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What’s going to sell more? The Kate Upton SI Swimsuit cover or the Jeremy Lin swimming in a sea of Lakers SI cover?
A love letter of sorts, that an 18-year-old Michael Jordan wrote to his college girlfriend Laquette.
My Dearest Laquette
How are you and your family doing, fine I hope. I am in my Adv. Chemistry class writing you a letter, so that tell you how much I care for you. I decide to write you because I felt that I made you look pretty rotten after the last night. I want to tell you that I am sorry, and hope that you except my apologie. I know that you feelings was hurt whenever I loss my necklace or had it stolen.
I was really happy when you gave me my honest earn money that I won off the bet. I want to thank you for letting me hold your annual. I show it to everyone at school. Everyone think you are a very pretty young lady and I had to agree because it is very true. Please don’t let this go to your head. (smile) I sorry to say that I can’t go to the game on my birthday because my father is taking the whole basketball team out to eat on my birthday. Please don’t be mad because I am trying get down there a week from Feb. 14. If I do get the chance to come please have some activity for us to do together.
I want you to know that my feeling for you has not change yet. ← (joke) I am finally getting use to going with a girl much smaller than I. I hope you my hint. Well I have spent my time very wisely by write to you. I hope you write back soon. Well I must go, the period is almost over. See you next time around, which I hope comes soon.
With my Best Love
Michael J. Jordan
The Rise of Jeremy Lin: “From Last man on the bench, to the most talked about basketball player in the world.”
This YouTube comment pretty much sums it up, “It’s like a movie trailer. except it’s happening. RIGHT. NOW.”
(via Slam) (A Maxamillion production)
Somewhere Tim Tebow is saying thank you to Jeremy Lin.
Episode 4 - Tickr Tape
TheTickr.com
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You’re not going want to miss our Team Gisele Super Bowl rant! Plus we go H·A·M over Jeremy Lin and break down every Asian basketball stereotype!
Episode 4 Show Notes- Our Super Bowl Recap
- The Amazing Jeremy Lin
- Who Tweeted It?
107 plays
The Jeremy Lin tribute video has finally dropped courtesy of soon to be household named rapper, Mega Ran. Warning: Jeremy Lin’s moves are as tight as this mix.
(H/T Grantland)
3 In The Key
1. A mirror reflection
I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on this Chicago Bulls team since their loss to the Miami Heat last Sunday. It’s time worth spending because this Bulls team feels different from all the convoluted plans in the league for super stars to come together on a single team. They’re a cohesive unit built around an all world point guard that brings to life the cliche of the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
In the post-Jordan era, the Bulls have always been either terrible, or on the cusp of mediocrity. But when you have the reigning Most Valuable Player and a trip to the Conference Finals under your belt, you elevate yourself into the championship discussion.
In a league that’s only rewarded the title to a handful of teams over the last few decades, its an esteemed honor to be in this circle of few.
But is this Bulls team as currently constructed good enough to win it all? Or are they facing an uphill climb that seems like it will inevitably end in disappointment come playoff time?
It was not long ago that Lebron James ambushed the league with his talents, ending all doubts many had before his rookie season on whether he was just another manufactured phenom with little substance. He carried an inferior cast to the NBA Finals, creating championship expectations for his final years in Cleveland, his out of this world talent helping to mask all their flaws, which came to the forefront in repeated postseason shortcomings.
Mo Williams never proved worthy of being a second option, not when it mattered in the Conference Finals against the Magic. Antawn Jamison was the stretch four who was the final piece to the puzzle, but he disappeared in Lebron’s final games in a Cleveland uniform against the Celtics in the playoffs.
The similarities are hard to ignore.
The Bulls were hoping that the signing of Rip Hamilton would fill the void of a second scorer. So far, he’s been injured more than he’s played. And on nights when Rose struggles with his shooting, players like Kyle Korver, C.J. Watson and Ronnie Brewer are expected to be primary scoring options. Luol Deng is one of most underrated players in the league, but injuries has slowed him down as well. It doesn’t help that Carlos Boozer is earning a max-level contract but never relevant when the games matter most.
Look closely and you come to the realization that the Bulls are a team of limitations, driven by their defense that keeps them in games even on nights when the offense sputters.
