Well, the NBA comes out and says that there was a missed foul call at the end of game 4 in the Lakers/Spurs matchup....great, so why don't they let us replay the end of the game and see what would have happened. That's the only way to make it right because as of know the Spurs were officially fucked out of the game. No matter that it shouldn't have gotten to that point, the fact is it did and they screwed up. Here's an article about it from Yahoo Sports.....thanks.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080529/ap_on_sp_bk_ne/bkn_nba_no_foul
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Game 3....Yeeeessssss!!!!
Slowly But Surely, Torch Passes From Duncan To Ginobili
By J.A. AdandeESPN.com(Archive)
SAN ANTONIO -- Tim Duncan is underrated and Tim Duncan is overrated.
We don't give his career the full respect it deserves, yet sometimes we make the mistake of believing that, in 2008, the San Antonio Spurs are still about him. As Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals demonstrated, Manu Ginobili matters more than Duncan now. Ginobili returned to form, hitting for five 3-pointers and 30 points, and the Spurs got back into the win column with a 103-84 victory.
PLAYOFF UPDATE
WEST FINALSL.A. Lakers 2, San Antonio 1Game 4: Tue., 9 ET, at SAS EAST FINALSBoston 2, Detroit 1Game 4: Mon., 8:30 ET, at DET
The full playoff schedule
Duncan had 22 points, 21 rebounds and five assists, showing he's still the steady drumbeat. But now he's more a background percussionist like Ringo Starr than a showcase drummer like Sheila E. It was telling that when Ginobili was clearly off his game in Los Angeles, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he needed more from Tony Parker, not Duncan, even though Parker outscored Duncan 13-12 in Game 2.
Duncan's 30 points and 18 rebounds couldn't keep the Spurs from blowing a 20-point lead in Game 1. The Spurs didn't need any more than 16 points from him to beat the Hornets on the road in Game 7. They don't live and die with him anymore.
Other players still show deference to Duncan, as when Bruce Bowen said, "If we didn't have him out there, Tony and Manu and I wouldn't get what we get", but it was telling that the Spurs felt the need to mix up their offense and avoid predictably giving Duncan the ball every time downcourt in Game 3. Almost as telling as what Duncan himself said about Ginobili.
"He's the guy that we need to put the ball in the hole," Duncan said. "He needs to give us points that aren't easy. You can get up in situations where your offense stalls out or situations where you just can't put the ball in the hole. He is the kind of guy that we need to make plays for us."
Ginobili came through like a T1 connection Sunday, especially during a minute-long stretch in the second quarter when he scored nine points on a pair of 3-pointers and a layup-and-one.
Parker led the Spurs in scoring last season, the first time since 1998 Duncan wasn't atop that category. This year it was Ginobili, averaging 19.5 points per game.
"I had a great season this year scoring, so if you score so many points during the season then the team expects you to keep it up," Ginobili said.
He did it against the Hornets last series, leading the Spurs with a scoring average of 21.3 points, but he looked limited in the first two games against the Lakers, hobbling along with a bad ankle and trying to shoot with a torn fingernail that Kobe Bryant described as "nasty-looking" and "disgusting."
Ginobili said there weren't any physical changes this night, just the danger of being down 2-0 in the series, the loud hometown fans and the fact his first couple of shots went down.
The answer reveals why Ginobili doesn't rank higher in NBA lore. The greatest thrive in road playoff games. They can be judged just as easily by the still-high quality of their bad nights as much as their big nights. In these playoffs alone Ginobili has had shooting nights of 2 for 11, 5 for 15 and 5 for 13. In last year's playoffs he had pedestrian numbers of 16.7 points and 3.7 assists per game on 40 percent shooting during the Spurs' championship run.
Where does Duncan rank? How about second to Shaquille O'Neal among active playoff scorers --- and 31 points away from moving past Wilt Chamberlain into 12th place among the all-time playoff scorers. And he'll get there in about 10 fewer games than Big Wilt played.
People talk about the Spurs as four-time champions. Wrong. Tim Duncan is a four-time champion. Every other player from the 1999 team is gone. Only two other players are still in the league (Antonio Daniels and Malik Rose).
