for them -- crazy Nats fans, celebrating a first-place position, against the most storied franchise in sports. This might be the tipping point that turns them into Nats fans.
How much fun will that be to watch?
Happy father's day to all the dads. If it's an option, call yours.
-- D.S.
Shots miss. Even for Kevin Durant. He got a good look -- the kind of look he regularly makes. He didn't. Even the best perimeter players only shoot 50% or so. And Durant was only guarded by the one of the best defenders in the league, LeBron James. Speaking of which...
Fouls go uncalled. Particularly on superstars (or superduperstars). Did LeBron foul Durant? Probably. Should it have been called? Probably. Is it worth freaking out about? No. Durant moved past it, and so should everyone else. And that's because...
The Thunder lost the game in its first minutes, not its final seconds. The Thunder wouldn't have put Durant in that position at the end of the game if they hadn't gotten behind 40-2* in the game's first few minutes (* - it sure felt that wide). Start stronger, win the game. The Thunder's "slow start" schtick finally nicked them, at the worst possible time.
But I'll echo Simmons on Twitter last night: If you believe in the old maxim that it's not a series until the road team wins a game, we now have a series.
Check out Quickish's NBA stream for really good recs of the a.m.'s best NBA Finals reads.
More:
This weekend is Father's Day. Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. I don't ask for gifts or cards or breakfast or anything like that -- being a dad is my favorite thing in the world, and that is enough. This year I'm triply blessed to be Lucy's dad, too.
Two good friends were generous enough to offer us tickets to the Nationals-Yankees game on Saturday -- the hottest ticket in town (and, arguably, the most exciting game in the history of the Nats franchise in DC and one of the most exciting games this city has seen in a decade).
Taking Mrs. Quickie and the kids to the game is the best possible Father's Day weekend gift. The boys both have "curly-W" Nats hats and I'm sure I'll make it to the sporting-goods store in the next 24 hours to get them Bryce Harper shirseys.
The irony is that Gabe is just old enough to have picked up a kernel of Yankees fandom from living in New York. I'm not sure I can stomach getting him a Derek Jeter jersey that he really wants (but I ended up getting him his first baseball glove, a signed Jeter model, naturally).
I'm not one to influence the kids' rooting interests, but I'm hoping that the scene at Nats Park tomorrow is a seminal one for them -- crazy Nats fans, celebrating a first-place position, against the most storied franchise in sports. This might be the tipping point that turns them into Nats fans.
How much fun will that be to watch?
Happy father's day to all the dads. If it's an option, call yours.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
06/13 (Durant) Quickie
Of the many reasons to enjoy watching and rooting for Kevin Durant, his implacability remains a big part of it -- what happens when he turns it on (like he did in the 4th quarter last night) is remarkable.
And yet! His explosion feels more like a ripple -- it's a placid dominance. ESPN.com's Henry Abbott had my favorite take off the game last night, about how Durant's dominance is so simply effective.
I call it "minimalist" -- Abbott marvels at the way Durant scores so quickly, usually on "easy" shots -- easy because he moves and makes decisions quickly when he gets the ball.
We talked about this when he was at Texas and then when he got into the league: He is, quite arguably, the perfect scoring machine... precisely because the effort is so seemingly simple.
More:
*Rough night for Dwyane Wade: Losses -- especially Heat losses -- need a goat, and Wade assumes that role today. Usually he bounces back, but when the Thunder surged in the 2nd half, Wade looked like he had a bit too much mileage on his tires. That doesn't get easier as the series goes on (especially if Spoelstra only plays six guys, which was clearly a miscalculation).
*That image of a glum Pat Riley on TV near the end was amazing.
*Bryce Harper hits another HR, moves his average over 300 (his OPS is like .940 or something equally amazing) and the Nats win again. He is so clearly going to be the MLB All-Star "Extra Man" winner in the fan vote later this month that they might as well put him in the starting lineup -- he is the most must-see player in baseball right now (and living up to it, per Grantland's Jazayerli).
*Pop Warner limits tackling: (1) How dangerous must it have been before that they had to cut practice tackling by 2/3? (2) Let's go back to the cardinal (and judgmental) rule: Any parent who lets their kid play tackle football is nuts.
