You Haven't Won Yet, Lebron

Ok I know you're about to sweep a battered Detroit squad that shouldn't even be in the playoffs. But come on, aren't we getting a little cocky?



Oh and, nice try, but the Heineken version was funnier.

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A Rocket Resurrection

A few weeks ago, most people would have looked at Houston's injury situation and quickly dismissed them as a playoff contender. With Tracy McGrady out for the reason, Ron Artest hobbled by a bothersome ankle, and Rafer Alston gone and rookie Aaron Brooks as the new starting point guard, it was difficult to see the Rockets holding onto their playoff spot in the talented Western Conference. But now, with their most recent road win against the San Anotnio Spurs, the Rockets have taken over the second seed in the Western Conference standings and have also legitimized themselves as contenders.

For the Rockets, this was a game of unlikely heroics. And with the Spurs effectively choking off the Rockets' most effective source of offensive production by fronting yao in the post for most of the fourth quarter, such heroics were certainly necessary. After Tony Parker hit a jumper in the lane to put the Spurs up by six points, a few unsung Rockets went to work. Shane Battier hit a three that cut the deficit in half. He then terrorized Roger Mason Jr. on the defensive end, forcing him to lose the ball. Battier dove on the ball, forced a jump ball with Tim Duncan, and alsmost inexplicably, won the jump.

"Very few people beat Tim Duncan on a jump ball," Battier noted proudly. "That's a pretty cool accomplishment. I'm more proud of that than hitting the three's. He's on of the best all-time. I probably did steal it a bit." After stopping the Spurs on another possession, Brooks was able to hit one of his two field goals all game to give Houston an 82-81 lead. After the Spurs took the lead back 83-82, Yao was ready to lead his team. The Spurs, however, would wisely force someone else to be the hero.

On the next Rocket possession, yao took a pass from Brooks in the post and was double-teamed. He found Luis Scoa wide open under the basket for an easy layup that put the Rockets back on top 84-83. At the other end, however, Parker flew right past Yao, needing just nine seconds to give his Spurs the lead right back 85-84. Once again, Houston turned to their 7 foot 6 inch leader. And once again, Yao responded - with another assis. San Antonio double-teamed Yao the second he touched the ball, and forced someone else to beat them. Luis Scola did just that - with another layup.

"I wasn't expecting Yao to throw it," Scola admitted. "Fortunately, he passed it, I made it, we won." Having shown their capability to deal with adversity, against a top tier team, on the road, when their best player is taken out of the play, Houston's playoff prospects look bright.

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Sports Bets: Picks of the Day

Current record: 6-5

I realize my tally yesterday was an unimpressive 3-2, but I just want the record to show that my two losses were by a combined 1.5 points. The Nuggets Thunder spread was 2, Nuggets won by 1. The Cavs Knicks spread was 5.5, Cavs won by 5. So yes, Jim Carey, that's the way the cookie crumbles.

2/5/09 NBA Games

1. Los Angeles Lakers (+7) @ Boston Celtics (-7). Finally, the game we've all been waiting for. Despite Bynum's emergence as the league's second best center (that's right Yao Ming) and subsequent season-ending knee injury, Kobe and the Lakers have shown that they are more than able to win without him. The Lakers are seven point dogs tonight in Boston and are getting +250 straight up. A number of factors likely contribute to this line: Lakers are playing back to back, Andrew Bynum is out, and KG is back. However, KG is still not fully healthy, and the number of minutes he's going to play is questionable. Kobe is on an absolute tear. And finally, the Lakers have been thirsting for redemption since last June. Enjoy the Laker victory tonight everyone. Lakers straight up***

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Sports Bets: Picks of the Day

Current record: 3-3

After a mediocre 1-2 showing two weeks ago to drop my record to 3-3, I have been too embarrassed to show my face in public for some time now. However, as is usually the case with gambling, my luck took a quick turn, and I went a magical 5-0 one day earlier this week, and my confidence has been renewed. So rejoice sports bettors, I am back.

2/4/09 NBA Games

1. Portland Blazers (+3.5) @ Dallas Mavericks (-3.5). Since their horrendous blowout loss to Boston last week, the Mavs have reeled off three consecutive victories over the Warriors, Heat, and Magic. The Mavs now return home to Dallas, rested and hungry to extend their winning streak over the young Blazers. Mavs to cover****

2. Chicago Bulls (+1.5) @ New Orleans Hornets (-1.5). The young Bulls have exceeded mediocre expectations with enormous wins, proving they are more than capable. The Hornets, on the other hand, have been inconsistent and have disappointed much higher expectations. Tonight, the Hornets are at home, without Chris Paul. WITHOUT CHRIS PAUL. In the words of our very own Adriel Carolino, "Who the hell is gonna run the offense?" Bulls to cover***

