Fundamentally UnSound

Three Weeks In: In Thee Face!

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:52:00 +0000

We've reached the third week of the NBA season, and unlike college hoops, the offense is ahead of defense. A good portion of that has to do with the small yet significant fact that 97% of NBA players don't play defense. But at least at the early onset of this season, offensive players are taking defenders challenging at the rim a little more personally. They're attacking, and attacking with malice in their hearts. This begs the question: why is everybody dunking on everybody?

I understand that posters are a part of the game; and that they happen pretty much on a nightly basis. After all, there's a site dedicated to the meeting at the summit of the rim. But it just seems that these dunks are much more meaningful—more disrespectful. There are dunks, and then there are posters that are very rude and could end friendships. The early part of this season has had a lot of the latter—for reasons I cannot explain. I understood the mentality behind Melo's dunk because he's one of the few star players that has something to "prove." But the others...I just don't know what or why those deserved that emotional abuse. Except for...

Mr. Varejao aka "Sideshow Bob" aka "Carlito," I know why he deserved to be dunked on by His Wadeness. He is a notorious flopper and annoyance in the paint. He routinely violates two Hoop Commandments. He's seven feet tall and takes charges instead of using his length; and always tries to take said charges when defending a fast break. That was the one time he wanted to be tall and he failed because he isn't used to it. I have no sympathy for him. You are forever in the Wade highlight reel with your feet over your head and your ridiculous hair flopping around. Take that.

I'm going to set aside a paragraph for the man with the best disc jockey name that no one can use: DJ Mbenga. Fun fact: Mbenga is well-versed in the Martial Arts. Well, I guess self-defense doesn't aid one in interior defense because highflyers are challenging him above the rim with reckless abandon. Not-so-gradually, he's becoming the new Shawn Bradley. Or, he's Dikembe Mutombo without the resume to worry about being dunked on. One has to admire his determination, but also frown on his low success rate. You can even give him the benefit of the doubt and excuse the Rudy Gay & Blake Griffin posters; seeing those two have rocket boosters in their legs and rise well above the backboard square. However, where I draw the line is when DMV product Ty Lawson rose on DJ like it was an insult for Mbenga to do even be near the rim. It wasn't quite KJ on Olajuwon, but it had the "In De Face!" factor that Iverson on Camby lacks.

These dunks—from Melo to Will Bynum—are a collective statement that interior defense is not like it used to be. Someone put Hasheem Thabeet on alert.

Peace.

Two Weeks In: Four-Guard Monty

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:36:00 +0000

I liked the Melo post after his titanic dunk in the first week of the season so much that I'll try to have a weekly installment as the season moves along. For week two, FU highlights a few fledgling floor generals making early impacts. Take that, Ricky Rubio. More after the random picture...

In Denver, there's a roadrunner speeding up and down the court in the Rocky Mountains the same way that Looney Tunes' bird evaded Wile E. Coyote through the canyons. Lawson can learn from Billups, and George Karl will allow him to maintain that frenetic pace he mastered at Chapel Hill. It also helps that the Nuggets have no other offensive option off their bench (I count JR Smith as a starter). Joey Graham in Denver's swingman normally means a team is lacking along the perimeter. Lawson is like the "change-of-pace" running back--like what Darren Sproles is to LaDainian Tomlinson. He's impossible to keep out of the paint, and has a better jumper than previously scouted. We'll see if he climbs that plateau that hovers over fellow UNC point guard Raymond Felton's game.

Moving further west, in the midst of Sacramento's futility is a gem of a combo guard in Tyreke Evans. "Team Tyreke" is 6'7" with point guard skills and a scorer's arsenal of moves. Evans appears to be everything hoops fans were hoping Shaun Livingston would be before that freakishly devastating knee injury. Some questioned his early jump to the NBA, but it seems the new crop of young floor generals seem to have an inner belief in their abilities that scouts can't measure. It helps that he's on a young team that has talent, but not that impact player with superstar potential. Kevin Martin's good, but he's along the same plane as Ben Gordon. He scores really well, and does little else. Evans is a game-changer on many levels. The big question will be if he can bring the Kings' franchise back to relevance.

In the Twin Cities, Jonny Flynn has allowed the Timberwolves to forget about Ricky Rubio and his decision to stay overseas. Flynn has also won the starting job from Game One, relishing free agent acquisition--and underrated point guard--Ramon Sessions to the backup role. To me, Flynn was the better pick than Rubio anyway because he's stronger, a better defender, and tougher. He was somewhat of an insurance policy that turned into a key franchise piece to build around Al Jefferson. Like Evans, Minnesota's obscurity makes it hard for Flynn to be noticed. But how ever under the radar his start to the season is, he is producing.

This brings me to the main attraction; the reason behind this post. Of course, I'm talking about Mr. "3-guard" himself: Brandon Jennings. He has done everything but chisel his name on the Rookie of the Year trophy, and it's only been two weeks. He has an uncanny knack for using screens, and is the best at it other than Paul, Williams (Deron), and Nash. Yes, already. But I'd like to focus on his moxie. Whether you agree or disagree with his choice to eschew college, no one can deny the impact it's had on his mental toughness. Playing in Italy forced Jennings to grow up quickly; and he had to hang on to his inner belief in himself. It's that type of confidence that intrigues me about him. He was barely getting minutes; yet still somehow knew he would not just play in the NBA, but be extremely effective. Jennings' situation combines elements from the previous three I mentioned. Like Evans to the Kings, he goes to a team starving for a star. Like Lawson in Denver, he gets to learn from a tough, experienced point guard (Head Coach Scott Skiles, not Luke Ridnour). And like Minnesota, the Bucks just aren't that good of a team; so Jennings gets to play significant minutes in insignificant games.

Jennings is the kind of point guard that's indefensible. He's unpredictable. Once he clears the pick, the floor becomes a myriad of options for him and his teammates. And somehow, the Knicks couldn't find a use for a player like that. You better be good, Toney Douglas.

With these four rookies, in addition to the other young lead guards in the Association (Rondo, Rose, etc.), it's becoming clearer by the day that point guard is now the most important position in the NBA. It was evident once Jameer Nelson went down with injury last year. And if anyone can't see the wizardry Chris Paul has done with the Hornets the past two seasons, then they must believe that Mo Peterson and Devin Brown are underrated. These point guard battles will be fun to watch for the next decade. Oh, Jennings should have kept the flat top.

Peace.

You Best’a Recognize

noreply@blogger.com (SoulfulSinga32) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:56:00 +0000

This piece was birthed from my thoughts about Len Bias, and the events that have ensued. If it seems random you just have to follow my thought pattern.

My heart is Maryland. My soul is D.C., but my heart is Maryland. I love everything about it, Especially the sports teams. Maryland basketball has been the only collegiate basketball I really follow on a consistent basis. The ESPN documentary "Without Bias" based on the events in the life and tragic death of Len Bias resonated with me. The story is so real and so palpable in every way. There was a chain of events that weaved and linked into the events of today. Amid pressure of scandal and investigation into his knowledge of his players using cocaine, longtime coach Lefty Driesell resigned from the position he held for 17 years. His successor Gary Williams has been pacing the sidelines at College Park ever since.

Gary has taken the Terrapins to the Final Four twice, and in 2002 won the National Championship with a bunch of overlooked, "under talented" players. I mean, Juan Dixon, Steve Blake, Byron Mutton, Chris Wilcox and Lonny Baxter aren't your normal band of players with extreme talent. But Gary knew what he was working with, and made the right moves (along with the heart of his players) to win that lone National Championship.

In the years since then, the Williams train has traveled down the tracks of mediocrity. There has been player after player, who has suffered from JDS (Juan Dixon Syndrome) where they matriculate from Maryland only to either not be relevant or have minor success in the NBA. John Gilchrist, Drew Nicholas, Nick Caner-Medley, Darryl Strawberry Jr., all have passed through Maryland and have nothing really to show for it professionally. Steve Blake has been the most productive Terrapin since Steve Francis. But why hasn't Gary broken into the well of upper echelon talent the DMV has to offer? Well his main flaw is his refusal to recruit out of AAU.

Let's put things in perspective here. The list of DMV talent that has passed by Mr. Williams (or he didn't recruit fully) includes Rudy Gay, Kevin Durant, Michael Beasley, Jeff green, Roy Hibbert, Joey Dorsey, DaJuan Summers, Scottie Reynolds, Ty Lawson, and Jack McClinton. I purposely left Carmelo Anthony off that list because that story sums up the whole point (he was recruited by Maryland, and wanted to attend, but they instead went with Caner-Medley. Anthony won the championship that year with Syracuse). Gary may have looked at these kids, but didn't follow through or seriously recruit them. Yes, Greivis Vasquez was his choice out of Montrose Christian when Kevin Durant came from the same school.

In order for Maryland to once again become a force in collegiate basketball Gary must realize that AAU is the place where most talent lies and begin to harness that talent. He must build a report with AAU coaches and change the perception he has around those inner circles of the AAU. Williams couldn't even sign his latest recruit and New York sensation Lance Stephenson. I mean, its not like he can't fine talent. Maryland just signed Center Jordan Williams, who did this. I understand Gary is a purist, and that is great but one must realize when he must alter his thinking in order to achieve the goals they set out to do. All local talent plays AAU. Hell, I played AAU with the creator of this blog. If Gary is to keep his job in the coming years he has to recognize that and delve into the ocean of talent that DC, Maryland, and Virginia is producing. Until then, that lonely Crystal Trophy in a glass case at Comcast Center will never see a twin.

Love, Peace, and Hairgrease

-Esquire

P.S. I took that picture ^^^^ #thatboytalented

One Week In: The Warning From the Peak

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:29:00 +0000

Wow. Just...wow. One week into the season and we have an early announcement from the mountaintops of the Basketball Realm: Carmelo Anthony has arrived. Some may be thinking, "He's already been an all-star and is respected as one of the Elite players in the Association." That's true; but you know how I do it here at FU. My definition is a little different. It shall be explained after the random picture...

Before I get to Melo, my explanation must begin with Lebron. Prior to Lebron becoming the best player in the world, he was facing the same barrier two years ago. Then, in that epic seven-game series against the Celtics, he rose and threw one down over KG--the Defensive Player of the Year. Ever since, Lebron has been a different, meaner animal on the court; and it has taken a lot for teams to beat him, especially in the postseason. Yes, Lebron has already reached an NBA Finals and never faced a first-round exit. But that dunk on KG symbolized something more than just two points—more than just momentum in that game. It was a personal truth that he will forever hold self-evident.

Last season, Dwyane Wade was forced to reannounce his might. Coming off two injury-plagued seasons after Flash-ing his superpowers against the Mavs in the '06 Finals, people in South Beach and all around the NBA began to lose faith in their hero. But then, straight out of Marvel Comics, he harnessed his inner strength and emerged a new, better Flash. Last March, against his hometown team, Wade makes a steal and hits a running buzzer-beater three. The play in itself would have been enough, but the resulting leap onto the scorers' table and emphatic proclamation of "This is my house!" makes it that much more impactful. It was as if Wade was sick of all the doubt, the rumors of his demise—of his flaws. He needed to reassert himself as pillar of Awesome, and that table was his platform to do so.

So what can Melo attribute to this breakthrough and discovery of an even greater source of his abilities? Like most things in life, it's a combination of ingredients. Part of it is from watching Kobe's shinobi-like work ethic in Beijing. Part of it is due to losing the team war to the Mamba's Lakers in the Western Conf. Finals, despite winning the individual battle ('Melo bullied Kobe all over the court). The question that is begged is: Why did he proclaim "I'm back?" Few, if anyone, have doubted his offensive abilities. So why did he decide to yell that? I don't know him personally, but this is my assessment: "I'm back," wasn't the whole statement. He hasn't returned from anywhere other than the offseason. It was more like he was saying, "I'm back, meaner than ever." Anthony, to me, was letting the rest of the Basketball Realm know that his nickname will no longer be linked to his game. He will be a force on the grandest of magnitudes from this point forward. The scream wasn't a taunt meant to embarrass Paul Millsap, or a showboating gesture. Melo was simply saying that there's a new fire that burns inside of him; and it will take a hell of a lot for him to be defeated. Beware, NBA.

