Author: whodeanny

NBA MVP- 0 for #8


Kobe and the NBA MVP race

Shaq has only won one MVP, many suggest that’s biased in some way. Kobe has never won one even though most suggest he’s been the best (or at worse, second best) player in the league for a few years. Scoop Jackson thinks it’s because voters don’t like him. Sure, that doesn’t help but Barry Bonds won 7 (although he was clearly robbed of at least one more) so media disdain is not a true disqualifier.

Shaq only won a single trophy in part because of timing, in part because of the presence of Kobe (it’s hard to be the MVP when your complementary player may be better than you; for all Scottie Pippen’s talents, he was clearly Robin to Jordan’s Batman, that distinction was frequently muddied during the Shaq-Kobe championship seasons), and in large part because he didn’t play enough. That’s actually the ultimate reason Shaq didn’t win more. It was always possible to suggest games missed as a substantial negative factor for him and in some years, an eliminating factor.

Kobe’s negative factor has changed over the years. For his first several years, it was Shaq. ‘Nuff said. In the last few years, it’s been team success, particularly as new powers developed in the West. Nash and Nowitzki won the last three MVPs not because of a desire to recognize white jump shooting foreigners but because they clearly elevated their teams. Basketball celebrates team success in its awards. No one would argue that Kevin Garnett has had the best individual season but in the NBA universe, MVP generally means great player who makes his team impressive. LeBron James is a fading candidate despite having one of the best individual seasons in recent memory. His Cavs don’t look better than last year so his numbers don’t mean as much as they should. Realistically, his year is significantly familiar to Jordan’s 20 years ago when it was clear that the player was transcendent but the team success may be further away than anyone would like to see. (This only underscores how Herculean LeBron’s effort was last year in taking the Cavs to the Finals.)

Coming back to Kobe, his MVP candidacy is waning as the season does simply because there are so many reasons other folks are more deserving. In virtually no criteria does Kobe seem to be the top guy. LeBron’s got the best stats this year. CP3’s been the shocking surprise of the season. KG’s Celtics have been the class of the league. Losing Bynum is not in the same category as Yao’s most recent injury troubles.

Kobe just doesn’t have any trump cards. The exception is the lifetime achievement award and Kobe’s not old enough for that to be the determining factor. So sorry #8. Next year may be the last, best opportunity you’ll have.

TP

Kristof’s suggestions on Darfur

This article by Nicholas Kristof is the best list of suggestions I’ve seen regarding American Darfur policy in well more than a year. It’s well past time and I hope the Olympic torch controversies will help push Americans to force President Bush to begin implementing some of these suggestions.

TP

The athletic genius of Barry Bonds

The primary athletic genius of Barry Bonds is expressed this way. He is the only player in the history of sport to be among the absolute elite of his game in two entirely different ways.

As a young man, Bonds was a multiple time MVP due to a stunning combination of speed, quickness, assertiveness and dexterity. At this stage of his career Bonds’ primary statistical accomplishments came in the categories of SB, RBI, and runs. Bonds also received substantial recognition (8 Gold Gloves I think) as a stellar defensive player. Bonds versatility was highly prized in this era. In fact, because he only had one, his single weakness was so obvious as to be universally recognized as such. You know it’s his throwing arm, don’t you? You did, right? Well, even if you didn’t remember it initially, you remembered knowing it as soon as you read it.

As time passed and Bonds was transformed by age and BALCO (don’t stop reading!) he became an almost completely new player. In the process Bonds went from a lithe, flexible gazelle to a hulking, immobile elk. Unlike virtually every other athlete whose body mutated with the passage of time, Bonds didn’t get worse, he got better. He focused on a narrow set of skills and utilized them to create an unprecedented second act.

As a sporting elder, Bonds transcended history by becoming a second stage multiple time MVP due to a stunning combination of power, intimidation, patience and dexterity. At this stage of his career Bonds’ primary statistical accomplishments came in the categories of walks, average, home runs, runs and non-traditional statistical measures as OBP, VORP, OPS and the like.

It still strikes me as almost impossibly odd that no MLB team is willing to take a flyer on this wholly unique player. Considering the recent history in this sport of collusion, a phantom drug policy and accepted on field cheating (it’s not called borrowing signs, is it?), I’m still waiting for a good explanation as to why Bonds is at home. I imagine him scratching his massive head in wonder at it all. And I’m not sure I blame him.

TP

*- corrected on 4.10.08

Spitzer on ice

Eliot Spitzer has to be gone doesn’t he? Bill Clinton got impeached for consensual sex. He’s the governor of NY and soon to be an albatross around the Clinton campaign. He’s got no political future so today needs to be his last full day in office. Please.

TP

Getting on the Dream Ticket (for Hillary)

Why are the Clintons so hot to get onto the Dream Ticket with Barack Obama?

Because it can only help her. Hillary Clinton may still win the nomination. It may help superdelegates feel comfortable sticking with Clinton if they know Obama will a) still get to make history, b) get the experience so many suggest he lacks and c) be the next in line. 16 years of Obama in one of the top two spots would be a dream come true for many Democratic bigwigs.

If she appears to be the conciliatory candidate she’ll have a better chance of getting Obama’s supporters and cash behind her whether he accepts or not. If he says yes, she’ll instantly win points with a broader set of folks that don’t care about politics particularly but want to get behind this anomalous idea of change.

If she doesn’t win the nomination, perhaps she can still take a step up the ladder into the VP slot. VP is quickly becoming a critical position in our government thanks to Presidents Clinton and Bush the Sequel. Although Hillary Clinton would likely be too old to run after an 8 year Obama presidency (68), if she did, she’d be the institutional choice much like she was in this cycle.* But she may also think there’s a good chance she won’t have to wait that long.

