Wesley Loves Cheerios

That NBA on NBC post brought back soooo many good memories.... hearing the best basketball intro ever*, makes me want to run off the front porch, dig through the bushes, and start shooting three's from the corner of the pavement...

Mike!!!!!! why aren't you part of the administrators to this epic blog! Well, i have the proper way of commencing your invation... I was digging around my email today during my desk job, and came up with this which along the same lines as nba on nbc, brings it back to the good old days...

Senora Wakeman,

Glad to hear you are having a good time! Have you met
your families yet, or are still in Mexico City?
Everything is pretty normal around here: The sun is
shining, the birds are singing, and Nathan is being a
bitch. He is sleeping right now, so I will have to hit
him for you later. Our match with Gyserville was
postponed because of rain, but we just played Willits.
We lost 2 to 3. Nate and Kelsey were the only ones who
won. Nate, Donna, and I are going down to Southern Cal
this weekend. I am going to look at Harvey Mudd and
Nate is going to look at San Diego State. Nate and I
are going to spend one night with Jimba. We have been
promised a wild Cal Tech party!(Binge drinking and
calculus all night Long!)...

Mike, Tuesday, April 8, 2003 11:44 PM

I don't have to say much, but Dick Browning Tennis, Hitting Nathan, and Jimba are past-times you can never relive too many times...



(music for ncaa on espn and cbs comes in close second along with nba on tnt)

Shaq Diesel

Do you want me to shoot it!?
NO!

Do you want me to pass it!?
NO!

Do you want me to defend against the pick-n-roll!?
YEAH!

Oh Shaq, if only you could shoot free throws as well as you rap...Oh wait, you do.

NBA on NBC

For those of you who grew up in the 90's, this video will truly ring a bell. When I watched this, it got my blood flowing, the heart pumping, and I felt like dawning my old Reggie Miller jersey. Even the warbling at the beginning was incredibly realistic, especially for those who watched NBC from an antenna like I did.

The NBA: Where Flopping Happens

Between spitting out 3 different final projects, work, and watching a bit of the Champions League, I found some time to fire out a quick post. It's funny I mention European soccer, because I am starting to feel like the NBA players and coaches are taking the worst traits from soccer and applying it to what should be the most beautiful sport on our planet. Ironically, the most prominent floppers in our league (Manu Ginobili, Argentina and Anderson Varejao, Brazil) are from countries where soccer was the most prominent sport during their youth. I am not saying that American born players aren't guilty of flopping by ANY means, but I feel like the trend began right around the same time as the influx of foreign players being drafted by NBA teams.

I have to give these players credit, they are finding ways to put the ref's in tough positions to make a judgment call in a few tenths of a second. However, I think flopping is reaching a breaking point in the NBA. Games are littered with players falling over from phantom fouls, or putting on their best acting to gain a call. It's ruining the viewing experience. I can't tell you how many times I will watch a game and yell at my T.V. for the floptastic atrocities that are taking place during these playoffs and throughout the regular season. Here are a couple of examples...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY POOT!

This time 5 years ago, The Pugh family, at the time including you and me, went to Acapulco for Mr. Yoohoo bottle/animal cracker bucket/jeff's salami eating... Nate Olsen. Although the parameters of the fajita eating contest were not thoroughly laid out before hand, it was assumed that because we were able to both eat the entire plates, that whoever ate it faster won. Unfortunately for your big b-day, I came out the victor, as you proceeded to eat some of Donna and Jeff's food to try to prove you were the still the bigger man, fate was set, a little curly haired boy beat the defensive stopper in nhl hitz... I hope all is well my friend. Have a great Bday.

Poot's World, I live in it

The NBA Playoffs are underway with some terrific predictions and LIVEBLOG!...

Don Nelson via his last weekly radio segment with Tom Tolbert and the Razor, will help me narrate my thoughts on el torneo thus far... well at least the West...

Rockets Jazz- Nelly: Rocket's luck will run out, they can't compete with Utah, (as the warriors well know), and they are done without Yao Ming... I agree Mr. Nelson, I was not only flabbergasted but also incredibly irritated by their historically-bullshit streak. I hope they get swept even though Utah isn't incredibly fun to watch... Lakers series will be good

Suns Spurs- Nelly: Give Spurs benefit of the doubt, Shaq hasn't had time to adjust to the team sufficiently, Spurs great as a team. Donnie was right about everything but Shaq, who has proven very useful defending Duncan. Its really sad to see this curse the Spurs have on the Suns, they could grab game 3 & 4, but that Duncan 3 just re-emphasized that it was never meant to happen.
Note: Chinese broadcasters don't bring the heart that TNT does, Nash's three provided the same tone as Kurt Thomas's checking into the ball game.

Hornets Dallas- Nelly: Dallas too much experience, first-year team will faulter... I think everyone got this one wrong. CP is out of this world, I want to know your thoughts Poot, Isiah Thomas with more athleticism? His status in the clutch hasn't come alive but if it is Isiah-esque, he could be one of the best ever

Lakers Denver- Nelly: Best team in the leauge, however, Denver, when hot, can beat nearly anybody... I agreed with Nelly before game 1, and we gotta wait for the 2nd, but Lakers look good with Gasol playing this well. Did you ever watch Linas Kleizas at Missouri? He was physically dominant and his game has translated well, and also improved with the three...

Other thoughts...

Check this Youtube...Aaron Brooks is phenomenal


BallHype is my new favorite Blog site... College and NBA updated frequently

Your facebook pic is amazing

Playoffs Day 1 LiveBlog

Playoff Predictions

Better do this before the playoffs start tomorrow morning...