Peace.

Real Recognize Real: Money Mike's Knicks' Season Preview

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:23:00 +0000

The NBA tips off very soon; and I figured it was time to request help to write the season preview of my beloved Knicks. I enlisted my good friend and fellow superpower, "Money" Mike Benjamin to give a New Yorker's respective on the team that calls MSG home. Peep his thoughts after the random picture...

Fearless Forecaster: Knicks’ Preview 2009

When I close my eyes and think about the 2009 New York Knicks, my mind instantaneously flashes forward to the summer of 2010. You can’t blame me for this. It’s natural. For 95% of the Knick fan base, the key to our basketball ascendance rests squarely in the palms of one Joseph Donald Walsh Jr. and the (fading?) mythos of the World’s Most Famous Arena. Our legitimacy in the eyes of the basketball conglomerate depends on this. We’ve been brainwashed to think and speak in the future perfect tense.

So, why should YOU care about the New York Knicks of 2009? Why even bother to research the disparaging backgrounds of these symbiotic placeholders (Larry Hughes, Darko Milicic)? Should we even care to cheer these athletic mercenaries employed to coerce the distant superstar?

Yes, we should. We must motivate the Jared and Eddy, the two players impeding our efforts to scoop two megalomaniacs in the great tussle in 2010. We must embrace the youth movement, the only pieces of our disjointed puzzle alluring to the potential free agents of the next decade. I just don’t see Lebron riding straightway to N.Y. on his steed if our Knicks team remains pathetic, no matter how legendary the setting. (Unless we witness a swipe akin to the great steal of Wayne Gretsky by the Los Angeles Kings, which would indelibly lead to jeers of “Collusion!”)

Cheering for this impotent franchise doesn’t have to be a boring exercise, however. Within the first four weeks, a symphony of Knicks fans will be singing the praises of the lyrically notable Toney Douglas. Douglas, with his explosiveness and inventiveness similar to the reckless abandon of Nate Robinson, will sadly become the cheaper alternative to our Slam Dunk King when the free agent fracas ensues. David will shift from underrated, to overrated, to properly rated by season’s end, and probably receive a ransom not unlike a certain burgeoning forward (LaMarcus Aldridge) directly following our successful signing of Lebron, Wade, or some other member of the future NBA generation. And if the overrated Knicks management (yes, I said it…he hasn’t done jack since hiring Mike DiAntoni) can flip one of our uglier pieces of furniture for a state-of-the-art masterpiece (a first-round 2010 draft pick), we’ll be cheering simultaneously for John Wall AND the aforementioned 2010 piece de jour.

I’m penciling 60-22 as our record with my heart, but 33-49 with my brain. An astoundingly unimpressive amount of wins for an insignificant cast of characters. We’ll have much to cheer about, that’s for sure. Even if most of it is surrounding the events that will take place on July 1, 2010.

246 days, 14 hours, 57 minutes…and counting.

Mike Benjamin, II

NBA Team Structure-Chaos Spectrum: An FU Graph

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:42:00 +0000

If you're new to FU, then allow me to explain the basis of how I see Basketball. I stand by the creed that Basketball is the only team sport in which a player fuses the game with his personality and soul. No two players can play exactly alike. Kobe can study all the Jordan film he wants, he'll will still shoot his fadeaway in his own Mamba way. Whether noticed or unnoticed, a player's "game" is defined by the kind of person he or she is. Richard Hamilton will never use screens the same way Reggie Miller does. Blake and Taylor Griffin are brothers; and even they have totally different inner methodologies that could never be copied. The shooting form in my banner pic is mine and mine alone. I'm not referring to how productive a player is on the court; so the last guy on the Nuggets isn't a worse person than Carmelo Anthony because he isn't as good as 'Melo. I'm theorizing that how a person sees Basketball is a reflection of their personality.

An addendum to my FU creed is that a Basketball fan's like/dislike of certain teams is also a reflection of how a person is. All 30 teams fall somewhere between "conventional" and "unconventional." This is along the parallel of my yin/yang series, as well as "Money" Mike Benjamin's "Form/Function" series over at Points Off Turnovers. Characteristics such as offensive tempo, play-calling, rosters, and the blurring of traditional positions are included in a team's mixture. And I, to the best of my ability, graphed them. Western Conference teams are on the left, and the East is on the Right. Peep the result and an explanation at the end of this sentence.
The first thing I think readers will notice about the graph is that the Lakers and Celtics are in the middle of Chaos and Structure. This doesn't mean they are "perfect" teams; but rather that they've achieved the most exact blend of those two ideals. The graph is also Conference exclusive. Eastern and Western Conference teams aren't necessarily compared to each other. For example, the Pacers are more conventional than the Bucks; but they're not necessarily as conventional as the Rockets with Yao. A third idea is that I'm not associating better teams with being closer to the center of the graph. As you can see, there are contenders scattered along the spectrum.

This is a graph about the teams as a whole. Each of them has at least one player opposite of its place in the spectrum. And your like/dislike of a player has no bearing on how you feel about a team. So you may like watching Deron Williams; but that doesn't mean you enjoy watching the Jazz. And allegiance to one's favorite team does not apply to this graph because that bias will distort your view. It's understood that some players—particularly the Elite ones—exponentially add interest to their respective teams through fans' appreciation of their work. I'm a huge fan of Chris Paul, yet I cannot stand watching the Hornets. In this graph, an individual player does not correlate to the overall enjoyment of watching the entire team.

The Rockets and the Sixers were given two spots on the graphs because they had drastic alterations to their team's chemical makeup. Both teams became more successful when they were forced to abandon structure and become more chaotic to survive. Thaddeus Young became the hybrid SF/PF that Philly needs to get out and run; and the Rockets just played on pure guts and let Aaron Brooks be Atom Ant. It was a bit of Adelman's smoke and mirrors, but Houston somehow won 2 games without Yao against the future NBA champs. As for the Sixers, that first-round series with the Magic was a lot closer because they had to be fast break-oriented. Andre Miller, now playing in the Rose City, was the reason the transition from structure to chaos was seamless. Elton Brand must adapt himself to the fast-paced Sixers and not the other way around. It makes them much more dangerous.

Where our individual personalities factor in on this graph is that it will point out the many facets we have as people. I'm infatuated with the pure ruthlessness of the anarchic Warriors as well as the Spurs mechanization through the Big Fundamental. Portland's young near-completeness and Oklahoma City's developing Revolution are both microcosms of my personality. That's the beauty of Basketball. Just when you think you've figured out everything about your self, you discover something new about who you are as both a person and a hoops fan. Find yourself through this art. I have and am continuing to do so with each passing season.

Peace.

Back on the Warpath

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:16:00 +0000

I finally understand how hard it is to write about hoops in the off-season. And I give ultimate respect to FreeDarko and the other basketball blogs out there that kept the quality of their content in mid-season form. Searching for a quality topic that was up to FU standards, I probably threw good ideas away in hopes of sparking great ones. However, I am back from hibernation with to bring you loyal readers that Basketball philosophy that goes beyond the superficial. This season should be a fun one, and I thank all those that come along for the ride. And yes, there still will be random pictures.

The reason I couldn't post anything in the past few weeks is because I didn't have much that really excited me during the off-season. Then it hit me. I'm gonna share the storylines and situations for the 2009-10 season that do spark interest. Everyone can talk about Boston, LAL, San Antonio, and Cleveland. That's easy; I'll worry about them in April. Teams like those, barring injury and "Banderas Complex", are proven commodities with only stats and records to fill in. Even the potential 'Sheed outburst is a given. There will also be teams that disappoint and teams that surprise. With that said, this season has me more amped than any other before.

The Coming. I've been trying to tell anyone (literally) about Anthony Randolph, the second-year forward out of LSU. I think I'm interested in his development more than I am with Steph Curry's. AR is a legit 7 feet with the aggressiveness that Lamar Odom can't harness. Not as polished, yet; but no one is as skilled as Odom at that height. The speed in how Randolph matures may determine how willing the Warriors are to trade Stephen Jackson. If Monta sees the light and recognizes just how much space playing with Steph will give him, the Warriors may just be more impossible to defend than they were in the "We Believe" era. The Key is Randolph; for he is the one true mismatch on the team. I sure hope Don The Mad Scientist has one more concoction he can experiment with; because that's too much talent to not be on the same page.

The Corollary. Some athletes want to assimilate into the professional world and "blend in;" and some march to the beat of their own drum. Well Brandon Jennings must have his own live band because he's definitely different, and I respect it. His decision to forego college for overseas has made him polarizing in the Basketball community; stirring up the same divisive feelings that AI being the Christopher Columbus of hip-hop in the Association did in '96. "The Corollary" may not catch on as a nickname for Jennings, but his Iverson-like persona makes him the answer to The Answer. It's as if he's cosigning, but with his own response. Of course, in order for him to be taken seriously, he has to pan out and be a good player on the court. Eccentrics like AI, Arenas, and Rodman were able to be so because they're productive and vital components to their respective teams. Yes, that goes for Gilbert, too. Jennings' style is what made him the highly touted prospect that he is, and if he sticks to that, he should do good things for Milwaukee ~~even though the Knicks should have drafted him~~.

Legend of the Fall-Offs. Like clockwork, when an athlete's ability to play at a high level goes, it goes. Even MJ, the G.O.A.T., couldn't escape Father Time and could no longer call forth his magic at his whim. Regardless of how great a player is, at some point, he will lose a considerable amount of that greatness. Every star player with at least a dozen seasons under his belt is battling Father Time tooth and nail. This applies to Kobe, Ray Allen, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, KG, with AI, Jason Kidd, and Rasheed Wallace already beginning to lose the fight. I'm not rooting for any of them to drastically decline; but it'll be interesting to see which ones stay consistent and which ones look "old." Timmy has the best chance because he never relied on explosive athleticism to be effective. Kobe and Ray will be relying a little more heavily on those outside shots. I am slightly concerned with the Maestro, though. This is the seventh year of him in SSOL Mode, and I'm not sure his back can take another 82 games of that without a viable backup. Phoenix may have to rely on more Amar'e post isolation offensive sets just to keep Nash upright. Every Suns teammate, except maybe Grant Hill and Barbosa, depends on Steve Nash to put them in positions to score. That's a lot of mental strain combined with the physical strain of playing uptempo for 82 games. I don't know how much longer Nash can be on the front lines of the Revolution.

R versus R. My last pre-FU post was a comparison between Chris Paul and Deron Williams. A couple years later, and another young PG juxtaposition in the other Conference interests me more than that one did. Boston and Chicago played the best first-round series ever. Spawning from that is a 1-guard rivalry for the next decade. Rajon Rondo and Derrick Rose are both unorthodox and free-flowing. Neither follows the John Stockton model of being a point guard. Rondo is the injection of youth that fuels the veteran Celtics, and Rose is the one Baby Bull with transcendent talent. Each of them has sparked change in different ways and should have very entertaining bouts in the East for coming years...with inclusions of Devin Harris.

This is the first time I've missed Basketball this much, and after hibernating, FU will be better for it. We're back with more of that Basketball truth rarely talked about in the mainstream. Thanks for your support, and I won't let you down. To steal from the WNBA: Expect Great.

Peace.

FU Self Face/Off: The Iverson Saga

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 03:34:00 +0000

Since I'm in my yin/yang, both sides of the spectrum mode, I'm going to write yet another post on my favorite player: Allen Iverson. I know FU seems to be flooded with AI posts and mentions; but since I've become indulged in the Basketball Realm as its scribe, his career has had more dramatic change than ever. Gone are the days of carrying franchises on his diminutive shoulders, slicing mountains and monuments with the sharpness of his crossover dribble. He's a journeyman now; trying to disprove the perceived notion that he's fallen from the ranks of the Elite.