Even among the greatest of the greats, not many can say they won championships with an entirely different supporting cast. Ask Bill Russell which rings he prefers to wear from his extensive collection and he'll tell you the first and the 11th, because he's the only player who has both of them. Magic Johnson had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Cooper every step of the way. Michael Jordan always had Scottie Pippen.
Here's the list of players who have won multiple Finals MVPs since they gave out the first one in 1969: Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, Larry Bird, Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, O'Neal and Duncan.
Only Duncan and Abdul-Jabbar won the award with completely different support casts.
Looking at all of the names on that list makes you realize we sell Duncan short when we refer to him as the best power forward of all time. He really should be in the conversation of best big man -- period -- part of the argument along with Russell, Wilt, Kareem, Hakeem and Shaq.
The one thing you can't call him, though, is The Man for the 2007 Spurs. That title belongs to Ginobili. In that case, make it El Hombre.
J.A. Adande is an ESPN.com senior writer and the author of "The Best Los Angeles Sports Arguments." Click here to e-mail J.A.
By J.A. AdandeESPN.com(Archive)
SAN ANTONIO -- Tim Duncan is underrated and Tim Duncan is overrated.
We don't give his career the full respect it deserves, yet sometimes we make the mistake of believing that, in 2008, the San Antonio Spurs are still about him. As Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals demonstrated, Manu Ginobili matters more than Duncan now. Ginobili returned to form, hitting for five 3-pointers and 30 points, and the Spurs got back into the win column with a 103-84 victory.
PLAYOFF UPDATE
WEST FINALSL.A. Lakers 2, San Antonio 1Game 4: Tue., 9 ET, at SAS EAST FINALSBoston 2, Detroit 1Game 4: Mon., 8:30 ET, at DET
The full playoff schedule
Duncan had 22 points, 21 rebounds and five assists, showing he's still the steady drumbeat. But now he's more a background percussionist like Ringo Starr than a showcase drummer like Sheila E. It was telling that when Ginobili was clearly off his game in Los Angeles, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he needed more from Tony Parker, not Duncan, even though Parker outscored Duncan 13-12 in Game 2.
Duncan's 30 points and 18 rebounds couldn't keep the Spurs from blowing a 20-point lead in Game 1. The Spurs didn't need any more than 16 points from him to beat the Hornets on the road in Game 7. They don't live and die with him anymore.
Other players still show deference to Duncan, as when Bruce Bowen said, "If we didn't have him out there, Tony and Manu and I wouldn't get what we get", but it was telling that the Spurs felt the need to mix up their offense and avoid predictably giving Duncan the ball every time downcourt in Game 3. Almost as telling as what Duncan himself said about Ginobili.
"He's the guy that we need to put the ball in the hole," Duncan said. "He needs to give us points that aren't easy. You can get up in situations where your offense stalls out or situations where you just can't put the ball in the hole. He is the kind of guy that we need to make plays for us."
Ginobili came through like a T1 connection Sunday, especially during a minute-long stretch in the second quarter when he scored nine points on a pair of 3-pointers and a layup-and-one.
Parker led the Spurs in scoring last season, the first time since 1998 Duncan wasn't atop that category. This year it was Ginobili, averaging 19.5 points per game.
"I had a great season this year scoring, so if you score so many points during the season then the team expects you to keep it up," Ginobili said.
He did it against the Hornets last series, leading the Spurs with a scoring average of 21.3 points, but he looked limited in the first two games against the Lakers, hobbling along with a bad ankle and trying to shoot with a torn fingernail that Kobe Bryant described as "nasty-looking" and "disgusting."
Ginobili said there weren't any physical changes this night, just the danger of being down 2-0 in the series, the loud hometown fans and the fact his first couple of shots went down.
The answer reveals why Ginobili doesn't rank higher in NBA lore. The greatest thrive in road playoff games. They can be judged just as easily by the still-high quality of their bad nights as much as their big nights. In these playoffs alone Ginobili has had shooting nights of 2 for 11, 5 for 15 and 5 for 13. In last year's playoffs he had pedestrian numbers of 16.7 points and 3.7 assists per game on 40 percent shooting during the Spurs' championship run.
