- R. Nelly
Fuzzy future for Pierce
- R. Nelly
CP3's tough past
"Paul carried with him to every game a copy of his grandfather's obituary. Paul's grandfather was tragically killed during his senior year of high school. On the day of the funeral, Paul went out and scored 61 points - one for every year of his grandfather's life."
- R. Nelly
The Green Destiny
- R. Nelly
Too G.O.O.D. to be true
- R. Nelly
Music superstars and Chicago natives Kanye West, Common and John Legend are doing something G.O.O.D. this fall.
The three will be teaming up on the G.O.O.D. Music Tour at the end of the summer.
West says their goal is to promote more than just their music, but also "to help others get out their dreams."
"We want to be the soundtrack to your lives," West said. "F*ck what everyone is trying to say. We are trying to start a movement like Marvin Gaye did for our parents. Creating classic movements - that is what G.O.O.D. Music is."
Details of the tour have not been issued.
Legend and Common are currently on tour with De La Soul and Lyfe.
Jazz to select Williams No. 3
- R. Nelly
Just a few minutes ago, on ESPN's NBA Draft Preview, Ric Bucher reported the terms of the Jazz/Blaze deal:
Jazz receive:
No. 3 pick (Deron Williams)
Ruben Patterson
Blazers receive:
No. 6 pick (Gerald Green, Martell Webster, Channing Frye or Andrew Bynum)
No. 27 pick
Gordon Giricek
Kirk Snyder
The life of an NBA draft fly
- R. Nelly
Finally! I'm back on the internet. It seems like every Monday, the internet crashes at my house.
Anyway, take a look at my newest column for CHN, The life of an NBA draft fly.
Also, make sure you check The InkSpot tomorrow at 6:30 (CT) for live updates and analysis of each pick...I'm going to be post my vocal cords, not my written word. See you all tomorrow (provided my computer's still working!).
Rush right for Illinois
Game 7 live, running blog!
What's good everyone!
I'm going to be updating this blog as I watch the game on ABC. Tune in and check the InkSpot throughout! All times are central time.
8:17 Rasheed hits his first J. Let's see if staying out of foul trouble is a guarentee, too.
8:19 Big Ben Wallace is playing like a stud already. Has 4 of the first 6 points and is looking good on the glasswork. Tony Parker is trying to do too much...causing turnovers.
8:20 Has Duncan even touched the ball yet?
8:20 Parker comes out for 15 seconds. Pop must've had something important to say, like, "You're sucking!!!"
8:22 Pistons are keeping it at a quick pace. However, Hubie Brown says, "This is San Antonio pace."
8:22 MVP of the first 5 mins: Ben Wallace! MUP (Most Useless Player) in the first five minutes: Tim Duncan
8:26 Larry Brown is the man! What did the Pistons say in the huddle? PLAY HARD! What is San Antonio saying in their hustle? DEFENSE! Looks like the Spurs are more worried about stopping the other team than letting tyheir game talk for them.
8:27 It's about time Duncan. You score on a layup.
8:29 This is a HGE problem for the Spurs. Ginobili picks up his second foul in the sixth minute
8:29 Sparked by a Duncan block, it looks like the Mo is headed San Antonio's direction.
8:31 Billups is now out of the game with two fouls.
8:31 Ben Wallace with reveenge on Duncan with his own block!!!!
8:37 Wha tthe heck is NBA.COM/INSPECTORS???
8:37 Lindsay Hunter and Nazr both miss easy layups...is this the NBA Finals?
8:38 10-0 run for the Spurs since the first Pop timeout. I guess the man knows what he's doin'; he's been here beofre.
8:39 With Big Shot Bob scoring 5 quick points, the Spus are now up by 4 with the ball.
8:40 The Piston's key off the bench: Antonio McDyess....Tony Parker is reluctant to shoot the ball.
8:41 GREAT block by Richard Hamilton. Stuffs the 1996 slam duck champion, NO LIE!!!! Plus, dude almost saves it! Rip is playing well, but Ben Wallace is the man of the first quarter.
NOTE: This is going to get REALLY long. I'm going to significantly cut down the posts to make it a lot more readable. Enjoy.
