So today is September 2, 2010. You shorten it and it's 9-2-10. But most of us realize that we can also write it as 9-02-10. Or even better, 90210! So Happy 90210 Day!
We realize it's still the offseason but I PERSONALLY LOVED Beverly Hills 90210 (I can't speak for the others). So to celebrate this awesome day, I came to a realization.
Okay, so he doesn't coach in the NBA (although we know how much Kobe Bryant wanted him to coach the Lakers) but Mike Krzyzewski (I really hate spelling that name... and hate it pronouncing it even more), coach of the Blue Devils of Duke University and the U.S. National (Olympic) Team, looks like James Eckhouse. James Eckhouse played Jim Walsh, the awesome dad of Brandon and Brenda Walsh. Looking through 90210 clips last night (don't ask), I realized how much these guys resemble each other.
You be the judge.
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Well, the hate doesn't stop. Courtesy of Transit Tees.
Do you hate LeBron James that much? And the Miami Heat? Rock this tee. I'm pretty sure only people outside Miami would buy this little number. If people in Cleveland need a shirt to replace their burned LeBron James jerseys from last July, I think this is an adequate replacement, right? Oh, and to those that buy this shirt, I dare you to wear this at a Heat or Dolphins game.
So I started reading Terry Pluto's 1995 NBA book titled Falling From Grace, and there's a chapter called, "Why Johnny Can't Shoot" which talks about why NBA players in the mid-90's sucked at shooting. In the previous chapters, he talked about players making millions of dollars from contracts and endorsements and not spending enough time honing their skills and working on fundamentals. He even throws in a quote from Isiah Thomas, "Kids today are more concerned with learning how to dunk than learning how to play".
The majority of the chapter focuses on free throw shooting and looks into why a guy like Chris Dudley, a career 46% free throw shooter, couldn't consistently make free throws and and why Shaq could go 0-8 from the line during a stretch against the Pacers in the playoffs. Of course he mentions the mental aspect of the free throw but also talks about free throw form and how some of the shooting techniques of some of these players are so bad that it would be worth trying something else.
Sebastian Pruiti of NBAPlaybook.com recently took a look at some of the free throw shooting forms of a few of the notoriously bad free throw shooters in the league. Bad techniques and habits still exist and perhaps have gotten worse in some cases... and then there's Chuck Hayes:
So is it time to try something else? Pluto suggests the Rick Barry underhand method. Barry tells a story about showing Chris Dudley his free throw shooting method before a game once:
I talked to him, showed him some of the basic principles of the underhanded free throw. He threw a few up there, and they bounced around and went in. He wasn't even shooting it right, but it was still soft enough to fall into the basket. Now here was a guy who couldn't even hit the rim sometimes, and I showed him a shot that at least gave him a chance. You'd think he'd follow up on it, right? He never even bothered to ask me or anyone else about shooting underhanded. He just kept embarrassing himself the old way. You have to be a moron to be that stubborn.
But anyway, Barry's got the 3rd highest free throw shooting percentage in NBA history, and he makes the underhanded free throw look so easy:
It's been a long time since anyone in the NBA has shot it underhanded but maybe it's time it makes a comeback. There are excuses why players wouldn't want to try it: "It doesn't feel comfortable", "It looks stupid", and "No one else does it", but there really are no good excuses on why not to try it. Even physics proves that everyone should shoot underhand. (Psst! Did you hear that, Andris Biedrins?)
Rick Barry even made a proposal:
Let me work with Shaq and pay me so much for each percentage point that he improves from the line from the previous season. Shaq would get better, his team would win more games, and I'd make a lot of money. He can make 70 percent underhanded if I worked with him and he stayed with the shot.
Sounds like a good deal. It would be amusing to see him attempt a single underhanded free throw, let alone see him shoot it underhanded during games for the rest of his career. But hey, it could happen, right? He's on the squad where anything's possible.