Where does Duncan rank? How about second to Shaquille O'Neal among active playoff scorers --- and 31 points away from moving past Wilt Chamberlain into 12th place among the all-time playoff scorers. And he'll get there in about 10 fewer games than Big Wilt played.
People talk about the Spurs as four-time champions. Wrong. Tim Duncan is a four-time champion. Every other player from the 1999 team is gone. Only two other players are still in the league (Antonio Daniels and Malik Rose).
Even among the greatest of the greats, not many can say they won championships with an entirely different supporting cast. Ask Bill Russell which rings he prefers to wear from his extensive collection and he'll tell you the first and the 11th, because he's the only player who has both of them. Magic Johnson had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Cooper every step of the way. Michael Jordan always had Scottie Pippen.
Here's the list of players who have won multiple Finals MVPs since they gave out the first one in 1969: Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, Larry Bird, Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, O'Neal and Duncan.
Only Duncan and Abdul-Jabbar won the award with completely different support casts.
Looking at all of the names on that list makes you realize we sell Duncan short when we refer to him as the best power forward of all time. He really should be in the conversation of best big man -- period -- part of the argument along with Russell, Wilt, Kareem, Hakeem and Shaq.
The one thing you can't call him, though, is The Man for the 2007 Spurs. That title belongs to Ginobili. In that case, make it El Hombre.
J.A. Adande is an ESPN.com senior writer and the author of "The Best Los Angeles Sports Arguments." Click here to e-mail J.A.
Mike Ness and the Boss....cool.
Bruce joined Mike Ness onstage for some tunes at The Stone Pony last Saturday night. Check out the link below for the full story. If I run across some tunes, I'll update the post and add them for your listening pleasure...until then, cool story.Friday, May 23, 2008
John Swardson.....from Minneapolis
Check this guy out. His music is pretty cool...I am sure with some more listens he will become a regular on my ipod. Hope you all like....Minnesota sure grows some great musicians. "Highway Songs" rocks...."1989" is cool...I guess being the year I graduated high school..kinda cool.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Guest Blogger on The Spurs game...
My buddy Trevor grew up in San Antonio just like I did, but has been a huge Spurs fan way longer than me. He is always able to "talk me off of the ledge" when I get too bummed about a game or series. I've posted his email to me below....thanks T, you've helped me out again. GO SPURS!!
First, one extraneous comment: If they are going to show a "montage" of lakers-SPURS playoff past and include the (physically impossible) ".4" shot, they should be required to include those close-ups of Fisher and Kobe crying on the bench.
Overall I like the 89 number: 43 in the first half and 46 in the second - the "D" was everything you could hope for, but...
4 straight minutes in the 3rd and 6 straight minutes in the 4th SCORELESS (no FG, no FT) is unacceptable. LA didn't have to produce much offense to get over that.
Now I'm just disappointed we don't get the sweep. After watching the intensity level of the lakers and their crowd (who boos their own team?) compared to the NO games, this seemed like easy sledding. Hell, the SPURS didn't score a point for a whole 10+ minutes of game time and it still came down to the last play.
After reflection on some of the coaching moves from the second half I believe that this may be a "laker trap" being devised by CIA Pop to cause maximum heartbreak. Notice:
* The excessive Vaughn minutes, especially when it was obvious that Manu was off. Self sabotage!
* Taking Bowen out after his 3rd foul and putting Udoka on Kobe? Very unnecessary, and very sneaky, Pop!
All in all, the lakers are capital F'd if they think they're going anywhere.
The SPURS have asked me to read this: A WARNING for players, fans, women, children, and Marv: Manu's bringing it Friday night, so I hope you don't mind some cream in your jeans...
First, one extraneous comment: If they are going to show a "montage" of lakers-SPURS playoff past and include the (physically impossible) ".4" shot, they should be required to include those close-ups of Fisher and Kobe crying on the bench.
Overall I like the 89 number: 43 in the first half and 46 in the second - the "D" was everything you could hope for, but...
4 straight minutes in the 3rd and 6 straight minutes in the 4th SCORELESS (no FG, no FT) is unacceptable. LA didn't have to produce much offense to get over that.
