Kobe Myths – Playoff Edition

Sur le même thème que "Kobe Myths – Playoff Edition"

T-Mac and Kobe

Tracy McGrady is an NBA star.  For his career he has averaged more than twenty points per game and earned nearly $100 million. Despite his personal success and wealth, though, his teams have never made it out of the first round of the playoffs.  Certainly he and his team have come close.  The last three trips into the playoffs have seen his team battle to a decisive seventh game.  But each time when the deciding was over, McGrady and company took a vacation. The inability to have any playoff success has led some to question whether T-Mac really is an NBA star.  Sure he score.  Sure he gets paid.  But if you don’t win, how can you be considered one of the game’s best? For example, consider Kobe Bryant.  Like McGrady, Kobe scores and Kobe gets paid. [lien] [EN]

Footballblogging, Playoffs Edition I

Footballblogging, Playoffs Edition I Downblog, foolishmortal writes Congratulations, Jim, on your utter failure to predict the Skins’ season. Watching them stuff the Cowboys today was a thing of beauty. I missed the Sunday games because I was driving from Northern Illinois to DC, complete with sudden snow-squall on either side of the Allegheny Tunnel on the PA Turnpike. Actually, AM radio being AM radio, there were points along the road in Ohio - motto: “There’s more of our state than America strictly needs!” - where the Redskins Network broadcast team of Sonny, Sam and Larry came through for a few minutes, and there were also the sports network roundup shows, so we knew the game was going well. Meanwhile, the team’s only rivals for the last playoff spot . [lien] [EN]

Footballblogging, Playoffs Edition II

Footballblogging, Playoffs Edition II So, who should you root for? Happily, most of this weekend’s games break down into straightforward contests of Good Versus Evil. You just have to identify the team representing Good and cheer for them. Redskins @ Seahawks Redskins. 1) Sean Taylor has invited Benazir Bhutto to watch the game from his box. It would be wrong to make them cry. 2) Speaking of crying, Seattle were a bunch of baby-whiners after Super Bowl XL. They must never taste playoff success until they atone. Jaguars @ Steelers Steelers. 1) The Pittsburgh Steelers represent all that is good and just and true in football and in life. Also, it will make my mom happy, and she is, like the Steeler franchise, 75 years old this year. Do it for my mom. 2) Jacksonville. [lien] [EN]

Football Live-ish Blogging: Playoff Edition II

Football Live-ish Blogging: Playoff Edition II Start of Jags-Steelers broadcast. John Madden is explaining that Jacksonville does “the things you have to do in playoff football: run the ball and stop the run.” Five minutes ago, Seattle just finished winning a game in which they couldn’t run for beans. 1st Quarter: 10:52 - John Madden just said a lot of players are starting to do something - extend the ball toward the goal line while being tackled close to a touchdown - that players have been doing forever. Go, Madden! And thanks to Jacksonville for blowing a time out on this challenge. Spaeth’s knee was obviously down when he lost the ball. Q1, 10:03 - 7-0, Steelers. I don’t think we’ve discussed enough how much Jacksonville can eat my shorts. Ben looks great so far. [lien] [EN]

Football Live-ish Blogging: Playoff Edition I

Football Live-ish Blogging: Playoff Edition I Washington @ Seattle, Halftime I think we can all agree that 2 against 11 is not a fair fight. Of the Redskins offense, so far only Todd Collins and Antwaan Randle-El are acquitting themselves honorably. The O-line is getting out-muscled and Redskin receivers who have not thrown a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl are dropping balls. I wish they would run more, but in fairness to Gibbs and offensive boss Al Saunders the team hasn’t been able to run for shit when they’ve tried. Seattle’s offense stomped all over the Washington defense for more than a quarter, but the defense seems to be coming up to speed in the last few series. Also, the Seahawk special teams have outplayed Washington. Cris Collinsworth keeps harping on rookie Right Tackle Stephon Heyer’s failings against DE Patrick Kerney. [lien] [EN]

Footballblogging, Playoffs Edition III

Footballblogging, Playoffs Edition III So the forces of Good take both games on Day 2 after losing both games Day 1. That’s not how I drew it up. Oh well. The more I think about the final minutes of the Jax-Pitt game the more I blame Coach Mike Tomlin and Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians. It’s important to explain why this isn’t merely hindsight. Pitt gets the ball deep in their own territory with over three minutes to go. At that point I IMed Brett that, “They need two first downs here.” A three-and-out would mean Jacksonville getting the ball somewhere beyond their own 30 with almost two minutes to go, needing only to get within field goal range. For a modern NFL offense, such a situation doesn’t constitute serious time pressure, even with no time outs. In that situation. [lien] [EN]

