Here is something I found amusing:
These are the 10 states with the highest levels of adult obesity, according to a 2007 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Source: Associated Press).
1. Mississippi, 32.0 percent
2. Alabama, 30.3
3. Tennessee, 30.1
4. Louisiana, 29.8
5. West Virginia, 29.5
6. Arkansas, 28.7
7. South Carolina, 28.4
8. Georgia, 28.2
9. Oklahoma, 28.1
10. Texas, 28.1
Number 9, ha-ha. By the way, the new team is to be called the Thunder. Seems appropriate. Also, do not eat at Sonic Drive-Ins, the company is based in Oklahoma City. Nor should you watch the Country Music Television Channel and Spike TV, stay at any of the Gaylord Hotels, such as the Opryland Hotel, or, rather, any thing to do with the Grand Ole Opry, and, don’t read the Oklahoman. In the case of the Oklahoman, avoid it not only because of the nefaris connection to the evil that is Clay Bennett but also because, according to its Wiki entry:
“During the management by Edward Gaylord (Bennett’s father-in-law), the newspaper has been regularly accused of having an ultra conservative Republican /conservative bias in both its news coverage and particularly on its editorial pages. The January/February 1999 issue of the Columbia Journalism Review contained an article, titled ‘The Worst Newspaper in America,’ which made a lengthy and well-documented case for that designation.
Edward Gaylord routinely ran front page editorials against any political candidates whom Gaylord accused of supporting ‘big government spending.’ Businessman Gaylord has been accused of using his newspaper for personal financial or political gain at the public expense.
The most recent example was the paper's editorial support for the city to use public funds to promote ‘welfare for the rich’ to help finance the building of a new Bass Pro Shop in Oklahoma City, where Gaylord Entertainment was a large (24%) shareholder of Bass Pro private stock.
Another example of a double standard was one in which Gaylord, who had written strident editorials opposing ‘Affirmative Action’ and ‘Racial Quotas,’ successfully lobbied the US Congress to pass tax incentives in which Gaylord Media could receive tax breaks to sell broadcast stations to corporations which had a small percentage of ownership by what Gaylord had stridently described in editorials as ‘So-Called Minorities.’”
Nice. Do you think they ran any articles about how the state should finance the Ford Center? Oh, avoid Bass Pro Shops. The Gaylord evidently sold their share of the Texas Rangers to Bush. Bennett is reportedly a staunch Republican. Seeing his behavior, i.e., lies (to include potential perjury – see his explanation of the “man possessed” email), that doesn’t surprise me. Then there is his co-owner’s, Aubrey McClendon, stance on homosexuals, but I should get back to work. My point, there really isn’t much to like about these people. Stealing the Sonics was just the tip of the iceberg.
But we will be avenged. When the oil industry crashes in the next couple of decades, the dust bowl days will return. Plus, Willingham will exact revenge this fall!!!
(One more thing, the University of Oklahoma football stadium is named after Gaylord and the coach, Bob Stoops, was on the greeting committee for the NBA when they were “investigating” whether Oklahoma City was a viable NBA location.)
Monday, July 21, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Husky Recruiting
I waste too much time thinking, or I should say dwelling, or worrying about recruiting. Case in point, the football team has no commitments and the basketball team has two commitments with room for one more but appear to be gunning for two more (taking from Bob Condotta and his blog on the Seattle Times) and I'm concerned, going over the "what ifs" and checking for news everyday.
The football team is easily explained: not a great year D-1 wise in the state, official recruiting visits seem to happen most often during the season, and Willingham's questionable future. The commitments will come (albeit, probably a weaker class than last year, but, mostly due to the state's class), but still, I have to look each day to see if that first commitment came in.
As for basketball, what does Romar do if two more kids want to commit? Romar has 13 kids on scholarship this season. Of the 13, three are seniors; that means in order to take four, there has to be some kind of shake up with the underclassmen. So, if Romar gets a commitment from, say the two Bellermine kids, where does that extra scholarship come from?
I don't believe Romar when he says these things work themselves out. Because if they don't work themselves out, then he has to deny someone the renewal of their scholarship, essentially kicking them off the team. That's bad for the reputation. Let look at the Joel Smith situation. His departure solved the scholarship issue for this season. However, two months ago he was probably planning on returning thus creating a problem in that there would be 14 scholarship players, one over the limit. My thought is that Smith planned on playing next season because it wasn't guaranteed that all four freshmen would qualify. When they did, Smith's potential playing time took a dive (at least in most people's mind – see Thomas and Suggs – and in Smith's mind if my argument is going to fly). So rather than sit on the bench he took his degree and left. Perhaps Romar did kick him off after the four freshmen qualified. No bad guy image because Smith had his degree, he could still play a year somewhere at D-II, getting a free start on a Masters or go for a teaching certificate. But there was some time between the final freshman qualifying and the announcement Smith was leaving, time for him to evaluate the season and his role. So perhaps this was his decision and a surprise to Romar. Thus Romar had to have another backup plan in case all the freshmen qualified. Maybe Brockman volunteers to go off scholarship (getting the bonus publicity for being such a team player, like that guy from WSU last year). He'd pay in-state tuition and will be playing professionally somewhere next year so the cost wouldn't sting too much.