Questions? Comments? Feel free to leave a comment below or: Hit up the Bolo Box – Peter@thenolookpass.com
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PICTURED L to R David Diep (@illastrate): (PF) Does not watch Power Rangers. Jimmy Castro (@WinInTheEnd): (SF) Does not know the Costa Rican equivalent to Jersey Shore? Nick Perkins (@EvilFlair): (C) Beauty pageant expert. Rey Moralde (@TheNoLookPass): (PG) Loved the Pink Power Ranger. Peter Kim (@YungBolo): (SG) Wants to be "The Situation".
BREAK IT DOWN
A. Hall of Fame talk. Right after we talked about gibberish for five minutes.
B. Little talk about World Championships. What is it about Rajon Rondo getting cut?
C. Carmelo Anthony wants out of Denver.
D. J.R. Smith is not happy.
E. All hail Kwame Brown.
F. We kinda cut the L.A. segment short because Peter wanted to watch Jersey Shore early. No joke.
This episode was awful. Awfully awesome.
TEASERS JIMMY: "Pippen... well, he's a little bitch."
REY: "There was a rumor... that the Red Power Ranger did gay porn. It was like him on steroids... not that I saw pictures or anything like that."
NICK: "That was a major major mistake."
DAVE: "But even (Khalid) El-Amin wasn't that big (260 pounds). Even Mateen Cleaves wasn't that big... that would mean (Baron Davis) would be bigger than Gary Trent." REY: "SHAQ of the MAC!"
PETER: "Shoutout to the cast of the Jersey Shore!"
REY: "Did anyone watch Power Rangers?" JIMMY: "Not me." NICK: "Not me... and the silent ones won't admit anything."
MUSIC Free Your Mind by En Vogue (instrumental) F**k You by Cee-Lo Green I Want It That Way by Backstreet Boys Rumors by Timex Social Club Bebot by Black-Eyed Peas
PROMOS Glenn Moore from Dugout Sports Show Russ Bengtson from SLAM Online John Crotty, Miami Heat radio analyst Zach Harper from TalkHoops and Cowbell Kingdom Ron Artest from the Los Angeles Lakers Jared Dudley from the Phoenix Suns C.J. Miles from the Utah Jazz Clipper Steve from Clips Nation
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The changes are minimal. The red, white and blue scheme remains, but the once wide trim is now thin. And so are the numbers, which has a different font very similar to that of the Detroit Pistons.
Before:
The Legendary Frankie Muniz rockin' the old home whites.
After:
I'm a little more fond of the home jerseys than the road ones, in which I preferred the older, darker red tint. However, in general, I like the new unis more. It may not be a huge change, but it's a positive change. And at this point, I'll take it.
Scottie Pippen was just enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2010.
His statistics and accolades alone speak for themselves.
REGULAR SEASON CAREER STATS: 16.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 2 steals per game.
PLAYOFF CAREER STATS: 17.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.9 steals per game.
Pippen's resume is very, very impressive.
*6 championship rings.
*7 All-Star selections (1993-94 All-Star game MVP).
*7 All-NBA team selections (3 on the first team).
*10 All-NBA Defensive team selections (8 on the first team).
*Led the NBA in steals in 1994-95.
*Third in MVP voting in the 1993-94 season.
*One of only three players in NBA history (Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon) to get 200 steals and 100 blocks in a single season.
*Part of the 1992 Dream Team that won the Gold Medal in the Olympics.
*Voted as one of the 50 Greatest Players in the 50th Anniversary of the NBA.
There are still those detractors that will say that Michael Jordan was a big help on why he got those accolades.
Basketball is a team game. It’s not like there would be NOTHING left over after Jordan. Someone had to step up to be Jordan’s sidekick. And it was Scottie that stepped up. Those All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defensive team selections are no joke. And Pippen didn't get selected to the 1992 Dream Team just because he was teammates with Michael Jordan.