3. New Jersey Nets (0) @ Washington Wizards (0). You might be asking, how the hell is this game a wash? Well, the Nets played last night. The Wizards are at home. But here's something you might not have known. The Nets are actually better on the road than they are at home. And here's something you already knew. The Wizards are absolute garbage. Nets to cover (which is essentially straight up)****

4. Denver Nuggets (-2) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (+2). After earning my trust and respect last month with some very impressive victories, the Thunder threw it right back at me with losses to the Kings and the Clippers. Tonight, the Thunder host a Nugget squad that towers over them. Chauncey Billups is questionable, but with the return of Melo, Denver should be just fine. Who does OKC have to stop Nene from posting another one of his absurd 9-9 FG games? Nobody. Nuggets to cover***

5. Cleveland Caveliers (-5.5) @ New York Knicks (+5.5). The Cavs have regained the most vital piece of dominance: Big Z. With his strong defense, rebounding, and solid post game, Z slows the game down to the pace that the Cavs play best at. Cleveland was a solid team without Z, but nowhere near the dominant force they are with him in the lineup. With three straight double digit victories since Z's return, the Cavs are once again scary as hell. The streaky Knicks don't stand a chance. Good luck Chris Duhon! Cavs to cover****

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Sports Bets: Picks of the Day

Current record: 2-1

1/17/09 NBA Games

1. Miami Heat (+3.5) @ Houston Rockets (-3.5). So the Rockets are at home, where they're 12-5, but they are still hobbled without T-Mac and Artest. If Wade and Marion look to run on every possession, which I'm assuming they will, Yao will get tired fast. The Heat are getting +140 here. Bet on the Heat straight up. ****

2. Milwaukee Bucks (-3) @ Los Angeles Clippers (+3). Leading at one point last night by 21 points, the Kings went on a tear to cut the deficit to one point. The superior Bucks, however, held on to cover the spread, and helped redeem my record after the Knicks pissed away their game in the final three minutes. In any case, the Clippers are a joke (3-16 at home), and are still without Baron Davis and Zach Randolph. Seriously, Vegas? 3 points? Bucks to cover the spread. ****

3. Orlando Magic (+1) @ Denver Nuggets (-1). As I've discussed with my partners here at ATA, the Nuggets are clearly a better team without Melo. They're home record is impressive (16-5). Unfortunately, with Superman and Jameer Nelson playing as well as they are, not even the cool Denver air will be enough to help the Nuggets win this one. Orlando to cover the spread (which is pretty much straight up). ***

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Sports Bets: Picks of the Day

Howdy sports fans. As a new installment here at ATA, I will be giving you sports gamble-holics (that means you Andy Shin) a handful of picks a few times a week, in either the NBA, NFL, or NCAA football. After each pick, I will label the pick with 1-5 stars, representing how strong of a pick this is. I will also keep a running tally of my wins and losses, thus giving you an idea of my credibility (or luck) as a sports analyst.

For those of you who are new to the sports betting world, I will give you a brief introduction to some of the terms. Anytime you see a plus or minus single or double digit number, this denotes the spread. The plus indicates underdog, the minus indicates favorite. For example, if you see -9 next to the San Antonio Spurs and a +9 next to the Los Angeles Lakers, you know that the Spurs are nine point favorites and the Lakers are nine point underdogs (likely because of crooked refs). When you are looking to bet on a team straight up, you look at the money line, which will again show a plus and a minus number, both indicating the same things as before. But unlike the spread, the money line shows you exactly how much your money will earn you. For underdogs, if you see +300, this means that every $100 that you bet, you will win $300 (if your underdog comes through, of course). For favorites, if you see -450, this means that you must wager $450 in order to win $100. Finally, the over/under aspect simply refers to the point total of the game. Pretty simple stuff.

1/16/09 NBA Games

1. New York Knicks (+2) @ Washington Wizards (-2). Coming off a 128-122 shootout at the Garden, New York now travels to Washington for a rematch. How were the lowly Wizards able to keep last night's game so close? By shooting 60% from the field, and 71% from 3. Nick Young dropped 33 points in 33 minutes and missed four shots out of a combined 24 shot attempts. Who wants to bet that this won't happen again? Sure the Knicks shot 54% and 54%, respectively, themselves, but NY is naturally a much more prolific three-point shooting team. Forget the fact that Washington's at home; the Knicks will still force their fast-tempo high-scoring style on the Wizards. For those of you who prefer statistics, here's one: Washington is 1-9 in games when the point total is >210. Last night, 250 points were scored. Good luck, Washington. Knicks straight up. ****

