Before the Florida fandom, there was the Maryland fandom. Maryland basketball, specifically.
In 1989, I was 16 years old and had spent my sports-fan puberty (say, 12 to 16) ricocheting from Len Bias at his best to Len Bias dead to what Maryland fans gloss over as "The Bob Wade Era."
If you're under the age of 33 or so and don't remember, you have to understand that the program was a wreck after Bias died, so they went and hired a high school coach.
Predictably, he was awful. Really, really awful.
Then, in 1989, the program hired Gary Williams, a former player and a coach with a solid record of success at Boston College and Ohio State.
Maryland was totally screwed back then -- NCAA penalties, scholarship reductions, no NCAA Tournament, no games on TV.
Maryland's best player was Walt Williams -- the Wizard, who in high school had led his team over my high school in the state title game. He had the chance to go pro, but he stuck it out with Gary Williams and helped give the program a new foundation.
From there, Williams recruited a solid mix of locals (like Keith Booth -- who got Maryland back into Baltimore recruiting -- and Johnny Rhodes). Then Joe Smith. Then relevancy.
And then the early part of the new century. First the continuous struggles against Duke -- 2001 was epic in its failure.
Then, in 2002, the national title. This was just after I met my wife and began rooting for Florida. Maryland's hoops title was like perfect closure on the rooting interests of my childhood.
I don't claim a Terps fandom like real fans or alums or students -- although I will say that anyone who was 13 and a Terps fan and went through the Len Bias death gets some kind of fan dispensation for at least 20 years.
But I sincerely appreciate what Gary Williams did for the program. Yes, there was Lefty Dreisell, and he was legendary.
Gary Williams took the program from purgatory and turned it into a national champion. What more could any fan base ask for?
****
I agree with every top hoops analyst who thinks that Maryland is one of the most underrated job openings in college basketball. This is not Mizzou or NC State or Tennessee. The Maryland recruiting base of the District, Maryland and Virginia (the "DMV") is so rich -- and Williams had tended to it so tenuously -- that any coach with a nose for recruiting is going to stockpile talent like Williams rarely had and create a Top 10 program for a decade.
They will still be measured by their ability to win a national title like Gary Williams.
-- D.S.
Thursday, May 05, 2011
05/05 (Lakers Done?) Quickie
A Top 3 moment in Daily Quickie history was the "Two words: It's. Over." after Game 3 of the 2004 ALCS. It was on the front page of ESPN.com the morning after. I was spectacularly wrong (as was everyone else, of course).
The big question this morning is whether the Lakers deserve an "It's. Over." moment. Are they done? Down 2-0 after two games in LA? Needing to win 4 of the next 5, which would include at least 2 of 3 on the road in Dallas to a Mavs team that has proven itself better in nearly ever way?
This is entirely different from the Celtics being down 2-0 after two games in Miami -- it is entirely reasonable that the Celtics could win the next two games in Boston, evening the series and reclaiming some semblance of momentum.
But the current running through both the Lakers and the Celtics is that both look old... tired... yes: done.
I didn't think the Mavs would be the ones to knock off the Lakers, but it certainly feels like we're on that brink.
Typically, I default to the old '95 Rockets "Never underestimate the heart of a champion" thing. It is perhaps my biggest blind spot as a pundit and fan.
But in this case, it is hard not to believe what my eyes are seeing: The two-time defending champs, reeling. It was going to happen at some point. I thought it would happen after this year.
In the end, the top of the NBA is simply too good for a team -- no matter how title-experienced -- to "turn it on" when it matters most against a similarly elite team, at least not in a way that can net you 4 wins in 5 games when home-court advantage is a distant memory.
The Lakers are done, and it is happening so fast and so relatively unexpectedly that I don't think fans are quite ready for it. But it's coming.
****
Speaking of done: The Capitals. It's not just that they lost in the conference semifinals -- well short of the Stanley Cup finals, let alone a championship -- but that they were swept out, as ignominious an ending as there is. It is even worse than losing a 3-1 series lead and falling in 7 games.
The Capitals have reached that place -- perhaps the most favorite place in Quickie mythology: "Championship or bust." Title or failure. It is so simple and so binary and so much higher stakes than so many teams and fans can relate to.
The particular twist the Caps put on it is that they perennially underachieve. Every year, everyone thinks this time will be different. Every year, the result is the same. This year was supposed to be different -- aren't they all?
Playoffs in basketball and hockey aren't set up for one-time quirkiness, like the NCAA Tournament or college football schedule. Oh, sure, you can have the "hot goalie" theory, but if you lose 4 of 7 games, that's a pretty decent sample size that the other team is better.
When you lose four straight -- 4-0 -- it is decisive as it is damning. You weren't even close to good enough. Maybe you checked out mentally. Maybe the other team was just better (or hotter).
Whatever: The Caps simply can't break through. Now, there are lots of other "title or bust" teams that struggled against a ceiling for a few years -- certainly longer than the Caps' 3-year run -- but the Caps feel particularly far from the ultimate goal. Again.
-- D.S.
The big question this morning is whether the Lakers deserve an "It's. Over." moment. Are they done? Down 2-0 after two games in LA? Needing to win 4 of the next 5, which would include at least 2 of 3 on the road in Dallas to a Mavs team that has proven itself better in nearly ever way?
This is entirely different from the Celtics being down 2-0 after two games in Miami -- it is entirely reasonable that the Celtics could win the next two games in Boston, evening the series and reclaiming some semblance of momentum.
But the current running through both the Lakers and the Celtics is that both look old... tired... yes: done.
I didn't think the Mavs would be the ones to knock off the Lakers, but it certainly feels like we're on that brink.
Typically, I default to the old '95 Rockets "Never underestimate the heart of a champion" thing. It is perhaps my biggest blind spot as a pundit and fan.
But in this case, it is hard not to believe what my eyes are seeing: The two-time defending champs, reeling. It was going to happen at some point. I thought it would happen after this year.
In the end, the top of the NBA is simply too good for a team -- no matter how title-experienced -- to "turn it on" when it matters most against a similarly elite team, at least not in a way that can net you 4 wins in 5 games when home-court advantage is a distant memory.
The Lakers are done, and it is happening so fast and so relatively unexpectedly that I don't think fans are quite ready for it. But it's coming.
****
Speaking of done: The Capitals. It's not just that they lost in the conference semifinals -- well short of the Stanley Cup finals, let alone a championship -- but that they were swept out, as ignominious an ending as there is. It is even worse than losing a 3-1 series lead and falling in 7 games.
The Capitals have reached that place -- perhaps the most favorite place in Quickie mythology: "Championship or bust." Title or failure. It is so simple and so binary and so much higher stakes than so many teams and fans can relate to.
The particular twist the Caps put on it is that they perennially underachieve. Every year, everyone thinks this time will be different. Every year, the result is the same. This year was supposed to be different -- aren't they all?
Playoffs in basketball and hockey aren't set up for one-time quirkiness, like the NCAA Tournament or college football schedule. Oh, sure, you can have the "hot goalie" theory, but if you lose 4 of 7 games, that's a pretty decent sample size that the other team is better.
When you lose four straight -- 4-0 -- it is decisive as it is damning. You weren't even close to good enough. Maybe you checked out mentally. Maybe the other team was just better (or hotter).
Whatever: The Caps simply can't break through. Now, there are lots of other "title or bust" teams that struggled against a ceiling for a few years -- certainly longer than the Caps' 3-year run -- but the Caps feel particularly far from the ultimate goal. Again.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
05/04 (Heat, Whoa) Quickie
Here's a personal secret I keep:
Definitive pronouncements are the stock-and-trade of sports pundits -- all pundits, really. And I kind of hate that part of sports punditry -- the self-certainty -- particularly when backed up by nothing more than opinion or conjecture or bland qualitative evidence. These are the pundits you see self-assuredly saying "The Heat have no spine!" one day and "The Celtics are too old!" the next.
