A lot has happened since I last blogged. Here are my thoughts:
1. The Rockies fired longtime manager Clint Hurdle and replaced him with Jim Tracy, who used to manage the Dodgers, who suck, and the Pirates. I don’t know why but I’ve always hated the Dodgers. Anyway, I thought it was a dumb move but the team is 19-7 under Tracy, including an eleven-game winning streak.
Last Saturday my ward went to the Rockies game, which I skipped, and which the Rockies won on Todd Helton’s ninth-inning home run. I don’t know why ESPN always starts a friggin’ video whenever you go to their website. With millions of visitors a month that’s gotta be cost-effective.
Anyway, I don’t know what it all means; the Dodgers have the best record in baseball and are 9.5 games up on us. But we’re already in wild-card contention.
2. The Cleveland Cavaliers picked up Shaq O’Neal in a trade with the Phoenix Suns, who got a 2010 second-rounder, half a mill, Sasha “Slover” Pavlovic and Ben Wallace, because one over-the-hill big man deserves another.
Shaq seems to be a great guy (although if you follow him on Twitter you’ll find his goofy antics get old pretty quickly) and a great teammate, as well as one of the two players with an argument as the best player since Michael Jordan (Timmy D is the other). His reputation as a completely washed-up player is inaccurate: he averaged 17.8 points and 8.4 boards last year. Solid numbers. Just not Shaq numbers. And even with the Heat he was inconsistent in the playoffs. When the Magic ganged up on LeBron in the playoffs, the Cavs missed having someone who could hit an open jumper; Shaq won’t fix that, but he might get open for enough dunks to buy King James just a little more airspace. Can he hold it together for one more title run? The odds are against him, but I’ll be pulling for him.
3. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to an NBA title as the No. 1 guy, so you can’t knock him for not doing that anymore. I think he did it in a down year: the Spurs and Celtics, both formidable opponents for the Lakers, were bitten by injuries to key players, the Magic took out the guy who could match Kobe basket-for-basket, and the Nuggets were still at least a year away.
Bryant probably clinched first-ballot Hall of Fame status in most broadcasters’ minds around the time he turned 19; even I’ll allow now that he belongs in the Hall of Fame. He has four rings, including one as The Guy now, though it’d be at least five if he was a better team player.
The debate now is about Bryant’s legacy in history. I think I’ve seen people put him in the top five guards of all-time. I suppose that might be right. He’s definitely behind Jordan and Magic. (In case anyone’s an idiot, Magic had five rings, three MVPs, and three Finals MVPs to Kobe’s four, one, and one, and Kobe’s already played in and started more regular-season games than Magic.) I think Oscar Robertson and Jerry West belong ahead of him as well. But though there are a ton of guards I would rather have on my team than Bryant (Sam Jones, Reggie Miller, The Glove), it’s hard to say any of them are conclusively better. But I welcome your opinions.
4. Vince Carter got traded tonight to the Magic for a collection of role players. I want to think it’ll work out but Carter, who I had wanted the Nuggets to draft so badly, will probably disappoint. The ESPN frontpage points out that he’s been to eight All-Star Games already…does that mean he’ll be in the Hall someday? I mean, even if he doesn’t go right away people will look back and be like, this guy must’ve been something. If he does make the Hall, that’s kind of depressing.
5. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is like the Josh McDaniels of summer movies, though I guess Josh McDaniels hasn’t destroyed my fond memories of the Elway era yet. (Give him time.) Speaking of the Broncos, if you missed it, Brandon Marshall wants to get out of town.
6. And the whole reason for this post: as LT pointed out in the comments, during a trade in tonight’s draft, the Nuggets picked up former Tar Heels point Ty Lawson, ostensibly to back up Chauncey Bu-bu-bu-Billups! (I’ve had the Nuggets’ announcer stuck in my head for about a week now.) I’d link to the Denver Post article about it but Chrome tells me the page might contain malware. Nice. Anyway, we gave up a future first-rounder, which I thought I read might have started as Charlotte’s or something, but that’s fine with me. We also sold our second-round pick which is kind of savvy if you need the cash. Those are usually worthless. Anyway, here’s an AP story about the trade.
