Upon the NBA Draft

Draft day is here in the NBA, and the Knicks are drafting in the 8th spot (via the lottery) and the 30th spot (via a trade). After missing out on the playoffs following a decidedly mediocre season last year, the Knicks are certainly hoping to get some help with this year's selections. There can be no John Wallace, no Dontae Jones, no Macej Lampe, no Frederik Weis. A potential trade with the Suns would bring Quentin Richardson into the fold, and send Kurt Thomas on his way. With the new salary cap regulations, the Knicks may finally be able to sever ties with Allan Houston's albatross of a contract. In that view of the Knicks, the depth chart looks like this:

PG- Marbury / Jermaine Jackson
SG- Crawford / Richardson /Penny
SF- Tim Thomas / Ariza / JYD
PF- Sweetney /Rose /Mo Taylor
C- Bruno Sundov /?

Now the most glaring need is at the center position, and the Knicks have been said to be looking big. Channing Frye from Arizona is a name being proposed, as is Charlie Villanueva from UConn. If the Knicks go big, I hope they go for a back to the basket scorer, rebounder and shot blocker. The front office can not get suckered into a big man who shoots jumpers. While this is a great big man skill, the Knicks have Marbury, Crawford, potentially Q, and Sweetney. There do not figure to be sufficient touchers for a jumpshooter (as the Knicks have had in the past with Doleac and Thomas). We need an intimidator and someone to attack the glass with Sweetney, Rose and JYD.

The second position that the Knicks can use help in is the area of back-up point guard. There figure to be some good guards on the board at the 30 spot, and the Knicks can afford to draft potential at that spot as Marbury constantly plays almost the entire game.

I am interested to see what moves figure to be made today, with trade potential high. The Knicks pick can be moved with a player for a high spot, or they can move down for a player from another team and a lower spot. All I know is that the Knicks better pick well, because the Garden crowd will be killing Isiah.

Upon time's Inexorable March

I occassionally have these moments, and another one popped up today. Is it June 23rd? Seriously?? Already?? I rather unceremoniously passed the 2 year mark for working at my job, which is a trip in and of itself. Last night I went out to a bar in Rockaway and was amazed to look around at what used to consist of an awesome evening. $5 for a 16 oz cup that could be refilled with beer at $1.50 a pop. Countless 17-20 year old women,adorned with apparel designed to accentuate those body parts which they have the most confidence in displaying. This is certainly not to say that I did not admire their efforts, much as an afficionado of art may admire a masterful painting without attempting himself to take up the brush. However, the realization that these girls were 4-7 years younger than me did bring me up a bit short. There was a quote from Dazed and Confused that I happened to recall at that time "...high school girls. I get older, but they stay the same age." As I migrated through the bar, my steps paced out by the blaring tones of the popular college rock of the day, I took a very sociological/anthropological look at things, as is my want. The patterns of social interaction among youths aged 17-20 is certainly interesting when viewed in hindsight. I spent a great deal of my time while in that demographic observing such patterns, and I can now look back and test the validity of these social theses I first posited. It was amusing to note the costumes that people donned, and the packs in which they traveled. It was somewhat depressing to look at a young girl, and know that absent cosmetic surgery, she was already as attractive as she would ever be, and that the rest of her life would be a slow descent into average looks. It was with this realization that I could not find fault with her barely-there skirt, her skimpy tank-top with its obvious lack of support garment...etc. I could not begrudge her feeling cute, and as a man I am not immune to such things, though morality and better judgment do certainly rule the day. Nothing like remembering that some were 6th and 7th graders when you were a freshman in college.

So I've gotten older. The daily 8-5 grind makes a weekend of back to back 5 AM nights a hurculean task, whereas I wouldn't bat an eye at doing so in college (where I would have all week to catch up on sleep). Now I wind up with a cold that is still hitting me 4 days later. On the other side of the coin, I was able to drop the door cover without thinking about how much money I had left for the week, much less the night. Time continues to march, and the snow of the winter is being replaced with the beach sand of the summer.

Yes.

Upon Yankee Baseball

I had taken a brief hiatus from writing about the team, as a terrible road trip had me less than positive. Our longest trip of the year behind us, we can now look forward to an extended homestand. Tuesday featured a 5-hit complete game shut-out of the Pirates by Mike Mussina, who evoked memories of days gone by with a 5-hit gem. The offense propelled him to a 9-0 victory, and the Yankees looked happy to be home. Yesterday, I nearly gave up on the team twice, as Tanyon Sturtze gave up two potentially backbreaking home-runs. However, the team showed some scrap in scoring in the 7th, 8th, and 9th to send it to extra frames. A benficial call at first when Sheff appeared to be thrown out kept the inning alive, and A-Rod and Posada hits tied the game. Rodriguez was thrown out at home on a good outfield relay, but the choice to go from third was 50/50. Rivera came in and dominated the line-up , and his fastball is moving again. In the tenth the Yankees got a walk from Tino, followed by a mammoth 2-run shot to the upper-tank from Jason Giambi. Jason always gives just enough when you are ready to write him off completely, keeping us who still think that the MVP hitter is somewhere inside him on a rollercoaster. I he could somehow recapture that 40 HR 120 RBI guy who is a nightmare to pitch to the Yankees have a sickly dangerous lineup.