My operating philosophy has always been that in the face of new or more compelling evidence, not only will I change my mind -- but I am HAPPY to change my mind. I actually get more of an intellectual surge from being turned on to some new way of thinking about things that makes me see something differently than I do from being right, which is totally overrated -- and almost entirely meaningless in sports punditry.
Which brings us to the Heat and the Celtics.
Now, the Celtics might still win both games in Boston -- tie the series at 2-2, take back the momentum, put the Heat on their heels -- but that sure doesn't look like the case now.
What looks like the case now is that the Heat are younger, more athletic, more star-powered, faster, smarter, more hungry.
I thought they would need at least a year -- maybe more. It looks like my presumption was wrong.
I can dislike LeBron (although I like Wade) and dislike the Heat, yet still appreciate one of the most enjoyable events in sports: The Breakthrough, when potential transforms into reality.
Ideally, that comes after some struggle --it's an appealing narrative that goes back to Homer or even the origins of storytelling itself -- but maybe the Heat just condensed that struggle into nine months of more scrutiny than any team has faced in sports history.
It helps that I hate the Celtics, too -- that the Heat's breakthrough (again, presumptive) comes at the expense of Boston makes it more palatable. It makes it more dramatic, certainly, because the Celtics are the standard-bearer of championship toughness. The Heat surmounting that has always been the biggest storyline of the playoffs.
And now they are halfway there. Already.
****
Notes on a few other things:
*Francisco Liriano's no-hitter: That it was chock full of walks (and not many strikeouts) only makes it that much more interesting, doesn't it? It was certainly unexpected, given his (and the Twins') start to the season.
*Derrick Rose is NBA MVP: We can argue he was the best player on the most surprisingly successful team -- that LeBron and/or Chris Paul and/or Kobe and/or Dwight Howard were equally worthy. But I'm fine with Rose -- I enjoy the novelty that he is the youngest MVP in NBA history -- and found his acceptance speech homage to his mom to be particularly winning.
*Caps imploding, down 3-0 vs. Lightning: As a nominal Caps fan, beyond disappointing, particularly that they aren't even making it a series (the games are close, but not the series).
*Rashard Mendenhall: Let's distinguish between free speech -- a fundamental freedom, no matter how much you disagree with what is being spewed by someone -- and being stupid.
Keep up with Quickish all day. Lots of smart reactions to the Heat-Celtics, Liriano, Caps and more, including recommendations to some great reads. Thanks for your support.
-- D.S.
Definitive pronouncements are the stock-and-trade of sports pundits -- all pundits, really. And I kind of hate that part of sports punditry -- the self-certainty -- particularly when backed up by nothing more than opinion or conjecture or bland qualitative evidence. These are the pundits you see self-assuredly saying "The Heat have no spine!" one day and "The Celtics are too old!" the next.
My operating philosophy has always been that in the face of new or more compelling evidence, not only will I change my mind -- but I am HAPPY to change my mind. I actually get more of an intellectual surge from being turned on to some new way of thinking about things that makes me see something differently than I do from being right, which is totally overrated -- and almost entirely meaningless in sports punditry.
Which brings us to the Heat and the Celtics.
Now, the Celtics might still win both games in Boston -- tie the series at 2-2, take back the momentum, put the Heat on their heels -- but that sure doesn't look like the case now.
What looks like the case now is that the Heat are younger, more athletic, more star-powered, faster, smarter, more hungry.
I thought they would need at least a year -- maybe more. It looks like my presumption was wrong.
I can dislike LeBron (although I like Wade) and dislike the Heat, yet still appreciate one of the most enjoyable events in sports: The Breakthrough, when potential transforms into reality.
Ideally, that comes after some struggle --it's an appealing narrative that goes back to Homer or even the origins of storytelling itself -- but maybe the Heat just condensed that struggle into nine months of more scrutiny than any team has faced in sports history.
It helps that I hate the Celtics, too -- that the Heat's breakthrough (again, presumptive) comes at the expense of Boston makes it more palatable. It makes it more dramatic, certainly, because the Celtics are the standard-bearer of championship toughness. The Heat surmounting that has always been the biggest storyline of the playoffs.
And now they are halfway there. Already.
****
Notes on a few other things:
*Francisco Liriano's no-hitter: That it was chock full of walks (and not many strikeouts) only makes it that much more interesting, doesn't it? It was certainly unexpected, given his (and the Twins') start to the season.
*Derrick Rose is NBA MVP: We can argue he was the best player on the most surprisingly successful team -- that LeBron and/or Chris Paul and/or Kobe and/or Dwight Howard were equally worthy. But I'm fine with Rose -- I enjoy the novelty that he is the youngest MVP in NBA history -- and found his acceptance speech homage to his mom to be particularly winning.
*Caps imploding, down 3-0 vs. Lightning: As a nominal Caps fan, beyond disappointing, particularly that they aren't even making it a series (the games are close, but not the series).
*Rashard Mendenhall: Let's distinguish between free speech -- a fundamental freedom, no matter how much you disagree with what is being spewed by someone -- and being stupid.
Keep up with Quickish all day. Lots of smart reactions to the Heat-Celtics, Liriano, Caps and more, including recommendations to some great reads. Thanks for your support.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
05/03 (Underdog) Quickie
The common wisdom about playoff series is that they don't really start until the home team loses.
That suggests that this year's NBA conference-semifinals round is already so on. Haven't seen the stat for 3 of 4 road teams winning Game 1s of conference semis, but I have to imagine it's rare.
It's hard not to watch the Mavs and Hawks and -- most of all Grizzlies -- and not think they absolutely can win 4 of 7. Chances are they won't, but if you can win Game 1 on the road, is it so crazy to think they can win 3 more, including 3 shots at home for themselves?
And then there is the Heat-Celtics series. By the definition at the top, it hasn't started yet. Maybe it will tonight -- if the Celtics can split in Miami, it is a psychic blow the Heat might not get over. And even if the Celtics lose, they have two chances at home, not just to even up the series but to reclaim any/all momentum heading back to Miami for Game 5.
So the biggest constant of Game 1s remains: We really don't know very much. But it's fun to see unfold.
On a side note, I just finished a small Quickish project I've been meaning to tend to. I'll throw it out there tomorrow or Thursday for everyone to see. The task involved going back over all Quickish tips tagged "longishreads" -- going back more than 4 months, I was blown away by the amazing stuff I have been lucky enough to showcase and recommend.
Hoping this new little spin-off of Quickish will keep that going.
-- D.S.
That suggests that this year's NBA conference-semifinals round is already so on. Haven't seen the stat for 3 of 4 road teams winning Game 1s of conference semis, but I have to imagine it's rare.
It's hard not to watch the Mavs and Hawks and -- most of all Grizzlies -- and not think they absolutely can win 4 of 7. Chances are they won't, but if you can win Game 1 on the road, is it so crazy to think they can win 3 more, including 3 shots at home for themselves?
And then there is the Heat-Celtics series. By the definition at the top, it hasn't started yet. Maybe it will tonight -- if the Celtics can split in Miami, it is a psychic blow the Heat might not get over. And even if the Celtics lose, they have two chances at home, not just to even up the series but to reclaim any/all momentum heading back to Miami for Game 5.
So the biggest constant of Game 1s remains: We really don't know very much. But it's fun to see unfold.
