Monday, January 10, 2005
MALAISE
Well, it's Monday and now people in the northwest are going to work and being forced to talk about that game on Saturday. Do you know what makes the world a happier place? Chai. Preferably vanilla flavored, with a dash of powdered cinnamon. Bring some to my pad and it will be quite appreciated. Preferably 16 to 20 ounces, no Java Jacket needed.
(final content posted ~8:55a)
MARINERS
It's got to do with a former Mariner, but Mike Cameron deserves to start in centerfield for SOMEBODY if Carlos Beltran going to the Mets is official. Making him a corner outfielder is a waste.
SEAHAWKS
Clare Farnsworth has his piece on the day after. Grant Wistrom deflects blame away from the coaches and onto the players for not executing the plays, and also to the lack of mental toughness. In a related note, I'm not even sure what mental toughness is anymore, what with the amount that I've been keeping track of this team. As for the rest of the article, don't underestimate what Bob Whitsitt could do to this team. I don't mean that in a good way either. Look at the Blazers even before Whitsitt left and tell me they were in good shape. Granted, they'd probably be a lot better off if they didn't blow that fourth-quarter playoff lead against the Lakers.
Under Whitsitt, next year we could be looking at having the headcase that didn't produce (Koren Robinson) rather than the one that did (Shaun Alexander). In a fit of wrought speculation on Saturday night, Jeremy and I agreed that Philadelphia will indeed represent the NFC in the Super Bowl next year if they get Shaun Alexander. Hmm...a team that was the class of the NFC this season, or the team that was brutal and has AJ Feeley as its quarterback? Hmm...tough choice for Shaun.
Grant Wistrom chalks up the season to injuries and mistakes. I think that's about all I remember too. A few replay calls here and there too, but injuries and mistakes pretty much sums it up.
Something seems ominous about the day where everyone cleaned out their lockers. There's talk of wanting to keep it together, but you know they won't keep all of it together. I forgot which columnist asked this over the week, but how is it that the state has pumped all this money into their stadium, they're selling out every game, and yet the Seahawk brass still managed to not re-sign at least a couple of these guys before training camp? This could all blow up in their faces. Could you imagine if none of Hasselbeck, Jones, or Alexander came back? Of course, one of those guys is more than likely going to get franchised, but still, could you imagine two of those three guys walking? Bob Whitsitt is involved in this. Kepp that in mind as you think about what the Seahawks might do this offseason.
Farnsworth also has what did and didn't work. Itula Mili worked. I'm not sure why Jerramy Stevens is still on this football team unless they're going to throw jump balls to him in the end zone when they're close. Can you think of any way that he could be more useful than Mili?
It turns out Isaiah Kacyvenski actually tore an elbow ligament when he went down early in the game. He finished the game. Can you begin to imagine who the Seahawks would put in Kacyvenski's place if they'd won the game? They might have had to pluck Big Lo out of the stands and stick him at middle linebacker. The amount of injuries on this team this year was just unbelievable.
Jim Moore opted to go with the ABC/ESPN crew for the coverage of the playoff game on Saturday, thus avoiding homerism. I was the total opposite of Moore because I muted the TV and turned up the grandpa station so I could get away from all the Rams buttkissing that I'd been hearing about all freakin' year. In a related story, can you guess what KIRO's radio coverage was missing on Saturday? You guessed it. Brian Davis. I guess what rubbed it in about Steve Raible's call of the final play was that he actually did say "touchdown" before he had to check himself and retract it. As a side note, if Brian Davis would have made a mistake, he would have said "TOUCHDOWN SEAHAWKS!!" with some rasp. The Seahawks have a news anchor as their play-by-play guy, for goodness' sake.
BASKETBALL
The Marvin Williams Watch
This week, the Tar Heels are home against Georgia Tech on Wednesday, and are at Wake Forest on Saturday.
Huskies
Yes, ex-UCLA point guard and current Husky assistant Cameron Dollar went nuts on the team after their latest loss at Pauley Pavilion. Coach Romar says that Dollar probably took it a little more personally, but I think blowing a 21-point lead certainly gives Dollar some good ammo here.
