BlogTalk: Will Leitch, Bob Costas, and the Blog Revolution that Never Was
April 30, 2008
I have to make this quick, but didn’t Will Leitch’s appearance remind you of an appearance from a Gawker.com blogger? It’s interesting how no one from Nick Denton’s blog empire can seem to defend their work when confronted by it in public. Sure, their attackers are over-the-top and crazy–but surely there is some justification for the Gawker approach to blogging? Right?
Costas Now Town Hall Meeting Notes: Mitch Albom on Ethics; Will Leitch’s Spin Left for Dead
April 30, 2008
About a month ago a producer from HBO’s “Costas Now” emailed me wanting to discuss my feeling about sports, race, and the Internet’s role as a sports medium. A few days later I received her call. She told me that HBO was preparing to hold a live town hall meeting but that the topics had not yet been chosen so she was calling some mainstream and Internet sportswriters and columnists to gather ideas for the upcoming show. We delved into the prescribed topics and more for our 30 minutes, or so, of conversation.
“COSTAS NOW”, Sports Media, & Racial Minefields
April 30, 2008
Last night Bob Costas held a Town Hall meeting on Sports Media on HBO. Five separate segments included sports radio, sports blogging, tv coverage, athletes and media, and race in sports. Here are some initial thoughts: Read more
*Breaking News* D’Antoni Gone as Suns Head Coach
April 30, 2008
Mike D’Antoni’s wide-open brand of basketball appears to be officially dead in Phoenix.
Just hours after losing 92-87 in Game 5 and four games to one ion the series to the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs Jack McCallum of Sports Illustrated reported that D’Antoni is out as the Suns head coach:
Mike D’Antoni, the NBA’s Coach of the Year for the 2004-05 season and the man credited with re-invigorating fast-break basketball in a league gone stale, will not be back to coach the Phoenix Suns for the 2008-09 season, SI.com has learned. D’Antoni deferred questions about his job status after the Suns were eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series on Wednesday night at the AT&T Center in Alamo City….
Live Chatter: Bob Costas Town Hall Meeting On Sports Media
April 29, 2008
EDIT: Sorry, folks, the Live Chatter has been canceled. D-Wil will have a write-up on the Costas Town Hall tomorrow, but the chat just didn’t work out. Thanks for stopping by if you saw this!
We will be discussing Bob Costas’s Town Hall meeting on Sports Media as it happens at 10:00 ET tonight on HBO. They will be talking about such hot button issues as sports blogging, sports radio/tv coverage, athletes in the media, and race in sports. Please consider stopping by and being part of the conversation! We’ve set up a chat room of sorts to facilitate that discussion.
NBA Play-off Chatter 4.29
April 29, 2008
Which team has a better chance of making a comeback, the Suns or the Rockets?
For me, it’s all about the Rockets. All they have to do is defend their homecourt and win once in Utah. And they’ve already proven that they can take a game in Utah. Pessimism about Tracy McGrady aside, I think this team could pull it off.
Some writers are pointing out that the Suns could come back from the 3-0 deficit…but I just don’t see it. San Antonio’s pick-and-roll attack is killing Shaq and Amare, and I don’ t believe Raja Bell and Boris Diaw can have 4 good games in a row. That supporting cast in Phoenix misses Joe Johnson and Shawn Marion.
Can the Sixers take the series?
This reminds me a lot of the Bulls-Pistons series last year. I think that the Sixers may wear out the Pistons so that they lose in the next round, but are you really going to tell me that the Sixers can win with their best player (AI Jr.) playing so poorly? That said, it’s obvious now that re-signing Chauncey was a terrible mistake. Being a Cavs fan and watching the Cavs-Pistons battles, that was obvious last year.
Blow up the Nuggets?
Yes, but just with one deal. I wonder if the Nuggets could pry Michael Redd away from Milwaukee or Kirk Hinrich of Chicago for some of their spare parts? Both are coming off down years for teams that need talent to rebuild. And Denver can offer decent talent–Marcus Camby, Kenyon Martin, Nene, JR Smith, and Linas Kleiza could all be available. The problem is that most of the spare parts in Denver are shoot-first players, which is exactly what the Bucks and Bulls don’t need more of. Or…although this is probably a little too crazy, what about trading Carmelo and Nene/Martin for, say, Redd and Bogut? Just putting it out there.
Hawks Step To Celtics…
April 29, 2008
The keys for the Hawks, in pulling off the Game 3 victory over the Celtics, were the following: transition offense, strong 3PT shooting, and rebounding. The Hawks had a 43-35 rebounding advantage in Game 3, and hit 10 of 18 from deep.
In Game 4, the Hawks had to flip the script, out of necessity. The key to their victory last night: attacking the basket, getting to the line, superb FT shooting, and amazing performances by Joe Johnson & Josh Smith, who threw the Hawks on their backs like Whoa. Read more
Boston-Atlanta: Where Head-Butting and Not Getting Tossed Happens
April 29, 2008
I‘m wondering if anyone noticed that fact that, just before Game 4 (about 6 p.m.) of the Boston Celtics-Atlanta Hawks matchup the league informed Paul Pierce that he would be fined $25,000 for making a “menacing gesture” during Game 3. The “gesture” Pierce made was said by Commissioner David Stern and his negro patrolman Stu Jackson to be a “Blood gang sign.”
It is the same sign Pierce makes before every game and signifies, “Blood sweat, and tears.”
I’m wondering if anyone actually watched the game last night. I’m wondering if anyone noticed how, as the Celtics jumped out to a 16-3 lead that the officials were “NCAA-ing” the Cees primary players. I’m wondering if anyone noticed how just when the Boston Celtics threatened to turn the Atlanta Haws home arena - The Underachieving Dome - and its fans into one of those away crowds where the fans shout, “MVP” for one of the opposing players, that a scant 3:49 into the game Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce somehow each incurred one foul.
The Roger Clemens-Mindy McCready Affair: Just another Meaningless Incident, Right?
April 29, 2008
Wallace Matthews of Newsday spoke loud and proud for what was and is white, Anglo, racist, misogynist, debauched Western culture, especially that of America. Not all white people - men and the women who abide by its precepts -but the vast majority that applauds Matthews, defends Matthews, produces work that furthers the illness, or has been brainwashed and marches to the wretched beat of a snarling and lecherous Uncle Sam with an arthritic finger pointing at an underage girl: “Uncle Sam Wants You!”
Matthews certainly wasn’t the only fool entranced by the fantasy of a 15-year old Mindy McCready - or any Disney-created Miley Cyrus aka Disney’s Hannah Montana. Or Disney’s Britney Spears. Or Disney’s Christina Aguilera. Or Disney’s Justin Timberlake for all those men who want to get their “little boy thing” on.
Superman Beats Bryan Colangelo in 5 Games
April 28, 2008
The Magic’s Dwight Howard was unstoppable — again. He had another ”20-20″ game — again. He abused any Raptor in his path — again. There are not enough superlatives for Superman’s NBA playoff performance. Toronto GM Bryan Colangelo made sure of that. Read more