If Chicago wants to compete in the post-season, they’re going to need help. Whether it’s O.J. Mayo or J.R. Smith, there are still pieces that are missing to complete the team.
For a championship to return to Chicago, Rose is going to need the same help that Lebron never received during his time in Cleveland.
2. Believing in the Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are 25-1 to win the championship at the moment.
That’s got to be the best value on the board right now.
Since the Carmelo Anthony trade in mid-season last year, the team’s been on a joy ride. First to the playoffs last season, where a quiet first round exit couldn’t even damper excitement for this year’s squad.
With the emergence of Ty Lawson, paired with Andre Miller, the Nuggets have the best point guard combo in the league. Al Harrington has emerged as a surprise contender for sixth man of the year, and retaining Nene from free agency and the acquisition of Rudy Fernandez via trade gives the Nuggets a ten-deep rotation that’s matched by few.
In a condensed schedule, that gives him an advantage for the regular season that could result in a top four seed.
Look around the landscape of the West, where first place and tenth place are separately by a few games, the conference winner will be the one that gets the right matchups in the playoffs.
I look at the Nuggets and see a team that can matchup with all the contenders in the West.
The problem of a go-to scorer in crunchtime lingers, and is something that the Nuggets need to resolve before the post-season.
They’re as entertaining as the Nash-Nowitzki-Finley Mavericks, with as much potential as the Chris Webber era Sacramento Kings.
It seems that everything the Nuggets have been doing post-Carmelo Anthony has surprised. They’re overachievers by nature of our expectations, but if there’s a team that can come out of nowhere and make a run to the Finals in this year’s sprint, I like the Nuggets’ chances better than any other team you can name.
3. Linsanity
Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin scored 25 points with 5 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals as he did against the Nets on Saturday, a proud moment for all Asian basketball fans like myself.
The online community reacted accordingly. First with resident Knicks diehard Spike Lee going off with a series of nicknames for Lin on Twitter, including Enter The Dragon, 10 Fingers of Death and Grasshopper.
And yes, I’ve watched this Jeremy Lin Show compilation six times since Sunday morning.
Of course, when asked after the game whether Lin is now the starter, coach Mike D’Antoni replied, “Let me watch the Super Bowl and then we’ll figure it out”.
You’d think he’d be a little more appreciative, considering Lin’s performance probably saved his job.
On Monday, Jeremy Lin made his first career start against the Utah Jazz. And performed beyond anyone’s expectations. His final line: 28 points, 8 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, 8 turnovers. 10 for 17 from the field. 7 for 9 at the free throw line. And several MVP chants in the second half.
This might be real. This might last.
The fact that the possibility even exists makes Jeremy Lin my favorite story of the season so far.
This won’t be the last I write about him.
Episode 3
TheTickr.com
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We hit a new time length record! 29 wonderful minutes of sports shenanigans! We think we’re getting better at this but we’re new and open to comments and feedback etc. Let us know!
Episode 3 Show Notes
- The Blake Griffin Dunk
- NBA Quarter Season Review
- Has Men’s Tennis Ever Been Better?
- Ray Lewis and his Pep Talks
- Super Bowl Predictions
- Who Tweeted It?!
145 plays
3 In The Key
1. The most dangerous man
The Minnesota Timberwolves have celebrated very little since entering the league in 1989. Since moving on from the Kevin Garnett era, the team has spent its time stockpiling assets and undergoing a necessary rebuild.
One of the impediments to their resurgence has been general manager David Kahn, the man who drafted two point guards, Johnny Flynn and Ricky Rubio, when he was armed with two lottery picks, than went and signed another point guard in Ramon Sessions through free agency.
There has been no semblance to Kahn’s roster construction over the past few years, but seemingly out of randomness or just out of sheer quantity of moves made, he has pulled together one of the most promising young rosters in the league.
The remarkable transition by Ricky Rubio to the league has lifted a lot of pressure off Kahn. Also, Head coach Rick Adelman is the perfect man to mold this team into something more than just a collection of misfit talent. The Rubio, Kevin Love and Derrick Williams core should make the rest of the Western Conference landscape take notice very soon, as early as next season.