Football Live-ish Blogging: Playoff Edition III

Football Live-ish Blogging: Playoff Edition III Watching Chargers-Colts and I just saw the coolest block ever on the first play from scrimmage. Peyton Manning dumps the ball off to the running back. Downfield, Dallas Clark engages, and holds for several seconds, a kind of backwards block. He “fronts” the guy who was covering him like a basketball forward posting up, and backs him downfield away from the receiver - engaging the opponent with his shoulderblades, throwing out his elbows and backpedaling into the guy. I never noticed anyone doing this before. UPDATE: Mid-third-quarter, same game - a nifty one-handed interception near the goal line by a Charger defender by Peyton Manning. First, I warned you people (meaning, the world) about the middle screen last week during the Pittsburgh game. [lien] [EN]

Football Live-ish Blogging: Playoff Edition IV

Football Live-ish Blogging: Playoff Edition IV The Good vs. Evil calculus is rough on today’s games. Ultimately, one must root for the Patriots and Giants, so they can reprise their Week 17 contest in the Super Bowl. But as a disgruntled Redskin fan, I feel the allure of Norv Turner’s team advancing. Think: it would make Norv the coach of one of the greatest victories in NFL history. Here is a thread for football discussion for people that want to have it. Mona is excused. BROKEN-RECORD UPDATE: San Diego punts on fourth down at the NE 36. Never gets the ball back. Now, I’ll grant that it was 4th and 10, but the expected field position change on the punt is a mere 16 yards. That is, SD could realistically hope that the Patriots start at the 20 after a punt, versus at the 36 on an incomplete fourth. [lien] [EN]

Football Live-ish Blogging: Playoff Edition V

Football Live-ish Blogging: Playoff Edition V Beginning of overtime, Giants-Packers, 20-20. Tom Coughlin’s mania for the long field goal try in bad weather overdraws the good will account he built up in the Patriots game. Discuss. UPDATE: Hunh. Well I never. Meanwhile, this is exactly what should have happened. Giants-Patriots, The Rematch. It’s almost too fantastic. [lien] [EN]

Now I Get the Fans of Kobe

One of the stories I often tell in this forum - as the following posts indicate — is that Kobe Bryant is a very good, but not the very best, basketball player.   Kobe for MVP? Kobe and T-Mac Again T-Mac and Kobe The Return of Bynum Gets Even Andrew Bynum is Getting Even Kobe Myths Kobe Bryant is Unhappy Often a person (or many persons) will state in the comments on these posts that I really just “hate” Kobe.  And because I “hate” Kobe, I played with the numbers until I was able to say that Kobe is not the greatest player of all time.   This always seemed like an odd argument and I was never able to explain its persistence.  And then I read the following by Scoop Jackson: Why Kobe won’t win the MVP  Here are two paragraphs from this column that capture the basic argument. [lien] [EN]

Okafor Finally Signs

Over the last few days there have been a number of wonderful suggestions for blog topics.  Josh suggested a post on the career of Karl Malone. Ken asked for a post on David Robinson. Stephanie would like more information on how performance changes with age. And William would like me to post the Wins Produced numbers from every player who played in 2007-08. Looking over these suggestions I knew exactly what I should write about… Emeka Okafor.  Okafor vs. Bogut Okafor just signed a 6-year, $72 million contract with the Charlotte Bobcats. And although I liked the suggestions, I thought I should offer a comment on this deal. A few weeks ago the Milwaukee Bucks signed Andrew Bogut for $60 million over five years ($72 million with apparently some hard to reach incentives).   So Bogut and Okafor are both receiving $12 million per season. [lien] [EN]

BLIND GUARDIAN A Twist In The Myth 2CD Limited Edition chez CdWow Ref 84718411

BLIND GUARDIAN-A Twist In The Myth (2CD Limited Edition) CD [lien] [EN]

Money Myths, Madness, and Mayhem - The 85th Edition of the Carnival of Money Stories

Welcome to the Carnival of Money Stories! I am thrilled to be able to host this edition of the carnival. I hope you enjoy all of the submissions as much as I did. This issue of the carnival contains some wacky and wild money stories brought to you Myth Busters style. Some are true, some are false, all are a little crazy! If you’re new here, please subscribe to my RSS Feed and then sit back, and enjoy the stories! Wealth in Your Pocket? Myth: In April of 2006 a wealthy businessman named Scott Travers decided to honor national coin week by placing three rare coins into circulation. The coins have never been “found”. Status: Scott Travers did unleash three rare coins into circulation - and it wasn’t the first time he’s done it either. It turns out that Scott, who is the author of The Coin Collector’s Survival Manual and the ex. [lien] [EN]

Playoffs?! Defensive Edition

The New York Jets 9 campaign should be an exciting one with some key acquisitions made during the offseason to help bolster the defense. A new Head Coach in defensive guru Rex Ryan, brings with him a new defensive scheme that placed the Baltimore Ravens 3rd overall in the league in total defense last year, marching his old team straight into the playoffs despite having a very “average” offense. Many Jets fans heading into the season are torn (as usual) as to what the Jets can accomplish on the field this year. Will the team require an adjustment period learning a new defensive system? If so, how long will it take for the defense to play as a refined unit and become one of the leagues best? Are they a playoff contender or pretender? Let’s take a quick look and what might be needed from individual contributors or groups for the team to have a successful 9 season. [lien] [EN]