Or maybe Romar was working with Wolfinger, probably the least Pac-10 ready on the team (excluding some of the freshmen, but I think they have a higher potential) to find him a new home. Which brings me to next year. If Romar takes two more commitments, he's back to 14. What to do? Well, I have the solution and it involves Wolfinger. This will be his fourth year at UW. Like Smith, he used a redshirt. Although eligible for another season, if he kept up on his studies, he will graduate and call it a career. As well as having the degree, Wolfinger has dealt with a lot of injuries, missing an entire season (in addition to the redshirt year) and I believe he is resting his foot right now. All the more reason to call it a career. Or, graduate, take the year of eligibility and enroll in a D-II school with Master's programs, apply for a medical redshirt and there you go – two more years of free education going towards a Master's. The timing is perfect, too perfect, so I'll stick with the injury issues as the most likely scenario. But, in the end, like with Smith, Romar is still the good guy and, importantly, getting kids to graduate on time.
The problem with this route is that leaves only one senior on next season's squad (Pondexter, assuming he doesn't make the mistake of going pro after this season, which would completely mess the above plan up) and thus only one scholarship for the following class. I can't believe Romar only takes on one kid (even if it is Josh Smith). So we are back to the over the limit issue again. Unless, the Pondexter mistake occurs…
The football team is easily explained: not a great year D-1 wise in the state, official recruiting visits seem to happen most often during the season, and Willingham's questionable future. The commitments will come (albeit, probably a weaker class than last year, but, mostly due to the state's class), but still, I have to look each day to see if that first commitment came in.
As for basketball, what does Romar do if two more kids want to commit? Romar has 13 kids on scholarship this season. Of the 13, three are seniors; that means in order to take four, there has to be some kind of shake up with the underclassmen. So, if Romar gets a commitment from, say the two Bellermine kids, where does that extra scholarship come from?
I don't believe Romar when he says these things work themselves out. Because if they don't work themselves out, then he has to deny someone the renewal of their scholarship, essentially kicking them off the team. That's bad for the reputation. Let look at the Joel Smith situation. His departure solved the scholarship issue for this season. However, two months ago he was probably planning on returning thus creating a problem in that there would be 14 scholarship players, one over the limit. My thought is that Smith planned on playing next season because it wasn't guaranteed that all four freshmen would qualify. When they did, Smith's potential playing time took a dive (at least in most people's mind – see Thomas and Suggs – and in Smith's mind if my argument is going to fly). So rather than sit on the bench he took his degree and left. Perhaps Romar did kick him off after the four freshmen qualified. No bad guy image because Smith had his degree, he could still play a year somewhere at D-II, getting a free start on a Masters or go for a teaching certificate. But there was some time between the final freshman qualifying and the announcement Smith was leaving, time for him to evaluate the season and his role. So perhaps this was his decision and a surprise to Romar. Thus Romar had to have another backup plan in case all the freshmen qualified. Maybe Brockman volunteers to go off scholarship (getting the bonus publicity for being such a team player, like that guy from WSU last year). He'd pay in-state tuition and will be playing professionally somewhere next year so the cost wouldn't sting too much.
Or maybe Romar was working with Wolfinger, probably the least Pac-10 ready on the team (excluding some of the freshmen, but I think they have a higher potential) to find him a new home. Which brings me to next year. If Romar takes two more commitments, he's back to 14. What to do? Well, I have the solution and it involves Wolfinger. This will be his fourth year at UW. Like Smith, he used a redshirt. Although eligible for another season, if he kept up on his studies, he will graduate and call it a career. As well as having the degree, Wolfinger has dealt with a lot of injuries, missing an entire season (in addition to the redshirt year) and I believe he is resting his foot right now. All the more reason to call it a career. Or, graduate, take the year of eligibility and enroll in a D-II school with Master's programs, apply for a medical redshirt and there you go – two more years of free education going towards a Master's. The timing is perfect, too perfect, so I'll stick with the injury issues as the most likely scenario. But, in the end, like with Smith, Romar is still the good guy and, importantly, getting kids to graduate on time.
The problem with this route is that leaves only one senior on next season's squad (Pondexter, assuming he doesn't make the mistake of going pro after this season, which would completely mess the above plan up) and thus only one scholarship for the following class. I can't believe Romar only takes on one kid (even if it is Josh Smith). So we are back to the over the limit issue again. Unless, the Pondexter mistake occurs…
Friday, July 11, 2008
West Virginia Brewing Company
It has been awhile but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been drinking beer, especially as a method to drown the sorrows of the team that was the SuperSonics.
A few weeks ago, I was in Morgantown, West Virginia, where I discovered the West Virginia Brewing Company. They had about 6 or so beers on tap, that my waiter, I believe named Jason (although that is more than likely way off), honestly described as good or bad. When he got to the Ned’s Pale Ale, these were his words: “This beer is made with more hops than our other beer and is bitter. It’s delicious.” He had me at “more hops.” “I’ll take” I exclaimed.
I liked the atmosphere of the bar. I’m sure it gets quite crowded on Friday and Saturday nights and on Game Day. On a Monday evening, not so much. That was okay as they brewed their own beer and cooked a decent burger. If you ever find yourself in Morgantown, I recommend a stop at the West Virginia Brewing company for Ned’s Pale Ale, it’s delicious.
