Like any good, red-blooded American man, for eight years, I was addicted to the HBO series The Sopranos. I've often taken from it some of the greatest overall general life principles and applied them to my own life. I remember on one episode Tony was having dinner with Paulie, and the conversation turned into a trip down memory lane, in which Paulie and another guy kept bringing up stories that started with "Remember when". Noticing Tony's disdain, Paulie asks Tony if he's alright...Tony stands up from the table to leave saying, "Remember when is the lowest form of conversation." I've never forgotten that. While Tony may have had an alternative reason for feeling this way, I've always dreaded the time when a friend and I can no longer hold a conversation, and are forced to rely on the "Remember whens...". Thank God for sports! Because if remember when is the lowest form of conversation, the sports debate is the highest!
For more, follow me on Twitter @JustACasualFan
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
The Rest of the Stories
I'm not sure if it's because I'm no longer on the West coast, or the fact that I like to go to bed rather early (sorry...I just can't hang anymore). It could be that maybe I'm too cheap for the NBA League Pass, or it's also possible there is just too much NBA to cover it all. But, what ever the reason, there are a few things I'd like to see more of in the NBA. I mean, the best part of NBA All-Star Weekend was being reminded that there is more to this league than what's going on in South Beach, L.A., New York, and OKC, or of course, where Dwight is going to end up. Now, those are all great stories and deserving of our attention, but there is more out there, and All-Star Weekend reminded me of that. Here are a few things, going forward, I'd like to see more of:
Kyrie Irving
I don't know if it's just me, but it seems like this guy is almost forgotten about, despite the fact that he is having a spectacular rookie season. He's the clear cut leader, in my opinion, for rookie of the year. He's taken on the burden of becoming the leader of a rebuilding team, and the hope of a heartbroken city (Cleveland thanks you, LeBron), and he's done it all with little to no national coverage. If Cleveland isn't playing the Heat, they hardly even get a mention on ESPN. Irving is averaging almost 20 points per game, with 5 assists, and a few rebounds. These numbers are on par (maybe even slightly better) than Derrick Rose's rookie year, and yet I hardly hear about this guy. During the Rising Stars game, in which Irving won MVP, he couldn't miss from 3 point land. I know there isn't much defense in that game, but seeing him play made me want to see more.
John Wall
Another victim of being on a terrible team is John Wall. This guy may be one of the fastest people to move with a basketball that I have ever seen. He is quick, has incredible handles, amazing court vision, and he can explode in a heartbeat. If Blake Griffin had actually played the year that Wall was drafted, we might be talking about John Wall as last year's rookie of the year. His play can be, at times, a little reckless, but when you're team is so terrible, what more can be expected?
Minnesota Timberwolves
Yes, the whole team. I know they are a measly .500 team at best right now, but they are fun to watch. Kevin Love is easily becoming one of the best power forwards in the game. His outside shot is second to none, winning the NBA 3 point shootout. He is fourth in the league in scoring, behind Kobe, KD, and Lebron. His nearly 14 rebounds per game are second only to Dwight Howard, and yet he is never talked about with the likes of any of the aforementioned. I love the way Ricky Rubio plays. His creativity is unmatched, he is a true pass-first point guard (5th in assist per game), and he's no slouch on the defensive end (averaging over 2 steals per game). Derrick Williams, while not overly impressive during the Dunk Contest, has had a few Top 10 highlight dunks this year. I have a feeling that in time, he will grow into a pretty good player. Add J.J. Barea, Martell Webster, and Michael Beasley and the sum is a fun, young team to watch....if you ever get the chance to.
The Rest of the NBA
Listen, nobody can argue with what the Heat are doing, but it's not really that much of a surprise. They are doing exactly what everybody expected them to do as early as last year. I also love watching Jeremy Lin, but Lin-Sanity is not the only storyline in New York. Dwight Howard doesn't want to play in Orlando, and the sooner the Magic come to grips with that, the better off they'll be. Kobe is still Kobe, but the Lakers are not still the Lakers of a few years ago, they're not even the most exciting team in Los Angeles. There is so much more going on in the league. Brandon Jennings is amazing, but who wants to watch the Bucks? Deron Williams may be the best point guard in the game, but if we're not talking about where Dwight wants to go, we don't hear anything about him. The Spurs, despite being one of the oldest teams in the league, are quietly having one of their best years. Oh, and there's also the Chicago Bulls, who have the best record in the league. Yes, better than Miami and better than Oklahoma City...and last year's MVP, Derrick Rose has been battling injuries all season long.