Few in the mainstream media have delved into this idea so far but isn’t there a decent chance Obama will be assassinated? The threat level he’s been under as a candidate has been unprecedented and there’s every reason to believe he’ll be increasingly targeted as he gets close to the Oval Office. Perhaps it’s because the media conceives of itself as a racism free community (let’s pretend that’s true) that it doesn’t seem capable of acknowledging openly that America is still a country filled with devoted racists. Would it really be shocking to discover an underground community raising money for a Barack Bounty? Abhorrent yes, shocking no.

If he’s assassinated at some point before the general election, Clinton becomes a shoe-in as the Obama surrogate. Clinton would cast the election as an opportunity to rail against political violence. Only the hardest of the hardcore Hillary Haters would fight against that candidacy.

If Obama is killed while President, the succession would be natural and readily accepted. Either way, Clinton achieves her ultimate goal and gains more sympathy and support than ever before in her political life.

Please understand that I am not at all suggesting the Clintons know about some specific plans to kill Obama. There’s no element of conspiracy theory in this post. But please understand, in the nearly 40 years since King and Kennedy were murdered lots of things in America have changed. Not all the people have. There’s nothing for Hillary Clinton to lose by being on a national ticket with Obama and there are lots of ways that this Dream Ticket may come to provide her with exactly what she wants. Even if some of the possibilities of getting it are distressing.

*- see last paragraph of previous post

TP

Hillary Clinton as jilted bride- Part 1

Okay, here’s my jilted bride theory of Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton has positioned herself for this Presidential election for the last 16 years. In this time, she created the contemporary template for female political leadership and expected to receive the ultimate reward. That may still happen but even if it does, Obama has clearly short circuited her ascension. Clinton seemed to presage a radical new shift in American politics but in reality it’s Obama whose broadly perceived as the history maker. That perception is enhanced through the campaigns they’re running and the way he’s forced the issue of change into the forefront. Yes, it’s true, the only First Lady in our history to become a Senator and Presidential candidate is in real danger of becoming an historic footnote.

IF Obama wins the nomination—

She’s in the process of being skipped over and potentially in a permanent sense. If Obama wins the general election and is anything other than a massive failure, Clinton is done with Presidential politics. That must be incredibly hard for her to accept.

Perhaps this is why Clinton seems to be willing to help give McCain so much ammunition for the fall. Some of the criticisms she’s leveling at Obama seem unnecessary and unhelpful if her ultimate aim is to make certain a Democrat wins the White House. A friend forwarded me this post from James Fallows and it raises some interesting ideas.

Would the Clinton team ever admit they’d prefer McCain to win the Presidency over Obama? No chance of that. But perhaps the reality is different.

However, if Obama wins the nomination but loses the general election, Clinton still wins. In 2012 she’ll be THE important Democratic candidate. Obama won’t run again, Edwards is done, Gore will no longer be interested and none of the potential upstarts will want to be the next person to cost Clinton the Presidency. If McCain wins this year, Clinton will still have a great opportunity to challenge him or a new Republican nominee. She’ll be an even more accomplished Senator and the clear next Democratic choice. Democrats still regret the failure of their last ascendancy candidate, Al Gore, to have their full support. The cries for Gore to run again were nearly deafening last year and Clinton would receive the same treatment next time around if Obama falters in November.

TP

NBA All-Star game 4th quarter

Fourth quarter-

Supes gets stuffed. Very nice, Amare.

Who’ll vote for the MVP tonight? Which people decide that they already know with 8 minutes left who the MVP of the game should be?

24 second violation? Really. Wow. They must be too serious.

Amare, you are the man!

The West is having a great flurry. Tough tall defense and some seriously nice O. gotta love it.

DHo, Kidd, CB1, Rip and King James. Huh, I don’t think I really get that lineup. Oh yeah, Doc. Never mind.

Duncan making a great effort to lead the break. It did not go well.

LBJ almost killed himself by jumping into a jungle of ultra expensive sheets.

And a crazy And 1 for Amare.

A back and forth competitive game. The West leads and it seems natural to a certain extent. Would have thought I’d al= s

Ray Allen is legit as an All-Star. I think that’s the message, ? right.

35 seconds left and D Wade makes a crazy crazy shot. Now 3 points and fouling starts.

Ray Ray gets 28 points and half within the last couple minutes. Sounds like an MVP to me…

Overall, a fun, well played game but without the level of highlights, intensity, outstanding performance or meaning that some recent ASGs have featured. Still, a great way to spend a few hours.

Peace.

TP

NBA All-Star game 3rd quarter

Third quarter-

Should it be surprising that the one time Tim Duncan tries to show off for the fans, he blows it? Sad but not exactly a shock. The way the East is consistently dominating the West? Definitely a shock.

It’s clear that the East is working to make this game a success?

Doug Collins ask about mediocrity. One day last week, there are only five Western teams with sub .500 records while only five in the East had records above that mark.

David West just got the Charles Smith self-check! So sad. Especially in his first game.

In the fourth quarter I expect to see Duncan, Yao, Dirk, Paul, Iverson and Anthony against Pierce, Billups, Howard, James, Bosh and Allen or Wade.

‘It’s better to cheat then repeat.’ Thank you again Doug Collins. No wonder Clemens thinks he should be able to use HGH and Kelvin Sampson thinks he should be comfortable flauting the rules he’s already violated. Better to cheat than repeat. Depressing.

13 points in a row for the Celtics Little 2. Thank you for comfort Doc.

A 13 point East lead going into period 4. The plot thickens.

TP