Rating: 4
A few weeks ago, I was in Morgantown, West Virginia, where I discovered the West Virginia Brewing Company. They had about 6 or so beers on tap, that my waiter, I believe named Jason (although that is more than likely way off), honestly described as good or bad. When he got to the Ned’s Pale Ale, these were his words: “This beer is made with more hops than our other beer and is bitter. It’s delicious.” He had me at “more hops.” “I’ll take” I exclaimed.
I liked the atmosphere of the bar. I’m sure it gets quite crowded on Friday and Saturday nights and on Game Day. On a Monday evening, not so much. That was okay as they brewed their own beer and cooked a decent burger. If you ever find yourself in Morgantown, I recommend a stop at the West Virginia Brewing company for Ned’s Pale Ale, it’s delicious.
Rating: 4
Friday, June 6, 2008
Jones hits winning home run; Mariners lose, again
As I was walking into work today, I saw on that Adam Jones hit what ended up being a game winning home run in the seventh inning. So I decided to take a look at the Trade to see if there is any indication who got the upper hand.
Adam Jones is hitting .256 while playing in all of Baltimore’s 59 games (they are 29-30). He has 53 hits in 207 at bats with 11 walks, for an on base percentage of .297. Of his hits, 11 are doubles, 2 are triples, and 3 are home runs. He has scored 20 times, has 11 RBIs, and has struck out 49 times. Definitely not all-star numbers (unless you have been in the league for ten years, had a few legitimate all-star years, and, most importantly, are a fan favorite). But not bad for a 22 year old in his first year as a full time starter in the big leagues.
George Sherrill is having, arguably, an all-star year. He is second in the American league in saves at 20. In 28 appearances, he has an ERA of 3.04, is 1-1, pitches 26.2 innings (to be accurate, shouldn’t it be 26 and 2/3 innings?), has allowed 16 hits and 9 earned runs, 2 home runs, 14 walks, 25 strike outs, and an opponents batting average of .172.
The Mariners are stuck in a 21-39 season. Erik Bedard has played in 10 of those games; pitching 56.10 innings (56 and 1/3 innings) for a 4-4 record and a 4.47 ERA. He has no complete games as the M’s number one, I mean number two starter (sorry Felix), allowed 49 hits, 33 runs (28 of which are earned), 8 home runs, 26 walks, and 49 strike outs.
Obviously, it’s tough to compare Sherrill’s and Bedard’s stats; one is a relief pitcher and one a starter. So let’s look at the Mariner’s closer’s stats. Wait, who is the closer? Putz? Well, he’s been injured so that’s not a fair comparison. Oh, by using that rationale, Bedard has been injured too so of course his stats and impact are going to look bad on paper.
So let’s look at Jones in comparison with the Mariner’s outfield. Okay, there’s Ichiro. He’s having a down year by Ichiro standards but is putting up decent numbers. I imagine he’ll end up hitting over .300. As one of the best outfielders in the game, Jones was not going to displace Ichiro. Thus, no need to compare. What about Raul Ibanez? Ibanez is also having a good season (stat-wise, better than Jones) and a comparison may be relevant as Ibanez very well likely could have been moved to DH for Jones. But let’s look at right field…..shit, right field sucks.
Who wins? On its face, it appears Baltimore. Bedard has been almost non-existent in the starting rotation. No right field, perfect fit for Jones; no closer, perfect fit for Sherrill. However, Putz’s suffered a strange and obscure injury and Bedard has always been healthy, who would have predicted both these guys go down. I image both will be back next year (I won’t bother saying later this year because I’ve already given up on the season). But, the question still remains, who will play right? I got an idea, Bavasi can sign a crappy has-been to fill the hole, rather than rolling the dice on Mike Morse, Wladimir Balentien, or someone else in the organization in their mid-20s or younger who cannot possibly be worse than, say, Brad Wilkerson.
Adam Jones is hitting .256 while playing in all of Baltimore’s 59 games (they are 29-30). He has 53 hits in 207 at bats with 11 walks, for an on base percentage of .297. Of his hits, 11 are doubles, 2 are triples, and 3 are home runs. He has scored 20 times, has 11 RBIs, and has struck out 49 times. Definitely not all-star numbers (unless you have been in the league for ten years, had a few legitimate all-star years, and, most importantly, are a fan favorite). But not bad for a 22 year old in his first year as a full time starter in the big leagues.
George Sherrill is having, arguably, an all-star year. He is second in the American league in saves at 20. In 28 appearances, he has an ERA of 3.04, is 1-1, pitches 26.2 innings (to be accurate, shouldn’t it be 26 and 2/3 innings?), has allowed 16 hits and 9 earned runs, 2 home runs, 14 walks, 25 strike outs, and an opponents batting average of .172.
The Mariners are stuck in a 21-39 season. Erik Bedard has played in 10 of those games; pitching 56.10 innings (56 and 1/3 innings) for a 4-4 record and a 4.47 ERA. He has no complete games as the M’s number one, I mean number two starter (sorry Felix), allowed 49 hits, 33 runs (28 of which are earned), 8 home runs, 26 walks, and 49 strike outs.
Obviously, it’s tough to compare Sherrill’s and Bedard’s stats; one is a relief pitcher and one a starter. So let’s look at the Mariner’s closer’s stats. Wait, who is the closer? Putz? Well, he’s been injured so that’s not a fair comparison. Oh, by using that rationale, Bedard has been injured too so of course his stats and impact are going to look bad on paper.