On a side note, I just finished a small Quickish project I've been meaning to tend to. I'll throw it out there tomorrow or Thursday for everyone to see. The task involved going back over all Quickish tips tagged "longishreads" -- going back more than 4 months, I was blown away by the amazing stuff I have been lucky enough to showcase and recommend.
Hoping this new little spin-off of Quickish will keep that going.
-- D.S.
Monday, May 02, 2011
05/02 (OBL) Quickie
It goes without saying that the killing of Osama Bin Laden is one of those pieces of news that eclipses anything/everything in sports -- even intertwining when it can.
That's why the defining moment of the day might have been the Heat dispatching the Celtics in Game 1 of their playoff series, but by midnight, it was the video of Phillies fans chanting "U-S-A!" as news of Bin Laden's death circulated around iPhones and Blackberries and Twitter feeds and Facebook status updates throughout the stadium.
I'm looking around the Web for more intersections of the OBL news and sports. For example: Here is a post from Mets blogger and sports-media expert Jason Fry.
Most of the time, people dislike the intersection of sports with anything else. There is plenty to say about how the 32 NFL teams fared this weekend (there's a great tip going on Quickish later this a.m. with the best draft grades I've seen) and how the Grizzlies are suddenly the team to beat in the NBA and, of course, Round 1 of Heat-Celtics.
But in a "sports-is-life" world, sometimes life supersedes sports. This is one of those moments.
-- D.S.
That's why the defining moment of the day might have been the Heat dispatching the Celtics in Game 1 of their playoff series, but by midnight, it was the video of Phillies fans chanting "U-S-A!" as news of Bin Laden's death circulated around iPhones and Blackberries and Twitter feeds and Facebook status updates throughout the stadium.
I'm looking around the Web for more intersections of the OBL news and sports. For example: Here is a post from Mets blogger and sports-media expert Jason Fry.
Most of the time, people dislike the intersection of sports with anything else. There is plenty to say about how the 32 NFL teams fared this weekend (there's a great tip going on Quickish later this a.m. with the best draft grades I've seen) and how the Grizzlies are suddenly the team to beat in the NBA and, of course, Round 1 of Heat-Celtics.
But in a "sports-is-life" world, sometimes life supersedes sports. This is one of those moments.
-- D.S.
Sunday, May 01, 2011
So About That "Celtics in 5"
I'll revise to Celtics in 7, because I think it's pretty hard to say that the Celtics can now win in 5. (Still sticking with the C's!)
05/01 (Heat-Celtics) Quickie
I said this earlier this week: Celtics over the Heat in 5.
The Heat falling short of an NBA title this year has been obvious since the night of the Decision. Getting drummed out by the Celtics in the conference semifinals would inflict maximum humiliation -- not unlike the way LeBron was drummed out a year ago, when he quit.
The Heat are better than they were in the middle of the season, when the Celtics punched them in the face, repeatedly. But the playoffs are so different than the regular season, and this is where Boston's mental toughness -- a qualitative assessment, to be sure -- is superior to LeBron's or Bosh's.
The Celtics have one more ass-kicking in them (maybe two, if the conference finals count), and what would be more epic (aside from a title) than kicking the Heat's ass.
-- D.S.
The Heat falling short of an NBA title this year has been obvious since the night of the Decision. Getting drummed out by the Celtics in the conference semifinals would inflict maximum humiliation -- not unlike the way LeBron was drummed out a year ago, when he quit.
The Heat are better than they were in the middle of the season, when the Celtics punched them in the face, repeatedly. But the playoffs are so different than the regular season, and this is where Boston's mental toughness -- a qualitative assessment, to be sure -- is superior to LeBron's or Bosh's.
The Celtics have one more ass-kicking in them (maybe two, if the conference finals count), and what would be more epic (aside from a title) than kicking the Heat's ass.
-- D.S.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
04/30 (Mallett and Memphis) Quickie
Two big stories I'm thinking about this morning: The Pats drafting Ryan Mallett and the 8th-seeded Grizzlies ousting the top-seeded Spurs in 6 games.
Pats draft Mallett: My favorite part about this is the whiplash from the experts (or "experts") who had been dogging Mallett for months.
Simply by being picked by Bill Belichick and the Patriots, he is validated -- even if he will do no more than serve as trade-bait a few seasons from now, like Matt Cassel. Flipping a 3rd-round pick into a 1st- or 2nd-rounder is a huge success for a team with a Hall of Fame incumbent QB who isn't going anywhere for a half-decade or more.
But I just love the idea of "He sucks... he sucks... he sucks... -- oh, wait: the Patriots drafted him? BRILLIANT MOVE!"
The Grizzlies bounce out the Spurs: An 8-seed drumming out a 1-seed in 6 games is unprecedented in NBA history, doing one better the celebrated Warriors series win over the Mavs a couple years ago. These Grizz are totally likeable, if afterthoughts during the regular season to the casual fan; they are now the bandwagon team. That they are playing last year's bandwagon team -- the Thunder -- in the conference semifinals is a hipster fan's dream. It is the greatest moment in Grizzlies franchise history -- a history that hasn't been all that notable.
Get smart reactions to the Grizzlies and Mallett, along with all the other big storylines of a relatively quiet Saturday in sports, from Quickish. Please stop by!
-- D.S.
Pats draft Mallett: My favorite part about this is the whiplash from the experts (or "experts") who had been dogging Mallett for months.
Simply by being picked by Bill Belichick and the Patriots, he is validated -- even if he will do no more than serve as trade-bait a few seasons from now, like Matt Cassel. Flipping a 3rd-round pick into a 1st- or 2nd-rounder is a huge success for a team with a Hall of Fame incumbent QB who isn't going anywhere for a half-decade or more.
But I just love the idea of "He sucks... he sucks... he sucks... -- oh, wait: the Patriots drafted him? BRILLIANT MOVE!"
The Grizzlies bounce out the Spurs: An 8-seed drumming out a 1-seed in 6 games is unprecedented in NBA history, doing one better the celebrated Warriors series win over the Mavs a couple years ago. These Grizz are totally likeable, if afterthoughts during the regular season to the casual fan; they are now the bandwagon team. That they are playing last year's bandwagon team -- the Thunder -- in the conference semifinals is a hipster fan's dream. It is the greatest moment in Grizzlies franchise history -- a history that hasn't been all that notable.
Get smart reactions to the Grizzlies and Mallett, along with all the other big storylines of a relatively quiet Saturday in sports, from Quickish. Please stop by!
-- D.S.
Friday, April 29, 2011
04/29 (Draft Hangover) Quickie
You can/should check out Quickish to quickly catch up on everything that happened in last night's NFL Draft, but here is a super-handy page that has all the best commentary from each pick, listed chronologically from No. 1 to 32.
A special shout-out to the sports folks out there who got up early this a.m. and had the wherewithal to tweet about the wedding, with a specifically sports slant. You can mock it all you want, but approximately 250 times the number of people watched that than watched the first round of the draft last night, which a non-fan would probably say: "So you spent your night in front of the TV watching large people in suits wait for their name to get called, then parade on a stage, all while serenaded by TV analysis that ranged from the overly enthusiastic to the staggeringly banal?"
The answer is: OH YES.
I happen to enjoy the draft, both the NFL and NBA varieties. Here are a few things from last night that stood out for me:
*Roger Goodell was booed, deservedly so. And he took it in stride, to his credit. Frankly, the brief public humiliation probably did more to help his cause than if he avoided it, because it was a form of catharsis for fans that increases their tolerance for him and the league. It was a necessary step, and I think he knew it.
*Cam Newton was booed, too. Beyond that, there was a few minutes where he mattered, then it was on to all the rest of the picks. The draft was defined less by Newton at No. 1 than by the flurry of QBs taken in the Top 12...
