On Wednesday, Jan Vesely stops by to chat with his Czech fans.
http://basket.idnes.cz/basketbalista-jan-vesely-0xy-/odpovedi.asp?t=VESEL
Send your questions now and join Vesely Wed. at 3 p.m. CET.
http://basket.idnes.cz/basketbalista-jan-vesely-0xy-/odpovedi.asp?t=VESEL&akce=otazky
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
Q&A: Vesely deals with wedding gift ideas, not Lockout
From this Saturday's denik.cz article:
http://www.denik.cz/ostatni_sport/vesely-resi-misto-vyluky-v-nba-svatebni-dar.html
"I'm not afraid about that, even if that can happen. Right now they are negotiating, so we'll see. Everything's being dealt with. We can only wait and believe that both sides find a solution."
What's your personal estimate? When the new season gets going?
"[The Lockout] Won't take too long. I think by the end of year [the regular season starts], at the latest."
Can the lockout process be the same as the one 13 years ago? They played only 50 games instead of 82...
"I think that they find an agreement sooner, everything will be okay and there will be no reduction of games. Even with less games, nothing terrible happens. I don't care how many games I play in my first season, I'm mainly looking forward to my premiere game."
Aren't you afraid that you will be deprived of the full experience? After all, you wouldn't take solace in a trimmed season...
http://www.denik.cz/ostatni_sport/vesely-resi-misto-vyluky-v-nba-svatebni-dar.html
It seems like you are not dismayed by the lockout happenings and a potential delayed start of a new NBA regular season. Aren't you surprised by lockout?
"We all reckoned with lockout, we knew that the lockout would begin the 1st of July. You got to find something good in there too. Summer League is cancelled, but actually it is a plus for me. At least I'll be resting. Otherwise I would have to be in Vegas now and practice and play. So I have all summer free and I can start preparing for the regular season."
That's nice, but there's a possibility the two sides fail to reach a deal and the start of the season begins to delay..."I'm not afraid about that, even if that can happen. Right now they are negotiating, so we'll see. Everything's being dealt with. We can only wait and believe that both sides find a solution."
What's your personal estimate? When the new season gets going?
"[The Lockout] Won't take too long. I think by the end of year [the regular season starts], at the latest."
Can the lockout process be the same as the one 13 years ago? They played only 50 games instead of 82...
"I think that they find an agreement sooner, everything will be okay and there will be no reduction of games. Even with less games, nothing terrible happens. I don't care how many games I play in my first season, I'm mainly looking forward to my premiere game."
"I don't take it like that. I don't have anything to worry about. For me the most important thing now is that I got drafted by an NBA team already and I belong to Washington. Moreover, I suppose I'll play in the NBA more than a year, so I don't think about it."
So what's in your head now?
"I'm going to Belgrade on Saturday. Petar Bozic, Partizan Belgrade's captain, where I played the last 3 seasons, invited me to his wedding. I'm trying to figure out what I'll bring him."
Didn't you buy the wedding gift yet?
"I still have a lot of time. I was not intrigued by anything in Washington, moreover I didn't think it was exactly the best idea to carry something across the ocean. I'll pick something here, in Czech Republic."
Have you at least an idea already?
"Perhaps Ostrava sausage. Just something traditional, something that has connection with Ostrava."
You already celebrated in Belgrade recently. Was your good-bye party at the end of season a blast?
"Yeah, my farewell lasted a long time. I invited all my friends together and we celebrated at full blast."
Were you able to overtake Boston hockey players, who after 39 years had a pricey celebration of the victory in the Stanley Cup?
Were you able to overtake Boston hockey players, who after 39 years had a pricey celebration of the victory in the Stanley Cup?
"I don't even know how much they spent. Four hours and three million Czech crowns in one of the bars where they celebrated? Our bill was probably slighty lower. Although who knows, it was without bill."
Someone who doesn't follow basketball much can't imagine everything what an NBA Draft involves. Describe your days in America..."I arrived last Friday, had a practice on Saturday, on Sunday a special workout for four teams that were interested in me. Then began the whole Draft carousel, you can even say chaos."
