The Credits 6/22/09
Here are today's Links:
- Forum Blue And Gold " Can’t Lose Situation - Part II
We’ve talked finances. We’ve talked Lamar Odom. And despite these being very specific topics, Trevor Ariza is the guy whose name has come up in both of these conversations. This is a testament to his incredible importance to our team’s success and his tremendous contributions to our championship season. Yes, we are Kobe’s team. Yes, Pau Gasol has proven himself as an all world player. And yes, Odom has the versatility and Bynum is the future. But, no player has grown on us quite like Ariza. - Phenomenal Swag: Kobe vs. LeBron t-shirt - Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
I keep my ear to the streets, people. I listen to rumors and tips. I pay several people a significant wage to keep me in the know. So it is without reservation that I can predict that this LeBron James(notes) vs. Kobe Bryant(notes) thing isn't going away. The latest little nugget of information I've received? This t-shirt from 80's Purple. - LAKERS: Lakers 2009 Championship Parade Photo Gallery
Check out pictures from the Lakers 2009 Championship Celebration Parade. - 2009 Lakers Summer League Schedule at Lakers.com BasketBlog
- Kobe's big week - OCRegister.com
To the victor go the spoils – and the great seats. Lakers' star and NBA Finals MVP Kobe Bryant enjoyed a whirlwind week since the Lakers won their 15th championship. - Kobe takes in Freeway Series finale | MLB.com: News
Basking in the sunshine -- and the afterglow of his fourth NBA championship -- on Sunday was Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, who took in the Freeway Series finale in a front row behind the visitors' dugout at Angel Stadium. - 20 Second Timeout: Deconstructing Bad Writing: Krolik's Slam Job on Kobe Bryant, Part I
A while ago I indicated in passing that someone had thrown together a hideous article for SlamOnline in which he declared that the upcoming Lakers-Rockets game seven would be the defining moment of Kobe Bryant's career. I did not initially say who wrote this nonsense, because it is more important to correct faulty reasoning/poor writing than to just bash a particular writer. I also did not want to give the article more attention that it deserved; admittedly, this is a difficult, fine line to walk: how does one correct falsehood without at the same time publicizing it? Eventually, one of my regular readers wrote a comment asking me who wrote the offending article and I told him that it was John Krolik. I was not trying to make a big deal about "who," because to me it is more important to focus on "what," namely the poor reasoning involved in even thinking up such a piece in the first place. However, Krolik decided to attempt to refute in detail my take on his piece, which is funny on three levels:
(David Friedman takes on John Krolik of Cavs: The Blog and Slam)
Click on through for more links after the Jump...
- 20 Second Timeout: Deconstructing Bad Writing: Krolik's Slam Job on Kobe Bryant, Part II
(Again.) - Cavs: The Blog " Blog Archive " Unpleasant business to begin an unpleasant off-season
- So I’m definitely not happy about the fact that I got home for the summer today and was greeted by an email from a friend of mine alerting me to an article that had mentioned me quite unfavorably at David Friedman’s blog, 20 second timeout.
(Krolik's rebuttal.) - This Draft Will Not be Kind to Some GMs -- NBA FanHouse
Two weeks ago, Orlando assistant general manager Dave Twardzik was talking about the NBA Draft when he shook his head a little and said: "It's a tough one." When a questioner wanted to know whether that meant Twardzik thought there would be hits and misses all over the place in the first round, he responded: "Yes."