8:47 Richard Hamilton has four quick points at the beginning of the second. Tayshaun finally hits a triple for the land of planty (I know, I know it's redundant, but this is the FINALS!)
8:48 Bruce Bowen: once a garbage player, always a garbarge player
8:54 My brother says Ben Wallace needs to return...If San Antonio wins, I'm going for Brent Barry as MVP!
8:55 Even the bank isn't open for Duncan tonight. He's not buying a bucket....25-25 with 6:43 to go in the second. Low scoring game as expected.
8:57 Looks like the making of foul trouble for the Pistons...Once the Spurs can hit a shot, it's their game to take.
9:03 Rashedd is on the pine with foul trouble. What did I say, he's going to get in foul trouble.
9:04 McDyess hits another and blocks Ginobili. He's the Pistons' only counter to the Spurs' excellent bench play of Horry and Barry...Maybe Big Shot's going to be off witht aht eye being freshly pocked.
9:11 Ben Wallace is dunking like Shaq...and about as dominant right now.
9:13 THREE DUNKS IN A ROW FOR BIG BEN!!!!
9:17 Manu Ginobili almost loses the ball and screws up te last play after the Spurs take a careful timeout.
END OF FIRST HALF
9:27 If you tuned out for halftime, you've made the best decision of the day - you missed Bill Walton's tie.
9:44 Manu just looked like a clown going for that steal...and Rip Hamilton makes him pay witha three-point play.
9:45 Timmie D misses a dunk! All he has to do is jump three inches and he'd put it down....Bennie Wallace with his third (questionable foul...Timmie D misses a 17-footer; he can't buy a bucket.
9:47 OHHHHHH BAABBBBY!! Pistons break down the Spurs on D and capitalize on a fast break. If Duncan can't find his shot (and the bank) I don't think the Spurs have a hope at upholding history...even if Big Shot makes some big shots.
9:52 What a terrible shot by Parker!!!! Airball from only a couple feet away...Detroit goes up by nine.
9:55 Duncan scores his first points in 13:58. What demons was Scoop Jackson talkin' about yesterday?
9:56 Manu for two. The Spurs first fast break points of the night. The Spurs turn it around with a seven-point run.
10:00 Ice in Dice's veins.
10:04 The Spurs suddenly decide they're going through Duncan every play. He brings them within one point. It's about time they figured it out.
10:06 The bank is open for the first time this seriees for Duncan....Big, big quarter for Duncan...The crowd seems to be affecting the Pistons as Rip rushes up a shot.
10:07 Chancey goes to the hoop. Smart play to slow down the pace and collect their nerves.
10:08 Manu with a amazing, slashing dunk to tie the game!
10:09 TD banks another to give the Spurs their first lead in a LONG time. 57-55. I told you, Duncan needed to find the bank for the Spurs to have a chance.
10:11 Hunter with the LONG two over Big Shot Bob with 0.7 left in the third. Big Shot Hunter? Nah.
10:17 That save by Benjamin was great, but the yelling lady in the second row was better.
10:17 This has nothing to do witht eh game: Many Ginobili is CRAZY Argentinan!
10:18 Sheed over TD, take that!
10:19 Actually, that comment about Many has EVERYTHING to do with the game.
10:24 Big Shot Bob! Puts SA up by five.
10:25 Rasheed quickly responds with a bucket on the next play.
10:26 Mohammad did something...blocked Ben Wizzle. This is not looking great for the Pistons...But Big Shot turns it over with a travel. Instant momentum killer.
10:27 Bruce did something. What's going on?
10:31 Duncan was trying to do an Iverson...Didn't work at all.
10:32 Rasheed with a HUGE J to bring jthe Pistons within 4...Parker can't shoot for Eva...or to save his life.
10:37 They thought the Duncan J was great, but Chancey shows them what's up on the other end, scoring the first non-Rasheed points of the quarter...Manu hits from the land of plenty....That screaming face is scary! No wonder players seem to get out of his way when he slashed to the basket...Spurs up by seven.
10:43 If Chancey's missing free throws, well...um...it's over.