Now I'm just disappointed we don't get the sweep. After watching the intensity level of the lakers and their crowd (who boos their own team?) compared to the NO games, this seemed like easy sledding. Hell, the SPURS didn't score a point for a whole 10+ minutes of game time and it still came down to the last play.
After reflection on some of the coaching moves from the second half I believe that this may be a "laker trap" being devised by CIA Pop to cause maximum heartbreak. Notice:
* The excessive Vaughn minutes, especially when it was obvious that Manu was off. Self sabotage!
* Taking Bowen out after his 3rd foul and putting Udoka on Kobe? Very unnecessary, and very sneaky, Pop!
All in all, the lakers are capital F'd if they think they're going anywhere.
The SPURS have asked me to read this: A WARNING for players, fans, women, children, and Marv: Manu's bringing it Friday night, so I hope you don't mind some cream in your jeans...
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Spurs Vs. Lakers
Wow, so it's come to this once again. I cannot wait to enjoy this rivalry from the West one more time. Go Spurs.
John Rambo
Here is a cool mention about the movie Rambo or John Rambo as it was originally titled. I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for this kind of destruction. Check out the extended clip of carnage at the end of the link.
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/36834
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/36834
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Simply the best...
I recently had the pleasure of taking in a Wilco show at Stubbs BBQ here in wonderful Austin, Texas. Let me just say that my history with Wilco is spotty at best. What I mean by that is that for me Wilco has always been "that other band" that came from the demise of Uncle Tupelo. This is not to say that I've never liked Wilco, in fact I've loved them at times. But...I've also nearly hated them. You see, I'm a purist when it comes to "alt country" or whatever name you'd like to use. Of course it's been many years since Wilco could claim to be any part of that genre, but that's where they came from and in some ways will be linked to that music forever. I love the first record, "AM" and I mean LOVED IT...of course if you've read any quotes from Tweedy, that record will never be a favorite of his. To me it was the perfect transition from UT to Wilco. It was not as perfect an album as Son Volt's "Trace", and that I think is where the love/hate relationship began for me.
I wanted every Wilco record to sound like UT, or at least follow in the footsteps of "AM", and continue the "alt country" sound. I have never argued that my views on "good music" can be very myopic. If it doesn't have a pedal steel, or some type of twang, it's not on my radar. Exceptions have been made over the years, as I do love to get my rock on, but it always leads me back to country music....and not that CMT, Brooks and Dunn, Big and Rich bullshit that gets played at nauseam on way too many radio stations around the country.
At any rate, Wilco decided to buck tradition and over the past many years have gone in several different directions musically, and I've loved and hated a ton of it. It's amazing to me now how many times I declared a new Wilco album as shit, or used my knee jerk reaction claiming "this sucks" after only one listen. Wilco grows on you, and that is why, years later, I'll say without any doubt, reservation, or lack of conviction, that Wilco in 2008 is the very best live band I've ever seen in my life, and I can't imagine this not remaining true for the foreseeable future, or...hell....forever.
Yes, in this same blog, I've lauded bands like The Hold Steady, and Richmond Fontaine as putting on shows akin to a "religious experience", and I stand by those comments. Those shows were spectacular, but after seeing Wilco on this tour, and having heard many bootlegs of recent shows, not to mention their stellar Austin City Limits taping, they simply put...RULE. They are tight but spontaneous, perfect in their timing and execution and above all, some of the best musicians and songwriters currently playing music anywhere today.
The set list for the show I saw will be posted at the end of this rambling love letter to Tweedy and Co. The show started with Via Chicago...how can you go wrong with lyrics like "I dreamed of killing you again last night and it felt all right to me..." This song goes in to a crazy, all over the place, out of sync, but perfectly in sync rock and roll orgasm and then suddenly it's quiet and again with only Tweedy's voice and some base and guitar strumming...and then boom, it's back again. It's not even anything I can explain, so look it up. It's one of the best songs Tweedy has ever written. Anyway, it's really all a blur, but the remaining feeling I have days later is that it was not just a show, but an experience...I wish they were all like this. I've also added a link with some live video from the show as well. Cool.