How many interviews you actually had to take?
"Just after the Draft, it was two hours long. You go to the backstage and you are constantly available to the media. Then yet another [obligation], official press conference, more talks over the phone. There is really a lot of obligations. The most demanding part was on Thursday evening after the Draft. But I think I managed it without problems."
On Wednesday you came back home to 'your' Ostrava, where went your first steps?
"I was at home at my mom's house in Pribor [a small Moravian town], on Friday at dad's house. I wanted to engage in more things, but I had little time. I also slept a lot, I'm still a little confused because of jet lag."
How will you fill your time after returning from Serbian capital?
"I'm going to be visiting my relatives, I would like to go to the sea, too. I can't say specifically where, I deal with everything at the last minute."
Sunday, July 03, 2011
John Merry Mini-Bullets
From this Friday's iDNES.cz article:
http://basket.idnes.cz/basketbalista-vesely-poblaznil-ameriku-ted-pojede-na-svatbu-a-k-mori-1gm-/nba.aspx?c=A110701_180109_nba_bem
* Jan started playing basketball in the youth system of BK Snakes Ostrava, in Ostrava, Czech Rep.
* He came back home to Ostrava on Wednseday and slept a lot. He was confused because of jet lag.
* He met with Czech journalists in the famous 'Stodolní ulice'.
* What wedding gift to buy? "Has to be something traditional, local. Perhaps Ostrava sausages," he said, grinning.
* On NBA lockout: "I hope we start playing by the end of year. I will talk to my agent about all possible scenarios. Even playing in Europe if there is a long lockout."
* On Summer League being cancelled: "At least I'll be resting. Otherwise I would have to be in Vegas now and practice and play. So I have all summer free and I can start preparing for next regular season."
* He wants to visit relatives, friends in the summer and to go on vacation to sea. (Maybe with his girlfriend Eva, too.)
http://basket.idnes.cz/basketbalista-vesely-poblaznil-ameriku-ted-pojede-na-svatbu-a-k-mori-1gm-/nba.aspx?c=A110701_180109_nba_bem
* Jan started playing basketball in the youth system of BK Snakes Ostrava, in Ostrava, Czech Rep.
* He came back home to Ostrava on Wednseday and slept a lot. He was confused because of jet lag.
* He met with Czech journalists in the famous 'Stodolní ulice'.
* What wedding gift to buy? "Has to be something traditional, local. Perhaps Ostrava sausages," he said, grinning.
* On NBA lockout: "I hope we start playing by the end of year. I will talk to my agent about all possible scenarios. Even playing in Europe if there is a long lockout."
* On Summer League being cancelled: "At least I'll be resting. Otherwise I would have to be in Vegas now and practice and play. So I have all summer free and I can start preparing for next regular season."
* He wants to visit relatives, friends in the summer and to go on vacation to sea. (Maybe with his girlfriend Eva, too.)
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
FiCS Retired; The 1st Day of Vesely Coverage
D.C. Sports Bog' Dan Steinberg:
. . . And with the Wizards now putting much stock in their newest first-round pick, Jan Vesely, someone’s gonna have to start monitoring the Czech media. The natural outlet would seem to be the FICS basketball blog, FICCS standing for “Foreigner in CzechoSlovakia,” whose author is “six-feet tall and able to dunk,” with a writing style that “ain’t serious but entertaining” and who’s searching for “a girlfriend that doesn’t kill him with a chair after three hours of watching hoops.”
Follow him on Twitter here. And in his first Vesely post of the year, we get translated answers from this Idnes.cz interview, headlined “Výluka v NBA je jistá už teď, dozvěděl se Veselý.” . . .
The FiCS is retired. Long live the Luke_mellow!Lockout in the NBA is already certain, learned Vesely
http://basket.idnes.cz/vyluka-v-nba-je-jista-uz-ted-dozvedel-se-vesely-fqz-/nba.aspx?c=A110627_211020_nba_jok
iDNES.cz / basketball -- 28th June 2011 4:59
He’s not played a regular NBA game yet, but Jan Vesely’s journey to the NBA already hit a snag. "On July 1st the lockout begins, it's for sure. Now I have to talk [to Wizards] on other matters, in the coming days and weeks we will see," said Vesely from USA.