*Must-See: Tonight's NBA TV documentary about the Dream Team.
-- D.S.
And yet! His explosion feels more like a ripple -- it's a placid dominance. ESPN.com's Henry Abbott had my favorite take off the game last night, about how Durant's dominance is so simply effective.
I call it "minimalist" -- Abbott marvels at the way Durant scores so quickly, usually on "easy" shots -- easy because he moves and makes decisions quickly when he gets the ball.
We talked about this when he was at Texas and then when he got into the league: He is, quite arguably, the perfect scoring machine... precisely because the effort is so seemingly simple.
More:
*Rough night for Dwyane Wade: Losses -- especially Heat losses -- need a goat, and Wade assumes that role today. Usually he bounces back, but when the Thunder surged in the 2nd half, Wade looked like he had a bit too much mileage on his tires. That doesn't get easier as the series goes on (especially if Spoelstra only plays six guys, which was clearly a miscalculation).
*That image of a glum Pat Riley on TV near the end was amazing.
*Bryce Harper hits another HR, moves his average over 300 (his OPS is like .940 or something equally amazing) and the Nats win again. He is so clearly going to be the MLB All-Star "Extra Man" winner in the fan vote later this month that they might as well put him in the starting lineup -- he is the most must-see player in baseball right now (and living up to it, per Grantland's Jazayerli).
*Pop Warner limits tackling: (1) How dangerous must it have been before that they had to cut practice tackling by 2/3? (2) Let's go back to the cardinal (and judgmental) rule: Any parent who lets their kid play tackle football is nuts.
*Must-See: Tonight's NBA TV documentary about the Dream Team.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
06/12 (NBA Finals) Quickie
First, a hearty congrats to the LA Kings, one of the most distinctive champions in NHL history.
Not just an 8-seed (the first 8-seed to win the Cup, a feat alone that shouts novelty), but a team that imploded itself halfway through the season, couldn't score anyway and eked into the playoffs, only to destroy everyone in its path. "Worthy champs" doesn't do it justice. Now, as many noted almost immediately after the game last night, the NHL will punch itself in the face with a labor battle.
NBA Finals: I understand the very compelling reason to root against the Thunder (and, by default, for the Heat)... but I just can't do it. Can't root against Durant. Can't root for LeBron. If that makes me a bad person, so be it. Thunder in 7. It is going to be one of the most-watched Finals series in a generation -- the biggest national event for the NBA since Michael Jordan's final NBA Finals.
US Open: Partly because I like his schtick and partially because his feelings as a dad resonate with me, gotta love Bubba.
Best thing I read yesterday: GQ.com's amazing Oral History of the Dream Team, put together by Lang Whitaker. (This week's most can't-miss TV is the Dream Team doc on NBA TV tomorrow night.)
Oh, and by the way: I've been remiss in covering it, but the Stonybrook story in the College World Series is one of the best you'll ever get in sports. Here's the analogue (h/t Y!'s Pat Forde): It would be like LIU as a 15-seed going to the Final Four, but doing it by winning 2 out of 3 at Duke (h/t NYT's Lynn Zinser).
Finally, in case you missed it: Yesterday's exciting news. Really appreciate everyone who tweeted or emailed.
-- D.S.
Not just an 8-seed (the first 8-seed to win the Cup, a feat alone that shouts novelty), but a team that imploded itself halfway through the season, couldn't score anyway and eked into the playoffs, only to destroy everyone in its path. "Worthy champs" doesn't do it justice. Now, as many noted almost immediately after the game last night, the NHL will punch itself in the face with a labor battle.
NBA Finals: I understand the very compelling reason to root against the Thunder (and, by default, for the Heat)... but I just can't do it. Can't root against Durant. Can't root for LeBron. If that makes me a bad person, so be it. Thunder in 7. It is going to be one of the most-watched Finals series in a generation -- the biggest national event for the NBA since Michael Jordan's final NBA Finals.
US Open: Partly because I like his schtick and partially because his feelings as a dad resonate with me, gotta love Bubba.