2. Milwaukee Bucks (-2) @ Sacramento Kings (+2). Ah, here's what we look for as sports bettors. Deviations from the norm that influence Las Vegas to release skewed lines and spreads. The Kings are absolutely terrible. Sure Kevin Martin has been injured all season, but they're still only 3-6 since his return, and one of those wins was against the Clippers (which shouldn't even count), so we'll say 2-6. What do I mean by deviation from the norm? I mean scoring 135 points when you only average 98. I mean managing to keep up with the high-flying Warriors for seven periods. I mean Brad Miller scoring 30 points and grabbing 22 rebounds (fantasy owners, you know exactly what I'm talking about). Milwaukee, on the other hand, is not a bad team. At 8-15 on the road, they have one more road win than Utah! Expect the Bucks to easily cover the generous 2 point spread that Vegas has gifted us this holiday season. ****

3. Orlando Magic (+4) @ Los Angeles Lakers (-4). Laker fans will curse me. Especially our very own Adriel Carolino, who, considering his immense sports knowledge, inexplicably believes that his beloved Lakers can do no wrong. Wake up Carolino, and world, the Lakers are not that good. Granted, Kobe is half-human half-god, but he is still half-human, which means he's not going to be able to bail out the Lakers with clutch baskets night after night. Who knows, maybe Bynum will actually be able to stick with Superman this time and stay in the game for more than 11 minutes? Maybe not. Magic straight up. ***

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Point Guard Issues

In Wednesday's Lakers game versus the San Antonio Spurs, the Lakers found themselves in an extremely difficult situation; they had no point guards.

Jordan Farmar is recovering from knee surgery, Sasha Vujacic is suffering from back spasms, Sun Yue is afraid to play competitive basketball, and Derek Fisher suffered a minor groin tweak. To sum up the situation in Wednesday's game, the Lakers were playing Trevor Ariza, Vladimir Radmanovic, Lamar Odom, Josh Powell, and Andrew Bynum. Average height: 6'10". Success rate: Poor. Please note that the Spurs were playing three guards and the Lakers were forced to settle for jumpers. Oh! Tim Duncan was on the bench too.

The Lakers do not necessarily need immediate help at the one position, but they are definitely in a strange position without a 1-guard to defend the quicker guards in the league. Derek Fisher, in his elongated playing time, has proven to be a terrific shooter and a decent defender, but the Lakers have to be worried about playing the aging Fisher 40+ minutes a game.

As an avid Lakers fan, the point guard situation is not a huge issue because the Lakers have the triangle offense and this guy named Kobe Bryant. What does bother me is that Derek Fisher lost us the game that Kobe salvaged. Rant rant rant. Sigh. Orlando Magic on Friday, tune in.

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2008's Best Commercial: T-Mobile ft. Wade and Barkley

TIME Magazine has chosen the following T-Mobile commercial featuring Dwayne Wade and Charles Barkley as the best of 2008. Sweet!  

BTW, don't be fooled by how good Chuck comes off here. He is undoubtedly still a dumbass.

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NBA Top Plays of November

Thoughts?

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Sean Avery Suspended for Being Hilarious

Sean Avery, star defensemen of the Dallas Stars, has been indefinitely suspended for his remarks regarding his "sloppy seconds." Before we go any further, please please please watch his remarks. Thank you

Crass? Yes.
Crude? Yes.
Hilarious?? Yes!

But isn't an indefinite suspension a bit much? Now, before we go any futher, I'm sure you would like to know who the sloppy seconds are, and just who is taking them. So, please please please read further.

Avery is referencing his ex-girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert. She happens to be currently dating Dion Phaneuf of the Calgary Flame. Who is Elisha Cuthbert? She is:
While dating Sean Avery she looked like this (pictured with Avery):

And now, while dating Dion Phaneuf, she looks like this (pictured with Phaneuf):

It turns out that before dating Avery, Ms. Cuthbert had a relationship with Montreal Candian's defenseman Mike Komisarek. So, in fact Avery was the first one to get his hands dirty with "sloppy seconds".

Anyhow, the fact that this is the NHL of all leagues to put down this punishment is absurd. For those that have forgotten, the NHL is the league where you get to punch each other whilst taking the other person's shirt off and rolling around in the ice. It's also the league where sticks get to hit sticks no matter what size, but you can't hit someone's body with your stick (especially in the face), nor shove it up their butts. Wait, where was I... I completely got lost in making gross insinuations.

The point is, the NHL is the joke of the big North American sports leagues and it's none other than the management's fault for mismanaging operations.

