An NBA player smokin GWEEG???

NO WAY!

Femderris actually met him coming out of high school when she was working an old show called "Countdown to Signing Day".

She said all he wanted to do was go to some clubs and Underground Atlanta.

Was that a Jamie Newberg thing? That guy.

As for Zach-just damn though personally I miss the old gang...

Also where's Mick to back up his disparaging remarks about Phoenix? Didn't think they'd go zone and rock the foundations of the vaunted Triangle did you? (me neither, that shit was serious)

All props to them. They're playing well.

My original remarks remain, because had they continued playing like that they'd be on holiday right now.

That said, Phil has had two games to observe the zone. I'd be surprised if he doesn't expose it next game.

Gasol in particular is struggling.

the city of Boston is 0-6 when leading a series 3-0

Well, maybe my preference of a Suns-Magic Finals isn't dead quite yet, although I still think it will end up Lakers/Celtics. Phil Jackson will figure out that zone tonight, I'm guessing. And Boston can't lose 8 games in a row (Bruins/Celtics), can they?

This whole pansy-ass "double technical" bullshit needs to stop.

I'm sure this has been mentioned in this thread before, but Craig Sager needs to take all those godawful suits of his, make a big ass bonfire and throw all of them in there and then go jump in the fire right after the suits.

THEE INCIDENT is going to get you, paper.

Also: no way Sager's suits are worse than Alvin Gentry yakking from the bench.

DAMN, what a finish.

Artest, a true champion

Jesus, vuacic is stupid.

Vujacic needs to play somewhere else.

Alvin Gentry: "Kobe's just the best player in basketball.... it isn't even close."

Bring on the Celts.

BLECH.

I don't understand why anyone would want to see anything but the two best teams in the Finals, yet everyone was rooting for a Magic / Suns result.

Kobe: "I'm gonna kill him" -- That was awesome.

Were you satisfied that Kobe got the proper amount of love/respect during and after that game or should the Suns have been forced to carry him around the arena on their shoulders?

While wearing a majestic purple and gold robe.

And a crown.

And carrying a scepter with a tiny gold basketball on the end.

We've already established that Kobe is lauded by the Chattering Class. Was MJ ever consistently booed when he stood at the free throw line? My memory is that MJ was often applauded at introductions, and after wins, at away courts. The artistry was popularly acknowledged. It's much, much better for Kobe than even a couple years ago, but I'll be satisfied when Kobe gets a hand at Boston Garden before and after game 6.

And embedded in my response is the postion that MJ and Kobe are in a Category of Two.

I think Jordan was hated by the fans of the Knicks and Pistons and possibly the Pacers and Cavs.

He was also roundly disliked by the kind of people who hate greatness: these are actually the same people that Mick referred to (the kind who would prefer to have "different" teams play in the finals than the "best" teams. I also remember Jordan being categorized as too "me first" even after the Bulls had won the first three titles and he had left the game. It really wasn't until he game back and they started that second three peat that he began to receive the proper attention as not just one of the greats but THE great.

Something else you should probably consider: you mentioned earlier that Kobe is universally despised where you live in the Bay Area...do you think that Dodgers/LA fans gave Barry Bonds his proper respect as undoubtedly the best player in baseball from 1993-1998? No, they probably did not.

Remember a Chicago writer wrote an awesome takedown piece that while pretty much true, lowered MJ's standing a notch as well.

That said, Jordan had Coke, Gatorade, Nike, and a slew of other endorsements, while Kobe had his "that's my thing" moment in a Colorado hotel room. I think Jordan was definitely hated by the jealous - I wasn't really a fan until he came back, always liked Barkley better because when you're 13-14-15-16 you're going to like the militant maniac who swears he's not a role model over the ultimate corporate pitchman - but like I have done with Kobe, sometimes you gotta sit back and just appreciate how fucking good someone is.

'Cause they had these guys to love:



Maybe not so much LA fans, but baseball fans & writers (cough, Lupica, cough; made millions on a book on the home-run chase, only now to decry the desecration of the game, by steroids... fuck that dwarf!), generally.

Anyway, isn't Harry a Dodgers fan? In that case, he must be in the "fuck Bonds!" camp.

Wasn't that a whole book? (The Jordan Rules maybe?)



Yeah I felt the same about both guys...did not like until it just became stupid not to appreciate how good they are/were.

Yeah - that's the one. I read it. When I was 15, I thought he was a-hole, now I think "why the fuck not"? and - it pretty much nailed him - look at his HoF speech through that prism.

Who is this "everyone" that was rooting for a Magic/Suns final? I wanted that, but I don't think I was in the majority at all. And it's just because my favorite two teams are the Magic and the Suns, not because I hate greatness. The Celtics are my third most-liked team, and I respect Kobe. I don't love him (at all), but I respect him.

Now, I was also a Bad Boys fan back in the day. And, as great as Jordan was, they wouldn't have been able to beat the Pistons in 90-91 if Pippen hadn't finally learned to not be such a wuss. As great as Jordan/Kobe/LeBron were/are, this is still a team game. Which is why I'll be rooting for the Celtics next week.