I know that the NBA, like all sports, is driven by ratings. I'm also aware that teams like Milwaukee, Washington, and New Jersey don't exactly drive those ratings through the roof. But the future of the NBA is happening now, and a lot of us are missing it. The casual fan just doesn't have enough exposure to these other storylines, and is therefore missing out on some great and exciting basketball. So, until they change things I'll either be staying up later, springing for League Pass, or just continue to hope the NBA decides it's not all about ratings.
Looks like it's gonna be some late nights for me...I love this game!
For more, follow me on Twitter @JustACasualFan
Kyrie Irving
I don't know if it's just me, but it seems like this guy is almost forgotten about, despite the fact that he is having a spectacular rookie season. He's the clear cut leader, in my opinion, for rookie of the year. He's taken on the burden of becoming the leader of a rebuilding team, and the hope of a heartbroken city (Cleveland thanks you, LeBron), and he's done it all with little to no national coverage. If Cleveland isn't playing the Heat, they hardly even get a mention on ESPN. Irving is averaging almost 20 points per game, with 5 assists, and a few rebounds. These numbers are on par (maybe even slightly better) than Derrick Rose's rookie year, and yet I hardly hear about this guy. During the Rising Stars game, in which Irving won MVP, he couldn't miss from 3 point land. I know there isn't much defense in that game, but seeing him play made me want to see more.
John Wall
Another victim of being on a terrible team is John Wall. This guy may be one of the fastest people to move with a basketball that I have ever seen. He is quick, has incredible handles, amazing court vision, and he can explode in a heartbeat. If Blake Griffin had actually played the year that Wall was drafted, we might be talking about John Wall as last year's rookie of the year. His play can be, at times, a little reckless, but when you're team is so terrible, what more can be expected?
Minnesota Timberwolves
Yes, the whole team. I know they are a measly .500 team at best right now, but they are fun to watch. Kevin Love is easily becoming one of the best power forwards in the game. His outside shot is second to none, winning the NBA 3 point shootout. He is fourth in the league in scoring, behind Kobe, KD, and Lebron. His nearly 14 rebounds per game are second only to Dwight Howard, and yet he is never talked about with the likes of any of the aforementioned. I love the way Ricky Rubio plays. His creativity is unmatched, he is a true pass-first point guard (5th in assist per game), and he's no slouch on the defensive end (averaging over 2 steals per game). Derrick Williams, while not overly impressive during the Dunk Contest, has had a few Top 10 highlight dunks this year. I have a feeling that in time, he will grow into a pretty good player. Add J.J. Barea, Martell Webster, and Michael Beasley and the sum is a fun, young team to watch....if you ever get the chance to.
The Rest of the NBA
Listen, nobody can argue with what the Heat are doing, but it's not really that much of a surprise. They are doing exactly what everybody expected them to do as early as last year. I also love watching Jeremy Lin, but Lin-Sanity is not the only storyline in New York. Dwight Howard doesn't want to play in Orlando, and the sooner the Magic come to grips with that, the better off they'll be. Kobe is still Kobe, but the Lakers are not still the Lakers of a few years ago, they're not even the most exciting team in Los Angeles. There is so much more going on in the league. Brandon Jennings is amazing, but who wants to watch the Bucks? Deron Williams may be the best point guard in the game, but if we're not talking about where Dwight wants to go, we don't hear anything about him. The Spurs, despite being one of the oldest teams in the league, are quietly having one of their best years. Oh, and there's also the Chicago Bulls, who have the best record in the league. Yes, better than Miami and better than Oklahoma City...and last year's MVP, Derrick Rose has been battling injuries all season long.
I know that the NBA, like all sports, is driven by ratings. I'm also aware that teams like Milwaukee, Washington, and New Jersey don't exactly drive those ratings through the roof. But the future of the NBA is happening now, and a lot of us are missing it. The casual fan just doesn't have enough exposure to these other storylines, and is therefore missing out on some great and exciting basketball. So, until they change things I'll either be staying up later, springing for League Pass, or just continue to hope the NBA decides it's not all about ratings.
Looks like it's gonna be some late nights for me...I love this game!
For more, follow me on Twitter @JustACasualFan
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