This week, the Huskies have two home games against Oregon (Thursday) and against Oregon State (Saturday).
Bulldogs
This week, Gonzaga has home games against Loyola Marymount on Thursday and Pepperdine on Saturday.
Sonics
For my take on last night's game, scroll down one post or click here if you're in the archive.
Yes, the Sonics beat the heat by getting good bench production and finishing with a flourish -- a 13-1 run to end the game as well as holding the Heat without a basket for the final five minutes of the game. Apparently Radmanovic was lifting the ball too quickly on his jumpers. It sure didn't look like there was any problem last night.
So how did they stop the Heat? One way was putting Antonio Daniels on Dwyane Wade, along with a three-guard lineup. The key was basically to require Wade to be somewhere other than the paint when he had the ball.
Another way to stop the Heat -- set high screens on offense, and try to drag Shaq from the basket on defense. The philosophy seems noble -- put up shots if Shaq stays, and blow by him into the lane if he doesn't. Says Stan Van Gundy, "They just took us apart with pick and rolls in the second half. They must have broken down our defense 15 or 20 times." Fortson's 18 and 10 only came in 22 minutes.
Here's more on the screens and picks. You know what gets me about this? Did you see Stu Scott doing the intro and the highlight reel to this game? They read off the quote that Danny Fortson put out, basically daring Shaq to put a jump hook over him or any jump shot, and talking some crap about their offense. Then they ran a bunch of comparison shots, Shaq averages more per game, has three titles, only one of Fortson's teams have finished over .500, etc. Then one of the first highlights is Shaq, and Stu says, "I'll shoot a jump hook...right up in your grill. They showed one or two more clips from the first half of Shaq having his way with Fortson, before they showed Radmanovic hitting a three, and I think they might have showed Fortson bumping down low and getting the basket and one (the one where the ball hung on the base of the rim and eventuall went through). But how did I feel after the highlight reel was over? I didn't even feel like the Sonics won the game, and from the reel and Scott put it across, it was like the Sonics winning the game was an afterthought. You can't spell bias without the letters B and S.
Yes, a couple of Shaq jump hooks and baskets will make its way onto ESPN's reel, but you won't hear much about Fortson's side of the story and how he's actually been a pretty good answer to Shaq. They're cool though, those guys. They don't wish each other ill, they just seem to be having fun.
Reggie Evans sat out again, recovering in the hospital from the stomach ailment. For some reason, I like this Stan Van Gundy comment about the bench scoring, which was heavily in the Sonics' favor last night: "Their bench is a little deceptive. In fact, it's very deceptive because Vitaly Potapenko and Jerome James played eight minutes each. I mean, they are token guys to go in and take a couple fouls, so that is deceptive. ... If I started Wang Zhi-Zhi and brought Shaq (O'Neal) off of the bench or started somebody else and brought Dwyane (Wade) off the bench, then we would have great production off our bench, too."
Upcoming...
Tomorrow vs. LA Clippers
Wednesday at LA Clippers
Friday vs. Golden State
HOCKEY
Manitoba beat Edmonton 2-1 in a shootout (video). Edmonton drew first blood early in the first period. Using a second period in which they outshot Edmonton 12-4, the Moose were scored on their 10th shot of the period, from the right circle by Brandon Nolan. Nothing was decided until Peter Sarno, the fifth Moose skater of the shootout, roofed one over Road Runner goalie Mike Morrison for the win. Manitoba outshot Edmonton 33-18, and Alex Auld stopped 17.
Upcoming...
Tomorrow: Seattle at Tri-City, Kootenay at Everett, Portland at Regina, Prince George at Vancouver, Manitoba at San Antonio
Wednesday: Kootenay at Seattle, Portland at Brandon
Thursday: Manitoba at San Antonio
Friday: Everett at Vancouver, Seattle at Tri-City, Portland at Moose Jaw, Manitoba at Houston, Puget Sound at Portland
Saturday: Vancouver at Everett, Portland at Kootenay, Puget Sound at Portland
---
Have a great start to the work week, folks.