Photo #1>
THE FIRST PHOTOSHOOT. The third Czech in the NBA, Jan Vesely already donned the jersey of his future team - the Washington Wizards. Whether it happens in the game, it’s not on him, but on the collective bargaining between players' union and employers. The competition is threatened by lockout. | Photo: Washington Wizards
Photo #2>
I'M SHY, BUT I'M GETTING USED TO IT. A girlfriend of Czech basketball player Jan Vesely, Eva Kodouskova, famous for a kiss in the draft, in an interview for American television ABC.
The most famous basketball competition in the world stops because of the dispute about the money between owners and players. Vesely has to wait, too, until the feud is resolved. However it does not diminish his experiences from the draft, in which on Thursday he became only the third Czech in the NBA history. "It's unbelievable. The whole thing. Just the fact that Washington drafted me," he said.
Next topics of discussion?
On the famous kiss in the draft. A video of the moment when Vesely gives a kiss to his girlfriend Eva Kodouskova, is an Internet hit. "To me that kiss was a normal thing, which wouldn’t be noticed by anybody in Europe. Just here there was kind of disarray because of that. But of course, I don't mind publicity. They will talk about it for a long time."
On being adored by fans. With a spontaneous kiss he won over audience and journalists. Washington newspapers emphasized that Vesely enjoyed the role of the fans‘ darling in Serbia, too. "I'm laid-back. I managed to be friends with fans and other people in Belgrade, I have no problem with anyone. Neither with Americans. Just sit down and have a talk."
On Washington. Wizards team, the new employer of Vesely, seems a good choice. "I'm very happy. We knew in advance about the interest, but even then there was a lot of nerves. It is a beautiful city and a young, fast team. We will put on a show, the team will be growing in the coming years. Moreover the advantage is that Washington is on the east coast of America, thus closer to Europe. "
On his NBA jersey number. In Europe he was accustomed to dunk wearing '24' on the back, a familiar number to his fans. "I don’t have a new jersey yet, but they say it's not a problem. At least that's what they said to me. So I hope the number 24 will remain mine."
On the competition. Despite a promising start, Vesely will hardly succeed just byt "showing up", the fight for spots in the rotation will be tough. However the Czech supertalent maintains the nature of phlegmatic. "I've not particularly tried to found out yet who on the Wizards team plays on my position(s). Competition is a big everywhere."
On hockey in Washington. His fellow countryman Michal Neuvirth is the Capitals‘ goalie. And Vesely certainly plans to go see him play. "I know that he‘s a goalkeeper, I like hockey. I follow more our national team than team leagues. Now I guess I'll start with NHL. When I will have time, I will gladly go watch hockey."
On shopping in USA. With his 211 centimeters, the big man enjoyed America in another aspect: in stores. "I bought some clothes. Often I can't find anything for me, but here there is an incredible supply for tall people."
On looking forward to vacation. Vesely’s career in the NBA can be an impulse for Czech basketball, Vesely himself talks that he would gladly help raising the prestige of his sport. Now he flies home – end of stress and infinite interviews? "I’m looking forward to just laying, relaxing. The question is, if I will have a tranquility in the Czech Republic. I'm sure we're going on vacation, we will see where and for how long."
iDNES.cz / basketball -- 28th June 2011 4:59
He’s not played a regular NBA game yet, but Jan Vesely’s journey to the NBA already hit a snag. "On July 1st the lockout begins, it's for sure. Now I have to talk [to Wizards] on other matters, in the coming days and weeks we will see," said Vesely from USA.
Photo #1>
THE FIRST PHOTOSHOOT. The third Czech in the NBA, Jan Vesely already donned the jersey of his future team - the Washington Wizards. Whether it happens in the game, it’s not on him, but on the collective bargaining between players' union and employers. The competition is threatened by lockout. | Photo: Washington Wizards
Photo #2>
I'M SHY, BUT I'M GETTING USED TO IT. A girlfriend of Czech basketball player Jan Vesely, Eva Kodouskova, famous for a kiss in the draft, in an interview for American television ABC.