*Jake Locker to the Titans at No. 8? Yikes, what a reach. He feels like Vince Young 2.0. Blaine Gabbert at No. 10 in a trade-up by the Jaguars? You know how I'm going to feel about this: The Jaguars' original sin was not drafting Tim Tebow a year ago. And the Vikings drafting Christian Ponder was a total reach. (Do you think they feel like chumps for panicking before seeing Andy Dalton -- who doesn't seem all that different from Ponder -- could be had at the top of the 2nd round?)
*Prince Amukamara's family won the night. Von Miller's tears at No. 2 were another highlight. Special merit award to Mark Ingram for his spontaneous tears when Suzy Kolber read the email to him from his dad, who is in prison.
*I never tire of watching the Pats play chess while everyone else plays checkers. And with the top pick of the 2nd round, think they aren't fielding incredible offers from teams trying to move up?
*The biggest winners of the first round? The Saints got a great defensive player (Cam Jordan) and an RB to replace Reggie Bush (Mark Ingram). The Browns got a ton of draft picks from the Falcons for Julio Jones. But my biggest winner was the Lions, who drafted Nick Fairley to team with Ndamukong Suh -- they will be better and they will be so watchable. Lions fans have to be thrilled.
*Early pick for 2011 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: AJ Green. (Defensive Rookie of the Year: Patrick Peterson.)
Keep up at Quickish with more draft reactions all morning and into the afternoon, along with all the other big topics.
-- D.S.
A special shout-out to the sports folks out there who got up early this a.m. and had the wherewithal to tweet about the wedding, with a specifically sports slant. You can mock it all you want, but approximately 250 times the number of people watched that than watched the first round of the draft last night, which a non-fan would probably say: "So you spent your night in front of the TV watching large people in suits wait for their name to get called, then parade on a stage, all while serenaded by TV analysis that ranged from the overly enthusiastic to the staggeringly banal?"
The answer is: OH YES.
I happen to enjoy the draft, both the NFL and NBA varieties. Here are a few things from last night that stood out for me:
*Roger Goodell was booed, deservedly so. And he took it in stride, to his credit. Frankly, the brief public humiliation probably did more to help his cause than if he avoided it, because it was a form of catharsis for fans that increases their tolerance for him and the league. It was a necessary step, and I think he knew it.
*Cam Newton was booed, too. Beyond that, there was a few minutes where he mattered, then it was on to all the rest of the picks. The draft was defined less by Newton at No. 1 than by the flurry of QBs taken in the Top 12...
*Jake Locker to the Titans at No. 8? Yikes, what a reach. He feels like Vince Young 2.0. Blaine Gabbert at No. 10 in a trade-up by the Jaguars? You know how I'm going to feel about this: The Jaguars' original sin was not drafting Tim Tebow a year ago. And the Vikings drafting Christian Ponder was a total reach. (Do you think they feel like chumps for panicking before seeing Andy Dalton -- who doesn't seem all that different from Ponder -- could be had at the top of the 2nd round?)
*Prince Amukamara's family won the night. Von Miller's tears at No. 2 were another highlight. Special merit award to Mark Ingram for his spontaneous tears when Suzy Kolber read the email to him from his dad, who is in prison.
*I never tire of watching the Pats play chess while everyone else plays checkers. And with the top pick of the 2nd round, think they aren't fielding incredible offers from teams trying to move up?
*The biggest winners of the first round? The Saints got a great defensive player (Cam Jordan) and an RB to replace Reggie Bush (Mark Ingram). The Browns got a ton of draft picks from the Falcons for Julio Jones. But my biggest winner was the Lions, who drafted Nick Fairley to team with Ndamukong Suh -- they will be better and they will be so watchable. Lions fans have to be thrilled.
*Early pick for 2011 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: AJ Green. (Defensive Rookie of the Year: Patrick Peterson.)
Keep up at Quickish with more draft reactions all morning and into the afternoon, along with all the other big topics.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
04/28 (Drafty) Quickie
The most interesting storyline of the 2011 NFL Draft -- the reason it is absolutely must-see, even if this season you are inclined to skip it (perhaps for the Lakers-Hornets game on at the same time) -- is because this is when Roger Goodell meets the fans, the boisterous fans of the NFL Draft, in primetime on national TV.
And how those fans react -- likely with boos -- will be the most powerful symbol of where the league stands with this lockout, even more powerful than the "STAY DENIED" from last night from Judge Susan Nelson.
Yes, whether the Panthers take Cam Newton will be interesting. Yes, the other picks of the 1st round -- particularly the number of QBs (and perhaps trades to get QBs) -- will be interesting, in their own way.
But the real drama this year is between Commissioner and his fans.
(Can't you picture some toady whispering to the Commish: "Sir, they're not saying 'Boo!' They're saying 'Gooooo!-dell.'")
*****
Spurs shock Grizzlies, everyone else: The Spurs were done. Manu's toe was on the line, the 3 became a 2 and the Spurs were finished, a 1-seed humiliated in 5 games in one of the most shocking results in NBA Playoffs history. And then: Gary Neal. Amazing.
Will Cam Newton go No. 1 overall? Yes. And I really hope that his career lives up to that selection. I think he has the talent. I have no questions about his character. As with Tebow a year ago, what will make or break Newton's career is the willingness of the Panthers coach staff to reject NFL strategic orthodoxy and build a new offense around the talents of their new QB.
Heat close out Sixers: All that matters is that it sets up the Miami-Boston conference semifinal showdown that is the apex of the playoffs this year -- it is more important/interesting than the Finals themselves (unless it is, say, Lakers-Heat). I'll say Celtics in 5.
Thunder close out Nuggets: Now that they're both bounced out, it would be fun for the Nuggets and Knicks to have an exhibition 7-game series, wouldn't it? Maybe on off nights during the conference finals?
Bruins dispatch Habs in Game 7 OT: That series absolutely lived up to all the pre-series expectations. Exceeded them, actually. How often does that happen?
Roger McDowell: He should be fired. Period. It goes beyond the worst judgment for a coach and representative of the team and league and goes to the idea that this is just a bad guy. The Braves can find a pitching coach that is just as good as McDowell -- without the bigoted baggage.
-- D.S.
And how those fans react -- likely with boos -- will be the most powerful symbol of where the league stands with this lockout, even more powerful than the "STAY DENIED" from last night from Judge Susan Nelson.
Yes, whether the Panthers take Cam Newton will be interesting. Yes, the other picks of the 1st round -- particularly the number of QBs (and perhaps trades to get QBs) -- will be interesting, in their own way.
But the real drama this year is between Commissioner and his fans.
(Can't you picture some toady whispering to the Commish: "Sir, they're not saying 'Boo!' They're saying 'Gooooo!-dell.'")
*****
Spurs shock Grizzlies, everyone else: The Spurs were done. Manu's toe was on the line, the 3 became a 2 and the Spurs were finished, a 1-seed humiliated in 5 games in one of the most shocking results in NBA Playoffs history. And then: Gary Neal. Amazing.
Will Cam Newton go No. 1 overall? Yes. And I really hope that his career lives up to that selection. I think he has the talent. I have no questions about his character. As with Tebow a year ago, what will make or break Newton's career is the willingness of the Panthers coach staff to reject NFL strategic orthodoxy and build a new offense around the talents of their new QB.
Heat close out Sixers: All that matters is that it sets up the Miami-Boston conference semifinal showdown that is the apex of the playoffs this year -- it is more important/interesting than the Finals themselves (unless it is, say, Lakers-Heat). I'll say Celtics in 5.
Thunder close out Nuggets: Now that they're both bounced out, it would be fun for the Nuggets and Knicks to have an exhibition 7-game series, wouldn't it? Maybe on off nights during the conference finals?