(final content posted ~8:55a)
MARINERS
It's got to do with a former Mariner, but Mike Cameron deserves to start in centerfield for SOMEBODY if Carlos Beltran going to the Mets is official. Making him a corner outfielder is a waste.
SEAHAWKS
Clare Farnsworth has his piece on the day after. Grant Wistrom deflects blame away from the coaches and onto the players for not executing the plays, and also to the lack of mental toughness. In a related note, I'm not even sure what mental toughness is anymore, what with the amount that I've been keeping track of this team. As for the rest of the article, don't underestimate what Bob Whitsitt could do to this team. I don't mean that in a good way either. Look at the Blazers even before Whitsitt left and tell me they were in good shape. Granted, they'd probably be a lot better off if they didn't blow that fourth-quarter playoff lead against the Lakers.
Under Whitsitt, next year we could be looking at having the headcase that didn't produce (Koren Robinson) rather than the one that did (Shaun Alexander). In a fit of wrought speculation on Saturday night, Jeremy and I agreed that Philadelphia will indeed represent the NFC in the Super Bowl next year if they get Shaun Alexander. Hmm...a team that was the class of the NFC this season, or the team that was brutal and has AJ Feeley as its quarterback? Hmm...tough choice for Shaun.
Grant Wistrom chalks up the season to injuries and mistakes. I think that's about all I remember too. A few replay calls here and there too, but injuries and mistakes pretty much sums it up.
Something seems ominous about the day where everyone cleaned out their lockers. There's talk of wanting to keep it together, but you know they won't keep all of it together. I forgot which columnist asked this over the week, but how is it that the state has pumped all this money into their stadium, they're selling out every game, and yet the Seahawk brass still managed to not re-sign at least a couple of these guys before training camp? This could all blow up in their faces. Could you imagine if none of Hasselbeck, Jones, or Alexander came back? Of course, one of those guys is more than likely going to get franchised, but still, could you imagine two of those three guys walking? Bob Whitsitt is involved in this. Kepp that in mind as you think about what the Seahawks might do this offseason.
Farnsworth also has what did and didn't work. Itula Mili worked. I'm not sure why Jerramy Stevens is still on this football team unless they're going to throw jump balls to him in the end zone when they're close. Can you think of any way that he could be more useful than Mili?
It turns out Isaiah Kacyvenski actually tore an elbow ligament when he went down early in the game. He finished the game. Can you begin to imagine who the Seahawks would put in Kacyvenski's place if they'd won the game? They might have had to pluck Big Lo out of the stands and stick him at middle linebacker. The amount of injuries on this team this year was just unbelievable.
Jim Moore opted to go with the ABC/ESPN crew for the coverage of the playoff game on Saturday, thus avoiding homerism. I was the total opposite of Moore because I muted the TV and turned up the grandpa station so I could get away from all the Rams buttkissing that I'd been hearing about all freakin' year. In a related story, can you guess what KIRO's radio coverage was missing on Saturday? You guessed it. Brian Davis. I guess what rubbed it in about Steve Raible's call of the final play was that he actually did say "touchdown" before he had to check himself and retract it. As a side note, if Brian Davis would have made a mistake, he would have said "TOUCHDOWN SEAHAWKS!!" with some rasp. The Seahawks have a news anchor as their play-by-play guy, for goodness' sake.
BASKETBALL
The Marvin Williams Watch
This week, the Tar Heels are home against Georgia Tech on Wednesday, and are at Wake Forest on Saturday.
Huskies
Yes, ex-UCLA point guard and current Husky assistant Cameron Dollar went nuts on the team after their latest loss at Pauley Pavilion. Coach Romar says that Dollar probably took it a little more personally, but I think blowing a 21-point lead certainly gives Dollar some good ammo here.
This week, the Huskies have two home games against Oregon (Thursday) and against Oregon State (Saturday).