The NHL even has something called the Sean Avery rule. Via Wikipedia:

Avery used a controversial tactic to screen the opposing goaltender. While essentially ignoring the play on the ice when his team had a two-man advantage, Avery faced Martin Brodeur and waved his hands and stick in front of Brodeur in an attempt to distract him and block his view. Although not illegal, many NHL commentators and players described Avery's actions as unsportsmanlike. The following day, the NHL issued an interpretation of the league's unsportsmanlike conduct rule to cover actions such as the one employed by Avery

See the play here:


Is what Avery did really unsportsmanlike there? The stick waving is a bit much, but when I see him screening the view of the goalie all I think about is a defender guarding the inbounder in basketball. Why shouldn't offensive players be allowed to obstruct a goalie's view??

And if there are still any Celtics fan-atics here from the KG post what Avery did is not like what KG did to Calderon. KG was blatantly taunting. Avery was still focused on scoring a goal.

All of these little punishments seem ironic because the NHL is so lax about fighting. Why I ask? Most likely, it is because half of the commercial appeal (to fans) is tied up in the fights amongst players. If the NHL would only realize that characters like Avery actually bring fans in, maybe they wouldn't hate him so much.

Avery is a pest, indeed. But he isn't the same breed as Ron Artest, or Pac-Man Jones. (Not being racist, I promise). He comes off a little smarter, and funnier. Kind of like Ocho Cinco. Avery is the bad guy you enjoy watching, but would probably hate interacting with.

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Plaxico Burress is in deep DOO-DOO

Plaxico Burress did the right thing and turned himself in. He didn't have a permit to carry a loaded gun in New York and there really was no way for him to get out of it, with such a media circus covering the whole thing. It's rather admirable of him, knowing that he could get 3.5 years of jail time for this silly matter.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg:

Our children are getting killed with guns in the streets. Our police officers are getting killed with guns in the hands of criminals, and because of that, we got the State Legislature to pass a law that if you carry a loaded handgun, you get automatically 3 ½ years in the slammer.

I don’t think that anybody should be exempt from that, and I think it would be an outrage if we didn’t prosecute to the fullest extent of the law, particularly people who live in the public domain, make their living because of their visibility; they are the role models for our kids.

I knew that Bloomberg was tough on crime in New York, but didn't realize he was this tough. I applaud his fearlessness, in the face of fervent Giant fans. It's going to be rather embarassing for Bloomberg if Plaxico doesn't get 3.5 years after such a definitive statement. Yet, something inside of me (disclaimer: I have no legal experience whatsoever) says that he will end up with a much more manageable sentence.

Mikey it seems, shouldn't have been so harsh with his words:

In New York, according to state law, a person carrying a gun without a permit faces at least 3 ½ years in prison if prosecutors prove that the person intended to use the weapon on another person. If intent to use cannot be proved, the person may still face felony charges that could result in up to seven years in prison.

In my opinion it would be tough to prove that a person of Burress's stature really intended to use the weapon on another person. It doesn't help that he shot himself. But, we really have no idea what happened. Burress could have been in the process of using the gun on someone else, but shot himself instead, because he is a dumbass. We'll see how this all plays out.

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Lebron calls Barkley stupid. It's about time!

Lebron James recently responded to Charles Barkley's criticism by saying (and I quote, hence the little indentation that means a quote):

He’s stupid. That’s all I’ve got to say about that

This is a really big deal for me. Why? It's not because I think Sir Charles was out of line in telling Lebron James to "shut the hell up". On the contrary, I agree with super blogger David P. that LBJ needs to tone down his sexual yearning for NY. It's just too much right now. It's too much, and too early (have you seen the Cav's record this year?).

It's a big deal because doggone-it Charles Barkley is stupid. I've been wanting to preach this to the whole world for so long. Now at least we have all the Lebron fans on our side. The only time I like Charles is in those t-mobile commercials. He's not bad when he has a script and gets multiple takes. But, on TNT he's just incomprehensible. I'm sick of trying so hard to understand what he's trying to say. And then once I do get what he said, I realize it wasn't worth the effort!

Also, does anyone get the feeling that this year's Lebron is a completely different Lebron. There's this swagger about him now. I feel as though this is what the real Lebron has been like for years, but his publicist kept him under wraps. I really appreciate the fact that he's showing us his true character. But, now that we really know him, isn't he sort of lame? Take Barkley's advice to heart Lebron, knowing that non-stupid people feel the exact same way.

"..shut the hell up"

Here are some interesting Charles Barkley quotes I found from this site.

“We don't need refs, but I guess white guys need something to do.”

“My initial response was to sue her for defamation of character, but then I realized that I had no character.”

“If somebody hits you with an object you should beat the hell out of them.”

“The main thing to do is relax and let your talent do the work.”

