Thanks NBA
We are in the midst of NBA Heritage Week, celebrating the past eras and accomplishments of several teams. Or, to put it more eloquently, the NBA is using this slogan for the week, “Where History Happens.”
Guess it’s an invite only kinda party. What about the 14 teams “Where History Hasn’t Happened?” Almost 50% of current franchises haven’t won an NBA Championship. As fans of these teams, we can do nothing but rekindle the heartbreaks our teams have suffered while we’re forced to look at the patches and unis honoring the championships.
Even Knicks fans can find solace during this celebration, knowing that their organization’s past is far more acclaimed than that of the Raptors, Nets, Pacers, Cavs, Magic, Bobcats, Nuggets, Jazz, T-Wolves, Suns, Clippers, Hornets, Mavericks, and Grizzlies. At least us losers have loser friends that are just like us.
NBA Store [NBA Heritage Week]
Comments (3)YES!
Watching the Nuggets-Mavericks game last night and the announcer yelps out, “JERRY STACKHOUSE!” It was that same raspy voice that’s covered a lot of memorable moments with his excited call as Stack flushed it down. The one and only, Marv Albert. But the play was dead about 3 seconds earlier, when Stack was fouled on the perimeter. Marv = best ever. His enthusiasm, raising his voice at just the perfect moment, his humor and chemistry with his partner(s) were what separated him from the pack.
We’ve talked about it before, but at the age of 66, his losing a step is becoming more evident. When Allen Iverson was fouled and the referees were discussing if it was a shooting foul, Marv had no idea about the reason for the initial whistle or what they were discussing. It’s the little things he’s missing that make the viewer feel clueless. Dan Shulman, the throne is yours.
Comments (9)Bill Russell Wants Your Dolla Dolla Bills
After reading this solid interview with Bill Russell I popped over to Mr. Russell’s Adult Basketball Camp info page. I was a little confused at first — Russell is having several of his old-timer friends together in Vegas and he wants normal joe-schmoes like us to join them? What the hell are we gonna do, play Parcheesi?
Nope. Apparently, it’s for ballers that want to learn a thing or two from the legends. Names like: Erving, Havlicek, Drexler, Magic, West and Barkley. Impressive, right? Well, this is what you get for your time in Vegas: two days of chalk talk from the old folk, a couple 5-on-5 games coached by the hosts, a photo-op with Russell, and the chance to win prizes by testing your NBA Trivia Skills (ooooooohhhhhhhhhh).
Still sound exciting? All you have to do is include a check for $15,500 (US) payable to BILL RUSSELL AND HIS LEGENDARY FRIENDS. I know, what a deal! That’s over $7,500 a day to sit in the same room as these guys. You get no booze, no sex (at least I hope not), and no parties. Oh, I forgot, you do get one breakfast, one lunch, and one dinner. And, if you fork over another $1,250 you get to caddy a round of golf for the legends (actually, they let you play the 18 holes). If you were still thinking about it, this might tip you off, the 15 large doesn’t even include the flight to and from Vegas — but it does include Barkley’s gambling fee.
You’d think with the dough Russell is charging, he’d be able to hire someone to design a site that didn’t look like it was produced in 1993. The man has been rumored to only sign autographs for payment, but this is ri-damn-diculous. Seriously. I know we could all listen to him talk for weeks on end and still be left wanting more, but to charge what Stephon Marbury makes per minute is too much. I think I’d pay 15-5 for one of Russell’s Championship rings, though.
Comments (5)No Podcast, No Cry
*** NOTE: There will not be a podcast this morning. We’ve run in to some technical issues but we will definitely be back tomorrow. ***
In the mean time, please check out the latest gem from Senor Jordan’s people. Watching this 15 times is probably a lot better use of your time anyway.
Comments (10)Why TV? Why?
Does it bother anyone else that the Cleveland broadcast team constantly refers to the Cavaliers as the “wine and gold?” I don’t care if they’re nice jerseys, it’s annoying. “Here come the wine and gold!” It kind of makes me want to vomit. Or maybe I’m just annoyed by local broadcasts in general. The hometown bias is unbelievable. The regional crews constantly complain about the officiating. It’s like a scripted show - at the end of every game you can bank on the guys crying over every call that goes against their team.
I’m not a fan of watching games like this. I want the commentary and opinions but I don’t want to feel like I’m sitting at my local bar with Joe from up the block. Oh, and I don’t need to see a close up of Mike Dove, son of Bill who works in the Promotions Department. I’m really happy that Mike got great seats but I’d rather be scrutinizing something else, like maybe those painful looking tattoos on Larry Hughes’ upper chest.
Comments (3)Christmas Caroling
With all this brawl talk, we’ve forgotten what the holidays are all about. Let’s get back to what we’re supposed to be celebrating. Join me in watching this video so we can make fun of strong accents, feminine voices and the ever-geeky Scott Padgett.
Comments (5)NBA Cheerleading
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Watching Lakers’ games has changed for me. I’m always waiting for something big to happen so I can watch Ronny Turiaf go bananas. He went buck last night against the Spurs and made me spit up my Ritz. NBA dance squads: your jobs are in jeopardy.
Comments (6)The Chris Paul Cock Block
What do you think hurt Julius Hodge more — a real bullet or a punch to the golden nuggets?
Thanks Ben Rossiter!
Chris Paul Punches Julius Hodge Below the Belt [YouTube]
Comments (1)Completely Unnecessary, Yet Thrilling …
Man, I need to start asking you guys for Christmas gifts … Thanks, Knots!
LeBron Behind The Back Oop Pregame Dunk [You Tube]
Bourgeois My Ass! [The Basketball Jones]
(Note: Better hurry up and enjoy this shit while you still can: Stern’s just about had enough of it …)
Comments (12)Kobe Bryant Might Win A Giant Stuffed Animal
Word on the street today is that influential advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy is helping to produce a new fully animated TV campaign for ESPN and ABC’s NBA coverage:
Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki and Gilbert Arenas are among the players who will star, albeit in animated form, in a new campaign from ESPN touting its coverage of the NBA. Four spots will break this week, each showing players or teams attempting to surpass something they already have achieved on the court.
In “The Feats,” we see Bryant at a High Striker, the hammer-and-bell device found at carnivals with which participants test their strength. Instead of a hammer, however, he slams a Spalding basketball on the platform to send a projectile up the tower. In reference to the 81 points he scored in a game last January, the tower is marked by increasingly difficult levels that read 70, 80, 90 and, at the top, 100, the number of points Wilt Chamberlain scored in 1962 to set an NBA single-game record. Bryant changed his Los Angeles Lakers uniform number this season from 8 to 24, which a voiceover acknowledges with: “Will Kobe show us that 24 is greater than 100?”
“The Contenders” focuses on teams in prime position to vie for the NBA title. Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade and head coach Pat Riley of the NBA defending champion Miami Heat are shown with their championship rings while Dallas Mavericks’ all-star Nowitzki and head coach Avery Johnson are tying a heart together with ropes. The voiceover, referencing the Mavs loss to Miami in last season’s finals, offers, “Will the Mavericks mend a broken heart?”
Um, okaaaaay then …
The Game: ESPN, NBA Are Drawn Together … [MEDIAWEEK]
(Update: I think I just found one of the new spots online! Yeah, it stars Tayshaun Prince …)
Comments (3)
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The Basketball Jones is a NBA blog and podcast, written and recorded five times a week by J.E. Skeets, Tas Melas and Jason Doyle. Comments, questions and cold hard cash are always welcome and much appreciated. Contact us.
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