For most of his career, Pippen was the one that handled the ball and orchestrated the offense. He defined the “point forward” role as his lankiness enabled him to play the “3” or even the “4” spot while his point guard skills enabled him to also be the floor general. He can penetrate the lane with the best of ‘em and was a threat every time he got inside. Scottie can finish it on his own or dish it out to an open teammate.
While Pippen never averaged more than 22 points a game in a season, he was always a threat to score 30 points. Scottie was an outstanding finisher on the open court (a prolific dunker during his career).
LeBron James is making the chasedown blocks vogue today. But Pippen specialized on those chasedown blocks. He had incredible athleticism (Scottie competed in the 1990 Slam Dunk contest and actually did a dunk from the freethrow line) and that speed and agility helped him become one of the greatest defensive players the league has ever seen. He was arguably an even better defender than Michael Jordan because he covered so much more ground. He was great at anticipating the passing lanes. There was the aforementioned chasedown blocks. And Pippen was an outstanding one-on-one lockdown defender. People took notice on how great of a defender Scottie was in the 1991 Finals against the Lakers when he made life difficult for Magic Johnson.
His all-around game helped Chicago clinch their first championship. While Michael Jordan took home the Finals MVP honors, he couldn’t have done it without Scottie Pippen’s help. Pippen led the Bulls in scoring in the series-ending Game 5 with 32 points as the Bulls proved that they were no longer a one-man team.
To punctuate how good Scottie Pippen really was, look no further than the 1993-94 season, the year Jordan decided that hitting curve balls was his choice of sport.
It looked like the Bulls were going to sink with no Michael Jordan on the helm. But Pippen did just about everything for the Bulls as he averaged career highs in points (22.0), rebounds (8.7), and steals (2.9) to help lead Chicago to two 10-game winning streaks in that 1993-94 season and a 55-27 record (two less wins in the regular season than the 1992-93 title team and the Bulls took the Knicks to a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals). Pippen finished third behind Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson in the MVP voting. In a league dominated by centers at the time, Pippen was arguably the best all-around player in the game.
When Jordan returned, he was at the peak of his game. Jordan was looked at as the #1 player in the game and Pippen was considered #1A. That devastating one-two punch led the Bulls to a record 72 wins and a title in the 1995-96 season and would have won 70 again in the 1996-97 season had they not dropped either one of the last two contests that year.
Whether the fans think he’s overrated or overlooked, the evidence is simply there. Yes, Scottie Pippen is forever linked to Michael Jordan but he didn’t choose to be Jordan’s teammate. Instead, Scottie Pippen worked very tirelessly on his game to become the Hall-of-Famer that he is today. Yeah, he may be eternally known as Michael Jordan’s sidekick but, with the accolades and championships he collected over his 17-year career, it’s not exactly a bad thing. If anything, Pippen is the ultimate teammate (whenever teams look for their #2 guy, coaches and the front office always say that they're looking for their "Scottie Pippen"). He didn’t mind not getting all the credit as long as his team was winning basketball games. And win he and his teams did a lot of.
Congratulations to Scottie Pippen for making the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Follow my NBA "commentary" on Twitter. I am @TheNoLookPass. Also, check out our FaceBook page.
Collison is taking his talents to South Bend(close enough).