So let’s look at Jones in comparison with the Mariner’s outfield. Okay, there’s Ichiro. He’s having a down year by Ichiro standards but is putting up decent numbers. I imagine he’ll end up hitting over .300. As one of the best outfielders in the game, Jones was not going to displace Ichiro. Thus, no need to compare. What about Raul Ibanez? Ibanez is also having a good season (stat-wise, better than Jones) and a comparison may be relevant as Ibanez very well likely could have been moved to DH for Jones. But let’s look at right field…..shit, right field sucks.
Who wins? On its face, it appears Baltimore. Bedard has been almost non-existent in the starting rotation. No right field, perfect fit for Jones; no closer, perfect fit for Sherrill. However, Putz’s suffered a strange and obscure injury and Bedard has always been healthy, who would have predicted both these guys go down. I image both will be back next year (I won’t bother saying later this year because I’ve already given up on the season). But, the question still remains, who will play right? I got an idea, Bavasi can sign a crappy has-been to fill the hole, rather than rolling the dice on Mike Morse, Wladimir Balentien, or someone else in the organization in their mid-20s or younger who cannot possibly be worse than, say, Brad Wilkerson.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Beer Review
I’ve been thinking about doing this for awhile: beer reviews. I love beer…good beer that is. Not that garbage the U.S. beer industry hacks have paid the propagandists to call “American Lager.” My friends call me a beer snob. I disagree. You won’t see me talking about hops from Yakima or Flanders, roasted, chocolate, or fruity malts, brewed in the style of so-and-so, or rich, amber hues. No, if it tastes good, it’s a good beer.
As a caveat though, just so you know what to expect, I like hoppy/bitter beer over malty beer; I’m not a fan of carbonation; I like beer from the cask or keg better than beer from a bottle or can; and the top three best beer producing countries in the world, in order, are England, Belgium, and Germany.
And so, my first review: Sam Adams Honey Porter:
I could taste the honey, but it was not sweet. Deceptively carbonated, however. The first couple of drinks were not bad but the beer seemed to degrade pretty quickly. In fact, after a little distraction from the kids, I tried to finish but by that point the beer was some distorted shell of its old self.
I probably wouldn’t buy this beer for my personal consumption again. Not to say I won’t ever drink it if offered (assuming there are no better options: see future reviews). So it wouldn’t fall into the “I think I go sans beer this evening” category. But, I would have to drink it fast, not pounding (a sacrilege), just don’t set down that glass/bottle.
On my highly scientific beer rating scale, I would rate the Sam Adams Honey Porter a just barely "2."
And, since this is my first post for beer reviews, here is the scale:
0 – Piss Poor
1 – I’ll Pass
2 – Tolerable
3 – Decent
4 – Worthy
5 – The Full Measure
As a caveat though, just so you know what to expect, I like hoppy/bitter beer over malty beer; I’m not a fan of carbonation; I like beer from the cask or keg better than beer from a bottle or can; and the top three best beer producing countries in the world, in order, are England, Belgium, and Germany.
And so, my first review: Sam Adams Honey Porter:
I could taste the honey, but it was not sweet. Deceptively carbonated, however. The first couple of drinks were not bad but the beer seemed to degrade pretty quickly. In fact, after a little distraction from the kids, I tried to finish but by that point the beer was some distorted shell of its old self.
I probably wouldn’t buy this beer for my personal consumption again. Not to say I won’t ever drink it if offered (assuming there are no better options: see future reviews). So it wouldn’t fall into the “I think I go sans beer this evening” category. But, I would have to drink it fast, not pounding (a sacrilege), just don’t set down that glass/bottle.
On my highly scientific beer rating scale, I would rate the Sam Adams Honey Porter a just barely "2."
And, since this is my first post for beer reviews, here is the scale:
0 – Piss Poor
1 – I’ll Pass
2 – Tolerable
3 – Decent
4 – Worthy
5 – The Full Measure
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Why Me?
Please allow me to lament for a moment...
I just spent a ton of money over the weekend driving up to Baltimore to attend some baseball games at Camden Yards. However, the results were not appealing. Why is it my teams always lose? Sure they like to tease me every now and again, like the Sonics with Karl, Payton, Kemp, et. al., the Seahawks making it to the Super Bowl, the Mariners winning 116 games, the Huskies getting a #1 seed...all for naught.
The good news, the baseball season is still young and the closest the Ms come to me is New York; too far so I won't be tempted to spend any more money padding the pay roll of opposing teams. The Seahawk, minus losing Brown, made some good moves this off-season with the draft still to come (which they usually do pretty well in). So, there is hope for the fall. Speaking of hope, Jake Locker. Of course, the Hawks running game consists of Alexander (so far), Morris, Duckett, and Jones. Nothing to write home about. The Huskies are still the Huskies. And the Sonics...well the NBA will be dead to me. Maybe Husky Basketball. Lots of guys in the Pac-10 going pro early. An easier conference schedule perhaps?
But then, we are back to the Mariners, with McLaren and Bavasi still running the show. I don't know how much longer I can take it.
I just spent a ton of money over the weekend driving up to Baltimore to attend some baseball games at Camden Yards. However, the results were not appealing. Why is it my teams always lose? Sure they like to tease me every now and again, like the Sonics with Karl, Payton, Kemp, et. al., the Seahawks making it to the Super Bowl, the Mariners winning 116 games, the Huskies getting a #1 seed...all for naught.