Whenever an idea for a post starts formulating, it usually sparks two different types of reactions and opinions in me. Now each opinion in unedited and honest, but one is a little more controversy-based than the other. It's like "T.I. vs. T.I.P.," minus the southern accent and military arsenal. With that said, I'm going to share both opinions that arose once I heard that AI signed with the Grizzlies. The semi-politically correct one is after the random picture...

Welp, it's happened. The Little Shooting Guard That Could, the undersized perimeter player with an unbreakable will, the Braided Bringer of Buckets—Allen Iverson—has finally lost that proverbial step. Since his release from the Motor City, he has had the Clippers semi-interested in his services and had to practically beg the Grizzlies for a chance—and even they took a couple months to think about it before signing him. Even Larry Brown, the one coach able to fully utilize AI powers, wouldn't bring Iverson aboard because he didn't want to disturb the chemistry of his Bobcats team; despite said team in desperate of big-time scoring. Something has to be wrong with Iverson if bottom-feeders like the Bucks, Knicks, and Kings wouldn't give him a look. And yes, the claims of him being a bad teammate are starting to become legit. At first, he was all gun-ho about coming off the bench in Detroit so Rodney Stuckey's development wouldn't be stunted. Twenty games into Joe Dumars' experiment, and it was obvious Iverson's isolation-based game doesn't mesh with all the screens Rip runs around. It became more clear once Iverson went out with the back injury the first time, and Rip flourished without him.

The Pistons went from six straight Eastern Conference Finals to getting swept out the first round by the CrabHammer of Lebron. Chauncey Billups, who AI was traded for, grasped the attention of the often knuckle-headed Nuggets and led them to the Western Conference Finals. Billups proved he was behind Detroit's success, and established himself as one of the game's best leaders. And well, no one's associated Iverson with leadership.

This is what it has come to for Iverson. His lowest points per game total ever (18.5); and players like Paul Millsap, Ramon Session, and Hedo Turkoglu being more coveted than him. This is the beginning of the end.

And now...the other way I felt...

So the only team that wanted AI is the Grizzlies? Really? Those 50-loss teams couldn't use a prime scorer who is two years removed from averaging 33 points a game. That's thirty-three...for an entire season. Yes, Iverson is incapable of averaging 30 a game. Yes, it seems the countless reckless treks to the rim are now taking their toll on his frail frame. But there still aren't fifteen guards better than Iverson in the Association right now. He didn't fit in Detroit, and he still averaged 18+ ppg and 5+ apg. Do you know how many point guards did that last season? Four (Billups, Paul, D. Williams, and Harris). So don't act like Iverson can't play at an extremely high level in this League.

You want to know why I really think AI wasn't signed for awhile? Collusion. Not just from the owners, but from an order by Commissioner Stern himself. How else would the active leader in points per game be a free agent until September? Did I mention he's two years from averaging 33 points a game for a season? And you mean to tell me the Kings feel Beno Urich is a better option? Even if he has to come off the bench, what team couldn't use an unstoppable scoring threat with their second unit? Last I checked, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Charlotte, Phoenix, Milwaukee, Miami, and a few other teams don't have a hint of a scoring threat off the bench. Yet Iverson has to settle for Memphis, while Earl Watson is still employed.

No punches pulled, I think David Stern blames Iverson for the infusion of hip-hop into his precious League. Shorts became longer, fundamentals began to lack, and individualism became more outwardly expressed once The Answer was drafted. If you've been paying attention, Stern has slowly been trying to eliminate the individual style that today's pro hooper is displaying. I always point out that Basketball forces one to intertwine the game with his soul in order to prosper at it. It's why no matter how many times you watch "Better Basketball," you won't shoot the same way as J.J. Redick or dribble like Mike Bibby. One's "game" is as exclusive as his fingerprints. Yet it seems Commisioner stern doesn't want any of his players to express themselves. Eliminating the Band-Wade, the leg tights, and event he dress code to some extent are all ways to promote uniformity. This isn't football. Fans see the faces of the players all the time; so if a player wants to rock a colored band-aid under his eye then let him. Stern is trying to do away with that quietly. Why do you really think Lebron's shoes are ugly?

Anyway, glad to see Iverson was able to continue his career and not be totally frozen out the Association. I've given you guys a little insight into my thought process whenever a story like this occurs. As you can see, while I still don't give you the everyday, mundane, watered-down hoops analysis; I still hold back a little bit. Maybe I should stop that and just cut loose for real. I guess I will do that from now on. FU has just increased the pressure.

Peace.

In Search of Yang...or Yin: Part 8 - The Gift and The Curse

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:06:00 +0000

rIt's a time for elation and celebration. The back cover has closed on the book of the greatest player in the history of Basketball: Michael Jeffrey Jordan. We all know the legacy. We know about the game-winners, the fadeaways, the retirements—and so on. But by now, you should know that my FU way of doing things will make this more than just an essaying of listing all of MJ's accomplishments. Jordan brought more than just amazing sneakers and dunks. He did a lot for the professional athlete, both good and bad. In fact, MJ's career both enhanced basketball and hampered it at the same time. Since Jay-Z always makes MJ references, I decided to flip it and call MJ's career "The Gift and The Curse." All things good will be presented after the random picture.

The Gift
Everything Jordan starts with his partnership with Nike. MJ showed future pro athletes how to turn a name into an establishment. Think of how many other star athletes are under "Brand Jordan." Not even Tiger Woords has any other golfers of significance (if any at all) rocking the TW fitted. Jordan took the foundation of Basketball and applied it to his sales pitch. Combined with whoever those geniuses are at the Swoosh, and His Airness has pushed billions of attire with the Jumpman logo on it. "Sometimes I dream..." indeed.

Because of that marketing, and the growing popularity of the NBA post Bird-Magic, the world was able to see Jordan's supernatural competitive nature and skill level. There was nothing he could not do. Through the midst of hand checks, hard fouls and better competition; he's better than any other player. Period. Then there's the list of HOF players whose championship hopes he's killed with each dagger jumper. One of them is being inducted with him in Springfield. In addition to Stockton and Malone, there's Barkley, Payton and Kemp, Reggie, Patrick (Ch)Ewing—all succumbed to the magnitude of Jordan's awesome. He truly created a legacy and is a living legend.

The Curse
This is that curse I had alluded to in the previous Yin/Yang post involving Jordan. Because he is the Perfect Hooper, he gave young aspiring ballers that they, too, can possess every tool available in the Basketball realm. The problem with that is: not everyone has room in his repertoire for everything; so they either try to do something that doesn't fit their personal style, or their game suffers as a whole. We all know of the many swingmen that received that scarlet letter of a label in "the next Jordan." Only Kobe has been able to overcome that without some hindrance to his career because of it. Jordan's shadow loomed so large over SG/SF blends everywhere that a lot of them were pressured by the mainstream to, "Be Like Mike." Ask Jerry Stackhouse.

Secondly, and more importantly, because of Jordan's marketing dynamic, he was the first megastar athlete post-Ali. I always said the generation after the Civil Rights one—my parents' generation—was softened by integration. As a result, they weren't looking for their celebrities/athletes to take political stands. That's why Ali is as revered as he is. He didn't just make up clever poems and master the sweet science; he did it during a time of racial prejudice and was actively involved in that struggle. MJ, bluntly put, allowed future pro athletes off the hook socially. This means the Lebrons, Kobes, Tigers, Jeters, etc. are able to sell merchandise without having to say anything meaningful. Now, this doesn't mean they have to walk around blasting "Fight The Power" to games. But thanks to His Airness, neutrality is safe and money is all that matters. Now, if an NBA player wants to take any sort of stand, he gets hushed by Commissioner Stern and his goons. That's why ~~Chris Jackson~~ Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf is out the league and Shareef Abdur-Rahim was able to stay. But the Association as a whole is watered down and less skilled anyway; so I guess the social side of it is reflective of that. "Republicans buy sneakers, too." Right, MJ?

Michael Jordan is an icon and should never be forgotten. The man is excellence personified and the result of what happens when a man's will is completely focused on success. Celebrate his originality for there will never be another like him.

Peace.

The Inaugural Hoops Movie Draft: Part II

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:39:00 +0000

Folks, the dead period between NBA Summer League and preseason is the worst of times for serious hoops heads. Yeah, a lot of the pros go back home or to their home team cities to play in various Pro-Am leagues, such as Mr. Durant and Agent Zero at the Goodman League in Barry Farm here in DC. While those are exciting, the mainstream Basketball realm is quiet. That's where Money Mike over at "Points Off Turnovers" comes in. He solicited my help, and together we young superpowers have combined to formulate the Hoops Movie Draft, sponsored by talented Black men with extraordinary writing ability. Part One is over at Mike's blog spot, which leaves me with the honor of lacing Part Two with that FU awesome. To get caught up with the rules and the first five picks, go read Part One now...

Right now...

Go on...

I'll wait...

...

...

Kwame still is not good...

I wonder what Michael Olowokandi's doing...

Ok, you're back? Good. After the random picture, Mike reveals the movie he selects at #6.

6. Mike selects…Sean Connery & That Black Guy in Finding Forrester.

Imagine walking down the street in your hometown and being asked to star in a motion picture. Well, that’s basically how mystery man Rob Brown got invited to audition for the lead role in “Forrester.” Like your typical broke collegiate graduate, Brown needed to pay the bills. He stumbled upon an opportunity to extra for a quick check and took the bait. The rest is history. The producers saw him, asked him to try out for the lead role…and an actor was born.
Though he was extremely raw, the movie’s premise was easy. He was, well, playing himself.
“Forrester” tracks the growth of a gifted black student (Jamal Wallace) who finds himself trapped in high school’s oppressive subculture, unable to showcase his unbelievable writing talent without ridicule. Jamal gains respect from his peers through his hoop game, not his immense brain. Eventually, Jamal catches the eye of a Manhattan prep school recruiter, who invites Jamal to the academy after seeing that his jumper is wet and his academics are exceptional.

However, Jamal wants desperately to be a great writer. After losing a bet, he stumbles into the life of William Forrester (Sean Connery), a recluse who surreptitiously reminds us of J.D. Salinger. Forrester teaches Jamal how to write, and Jamal teaches William how to live again.
Why do I like this movie? The strictly coincidental scenes they stole from my life’s script. The agreeable transition of Busta Rhymes from rapper to actor. The cameo appearance from Matt Damon. The hoop scenes not being zoomed all the way in like a Jerry Bruckheimer production. The tastefully done pickup game backdrop on the credits page. The reminder of why I chose to become a writer. And the importance of carpe diem and living life to the fullest.

You’re the man now, dawg.

(Aside here: this is the steal of the draft. For young, Black hoopers and writers, "Finding Forrester" wonderfully touched both areas. Low key, I was upset Mike picked this one. That was my Stephen Curry, lol. Now on to my pick.)

7. J-Till selects...Coach Carter

Fact: Samuel L. Jackson is the baddest motha(watch yo mouth) in the acting biz. From his brief cameo as the McDowell's robber in "Coming to America" to Jules in "Pulp Fiction," he is a master motivator. This is mainly because he is so freaking loud for no apparent reason. And don't let his eyes bug out--you know he means what he says when that happens The lead role of Ken Carter is perfect for him. He's witty, sarcastic, and bald. As with all of these movies, you know the story. Carter comes back to his old high school in hopes of making a difference in the place where he was raised. There, he meets a band of half-degenerates that completely lack discipline. Through suicides, pushups and female-named plays, Richmond (CA) becomes a force on the court.
Of course, success on the court is counterbalanced by various troubles off it. The streets, teen pregnancy, and even the community's lack of priorities are all issues Carter and his players must overcome. And, through the power of the Samuel L. Jackson monologue, they do. Let's just be glad no one said "what" to him.

