Riding Pine

NBA Podcasts

2006-03-16T14:16:00.000-08:00

Saw on Henry Abbott's True Hoop that the Blazers are now offering a podcast. Sweet idea.

I'll see if I can compile an index of NBA-related podcasts. Check here for more Podcasts as I find them, and please let me know if you happen across more.

"Official" NBA Podcasts:

NBA.com Fantasy [subscription link]

NBA.com Video [subscription link]

Philadelphia 76ers [subscription link]

Portland Trail Blazers [subscription link]

Other Sources:

Killer Crossover [subscription link]

GuS' NBA Blog [subscription link]

The NBA Show [subscription link]

Swish! [subscription link]

The Basketball Jones [subscription link]

Obviously We Need a Shorter Shot Clock

2006-03-15T21:40:00.000-08:00

Vince Carter scored 26 points and the Nets held the Portland Trail Blazers to a team record-low five points in the fourth quarter of a 78-65 victory Wednesday night. The five points was the second lowest in a fourth quarter since the 24-second shot clock was instituted for the 1954-55 season.

Some guy called into the postgame show tonight on KXL, and said that the pieces are in place for this team to be successful, but they just need time to grow.

I think he's half right. The team needs time to grow mentally. Some of 'em need to build endurance. But I don't see the teensy-weensy backcourt growing much more vertically, and that's going to be a problem, especially on the defensive end.

I am not sure what John Nash was thinking about when he picked Telfair. He is basically Moochie Norris on Broadway. I don't care how many points you can drop on kiddies from Hurble Duh High in Harlem--like big scorers at the college level, it's not necessarily indicative of NBA potential. You can't be that damn small and make a difference unless you have the will and fury of an Allen Iverson. Bassy's too cool, cats.

Dixon has been a surprise this year and would make a great sixth man. Instant offense, just add Dixon--think Bobby Jackson or Eddie House. Bring him off the bench for 20 minutes a night and give him the green light to chuck bombers. He's a winner, but he's a shooter and not much else.

But other than that...

Miles is still a conundrum wrapped in bacon. As much as I'd like for him to dunk over hell of bigs every time up the court, it seems he just isn't interested.

Ghostface 'Billa and Ratliff aren't really suited to Coach's offense. They both move like wind-up Mothra toys. They do a good job guarding the post, but from the stat you saw above, it should be obvious this team just cannot score enough points.

Steve Blake could be very good in this league. I've heard some comparing him favorably to a poor man's Steve Nash, which is pretty astute. Look for his shot a bit more, run it and gun it like Nate's Sonics used to do.

Love how Randolph's been playing. Soon he'll be knocking down that three like Sheed. Khryapa seems like he could become a Tayshaun Prince. I dig on Martell, he'll be a star. Ha might be a good backup in a couple seasons. Travis Outlaw won't get a chance to play.

Go smaller and quicker up front, get bigger in the backcourt, get some scorers. Then you will own. Me and my Blazermaniacs, brother. Say yr prayers and take yr vitamins. WHAT YOU GONNA DO WHEN BLAZERMANIA DESTROYS YOU???

Paul Allen Invests Millions in Submersible Screen-Door Tech Firm

2006-03-15T11:56:00.000-08:00

Local Portland media has been skewering Paul Allen for his financial blunders on a daily basis. True, he needs to accept responsibility for the state of the franchise, but I'd like to remind people of two things:

Paul Allen has spent a metric ton of money on this franchise. In the past, league GM's would salivate at the possibilities of a team with a free-spending owner. Players were lured to Portland with excellent amenities, a new arena, and bulging contracts. They didn't win the championship, but were highly competitive for a long time. Until the "Jailblazers" image took hold, the team enjoyed unrivaled fan support. Allen paid for the Rose Quarter out of his own pocket and Portland citizens didn't pay a slick nickel in taxes.

Oregonlive's Blazers blog posted this bit of fan email the other day:

I think people are having trouble separating P.A. the man from the business. Paul is passionate about sports, he loves the team and I think he cares about winning. The business is Vulcan and Bob Whitsitt who are not about P.A. passion, they're paid to evaluate the business and make decisions (albeit some really bad ones over the past decade). I think P.A. can be accused of not listening to the smartest people, but I think attacking him, personally, is disingenuous for so many fans who've enjoyed Blazer ball. He has contributed to the community and to the sport with his passion so let's acknowledge this as we say no to offering financial help.