Western Conference Round One

Houston vs. Utah

This is the series that might actually interest me the most. Even though I don't like either of the teams. I would really like to see Tracy win a playoff series but I sadly don't see it happening vs. this team.

Prediction: Jazz in 6

Denver vs. Los Angeles

I've been reading a ton of the online predictions and I have been seeing a lot of people saying Denver can win 2 or even 3 games in this series. I don't see it, Lakers machine roll right through Nuggets.

Prediction: Lakers in 4

Dallas vs. New Orleans

Last years MVP vs. this years MVP. Last years MVP prevails!

Prediction: Mavericks in 6

Phoenix vs. San Antonio

The other Can't Miss playoff series of the first round. Spurs bore me to death but find a way to win again.

Prediction: Spurs in 7

Eastern Conference Round One

Atlanta vs. Boston

No one is giving Atlanta a chance to win one game. I think their extreme length and athleticism gives the Celtics problem for one game in Atlanta.

Prediction: Celtics in 5

Philadelphia vs. Detroit

Please.

Prediction: Pistons in 4

Toronto vs. Orlando

Bosh continues to not trust his teammates. Forgets that his backup point guard can shoot and Raps lose.

Prediction: Magic in 6

Washington vs. Cleveland

Good mother of all things inhumane! Why in the hell would you ever want to piss off King James before the playoffs Mr. Stevenson?

Prediction: Cleveland in 6

Poot, i'm sure you've seen this... the first minute is hilarious




G-Mac is playing in Greece

Although I find myself having to skim over every Celtic bullet in Bill Simmon's posts, he's the best bet for laughing out loud of basketball blogger on the internet. His movie and pop-culture references are the best, but when he put Sasha Vujacic on his "All-Hombre Team" I was more than confused. Until I read this tidbit which resolved it completely

"Sasha Vujacic, quite possibly the league's best bench player of anyone who plays 20 minutes or less. He's a feisty defender, he shoots 40-plus from 3-point range, he can guard anyone and play three positions, he's a legitimate threat to get punched in the face during the playoffs and, if that's not enough, I'm almost positive that he's wearing some sort of hair net. We haven't had a so-much-fun-to-hate-him playoff villain like this guy in eons. He's like Bruce Bowen crossed with one of John Lithgow's henchman in "Cliffhanger."

He also threw down the Bellinelli comment, " Let's make a pact: Nobody is allowed to get excited about a summer league performance ever again." Oh well, after the damage I saw last summer league, i am still pumped

G-Mac

For those of you who remembered this fine player... let Cyndi Lauper narrate the finest conference tournament performance in recent history.



Goodbye college baskeball, you are another long baseball season away. At least we still have Stephen Curry and another solid Pac-10 to look forward to.

Settled

Has anyone else stopped hearing Leandro Barbosa getting called the faster player in the league?

Andrew Bogut's Free Throw

This story should tell you the all about the fine state of affairs for the Milwaukee Bucks. I was talking to a friend who was watching the Bucks play last weekend and he asked me if I had seen "The Andrew Bogut" incident. I hadn't, so I asked him to indulge me. He said that after Andrew made the first of two free throws, he reached both his hands out for the obligatory hand slaps that are expected from the two teammates on the middle blocks. He received nothing. To remedy the situation, he gave fake high fives to the two teammates on the blocks AND the two teammates behind him near half court. I really wish I had video or pictorial evidence of this.

UPDATE: I do have video evidence!

Bay Area's Finest

It's been a rough year for Bay Area teams. Other than last year's Warrior run, it's been a long time since the Niners, A's, Raiders and Giants have sniffed the post season. Let's see what some of their stars are doing instead.....

Alex Smith




Stephen Jackson & Monta Ellis




Baron Davis

Playoff Notes

It's been a pretty depressing weekend for my two favorite NBA teams. My #1 (The Pacers) look to be out of the playoffs unless the Magic and Heat can both beat the Atlanta Hawks and the Pacers win out. That's not good. Add to that, the Warriors must beat Phoenix and the Nuggets must lose to the Grizz if there is any hope of them making it into the playoffs. Looks to me like my teams will be manning the 9 seeds in either conference.

This video makes me feel a little better...

See more funny videos at CollegeHumor

Spurs vs. Lakers LiveBlog

Becoming Robert Swift

This video is hilarious, unless you don't know who Robert Swift is, and all the greatness he encompasses.

Live Blog Test On Sunday!

Sorry Warriors

I don't think I can put into words how disappointing it was to watch the Warriors fall all but out of the NBA Playoffs. I will let those at TheBasketballJones.com do it for you.

Derrick Rose and the #1 Pick

For those of us who were blessed enough to watch D. Rose during Memphis' near title run, it comes as little surprise that he is expected to be the number 1 pick of this year's NBA Draft. NBADraft.net who has proven to be an extremely trustworthy mock draft for the past four years, vaulted Rose above Beasley midway through the NCAA Tournament.

Watching him progress this season has been a joy, culminating with his performance vs. two other lottery pick guards from UCLA. (Westbrook and Collison) Not only is he bigger than them, but he is also faster then both of the speedsters and infinitely more stable as an actual point guard. He reads the game so well and knows when it is OK for him to take over a game offensively, and when to get everyone else on the team involved. I'm going to go out on a limb and say he will be better than Deron Williams. Not up to CP3 standards though.

Welcome!

Hello all and welcome! My name is Nate Olsen and I will be diving into the world of blogging for a brief period of time. The main focus of this blog will be to help my good friend Alex Wakeman, who is in Argentina for the next year or two, maintain a level of NBA/NCAA basketball knowledge that is acceptable for a person with minimal computer access. Props to Henry Abbott of TrueHoop for giving me the motivation to bring this blog to life. More to come later...