Bruins dispatch Habs in Game 7 OT: That series absolutely lived up to all the pre-series expectations. Exceeded them, actually. How often does that happen?
Roger McDowell: He should be fired. Period. It goes beyond the worst judgment for a coach and representative of the team and league and goes to the idea that this is just a bad guy. The Braves can find a pitching coach that is just as good as McDowell -- without the bigoted baggage.
-- D.S.
04/27 (Game 7) Quickie
There is something particularly special about the late-April/early-May Tuesday night where you find yourself up past midnight when you damn well know you should be asleep.
And yet you are watching a NHL Playoff Game 7 (or NBA Playoff Game 7) on the West Coast that started at 10:30 ET and looks to be ending... well, who-knows-when?
But that's kind of the point.
It is a moment of allegiance to no team -- not even to any particular sport. But to sports themselves.
There was all this chatter last night about whether "real" fans should have been watching the NHL or the NBA.
None of this is ever zero-sum -- that goes from "What game are you watching?" to what column are you reading to what sites you visit to... well, anything.
The only thing that is zero-sum is the game itself. And, as we saw last night, that's just perfect.
***
Kobe has a "moment": The dunk on Okafor, yes, but leading the Lakers past the Hornets in the way we assumed they would all along.
Canucks vanquish Blackhawks in 7: Given that Chicago was sitting on a Stanley Cup, it was hard not to pull for the utterly desperate fans in Vancouver.
Tonight: Canadiens-Bruins Game 7. Why can the NHL put a Game 6 and Game 7 -- in different cities, no less -- on back-to-back nights, but the NBA needs to give the Heat three full days between games?
NFL Draft: 36 hours to go. Evaluating the leading scuttlebutt: Will the Panthers take Cam Newton No. 1 overall, despite the howls of doubters? Yes. Will the Redskins trade up to get Blaine Gabbert? Yes. Will TCU's Andy Dalton go in the Top 10? No. Top 15? Yes. Will the Steelers be able to trade up to get the other Pouncey? No.
NFL Lockout: What a clusterf--- for the owners. That said, I still contend that the p.r. battle is the bright shiny object that really has nothing to do with anything UNLESS part of Susan Nelson's decision incorporating the fans was driven by the overwhelmingly anti-owners stance of most in the media. (I don't disagree with that analysis, but the more interesting thing is if it is having a cumulative effect on the only constituent who matters: The judge.)
Really awesome day on tap for Quickish. Pop by!
-- D.S.
And yet you are watching a NHL Playoff Game 7 (or NBA Playoff Game 7) on the West Coast that started at 10:30 ET and looks to be ending... well, who-knows-when?
But that's kind of the point.
It is a moment of allegiance to no team -- not even to any particular sport. But to sports themselves.
There was all this chatter last night about whether "real" fans should have been watching the NHL or the NBA.
None of this is ever zero-sum -- that goes from "What game are you watching?" to what column are you reading to what sites you visit to... well, anything.
The only thing that is zero-sum is the game itself. And, as we saw last night, that's just perfect.
***
Kobe has a "moment": The dunk on Okafor, yes, but leading the Lakers past the Hornets in the way we assumed they would all along.
Canucks vanquish Blackhawks in 7: Given that Chicago was sitting on a Stanley Cup, it was hard not to pull for the utterly desperate fans in Vancouver.
Tonight: Canadiens-Bruins Game 7. Why can the NHL put a Game 6 and Game 7 -- in different cities, no less -- on back-to-back nights, but the NBA needs to give the Heat three full days between games?
NFL Draft: 36 hours to go. Evaluating the leading scuttlebutt: Will the Panthers take Cam Newton No. 1 overall, despite the howls of doubters? Yes. Will the Redskins trade up to get Blaine Gabbert? Yes. Will TCU's Andy Dalton go in the Top 10? No. Top 15? Yes. Will the Steelers be able to trade up to get the other Pouncey? No.
NFL Lockout: What a clusterf--- for the owners. That said, I still contend that the p.r. battle is the bright shiny object that really has nothing to do with anything UNLESS part of Susan Nelson's decision incorporating the fans was driven by the overwhelmingly anti-owners stance of most in the media. (I don't disagree with that analysis, but the more interesting thing is if it is having a cumulative effect on the only constituent who matters: The judge.)
Really awesome day on tap for Quickish. Pop by!
-- D.S.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
04/26 (Grizzly) Quickie
Pop over to Quickish to keep up with all the best commentary on the biggest topics: the NBA Playoffs, the NHL Playoffs, the NFL lockout, the NFL Draft, Jim Tressel and more.
*Grizzlies stunning Spurs: It's not a question of jumping on the Grizzlies bandwagon. The question is: How could you NOT jump on the Grizzlies bandwagon?
*NFL Lockout: I just like to envision the awkwardness as players all head to their team facilities, and the coaches awkwardly have to give them the silent treatment, per NFL orders.
*NHL Playoffs: Canucks-Blackhawks Game 7 is a must-see. Chicago is the defending champs -- and conference 8-seed. Vancouver had the best regular-season in the conference; they started the series up 3 games to 0, then the Blackhawks won the next three. Now, the finale is in Vancouver where the atmosphere will be desperate. Amazing.
*Jim Tressel: When Kirk Herbstreit is abandoning Tressel, you know it's over. I appreciate that Herbie went national with his stunning sentiment, but I also suspect that he wouldn't have done it without knowing which way the wind was blowing; he wants to be on the right side of history here, and it must have been stunning for Tressel to hear it. Still: To his credit to say it.
With Tressel, it's "when," not "if" he is going to get fired. Just as it is "when" not "if" Urban Meyer will be brought in to replace him. Aside from Florida, there are probably three jobs in the country worthy of Meyer: Ohio State, Notre Dame and Texas. He doesn't want the latter; the Irish are untouchable until Brian Kelly is mediocre for a few more years. But Ohio State could be available exactly when Meyer feels refreshed and ready to come back to his home state's team, the team he grew up rooting for. It's a perfect fit -- and an inevitable one.
*Should the Knicks re-sign Chauncey Billups? Absolutely. Because, contrary to Carmelo's sentiments, it isn't about winning 50 games in the regular season. It's winning 4 or 8 or 12 or 16 in the postseason. For the Knicks, winning 4 is a good start; winning 8 is overachieving. Keeping Billups gives you the best chance of either.
-- D.S.
*Grizzlies stunning Spurs: It's not a question of jumping on the Grizzlies bandwagon. The question is: How could you NOT jump on the Grizzlies bandwagon?
*NFL Lockout: I just like to envision the awkwardness as players all head to their team facilities, and the coaches awkwardly have to give them the silent treatment, per NFL orders.
*NHL Playoffs: Canucks-Blackhawks Game 7 is a must-see. Chicago is the defending champs -- and conference 8-seed. Vancouver had the best regular-season in the conference; they started the series up 3 games to 0, then the Blackhawks won the next three. Now, the finale is in Vancouver where the atmosphere will be desperate. Amazing.
*Jim Tressel: When Kirk Herbstreit is abandoning Tressel, you know it's over. I appreciate that Herbie went national with his stunning sentiment, but I also suspect that he wouldn't have done it without knowing which way the wind was blowing; he wants to be on the right side of history here, and it must have been stunning for Tressel to hear it. Still: To his credit to say it.
With Tressel, it's "when," not "if" he is going to get fired. Just as it is "when" not "if" Urban Meyer will be brought in to replace him. Aside from Florida, there are probably three jobs in the country worthy of Meyer: Ohio State, Notre Dame and Texas. He doesn't want the latter; the Irish are untouchable until Brian Kelly is mediocre for a few more years. But Ohio State could be available exactly when Meyer feels refreshed and ready to come back to his home state's team, the team he grew up rooting for. It's a perfect fit -- and an inevitable one.