Best thing I read yesterday: GQ.com's amazing Oral History of the Dream Team, put together by Lang Whitaker. (This week's most can't-miss TV is the Dream Team doc on NBA TV tomorrow night.)
Oh, and by the way: I've been remiss in covering it, but the Stonybrook story in the College World Series is one of the best you'll ever get in sports. Here's the analogue (h/t Y!'s Pat Forde): It would be like LIU as a 15-seed going to the Final Four, but doing it by winning 2 out of 3 at Duke (h/t NYT's Lynn Zinser).
Finally, in case you missed it: Yesterday's exciting news. Really appreciate everyone who tweeted or emailed.
-- D.S.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Exciting News: USA Today Sports Media Group Acquires Quickish
Republished from Quickish (via this Wall Street Journal story):
I have very exciting news to announce: Quickish has been acquired by USA Today Sports Media Group. In conjunction with the deal, I will be joining the group, effective today.
I couldn’t be more excited. USATSMG has a fundamental commitment to serving fans in comprehensive, innovative ways that totally fit with the effort I have put into Quickish and the type of things I have helped build throughout my career in digital media. It is a great company full of monumentally talented, motivated folks that I am implicitly proud to call my colleagues and with whom I look forward to doing huge things.
This is a great moment to offer some thanks:
First of all, thank YOU: Readers’ enthusiastic support of Quickish allowed it to get off to a fast start, find a distinct place in the sports-news landscape and continuously iterate, trying to get better. Thank you to everyone who has told their friends about it, chimed in on Twitter and Facebook or sent in a tip of something that Quickish should be showcasing. There is nothing as thrilling as creating something that anyone ever says they “love.” It is a privilege, frankly.
Thank you to the hundreds (thousands?) of talented writers, reporters, columnists, analysts, pundits, Twitter quipsters and everyone else whose excellent efforts make sense of the world (sometimes immediately, sometimes after measured consideration) and deserve a wider audience through platforms like Quickish.
I consume a lot -- hoo boy: a lot -- of sportswriting, on the Web, on Twitter and elsewhere. The best (and an admirable number of folks have qualified at one time or another) is better than it has ever been. That’s an amazing thing for us fans. I can’t begin to list folks by name here, but the beauty of Quickish is that you can pop by the site and immediately spot exactly who makes the list (or at least one list) at any given moment or for any given hot topic. And to those who have used their platforms to support or promote Quickish, a sincere thanks (please keep it up!)
Thank you to the network of friends and advisors to the company -- insightful and generous folks within the media and start-up communities in New York City were particularly inspiring and helpful (I can’t even begin to showcase a list because I’m afraid of whom I would unintentionally miss). There are a lot more people who don’t know me but whose writing and thinking on the media and entrepreneurship who I admire and incorporate constantly. Thank you to Kevin Kearney and the brilliant user-experience talents at Hard Candy Shell, responsible for the look and feel that made Quickish so instantly distinctive, useful and credible. Thank you to Meshach Jackson and Jolly Science, the development shop that built Quickish and made it so easy to edit and publish. Thank you to Jeff Jarvis and City University of New York’s Graduate School of Journalism for the generous use of a desk while I was developing Quickish, and thank you to Matt Brimer, Brad Hargreaves and the amazing team at General Assembly for giving me a place to grow the company after it launched; both are communities I am proud to be affiliated with. Every start-up founder needs a great lawyer; I got to work with two: Thank you to Josh Buhler of Buhler Duggal & Henry and thanks to Mark Fitzgerald of Wilson Sonsini. (Thanks also to my ace accountant Bradley Smallberg of Smallberg Sorkin.) Finally, a huge thanks to ace editor Michael Katz for believing in the company’s mission and for his invaluable help working on Quickish through much of last year.
Looking ahead, I wanted to thank folks within the leadership at USA Today Sports Media Group: Gracia Martore, Tom Beusse, Jonathan Marshall, Ross Schaufelberger, Dave Morgan, Matt Graham and Mark Pesavento -- they are putting together an absolutely incredible team, top to bottom, with aspirations that are so ambitious that all I want to do is be a part of it.