(This is such a weak draft. No wonder.) - Ball Don't Lie
(Check out their Mock Draft going on.) - Rubio for real? Depends on who you ask - FOX Sports on MSN
Unless you're a dedicated follower of YouTube or prefer eating breakfast in the dark, you probably have no idea how swell this Ricky Rubio kid may be. But many of us who rose early enough last August to check out the competitive, slick-passing point guard directing Spain's Olympic team in a compelling skirmish with Team USA remain a bit flummoxed, too. We shouldn't feel bad; although misinformation campaigns should be factored in, many NBA personnel sharpies claim befuddlement when assessing what to expect when Rubio finally suits up in David Stern's league. - Brandon Jennings' Roma Teammate on Jennings vs. Rubio - TrueHoop By Henry Abbott - ESPN
- The Case Against Ricky Rubio, Brought to You by ... ? - Sactown Royalty
Who is trashing Ricky Rubio? - Experts Compile Mock N.B.A. Drafts Because They Have To - NYTimes.com
Predicting the players to be selected by N.B.A. teams entails exhaustive work while agents and team executives routinely lie and manipulate. - What We Think We Know About Earl Clark - TrueHoop By Henry Abbott - ESPN
Watch Earl Clark play basketball, and it's clear he could have the most potential of any player in the 2009 draft. He's 6-10, can do just about everything, and starred on the best team in one of the toughest conferences in NCAA history. So why is he projected to go in the middle of the first round? Kevin Arnovitz investigates. - Heat make offers to restricted free agents - FOX Sports on MSN
The Miami Heat have made qualifying offers to forward Jamario Moon and center Joel Anthony. - Poll of the Week -- Which All-Star should the Cavaliers go after - Fear The Sword
There are rumors swirling all around the Cavs. Who do you want to see next to LeBron next season?
(I'd love Shaq to go to Cleveland.)
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Comments
Friedman taking on Krolik!
This I’ve got to read.
Only halfway through
But I have to say, I think Friedman’s going a bit too far. It’s one thing to legitimately criticize people for writing con-Kobe articles or articles building up Kobe’s legacy, and then failing to applaud Kobe when he succeeds. That I agree with. But he’s getting so personal, tearing apart Krolik’s every sentence, playing grammar police…I’m not a big fan of Krolik’s style, but this is a little much. Seems like a vendetta.
Maybe I’ll change my mind as I continue to read.
That said,
I do agree with Friedman’s main argument. For example, I love this:
Although Krolik is focused on the drama of one game or one moment, the truth is that players demonstrate their ability to perform under pressure by being consistent for a sustained period of time.
So, so true. A good counter to not just Krolik, but the reactionary media talking heads in general.
OK, my final verdict
I like what Friedman did, overall. He’s dead on when he picks apart the general tendency to base an entire legacy off 1 or a handful of games. A legacy is based off an entire career. The talking heads at ESPN are paid to pretend otherwise, so I like Friedman calling out the nonsense in that idea. He did get really personal (much more so than Krolik, despite what Friedman claims), but it’s his blog and his right, I guess. Overall substance wise, I give the edge to Friedman.
No I think Friedman was right on and I'm glad he knocked Krolik off his high horse
Friedman makes great points about the crap being written about Kobe, its so SOO bad that I want some of those writers to stop writing and thats why I just stop reading those bias articles and I feel sorry for Kobe having to take on all the negativity, thats why I’m also glad the Lakers won so people like Krolik can shut up.
There are basic Fundamentals that are needed to move forward in this game. Always keep your guard up at all times to avoid being caught in a trap. Overcome the fouls that will be commited against you REBOUND AND PRESS ON. ADJUST to the LimeLight: ALL-STAR PLAYERS ARE ALWAYS THE CENTER OF ATTENTION. Know what your role is and play your position. Find a game plan and execute it. REMEMBER YOU ONLY GET OUT OF THE GAME WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT.
I have to agree with some of that.
It definitely seemed personal, but on the flip side, when crap articles are put out, they should be “discussed.” Too often writers are allowed to get away with terrible, poor thought out stuff. Like Bill Simmons “kobe hater” article. I don’t care that Bandwagon Billy hates Kobe, but I do mind when he half asses an article and tells half truths with millions reading.
Krolik did the same.
But while the last thing I want or need right now is to get in some sort of ridiculous back-and-forth with a man who certainly, at the very least, doesn’t mind dragging folks into the mud if the opportunity presents itself, the comments made about me-me personally-were so ridiculous and over-the-line and affronting to my professional reputation, my beliefs as a journalist, and the values I was raised with that I find myself compelled to respond despite what I may think is my better judgement.
That’s a looong sentence.