The good news, the baseball season is still young and the closest the Ms come to me is New York; too far so I won't be tempted to spend any more money padding the pay roll of opposing teams. The Seahawk, minus losing Brown, made some good moves this off-season with the draft still to come (which they usually do pretty well in). So, there is hope for the fall. Speaking of hope, Jake Locker. Of course, the Hawks running game consists of Alexander (so far), Morris, Duckett, and Jones. Nothing to write home about. The Huskies are still the Huskies. And the Sonics...well the NBA will be dead to me. Maybe Husky Basketball. Lots of guys in the Pac-10 going pro early. An easier conference schedule perhaps?
But then, we are back to the Mariners, with McLaren and Bavasi still running the show. I don't know how much longer I can take it.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Oregon State Needs Help
What to say about Oregon State? They should have fired John two years ago, definitely after the 2006-2007 season, a move that not only ruined John and the OSU basketball program, but very likely some of their players. One question I have to ask is where would Giles be if the "savior" tag wasn't slapped on him? Maybe the same place, never reaching his potential and still a screw up. But had John been canned and there was no pressure or expectation to win...
Now the perception is that OSU can't find a coach. Who knows what's going on behind the scenes but it appears Grier was their first choice. He turning them down isn't necessarily a bad thing. Isn't this just his first year as a head coach? Has he really proven that he can handle the rebuilding job at OSU? Based on the talent at Gonzaga, I'll assume he's a good recruiter. Based on Gonzaga's success and the great season USD just finished, I'll assume he's a good coach. Therefore, he's a good candidate, but, the differences between the jobs are immense.
First, Grier has only spent time at small religious schools in a small conference (or as the media likes to say "Mid-Majors") and, as noted, only one season as a head coach. He has not coached at a large state institution in a large conference. Second, OSU is in shambles. GU has been a really good basketball team for quite some time (where I believe he coached for 16 seasons). USD was also no slouch. I believe they won 18 games in the 2006-2007 season, the year before Grier arrived. Thus, Grier has not had to deal with rebuilding or any of the issues that comes with it. I'm not saying he would fail, I'm just saying OSU is a huge challenge in many respects and it doesn't appear Grier has had to deal/coach/recruit/etc. under these conditions.
I think he made the right choice not to leave USD. I also think OSU made the wrong choice in offering him a job.
OSU should offer the job to Ken Bone. I believe Bone has indicated he would be interested. This is big as a big name coach or a coach in a good situation (i.e., Grier) will not want deal with 0-19. Bone spent 12 years as a head coach at Seattle Pacific where he was highly successful. He then spent three years at UW, another big state institution in a big conference. And now, three years at Portland State. Like Grier, Bone came to a good situation at PSU. But, when he came to UW, the Huskies were...not so good. His first season as an assistant at UW they went 10-17. He knows what it takes to rebuild in the Pac-10. He's familiar with the Northwest and, specifically, has been in Oregon for the past three years. And has been highly successful as a head coach.
To Oregon State University: HIRE KEN BONE.
Now the perception is that OSU can't find a coach. Who knows what's going on behind the scenes but it appears Grier was their first choice. He turning them down isn't necessarily a bad thing. Isn't this just his first year as a head coach? Has he really proven that he can handle the rebuilding job at OSU? Based on the talent at Gonzaga, I'll assume he's a good recruiter. Based on Gonzaga's success and the great season USD just finished, I'll assume he's a good coach. Therefore, he's a good candidate, but, the differences between the jobs are immense.
First, Grier has only spent time at small religious schools in a small conference (or as the media likes to say "Mid-Majors") and, as noted, only one season as a head coach. He has not coached at a large state institution in a large conference. Second, OSU is in shambles. GU has been a really good basketball team for quite some time (where I believe he coached for 16 seasons). USD was also no slouch. I believe they won 18 games in the 2006-2007 season, the year before Grier arrived. Thus, Grier has not had to deal with rebuilding or any of the issues that comes with it. I'm not saying he would fail, I'm just saying OSU is a huge challenge in many respects and it doesn't appear Grier has had to deal/coach/recruit/etc. under these conditions.
I think he made the right choice not to leave USD. I also think OSU made the wrong choice in offering him a job.
OSU should offer the job to Ken Bone. I believe Bone has indicated he would be interested. This is big as a big name coach or a coach in a good situation (i.e., Grier) will not want deal with 0-19. Bone spent 12 years as a head coach at Seattle Pacific where he was highly successful. He then spent three years at UW, another big state institution in a big conference. And now, three years at Portland State. Like Grier, Bone came to a good situation at PSU. But, when he came to UW, the Huskies were...not so good. His first season as an assistant at UW they went 10-17. He knows what it takes to rebuild in the Pac-10. He's familiar with the Northwest and, specifically, has been in Oregon for the past three years. And has been highly successful as a head coach.