Most of all, I want to thank my wife, Margery, whose support of me founding a company was not just complete, but necessary for me to get to where we are today -- and certainly to build on it from here to what’s next.
In the meantime, Quickish continues at full strength -- soon to be even greater strength. Here’s at least one thing we know about the continuously changing world of media: It’s not getting any less cluttered, and it is a fundamental tenet of Quickish to help fans keep up (quickly!) with the big things that are happening by hacking thoughtful paths through that clutter. I hope you will visit regularly and continue to tell your friends (and co-workers and family and Twitter followers...) about it. My colleagues at USATSMG innately understand the competitive dynamics behind the Quickish model; with USATSMG’s network, resources and talent, Quickish can become even more useful and valuable for fans. If you want to talk about Quickish -- how it can become even better or how you think you can help -- please don’t hesitate to drop me a line at dan-at-quickish.com.
The first two years of Quickish have been extraordinarily exciting -- the most satisfying (and most thrilling/harrowing!) professional experience of what has been a very fortunate career -- and, more than any point in my working life, I cannot wait for what comes next. I am committed to raising the bar for an even more exciting and satisfying ride, always focused on serving fans for the better. Thanks again for being a part of it.
-- Dan
I have very exciting news to announce: Quickish has been acquired by USA Today Sports Media Group. In conjunction with the deal, I will be joining the group, effective today.
I couldn’t be more excited. USATSMG has a fundamental commitment to serving fans in comprehensive, innovative ways that totally fit with the effort I have put into Quickish and the type of things I have helped build throughout my career in digital media. It is a great company full of monumentally talented, motivated folks that I am implicitly proud to call my colleagues and with whom I look forward to doing huge things.
This is a great moment to offer some thanks:
First of all, thank YOU: Readers’ enthusiastic support of Quickish allowed it to get off to a fast start, find a distinct place in the sports-news landscape and continuously iterate, trying to get better. Thank you to everyone who has told their friends about it, chimed in on Twitter and Facebook or sent in a tip of something that Quickish should be showcasing. There is nothing as thrilling as creating something that anyone ever says they “love.” It is a privilege, frankly.
Thank you to the hundreds (thousands?) of talented writers, reporters, columnists, analysts, pundits, Twitter quipsters and everyone else whose excellent efforts make sense of the world (sometimes immediately, sometimes after measured consideration) and deserve a wider audience through platforms like Quickish.
I consume a lot -- hoo boy: a lot -- of sportswriting, on the Web, on Twitter and elsewhere. The best (and an admirable number of folks have qualified at one time or another) is better than it has ever been. That’s an amazing thing for us fans. I can’t begin to list folks by name here, but the beauty of Quickish is that you can pop by the site and immediately spot exactly who makes the list (or at least one list) at any given moment or for any given hot topic. And to those who have used their platforms to support or promote Quickish, a sincere thanks (please keep it up!)
Thank you to the network of friends and advisors to the company -- insightful and generous folks within the media and start-up communities in New York City were particularly inspiring and helpful (I can’t even begin to showcase a list because I’m afraid of whom I would unintentionally miss). There are a lot more people who don’t know me but whose writing and thinking on the media and entrepreneurship who I admire and incorporate constantly. Thank you to Kevin Kearney and the brilliant user-experience talents at Hard Candy Shell, responsible for the look and feel that made Quickish so instantly distinctive, useful and credible. Thank you to Meshach Jackson and Jolly Science, the development shop that built Quickish and made it so easy to edit and publish. Thank you to Jeff Jarvis and City University of New York’s Graduate School of Journalism for the generous use of a desk while I was developing Quickish, and thank you to Matt Brimer, Brad Hargreaves and the amazing team at General Assembly for giving me a place to grow the company after it launched; both are communities I am proud to be affiliated with. Every start-up founder needs a great lawyer; I got to work with two: Thank you to Josh Buhler of Buhler Duggal & Henry and thanks to Mark Fitzgerald of Wilson Sonsini. (Thanks also to my ace accountant Bradley Smallberg of Smallberg Sorkin.) Finally, a huge thanks to ace editor Michael Katz for believing in the company’s mission and for his invaluable help working on Quickish through much of last year.