But the man that’s orchestrating all of this is the most dangerous man in the league. As the franchise turns the corner, Kahn threatens to be the one to blow it all up again.
Last week, much was made about the fact that Kevin Love settled for a four year extension with an opt-out option, the pros and cons were broken down in detail by Tom Ziller. While many of us believe that the Wolves have offended their superstar power forward through negotiation by not locking him up over five years, Kahn believes that he’s obtained long-term flexibility for the team, to possibly pursue a better player down the road should the contract not work out.
This is of course ignoring the fact that Kevin Love is in the argument for best power forward in the league.
It’s not the first time that the team has come under fire under Kahn for handling a delicate situation in the worst way possible.
When the season ended last year, David Kahn allowed the uncertainly of then head coach Kurt Rambis linger on for months before finally firing him in July. It raised eyebrows across the league as to how poorly the organization is run. Last week’s debacle with Love only cements that reputation.
So while the Wolves are building a young and exciting core, the organization should take a hard look at whether they have the right guy to make the necessary moves to turn this roster into the next Oklahoma City Thunder, or players like Love and Rubio will follow Garnett into another era of underachieving results and mis-management.
2. The newest rivalry
Rivalries are great for sports, especially in basketball. I grew up following the Knicks-Pacers rivalry, Knicks-Heat and anyone in the East versus the Bulls. Bad blood that develops over time is great for the game.
It looks like the Bulls and Pacers look to have nominated themselves as the most interesting rivalry at the moment.
The groundwork was laid last year in a first round match-up that was much closer than the final result, where Chicago won in five games.
Earlier this week, the Pacers handed the Bulls their first home loss of the season. And didn’t hide their satisfaction in doing so, which upset Bulls guard Derrick Rose: “I’ll never forget how they celebrated just from winning this game.I can’t wait to play them again.”
Looking at the rosters of both teams, this looks like a rivalry with staying power. The Pacers are on the rise in the Eastern Conference, with a young core group led by Danny Granger, Roy Hibbert and Paul George. For the Bulls, many don’t expect their real season to start until they play Miami in the Conference Finals.
The two teams look locked into a tight race in the Central Division, and as the bad blood continues to rise, it will definitely heighten the rivalry between the two teams to levels we haven’t seen since Reggie Miller and Rik Smits threatened to unseat Jordan, Pippen and Rodman from the throne.
So mark your calendars down for March 5th, when Indiana returns to Chicago for a rematch. And don’t be surprised to see these two teams match-up in the second round of the playoffs.
3. War of attrition takes shape
Everyone knew before the season that with the compressed schedule, players would take their time getting into game shape and injuries were bound to occur.
But they’ve been happening lately at an alarming rate.
Earlier in the year, the Atlanta Hawks lost Al Horford for likely the entire season. The Spurs are without Manu Ginobili for the forseeable future. Back-up point guard Eric Maynor of the Thunder was lost for the year. Andrew Bogut of Milwaukee is expected to be gone for up to three months. Andrea Bargnani is out indefinitely with a calf injury. Players like Dwayne Wade, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony have also missed games due to an assortment of injuries.
In any season, players getting hurt is just a normal part of the game. But in the compressed schedule, it does take on additional meaning and a different way for teams to manage them.
Players that are out for three months now aren’t missing just a portion of the season, they’re out for the whole thing. Also, nagging injuries don’t just mean a player misses a practice or two. When a team is playing four games in five nights, or six in eight, that means games missed.
And these games that the superstars are missing can quickly add up to losses that will push teams out of the playoff race.
Health will be a key factor in determining playoff seeding.
And maybe the most important takeaway is this: whatever Kobe Bryant is doing to play through his wrist injury is just incredible.
It looks as though LeBron James’ influence is finally starting to rub off on Chris Bosh.
“People say don’t fall in love with (the jump shot) but it loves me and I love it back.” — Chris Boshphoto: cbcsports
Roland Martin ready for the State of the Union Address, sporting a Houston Rockets pin!
3 In The Key
1. Mr. Big Shot and other incorrect assumptions
Chauncey Billups is a guard who shoots three pointers too early in the shot clock too often. But somehow, his reputation as a clutch point guard and NBA Finals MVP with the Detroit Pistons continues to carry him to this day.