To Oregon State University: HIRE KEN BONE.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Resignation To Lose
Enjoy the Enjoyment had a post regarding the great play of Kevin Durant this month. Here is my comment:
My initial response to this is, who cares? I'm more interested in how the Blazers are doing and their future. Or New Orleans. Or Memphis. Because any future professional basketball in Seattle will concern one of those teams, either in a move or just proximity. Never in my life did I think I could follow the Trailblazers. It helps that they have Roy, a fellow UW alum and Oden, from my wife's school. But still, if I watch the NBA (which is actually a big IF seeing how David Stern is a douche bag), that’s the future. I'm almost to the point where I hope Durant fails because I don't want to see the Oklahoma City Team Formerly Known as the SuperSonics succeed.
Our hopes of keeping the Sonics in Seattle hinge upon a court case that, if ruled in the city's favor, means we have to hope that Bennett gets tired, someone offers him an amount he cannot refuse, and he sells. Or, the league works out some sort of deal regarding Seattle, Oklahoma City, and another franchise. But why would these happen. First, Stern is desperate for Bennett to get a team in Oklahoma.
Second, why would Bennett sell? All he has to do is sit back for two years, alienate the City of Seattle even more, play in lame duck team in an empty area, and still receive support from Stern. But, he has Durant, scoring 25 a game on 45% shooting with increasingly impressive defensive skills. There's Green, doing everything right: solid defense, no turnovers, scoring 13-16 a game, 8 rebounds. Then there are the two picks this year (how about this, take Brook Lopez early and then Robin with the Phoenix pick; or Love and Collison; or Rose and Hibbert, if he falls that far; the possibilities are making me cry), a future with good salary cap space, multiple second rounder’s this year plus three more picks coming soon, thus, plenty of room for additions via the draft, free agency, or trades. After two more years in Seattle, this is a Championship caliber team, just in time to move to Oklahoma City.
Good teams can do quite well in small markets, it is when they stink that they struggle. That's why Stern rigged the lottery last year and doesn't care about the media market comparisons. It is not like a crappy Grizzly team leaving Vancouver to be a crappy Memphis team where the novelty of an NBA franchise wears off.
So, I really cannot imagine a scenario where the Sonics realistically stay in Seattle. Another team may come, take on the Sonics name and records (like the Browns). But they are still not the Sonics. The Sonics are in Oklahoma City, winning. Seattle gets the renamed Grizzlies or Hornets or whoever else. I’m sure the sting wouldn’t be so bad if Durant and Green fail or leave as soon as they become free agents and Seattle’s “new” franchise is a team like the Hornets with a point guard and center in their prime. I guess another way to take the sting away is to accept that had Stern not rigged the draft, the Sonics would be playing Yi. So really, that Oklahoma team would not be the real Sonics. The one that went from Western Conference Power to Wally Walker doormats and is now only succeeding because the league cheated.
My initial response to this is, who cares? I'm more interested in how the Blazers are doing and their future. Or New Orleans. Or Memphis. Because any future professional basketball in Seattle will concern one of those teams, either in a move or just proximity. Never in my life did I think I could follow the Trailblazers. It helps that they have Roy, a fellow UW alum and Oden, from my wife's school. But still, if I watch the NBA (which is actually a big IF seeing how David Stern is a douche bag), that’s the future. I'm almost to the point where I hope Durant fails because I don't want to see the Oklahoma City Team Formerly Known as the SuperSonics succeed.
Our hopes of keeping the Sonics in Seattle hinge upon a court case that, if ruled in the city's favor, means we have to hope that Bennett gets tired, someone offers him an amount he cannot refuse, and he sells. Or, the league works out some sort of deal regarding Seattle, Oklahoma City, and another franchise. But why would these happen. First, Stern is desperate for Bennett to get a team in Oklahoma.
Second, why would Bennett sell? All he has to do is sit back for two years, alienate the City of Seattle even more, play in lame duck team in an empty area, and still receive support from Stern. But, he has Durant, scoring 25 a game on 45% shooting with increasingly impressive defensive skills. There's Green, doing everything right: solid defense, no turnovers, scoring 13-16 a game, 8 rebounds. Then there are the two picks this year (how about this, take Brook Lopez early and then Robin with the Phoenix pick; or Love and Collison; or Rose and Hibbert, if he falls that far; the possibilities are making me cry), a future with good salary cap space, multiple second rounder’s this year plus three more picks coming soon, thus, plenty of room for additions via the draft, free agency, or trades. After two more years in Seattle, this is a Championship caliber team, just in time to move to Oklahoma City.
Good teams can do quite well in small markets, it is when they stink that they struggle. That's why Stern rigged the lottery last year and doesn't care about the media market comparisons. It is not like a crappy Grizzly team leaving Vancouver to be a crappy Memphis team where the novelty of an NBA franchise wears off.
So, I really cannot imagine a scenario where the Sonics realistically stay in Seattle. Another team may come, take on the Sonics name and records (like the Browns). But they are still not the Sonics. The Sonics are in Oklahoma City, winning. Seattle gets the renamed Grizzlies or Hornets or whoever else. I’m sure the sting wouldn’t be so bad if Durant and Green fail or leave as soon as they become free agents and Seattle’s “new” franchise is a team like the Hornets with a point guard and center in their prime. I guess another way to take the sting away is to accept that had Stern not rigged the draft, the Sonics would be playing Yi. So really, that Oklahoma team would not be the real Sonics. The one that went from Western Conference Power to Wally Walker doormats and is now only succeeding because the league cheated.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Movie Reviews
I can’t imagine the last three movies I’ve watched being in any way memorable. Sometimes I wonder why I torture myself picking movies that I know are going to stink. Although, maybe I’m not being fair, one was entertaining, one was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be, and the third was better than its prequel.