10:45 RYNE NELSON'S EARLY MVP VOTE: Robert Horry (Big Shot Bob)
10:46 Is there hope for the Pistons? Four-point game.
10:47 Duncan's remembering....Game 5. And he still hits 1-2 from the line. It's got to be tough disguising the humilation of having no clutch.
10:50 Bruce blocks Billups. I't sover....Wallace hits a CLUTCH three, giving some hope with 22 seconds left, but SA really has to blow it at the line....It's going to be ugly from here on out.
10:53 That was the longest two seconds of hangtime seen in Detroit's season.
10:57 Hamilton hits a layup. You have to give them credit, they're not giviing up although they know it's over in their hearts...the Pistons doing everything they can.
10:58 The San Antonio Spurs are the champions of the world!...and history remains the same.
11:00 Timmie D's got a black piece of confetti on his face! Ha!...Some people spotted in teh celebration: David Robinson, Eva
11:01 QUOTE OF THE NIGHT: "I'm happy to be happy. I couldn't be happier." - Manu Ginobili
11:02 How come Horry gets the game ball?
11:05 I didn't know Argentina made skirts. Manu?
11:07 The CEO is a total Redneck...well, a rich Redneck.
11:08 TD got shafted with the new model of the MVP trophie.
11:10 Tirico's sweating like a pig.
Bradley will not be forgotten
- R. Nelly
NBA center Shawn Bradley is calling it quits after 12 seasons in the League. His retirement comes at the height of the Playoffs, overshadowing his memorable career -- despite standing 7'6'' dude received more facials than anyone in history. So when T-Mac landed his first round Slamadamonth, Bradley figured it was just the icing he needed for his retirement cake.
He will not be forgotten.
The Naismith Effect
Anyway, still check out my first column for CollegeHoopsNet.com about Dr. James A. Naismith, the father of basketball. He's a big name, with littlte recognition these days.
Happy Father's Day, Dr. Naismith!
- R. Nelly
My first DI column
- R. Nelly
Check the first of my columns in University of Illinois' student newspaper, the Daily Illini!
It's good to be home, again
Mikan, master of perfect timing
There's nothing wrong with getting a little Henry David Thoreau-like every once in a while. And, no, I'm not giving up the laptop.
- R. Nelly
Even the sky is crying for George Mikan.
On one of our dirty red, bird-crap stained backyard
I hoped to write something solely devoted to the 80-year-old man who died today. With fresh articles from the New York Times and the Basketball Hall of Fame in hand, I focused on giving props in my backyard solitude. I wasn't really thinking about rain.
I never saw basketball’s first star play. Chances are you never did either. George Lawrence Mikan retired in 1956, the year my dad was born.
Mikan would have been proud of what basketball has become. And, although it sounds terrible to say, George Mikan went at the perfect time.
You never saw that patented jump hook. You missed all the blocks (now goaltends) while he played at DePaul. You never got to whiteness the pasty, white man who cocked, aimed and fired the League’s gun in the direction that its headed today.
Before dying, one gets to reevaluate his life and look back at all the ways he impacted this world. To take one last look at the meaning of life. To believe in one’s purpose.
To feel d*mn proud of a job well done.
Mikan would have been proud of what basketball has become. And, although it sounds terrible to say, George Mikan went at the perfect time.
‘Cause basketball if basketball was a stock, I’d be yellin’ at y’all to SELL, SELL, SELL!!!
Overall, it was a nice seven seasons after the 1998 lockout. The game’s changing more rapidly than it ever has in the past. The NBA is experiencing a rebirth, a new image. It’s establishing a broader, international fan base.
And all that momentum will be killed at the end of this month when the League postpones action in its second lockout in as many reevaluations of the collective bargaining agreement.
All signs are pointing strongly to a lockout, one irreversible setback.
George Mikan would be proud of today’s NBA, but not of tomorrow’s…and neither will anyone else. Because who knows what tomorrow will be like when it finally arrives?
Mike’s got enough accolades. A consensus Top 10 player ever. An unofficial MIPE (Most Important Player Ever). But, today, my man from
And here I sit, 18 miles from the home of basketball’s first star, cleansed in tears of joy…
From the angels above.
Witenessing the tranquility before destruction.