8. Mike selects…Space Jam.

This movie’s not about Michael Jordan. Sure, we can spend these next few paragraphs talking about His Airness, but aren’t you sick of talking about this guy? Six rings, five MVPs, 14 ASG, 10 First Team’s…blah, blah, blah. We know he’s the best to ever play the hardwood game, the best ever to palm the roundball. But this movie’s more about the people that made M.J. look good than about Jordan himself. For the first time in his career, fans saw a flawed Michael Jordan, a man more Boris Kodjoe than Denzel Washington on the big screen...and embraced him all the more.

Space Jam was a blockbuster because of these true heroes of the film strip. The producers had success because they honored the unwritten rule of Hollywood: When the lead can’t carry the movie, make sure your supporting characters hide the flaws. We witnessed Wayne Knight during his ethereal stretch run, Bill Murray before his career dive tailed, Danny DeVito when we still though he was the successor to the Al Pacino/Robert DeNiro throne, and the pairing of Bugs Bunny with newcomer Lola Bunny to break up the, er, sausage fest. Plus, when you’ve got a relative unknown carrying the vocals along with Monica…you’ve really got hakuna matada. Plus, we got to see Eric Gordon in a small role before he became a hoop sensation.

Wait, what?

9. J-Till selects...Glory Road

Long before Glory Road was ever thought of, I felt if there was anyone who could capture the bigotry of Adolph Rupp, it was Jon Voight. I don't feel he's a racist or anything like that. I just felt he had the face for what lies beneath Coach K. Apologies for the digression, but not for the statement. "Glory Road" is the cinematic version of the 1966 Texas Western , led by Coach Don Haskins. The team triumphs over racism, and defeats Rupp and his big, bad Kentucky Wildcats.

Because of the way the story is told nowadays, few people tend to overlook the fact that there were White players on that team. It was a major sacrifice on their part to humbly sit out of that game—the Championship Game—as Haskins played an all-Black, seven-man rotation. If you ignore the fact that these three guys were chosen as players, it's actually a pretty decent depiction of the story. Texas Western is now known as UTEP...shout-out to Tim Hardaway.

10. Mike selects…Whoopi Goldberg in Eddie.

I really think my Knick fandom, love of hoops (did you know that thing had 49 NBA players?), and narcoleptic tendencies got in the way on this pick. I can’t even remember why I made this pick. I’ve never found Whoopi funny or attractive (her face reminds me of Predator), or thought Dennis Farina as anything more than a glorified typecast. The movie was completely absent of gratuitous hot chicks (like Theresa Randle in Beverly Hills Cop 3) and timely one-liners. Why would I waste my time with a crappy G movie when there are still levels of Mega Man left to beat?

I wouldn’t. And neither would you. I’d like to believe I drafted this movie to honor the late great Malik Sealy…but I don’t think he’d want to be remembered as the ball hog who got owned by GP. I’d like to believe I picked this movie to see Rick Fox act, but I already knew that hoop stars that sneak to the big screen for a big payday end up looking worse than Keanu Reeves in everything non-Matrix. I’d like to believe that I picked this movie to laugh my way through the aftermath of the Isiah Era…but it only served as a brutal reminder of his incompetence.
I guess Eddie’ll just be the Luc Longley of my superstar squad. And with “Jump”, “Blue Chips”, “Forrester”, and “Jam” already on tap, my championship team is definitely on lock. Don’t look at me like that. This economy’s no joke, dawg.

So, this concludes the two-part Hoops Movie Draft. Before I say "Peace," I'll share a couple of observations I made while reviewing our picks. First, we picked according to our personalities. Over Twitter, I coined the saying that Money Mike is, "the Martin to my sportswriting Malcolm." This means we have the same goals and mind frame, but execute it differently. Plainly put, Mike's nicer than me. (I won't put what I want to say because I don't curse in my writing.) Even though each movie we picked has some sort of unintentional comedy, all of Mike's movies were more lighthearted than mine. Again, that speaks to our personalities. Mike's on a more "non-violent, non-violent" piece; while I get my point across "by any means necessary." However you put it, we're a dynamic duo and will crush you in any sports debate.

The second observation is that I don't think David Stern would be too pleased with our selections considering that there aren't any movies of the, *ahem*, "lighter" persuasion. Oh well, we're Black. "Hoosiers" gets no love over here. Hopefully, we took you back and allowed you to reminisce over quality basketball cinema while you wait another 50 days for the NBA regular season to begin.

Peace.

One For My Pickup Game Heads

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 03:02:00 +0000

I gotta talk to my people that actively get on the court for a minute. Okay, you're in a game (pickup or organized) and you score. It could have been a nice one-dribble pull-up from 17 or a catch-and-shoot 3 from the corner. Then, you score again. Now, you've hit two in a row and the confidence begins to swell. So your team has possession again and you just know you're getting the rock for a heat check. You've just dropped consecutive buckets and everyone noticed. Here's where things go bad. You're expecting the pass—hands ready, feet square, shooting shoulder locked—and your teammate just hoists what could possibly be the worst shot since Dr. Naismith first put up peach baskets. You watch in confusion as the ball forcefully clangs off the rim, and you're left wondering, "What if," as you scramble (if you scramble) back on transition defense. If you can testify to this, then you were got by a player I like to call, "Run-Stoppers."

*Obama voice* Now, let's be clear. If Player A hits two in a row and his teammate hits an open three or cuts for a nice layup, Player A is not the victim of a run-stopper. Run-stoppers, as part of their fundamental truth, will always take a terrible shot. Said terrible shot will lead to a long rebound, which leads to a score for the opposition. I've been the victim of this plenty of times, and there is no way to avoid them. Also, do not confuse the run-stopper with the "jock," "heist-box," "black hole," or whatever your area's term is for someone that shoots too much. Run-stoppers do not necessarily have to want to shoot all the time. However, they see your consecutive scores as a green light for them to get their shine on. And I must stress that the shot they take while you're waiting for the extra pass is always terrible; and usually after a move that isn't in their repertoire. It's usually after mindless dribble to nowhere and an under-direst hoist towards the basket. The funny part is that everyone observant knows it's a bad shot, and the gym goes silent for about 48 seconds as everyone but the run-stopper has the, "What the hell?" thought bubble pop into their minds. And get this, the run-stopper will not—I repeat, not—say, "My bad," or pat his chest as any form of repentance. He will just jog back down the court behind the play like it's all good. It's borderline disrespect. It's as if he says, "Well, your buckets are okay, but they're inferior to my horrendously awful shot selection." In fact, run-stoppers are habitual line-steppers; continuously crossing the understood boundary of feeding the hot hand for their own selfish wishes. The run-stoppers aren't just found at your local "Y" or shaded blacktop. They have infiltrated the professional ranks. They do not include any of the superstars because superstars, by definition, can shoot whenever they want. After the random picture, I will name a few so you will be on the lookout for them this upcoming season.

Linas Kleiza. I've seen Kleiza play since he went to high school here in the DC area (shout-out to my boy Andrew who dunked on him); and since he was a D-1 talent, he had the proverbial green light. Well, must feel he's still at Montrose Christian because as soon as he's in the game, it becomes all about him. Everyone knows that JR Smith is the flame off the bench. Everyone, except Kleiza, that is. JR could be on the verge of one of his patented scoring streaks, and Linas will gladly hoist up a contested triple. Granted, he can shoot, but he is not good enough to take liberties like that. I don't care if George Karl is the coach or not.

Zach Randolph. Zeebo is really talented. He has impeccable post footwork and is really great at playing angles. But don't let anyone else like, say, Nate Robinson start to catch some fire. Z will gladly take the ball at 15 feet, and proceed to ignore his teammates for however long it takes him to shoot. Maybe that's why he's on his fourth team despite being a proven 20-10 guy. Or maybe it's stuff like this. Eh, take your pick.

DeShawn Stevenson. Picking on DeShawn is easy. He was on the embarrassing end of Lebron's Crabhammer, and has been associated with Soulja Boy. That isn't exactly a winning combination. Combine that with this false bravado that he can actually score, and he is the main reason the Wizards aren't that good (yeah, I said it). Stevenson frequently takes long-range shots like he's a marksman from distance. They always seem to come right when Caron or Antawn are about to get going. Even Nick Young's touches are worth more than Stevenson's. Hopefully, Flip sees the light and buries him next to Mike James (another run-stopper) on the bench.

Sasha Vujacic. First off, no one can have a self-given nickname. That's wack and proves you're not worth much on the court. Second, if you're "The Machine," shouldn't you be more than just a backup shooter that only plays when he shoots well? Shouldn't you be shooting well if you're a machine? Does that mean you're malfunctioning? Anyway, Vujacic will kill any Laker 8-0 run with his quick trigger. Part of it is that's all he can do with some sort of regularity; and part of it is that Lamar Odom—who usually runs the second team—is too unselfish to say anything. Take it back to NY on him...or at least get Ron-Ron to do it next year. I know he will.

That concludes my list of NBA run-stoppers. As usual, if you feel I'm wrong or have some players I've missed, leave it in the comments.

Peace.

No Time For Move Fakin'

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:11:00 +0000

Before each season, there are questions that arise that lovers of the hoops are curious to see how they'll be answered. There is also a group of players who have clouds of doubt hovering about them. I'm going to list a few of them, in no particular order. Some of them you know, some of them you will read perplexed as to why I'd question anything about them. Rookies and other young players do not qualify for listing since there is skepticism around them by default. If you're still with me, the list begins after the random picture...

Gilbert Arenas. I figured I'd start with someone predictable. Everyone knows Gilly's shoe pusher, Adidas, has a slogan titled, "Impossible Is Nothing." Gilly has taken that and put his own spin on it by switching his jersey number for "Nothing"—by the mathematics-based property of substitution. Well, after two years of knee problems and still receiving that max contract bread, he'd better be down to take on the impossible. It isn't a matter of him performing, because when he was last healthy, Arenas averaged the same numbers D-Wade had this past season—with two other 20-point scorers on his team. However, his Wizards team has fallen back to the pack and it will take a supreme effort for them to overtake the Crabhammers, the new all-Black Celts, and Orlando (sorry, no clever nickname for them). Shoot, it'll take more than an average performance for Washington to beat Atlanta. We'll see if Gilbert still has a few tricks up his quirky sleeves.

The "Baby" Bulls. Since about the middle of this decade, Chicago has been one of those young teams on the cusp of being a real contender once they, "grow up." In fact, it's not too long ago that they were co-favorites to win the Eastern Conference. Now it's the end of said decade (weird, huh), and those Bulls are in the same position they were. Kirk Hinrich is almost 30 and he's still grouped in with the young guys. It seems that Derrick Rose knows how to perform in the postseason and wants to be a real threat in May-June. Yes, Vinny Del Negro is a terrible coach, but the fact that team is still "young" is management's fault. Oh, can some psychiatrist get it into Tyrus Thomas' head that he is NOT a jump shooter? And somehow pass the tape of that to Josh Smith in ATL? Thanks.

Vince Carter. Vince's mixture has been diluted with more human and less supernatural. No longer 1/2 man, 1/2 amazing, Carter is coming off his most complete season. Because the Nets were a young team, he was forced into the role of veteran leader; a position he had shunned in Toronto and didn't have to fill while Kidd was in Jersey. Now, Vince finds himself in the scenario that Allen Iverson was in when Denver traded for him. Orlando is hoping to pair Vince with their young superstar in hopes of overcoming that championship hurdle. The Magic need him to provide an element they were missing from last year's Finals team. Carter, even as he loses his uncanny lift, is still a scoring savant—when he's motivated. And even now, once a game, he can call forth that supreme ability and give watchers a glimpse into divinity. As long as he stays focused on basketball, Vince will be a bigger asset to the Magic Kingdom than Mickey Mouse...or at least Donald Duck.