Update (courtesy of reader H.R.): Charles Barkley reminds us that he is a dumbass

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Plaxico Burress Shoots Himself In The Leg

What's more stupid than tearing your ACL while celebrating a made field goal? Let's ask ex-Cardinal's kicker Bill Grammatica. Or we can ask newfound idiot Plaxico Burress who recently spent the night at the hospital after shooting himself in the leg.

The Giants said the shooting happened Friday night and he was released from the hospital early Saturday. The team did not say which hospital Burress went to or how badly he was injured.

However, a team official told The Associated Press that Burress shot himself in a nightclub. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the team was still trying to sort out all the facts.
-via Yahoo Sports

Can someone please explain to me what the heck he was doing bringing a gun to a nightclub in the first place? This is beyond retarded. I can completely imagine him grinding up against a girl, and then she's like oh my Plaxico, you have such big black feet. And then she goes in for a little action and whoops that's not a Ball Park frank. Bam! He just got shot in the thigh.

What is it with athletes and coming to clubs packed?? I thought people go to clubs to get drunk and get action. I wouldn't want myself holding a gun if I was drunk. We need to get commentary from Stephen Jackson this instant. At least S-Jax was at a strip club.

I really want to know how this happened. Because I see two scenarios here.
Scenario #1: he is holding the gun and accidentally shoots himself in the thigh.
Scenario #2: The gun is in his pocket and somehow (grinding on a girl like discussed before, or maybe when scratching his balls) the gun goes off.

In both scenarios Plaxico is a dumbass. He catch. He dumbass.

Let's just hope this didn't happen to him:
I hope this story helps take guns off the streets. I'm tired of losing fantasy points to guns.

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New York, New York, All About New York

Lebron James heads into Madison Garden today to play the New York Knicks. Before moving on, let’s get one issue straightened out: Lebron James still plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The former #1 pick is arguably the most dominant force in basketball, both on and off the court, but he is clearly lacking in the professionalism department. Lebron James was born in Akron, Ohio, played high-school basketball in Akron, Ohio, and now plays professional basketball in Cleveland, Ohio. His entire life was spent in Ohio and yet, the only time he ever dawns a piece of Ohio gear is on the court. I understand that Ohio is not the greatest place to be a professional sports fan (Browns, Cavs, Indians), but to go out to various professional venues wearing New York hats is just a slap to the face for the people of Ohio. Sure, Lebron has maintained professionalism throughout his career by being an effective role model for the league and maintaining an immaculate track record off the court, but he is displaying complete and utter disrespect for the team and city that is paying him.

Basketball is a business and James is merely a part of their short-term business models. With Lebron on the roster, the Cleveland Cavaliers receive significant sales in jerseys and other merchandise, a superstar who is capable of winning games and national television time, and ticket sales from fans that want to see their hometown team win.

Unfortunately for the Cavaliers franchise, Lebron James attends Cleveland Brown games on the opposition’s side wearing a NY hat, goes to Cleveland Indian games wearing NY hat, and hangs out with Jay-Z, part owner of the New Jersey Nets, religiously. And today, after previously wearing NY Yankee inspired shoes against the Knicks, Lebron wore his new kicks, the Nike Zoom Lebron VI "Big Apple" edition, directly inspired by his love and adoration for New York.

I am not trying to say that Lebron owes any of his success to the people of Ohio, but he definitely needs to show Ohio some respect. He can say what he wants about winning and how he loves his hometown, but if he’s continuously dissing his state on nationally televised games by wearing NY apparel, it shows where his current and future priorities lie.

Lebron, you’re a great player, but come on. This is way too much. You are a superstar and everyone expects you to have superstar friends, but the hats have got to go. Show some class and love for your hometown.

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Tie? Isn't That the Thing You Wear with a Suit?

Oh Donovan, don't be upset your team didn't win. Look at it this way, you didn't lose either. And hey, next time, brush up on the basic rules of the NFL.

I agree the NFL's overtime policy isn't all that fair (60 something percent of teams who win the cointoss win the game), but is it really all that difficult for players to know the rules at least?

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Steve Nash Shouldn't Fight

In the desert of Arizona, the Houston Rockets challenged the Phoenix Suns to a battle of athletic competition. By the third quarter, the Rockets held a commanding lead and the Suns were not happy. Watch what happens.

After listening to the complete bias of the Rocket announcers, you would automatically believe that Matt Barnes was at complete fault. Wrong. During the game, Steve Nash was the victim of questionable screens set by the Rocket players (not shown). Matt Barnes, being the noble teammate that he is, decided to retaliate against the Rockets' smallest player, Rafer Alston. And I for one, loved it (Rafer Alston is a punk)

However, the point of this article was not to correct the obvious bias of the Rocket TV announcers, but to point out Steve Nash's inability to fight. After Alston bodied Barnes for the hard foul, Steve Nash ran in and basically threw himself to the ground. If you're heated and pissed off enough to throw a punch, do it. If I was Nash, I would be ashamed. That was the most pathetic showing in a fight since Jeff Van Gundy and at least he had an excuse, he was 5'9".

