[Rob Instigator]

There has always been a very vocal undercurrent of claims that Jordan took his 2 year sabbatical because of a gambling suspension by the commish, but that it was treated as a "retirement" out of deference to the biggest NBA star.

[Rob Instigator]

There has also never been any closure on that Jordan father case, no leads, no anything. That usually speaks about a mob hit. organized crime can pay to have cases "forgotten."

[Rob Instigator]

After Kevin Garnett threw a ball into the crowd out of frustration and was ejected. They showed footage of the man that got hit by the ball being taken away in a stretcher and his daughter was crying. Charles Barkley commented that players take passes to the face all the time. He topped it off by saying: "You know why that little girl's crying? It's because she's thinking 'my daddy's a wussy'".

[Bytor Peltor]

 

 

 

 

[Bytor Peltor]

 

[Bytor Peltor]

For as BIG as Hakeem played, he is small in the land of Giants:

 

[Bytor Peltor]

Coach Kevin Mc Hale - it's my job to make Howard succeed: http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterocket...pid=sportshcat

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by Bytor Peltor

Coach Kevin Mc Hale - it's my job to make Howard succeed: http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterocket...pid=sportshcat

Sure better be somebody's job, because if Howard doesn't find himself in Contending for a Championship in the next two years he will be another Carmelo Anthony or Chris Paul. A fantastic season player, a dud in the playoffs. I got no beef with Dwight, I sincerely wish him well, and even before he came to LA I liked the guy, but his last year in Orlando and this one here in LA has put a bad taste in my mouth like Carmelo in New York. I hope he doesn't harm the Rockets, I actually like them and have been rooting on them for years as a counterbalance so I can hate on Dallas and San Antonio

[Rob Instigator]

Dream was always more like 6'10" than 7' he was always listed at 7' for publicity purposes.

and he still could block anyone anytime.

 

[Bytor Peltor]

Wear the hair: http://youtu.be/ONNlHlF_4Zo


Great pics from the D12 presser in Houston Saturday: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dskillz...7634640116232/

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

 

[Rob Instigator]

Here is what a little kid from H-town has to say bout Shaq

http://youtu.be/UQqO2-s1cJ0

[Rob Instigator]

“The future of the NBA resides in H-Town. As older teams fade, the Rockets will rise. A new age has begun.”

[Rob Instigator]

Houston Rockets fans always show up, even in the 100 degree heat, when a new piece is added to the puzzle.

 

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

At first glance, the rebuilding Lakers will make you cover your mouth in shock. No Dwight Howard. No Metta World Peace. No Earl Clark. No new coach. No defined ownership. No clear plan. No Showtime. No Lake Show. No Bench Mob. No way in heck are you going to rush home from work on a Tuesday night in February to watch the fourth quarter of their game in Atlanta. But now wait. Look at what is left. Look at what has been added. If you really look at it, when you slowly remove your hand from your mouth, you might actually be smiling. In losing some of their hype and much of their hope, the Lakers gained something that has been missing in the three years since the final moments of Game 7 against Boston. These Lakers could actually be fun again. There is a little chance they will make the playoffs. There is a decent chance they will stink. There is zero chance they will play any defense. But with something to prove and nothing to lose, they are almost guaranteed to entertain. The theme will be Waiting for LeBron. The goal is still to get into position for a decent pick in one of the top drafts in recent history. The journey is still to nowhere. But it's going to be a blast watching the ride.

HaHaHaHaHaHa!!!! The best part of Dwight leaving and Kobe's injury is that LA sports' writers quite literally don't have any idea what to say, think, or write. They are falling back on empty traditional "sports' writers" analyses which simply DO NOT work when analyzing the LA Lakers.

EVERY sports' writer I've read from across the country has written articles saying that essentially tanking is the most successful NBA strategy to build a team. Tank. Lose big and then win big in the draft. That only works for small and mid-market teams. These teams get big draft picks, develop them for two or three years, then trade up for some veterans. That trade up process is how the big dog teams like the Lakers pick up new talent. So when Plaschke says the Lakers should tank for the draft, or have no hopes for the playoffs, or should fire the coach, that is all bullshit, lame, know-nothing analysis. Rather, this is classic Lakers basketball scenario, where the team found itself in 1997, in 2005, and in 2007. Here we are again. Notice just after all those times the Lakers quickly bounced back and won a title within 2-3 years

So the Lakers will not tank, they will continue to play their ass off, and the goal is to make the playoffs, not to tank. In LA, we make the playoffs every year, it is our bread and butter. Its how our franchise pays the bills, NBA teams make BIG money in the playoffs. Further, it keeps our rep for attracting trades and free-agents. When you come to the Lakers, you KNOW you are going to make the playoffs. We've missed the playoffs only FOUR times in the past FIFTY years.

So LA will be fine. Lakers may even surprisingly have MORE wins than last season, because ALL our guys missed 20-30 games on injuries last year, so just being healthy will increase our wins. We will make the playoffs, probably be a one and done team, but it will tell other players out there on the market and teams interested in trades that LA Lakers are still real deal.

To recap. Others team? Tank, build in the draft, become better. This is how the Thunder made it big. How the Rockets developed enough money and young talent to attract Lin-Harden-Howard over there. What the Suns or the Magic are gambling on. How the Cavs become relevant every 5-7 years since 1982. HOWEVER. THAT is not Lakers basketball. We win. We win consistently. And we attract the best talent because we win, and because we can afford to pay our players. So let Dwight go. We will not tank. We are NOT the Celtics. Lakers WILL make the playoffs, and while they won't nab Lebron, they will splash it big in the 2014 offseason..

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Y'all remember the "Better Dead Than Red" Grateful Dead sponsored Lithuanian Men's National team in the Olympic?

 

Lithuania was free. And bankrupt. But in one of the zaniest twists in Olympic history, an American band, the Grateful Dead, became aware of this team, finally free, representing hope with hoops. The band bankrolled the Lithuanian national team, which played under the mantra "Better Dead Than Red" and famously wore tie-dyed outfits during the Olympic medal ceremony. … Karnisovas is now with the Nuggets. He had a splendid professional career overseas, winning FIBA's European player of the year award in 1996. He later worked for the NBA and for the Houston Rockets, with whom he most recently was the director of scouting.

[Rob Instigator]

That was Bill Walton's doing. He is buddies with the Dead and organized the whole thing.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Who wasn't/isn't friends with the Dead man?

[Rob Instigator]

<--- This guy!

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Well, you sir, are just missing out!