Krolik sounds very Abbott-y
Something about the righteous tone is similar
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gils_Keloids on Jun 22, 2009 8:25 PM PDT up reply actions
Krolik, Abbott, and Dwyer
all have that pretentious, pompous, self righteous tone about them in all their articles.
they make the articles about them and their opinions, rather than the sport.
Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
by PeanutButterSpread on Jun 23, 2009 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions
You mean a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong sentence
I don’t know. I’m still riding off the high.
Excuse that poor attempt at comedy.
He has tons of them. there was on towards the end that I had to read 3 times.
I have a bad habit of doing that myself, but I’m not a writer. I know that.
What’s funny is that he does the same things Friedman called him out for. It must be very frustrating as a professional writer to see college kids advance with no real talent for writing.
Krolik’s only 20, and that’s part of the problem. Not his age, but his lack of experience. It shows. He writes like he’s still learning to, only it’s digested by many.
The Celtics offered Rondo and Ray Allen to the Pistons for Prince, Stuckey, and Hamilton. Pistons rejected the offer.
The Celtics offered Ray Allen(notes) and Rajon Rondo(notes) to the Detroit Pistons for a package that included Richard Hamilton(notes), Tayshaun Prince(notes) and Rodney Stuckey(notes), league sources told Yahoo! Sports.
Boston general manager Danny Ainge and Detroit’s Joe Dumars never spoke, but rather the Celtics had a lower-level executive make the pitch to a Pistons official over the past weekend, league sources said. Detroit immediately rejected the idea, and it never advanced to the two top executives speaking about particulars.
The headlines might as well read : Celtics Desperate
Is KG’s knee worse than expected? Why would the Celtics even contemplate trading Rondo? Is Danny Ainge like a degenerate gambler who won big once, and keeps trying to beat the odds? Maybe there’s money issues here, but I’ll leave that to someone else to figure out, I never think about the salaries.
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gils_Keloids on Jun 22, 2009 9:41 PM PDT up reply actions
Seems like it. I think the only way to trade Allen is if he is packaged with Rondo. I’m not too sure about the contract implications but if that trade were to go through, the C’s would have just replaced Rondo with a stronger version who is not as quick and added a good wing in Prince (Allen and Rip cancel each other out, imo).
From what I hear Rondo has “attitude problems” and sometimes shows up to games around 20 minutes before tip off. I believe he did it in Game 7 against the Magic and also in Game 1? I guess you would call him a little stubborn as well. He has been working on his jumper but (correct me if I’m wrong) has said that he doesn’t need to improve on his jumper because he can get to the basket easily. Also something around the lines of his jumper isn’t “that bad.”
I don’t know why they would trade Ray… Who knows.
And it just doesn’t seem smart to trade away two key starters and bring in 3 new guys. Just seems like a gamble. Plus I know the saying is so overused, but that trade seems like it would really mess up the chemistry. I don’t think some of them would enjoy how intense KG can be, among other things.
They have to trade Ray while his stock is high.
He’s starting to show his age, and with KG’s extension just about to kick in, Boston will be screwed with all of the old salaries. They really only had a 2 year window, and they won in the 1st year. Ray should get traded this season, because he’s the only guy they can get rid of. No one will take KG’s contract, PP is a Celtic lifer. Ray will get interest from a team trying to take that next step.
Yes, a lot of reports are coming out about Rondo’s attitude. Who else but the Celtics could release this stuff?
Where you at Billy?
I can't confirm it but...
it appears that Bill Simmons decided to do a dragonball fusion (any anime fans here?) with TJ Simers and will now publish stories under the new handle TBS, short for Total Bullshit.
Always about the money. Rondo is probably making it be known, he going to test the market.
He earned the right to get paid, only Boston is cash strapped. They were one of the team to take out the loan from the NBA. I think.
And Boston fans have the nerve to rag on LA fans. We always support our team. Not realize they exist in a Championship year. Think about that, a so called deep tradition team, with loyal(?) fans, needs a loan. New Orleans I can see, but the Patriots and Red Sox both have the highest average ticket prices in their respective leagues. New England fans can afford it. They chose not to for so long.
REALLY? Thats surprising
Even know nothing happened it’s shocking to think Boston would be thinking that way because I think Boston can still be good, there is no need to make moves like that now.