Every significant player from the '05 Draft not named Chris Paul, Deron Williams, or Danny Granger. Aside from the aforementioned players, this entire draft is on the hot seat. Paul and Williams further build HOF legacies by the game, and Granger looks to be an All-Star for years to come. But it's the rest of the draftees—the Blatches, the Marvin Williams, the Boguts—that need to become more vital to their teams. This will be those players' fifth season in the Association, and they are reaching the point where their respective teams are no longer waiting on them to develop and want to see more consistent and productive results. Even Monta Ellis has to have somewhat of a rebound year after an ankle injury. Paul and Williams are the cream of the '05 crop, but those other players should increase their output, or be reduced to throw-ins for trades. Right, Raef Lafrentz?

Lebron James. You may be thinking, "What does Lebron have to prove?" If you're not, then you're probably a Kobe fan and walk around mindlessly saying, "Four Rings," or "Crab Dribble." Anyway, Lebron does have something to prove. He's had sort of a rocky off-season in some people's eyes, and his reputation has taken a bit of a hit. He has nothing to do on the basketball court other than win a title, and that doesn't have to necessarily happen since he's still less than halfway through his career and at least four years away from his prime. I'm sure all of the disappointment some people feel will go away with his first highlight-reel move.

I'm sure there are a few more players in which this is a make-or-break season for them. Leave them in the comments.

Peace.

If Money Makes A Man Strange...

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 02:56:00 +0000

Free agency can be a harsh reality. It boils down to the brutal honesty of placing a monetary value on what a player means to a franchise. Disconnect happens when the player's camp feels that the bar has been set too low; and the wrong seven-figured number is a sign of disrespect. I'd like to address the major signings that have happened and take you into the psychology of each situation. More after the random picture...

Turkoglu to T-Dot. Go ahead. Make all the jokes you want about the foreign exchange rate. Maybe Hedo decided to head to Canada for the free health care. But there's a reason he ditched contending teams for the struggling Raptors. Personally, I believe Turkoglu did not want to deal with the pressures that came with being the most coveted free agent this offseason. So rather than go back to Orlando or to Portland and be the focus of that team's success, he chose Toronto so he can continue to fit in his nicely-carved niche as an "under-appreciated player" whose "intangibles aren't defined by box scores." If you scared, say you scared; and it looks like Hedo's actions spoke loud and clear. Or maybe it was about the money.

The Maestro Stays in the Desert. Speaking of Canada, Steve Nash is a magician. He has assisted in getting deals for players that they really shouldn't deserve (see: Richardson, Quentin). He was the leader of an offensive movement that still sends shockwaves throughout the Association. However, you know what's said about all good things; and gradually the SSOL Headquarters are relocating its workers one by one. So why did he re-sign with a sinking ship? Why not head for MSG and reunite with his sensei and perhaps their monstrous creation? I feel it's because he doesn't have enough in him to lead two revolutions. He is growing SSOL in mind only, and his back muscles weaken by the game. Hopefully, Ramon Sessions can learn from a distance.

Huskies to the Motor City. As I mentioned in "All Dollar Bills," the elite teams make moves that are both upgrades and bargains. RJ—who has grown more, um, questionable in recent times—to the Spurs is a perfect example. San Antonio gets a proven secondary scorer with Finals experience as both an insurance policy on Manu's ankles and as another weapon if fully healthy. On the flip side of this intelligent thinking, there are the teams that overpay for super role players—or pseudo-stars—believing that it's clicked for them somehow; and that now those players are ready to ascend to stardom. In the past, Luke Ridnour's contract was the perfect example of a terrible financial decision. Now it seems that Joe Dumars had noticeably overpaid for Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva in a last-ditch effort save some of his credibility as a GM. Signing Gordon and Villanueva may mean that the days of either or both Rip and Tayshaun in the D are numbered. However, each former UConn Husky has a glaring flaw that will make execs cringe at these contracts in three years. Villanueva is a power forward that can do a few things, except he above average at each of them. He's like Kevin Garnett minus the great; he might be Andrea Bargnani minus the good. At any rate, he's inconsistent. Maybe Dumars paid for both in game stats and number of Twitter followers. Gordon can score. He can shoot. But he also takes a lot of shots. It's like the AI move except he isn't that good nor does he have the resume. If Dumars is supposed to be building towards making the Pistons Stuckey's team, I'm not sure that he and Gordon mix. Their fourth quarter lineup will be interesting.

The Answer With Questions. This reluctantly brings me to Allen Iverson. His skill was as gargantuan as his will for over a decade. But if there ever was an ugly truth that AI fans like me ignored, it's that Iverson is purest form of Ben Gordon. He is the origin of the chemical agent known as, "undersized shooting guard." It seems the one weakness that is readily visible in those diminutive 2-guards has finally shown itself in the host. Because of his style of play, Iverson needs others to mesh with him rather than vice-versa. That's fine, as long as he's The Answer. But when inquiries arise within him, things go awry. Can he still average 20-plus? Sure. But name a team for which he is the perfect fit. You can't, at least not in a starting role. And we've seen how he reacts to the whole coming off the bench thing. I hope you land somewhere, AI.

Odom. Lamar's contract negotiations are appropriate and fitting for him. The Nameless X-Factor, Basketball enthusiasts overlook the fact that next to His Mambaness, Odom is the Lakers' most important player; and they need him. His flourishing gets passed by, but he gets the blame when he himself disappears. Naturally, his worth is undervalued by the management; despite Kobe speaking up on his behalf. It has to be this way. Odom has to be overlooked. It is his destiny to live in the shadows, visible only to those that see his value, nod their heads and say, "true."

Free agency is cold-blooded, and each negotiation is a hard understanding that you're only worth your contract life.

Peace.

Chaos to Anarchy: Revolution from the West

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 02:15:00 +0000

Of all the new draftees, including Griffin and Rubio, fans are most enamored with Stephen Curry; and hope he can ascend in the Association as well and as quickly he did at Davidson. He has already captured our hearts through a lightning quick shot release, and we look to him as a source of joy because we naturally assume the Clippers will take Blake's and turn it into whatever potion that Mike Dunleavy uses to keep himself employed.

These youthful warriors have seemed to rekindle the excitement the Team By the Bay experienced in that "We Believe" year. The methodologies are different, but is one team more exciting than the other?

Flash yourself back to 2007. The eighth-seeded Warriors sparked a city yearning for Tim Hardaway in compression shorts. It was like the atmosphere in the Phone Booth during Part III of the Wiz-Cavs trilogy multiplied by Andres Biedrins. Oracle Arena became a place for the fusion of energies, and no team would have defeated Golden State in that first-round series—much less a Mavs team with a mentally weak star player and a coach willing to change lineups after winning 67 games. Mark Cuban became the suburban kid with the cushy life who felt he owned the best collection of talent money can buy. Then his prima donna team crossed paths with a ragtag band of men with beautiful chaos in their collective heart; possessed by the loyalty and all that's positive about a gang. Throw in the variable of the Mad Scientist who was shunned by the rich boy owner, only to actualize his visions each time Al Harrington was in the game at center. It was an S500 with bun warmers versus a '79 Chevelle on Daytons. Excuse all the "rich/poor" analogies, but if ever there was a microcosm for team, then this is it...word to Camp Lo.

Fueled by Baron's beard and their Fearless Leader in S-Jax, four wins over Dallas became inevitable. Oddly enough, the dunk over AK47 in the second round was the monumental moment of the We Believe era—despite it coming in a series loss. It was as if Rocky IV meets Straight Outta Compton in, "You Just Got Broke, Son." Even though that team had an overall losing playoff record (5-6), it was a brief victory for those hoops fans yearning for Basketball anarchy.

Return to the present. Gone are Davis and his beard, the full force of the Oracle's magic, and Matt Barnes figures in their loss somehow. However, they add the Babyfaced Killah, the new Matt Barnes in Anthony Morrow, as well as the impending sign of the revolution that is Anthony Randolph. Combine these youth with the Fearless Leader and Monta, and this team is more exciting than the 2007 edition. The West Coast vibe went from "Xxplosive" to "Dreams." Does that make Stephen Jackson or Don Nelson Dr. Dre? Where the "We Believe" team was a test run, this collection of Warriors have a myriad of possibilities at their disposal. The revolution will be dribbled.

Shout-out to Shoals and everybody at FreeDarko.

Peace.

All Dollar Bills

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:59:00 +0000

Two quick apologies before I begin. First, an apology for being away for so long. My schedule's gotten really cluttered; and with the events over last weekend, I just didn't feel up to it. My second apology has a similar premise to the first. This post was originally supposed to be my NBA Wish List that I had begun to formulate while watching the Draft aka "Curry, Point Guards, and Cash Considerations." These recent transactions have sent tremors through the NBA world. To me, they prove that the more things change, the more they stay the same. More after the not-so random picture.

The Lake Show getting QB's Finest is the latest move in an arms race between the five title contenders. But true Basketball fans already knew that there were five contenders: LA, Cleveland, Boston, San Antonio, and ~~Orlando~~ ~~Portland~~ Orlando The rest of the Association are just hoping to make an impression in the playoffs. Yes, superheroes like Carmelo, CP3, Deron, and Wade will undoubtedly use their abilities to push these contenders. But in the end, those five teams will be the best five teams in the Association.

Some of you may be thinking that there's always a team that exceeds expectations, much like Denver did last year and Golden State did two years ago. Well, that's respectable for those franchises and it does provide some impulse to the regular season. That aspect combined with other splendid individual surprises like Mr. Durant, Harris, and Granger of a year ago; and we'll briefly talk about those subplots during the 30 x 82.

When this offseason was approaching, there was chatter going around about how moves will be made based on financial logic. And while revenue remains the root of all NBA evil franchises' respective decisions, it's still and always will be in terms of value. In the case of Ron-Ron to LA, the Lakers got a better, tougher player for the mid-level exception, letting Ariza—a journeyman with these under his belt (note the different jerseys)—go when he would've cost more than that. Jefferson to the Spurs is another example of how the Spurs stay among the elite while other franchises fluctuate between success and rebuilding. The Shaq-uisition is a frontcourt upgrade for a team that won 66 games.

When the dust settles, and people have stopped dunking on Hasheem Thabeet; and Steph Curry has stopped torturing Knicks fans with three after three on the opposite coast; and Brandon Jennings does whatever Brandon Jennings does, those five teams will be atop the standings. They will be the ones we care about and want to see for seven-game series. All it took was one team to make a power move, and the rest of the top-tier franchises attempted to trump each other. It's not about money. It's about who was bold enough to take that chance and force the other teams to respond in kind. Five teams did, and the other 25 are just playing to be "best of the rest."

Peace.

The FU Pre-Draft Spec-tac-u-lar

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 02:17:00 +0000

For most Basketball fans, the time between the end of the Finals and the Draft can be a bit of a bore. For days on in, we hear about players' stocks rising and falling as every aspect of their beings are measured to determine whether or not that player deserves his name to be called by David Stern in a certain spot in the order. It's like roll call for prospective millionaires. Well, I'm one of those people that enjoys the pre-draft talk, and I was conversing with two brothers (literally) about June 25th while looking through old AAU books. They asked that I do something for the draft, and I will. I won't attempt to predict who goes where, because you can go to the various Hoops sites for that. Besides, the FD crew wrote an amazing one based on their FD-ness. (Note: read the picks before you criticize the order of their draft.) I'd rather give my assessment of the individual players using some of the basic categories, mixed with some...different ones, written in that high school yearbook nominations kind of way. If you're still with me, there's more after the random picture...

Best Scorer: James Harden, Arizona State. Crafty, bearded, and deceptively athletic, James Harden is this year's Brandon Roy. Most believe that because he isn't flashy that he won't pan out in the Association. But he should be a solid starter for years to come. His game isn't as polished as B-Roy's, but it's pretty close. Or maybe people don't dig that he wore a T-shirt. I did, even though he has nothing on this guy.