Looking ahead, I wanted to thank folks within the leadership at USA Today Sports Media Group: Gracia Martore, Tom Beusse, Jonathan Marshall, Ross Schaufelberger, Dave Morgan, Matt Graham and Mark Pesavento -- they are putting together an absolutely incredible team, top to bottom, with aspirations that are so ambitious that all I want to do is be a part of it.
Most of all, I want to thank my wife, Margery, whose support of me founding a company was not just complete, but necessary for me to get to where we are today -- and certainly to build on it from here to what’s next.
In the meantime, Quickish continues at full strength -- soon to be even greater strength. Here’s at least one thing we know about the continuously changing world of media: It’s not getting any less cluttered, and it is a fundamental tenet of Quickish to help fans keep up (quickly!) with the big things that are happening by hacking thoughtful paths through that clutter. I hope you will visit regularly and continue to tell your friends (and co-workers and family and Twitter followers...) about it. My colleagues at USATSMG innately understand the competitive dynamics behind the Quickish model; with USATSMG’s network, resources and talent, Quickish can become even more useful and valuable for fans. If you want to talk about Quickish -- how it can become even better or how you think you can help -- please don’t hesitate to drop me a line at dan-at-quickish.com.
The first two years of Quickish have been extraordinarily exciting -- the most satisfying (and most thrilling/harrowing!) professional experience of what has been a very fortunate career -- and, more than any point in my working life, I cannot wait for what comes next. I am committed to raising the bar for an even more exciting and satisfying ride, always focused on serving fans for the better. Thanks again for being a part of it.
-- Dan
Sunday, June 10, 2012
06/10 (Heat) Quickie
All the Heat win over the Celtics in Game 7 last night did was allow Miami to avoid the humiliation of an exit before they even got to the Finals.
In other words, the expectations remain the same: Championship or failure.
There is no consolation prize for LeBron for playing out of his mind -- inarguably the greatest stretch of games of his career and one of the great individual efforts by any player in the playoffs in NBA history.
And so we get Heat-Thunder, LeBron vs. Durant (and Westbrook vs. Wade... and Harden vs. Bosh... and rabid OKC fans vs. languid Miami fans... and the idea of Durant's first title -- a la Jordan in '91 -- versus LeBron's first title... and the star who left his hometown versus the team that left its hometown.)
It is a best-case scenario for the league and for fans -- two great teams, out-of-this-world star power, with a championship that will resonate through history.
But let's just keep in mind: The axis still revolves around LeBron -- either he fails (again) or he wins his first championship. That is the biggest story.
More:
*Pacquiao-Bradley ends in stunner: Fishy ending? You bet. Good for boxing? Not even close. Will it increase interest in a rematch in November? Yes.
*NHL: What is the difference between the Devils being down 3-0 then muscling it back to 3-2 heading into Game 6 and the Devils winning two of the first four, but losing Game 5? If anything, the momentum shift -- at the risk of pop psychology, it sure seems like the Devils are playing like they have nothing to lose and the Kings are playing like they have everything to lose -- seems to favor the Devils in Game 6.
*Condolences to the Auburn community on the tragic shootings.
Big week ahead. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
-- D.S.
In other words, the expectations remain the same: Championship or failure.
There is no consolation prize for LeBron for playing out of his mind -- inarguably the greatest stretch of games of his career and one of the great individual efforts by any player in the playoffs in NBA history.
And so we get Heat-Thunder, LeBron vs. Durant (and Westbrook vs. Wade... and Harden vs. Bosh... and rabid OKC fans vs. languid Miami fans... and the idea of Durant's first title -- a la Jordan in '91 -- versus LeBron's first title... and the star who left his hometown versus the team that left its hometown.)
It is a best-case scenario for the league and for fans -- two great teams, out-of-this-world star power, with a championship that will resonate through history.
But let's just keep in mind: The axis still revolves around LeBron -- either he fails (again) or he wins his first championship. That is the biggest story.
More:
*Pacquiao-Bradley ends in stunner: Fishy ending? You bet. Good for boxing? Not even close. Will it increase interest in a rematch in November? Yes.
