Random Tidbits from my Overly Active Brain
It’s been a crazy 10 days in the wide world of sports. Tiger evidently has even better game with the ladies than he does on the links. Ron Artest obviously didn’t get the memo that Hennessy is low in electrolytes. And hopefully I can finally turn on Sportscenter without being forced to look at the exceedingly unappealing figure of Charlie Weis.
Here are some of my random thoughts on the current basketball scene:
- Nowadays the Lakers always blow out the Suns. Since the Pau Gasol trade, Los Angeles is 6-1 against Phoenix, with four wins coming by double digits. The Suns are to the Lakers as Mr. Potato Head is to a small child; the Lakers can seemingly do whatever they want to the Suns. Sometimes they play nice and allow Phoenix to look good for a bit, but then they decide to rip off the arms and shove them in the eye sockets.
- The US Senate has shown significant interest in preventing sports injuries, most recently looking into concussions in football. Perhaps a committee should investigate the Portland Trail Blazers’ drafting of bigtime centers because they can’t avoid terrible injuries either. Greg Oden, who just suffered a season-ending patella fracture, is following down the unfortunate path laid by Bill Walton and Sam Bowie. You’ve heard of the SI cover jinx, the Madden curse, but it’s time to acknowledge the Blazer Bigman Hex. (I tried to think of a catchier name but drew a blank.) Maybe Portland should adopt a run-and-gun system a la Phoenix, for if I were a center, I’d do my utmost to stay out of Oregon. On a serious note, though, I really do sympathize with Oden. He was starting to look like a legitimate NBA center, to feel comfortable on the court, and now he has to shut it down yet again. It’s sad.
- I’m still trying to figure out why the 76ers signed Iverson. I understand both the arguments circulating right now. The monetary – he’ll put more fans in the seats. The basketball – he’ll actually make them more competitive this season. However, a move like this sets any rebuilding team back several seasons, in team chemistry, young player development, and a chance at a higher draft pick, which also implies future years of financial futility. As great a player as Iverson is (was), I think it’s been proven that you cannot win a title with him. And isn’t that the goal. It’s kind of like signing Terrell Owens. At some point, you just have to stop believing that he’ll act differently for your team.
- This has nothing to do with basketball, but I’m also a general sports fan, and I need to talk about the BCS for a minute. Pitting TCU and Boise St. against each other in the Fiesta Bowl again marginalizes both teams. They’ve still been denied the chance to beat up on the big boys. Like almost everyone else, I would love to see a playoff, but here’s another interesting idea for you: What if the top 10 teams (after the bowl games) were required to play each other at the beginning of the following season. This wouldn’t add any games during finals time, it wouldn’t take away any of the magic from the bowls, and it would make the start of the college football season much more exciting. Imagine if TCU opened at Alabama next year. Right now, the best teams are wary of scheduling such teams because they only provide a chance to slip up. The only problem I see is that schedules are set a couple years in advance. Still, this is intriguing, no?
- Yay Nets! But you’re still gonna have the worst record ever.
- Gerald Wallace, a small forward, is leading the league in rebounds. In the history of the league, only power forwards and centers have led the NBA in boards/game. Should Wallace keep it up, it would really be incredible.