Other things to note:

• Shaquille O'Neal is a beast. From a stand still he pushed down Tracy McGrady and arm barred Yao Ming to the ground.
• Matt Barnes threw the most blatant foul at Rafer Alston, but the referees did not blow the whistle. The referees did a good job of stopping the fight, but their huge non-call started all of it.
• I wonder what Steve Nash said for T-mac to react so quickly.
• What was Rafer Alston hoping to accomplish by grabbing onto to Steve Nash's arm.
• Hypothetically, if Shaq was the only one of the floor, would he be able to beat-up Yao, Scola, T-mac, Brooks, and Alston by himself? I say, "Yes."

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The Lakers' Comic Relief

Because we probably needed a good laugh after three quarters of trailing Dallas
And because we love The Machine here at AtA

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Does Anyone Remember When KG Was Respectable?

I sure can't. This recent incident with Jose Calderon just reaffirms how much of a douchebag Kevin Garnett really is. I'll be honest in saying that I have a clear bias ( huge Laker fan ) but truly that is irrelevant in this case. The Lakers have been bitter rivals with the Spurs for who knows how long, yet I still believe Tim Duncan is one of the greatest and most admirable players in the league.

Here's the video of Kevin Garnett being Kevin Garnett.

For those of you who've forgotten what type of person KG really is click the link for more:

In 2004 Kevin Garnett punched his rookie teammate Rick Rickert.

Garnett punched Rick Rickert, a second-round draft pick of the Timberwolves last season, according to several sources with knowledge of the event. Seven stitches were required to close the cut on Rickert's chin, said Susan Rickert, the player's mother, during a phone interview yesterday.

Garnett's agent and a Timberwolves spokesman declined to comment.

According to a report in the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Garnett's attack was unprovoked.

Rickert, 21, scored several times with the 6-foot-11 Garnett guarding him. Several other players began to "tease" Garnett about being outplayed, according to a source. When Rickert scored again, Garnett struck him without warning.
- Washington Post

In 2000 Kevin Garnett punched Wally Sczerbiak in the head

The dislike between the two players has been played up ever since Garnett punched an unsuspecting Szczerbiak in the locker room after practice a few years ago.

Tim Duncan stands up for Tony Parker. Kevin Garnett cusses him out. TD responds with "You're tripping man."

In the best-known example of his newfound forcefulness, Duncan got into a face-to-face smack-talking session with Minnesota's Kevin Garnett--an accomplished talker of smack, mind you--during a game in February. The Spurs were blowing out the Timberwolves, and after Garnett had given an extra shove to Spurs rookie point guard Tony Parker, Duncan began jawing with Garnett. Both were hit with technical fouls, and when the argument simmered, both were ejected. It was the first ejection of Duncan's career.

From the outside, it looked as if Duncan had earned a draw in his lip-wagging battle with Garnett. But while Garnett was getting his ejection's worth, spewing a stream of language so polluted that even Greenpeace would not bother with a cleanup effort, the best Duncan could come up with was to inform Garnett, "You're tripping, man." It was such an even-keeled response that the league office later rescinded the ejection and the $1,000 fine.
- The Sporting News

Another video of Kevin Garnett harassing Jose Calderon:



Say what you will about his intensity and passion for the game. Taunting might pass as a mere side effect of his emotion for the game, but punching a teammate is completely inexcusable (regardless of what was done to provoke it. And in the rookie's case this was apparently nothing). And it's all the more ironic because Garnett is constantly being deemed one of the greatest teammates to have.

Why is it that the traditional media seems to ignore all of this? It's as if Garnett has somehow been molded into the paragon of the NBA. A disgraceful paragon indeed.

Latrell Spreewell's coach choking or Kevin Garnett's teammate clocking? The two incidents are right on par with each other if you ask me.

One more thing: is KG not a complete psycho?

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Where'd The Pac-10 Go?

Boy, I was little b*tch in high school. Show me a pretty girl who was willing to talk to me, and you could've stuck a fork in me right there. I fell hard and fast. So I guess that would make the Pacific-10 conference the little bitch conference of college football, right? After Week 1, the Pac-10 was perceived to be one of the elite conferences in football. It boasted four teams in the Associated Press top 25, including UCLA at #23, Oregon at #18, Arizona State at #16, and of course USC bearing the torch at #1. And like dominoes, the ranked reps of the Pac-10 would fall one by one, week by week.