*NHL: What is the difference between the Devils being down 3-0 then muscling it back to 3-2 heading into Game 6 and the Devils winning two of the first four, but losing Game 5? If anything, the momentum shift -- at the risk of pop psychology, it sure seems like the Devils are playing like they have nothing to lose and the Kings are playing like they have everything to lose -- seems to favor the Devils in Game 6.
*Condolences to the Auburn community on the tragic shootings.
Big week ahead. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
-- D.S.
Saturday, June 09, 2012
06/09 (Very) Quickie
Great sports day ahead:
*NBA: Heat over Celtics.
*NHL: Devils over Kings.
*Boxing: Pacquiao over Bradley.
*French Open: Sharapova over Errani (and Nadal over Djokovic tomorrow).
*Euro 2012: Netherlands over Denmark, Germany over Portugal.
*Belmont:I'll Have Another wins the Triple Crown (ugh)
*Meanwhile: How can you not love a 6-pitcher no-hitter? (Only the 2nd in MLB history)
Tons of great stuff on Quickish for you to check out this weekend -- if you want something great to read, try our "Grantland Greatest Hits" list (off its 1-year anniversary on Friday) and don't miss Simmons' essay from yesterday that is my favorite thing he's done this year.
-- D.S.
*NBA: Heat over Celtics.
*NHL: Devils over Kings.
*Boxing: Pacquiao over Bradley.
*French Open: Sharapova over Errani (and Nadal over Djokovic tomorrow).
*Euro 2012: Netherlands over Denmark, Germany over Portugal.
*Belmont:
*Meanwhile: How can you not love a 6-pitcher no-hitter? (Only the 2nd in MLB history)
Tons of great stuff on Quickish for you to check out this weekend -- if you want something great to read, try our "Grantland Greatest Hits" list (off its 1-year anniversary on Friday) and don't miss Simmons' essay from yesterday that is my favorite thing he's done this year.
-- D.S.
Thursday, June 07, 2012
06/07 (Thunder) Quickie
The best moment of last night's Thunder win over the Spurs -- completing a four-game sweep after being down 0-2, to win OKC's (if not the franchise's) first Western Conference title -- came just before the game was over, but victory was assured:
Kevin Durant, triumphant, walked over to courtside to give his beloved mom a hug. It was an instant classic -- not quite "Good job! Good effort!" on the meme scale but certainly more meaningful.
It is impossible to dislike Durant or this young, fearless Thunder team. (The team's owners? Another story. But we all seem to be able to compartmentalize the players from the owners.)
It doesn't matter who the Thunder plays next: Either the Heat or the Celtics (let's hope it's Boston) will be assured the role of loathed villain to the Thunder's fresh-legged exuberance -- Darth and Luke, if you want an easy pop-culture metaphor.
Here's something interesting: My 6-year-old son has been following the NBA for a year -- last year's playoffs all the way through this season and this year's playoffs. And he loves the Thunder. Loves them. Partially it's because I rave about Durant. But he actually loves Westbrook -- the style of play of Westbrook and the Thunder as a whole is so obviously eager and infectious that even a six-year-old is drawn to it, without any sophisticated understanding of the game.
(Aside: I have been obsessed with OKC basketball fans since their very first game hosting the displaced Hornets -- they went bananas for that team, it helped generate the enthusiasm to bring/steal them the Thunder and they haven't looked back since. They are the best fans in the NBA, and damn near close to the best fans in sports. Doesn't matter that they've had a team for all of four years -- five if you count the Hornets. They are fantastic.)
The Thunder used to be the team of tomorrow. Now, they are the team of -- well -- now. And the foreseeable future.
When you consider that the Heat's window is this year plus another two before the Big Three can leave, perhaps a year after that before the Big Three are simply too old to keep up, there is a very good chance that Miami will never be good enough to beat this Thunder team.
Hell, they might not be good enough to win the East. We'll find out tonight.
-- D.S.
Kevin Durant, triumphant, walked over to courtside to give his beloved mom a hug. It was an instant classic -- not quite "Good job! Good effort!" on the meme scale but certainly more meaningful.