The first movie was Doomsday. I went to see this movie for three reasons. One, I had absolutely nothing else to do. Two, I’ve always liked the word “doomsday.” And three, it is a British film. The film started out ripping off (or, as I’m sure the director would say, paying tribute to) 28 Weeks Later, where virus breaks out in Glasgow causing Scotland (and portions of Northern England) to be physically quarantined by a massive wall and the seas mined and patrolled. 20 years or so later and the movie shifts to taking liberty with Escape From New York and Aliens. It then manages to go with the trifecta: Mad Max, the Road Warrior, and Beyond Thunderdome. This formula is thus ripe for the making of a crappy movie. But, in the end, I was entertained. The film did what it was meant to do, be an over the top action flick taking points from some classics. Bob Hoskins was good, as usual. Rhona Mitra was in tight pants and tank-top throughout. And Malcolm McDowell’s nose was scary large. Movie purists and snobby reviewers will not like it. I, on the other hand, was amuzed.
Find me a movie based on a video game and I’ll show you a terrible film. Although Hitman was not terrible, it didn’t do anything to challenge my theory. Going in, my expectation was zero but I was sold on the previews (I like Timothy Olyphant and the previews showed what appeared to be a highly stylized film) so I watched anyway. But the movie was violent (a lot of blood splatters and such when people were shot) and the action sequences, the ones that go beyond reality, were not choreographed very well. Some plot holes and the “wait a minute, that doesn’t make sense” scenes. By the time the movie ended my thought was that it could have been better but for the video game genre, it was passable. Having no expectation of a good movie, it was a pleasant surprise, but that doesn’t mean I would recommend it.
Finally, I decided to torture myself with Resident Evil: Extinction. Why? Because I love zombie movies. Even though there’s a 95% chance it will be bad, I’m still drawn to them. This movie had nothing going for it: a movie based on a video game, the sequel to a horrendous movie, zombie movie percentages, and a lead who cannot act (but looks good not doing it). Although better than part 2, this was one was bad. For zombie movie fans only. Well, also for gamers. And those with prurient thoughts about Milla Jovovich. So, a lot of us.
The first movie was Doomsday. I went to see this movie for three reasons. One, I had absolutely nothing else to do. Two, I’ve always liked the word “doomsday.” And three, it is a British film. The film started out ripping off (or, as I’m sure the director would say, paying tribute to) 28 Weeks Later, where virus breaks out in Glasgow causing Scotland (and portions of Northern England) to be physically quarantined by a massive wall and the seas mined and patrolled. 20 years or so later and the movie shifts to taking liberty with Escape From New York and Aliens. It then manages to go with the trifecta: Mad Max, the Road Warrior, and Beyond Thunderdome. This formula is thus ripe for the making of a crappy movie. But, in the end, I was entertained. The film did what it was meant to do, be an over the top action flick taking points from some classics. Bob Hoskins was good, as usual. Rhona Mitra was in tight pants and tank-top throughout. And Malcolm McDowell’s nose was scary large. Movie purists and snobby reviewers will not like it. I, on the other hand, was amuzed.
Find me a movie based on a video game and I’ll show you a terrible film. Although Hitman was not terrible, it didn’t do anything to challenge my theory. Going in, my expectation was zero but I was sold on the previews (I like Timothy Olyphant and the previews showed what appeared to be a highly stylized film) so I watched anyway. But the movie was violent (a lot of blood splatters and such when people were shot) and the action sequences, the ones that go beyond reality, were not choreographed very well. Some plot holes and the “wait a minute, that doesn’t make sense” scenes. By the time the movie ended my thought was that it could have been better but for the video game genre, it was passable. Having no expectation of a good movie, it was a pleasant surprise, but that doesn’t mean I would recommend it.
Finally, I decided to torture myself with Resident Evil: Extinction. Why? Because I love zombie movies. Even though there’s a 95% chance it will be bad, I’m still drawn to them. This movie had nothing going for it: a movie based on a video game, the sequel to a horrendous movie, zombie movie percentages, and a lead who cannot act (but looks good not doing it). Although better than part 2, this was one was bad. For zombie movie fans only. Well, also for gamers. And those with prurient thoughts about Milla Jovovich. So, a lot of us.
Monday, March 17, 2008
First Post has to be about Husky Basketball
The good news is that the Husky basketball season is not over. The team will get some extra practices and at least one more game. I’m not sure I buy into it, but, supposedly, that can only help with next season. One great thing about this team is the positive attitude, there doesn’t appear to be any egos or personality clashes. Perhaps that ‘s what came out of the Greece trip.
Needless to say, this season was a disappointment. However, considering the History of Husky Basketball, we really shouldn’t look at a 16-16 record as a bad season. But, we all have short memories. I actually thought they would do better. I figured with Hawes gone they would run more, i.e., play that recent successful style. Then there was the NIT snub/chip on shoulder and the extra practices, games, bonding of the Greece trip.
