Preseason, or Before The Withdrawl Causes Permanent Damage

We hope.

10-7, 7:30 PM CST, versus the Washington Wizards
10-9, 7:30 PM CST, at Chicago
10-10, 7:30 PM CST, at Milwaukee
10-15, 6:00 PM CST, at Indiana
10-16, 6:30 PM CST, at Detroit
10-18, 8:00 PM CST, versus the Sacramento Kings
10-21, 7:30 PM CST, versus the Chicago Bulls
10-23, 7:30 PM CST, versus the Indiana Pacers

Tickets for the preseason games go on sale on September 8. I'm going to as many as I can get away with.
-BJ

Come Forth And Get Thy Butt Kicked

Argh.

Is the offseason over yet?

I don't care that I'm not going to be able to afford to go to every single game, though God how much do I wish I could. I can't even afford to go to NBA 101, which sucks rancid moose cock. I was really looking forward to going; I've just got too many other demands on my income right now.

Invitations have been passed out to training camp in a couple weeks -- Reyshawn Terry, Charles Rhodes, JuJuan Smith, Gerald Green, James Singleton, and Keith McLeod. If I'm reading the roster correctly, Green's already on board. The others'll be competing for the last open slot.

Other than that, not a whole lot to report. The Olympians have dispersed and now go back to being The Bad Guys. We've got about a month until the preseason starts, with tickets for those games going on sale in a couple of weeks. I'm going to go to all of those that I can. I mean, the preseason doesn't sell out every single game . . . does it?

We're hitting The Wall again, and for some reason Fish is not there with the save. I hope he's not sulking somewhere over the deal for Devean George. Yeah I think it stinks too -- not the fact of having him on the team, but the particulars of the deal itself. Why does he still have the right to refuse a trade? The Mavs couldn't keep him without leaving that clause in? I don't buy it.
-BJ

Back Where It Belongs

- Okay, remember how I said Team Spain wouldn't be a problem? Whoops. Sorry. Team Spain played a phenominal game. I kept waiting for Team USA to kill their will and turn the game into a let's-get-the-dying-over-with situation. It never happened. They just would not die. I was on the edge of my seat until the final posession.

- The inconsistancy of officiating is going to have to be addressed by FIBA, and the sooner the better. All the teams complained about the calls throughout the Games.

- I'd sooner eat soup made from my own flesh than say it, but Kobe Bryant did impress me. Favorably. MVP 2008.

- That said, I think I could learn to seriously love LeBron James.

- I'm going to have to study the tape some more, but I find it interesting that USA had the most fits with zone defesne, as opposed to man-to-man. I'm also noticing -- as usual please correct me if I'm wrong on this -- that Chris Paul had problems cracking it on dribble penetration. That's out of character if I understand his game right.

- If you look at the stat sheets, Jason Kidd didn't do any such of a much. But the entire team, coaches included, cite him as a leader of class and honor.

- On Team Spain's end of it, we're going to have to keep an eye on Ricky Rubio. He's still got his milk teeth; in a couple of years he's going to be terrifying.

- None, repeat none, of the medalists have a goddamn thing to apologize for. They brought honor to their countries and their clan.

- Comparing Team USA 2008 to the Dream Team is the same as comparing Kobe Bryant to Michael Jordan, or Dirk to Larry Bird. It's inaccurate and unfair to all parties involved. The Dream Team was a once in a millenium collection of divinely gifted talent. Team USA was just the best in the world. That's all they have to be. And that's plenty.

I'm honored and delighted to have had this team representing the United States on the world stage. Congratulations, gentlemen.

USA!
-BJ

An Open Letter To Donn Nelson

Probably the first of many.

Dear Mr. Nelson,

I'll admit to knowing exactly jack shit about how the business end of this sport works. My familiarity with collective bargaining agreements begin and end with the UFCW They Can't Fire Me Unless clauses (God bless Local 951).

That said . . . I have to wonder what your line of reasoning is when the team's representatives negotiated Devean George's new contract. If I'm intepreting the news correctly, he still has final veto power over any and all trade proposals -- a power he has abused in the past.

I must ask, sir, is George so valuable that he's worth the kind of embarassment he produced by crying foul over being traded to the Nets? I can appreciate that Mr. George has elected to keep playing at a substantial drop in pay, but as the Organization has shown many times it is willing to invest whatever's necessary to give this team every chance of success.

In short, is this a case of being penny-wise and pound foolish?

I have faith, but you're not making it easy.

Sincerely yours, et cetera et cetera et cetera.

Meanwhile, the Olympics are coming down to the wire. Win or get lost. The semifinal game is tomorrow morning CST. The final is in the middle of the night Saturday night.

Argentina first. Defending gold medalists, with Manu Ginobli as The Man. Excited, but not worried . . . not terribly worried, anyways. The final will be up against Lithuania or Spain. Spain's no problem; Lithuania's an unknown factor.

I think hara-kiri's in the plan if Team USA has to settle for anything less than a gold medal. Don't think I'm going out on a limb by saying it's going to take a bona fide Act of God to keep it from happening.

USA!
-BJ

Fatality

Jesus Christ.

I'm suddenly thankful I couldn't watch this one.

We all knew Team Germany was outclassed at this table. We all knew it was a worthy achievement for them to even make the Games, period.

But . . . oh, my God. It wasn't a cooldown, cats and kittens. Remember the original Mortal Kombat? The one where your best friend would inevitably kick your ass by playing Sub-Zero? Like that.

Short of a meltdown of supernova proportions or major injuries to Dwayne Wade (who by the way is beginning to scare me) and LeBron James and all three of the point guards -- a run-in with the Dallas Derby Devils perhaps? -- Team USA's solid. When they recap the gold/silver game for the closing ceremonies, I think the theme from The Untouchables is a good choice for background music.
-BJ