Best Shooter: Stephen Curry, Davidson. Done. Next.

Best Defender: Eric Maynor, VCU. The darling of March Madness in 2006 from VCU has played his way into the first round. He isn't rated among the elite point guards, but he definitely plays the best man-to-man defense—just ask Darren Collison and ~~former Duke PG~~ Syracuse QB Greg Paulus. Not the most consistent shooter, but he will effectively run your team and won't cost them a game.

Most Likely to Be Kevin Durant: Jonny Flynn, Syracuse/Stephen Curry, Davidson (tie). Mr. Durant was blessed with the opportunity to be in a situation in which he was going to a team that was in flux, with little talent, and a shifty owner. As a result, he was blessed with the opportunity to be The Man right away, and not have to defer to any veterans. Plus, he's really, really good. The same goes for Flynn and Curry in this draft. This title, like every draft pick, will depend on where these two guards are taken. Meaning, which one falls to the Knicks and given the keys to Mike D's SSOL Ferrari. Both have the potential to be D'Antoni's new Maestro, and can further actualize his revolutionary schemes. It all depends on if Al Harrington is willing to share in a contract year, and if Larry Hughes doesn't play like Larry Hughes. Mike D will no doubt give whomever his new floor general is the green light ~~until Lebron gets there next year~~ to score and distribute to his heart's desire. And Mike D will be able to prove that is his his vision and not Nash's wizardry that was paramount in Phoenix's success.

Most Likely to be Greg Oden: Hasheem Thabeet, UConn. Thabeet is what Oden was three years ago, except Oden played well in big NCAA games, while Thabeet was constantly dominated by other low post players (see: Blair, DaJuan). He blocks shots, but is very limited on offense. He's more mobile than Oden, and doesn't have the injury history. You can't teach his timing when contesting shots, so he'll be of service if he does that.

Most Likely to Look Like Greg Oden: Sam Young, Pitt. Don't front, Sam Grizzle looks like Greg Oden's long lost son. With that obvious observation aside, Young should be a solid contributor to a contending team (Are you listening, Cleveland/San Antonio/New Orleans?). Jamie Dixon schooled him in defense, and combined with his explosiveness and "The Grizzle Fake," Sam will be in the League for awhile...even though he looks like he's signed a couple mid-level exceptions already.

Most Underrated Prospect: Terrence Williams, Lousiville. He's the most complete player in the draft, yet most people feel his Cardinals teammate Earl Clark will be the better pro. Athleticism, rebounding, passing, and leadership are the tools he brings to a franchise. Once immature at UL, he bought into Pitino's preachings in his junior year and is now twice the player he was as a freshman. The only knock is that he's a four-year player, and most scouts believe that his ceiling's too low. I believe that whoever takes him is getting the steal of the draft.

Most Overrated Prospect: Jrue Holiday, UCLA. His game is smooth and he rarely plays out of control, but he didn't dominate during his only season in Westwood to be worthy of Top 10 consideration. Is that a sign of how good he can be, or how shallow the player pool is? I just know that he was fifth-leading scorer on his team, and three of those players won't come close to being drafted. He only scored in double figures in 14 of his team's 35 games. Conversely, Tyreke Evans didn't score in double digits only five times, and was the difference in his team's success once he moved to the point. At 6'3", Holiday is that dreaded "undersized combo guard," but he isn't the scorer like Ben Gordon, or the explosive player like Rodney Stuckey. He should develop nicely, if given the opportunity. If...

Prospect We Love Today That We'll Hate in Five Years: Blake Griffin, Oklahoma. I mean, he's going to the Clippers. That alone will invoke Olowokandi jokes. Moment of silence for the Blake we one knew...followed by a video montage to remember him before they rob him of his soul....

Prospect We Hate Today That We'll Love in Five Years: Gerald Henderson, Duke. He went to Duke and still has that Krzyzewski odor on him; but I'm slowly seeing that he is different from the typical Blue Devil aristocrat player (I'm looking at you, J.J.). He wants to run, loves playing through contact, and he's internally gritty. Plus, he elbowed Tyler Hansbrough right in the nose, taking him down a peg. A +1 to you, Mr. Henderson, for that; even though I side with the Tar Heels. Let's hope he can shed the shadows of Coach K and succeed where DeMarcus Nelson couldn't.

Best Basketball Comment (Probably Ever): Brandon Jennings, Compton/Italy. When asked, "What position do you play?" Jennings responds in only someone with that much inner belief in his own awesome can—by replying, "3-guard." That deserves it's own HOF plaque, and should be his slogan if/when he gets a shoe deal. Hopefully, his struggles overseas has grounded him and he'll be able to harness all that ability he possesses. And yes, he has way more upside than Ricky Rubio.

Prospect We Know Followed In College That We'll Forget in Five Years: Tyler Hansbrough/Ty Lawson/Danny Green, UNC (tie). Part of this is where they're projected to be selected, and part of it is history. The 2005 Tar Heel championship team had three studs on it as well, and right now, only Ray Felton is semi-relevant; and that's almost gone as soon as Larry Brown realizes DJ Augustin is better than him. The same appears to hold true for UNC's most recent triumverate, with Lawson being the most relevant in the future—simply on Felton comparisons alone. Green, while talented, will most likely be picked in the 2nd round and doomed to the end of someone's bench. This brings me to Psycho T. His sheer will may keep him employed for a long time; and by most scouts' account, he's underrated skill-wise. His case is the most curious of all the prospects—even more so than Curry's—because he's already being written off as a solid backup. Maybe he'll rise up. Maybe he won't.

Prospect We Knew Little About That Will Amaze In Five Years: Marcus Thornton, LSU. Thornton nearly single-handedly derailed UNC's title run in the second round. As a 6'4" PG, he's everything Chicago thought Ben Gordon would be, and he's five inches taller (you can't tell me Gordon's 6'1"). Portland should take him at #24, because he's what they thought Jerryd Bayless would be.

First-Round Pick That Should Be A Second-Round Pick: Dejuan Summers, Georgetown. Good at a lot, but not great at one thing. He's like fellow Hoya Jeff Green, but not nearly as good or as high a basketball IQ. I can't think of a moment that propelled him into the first round, but I guess that's another testament to how weak this draft really is.

Second-Round Pick That Should Be A First-Round Pick: Dionte Christmas, Temple/Lester Hudson, Tenn-Martin. Christmas is the best shooting, um, shooting guard in the whole group. Catching and releasing is his game, and he's above average at creating one off the dribble. But it's Hudson I'd like to talk about. If he were 20, he'd be Rodney Stuckey and climbing up everyone's draft board. But since he's 24, he's stuck in the second round, and will probably have the stars align for him to get NBA minutes. Nevertheless, his college stats are absurd, and I've seen him play a couple times. He literally did everything for the Skyhawks...at 6'4". Someone please give him a chance. If given the right situation, he'll be like Ramon Sessions.

So that's concluded the FU 2009 pre-draft spec-tac-u-lar. If there's any debate, omissions, or additions, feel free to let me know in the comments.

Peace.

Superhero Mindstate

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 15:49:00 +0000

I have been away for awhile. I had dropped off a post about which Beltway player will get a ring first over at BeltwaySportsPage. Had to support the DMV movement.

So this year's Finals, like in recent years, have been anti-climactic. The Orlando bandwagon is all but empty; and even if you believe the Magic will stave off elimination tonight, most will agree that Kobe will end it at Staples in Game 6. But this post isn't about the series; or Kobe's validation with a championship, or how Lebron's still numero uno despite the Mamba's impending ring (foreshadowing to a future post). It's actually a journey into the mind of the elite player and how he approaches a big game/series. More after the random picture goodness...

You see, the reason why the Elite are the Elite, aside from being supernaturally gifted, is their intrinsic ability to rise when situations are most pressurized. Very rarely will the Elite play terribly when his team needs him the most. Now this doesn't necessarily mean that they will win everytime—as evidenced by Lebron's play against the Magic—but it will take the perfect storm from the opposition in order for the Elite to be defeated. But there's a process before the Elite decides to unleash his ultimate fury. If you're still with me, the first level is after the second random picture...

Observation State. If you play Basketball, regardless of level, then you are aware of the "feel-out" process that happens at the beginning of each game. The intensity isn't as high, and the tempo's a little slower than normal. People are still trying to loosen up get into the flow of the game. In this situation, the Elite will not force the issue offensively. Rather, he will sit back and attempt to get his teammates involved and into the game. This usually applies to perimeter, isolation-type players as opposed to big men. Post players always need a pass, but even they can decide to look opposite and dish out of double teams, or do this to set the tone. Now, the Elite's initial deferment does not mean he's isn't aggressive. It just means that he won't take those impossible shots that mere mortals wouldn't dare try, at home or otherwise. The Elite will remain in the Observational State as long as he feels his team doesn't need his heroics just yet. Then, he makes his progression to the next mental state...

Assimilation State. In the Assimilation State, the Elite will begin to assert himself offensively. He knows that his team will need his amazing abilities, regardless of whether the team is ahead or behind. He'll start breaking sets and looking for more isolation opportunities. He won't shoot every possession, but he will try to get himself in a rhythm on offense for the latter parts of the game/series. He will see how and where the extra defenders are, which way they play him off the pick-and-roll, and how much space the initial defender gives him on various parts of the floor. He gathers all this information he has collected and analyzes it at halftime/when the series' scene shifts. He then reaches the next mental state...

Weapon State. Every team makes adjustments at halftime/when the series changes arenas. The Elite will see if these changes will greatly deter the plan of attack he has created. If not, then thre's a smooth transition to the fourth mental state. But if the Elite is forced to somewhat rethink his plan, he then briefly retreats back and combines both the Assimilation and Observation states and just plays a "regular game." There may be some scoring, there may be some assisting. but he will be more aggressive and look to begin bending the game to his will. On to the fourth mental state.

Destruction State. At some point, the Elite will have enough of the opposition believing it has a chance of victory, and he will begin to go all Super Saiyan. It's at this point that all jokes will cease; and the elite will show why he his vastly better than the billions of people that have ever picked up a basketball. The second half of Kobe's "81" game, Wade in 2006, and Lebron in Game 7 last year are all examples of the Elites of the game unleashing their full fury. This can lead to some gaudy stats at the end of the game, as well as the overstanding of why they are who we thought they were...word to Dennis Green. And even while the Destruction State will usually result in victory for the Elite, there is yet another, more devastating region in the Elite's psyche that only surfaces during the Destruction State.

Oblivion. While in the Destruction State, the Elite has come to the conclusion that he will not be defeated without using all of his powers to prevent it. But the moment, the Steve Buckhantz "dagger" that is the final blow, is what Oblivion is. The Elite, like all great assassins, recognize that a killing blow must always be delivered. It doesn't necessarily have to be a game-winning shot or a dunk; but it's always a play that only the Elite can make. It's a play that is a microcosm entitled, "I'm Than You: You Know It, I Know It." If you need a visual example, it's all of the plays in the "Where Will Amazing Happen?" ads that ran throughout the playoffs. Those are the moments that leave the opposition in a state of head-scratching shock, followed by deflated acceptance.

So there you have it. That's the journey through the mind of an Elite player. Bear in mind that in some instances, the Elite will go immediately into the Destruction State; but the path to it usually follows the aforementioned methods. Remember that as you watch those players throughout their careers.

Peace.

His Reputation Is Expanding Faster Than The Universe

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:52:00 +0000

I didn't want to do a Finals preview; and even if I did, but Shoals already masterfully did that. And rather give predictions and such—or join in the chastising of Lebron for both not reaching the Finals and having royal sour grapes—I'd like to just focus on The Most Interesting Man In The World. More after the random picture...