After Week 2, UCLA had fallen off, with Cal taking its place. In Week 3, Cal and Arizona State would both stumble, leaving Oregon and USC as the only ranked Pac-10 teams. By Week 4, Oregon would fall as well, leaving USC all alone to guard the top spot against 24 non-conference teams. And almost fittingly, USC would lose in Week 5 to Oregon State, thus eliminating the only remaining reason to consider the Pac-10 a respectable conference.

As the Pac-10 spiraled down the drain, the already dominant SEC and Big 12 conferences would grow stronger, as Alabama, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State would all rise from the unknown into national championship contention. Even the perennial laughing stock of college football, known to many as the Big 10 conference, would begin to turn heads with the consistent dominance of Penn State and the emergence of Michigan State. To get an idea of just how dominant the SEC and Big 12 have become, just look at the Week 10 BCS standings. SEC and Big 12 teams are currently occupying six of the top 10 spots.

Some might see the sudden collapse of the Pac-10 conference as surprising, inexplicable even. I do not. When I look at the top 10 BCS teams, or any team that ever had a shot at the national title game for that matter, I see something that all Pac-10 teams (even USC) lack: Heisman-caliber talent (the exceptions being Alabama and Penn State, who have survived all season because of their defense and coach, causing me to question their legitimacy as contenders). Let us browse the list of current and former contenders.

Current Contenders

• Texas Tech - Graham Harrell has long been one of the most prolific passers in college football. And with Tech's upset win over Texas last week, Harrell and Crabtree have both convinced us that they are among the best in their respective positions.

• Texas - Vince Young mourners can dry their eyes. Colt McCoy. Enough said. Childhood buddy Jordan Shipley aint too shabby either.

• Florida - The numbers haven't quite been there for Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin, but don't tell me your bones still don't tremble every time they lace up their cleats.

• Oklahoma - Much like Harrell's, Sam Bradford's numbers are absolutely outrageous. And he's been putting them up against much stronger opponents.

Former Contenders

• Georgia - I overheard ESPN anchors touting Matthew Stafford has the most talented NFL-caliber quarterback. I'm not sure I'd agree, but I guess that's why they're in the studio, broadcasting to millions while I'm sitting in bed writing this article and watching Gossip Girl. Knowshon Moreno, however, has not disappointed.

• Missouri - When a team has not one, but two Heisman talents, they're usually a lock for title contention. Unfortunately, not even the combined efforts of Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin have been able to compensate for Mizzou's horrendous defense.

In terms of talent, the Pac-10 can hardly compete with that of the aforementioned. Cal running back is just a sophomore, and will certainly contend for the Heisman next year. If Oregon State had simply discovered the explosive talent of true freshman Jacquizz Rodgers a few games earlier, they could easily be a ranked team right now. Other than those two, who do we have? Mark Sanchez? After Ohio State, sure. But since then, not even close. If the Pac-10 wishes to return to the prominence it enjoyed as recently as last year, the solution is simple: recruit some god damn talent (though I know this is much easier said than done).

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What's Up With the NFL? A Team-by-Team Look

Brian Chen: Is it just me, or is football especially out of control this year?
Me: It is.
Brian Chen: Just making sure.
Me: I could make a list that goes on and on with what's wrong with the NFL this season.
Brian Chen: Damn. Please do. That's a genius ATA article.

And thus an article is born. Here's a team-by-team breakdown of why the NFL isn't quite right this year.

Kansas City Chiefs: Larry Johnson (see right). LJ, one of the few superstars who seems to have averted the injury bug this year, can't keep his ass on the field because he can't seem to stop picking fights and throwing drinks in chicks' faces. But that's cool, you never back down from a fight, right LJ?

San Fransisco 49ers: So they finally admitted Alex Smith is a bust. Not only was he outperformed by Shaun Hill and J.T. O'Sullivan, but he's also on IR. I thought they were going to ride him out until no team would ever dream of signing him (like poor David Carr). Mike Nolan was the first NFL head coach to bite the bullet this season, and already his replacement Mike Singletary is already making waves by dropping his pants at halftime and sending a potential bust draft pick of Vernon Davis to the locker room early.

Chicago Bears: Grossman? Orton? They've been flipping coins the past years to decide who the starter is. This year Orton won the toss, and guess what? He's actually good. Too bad it looks like he may be out for a while after getting carted off the field in this weeks' game. That is, unless he makes a miracle comeback (word to Paul Pierce).

Cincinnati Bengals: The only thing worse than their disappointing record (and disappointing is an understatement here) is that Chad Ocho Cinco has to wear a fake last name on the back of his jersey. Is this the NFL or the XFL?