Wilco5/12/2008Stubb'sAustin, TX
One set
01 Via Chicago
01 Via Chicago
02 Hummingbird
03 Ashes of American Flags
04 Airline to Heaven
05 You Are My Face
06 Box Full of Letters
07 A Shot in the Arm
08 Side With the Seeds
09 War on War
10 Handshake Drugs
11 Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway(again)
12 Jesus, Etc.
13 Impossible Germany
14 Shouldn't Be Ashamed
15 Passenger Side
16 Theologians
17 I'm The Man Who Loves You -encore-
18 Cars Can't Escape
19 Spiders (Kidsmoke)
-encore-20 California Stars
21 Hate It Here
22 Heavy Metal Drummer
23 Walken
24 Kingpin
25 Red Eyed and Blue
26 I Got You
27 Monday
Sunday, May 18, 2008
This movie looks way cool!!!
Take a look at the trailer for Tropic Thunder. It looks funny as hell. Check out the makeup jog on Robert Downey Jr. He plays an austrailian actor who undergoes surgery to look black so he can play the part of a black soldier in the "movie within the movie". Very funny stuff.
http://www.tropicthunder.com/restrictedgate/site.php
http://www.tropicthunder.com/restrictedgate/site.php
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Game Seven!!!!!
Well, I guess we will finally find out if God truly does love the Spurs. A buddy of mine listens to sports talk radio in the River City, and he tells me about this guy who always proclaims that "God loves the spurs". I sure hope so...
Willie and Snoop...a match made in Amsterdam
Ok, at first kind of odd, and then cool, and then odd once again. Not sure if the studio version will sound any better, but the lyrics rock....the first part of the video is blank, but keep with it and then you'll see both tokers in the flesh.....odd.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyLReBNDlnk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyLReBNDlnk
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
We all know he's a prick but....
Here is an old clip of Bill O'Reily being himself...an insufferable prick. Who knew he was always a prick, even before Fox News....fair and balanced my ass!! Check out the link below for Youtube goodness.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVDuNfdsPXE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVDuNfdsPXE
Friday, May 9, 2008
Give me a break!!!
Ok, now this is just damn crazy. A woman is pregnant with her 18th child! I usually don't comment on crap like this, but seriously....18 kids!!! I feel at this point, we as individuals have a responsibility to this planet and to ourselves and our kids to stop already.....don't stop having kids, but at least don't have 18!!! We are running out of resources as it is...gas is way out of control, don't even get me started on social security and healthcare....with everything in such short supply it is absolutely selfish and just plain crazy to have that many kids. If you have that much "love" to give, then how about adopting a kid.....anyway, I'm off my soapbox, but this is just f-ing stupid. Here's a link below for those that would like to read about these idiots.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080509/ap_on_re_us/18_kids
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080509/ap_on_re_us/18_kids
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Two Cow Garage
Here's a link to their myspace page. They have put a new song up called "Friends". Sounds pretty good. What do you think?
www.myspace.com/twocowgarage
I'm sure you've all seen this already but.....
Here's a link to the very funny video from Jimmie Kimmel....something about fucking Matt Damon?! I love this. It was sent to me by my painter friend...Donald. Thanks!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGa29kPBbp4&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGa29kPBbp4&NR=1
God Loves The Spurs.....
At least I hope that still holds true. I'll be rooting for them to make a comeback and win one at home tonight. If not......
Lucero....10 Years and counting...
Here is a link to a live recording of Lucero from Ardent Studios. It was meant to commemorate their ten years together. Cool sounding show. You can stream it here....
If you have total recorder or something like it, you should be able to record it and burn it to disc or whatever. Here is another link where you can watch them plan an old song..."Wasted" live in studio. Cool.
I love these guys. It's rumored that they are putting together an acoustic E.P., so look out for that later this year. I also ran into Ben at a Hold Steady show in Austin and overheard him telling some young honeys that because they were born in 1988, that they were too old for him....nice one Ben.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
It's about time....
Finally Mark Cuban does something smart.....and fires Avery Johnson. Now if he could only fire himself....Go Spurs!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)