No basketball player is more polarizing than Kobe Bean Bryant. For example, he's the only player that you either love or hate. You won't meet anyone that's "just okay" with Kobe. I've already let you know that Kobe is driven by his natural human infallibility; and is a demigod because of it. He is the Perfect Shooting Guard, and has calculated angles in ways that not even MJ could grasp, especially at this age. Now he isn't the impulsive acrobat that Jordan was; but his spontaneity is so complex that something that seems lucky is made to look easy. He differs from Lebron in two aspects. First, where anything Lebron does has a hint of faith-summoning inevitability to it despite gigantic levels difficulty and awe, Kobe makes the impossible looks so easy, even though he's the Game's hardest worker. He pisses off (on?) adversaries by being devastatingly cold-blooded with the precision of a sniper and the weaponry and tactics of a shinobi; while somehow making it look effortless. He's a Swiss-Army knife if every gadget was lethal and constantly sharpened. Lebron inspires the fear of a deity, but Kobe brings about fear of a man possessed by his own inner desires.

Honestly, I'm not sure what makes Kobe so polarizing. I lean towards his duplication of His Airness. The one element of his legacy he can't seem to add to his formula is power over the masses. Yes, he leads in jersey sales; but Lebron, Wade, and Howard seem to illict more smiles. Kobe makes you respect him because of his showmanship through mechanization. Never has a reverse layup or turnaround, 18-foot fadeaway looked so orchestrated. Kobe lives vicariously through himself; a self whom wants to and does live directly through the Ghost of Airness Past. Even though it seems to have limited his career legacy by following so closely to the Jordan Method, he compels respect because he's done so and kept his sanity.

Another main reason why Kobe is so divisive among Basketball fans is approach to leadership as a veteran. He's the last superstar that believes that the best way to maximize a supporting cast is to be a disciplinarian. Other elites like Lebron, Paul, 'Melo, and Durant recognize that lesser players tend to be more fragile mentally; so constant berating may be too much. Kobe believed that if his teammates watch him work, then they'd be inspired to do the same. But he seemed to overlook that even with that, they're still not as good, as driven, and as focused as he is. And that's where this new, Big Brother Mamba has unveiled. Kobe, the walking variable—constantly seeking to answer all the Y's with various X's—became friendlier to the lesser Lakers; complete with daps and hugs. Genuine or contrived, it's led to back-to-back Finals appearances. Yes, the previous two years' worth of Laker teams have had more talent, while before then there was Kwame and Smush (moment of silence for Smush). He had to appear human and incorporate cooperative emotions like trust and companionship to achieve his ultimate goals. That rebuilding period was the awkward moment he had; but not so he could see how it feels. Kobe had to experience trial and tribulation to further exponentially increase his will to win and propel him to the highest of heavens. Like I tell Kobe supporters, no one called Kobe The Best in the Association until 2005—the first of those mediocre years.

With the Realm of Basketball sharpening the Game's most complete weapon, Kobe's legacy went from lock Hall-of-Famer to top ten player ever. Love him or hate him, respect his Mamba. Stay thirsty, my friends.

Peace.

L-Boogie Through L-Boogie

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:37:00 +0000

I don't make it much of a secret; I miss Lauryn Hill. If you want to know why, then ask me in the comments. To me, she's the greatest female musical talent in the history of mankind; and my favorite musician, regardless of gender. She's Erykah Badu and Jean Grae, Rah Digga and Janelle Monae, The Songstress and The Floacist—all in one supremely talented woman. But, for reasons that can only be speculated, her career is on halt; leaving her fans to wonder where she is and if she'll return to form. Right now, she's just a mythological goddess of music that supporters just frustratingly wonder, "What if?" Similarly, in the Basketball Realm, there's a players that elicits the same feelings whenever you see flashes of what lies within his inconsistent grasp. That player is Lamar Odom. More after the random picture...

Now, I don't "miss" Lamar Odom, nor does he resonate in my Basketball soul the way Ms. Hill does in my musical one. And I don't believe he's the greatest anything in Basketball, except that he most likely has the best handle of anyone over 6'9" in the history of the game. But whether or not you're a fan of Kobe and the Lake Show, you can't help but be frustrated with the fickleness with which he plays. He's streaky, in the sense that inconsistency is his career-long streak. From his beginning with the Clippers, to the brief stop in South Beach (the best part of his career), to right now in The City of Angels, Odom hasn't quite seemed to live up to the potential that his natural abilities suggest that he possesses. He literally can do everything on the court; and the only difference between him and Lebron is Lebron's ruthlessness.

It's this passivity that bothers those that know the depths of Odom's powers. For whatever reason, he prefers being the third option on a team that relies on his versatility. With all due respect to Kevin Garnett, 'Sheed, and Dirk, it's Lamar that is best naturally equipped to fully revolutionize the power forward position—if only he believed he could. I don't know if it's a genuine timidity from the pressures of being a key player; one can only guess. But my speculation is that Lamar Odom simply is willing to let others shine. It's a little deeper than Joe Johnson's unassuming personality. Reverend Joey will still average a solid twenty a game without the flash and flare of the elite players. Odom would rather contribute as an unknown soldier than receive credit for being the X-factor he is. When Pau was first given traded to LA, it was Odom who flourished, but it was Pau who received the praise for being the difference. He's a man that's been through a lot; and continues to be one of the more likable people in the Association. He's best friends with Ron Artest, and still maintains his sanity. That alone garners him respect.

So, seeing plays like the dunk on the Birdman in Game 5, like Chris Andersen was a bird in "Duck Hunt," will bring about feelings of frustrations and searches of answers to why Odom doesn't unleash his powers more often. But, like unexpectedly hearing "Ready or Not", appreciate it when it occurs; even if it's few and far between. Maybe sometime in the near future, both versions of L-Boogie can overcome whatever is holding them back and be the people that fans are longing for; and for me in regards to Lauryn, fell in love with.

Peace.

This Is What It All Became

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Mon, 18 May 2009 23:00:00 +0000

We've all heard the saying that, "One's man's trash is another man's treasure." Well, it seems that the Nuggets have found a leader in Billups that has provided them with calm and poise at the point guard position; and has created a masterpiece in the way that Kutiman made genius from YouTube clips. More analogy goodness after the random picture...

Now, this isn't to say that Denver's trade for AI wasn't a smart move because it was, in theory/on paper. Denver needed more of a scoring punch in the backcourt, and were willing to sacrifice Andre Miller's leadership to get it. Iverson and Melo wanted to coexist, and neither player's production really slipped while they were together; but the way The Answer plays doesn't really mesh with Melo's groove—or anyone else's, for that matter. They were still productive because they were that great. But the way Anthony plays, he needs a point guard. His throwback game is what I feel is holding him back from superstardom. He doesn't have the ferocity of Lebron, the cold ruthlessness of Kobe, or the acrobatics of Wade. His game is smooth, like the Mother of All Funk Chords. This is why of all the elite players, he scores the easiest (read: easiest, not most). Billups allows Anthony the freedom to operate in his comfort areas, and Lets Melo be Melo without concentrating on getting his teammates involved.

Denver's frontcourt is one of physical toughness that straddles the line of thuggery. Ask Dirk about the modern day mugging that reminded older Basketball heads of less ticky-tack fouls and more, "No Easy Buckets." K-Mart, Nene', and Birdman love to be on the receiving end of Billups' penetration for dunks. Since Chauncey is a willing distributor, the frontcourt loves to run the floor and hits the defensive glass with tenacity just to get the rock in the hands of their fearless leader. Their style of play is more like the "Wait For Me" Thru-You video, in which vocoder is treated today as this new trend when it's been around for awhile; yet forgotten for significantly lesser forms of musical entertainment. Physical play, or so-called "playoff fouls," are the remains of what used to be a time in which big men didn't allow players to roam the paint at will. We'll see if there's a sizable amount of intestinal fortitude inside Pau, Bynum, and Lamar; because K-Mart and the boys will certainly test it (end brieft playoff tangent). Denver's big men are perfect for George Karl and more importantly, for Billups.

This brings me to the most combustible, most head-scratching player this side of young Ron Artest: JR Smith. I believe that in JR Smith, Chauncey sees a younger version of himself. Remember, before he got to Detroit, Chauncey was a castaway from Boston, Minnesota, and Denver a first time. Billups was a spark plug off the bench, as long as he was focused on basketball. As I said last post, JR is already on his third team, and finds solace with these Nuggets. I think Billups has more of an influence on Smith than anyone has since JR's been in the Association, and can be pivotal in Smith's development. Observing Billups' current work ethic, as well as his ability to dominate without be demonstrative will hopefully rub off on JR and help him harness those flashes of devastating offensive force waiting to be fulfilled.

I know it's cliche' to say that one man has done so much for one team. But in this case, it seems to closely apply to Chauncey and his hometown Nuggets. He's brought credibility to a city still searching for the magic Dikembe had—oddly against Goerge Karl's Sonics way back when. Billups has molded Denver into a true contender for a few years to come. This is what they became.

Peace.

Equation of an NBA Blue Devil: Distance from K

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Sat, 16 May 2009 02:05:00 +0000

For those of you that know me, you know that I'm not too fond of University of Duke Men's Basketball; particularly the head coach, Mike Krzyzewski. I had been holding back on venting about Coach K and Duke because I try not to be too serious at FU; while providing quality sports hypotheses for you to rattle around in your minds...with a mixture of random pictures. But I must change the tone of this post in order to provide insight for those that may not know the basis of my dislike for the Blue Devils. Whether you're familiar with the story or not, after the picture, flashback about ten years ago...*insert wavy fade out/in with dream sequence music*

Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, and William Avery—all stud underclassmen at Durham—decided to break free from Coach K's regime and head for the pros. Like most college coaches, Krzyzewski is the type has to give his younger players that proverbial blessing to leave; much like how USC's Pete Carroll chastised Mark Sanchez for leaving early. With those kind of coaches, there may be some concern for their player, and they may believe that said player isn't ready for the rigors of the professional level. But also, because coaches have abnormally large egos, they try to hold onto young phenoms so they can preserver their winning product for a few more years keep the bevy of talent rolling along smoothly. Even though Coach K didn't openly campaign against it, his recruiting trends since then have led to circumstantial evidence that supports my claim.

If you run down all the best players since then, you come up with Redick, Jay Williams/Dunleavy/Boozer, and now Kyle Singler. But let's focus on the Redick era. He played alongside DeMarcus Nelson. Nelson is the state of California's all-time high school leader in scoring. Yet, he was reduced to being mainly a defensive stopper while Redick was blessed with an enormous green light. I refuse to believe that someone whose reputation was that of a scorer can't score in the NCAA without some outside hinderance. For example, Tyrese Rice broke all of Redick's Virginia high school records, and he was able to produce at BC without much of a supporting cast. So based on this, I believe Coach K intentionally limits the role of some players (read: the Black ones) in hopes of keeping them around longer. That's why it took so long for Gerald Henderson to break out; and why Carlos Boozer is the best of that above triumverate (with the tragedy of Williams' motorcycle injury playing a role), despite being a second-round pick.

(End brief rant about Coach K. Save that for later.)

But let's get back to Boozer, Redick, Dahntay Jones, and the safest Black man in America, Shane Battier. It seems to me that the further an NBA player gets from Duke, the more admirable he becomes by someone not named Dick Vitale. Battier gets praise for being the ultimate winner, Jones is a pretty good defender, Redick has become serviceable as a shooter, and Boozer is a consistent 20 and 10 power forward. Anti-Duke fans seem to give former Blue Devils that succeed in the Association true respect. I know I do given the circumstances a lot of them have to overcome while playing for Coach K. Duhon is decent in the SSOL system, even though it looks like Mike D will have a new maestro to play with for a few years. Now, will someone please give DeMarcus Nelson some NBA minutes?

Peace.

Too Cool For School

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:21:00 +0000

In my last post, I had alluded to a future post about the difference between JR Smith and Gerald Green. Well, that future is now, and I'll explain that difference...after the random picture...