*Should the Knicks re-sign Chauncey Billups? Absolutely. Because, contrary to Carmelo's sentiments, it isn't about winning 50 games in the regular season. It's winning 4 or 8 or 12 or 16 in the postseason. For the Knicks, winning 4 is a good start; winning 8 is overachieving. Keeping Billups gives you the best chance of either.
-- D.S.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Little Help for Quickish?
After a slight delay, we have rolled out the kind of social sharing functionality on Quickish that fits a product that is constantly recommending awesome stuff.
Now, you can very easily share Quickish tips on both Facebook and Twitter. Just look for the button beneath the post you want to share and click -- if it's Twitter, we give you the room to add your own comment to the link.
Anyway, before I get too aggressive promoting the functionality to the world, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a try -- head over to Quickish, scan the stream to find something you think is worth sharing, and pass along through your preferred network. It should take you less than a half-minute.
Let me know if you encounter any bugs or the functionality doesn't work the way you want it to. Just ping me at dan-[at]-quickish-[dot]-com. I really appreciate it. And I hope you find it useful.
-- D.S.
Now, you can very easily share Quickish tips on both Facebook and Twitter. Just look for the button beneath the post you want to share and click -- if it's Twitter, we give you the room to add your own comment to the link.
Anyway, before I get too aggressive promoting the functionality to the world, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a try -- head over to Quickish, scan the stream to find something you think is worth sharing, and pass along through your preferred network. It should take you less than a half-minute.
Let me know if you encounter any bugs or the functionality doesn't work the way you want it to. Just ping me at dan-[at]-quickish-[dot]-com. I really appreciate it. And I hope you find it useful.
-- D.S.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Monday 04/25 (Busy) Quickie
Read my take on the Knicks getting swept below.
I love how everyone is so fired up for the Celtics-Heat series. I agree: It's going to be more hyped than any series in the 2011 NBA Playoffs, including the Finals.
But what happens when the Celtics win in 4 or 5? Because that's what will happen. This has been the Heat's fate since the night of The Decision.
And so the question is what will be more interminable: The week before the series actually starts... or the discussion of how awesome the series will be when the reality is that it's Boston in a walk?
***
Chris Paul upends the Lakers: CP3's performance in the playoffs so far is a great reminder that naming "All-NBA" or "MVP" before the Playoffs start is so misguided. For now, hard to think of a more MVP-worthy player than Paul.
NHL: Canucks choke away Game 6, punctuated by benching starting goalie Roberto Luongo to start, then putting him in for the 3rd period and OT, only to watch him let the game-winning, series-tying goal go by, forcing a once-improbable Game 7 on Tuesday with the defending champs, winners of 3 straight and undoubtedly thinking about destiny.
NBA: Heat tripped up by the Sixers. The Sixers are better than most folks think. Then again, the Heat aren't as good as most folks think. Is it a viable thing that the Heat have to put (at least) one more game's worth of mileage on the tires while the Celtics get to relax?
MLB: Roy Halladay fans 14. That is all. Oh, and the Red Sox swept the Angels. The slow start is a distant memory, aside from its crippling impact on Boston's spot in the standings. But give it another 90 games to shake itself out.
NFL Draft: I'm totally excited about the Draft -- I suspect that it will do much better with fans than the haters are saying. It's a break from the labor posturing; it's "real" football (if only on paper/on a podium). So many great storylines. I'm still saying Cam Newton No. 1 to Carolina.
- D.S.
I love how everyone is so fired up for the Celtics-Heat series. I agree: It's going to be more hyped than any series in the 2011 NBA Playoffs, including the Finals.
But what happens when the Celtics win in 4 or 5? Because that's what will happen. This has been the Heat's fate since the night of The Decision.
And so the question is what will be more interminable: The week before the series actually starts... or the discussion of how awesome the series will be when the reality is that it's Boston in a walk?
***
Chris Paul upends the Lakers: CP3's performance in the playoffs so far is a great reminder that naming "All-NBA" or "MVP" before the Playoffs start is so misguided. For now, hard to think of a more MVP-worthy player than Paul.
NHL: Canucks choke away Game 6, punctuated by benching starting goalie Roberto Luongo to start, then putting him in for the 3rd period and OT, only to watch him let the game-winning, series-tying goal go by, forcing a once-improbable Game 7 on Tuesday with the defending champs, winners of 3 straight and undoubtedly thinking about destiny.
NBA: Heat tripped up by the Sixers. The Sixers are better than most folks think. Then again, the Heat aren't as good as most folks think. Is it a viable thing that the Heat have to put (at least) one more game's worth of mileage on the tires while the Celtics get to relax?
MLB: Roy Halladay fans 14. That is all. Oh, and the Red Sox swept the Angels. The slow start is a distant memory, aside from its crippling impact on Boston's spot in the standings. But give it another 90 games to shake itself out.
NFL Draft: I'm totally excited about the Draft -- I suspect that it will do much better with fans than the haters are saying. It's a break from the labor posturing; it's "real" football (if only on paper/on a podium). So many great storylines. I'm still saying Cam Newton No. 1 to Carolina.
- D.S.
Knicks Swept Out by Boston
Keep up with the NBA Playoffs and all the best takes on all the big topics at Quickish.com.
Really now: Did anyone really think the Knicks would beat the Celtics in this series? If you had to pick between "Knicks win series" and "Knicks swept," you'd take the latter every time.
Oh, maybe you thought the Knicks could swipe a game or two -- make it interesting. And in Games 1 and 2, they did. Games 3 and 4, back in New York, they were not nearly as good, as if they knew they had no chance. In Game 3, they truly believed it; in Game 4, at least they figured out it was worth putting up a fight.
The Knicks get graded on a curve, for some reason. (No, it's a fairly obvious reason: It's New York. It's the Knicks. It's Carmelo + Amare + Spike + MSG + Media Market.)
But I have a hard time imagining this team ever being a true contender -- by that I mean very simply: A team that has a legitimate chance of winning the NBA title.
Knicks fans shouldn't be offended by that -- in any given year in the NBA, about 3-4 teams MAX get that designation.
If you aren't winning the title, you better be relevant. And this season, the Knicks became relevant. But they are closer to the Nets than the Celtics when it comes to being a contender.
Perhaps if the Knicks were entirely healthy -- Amare totally healthy, Billups able to play -- the series would have been very different. Maybe they win a game. Maybe two. But not four.
"But not four."
That feels like it is the Knicks' lot in 2011, Year 1 of the Carmelo-Will-Save-Us campaign. And 2012 -- the Celtics feel like they have one more in 'em, not to mention the Bulls and Heat. In 2013 and 2014, the C's are done, but the Bulls and Heat (and Thunder and whoever snags Dwight Howard -- the Nets???) are going to be much better than the Knicks.
Oh, maybe the Knicks get to the point where they earn a top 4 seed in the East during the regular season, then win four to get to the conference semis. But can anyone see them winning four to get past that?
The relevance of the Knicks in the 2011 NBA Playoffs is foreshadowing. So is getting bounced.
-- D.S.
Really now: Did anyone really think the Knicks would beat the Celtics in this series? If you had to pick between "Knicks win series" and "Knicks swept," you'd take the latter every time.
Oh, maybe you thought the Knicks could swipe a game or two -- make it interesting. And in Games 1 and 2, they did. Games 3 and 4, back in New York, they were not nearly as good, as if they knew they had no chance. In Game 3, they truly believed it; in Game 4, at least they figured out it was worth putting up a fight.