Earlier Wednesday afternoon, the Nets, Rockets, Hornets, and Pacers completed a four-way trade with the centerpieces being Darren Collison to Indy and Trevor Ariza to New Orleans. Time for a grade breakdown:
Indiana Pacers receive Darren Collison, James Posey - the Pacers are clearly the winner of this deal. In exchange for the rising talent out of UCLA in Collison, they have to take on Posey and a reasonable two years remaining on his contract. Posey is still a very good defender and a capable three-point shooter. Collison immediately gives Indy a starting PG who will easily replace the oft-injured T.J. Ford. This may mean the end of Ford's tenure there. With Paul George and Danny Granger on the wings, and Roy Hibbert in the middle, the Pacers have slowly built a talented young nucleus that can go nowhere but up. Grade: A
New Orleans Hornets receive Trevor Ariza- in Ariza, the Hornets get a young wing player with explosive leaping ability and very good defensive instincts. Ariza has proven he can drop 20 on any given night. Laker fans may pity him for being "downgraded" to NOH, but is there reason to feel sorry for anyone who gets to play alongside Chris Paul, the best PG in the league? Expect Ariza's percentages to spike all around. This is probably the best situation for him to blossom into a true scoring threat. Giving up Collison was tough, but with an aging starting lineup, they needed a young guy who can score and defend. Grade: B
New Jersey Nets receive Troy Murphy- Murphy gives them another big body alongside Derrick Favors and Brook Lopez. The difference is Murphy has outside range. Though it remains what the Nets' long-term plans are for him, he will contribute this year and along with Morrow, will stretch defenses with their shooting ability. Courtney Lee was a non-factor last year in NJ and expendable with the rise of Terrence Williams. Grade: B+
Houston Rockets receive Courtney Lee, $6M trade exception - Lee was a hot commodity in Orlando, having played major minutes on that Finals team. However, his stock has dropped since and he's just trying to find his way back into relevance. Rockets are looking at Kevin Martin to be the man on the wing now. And considering how much they spent this offseason (re-signing Scola, Lowry, signing Brad Miller), luxury taxes were a serious concern. With this move, they save money now and for the future. Grade: B+
Questions? Comments? Feel free to leave a comment below or: Hit up the Bolo Box – Peter@thenolookpass.com
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It was eight years ago today (August 5, 2002) that the legendary late, great play-by-play announcer of the Los Angeles Lakers, Chick Hearn, passed away.
In many ways, Chick Hearn was the Los Angeles Lakers. For a long time, it was him that completed your Laker games and he was the constant for many years of that franchise. If you weren't at the Great Western Forum or the Staples Center, Chick made you feel like you were there yourself. His non-stop play-by-play is incredible. He can convey what's going on during a game, whether it's television or radio, and never made you feel lost. And he does it in remarkable rapid-fire delivery that only he can. Chick Hearn never seemed to run out of ways to illustrate a current situation and, even at his advanced age, you wonder how he did it. He was the best at debscribing what was going on in a ballgame with his endless basketball jargon. (Listen to his awesome play-by-play over here.)
Some of his basketball terminology has become staples of the game. Slam dunk was coined by Chick himself. So was triple-double. And even give and go. His other phrases, such as "The mustard is off the hot dog", are very familiar "Chick-isms" as well.
He had an amazing gift. Chick Hearn brought tremendous emotion to each basketball contest. During a game, he made you excited for the Lakers. He made you sad for the team. He was frustrated along with you. And he was happy with the Laker faithful. He was the Lakers' biggest fan. Everyone knew he rooted for L.A. but he'll criticize the team, too, when the situation called for it. That's why he was so good at his job. He would have so much fun calling games for this current Laker team and be proud of them. And we would have fun listening to him talk about Kobe Bryant's evolution and Pau Gasol's incredible post game. Chick was great at balancing his homerism and professionalism of calling the game.
Chick is an example of how I want myself to be like. He loved his job. He had a passion for his work. He called 3,338 straight games for 36 years! That's a man that loved and honed his craft. Even when he had laryngitis, he still (albeit a bit humorously) called the game. But that's how much he loved it. As a person, I never knew anyone that disliked him. He was the consummate professional and everyone just seemed to love him. Chick Hearn just seemed to put a smile on everyone's face. On the pre-game shows or even post-game commentary, you can tell by his voice on how he seemed to LOVE not only the game of basketball but life itself. He and Stu Lantz formed a marvelous tandem and had great chemistry that is almost unmatched between two-man announcing teams these days. And not only was he loyal to the sport but he was also loyal to his wife, Marge. They were a few days short of celebrating their 64th wedding anniversary before he passed away.