The most famous basketball competition in the world stops because of the dispute about the money between owners and players. Vesely has to wait, too, until the feud is resolved. However it does not diminish his experiences from the draft, in which on Thursday he became only the third Czech in the NBA history. "It's unbelievable. The whole thing. Just the fact that Washington drafted me," he said.
Next topics of discussion?
On the famous kiss in the draft. A video of the moment when Vesely gives a kiss to his girlfriend Eva Kodouskova, is an Internet hit. "To me that kiss was a normal thing, which wouldn’t be noticed by anybody in Europe. Just here there was kind of disarray because of that. But of course, I don't mind publicity. They will talk about it for a long time."
On being adored by fans. With a spontaneous kiss he won over audience and journalists. Washington newspapers emphasized that Vesely enjoyed the role of the fans‘ darling in Serbia, too. "I'm laid-back. I managed to be friends with fans and other people in Belgrade, I have no problem with anyone. Neither with Americans. Just sit down and have a talk."
On Washington. Wizards team, the new employer of Vesely, seems a good choice. "I'm very happy. We knew in advance about the interest, but even then there was a lot of nerves. It is a beautiful city and a young, fast team. We will put on a show, the team will be growing in the coming years. Moreover the advantage is that Washington is on the east coast of America, thus closer to Europe. "
On his NBA jersey number. In Europe he was accustomed to dunk wearing '24' on the back, a familiar number to his fans. "I don’t have a new jersey yet, but they say it's not a problem. At least that's what they said to me. So I hope the number 24 will remain mine."
On the competition. Despite a promising start, Vesely will hardly succeed just byt "showing up", the fight for spots in the rotation will be tough. However the Czech supertalent maintains the nature of phlegmatic. "I've not particularly tried to found out yet who on the Wizards team plays on my position(s). Competition is a big everywhere."
On hockey in Washington. His fellow countryman Michal Neuvirth is the Capitals‘ goalie. And Vesely certainly plans to go see him play. "I know that he‘s a goalkeeper, I like hockey. I follow more our national team than team leagues. Now I guess I'll start with NHL. When I will have time, I will gladly go watch hockey."
On shopping in USA. With his 211 centimeters, the big man enjoyed America in another aspect: in stores. "I bought some clothes. Often I can't find anything for me, but here there is an incredible supply for tall people."
On looking forward to vacation. Vesely’s career in the NBA can be an impulse for Czech basketball, Vesely himself talks that he would gladly help raising the prestige of his sport. Now he flies home – end of stress and infinite interviews? "I’m looking forward to just laying, relaxing. The question is, if I will have a tranquility in the Czech Republic. I'm sure we're going on vacation, we will see where and for how long."
Thursday, December 16, 2010
NBA Teams TWITTER FOLLOWERS GROWTH Rankings (Nov '09 - Dec '10)
1. lakers 454,408
2. magic 165,970
3. celtics 75,644
4. heat 60,341
5. bulls 36,685
6. knicks 32,427
7. cavs 29,243
8. suns 25,595
9. nets 21,766
10. spurs 20,802
11. mavs 19,450
12. raptors 17,749
13. nuggets 17,345
14. thunder 16,977
15. jazz 15,746
16. rockets 15,397
17. warriors 13,234
18. wizards 11,130
19. bucks 10,760
20. sixers 10,749
21. kings 10,677
22. hornets 10,514
23. hawks 10,422