It is impossible to dislike Durant or this young, fearless Thunder team. (The team's owners? Another story. But we all seem to be able to compartmentalize the players from the owners.)
It doesn't matter who the Thunder plays next: Either the Heat or the Celtics (let's hope it's Boston) will be assured the role of loathed villain to the Thunder's fresh-legged exuberance -- Darth and Luke, if you want an easy pop-culture metaphor.
Here's something interesting: My 6-year-old son has been following the NBA for a year -- last year's playoffs all the way through this season and this year's playoffs. And he loves the Thunder. Loves them. Partially it's because I rave about Durant. But he actually loves Westbrook -- the style of play of Westbrook and the Thunder as a whole is so obviously eager and infectious that even a six-year-old is drawn to it, without any sophisticated understanding of the game.
(Aside: I have been obsessed with OKC basketball fans since their very first game hosting the displaced Hornets -- they went bananas for that team, it helped generate the enthusiasm to bring/steal them the Thunder and they haven't looked back since. They are the best fans in the NBA, and damn near close to the best fans in sports. Doesn't matter that they've had a team for all of four years -- five if you count the Hornets. They are fantastic.)
The Thunder used to be the team of tomorrow. Now, they are the team of -- well -- now. And the foreseeable future.
When you consider that the Heat's window is this year plus another two before the Big Three can leave, perhaps a year after that before the Big Three are simply too old to keep up, there is a very good chance that Miami will never be good enough to beat this Thunder team.
Hell, they might not be good enough to win the East. We'll find out tonight.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
06/06 (Good Job, Good Effort) Quickie
The Celtics' Game 5 win over the Heat last night felt -- perhaps even was -- momentous. Short of their championship, it felt like the biggest win of Boston's "Big Three/Four" era. For those of us intrigued about the Heat failing, it was a fascinating night.
But the show was stolen by a perky young Heat fan caught by ESPN cameras as the dejected, stunned Heat trudged from the court to their locker room. The fan was shouting:
"GOOD JOB! GOOD EFFORT! GOOD JOB! GOOD EFFORT!"
For this kid, it was an earnest exhortation of his favorite team, his heroes. That kid was adorable. His parents should be proud -- he is a great fan.
But for the rest of us, it was unintended schadenfreude. There was a twisted derivation of "Emperor's New Clothes" -- the child doesn't know any better than to rotely cheer "Good effort!" when, in fact, the game was defined by the Heat's sub-par effort (for example, Wade jogging back on D late in the game).
The context mattered -- the Heat battered, having lost home-court advantage and having to win Game 6 on the road in Boston, which will be in a frenzy, and staring at a second straight Playoffs failure.
And so "Good job! Good effort!" became an instant meme, an instant thing. It will dominate the next 48 hours -- perhaps longer.
In one of the truly ironic unintended consequences you'll see, the innocent cheering of a Heat fan has become the new universal catch-phrase to mock Miami's failure.
-- D.S.
But the show was stolen by a perky young Heat fan caught by ESPN cameras as the dejected, stunned Heat trudged from the court to their locker room. The fan was shouting:
"GOOD JOB! GOOD EFFORT! GOOD JOB! GOOD EFFORT!"
For this kid, it was an earnest exhortation of his favorite team, his heroes. That kid was adorable. His parents should be proud -- he is a great fan.
But for the rest of us, it was unintended schadenfreude. There was a twisted derivation of "Emperor's New Clothes" -- the child doesn't know any better than to rotely cheer "Good effort!" when, in fact, the game was defined by the Heat's sub-par effort (for example, Wade jogging back on D late in the game).
The context mattered -- the Heat battered, having lost home-court advantage and having to win Game 6 on the road in Boston, which will be in a frenzy, and staring at a second straight Playoffs failure.
And so "Good job! Good effort!" became an instant meme, an instant thing. It will dominate the next 48 hours -- perhaps longer.
In one of the truly ironic unintended consequences you'll see, the innocent cheering of a Heat fan has become the new universal catch-phrase to mock Miami's failure.
-- D.S.
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