The Knicks get graded on a curve, for some reason. (No, it's a fairly obvious reason: It's New York. It's the Knicks. It's Carmelo + Amare + Spike + MSG + Media Market.)
But I have a hard time imagining this team ever being a true contender -- by that I mean very simply: A team that has a legitimate chance of winning the NBA title.
Knicks fans shouldn't be offended by that -- in any given year in the NBA, about 3-4 teams MAX get that designation.
If you aren't winning the title, you better be relevant. And this season, the Knicks became relevant. But they are closer to the Nets than the Celtics when it comes to being a contender.
Perhaps if the Knicks were entirely healthy -- Amare totally healthy, Billups able to play -- the series would have been very different. Maybe they win a game. Maybe two. But not four.
"But not four."
That feels like it is the Knicks' lot in 2011, Year 1 of the Carmelo-Will-Save-Us campaign. And 2012 -- the Celtics feel like they have one more in 'em, not to mention the Bulls and Heat. In 2013 and 2014, the C's are done, but the Bulls and Heat (and Thunder and whoever snags Dwight Howard -- the Nets???) are going to be much better than the Knicks.
Oh, maybe the Knicks get to the point where they earn a top 4 seed in the East during the regular season, then win four to get to the conference semis. But can anyone see them winning four to get past that?
The relevance of the Knicks in the 2011 NBA Playoffs is foreshadowing. So is getting bounced.
-- D.S.
04/24 (Easter) Quickie
Just got back from the neighborhood Easter egg hunt (all kids welcome), and as I watched a horde of kids find the hundreds of plastic eggs within about 90 seconds -- half the kids hadn't even entered the playground yet -- I wonder where the parents are.
At a minimum, tell your kid they get to find 3 eggs (like we did) and the rest are for everyone else. I saw some kids walking around with a basket with at least 12 eggs, and I wanted to yell at the parents to get over themselves (and their kids). Ridiculous.
Anyhow, if you're celebrating, a happy Easter to you and your family. I hope it's a nice one. Let's get to it:
*Brandon Roy. My goodness. Watch the two video clips in this stream, and check out the reactions.
*Bruins top Habs in 2OT: Also totally dramatic. Finally, a home team wins in this series. Still not sure the Canadiens don't have them right where they want them.
*Zach Randolph and the Grizzlies shock the Spurs -- again! Z-Bo has long been underrated; he hasn't helped his cause by being a bit of a odd one. But this series is reinventing his image.
*The Capitals close out the Rangers in 5: What a change of pace -- that the Caps close out a series early... hell, that they don't choke away an early series lead at all. New mindset there.
*Today: The Heat will sweep the Sixers and the Celtics will sweep the Knicks, giving us a full week to consider a Heat-Celtics semifinals in the East starting next week.
-- D.S.
At a minimum, tell your kid they get to find 3 eggs (like we did) and the rest are for everyone else. I saw some kids walking around with a basket with at least 12 eggs, and I wanted to yell at the parents to get over themselves (and their kids). Ridiculous.
Anyhow, if you're celebrating, a happy Easter to you and your family. I hope it's a nice one. Let's get to it:
*Brandon Roy. My goodness. Watch the two video clips in this stream, and check out the reactions.
*Bruins top Habs in 2OT: Also totally dramatic. Finally, a home team wins in this series. Still not sure the Canadiens don't have them right where they want them.
*Zach Randolph and the Grizzlies shock the Spurs -- again! Z-Bo has long been underrated; he hasn't helped his cause by being a bit of a odd one. But this series is reinventing his image.
*The Capitals close out the Rangers in 5: What a change of pace -- that the Caps close out a series early... hell, that they don't choke away an early series lead at all. New mindset there.
*Today: The Heat will sweep the Sixers and the Celtics will sweep the Knicks, giving us a full week to consider a Heat-Celtics semifinals in the East starting next week.
-- D.S.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
04/23 (Rondo'd) Quickie
Watching the Celtics dismantle the Knicks last night -- even a short-handed Knicks -- does anyone really think that the Heat -- even a top-of-their-game Heat -- can beat the C's 4 times?
We have entered the sluggish portion of the NBA's drag-it-out playoff schedule. I feel like I say this every year: If MLB let its playoff series sprawl out over two weeks, people would freak.
And yet we have the Spurs and Grizzlies playing only Game 3, a week after their series started. And if the Celtics and Heat close things out in 4, we will wait a week for them to start playing.
It's not a huge complaint, and the NBA knows what works for them -- its playoffs are more like "Lost" than an MLB-style mini-series: 8-12 storylines, intertwined and popping up every few days. Given the two-month stretch, it fits.
I just want to get to Heat-Celtics already -- it's possible that will be the culmination of the entire NBA Playoffs, long before we get to the NBA Finals.
****
Pau Gasol breaks through: The hysteria after the Lakers lost Game 1 is a faded memory -- a humorous lark. Because now, like Boston, it's hard to see anyone in the West beating them.
Hawks edge Magic in Atlanta: Loved Crawford's "no-no-no-YES!" banked 3 that the team didn't even need. Orlando is a huge disappointment.
NHL Playoffs: Two OT wins last night? Yes, please. Caps-Rangers with the Caps possibly closing out the first round at home? Yes, please. Habs-Bruins in Boston, tied 2-2, with the road team winning all the games so far? Yes, please.
Brandon Marshall stabbed last night: Sounds like he will be OK, but what an insane story.
Anibal Sanchez's near-no-no: Taking a no-hitter into the 9th is impressive. That it would have been Sanchez's second career no-hitter is even more impressive. A one-hitter is entirely acceptable, by the way. Entirely.
Jim Larranaga from George Mason to Miami: Technically, it's a better job. It's certainly more money and a tougher level of competition. But Miami is buzzless as a hoops program. Maybe he will bring some.
Good afternoon/evening of NBA and NHL playoffs ahead. This morning on Quickish: Reactions to Rajon Rondo and the Celtics' beat-down, Pau Gasol's return to form and the Knicks' deflated performance, plus NHL Playoffs, MLB wrap-ups and a bunch of must-see videos. Check it out!
-- D.S.
We have entered the sluggish portion of the NBA's drag-it-out playoff schedule. I feel like I say this every year: If MLB let its playoff series sprawl out over two weeks, people would freak.
And yet we have the Spurs and Grizzlies playing only Game 3, a week after their series started. And if the Celtics and Heat close things out in 4, we will wait a week for them to start playing.
It's not a huge complaint, and the NBA knows what works for them -- its playoffs are more like "Lost" than an MLB-style mini-series: 8-12 storylines, intertwined and popping up every few days. Given the two-month stretch, it fits.
I just want to get to Heat-Celtics already -- it's possible that will be the culmination of the entire NBA Playoffs, long before we get to the NBA Finals.
****
Pau Gasol breaks through: The hysteria after the Lakers lost Game 1 is a faded memory -- a humorous lark. Because now, like Boston, it's hard to see anyone in the West beating them.
Hawks edge Magic in Atlanta: Loved Crawford's "no-no-no-YES!" banked 3 that the team didn't even need. Orlando is a huge disappointment.
NHL Playoffs: Two OT wins last night? Yes, please. Caps-Rangers with the Caps possibly closing out the first round at home? Yes, please. Habs-Bruins in Boston, tied 2-2, with the road team winning all the games so far? Yes, please.
Brandon Marshall stabbed last night: Sounds like he will be OK, but what an insane story.
Anibal Sanchez's near-no-no: Taking a no-hitter into the 9th is impressive. That it would have been Sanchez's second career no-hitter is even more impressive. A one-hitter is entirely acceptable, by the way. Entirely.