24. blazers 10,332
25. pistons 10,254
26. grizzlies 10,170
27. clippers 9,734
28. bobcats 9,698
29. pacers 8,962
30. t-wolves 7,161
***
TWITTER FOLLOWERS RANKINGS - December 2010
1. lakers 1,733,164
2. magic 1,030,885
3. celtics 98,431
4. heat 72,895
5. bulls 60,718
6. cavs 58,596
7. suns 45,560
8. knicks 45,161
9. spurs 39,124
10. rockets 34,558
11. mavs 33,856
12. nuggets 30,284
13. jazz 26,373
14. nets 26,070
15. thunder 24,402
16. blazers 23,736
17. clippers 22,525
18. raptors 21,545
19. sixers 21,249
20. kings 19,803
21. pistons 19,033
22. hornets 18,201
23. hawks 17,318
24. wizards 17,071
25. bucks 16,929
26. grizzlies 16,362
27. warriors 15,666
28. pacers 15,363
29. bobcats 14,599
30. t-wolves 13,212
***
TWITTER FOLLOWERS RANKINGS - November 2009
1. lakers 1,278,765
2. magic 864,915
3. cavs 29,353
4. bulls 24,033
5. celtics 22,787
6. suns 19,965
7. rockets 19,161
8. spurs 18,322
9. mavs 14,406
10. blazers 13,404
11. nuggets 12,939
12. clippers 12,791
13. knicks 12,734
14. heat 12,554
15. jazz 10,627
16. sixers 10,500
17. kings 9,126
18. pistons 8,779
19. hornets 7,687
20. thunder 7,425
21. hawks 6,896
22. pacers 6,401
23. grizzlies 6,192
24. bucks 6,169
25. t-wolves 6,051
26. wizards 5,941
27. bobcats 4,901
28. nets 4,304
29. raptors 3,796
30. warriors 2,432 (unofficial, they didn't have twitter account)
2. magic 165,970
3. celtics 75,644
4. heat 60,341
5. bulls 36,685
6. knicks 32,427
7. cavs 29,243
8. suns 25,595
9. nets 21,766
10. spurs 20,802
11. mavs 19,450
12. raptors 17,749
13. nuggets 17,345
14. thunder 16,977
15. jazz 15,746
16. rockets 15,397
17. warriors 13,234
18. wizards 11,130
19. bucks 10,760
20. sixers 10,749
21. kings 10,677
22. hornets 10,514
23. hawks 10,422
24. blazers 10,332
25. pistons 10,254
26. grizzlies 10,170
27. clippers 9,734
28. bobcats 9,698
29. pacers 8,962
30. t-wolves 7,161
***
TWITTER FOLLOWERS RANKINGS - December 2010
1. lakers 1,733,164
2. magic 1,030,885
3. celtics 98,431
4. heat 72,895
5. bulls 60,718
6. cavs 58,596
7. suns 45,560
8. knicks 45,161
9. spurs 39,124
10. rockets 34,558
11. mavs 33,856
12. nuggets 30,284
13. jazz 26,373
14. nets 26,070
15. thunder 24,402
16. blazers 23,736
17. clippers 22,525
18. raptors 21,545
19. sixers 21,249
20. kings 19,803
21. pistons 19,033
22. hornets 18,201
23. hawks 17,318
24. wizards 17,071
25. bucks 16,929
26. grizzlies 16,362
27. warriors 15,666
28. pacers 15,363
29. bobcats 14,599
30. t-wolves 13,212
***
TWITTER FOLLOWERS RANKINGS - November 2009
1. lakers 1,278,765
2. magic 864,915
3. cavs 29,353
4. bulls 24,033
5. celtics 22,787
6. suns 19,965
7. rockets 19,161
8. spurs 18,322
9. mavs 14,406
10. blazers 13,404
11. nuggets 12,939
12. clippers 12,791
13. knicks 12,734
14. heat 12,554
15. jazz 10,627
16. sixers 10,500
17. kings 9,126
18. pistons 8,779
19. hornets 7,687
20. thunder 7,425
21. hawks 6,896
22. pacers 6,401
23. grizzlies 6,192
24. bucks 6,169
25. t-wolves 6,051
26. wizards 5,941
27. bobcats 4,901
28. nets 4,304
29. raptors 3,796
30. warriors 2,432 (unofficial, they didn't have twitter account)
Thursday, November 26, 2009
TWITTER FOLLOWERS RANKINGS
1. lakers 1,278,765
2. magic 864,915
3. cavs 29,353
4. bulls 24,033
5. celtics 22,787
6. suns 19,965
7. rockets 19,161
8. spurs 18,322
9. mavs 14,406
10. blazers 13,404
11. nuggets 12,939
12. clippers 12,791
13. knicks 12,734
14. heat 12,554
15. jazz 10,627
16. sixers 10,500
17. kings 9,126
18. pistons 8,779
19. hornets 7,687
20. thunder 7,425
21. hawks 6,896
22. pacers 6,401
23. grizzlies 6,192
24. bucks 6,169
25. timberwolves 6,051
26. wizards 5,941
27. bobcats 4,901
28. nets 4,304
29. raptors 3,796