Bulldogs
This week, Gonzaga has home games against Loyola Marymount on Thursday and Pepperdine on Saturday.
Sonics
For my take on last night's game, scroll down one post or click here if you're in the archive.
Yes, the Sonics beat the heat by getting good bench production and finishing with a flourish -- a 13-1 run to end the game as well as holding the Heat without a basket for the final five minutes of the game. Apparently Radmanovic was lifting the ball too quickly on his jumpers. It sure didn't look like there was any problem last night.
So how did they stop the Heat? One way was putting Antonio Daniels on Dwyane Wade, along with a three-guard lineup. The key was basically to require Wade to be somewhere other than the paint when he had the ball.
Another way to stop the Heat -- set high screens on offense, and try to drag Shaq from the basket on defense. The philosophy seems noble -- put up shots if Shaq stays, and blow by him into the lane if he doesn't. Says Stan Van Gundy, "They just took us apart with pick and rolls in the second half. They must have broken down our defense 15 or 20 times." Fortson's 18 and 10 only came in 22 minutes.
Here's more on the screens and picks. You know what gets me about this? Did you see Stu Scott doing the intro and the highlight reel to this game? They read off the quote that Danny Fortson put out, basically daring Shaq to put a jump hook over him or any jump shot, and talking some crap about their offense. Then they ran a bunch of comparison shots, Shaq averages more per game, has three titles, only one of Fortson's teams have finished over .500, etc. Then one of the first highlights is Shaq, and Stu says, "I'll shoot a jump hook...right up in your grill. They showed one or two more clips from the first half of Shaq having his way with Fortson, before they showed Radmanovic hitting a three, and I think they might have showed Fortson bumping down low and getting the basket and one (the one where the ball hung on the base of the rim and eventuall went through). But how did I feel after the highlight reel was over? I didn't even feel like the Sonics won the game, and from the reel and Scott put it across, it was like the Sonics winning the game was an afterthought. You can't spell bias without the letters B and S.
Yes, a couple of Shaq jump hooks and baskets will make its way onto ESPN's reel, but you won't hear much about Fortson's side of the story and how he's actually been a pretty good answer to Shaq. They're cool though, those guys. They don't wish each other ill, they just seem to be having fun.
Reggie Evans sat out again, recovering in the hospital from the stomach ailment. For some reason, I like this Stan Van Gundy comment about the bench scoring, which was heavily in the Sonics' favor last night: "Their bench is a little deceptive. In fact, it's very deceptive because Vitaly Potapenko and Jerome James played eight minutes each. I mean, they are token guys to go in and take a couple fouls, so that is deceptive. ... If I started Wang Zhi-Zhi and brought Shaq (O'Neal) off of the bench or started somebody else and brought Dwyane (Wade) off the bench, then we would have great production off our bench, too."
Upcoming...
Tomorrow vs. LA Clippers
Wednesday at LA Clippers
Friday vs. Golden State
HOCKEY
Manitoba beat Edmonton 2-1 in a shootout (video). Edmonton drew first blood early in the first period. Using a second period in which they outshot Edmonton 12-4, the Moose were scored on their 10th shot of the period, from the right circle by Brandon Nolan. Nothing was decided until Peter Sarno, the fifth Moose skater of the shootout, roofed one over Road Runner goalie Mike Morrison for the win. Manitoba outshot Edmonton 33-18, and Alex Auld stopped 17.
Upcoming...
Tomorrow: Seattle at Tri-City, Kootenay at Everett, Portland at Regina, Prince George at Vancouver, Manitoba at San Antonio
Wednesday: Kootenay at Seattle, Portland at Brandon
Thursday: Manitoba at San Antonio
Friday: Everett at Vancouver, Seattle at Tri-City, Portland at Moose Jaw, Manitoba at Houston, Puget Sound at Portland
Saturday: Vancouver at Everett, Portland at Kootenay, Puget Sound at Portland
---
Have a great start to the work week, folks.
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