There are basic Fundamentals that are needed to move forward in this game. Always keep your guard up at all times to avoid being caught in a trap. Overcome the fouls that will be commited against you REBOUND AND PRESS ON. ADJUST to the LimeLight: ALL-STAR PLAYERS ARE ALWAYS THE CENTER OF ATTENTION. Know what your role is and play your position. Find a game plan and execute it. REMEMBER YOU ONLY GET OUT OF THE GAME WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT.
*Even though
I write too fast some times so this is just to correct my mistake.
There are basic Fundamentals that are needed to move forward in this game. Always keep your guard up at all times to avoid being caught in a trap. Overcome the fouls that will be commited against you REBOUND AND PRESS ON. ADJUST to the LimeLight: ALL-STAR PLAYERS ARE ALWAYS THE CENTER OF ATTENTION. Know what your role is and play your position. Find a game plan and execute it. REMEMBER YOU ONLY GET OUT OF THE GAME WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT.
I don't think you write too fast, but I do think your sig is too big :)
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.
thats my motto I can't cut it down, it wouldn't mean the same so I gotta leave it and I do write too fast and I don't reread half the time so that can be a reason also
There are basic Fundamentals that are needed to move forward in this game. Always keep your guard up at all times to avoid being caught in a trap. Overcome the fouls that will be commited against you REBOUND AND PRESS ON. ADJUST to the LimeLight: ALL-STAR PLAYERS ARE ALWAYS THE CENTER OF ATTENTION. Know what your role is and play your position. Find a game plan and execute it. REMEMBER YOU ONLY GET OUT OF THE GAME WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT.
Per this, it looks like the Celts have some interest in Dahntay Jones from the Nuggs
http://www.celticsblog.com/2009/6/22/921650/rumor-celtics-target-dahntay-jones#comments
And, reading the comments in that thread, Jones is even more attractive to them because of his tripping Kobe in the WCF, so he’d fit right in with a classy team like the Celtics.
Why? So they can have a PG who can't shoot.
A back up PG who can’t shoot (at least last year), a back up SG who can’t shoot, and back up SF who can’t shoot.
Let them have him. Their defense isn’t the same anymore, and you still have to score.
Just finished reading my Sports Illustrated Lakers Championship Commemorative Issue
I like that they have quotes I’ve never seen, including one interesting tidbit from a Western Conference scout who says the coach of his team thinks Kobe is better than Jordan! The scout is unnamed and so his team is a mystery.
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
Raw Footage of Interview with Kobe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqBHYBCoM84
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
Game 6 preview: Lakers must avoid Wormhole
http://theblowtorch.blogspot.com/2009/06/nba-finals-game-6-preview.html
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
Yep
Writer and producer
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gils_Keloids on Jun 23, 2009 8:43 AM PDT up reply actions
"It’s a little dicey because we have three free agents (Lamar Odom, Trevor Ariza and Shannon Brown), and I don’t anticipate carrying more than 13 players next year. So if we’re lucky enough to resign (those players), we’d have 13 assuming we exercise options for D.J. Mbenga and Josh Powell. Right now we’re assuming (Mbenga and Powell) are on our team next year. It would be something unusual where we wouldn’t exercise their options, we think they’re both valued players. If that’s the case, we’re at 13, and I don’t anticipate we’d go above 13.
I guess this means Sun Yue won’t be back next year and Mitch is going to try to bring Shannon back
The Bucks agreed to trade Richard Jefferson to the Spurs for Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto, according to a source
This makes the Spurs a lot better. Thoughts on the trade?
Great pick up for Spurs
Jefferson is going to be Ginobili-like
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gils_Keloids on Jun 23, 2009 10:46 AM PDT up reply actions
Really great pick up for the Spurs. They lose nothing.
We need another “contender” to keep the Lakers sharp.
I just saw that, the Spurs are back.
A lineup featuring Parker, Duncan, Ginobili, and Jefferson as their 4th option?
Ugh… that’s a pretty good core right there.
I want to front page this
but considering Chad ford is the one breaking the news, I will wait until it’s official. Chad Ford is an unreliable tool.

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