But first, let's examine the similarities. They both are among the last of the preps-to-pro players before Draft Rule 19, and have played for or been a member of three teams in their brief careers (Smith was a Chicago Bull for about 38 minutes before he was dealt to the Nuggets). Green has yet to find steady footing, while Smith is a semi-combustible spark off Denver's bench. But Green and Smith possess the same tools in their respective games: Green was as good if not a better shooter than Smith out of high school; and we all know about both of their skyscraper-leaping hops. So why is Smith a demented, ceiling-touching version of Vinny "The Microwave" Johnson, while Green is Harold Minor 2k9? The answer is opportunity.

Even though both have the propensity to be knuckleheads, its Smith that was able to find solace with Denver and fellow castaways due to various knocks on character. Green has played for Doc Rivers, whomever replaced Flip in Minnesota, and Rick Carlisle—all three coaches that add a bit of disciplinarian to their coaching styles. I still maintain that all Green needs is consistent minutes, but I also believe that someone with Gerald's talent would easily start—or be the bench stalwart like Smith is--with a little practice work. It appears Smith is in a Manu-type role with the Nuggets, and merely comes off the bench so he can unleash his full fury without much deferring.

Not to sound so mainstream, but I think cases like Gerald Green are reasons why the NBA instituted the age rule, citing immaturity as Exhibit A. But if you look at it through their eyes, you'll see that aside from the financial reasons, you'll see what I feel is a major attibutor of their aspirations.

Basketball is a sport in which a hot prospect is condemned (through draft stock) by staying an amateur longer. Tyrus Thomas was a one-March Madness wonder, and was a lottery pick despite having limited skills. However, had he stayed in college and added some dimensions to his game, he'd be ppicked apart and lose millions, even though he'd be better. That's why the Travis Outlaws and CJ Miles' of the high school basketball world chose to enter the draft; and why Brandon Jennings and now Jeremy Tyler are pursuing the brief overseas option. It allows them to play against professionals, get paid, and still maintain a lofty prospect status. At its core, it's a win-win for them.

Aside from that, and to me more importantly, the better NBA players are all preps-to-pro or underclassmen. Three of the five first team all-NBAers never played in college; and before you say it's all about offense, four of the NBA's First Team all-Defense are also straight from high school. It makes sense for a player to leave early if he believes amateur status has nothing left to offer his game. Simply put, seniors, for the most part, aren't as good as underclassmen.

For example, if Tim Duncan is the best four-year college player in the NBA, who is second? In fact, name an NBA starting five of strictly four-year players. In another fact, I'll do it for you:

G: Andre Miller
G: Josh Howard
F: Danny Granger
F: David West
C: Tim Duncan

That's a respectable lineup with one lock Hall-of-Famer, two other all-stars, and a solid backcourt. However, let's look at the starting five for preps-to-pro players:

G: Kobe Bryant
G: Tracy McGrady
F: Lebron James
F: Kevin Garnett
C: Dwight Howard

The above five has a combined 37 all-star selections, with another 15 or so to be seen from Lebron and Howard; and Amar'e and Al Jefferson weren't even included. This is what Martell Webster, Gerald Green, JR Smith, and other prep players (and now one-and-done players) see when they take that early leap into professional Basketball. They've been groomed as next big things since middle school, and there's nothing that has happened to shake that confidence. Four-year players seem to have a ceiling placed on their abilities, while younger players are given more chances to recognize their potential (Kwame...). For Gerald Green's sake, I hope someone gives him a chance, or he forces someone to give him a chance.

Before I say, "Peace," I'm gonna give you the starting fives for the other draft classifications:

One-and-done:

G: Derrick Rose
G: Jamal Crawford
F: Carmelo Anthony
F: Kevin Durant
C: Chris Bosh

Two-and-out:

G: Chris Paul
G: Allen Iverson
F: Andre Iguodala
F: Joe Johnson
C: Shaquille O'Neal

Three years:

G: Deron Williams
G: Dwayne Wade
F: Brandon Roy
F: Paul Pierce
C: Emeka Okafor

Internationals:

G: Tony Parker
G: Steve Nash
F: Andrei Kirilenko
F: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Yao Ming

If there are any debates or omissions on my part, feel free to leave them in the comments.

Peace.

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Tue, 12 May 2009 01:04:00 +0000

It's been a long time. I've been meaning to vent about a lot of the recent basketball stories: from Jeremy Tyler to Dirk's humble admission to Rafer and Ron-Ron taking it back to Queens. I could go on and on about Lebron or Billups or the difference between JR Smith and Gerald Green (that one is actually coming soon), but I have something different to share with you; and would like your feedback in the comments section. More after the random picture...

I've let it be known over on Money Mike's "Points Off Turnovers!" that Allen Iverson is my favorite all-time player. Even though his titan-slaying crossover on His Airness is his most monumental move in his journey through the Path of Basketball, it's his second-most profound move that confirmed the way I now see Basketball. I'm talking about the one that happened on the court and not the one in the media room that inspired an amazing J-Live/DJ Jazzy Jeff joint. The crossover-step-back corner jumper over Tyronn Lue in the '01 Finals demonstrated that a man, regardless of what was thrown his way, could impose his individual style on another and succeed. In addition to that affirmation, AI's anti-establishment style was further validation to me that a man carves his own destiny and can wield the power to move mountains. I know that sounds like a lot for a jumper in a game that ultimately meant nothing but keeping those Lakers from going undefeated in the playoffs, but I can now recognize those feelings now that I'm older. That one jumper from an unadulterated scorer inspired a shooter to find new ways to play angles to be able to release over taller players. And it was the foundation for the Fundamentally UnSound opinions that you read every...whenever I have time to post.

I couldn't be initially inspired by anything else; not because I'm not enamored with taller players, but rather because AI is someone that resonated with my Basketball soul. Isiah Thomas was a little before I really started watching, and Jason Terry doesn't possess the destructive willpower like Iverson. While Terry's one of my favorite players to watch, he isn't a shatterer of worlds; and that's what AI's jumper appeared to do to Mr. Lue. Iverson had to be the one to confirm my vision of the sport to me because he was the first player that I viewed differently. Even God Jordan to me was someone that was superhuman through tenacity; and didn't have blatant individualism through rebellion. Jordan was un-eff-witable because he was amazing; AI was all that with the candor of the best of hip-hop verses (Shout-out to Inspectah Deck).

That move was nearly a decade ago, yet I get special feelings for it whenever I see it. See, there are some things that will stay with you, whether consciously or subconsciously, that will shape the way you view tings, situations, events, and moments in life. They are things from your younger years that will bring back the entusiasm of youth once you have thought of them. They can be from anything, and not just necessarily related to your particular passion. For whatever reason, you can't forget them if you tried. They are the Konami Code for video game heads, something that designers of a few web sites have included on their pages after so many years.

So I'm asking you, Basketball fan, what moment in time is the cornerstone for how you see Hoops? Even if you don't look on Basketball with the analytical scope as I do, there is still something—some moment—that you can recall that will fill your Basketball mind with content. And I'd love to know what it is.

Peace.

Unexpected Magic

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Sat, 02 May 2009 19:05:00 +0000

While we're running out of superlatives for the way we feel while watching the Bulls and Celtics play what seems to be a never-ending game on one-ups-manship, there is a underlying factor that this series has created. And it's a variable that David Stern is very thankful for. More after the random picture...

I would like for you to drift back into the Basketball mental state that you were in before the postseason started. You may have been wondering if the Rockets were really better without McGrady; whether Chauncey would bring some stability to the unfocused Nuggets; whether it was really over for Detroit, Dallas, and San Antonio. But really, in your hoops heart of hearts, you were just praying that there was a way to skip to the NBA Finals--to the matchup of the Superhuman versus the Supernatural. You wished that there were no injuries, while hoping the elites in the playoffs would give you something to talk about around the water cooler.

Well, that did happen to an extent. Billups showed that he still deserves to be placed among elite floor generals. Miami and Atlanta are in the most boring 7-game series in history. Portland and Philly (and Orlando, to some degree) showed that they're still one year and one piece away from being thoroughly respected. Dwyane Wade is still a superhero. But even with all that, this first round would be nothing without Bulls/Celts. This is the diversion Big Commish was looking for--somthing to grab ahold of the people and bring more eyes to the TV screen.

Because of the glaring flaws of each team, the series was allowed to be more than just The Champs vs. The Baby Bulls. Throw in the unpredictability of the plays--and Chicago's inability to get the memo about Ray Allen and screens in crunch time--and you have speechless Basketball fans after six games anxiously waiting what the seventh will unfold. Instead of sitting with our heads in our hands waiting for the Kobe/Lebron promo, we're awaiting what tricks Rondo will have up his sleeve. We're wondering if Rose/Rondo is the CP3/D-Will of the East, at least until Devin Harris gets into the posteason, and that D-Rose's block was the drawing of first blood. We look forward to the possibility of Ray playing like Jesus, whether or not his last name is Shuttlesworth; and if Paul Pierce can bring the Truth to John Salmons to create some space at the free throw line. We're pulled in like a new audience in front of an experienced magician that hasn't seen his close-up illusions before.

Shot after shot, defensive stop after defensive stop, and whatever possessed Joakim Noah in the third overtime, the Bulls and the Celtics have temporarily provided misdirection; averting our eyes from June and into the first round. And David Stern is all smiles for it.

Peace.

Remove The Snake-Colored Glasses

jtillman45@hotmail.com (The Till Show) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 22:34:00 +0000

The postseason has already started. And while this year's playoffs is adding to the evidence that point guard and not center is now Basketball's most important position, this post won't be about that. Actually, I'd like to spend a few words on an ever-growing hype I have. More after the random pic...

About six weeks into the regular season, it had become apparent to me that there is a new holder to the, "Best Basketball Player in the World" crown. I'm not changing my mind, nor am I going to restate any of the major points of why Lebron reigns supreme in this post. Just reread it. At the time, I was fine with those that held onto the idea that Kobe is still numero uno because The Mamba is still a devastating basketball Shogun. But if there's one rule that I have when debating sports (or anything) is that both parties must willing to hear the other side's arguments. In a perfect world, this would be the norm. But nope.

It seems that Lakers fans are having a tough time with the thought of Lebron or anyone being better at Basketball than their precious Mamba. I don't like to generalize, but every single LA supporter I've run into is the same way. I feel like Lakers fans are the NBA version of Patriots fans. It's not a stereotype, it's just based on the info that I've gathered since the turn of the year. I'm fine with respectful disagreements coupled with properly substantiated reasons and acceptance of opinions on the other side of the spectrum. However, the Laker fans that I've come across just can't seem to grasp this brand new concept. They can't see beyond Kobe's butterfly crown tattoo. Kobe fans, meet me after the random picture.

Look, I understand what you're going through. I know, you're not over it. It can be tough when something that has been so understood for so long come into question. But what you must realize is that Kobe being the best Basketballer was a temporary idea, and that it's shelf life has expired. What you fail to get is that when I and others say that Lebron is better, it does not mean that Kobe Bryant is terrible and overrated. Every sane hoops fan recognizes Kobe as the game's most cerebral and complete entity. Both of Kobe's fadewaways against Lebron this season are two of the best executed jumpers I've ever seen. Just because he isn't my overwhelmingly favorite player doesn't mean I relinquish my Basketball opinion for eternity. During my interactions with Kobe supporters, they seem to overlook Lebron's skill and use his physical imposition as a flaw. When this occurs, I begin to sense some distortion in the Laker fan, as if his precious Mamba's character has been insulted and he must defend his honor. I said Lebron was better; I didn't talk about Kobe's Mama.

So that is what it has come to. Showtime supporters need to check themselves just a little bit. All we are saying is that Kobe Bryant, in the rankings of people that play basketball worldwide, is #2. Until Lakers fans accept this, I can't talk about this topic anymore with them. I'll just direct them to the post. If you want to talk about Lebron/Kobe, you better like the T'Wolves or somebody. Laker fans, ya cut off.

Peace.