I never had a chance to meet the man himself but it seemed like I knew him forever because I grew up listening to him and because we shared that one common ground of basketball. Chick Hearn brought people together with his infectious enthusiasm of the game... and his enthusiasm of life itself. While there are great play-by-play men today such as Marv Albert and Kevin Harlan, Chick Hearn has no equal when it comes to calling a basketball game. Current Laker play-by-play man, Joel Meyers, said it himself: Chick Hearn is irreplaceable. His announcing is always missed. More importantly, his presence in this world is always missed.
But his legacy will live on forever. We miss you, Chick Hearn.
Follow my NBA "commentary" on Twitter. I am @TheNoLookPass. Also, check out our FaceBook page.
So Shaquille O'Neal is headed to the Celtics. I wish him luck.
I got many, many, many comments from fellow L.A. Laker fans saying that he's a ring-chaser, a traitor, and that his jersey should NEVER be retired at Staples Center.
What?
Okay, so his "legacy will be a little tainted" because he played for another team. But let's look at this for a minute or three.
If Shaq wants to continue playing in the NBA for whatever reason, let him. Sure, he's past his prime. Whatever. But he still has the right to continue his basketball career as he chooses. Wherever it may be. And don't compare this to Brett Favre, who, as a starting quarterback, can hold up an entire NFL franchise by not making any decisions about his NFL career. And it's even worse that he's wishy-washy.
"Ring-chaser." I never knew it was so bad to go after a championship. That's what every player wants. And Shaq can still contribute. What is he supposed to do if he still feels he's got some left in the tank? Go to the Timberwolves? What would you people do in his shoes?
"Traitor." What? So Boston gave him the opportunity to play. How come he wasn't a "traitor" when he was at Cleveland playing with the equally (if not, more) HATED LeBron James? Again, he feels he still has something left in the tank. He still wants to play in the NBA. You wouldn't tell me you'd do the same thing. What? You're going to think, "Oh, I played for the Lakers! Sure, I can still play a couple of more years but I shouldn't play for the Celtics because I'd be branded as a traitor!" WHO THINKS THAT?! They don't think about these things! Besides, Shaq's not even an ORIGINAL Laker. Did y'all forget that Shaq first played for the Orlando Magic?!
"His jersey should NOT be retired." Really? Seriously? Okay. Hate him now, L.A. Fine. He plays for the most hated rival. I get it. But by not retiring his jersey, you're basically not acknowledging his career, what he did for the Lakers, and the Lakers of 2000-02. Shaq was at his best during his 8-year Laker tenure. He was the Most Valuable Player in 2000. He earned three Final MVPs from 2000-02. Kobe Bryant, who is beloved nowadays for having five rings, would most likely only have TWO if it wasn't for Shaq. He was the most dominant player in that period of time. NOT retire his jersey? That's a bit harsh, man. You know what? Let's just FORGET that the championships from 2000-02 EVER happened. Let's just forget that Shaq was the face of this franchise (or even the league) in those years.
I understand that the NBA is a business. Does loyalty mean a lot to me? Sure. I would love it if there were still people like Reggie Miller, Larry Bird... hell, even Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce... and that they can stay with one franchise for the entire duration of their career. But don't forget that it's a two-way street. Sometimes, franchises trade away players as much as players demand one-way tickets out of a team.
Is it hard to swallow that Shaq's a Celtic? Sure. But it's his next career move and you can't fault a man for wanting to continue his NBA career, even if he is past his prime or even if he is supposedly going to taint his legacy. So what if he wore four more jerseys (all in a short period of time, anyway) after his illustrious Laker career? To me, Shaq will be a Hall-of-Famer. To me, Shaq will always be a Laker. And to me, I will never forget what Shaq did for L.A. in those prime years of his. He gave Figueroa St. parades three years in a row. As a Laker fan, I will be eternally grateful for that.
Good luck to Shaq in Boston. Doesn't mean I'm rooting for ya to go all the way this year, though.
Follow my NBA "commentary" on Twitter. I am @TheNoLookPass. Also, check out our FaceBook page.
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