So what went wrong? I have no doubt, especially with the Pac-10’s overall coaching emphasis on a more deliberate style, Hawes would have lead the team to the NCAA Tournament, the top of the Pac-10, and Player of the Year. Losing Hawes hurt a lot more than I expected. The next negative possibly came from the improper chip on the shoulder; the “we deserved to go and got snubbed” chip. This chip comes from blaming someone else, the “we were wronged” chip that’s good for a short period of revenge motivation, but in the end, taking it up an extra notch just isn’t there. If it was someone else’s fault, then the previous effort was fine. The proper chip comes from realizing it is your fault, the “I let myself, teammates, coaches, school down” chip that motivates a sustained effort of improvement. I’m not saying this team didn’t put forth a tremendous effort in the off-season, during practices, or games but this is the prefect time to use the proper, rather than improper, chip and take it up a notch, rededicate your effort. This is all the more possible with that good attitude of the team. Unlike last season, nobody can blame the NIT, and, more importantly, nobody (presumably) is blaming their teammates.
I’m looking forward to next season, as cliché as that is to say after a let down year from the fan’s perspective. But, there is no Spencer Hawes to label as the one and done distraction or to accommodate with a change in the style of play and no outside force to blame. Obviously, this season was full of what-ifs, making free throws being at the top of the list, but that’s fixable and I still believe Coach Romar is doing the right thing. He is moving this team out of the constant losing seasons. Sustained winning, even if it means the team goes .500, is an improvement from every Husky era since Detlef, Welp, and Coach Harshman. Sure there were ups, but they were always followed by downs. This is the fifth year in a row the team was .500 or above (of course, that could change with a loss to Valparaiso).
The Pac-10 is going to be completely different next year: WSU and UO lose a group of seniors (and possibly their coaches), UA, ASU, UCLA, USC, Cal and Stanford could lose their top one or two players. UW loses two guys that, frankly, are replaceable; maybe not an exact skill, leadership replacement, but what they bring to the table overall can be replaced. Jon Brockman is All Pac-10, Pondexter can score, he just needs to realize that’s what has to be done (Brockman should not be their first option on the offensive end), Venoy Overton showed promise at the point, which means Dentmon can move to the two guard where he also showed promise, and Matthew Bryan-Amaning showed a high ceiling. Factoring in year to year improvements, that’s a nice starting five; definitely better than this season. Throw in Artem Wallace being a capable bruising back-up for Brockman and Bryan-Amaning, Justin Holiday playing hustle ball and defense, some contribution from the freshman and the rest of the bench, this team will have another winning season. How far they get, will depend on having the right chip and using it appropriately.
Needless to say, this season was a disappointment. However, considering the History of Husky Basketball, we really shouldn’t look at a 16-16 record as a bad season. But, we all have short memories. I actually thought they would do better. I figured with Hawes gone they would run more, i.e., play that recent successful style. Then there was the NIT snub/chip on shoulder and the extra practices, games, bonding of the Greece trip.
So what went wrong? I have no doubt, especially with the Pac-10’s overall coaching emphasis on a more deliberate style, Hawes would have lead the team to the NCAA Tournament, the top of the Pac-10, and Player of the Year. Losing Hawes hurt a lot more than I expected. The next negative possibly came from the improper chip on the shoulder; the “we deserved to go and got snubbed” chip. This chip comes from blaming someone else, the “we were wronged” chip that’s good for a short period of revenge motivation, but in the end, taking it up an extra notch just isn’t there. If it was someone else’s fault, then the previous effort was fine. The proper chip comes from realizing it is your fault, the “I let myself, teammates, coaches, school down” chip that motivates a sustained effort of improvement. I’m not saying this team didn’t put forth a tremendous effort in the off-season, during practices, or games but this is the prefect time to use the proper, rather than improper, chip and take it up a notch, rededicate your effort. This is all the more possible with that good attitude of the team. Unlike last season, nobody can blame the NIT, and, more importantly, nobody (presumably) is blaming their teammates.
I’m looking forward to next season, as cliché as that is to say after a let down year from the fan’s perspective. But, there is no Spencer Hawes to label as the one and done distraction or to accommodate with a change in the style of play and no outside force to blame. Obviously, this season was full of what-ifs, making free throws being at the top of the list, but that’s fixable and I still believe Coach Romar is doing the right thing. He is moving this team out of the constant losing seasons. Sustained winning, even if it means the team goes .500, is an improvement from every Husky era since Detlef, Welp, and Coach Harshman. Sure there were ups, but they were always followed by downs. This is the fifth year in a row the team was .500 or above (of course, that could change with a loss to Valparaiso).
The Pac-10 is going to be completely different next year: WSU and UO lose a group of seniors (and possibly their coaches), UA, ASU, UCLA, USC, Cal and Stanford could lose their top one or two players. UW loses two guys that, frankly, are replaceable; maybe not an exact skill, leadership replacement, but what they bring to the table overall can be replaced. Jon Brockman is All Pac-10, Pondexter can score, he just needs to realize that’s what has to be done (Brockman should not be their first option on the offensive end), Venoy Overton showed promise at the point, which means Dentmon can move to the two guard where he also showed promise, and Matthew Bryan-Amaning showed a high ceiling. Factoring in year to year improvements, that’s a nice starting five; definitely better than this season. Throw in Artem Wallace being a capable bruising back-up for Brockman and Bryan-Amaning, Justin Holiday playing hustle ball and defense, some contribution from the freshman and the rest of the bench, this team will have another winning season. How far they get, will depend on having the right chip and using it appropriately.
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