Every one of those shots that he takes is a reminder of his reputation, instead of a consideration of the possibility that these are simply bad shots, and that it may be time to move past what we once thought of the player.
And really, it is consistent with the behavior we have about people in every walk of life. The people that we know, that we work with, that we hear about. Reputations are a hard thing to shed, for better or worse.
Take Russell Westbrook: now known to die-hard and casual fans of basketball as a shoot-first point guard whose selfish ways are getting in the team of this perfect machine that they’re building on Oklahoma City. But if you read Zach Lowe’s breakdown of Westbrook’s game, you see a 23 year point guard who has very fixable flaws with a huge ceiling of growth left. Plus he’s already running the most efficient offense in the league.
Once a general perception spreads, there’s no stopping it. But what will make the game more enjoyable for us as these players grow into and out of their reputations is to recognize that the development and decline of these players are fluid. What they are now won’t be what they are in a few years. And what they once was probably isn’t what they are now.
Recognizing and understanding that players continue to evolve will help all of us in assessing how a team continues to grow, instead of taking a stagnant view that is generally behind the curve.
2. The championship hangover
In 2007, the Miami Heat were coming off their first NBA championship in franchise history, with Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade, the team look destined to challenge for several more titles.
On opening night that year, they raised the banner and lost 108-66 to the Chicago Bulls. It was a sign of things to come. The Heat labored through the season, finishing 44-38 and were swept in the first round by the same Bulls. The next season it all came apart, Shaq was traded and the team didn’t return to contention until last year.
This season, the Mavericks seem to be following the same script. Coming off their first championship, Dallas was dominated in their opening day game against Miami. They followed that with another flat outing at home against Denver, than a buzzer beating loss in Oklahoma City.
The defending champions have righted the ship, and stand at 10-7. And now comes news that Dirk Nowitzki will be taking a week off to “resolve some physical issues and conditioning issues”.
It also doesn’t help that to position themselves for cap room in the long-term, Mark Cuban has assembled a completely different team than last season. Players like Vince Carter, Lamar Odom and Delonte West have been brought it to supplant the depth of the roster. Gone are younger talent like Rudy Fernandez, J.J. Barea, Tyson Chandler and Corey Brewer.
There’s no doubt this team will be there come playoff time, but given that they seem to be following the blueprint of the 2007 Miami Heat and pace themselves for the post-season, the Mavericks might find that their year-long hangover will come back to haunt them in the first round.
3. Dwight Howard’s wish list
Dwight Howard is so dominant in two aspects of the game that’s the least glamorous — defense and rebounding — that it’s made him an underrated player on the court even as he carries flaws on the offensive end with him.
But you can’t say he commands the same respect with his off the court comments and decisions regarding his pending free agency.
Last week, Howard added the Clippers to his wish-list of teams he’d be willing to go to, in addition to the Nets, Lakers and Mavericks.
What exactly is Dwight Howard’s true intentions when it comes to assembling his wish list?
Is it not safe to assume that winning is the most important thing to him?
The Mavericks will be a year older next year, so Howard would be teaming up with Nowitzki and an aging core in the West that’s filled with up and coming teams. If the Lakers were to acquire Howard, it would strip the depth of an already thin team. Same for the Nets, who have arguably the worst roster in the entire league.
Why hasn’t Howard considered other teams like Philadelphia, Chicago, or Minnesota. Each of these teams would be willing trade partners with the necessary trade pieces to provide Orlando with that they need, at the same time these teams could add Howard without decimating the core roster.
Since superstars demanding trades to a team of their choice is becoming an annual occurrence, Howard should at least get it right. Look at how Carmelo Anthony has struggled in New York. Sometimes it’s not about what city you go to, but looking at what makes the most sense from a basketball standpoint.
Players would be wise to try to take control of that too. If you’re going to be selfish, at least do it right.
Must Be The Unis
The Heat wearing their all black everything alternate uniforms Thursday night versus the Lakers brought back memories of my high school basketball coach and his theory on wearing black.
“Wearing all black uniforms gives you a ten point advantage before the ball is even tipped.”
It’s an interesting theory and I’m not about to go all debate club but the 98-87 win by the Heat makes me think that my high school basketball coach was on to something. Must be the unis.
photo: AP