POSTSCRIPT: Now that I'm awake, how did Ty Lawson last until No. 18? Or stay available longer than Tyler Hansbrough? Lawson was masterful under the pressure of the NCAAs; the pros are a different ballgame for a point, but at least we know he has the ability and the quickness. Hopefully soon he can take Anthony Carter and J.R. Smith's minutes at the point. That way we're in better shape if J.R. goes through another cold spell. I am super excited about this pick.
Comments
1. The Rockies are in a good position for this time of the year but still have ground to make up, and the Dodgers will be getting Manny (although presumably off the juice) back soon.
2. I think the Shaq trade makes huge sense for the Cavs because he is clearly an upgrade on their interior D, where they had no answer to Dwight Howard. I don't think Shaq can stop Howard, but he can slow him down more than the guys Cleveland had this year. And 17 and 8 is still very solid for a center.
3. I hate Kobe so much I can never give him his due. In my mind he doesn't rank anywhere near the top 5 guards of all time.
4. The Carter trade makes no sense for Orlando. Weren't they just in the Finals? What do they need a washed-up Mr. Softee like Carter for?
5. How can Transformers 2 be Josh McDaniels? Do you mean that you actually expected something out of Transformers 2 other than gratuitous action and Megan Fox?
6. I LOVE the Nuggets' trade for Ty Lawson. He gives us an immediate upgrade at the back-up point position, and a viable understudy to become our point guard of the future. I think he fell so far because there were so many guards in this year's draft and he got crowded out by foreign guys who have never had to display their game and so are thought of as flawless. We are lucky to get a guy of his talent, potential, and athleticism now in exchange for a pick in the future.
3. You know, Sam Jones was better than Kobe. Way more reliable in the clutch. But then Jerry West lost a crapload of NBA Finals (eight).
4. They were in the Finals, but they got obliterated. I'd be excited as a Magic fan if only because ownership is willing to do something. Perhaps if they make it back to the Finals and Carter isn't being recognized for some postgraduate work he can make a contribution.
5. Who said I had high hopes for Josh McDaniels? Besides, Transformers 2 sucks. It didn't have to suck...it's got Optimus Prime for crying out loud! Giant cars and trucks and planes that turn into menacing robots. You would almost have to want to screw up that formula. Besides, lots of mindless action movies don't suck, but this one did. So don't give me that.
6. It cracks me up that, as I think I saw in the Post, the Nuggets were targeting Lawson in the second round last year before he went back to school. Um, what? If you're drafting based on potential how can a guy move that much? Guess that's not what teams draft on, but if not, what are they looking for?
2. Shaq, not a bad idea for the cavs a good center in the East is what makes a team successful, but at 37 years old, I give him a 25% chance he won't even be healthy enough for the playoffs by the time they get there. Risky, but something had to happen, to the so called "best team."
3. Diddo with John, just can't root for Kobe anywhere. But definitely in the top 5 most selfish, egotistical players of all time.
4. Carter, what happened to this guy after the dunk contests years ago? Seriously? Now he's on a team that can make waves, but only cause their center will only get better. Really interesting choice.
5. I guess I won't go see Transformers, I used to know how to work the toys but those things are out of my league these days.
6. My jaw dropped with the Lawson pick, I couldn't believe, just not used to a Denver team who is that savvy. I watched some highlights of a lot of players I see potential for serious drafting disappointments, especially from EU leagues where there must be a globetrotter "please don't play defense" rule. What do they draft on? Did everyone forget the best point guard in the NCAA comments about Ty? How does a guy like this end up 18th. Either way, his highlights showed quickness, he's physical (a very stout 5'11"), and has national championship experience and a guy like Billups to keep him in line. What's not to like? How long do I have to wait for next season?
Go Rockies!!
Can we get a little GOlf coverage up on this Blog?
Great job mike