30. warriors 2,432 (unofficial, they don't have twitter account)
--
team average: 82112 (team average w/out lakers & magic: 10656 followers)
--
2. magic 864,915
3. cavs 29,353
4. bulls 24,033
5. celtics 22,787
6. suns 19,965
7. rockets 19,161
8. spurs 18,322
9. mavs 14,406
10. blazers 13,404
11. nuggets 12,939
12. clippers 12,791
13. knicks 12,734
14. heat 12,554
15. jazz 10,627
16. sixers 10,500
17. kings 9,126
18. pistons 8,779
19. hornets 7,687
20. thunder 7,425
21. hawks 6,896
22. pacers 6,401
23. grizzlies 6,192
24. bucks 6,169
25. timberwolves 6,051
26. wizards 5,941
27. bobcats 4,901
28. nets 4,304
29. raptors 3,796
30. warriors 2,432 (unofficial, they don't have twitter account)
--
team average: 82112 (team average w/out lakers & magic: 10656 followers)
--
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Your New NBA Talk Sage: TrueHoop Network
The Opening Night Roster
The TrueHoop Network will grow to cover every NBA team and then some. The charter members are:
Atlanta Hawks: Since 2007, Hoopinion has focused exclusively on providing analysis of and a place to discuss the Atlanta Hawks. Hoopinion was created and is operated by Bret LaGree who has written about professional and college basketball for several web outlets.
Charlotte Bobcats: QueenCityHoops is a source of statistical analysis and discourse on the Charlotte Bobcats. Brett Hainline started the site as the first of his internet ventures, and it remains his passion.
Chicago Bulls: By The Horns provides detailed insight into the Chicago Bulls from the perspective of an impassioned fan. It was founded by Matt McHale, who has covered the NBA for both his personal NBA-wide blog Basketbawful and Deadspin.
Dallas Mavericks: The Two Man Game, founded by Rob Mahoney, promises biased and unbalanced Mavericks information. Mahoney, a University of Texas student, has written for the blogs Upside and Motor and Hardwood Paroxysm.
Denver Nuggets: Roundball Mining Company focuses on game strategies and player strengths and weaknesses. It was created by Jeremy Wagner who has been watching the Nuggets his entire life, and previously ran the blog Pickaxe & Roll.
Detroit Pistons: Piston Powered covers the Detroit Pistons. Dan Feldman, a sportswriter for The Michigan Daily, started the blog this year.
Los Angeles Clippers: Clipperblog offers in-depth analysis and discussion of the Los Angeles Clippers. It was founded in 2006 by Kevin Arnovitz, now ESPN editor for the TrueHoop Network.
Los Angeles Lakers: Forum Blue and Gold focuses on the on-the-court issues and highlights of the Lakers. It was developed by Kurt Helin, a professional journalist from Long Beach, CA, who has written for a number of publications from NBC online to Entrepreneur.
New Orleans Hornets: Hornets247 aims to spread information, provide analysis and encourage discussion for the New Orleans Hornets. Launched in 2003, Hornets247 features the personalities of Niall Doherty and Ryan Schwan, and a knowledgeable community of Hornets fans.
New York Knicks: Since 2004, Knickerblogger has offered statistic-based analysis of the New York Knicks and the NBA. The site features an advanced stats page and a half dozen writers, including its founder Mike Kurylo, who provide comprehensive insight into the team.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Daily Thunder offers in-depth analysis and discussion of the Oklahoma City Thunder. It was founded by Royce Young, who recently graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a journalism degree and has covered Oklahoma Sooner sports for the Oklahoma Daily.