Buffalo Bills: After being thrown into the mediocrity pile, Lee Evans is now the third highest-paid WR in the NFL, and he's putting up numbers to show it. Oh and the Bills aren't too shabby either, no longer the coat rack of the AFC East (assuming the Dolphins are its doormat). Bills tied for first.

Denver Broncos: Hi, my name is Jay Cutler. I was so bad that they made fun of me on an episode of South Park. But I'm better this year. In fact, I throw better than John Elway. Alright Jay, let's take a step back for a second. Ok, so you lost a lot of weight, fighting diabetes can do that for you. And yes, you're playing better, throwing up monster numbers, winning games through pure offense, since everyone knows how squishy your defense is. But John Elway? That's like Jordan Farmar saying he passes better than Magic Johnson. Maybe 7 years into the future if you're still putting up obscene numbers and have won some rings, you can claim that. For now, Peter Rabbit would be wise to stay out of Mr. McGregor's garden.

Cleveland Browns: A trendy pick for many to breakout this season, they now have a bigger problem than making the playoffs: preventing more staph infections. Seriously guys, you're an NFL franchise. You can afford to clean up a little more thoroughly.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Pushing for an NFC South title, and almost lost to Kansas City. That's all I have to say.

Arizona Cardinals: Kurt Warner must have gotten his hands on some sort of NFL-viagra, because he sure seems to be getting it up this season. Third in the league in passer rating, and second in passing yards. Matt who?

San Diego Chargers: So much for Super Bowl bound. Let's get to .500, then we'll talk.

Indianapolis Colts: A perennial lock to win the AFC South, the Colts will have to fight for a wild-card birth. Unless Tennessee drops 5 of the last 8.

Dallas Cowboys: Life without Tony? The Cowboys are a lot like Jessica Simpson: without Tony Romo both would just be sad, lost little puppies. Thank God Romo is coming back soon and Jess is talking marriage.

Miami Dolphins: They're .500. The bad news: they're still in last place in their divison. And they actually have a quarterback. Movin' on up like George and Wheezy.

Philadelphia Eagles: 5-3 and they're in third place in their division. There's something wrong with that. If Westbrook had stayed healthy, there would have been something wrong with that too.

Atlanta Falcons: 5-3 and they're in third place in their division. Wait, I just said that. Two years removed from the Michael Vick circus, they look like they have their quarterback of the future in Matt Ryan. Surprising they have a winning record at this point in the season, no?

New York Giants: The defending NFL champions have one blemish on their season, a loss to the lowly Browns. Forget the almost boo boo against the Bengals, a W is still a W last time I checked.

Jacksonville Jaguars: A team that many, myself included, believed to be ready to snatch away the AFC South title from the Colts is tied for last with who? The Texans.

New York Jets: Brett Favre, as ancient as he is, can still throw. Problem is his offense isn't tailored around him. Favre leading the NFL in interceptions thrown. Never thought I'd see that day.

Detroit Lions: After taking receivers with their top pick in 3 of the last 5 drafts, they still have no quarterback and have only one of said receivers left on their roster. The result: 0-8.

Green Bay Packers: 4-3 and gave Aaron Rodgers a huge extension. Now they're 4-4. It's far too soon to be asking "Brett who?"

Carolina Panthers: They switch between looking impressive and unimpressive. At least they're sitting pretty on top of their division.

New England Patriots: Starting a quarterback who was only a second string player throughout college and still 5-2?? I'm impressed.

Oakland Raiders: Al Davis. 'Nuff said. I'll throw in a "JaMarcus Russell sucks" plug just for Brian Chen. The highlight of their season? Outgoing Lane Kiffin making Sebastian Janikowski try a 76-yard field goal into the wind.

St. Louis Rams: Torry Holt is no longer the #1 option. I liken that to Manny Ramirez batting 7th.

Baltimore Ravens: They actually have a solid running game, AND a decent passing game. It's not just about defense anymore folks.

Washington Redskins: Jason Campbell hasn't thrown a pick all season. He's not that good. First year coach Jim Zorn is doing a hell of a job.

New Orleans Saints: This team produces enough firepower to take down a small European country's army. Defense has yet to show up. No surprises there. Being behind the Falcons and last in their division IS a surprise though.

Seattle Seahawks: 2-6 and tied for second in the NFC West. I don't know what's more wrong here, their record or the NFC West.

Pittsburgh Steelers: There is life without Willie Parker. Well, that's shocking to me.

Houston Texans: David Carr is gone?!?! Yes, they finally decided to give up. Seems they finally figured a way to get those beer goggles off.

Tennessee Titans: UNDFTD.

Minnesota Vikings: Adrian Peterson can't carry this team by himself like I thought he could. Their defense is nowhere near as good as it was being touted as before the season began.

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