Men’s Olympic Basketball Gold Medal Game–WOW!
August 24, 2008
This will be terribly written, because it’s late and I’m excited. But is anyone else still up after watching that Gold Medal game? I thought it was tremendous and just had a few thoughts to share.
2008 Olympics: Redeem What Exactly?
August 24, 2008
(I couldn’t help myself … I had to write this)
It appears a battle is raging … and it is a battle for your mind. Early last week Jemele Hill appeared on ESPN’s 1st and 10 portion of its morning show, First Take. On 1st and 10 Hill talked about the “Redeem Team’s efforts and her belief that a gold medal would be some sort of pride-boost for that great monolith, “The African-American Community.” Dana Jacobson, the segment host indicated that Hill had written a piece about that very topic to be posted on ESPN.com later that day.Well, the shoe did not drop until Saturday (when it is all but assured that the US Men’s Team will win the gold) … and drop it did:
But considering how, until recently, Team USA has been vilified for being selfish, noncompetitive and fundamentally inept, it doesn’t surprise me that African-Americans view the gold medal as a special vindication.
The previous failures of the national team brought a strong sense of embarrassment to both African-American fans and players.
Wrong. Vindication for what, exactly? Vindication for malfeasant acts by the press and shock jocks, including those of ESPN Radio, who used the losses of the 2004 US Men’s National Team in Athens as their personal race-bait pulpit?
The Sports Writing Blues: Confessions of an Angry White Fan
August 20, 2008
Beijing Olympics: U.S. Men’s Hoops Squad Rolls Into Medal Round but Is Haunted by the Past; NBA Odds and Ends
August 18, 2008
With the score 98-53 and just a few minuites remaining in the U.S.-Germany game commentator Doug Collins sounded a warning. The former NBA player and head coach said the U.S. Men’s National Basketball teams was entering the dangerous territory of the Medal Round. Collins called this land, “One and done.” In an ominous tone he mentioned that, “One bad night and you’re finished.”
For this team of NBA stars that has demolished every team it has played so far in Group B of the Men’s Basketball Preliminaries, , the next game is a quarterfinal matchup with Australia. Unless the U.S. squad goes walk-about (Australian for, “spacing out”) the Aussies will give them no trouble. Then there are but two more contests, one almost assuredly a rematch with those dreaded “Chink-lovers,” Spain that Kobe, LeBron and crew recently blew out. Despite the ease with which this team has won, the announcer with Collins spoke in eaually ominous tones:
“The nickname coming in was the Redeem Team If you look back to 2002 and 2004 those teams came to this point (the medal round) undefeated and neither won a medal.”
Okay, okay, we get it. Let up and lose.
But this team has discovered the secret to winning basketball and as a result, will continue to run through its opponents to a gold medal. That secret is —————- shhhhhhhh…
Defense.
That’s right, defense. That act of playing consistent defense for many players is the bane of their existence, especially during the NBA regular season. But this team recognizes that 3-point shooting can come and go but with consistent, unrelaenting defensive effort come enough dunks and easy layins to augment any off shooting night.
“GOOK!”: Pau Gasol Has Nothing on John McCain
August 14, 2008
“I hate the gooks, I will hate them as long as I live.”
– John McCain, February 17, 2000
As I heard the words, I just couldn’t believe it. No, not that John McCain said them. Only that I never learned about it – until just one month ago at the Netroots Nation Conference in Austin, Texas. That was when by pure chance, I struck up a conversation with Irwin A. Tang — one of many people I had the pleasure to meet at the convention. I soon learned that he was the author of “Gook: John McCain’s Racism and Why It Matters“. Read more
Darfur, Team USA and More: Okay, My Turn
August 7, 2008
Darfur.
Just mentioning the name of the region in Sudan gets fools around the world, America included, undies all bunched. Just mention the name of the region in Sudan at a gathering of “conscious” people and impassioned speeches commence. Head nods and faces twisted in pain are proof that the people who spoke are felt wholeheartedly; if alcohol is involved in that gathering some ingratiated motherfucker might just get teary.
Seriously, teary.
Teary at the thought of all those crazed, wild uncivilized heathens in the Dark Continent maiming each other.
Pavlov would be proud at the thought that uttering the name of a region in a part of the worls most of America couldn’t find on a 20-foot video screen with Google Maps and a flashing light marking the area would cause a normally Paxil-placid person who wouldn’t help their neighbor if the spirit of Gandhi made physical appeared before them and begged them to just walk next door, introduce themselves and ask if everything is all right, shiver in their boots and run out to the nearest ‘do something about Darfur’ meeting of white liberals and the negroes who love them.