Phoenix Suns: Valley of the Suns is the home of commentary, analysis and news updates on anything and everything Phoenix Suns basketball. It was founded by Michael Schwartz, who has covered Arizona Wildcats basketball for the Arizona Daily Wildcat and the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers for MLB.com.
San Antonio Spurs: 48 Minutes of Hell offers in-depth commentary on the San Antonio Spurs and their D-League affiliate, the Austin Toros. It was founded by Graydon Gordian and is coauthored by both Graydon and Timothy Varner.
Toronto Raptors: Raptors Republic is the online community for Toronto Raptors fans everywhere, providing unbiased analysis, podcasts, interviews, events and exclusive tools. RR is the collaboration of five "day one" Raptors fans and veteran bloggers AltRaps, Arsenalist, Dinosty, Raps Fan and Realizar.
NBA-Wide: The Wizznutzz are among the funniest sports satirists on the web. They have chronicled the fate of basketball in their own ludicrous and iconoclastic way since 2002.
NBA-Wide: Hardwood Paroxysm discusses the wide expanse of the NBA, providing insight, analysis, humor, and perspective on everything in the Association. It was founded by Matt Moore and Matthew Cornelius.
NBA-Wide: The Painted Area celebrates basketball in all its forms, with a focus on league-wide analysis of the NBA as well as in-depth coverage of major FIBA international competitions. It is run by the team of M. Haubs and Jay Aych.
By Henry Abbott, rewritten by Foreigner in CS - Jan 20 2008 7:00PM
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
December's Been Great. And Now Look At This:
Yea, that's Robert Swift out there dunkin'. I gotta fix that title: December's been G-R-E-A-T! Those faces of Amare & Shaq are priceless. It's like, gee, Jesus Christ came back to play hoops?
p.s.: Keep this particular [Spurs] game in mind as the season progresses. While the too-cocky Lakers occasionally lose games they should win, the Spurs win several games that they could easily lose. However their season eventually plays out, for the tough, resourceful, courageous Spurs, no excuses will ever be necessary. (-Charley Rosen)
p.s.2: Jamaal Tinsley is so toxic that he's been quarantined. (-Charley Rosen)
p.s.3: There aren't many growth industries in our current economic state, but apparently "interim NBA head coach" is one of them. (-Tim Keown)
p.s.4: I once heard a story that Dwyane Wade set the unofficial U.S. record for longest time to produce a urine sample - almost four hours! - at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. (-Chris Sheridan)
p.s.5: *I did nothing to earn my money. They [the players] coached. They communicated. They changed defenses, called plays. I just substituted players,* said Gregg Popovich after his team's 101-85 win over the Kings.
p.s.6: Other than Gregg Popovich's snow-white beard, the closest thing to Santa in those parts [Arizona] will be Shaq, so chubby and plump that neither reindeer nor elf would feel comfortable around him at mealtime. (-Richard Oliver)
p.s.7: I'm guessing Scotty Brooks [OKC head coach, I know you definitely didn't know this fact] will happily endure all of these cracks about being the winningest coach in Thunder history - at 2-13 - if it means less talk about how his kiddies are still stuck on a dreaded 9-73 pace. (-Marc Stein)
p.s.8: [T-Wolves H.C.] Kevin McHale said he is especially impressed with Duncan's efficiency on the court. *He doesn't move around a lot. He's very efficient. Conversely, our young guys move around like chickens with their heads cut off and don't get much accomplished. Then, they don't understand why they're tired and Tim is not.*
Posted by Foreigner in CS - Dec 31 2008 7:06AM
Thursday, December 11, 2008
G-Hill, You're A Blessing
-On the brink of war, Hill de-scrambles-
Gregg Popovich will teach his young point guard, George Hill, many things.
Such as Black Sea geopolitics.
This week, Popovich, ever the student of Russia, guessed where Hill would be playing today if he had continued to perform as he did in the summer league.
South Ossetia. The disputed region between Russia and Georgia.
Told of that possibility, as well as the location of South Ossetia, Hill shook his head and smiled. “I don't do wars,” he said.