I agree wholeheartedly with this. Make sure what you're attacking Paul Allen for is his groan-inducing business acumen. That's just one facet of Paul Allen. Surely if people knew what kind of credit card bills you have, they wouldn't hand you a drool-cup and spoon you primary reinforcement. The man is not an idiot; everyone makes mistakes. Granted, his mistakes and inability to accept responsibility make him look really bad, but let's not forget his past generosity and passion for the team.

Bad businessman. Honest fan. Allen's just a hard-rockin' kernel coder who lucked into too much scratch. Ask yourself what kind of forethought and discipline you'd have if you happened on $22 billion. Don't be hypocrites, you fools.

Isiah Thomas Smokes World's Largest Crack Rock

2006-03-14T18:10:00.000-08:00

...with apologies to our dearly-departed rickbrunson.com...

We pity some fan bases. For example, the Buffalo Bills. In the early nineties the Bills were a dynasty--AFC champions four years running. Four straight conference crowns and sludge to show for it. How heartbroken the Bills lifer must have felt. Could be said the Blazers were the Bills before the Bills were the Bills. Got to the finals twice in three years w/ no rings.

And that was before the Jailblazers. Before their playoff appearance streak was snapped. Before they devolved into arguably the worst team in the league. And before Paul Allen's grand mal f-job of the team finances.

We Blazers nutheads bleed red and black, and we've been doing a lot of hemorrhaging lately. The Blazers are a ruinous, abhorrent abomination of an NBA franchise. But they're still not the New York Knicks.

Ultimately the buck will stop at the head of any business organization. Even if you let someone else call the shots--like James Dolan has in NYC--you are still the big dogg that gave his bizzone away. For him to support Isiah Thomas' confused and asinine handling of his franchise just craps all kinds of hellshit on the basketball fans of NYC.

OK, so we know Dolan is a garden-variety mook. There's nothing particularily exciting about mooking in a garden, which is why Isiah gets all the positive press. A tree squirrel could get through a minefield with more limbs intact than this guy. ACK! WE'RE LOSING? BETTER TRADE DOLEAC AND VAN HORN FOR TIM THOMAS AND A GOLDFISH. YEAH THAT'LL TURN THINGS AROUND. WOW KIDS DID YOU SEE THAT GAME JEROME JAMES HAD AGAINST SACRAMENTO LOL? LET'S GIVE HIM 23 MILLION DOLLARS OVER FOUR YEARS WITH A PLAYER OPTION FOR THE FIFTH EHEHEEHE!!!

It looks like he noticed that the Knicks had the worst record in the league and the highest payroll, then went out and got Steve Francis' $62-million-over-four-years contract for Penny Hardaway's expiring one. I have not read one column or heard one radio journalist come up with some sort of explanation for that. You have a Steve Francis in Stephon Marbury. Nevermind you have Jamal Crawford in Quentin Richardson. Nevermind your most exciting player languishes on the bench while four ballhogs fight for FG attemps. And you haven't had a starting five all season.

Larry Brown! Wasn't he on an episode of Invitation to Love? Wasn't he the guy that shot Stephon Marbury? He should cut off a finger and give it to Joe Dumars and beg to shag balls for the Pistons. He'd be more effective toweling Kelvin Cato's neck than trying to coach his guards to set up a halfcourt offense. And it'd probably be significantly less slimy than working with Isiah Thomas.

I digress. Actually this whole thing is a digression. Like I could make that extra hole in Isiah Thomas' posterior just a little wider. It doesn't matter. Dude smokes rock in a smock. Isiah Thomas has screwed your Knicks thru 2010. When you cried uncle last time, Scott Layden had just finished humping you thru 2007.

Even if the Blazers move to Boise, even if they don't make the playoffs until 2010, they'll have that time to grow under Coach Nate. The Knicks can't even start rebuilding until then. He's got nobody to trade basketball cards with anymore. That is, unless Paul Allen hires Scott Layden.