November 12, 2003

• I don't like to talk about basketball (or cars, but that's a separate subject) with people who never bothered to tread outta their little pond. Those people are just flat out ignorant, yet they run all over the place shouting the puny knowledge like they're the experts.

  guy: "Did you see the Lakers game tonight? (11/7/2003)"
  me: "You mean the double overtime win over the Spurs?"
  guy: "Yeah! We (Lakers) were absolutely awesome!"

  Umm... what so awesome about a game where a team that has four, FOUR players that will require opponents to double team in a 5 on 5 situation struggled like chicken with their heads cut off to beat another team that is without two of their best players (That'd be MVP Tim Duncan and point guard Tony Parker)? Lakers were playing catch up to Spurs' 2nd team for 99% of the game, with arguably the league's best players in the line up. And don't give me that "a win is a win" crap to defend "your" stupid team. There's absolutely no excuse for poor gameplay. Just think, you have Gary Payton, Karl Malone, Shaq, and Kobe (plus a 5th nobody player) on your team. Assuming you double team two of those players. That would still leave two players open with NO ONE on them. TWO PLAYERS TO SHOOT OPEN SHOTS. How do you NOT spank a team's junior varsity line up?!

  guy: "Oh, you're just a hater."

  Am I? Or do I actually see a broader picture of the game of basketball and appreciate the sport at its pureset level, instead of blindly support a team just because it plays in my town?

  me: "...It's gonna take Malone and Payton sometime to learn the triangle offense..."
  guy: "Oh, they don't need that. They'll just run!"

  Why do you think the Lakers lost back to back to the Hornets and the Grizzlies? THE GRIZZLIES, for christ sake! I'll tell you why: Malone is 40 years old. Payton is 36. It may be hard for you couch potatoes to comprehend, but how long do you think those old legs can out run with the 20 year olds before they get tired? And what do you need to win games when your athleticism isn't there? Your "unecessary" triangle offense, which can get you and your teammates open shots without trying to out run your opponents.

  I'll tell you another thing I bet you didn't notice: 4th quarter, Lakers down 10 points with about 4 minutes to go. Kobe attempted to take the game into his own hands (as usual) trying to beat his defender off the dribble - which is a tough thing to do since he's not 100% yet. Grizzlies center Jake Tsakalidis step OUT TO THE FREETHROW LINE to help defending Kobe. Now if The Grizzlie's Center is double teaming Kobe, WHO THE HELL IS GUARDING SHAQ, who is right under the basket?! NO F***ING BODY! Guess what? Kobe continued to selfishly make his penetration, and missed the lay up. He got a bailed out foul call, which he sank the freethrows. But what would've been easier, him shooting two baskets from 15 feet worth 1 point each, or Shaq dunking the damn ball one time for 2 point?!

  That's what I thought.

  Apparently, the commentator and the so-called analyst at KCAL 9 tv station didn't see the bad execution, either. All they said was they'd wish the ball had went in for a 3 point play, and that it was a "great move!" Bull shit. This is exactly why I got cable, because I hate this local station propoganda crap. Local team gets nothing but praises, and have their asses covered by these local tv broadcastors. This is also the reason why horrible players are "great players", because they wear the uniform of a local team. The local station would inject a wishful thinking that so-and-so doesn't start playing well until the playoffs. What makes you think a player can do it in the playoffs, when he can't do shit for 82 regular season games? By the way, I pay to watch a team to play a whole season. So if he ain't planning to play till the playoffs, give me my money back.

  You all are agreeing with me finally that Robert Horry is a lousy power forward, now that he's no longer a Laker. But his game never changed (great shooter that doesn't know how to grab rebounds or play honest defense). Just his uniform. How much sense does that make?

  guy: "Well, you're not a die hard Laker fan like me, and you're just jealous."
  me: "oh yeah? So you were a fan during the days of Sedale Threat and Terry Teagle?"
  guy: "Who?"
  me: "How long have you been watching basketball?"
  guy: "Four years, man."

  At least I know my history when it comes to Lakers basketball. And I certainly know what basketball is about, and it isn't about "your team".

  • 9:31 pm
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