Everybody laughs now, but no one did last summer. Hill's showing then was so depressingly awful that no one within the franchise wanted to hear how the kid was learning a new position, or that low first-round picks often need time.
For the Spurs, Hill was a symbol of something more. Which is why Wednesday night was a symbol of how everything has changed. Then, Popovich benched Tony Parker for the final seven minutes of a tight game.
And went with Hill.
Hill didn't star. He had a few impressive sequences in the third quarter, and he finished with seven points and five assists in 22 minutes. But at the end, he was mostly playing defense and watching Manu Ginobili.
Still, finishing off Atlanta said more than any numbers could. Popovich ran a play for Hill, and he put his arm around him during a timeout and called him “Georgie.” And he trusted him.
In July, Popovich could never have seen this happening. Then, Hill was a deer caught in Vegas lights, shooting 2 of 25 over three games, and other NBA execs were telling stories.
From one Eastern Conference exec: Had the Spurs not taken Hill, he would have likely dropped to the middle of the second round.
“We wondered, geez, is this guy going to be able to do it?” Popovich said.
The Spurs reacted accordingly. They brought in another point guard, Salim Stoudamire, and they tried to sign another, Jannero Pargo. They also delayed signing Hill to a contract.
The Spurs also tried to counsel Hill. According to Popovich, they talked to him about “not being a place taker.”
A place taker?
“He was a zero. Not doing anything. We could go out there and pass the ball from A to B at the top of the court and not do anything. You have to try to make things happen. Go ahead and turn it over. Get a feel. Do something.”
The words reflect the frustration of that time. The Spurs had needed to find someone with this draft pick after coming up empty in previous years, and all they had was, well, a place taker.
Could R.C. Buford have been the one sent to South Ossetia?
“I'll take on a pass on that one,” Popovich joked Wednesday.
Again, Popovich had fun with that question because of what has followed. The Spurs began to see a few bursts from Hill in practice, and then he started to throw in some 3-pointers with the set-shot form of Magic Johnson.
“We thought,” said Popovich, “does he have a little skill here we didn't know he had?”
Then the games began, and Popovich saw something he loves. Toughness. “He wasn't intimidated by anything.”
He was coachable. He absorbed information. And when he made a mistake?
“Not a change of expression, not a change of body language, not a change of emotion or intensity,” Popovich said. “He just went on to the next play, and that's a helluva skill for an NBA player.”
Then Parker sprained an ankle, and Hill showed something else. A 23-point game against Utah, a 19-point, 11-rebound game against Chicago.
ESPN ranks rookies every week. And right now, Hill is fourth, ahead of Greg Oden, Michael Beasley and others.
So what was going on in the summer? “His brain was scrambled,” Popovich said.
Hill admits to all of this now, and he admits to something else. “I didn't want the organization to be asked, ‘Why did you pick this guy?'”
Now others are asking why they didn't. Now Hill is finishing games while an All-Star sits, and now Buford is remembered as the one who also found Parker and Ginobili.
Now it's clear Hill has come a long way.
From South Ossetia to South Texas.
p.s.: [Chris] Paul is the most talented point guard in the game, but [Tony] Parker is the best point guard. (-Jalen Rose)
p.s.2: I hope you caught the Greatest Show on TV on Tuesday night - C-Webb, GP and Ahmad on NBA-TV - when GP called out Luol Deng for robbing the Bulls with the $70 million extension, followed by C-Webb asking if Deng wore a mask during the robbery and GP answering that not only did Deng walk in there without a mask or a gun, he had his finger pushing into his coat pocket and pretended to hold a gun as he committed the robbery. Now THAT, my friends, is comedy gold. (-Bill Simmons)
p.s.3: Since he drafted Kevin Garnett with the fifth overall pick in 1995 - an outstanding choice, obviously - [Kevin McHale's] his reign [in Minny] has rivaled that of Isiah Thomas in New York for sheer idiocy. (-John Hollinger)
p.s.4: [Dan] Gadzuric jumped around, and fouled out in 9 minutes. (-Charley Rosen)
By Buck Harvey, rewritten by Foreigner in CS - Dec 11 2006 4:50PM
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