Jim Larranaga from George Mason to Miami: Technically, it's a better job. It's certainly more money and a tougher level of competition. But Miami is buzzless as a hoops program. Maybe he will bring some.
Good afternoon/evening of NBA and NHL playoffs ahead. This morning on Quickish: Reactions to Rajon Rondo and the Celtics' beat-down, Pau Gasol's return to form and the Knicks' deflated performance, plus NHL Playoffs, MLB wrap-ups and a bunch of must-see videos. Check it out!
-- D.S.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Celtics Obliterate the Knicks
Good gosh: What an ass-kicking. Rondo with that triple-double (15 pts, 11 reb, 20 ast). Pierce with 38. Ray Allen with 32 (including 8/11 3-point shooting). The Knicks were overwhelmed -- with the roster they trotted out (especially with Amare at half-speed), this result was inevitable.
As inevitable as the Celtics' close-out sweep on Sunday.
-- D.S.
As inevitable as the Celtics' close-out sweep on Sunday.
-- D.S.
On One-and-Dones
I'm with Pat Forde that Josh Selby never should have been forced to play college basketball for a year before entering the draft.
I'm long on the record as being anti-age-limit. It makes no sense for anyone -- not the players, not the colleges, not "college basketball," not even the NBA.
I wish that all players who know before college that they will be one-and-done would make the economically and competitively rational decision to simply go straight to the D League.
In the D-League they will get coaching geared exclusively and specifically to maximizing their draft stock and their NBA potential, as opposed to college coaching geared specifically to NOT maximize their pro potential, but the coach's win-loss record.
In the D-League they will get paid -- not much (roughly $30,000), but better than nothing (cue jokes about being paid to go to college X). They are also eligible for two things that the college player is not: Endorsement dollars and cash advances from anyone.
But I mainly go back to the idea that you spend a year honing your game (and being honed) specifically to succeed in the NBA, which should -- in theory -- maximize not only your draft status but your long-term prospects, as you get drafted, be productive faster and start the clock to free agency.
The only folks who will claim to lose if top preps skip college hoops are the coaches and media who rely on the star power of the one-and-dones to justify their existence. If they cared about the kids -- or the game, at either the pro or college level -- they would support going pro.
Or they could simply get rid of the unnecessarily paternalistic age limit and let the free market decide if a player is draft-worthy. That worked out pretty well beforehand.
-- D.S.
I'm long on the record as being anti-age-limit. It makes no sense for anyone -- not the players, not the colleges, not "college basketball," not even the NBA.
I wish that all players who know before college that they will be one-and-done would make the economically and competitively rational decision to simply go straight to the D League.
In the D-League they will get coaching geared exclusively and specifically to maximizing their draft stock and their NBA potential, as opposed to college coaching geared specifically to NOT maximize their pro potential, but the coach's win-loss record.
In the D-League they will get paid -- not much (roughly $30,000), but better than nothing (cue jokes about being paid to go to college X). They are also eligible for two things that the college player is not: Endorsement dollars and cash advances from anyone.
But I mainly go back to the idea that you spend a year honing your game (and being honed) specifically to succeed in the NBA, which should -- in theory -- maximize not only your draft status but your long-term prospects, as you get drafted, be productive faster and start the clock to free agency.
The only folks who will claim to lose if top preps skip college hoops are the coaches and media who rely on the star power of the one-and-dones to justify their existence. If they cared about the kids -- or the game, at either the pro or college level -- they would support going pro.
Or they could simply get rid of the unnecessarily paternalistic age limit and let the free market decide if a player is draft-worthy. That worked out pretty well beforehand.
-- D.S.
Friday 4/22 Quickie
First, a quick word on this Colby Lewis paternity leave story: What story? The blogger who ripped him is trolling for relevance; he made an absurd argument.
It's a non-issue: Lewis and the team actually did schedule the birth around his starts, but a weather issue threw the plan off. It happens, but the intent was there.
And even if the intent wasn't there, I'm totally comfortable with the work-life balance choice that Lewis made, with the team's (and MLB's) blessing.
More:
*Yes, yes: The Heat are playing as well as any team in the playoffs. But they are playing the Sixers -- in over their heads from Day 1. Let's see Miami do it against the Celtics.
*NHL: I love that the Canucks are starting to gasp a little bit against the Blackhawks, and I love that the road team has won every game of the Habs-Bruins series.
*Expanding the MLB playoffs: I have been for this for a while. I would expand it to 8 teams per league, frankly, but I'll take what I can get. (But then again, I'm unrealistic. Because I would also dissolve the divisions, balance the schedule and enforce a salary cap that creates more parity.)
*NFL Draft: The storyline, as always, is QBs -- Cam Newton at No. 1? Who goes for Gabbert? Who takes a chance on Mallett? How many go in the 1st round? Andy Dalton's red hair?
*I'm no fan of the BCS, but any taxpayer dollars that are spent pursuing a case against the BCS is the worst use of public money ever, and the local governments behind it should be ashamed.
*MLB: Totally support the MLB takeover of the Dodgers. And just so you don't think I'm an East Coast snob, I would support a forced sale of the Mets.
*More MLB: Ryan Braun gets 5Y/$105M extension from Brewers. Smart to lock him up. He is the face of the franchise, even if Prince Fielder leaves. They avoid the b.s. in a few years of potentially losing Braun to the Cubs or Red Sox or Yankees.
*CBB: George Mason's Jim Larranaga to go to Miami? It would be a fine hire for The U -- although has Larranaga shown he can recruit an entire region? Meanwhile, I kind of love the George Mason opening for a hot young assistant, like VCU keeps doing.
Fun day ahead on Quickish -- and a fun weekend of NBA and NHL playoffs, plus lead-up to NFL Draft week. Give it a look!
-- D.S.
It's a non-issue: Lewis and the team actually did schedule the birth around his starts, but a weather issue threw the plan off. It happens, but the intent was there.
And even if the intent wasn't there, I'm totally comfortable with the work-life balance choice that Lewis made, with the team's (and MLB's) blessing.
More:
*Yes, yes: The Heat are playing as well as any team in the playoffs. But they are playing the Sixers -- in over their heads from Day 1. Let's see Miami do it against the Celtics.
*NHL: I love that the Canucks are starting to gasp a little bit against the Blackhawks, and I love that the road team has won every game of the Habs-Bruins series.
*Expanding the MLB playoffs: I have been for this for a while. I would expand it to 8 teams per league, frankly, but I'll take what I can get. (But then again, I'm unrealistic. Because I would also dissolve the divisions, balance the schedule and enforce a salary cap that creates more parity.)
*NFL Draft: The storyline, as always, is QBs -- Cam Newton at No. 1? Who goes for Gabbert? Who takes a chance on Mallett? How many go in the 1st round? Andy Dalton's red hair?
*I'm no fan of the BCS, but any taxpayer dollars that are spent pursuing a case against the BCS is the worst use of public money ever, and the local governments behind it should be ashamed.
*MLB: Totally support the MLB takeover of the Dodgers. And just so you don't think I'm an East Coast snob, I would support a forced sale of the Mets.
*More MLB: Ryan Braun gets 5Y/$105M extension from Brewers. Smart to lock him up. He is the face of the franchise, even if Prince Fielder leaves. They avoid the b.s. in a few years of potentially losing Braun to the Cubs or Red Sox or Yankees.
*CBB: George Mason's Jim Larranaga to go to Miami? It would be a fine hire for The U -- although has Larranaga shown he can recruit an entire region? Meanwhile, I kind of love the George Mason opening for a hot young assistant, like VCU keeps doing.
Fun day ahead on Quickish -- and a fun weekend of NBA and NHL playoffs, plus lead-up to NFL Draft week. Give it a look!
-- D.S.
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