But before you do, check the label on your shirt made in Indonesia or India or Malaysia - or China, while you drive a car partially assembled in Mexico - oh and that silver ring or that silver chain or that gold bauble, or whatever precious or precious metal-stone you possess? They come from anywhere from Mexico to…
Africa.
And if you’re so wealthy as to eschew clothing and accoutrements made off the backs of the peoples from one of those country’s - or another impoverished nation or impoverished people within a nation I failed to mention - you probably are not sitting reading this in your Earth Ship constructed of local materials and recycled heinous products and travelling to your local rez or “urban blight” and universally-slighted neighborhood on every opportunity you get to spend your sweat and hard-earned or trustifarian-gathered funds on any of the humans living in the aforementioned but nearby locals.
But mention Darfur…
NBA Linkin’ Park: 5 Players You Forgot About
August 6, 2008
Kermit Washington’s Remarkable Redemption - The Starting Five: It is long past time to forget “The Punch”. In 1994, Washington took a trip to Rwanda to see how he could help out post-genocide. He has been doing tremendous work ever since. Also, listen to Washington give an unfiltered assessment of the Ron Artest you might not know.
Shawn Kemp Confirms Rumors - SLAM Online: The last time you saw him, he was looking a little hefty dragging himself down the court. In this video a 38 year old Kemp looks like he is back close to his “Reign Man” weight and will be playing in Italy this year — perhaps to fill the giant void left by Danilo Gallinari.
Earl Boykins Latest to Go Overseas - Yahoo: Boykins is also heading to Italy, but unlike Kemp he will become Italy’s highest paid player at 3.5 mil for one year. Boykins is one of my favorites as what is mot to like about a guy 5′5″ and 130 soaking wet. Given his slight build, I give Boykins the nod over Mugsy Bogues as the NBA’s all-time best feel-good-you-can-achieve-anything-underdog stories.
The Status of Greg Oden - TrueHoop: Admit it, you kind sorta forgot about him when you were trying to decide if Michael Beasley, Derrick Rose, or OJ Mayo would win next year’s Rookie of the Year award. Oden is coming along slowly but surely. Great anecdote here how he basically knocks out his coach Nate McMillan. Also, for those who don’t know, back in February, Oden publicly endorsed Barack Obama. In other words, I’m liking Oden’s game thus far on and off the court. Usually it’s a choice! (see Etan Thomas & Ira Newble).
MJ is Still at It! - HoopsVibe! You might not have forgot about the man, but forgot that he’s still playing sort of… He says it would be “no contest” against Kobe if he was in his prime. What’s also interesting about the video is that ultra-competitive MJ won’t take it easy no matter if an 18 or 8 year old is guarding him.
Bonus - Basketbawful: Okay, you haven’t forgot about Baron Davis and Steve Nash, but this video is funny!
Jerry Colangelo Can’t See Darfur for the Trees while Silencing Kobe, Lebron, & Team USA
August 5, 2008
USA Team National Director Jerry Colangelo told USA team players in a June team meeting that “he believes that the Olympics shouldn’t be used as a political platform”according to ESPN’s Shelley Smith in this Outside the Lines report. And judging from these before-and-after June meeting statements by NBA stars Kobe Bryant and Lebron James on the ongoing genocide in Darfur, the message has been clearly received. Read more
Did David Stern Threaten Howard Schultz?
August 2, 2008
Did you hear about the big NBA tiff this week? Probably not. Yao Ming and Ron Artest have kissed and made up, but there were bigger fish not being fried. Former Seattle SuperSonics owner Howard Schultz said he was warned by NBA commissioner David Stern that it would be “very expensive” to pursue a lawsuit seeking to return the team to Seattle from Oklahoma City. According to Schultz, Stern told him:
“that if I did not join in the settlement … I should realize that it will become very expensive for me and my partners, and he implied that I should reconsider my position.”
Lebron James, Darfur, and Michael Wilbon’s Perspective Lapse
August 1, 2008
This week Lebron James donated $20,000 toward Barack Obama’s cause. The actual dollar amount is less relevant than his public willingness to take a political side – a rarity amongst athletes with over 100 million in corporate endorsements. Of course, this is a departure from Michael Jordan’s infamous “Republicans buy sneakers too” commentary in 1990 when Harvey Gantt ran twice for a North Carolina Senate seat against Jesse Helms and his blatant race-baiting campaign. And while Lebron is rightfully receiving positive attention, some commentary has just gone too far. It is one thing to laud an athlete for their actions, it is quite another to praise their INaction. Read more