Tony Womak has found himself in the media crosshairs recently, as his lack of production at the top, combined with the loss of his spot at second to Cano makes many consider him expendable. I tend to agree that there are plenty of outfielders the Yanks could choose to pursue, and if he isn't going to be a catalyst we can do without him. That intangible Yankee player has yet to show his face, though Cano shows signs of being that guy.

I still believe in this team, and will continue to do so. Unit (on regular rest finally), Moose, Pavano, Wang, Brown are still for my money a very good 1-5. All are showing stirrings, which are admittedly late in coming, but I still wouldn't want to see that rotation in a short series. Randy will match your one, Unit can throw with anyone's two, and Pavano can get it together and be a scary 3. Alex is at MVP level, Sheff is ahead of last year's pace, Matsui is out of his slump and still has good numbers. Jeter is Jeter, the afforementioned Cano is emerging, Posada is getting hot. I still believe in this team, and I won't be convinced otherwise until they play their last game, in early October or late

Upon the Finals

I negelcted a position by position break-down of the Finals because I was lazy. Tonight's Game 3 will find the Pistons with their backs to the wall in what amounts to a must-win home game. The Spurs have gone up 2-0, and with the exception of the first half of the first game, they have looked exceedingly comfortable doing so. This Finals has still been boring in my opinion, but if forced to root for a team I go for the Spurs over the Pistons. The Spurs have shown themselves to be an adaptable dynasty, who can play anyone's style of ball. They lit it up with the Suns, they played Euro with the Sonics, and they bodied with the Nuggets. The Pistons looked very vulnerable getting to the Finals, letting an undermanned Philly linger, then taking too long to dispense with the wounded Pacers, before barely escaping the Heat with Shaq at 40-50%, and Wade injured. This year's incarnation looks like a far cry from the hungry squad who shocked and beat-down the Lakers last year. (the same Lakers who incidentally beat the Spurs) I don't see this series going more than 6, unless the Pistons get real hot at their mis-matched positions. Billups should be able to get one of his 30 point games against Parker, and Tayshaun should be able to cause some havoc. Rip is not going to beat Bowen, Rasheed has Tim Duncan guarding him, and if Ben Wallace is doing the scoring the Pistons are done.

Seriously though, wouldn't Shaq vs Little Shaq (Amare), Nash vs Wade in a "how'd he hit that shot?" contest, Eddie and Damon vs Q and Joe Johnson from 3...etc be a better series to watch? How about another O'Neal/Duncan match, with Manu vs Wade and Zo vs Nazr? Amare vs Ben Wallace, Matrix and Rasheed, Billups and Nash? I had 3 Finals series I was looking forward to seeing, and one I was not. I like this Finals in that it pits the defending champ vs a would-be dynasty. Another issue I have is that of Tim Duncan. We have all heard the "he plays the right way" arguement. We have been told to appreciate the "Big Fundamental" and his contributions. We are even being told he is one of the best players ever. Well I have a question:

Wouldn't one of the best players ever have gotten the US a championship at the worlds? Despite coaching, despite competition, despite anything; Larry, Magic, Mike, Shaq, they would have put their superstar teammates on their back and won the chip. Tim Duncan didn't, and while he is a great player, he doesn't go on my all-time list.

Upon Quick Updates

Bad weekend for the Yankees against the Sox, and a loss last night against the Royals. If ever a bi-polar team there were, the 2005 Bombers are that. (or something). I still think Baltimore returns to Earth, and the Yankees are within a game of first by the All-Star Break. Second half runs often carry teams to titles, as recent Red Sox, Marlins, and Angels titles indicate.

Phoenix nearly ruined my prediction out West, but may have only staved off elimination for one game. I wrote about their style of play very early in the season, and its merits in the playoffs. I even used the Spurs as a litmus test, and I think the flaws in the all O, little D system are emerging. Many teams in the NBA are great in a gunfight, if their opponent is content not to defend. Amare's block of Duncan notwithstanding, the Suns need to play defense like they usually run the break; first, last, and often.

Larry Brown barely used LeBron or Carmelo in the Olympics, and never plays Darko. Let's make him the GM of LeBron's franchise. Can he design a system similar to the one he had in Philly with AI, only creating the offense through the taller and more pass-friendly James? I am sure Carlos Boozer would have reconsidered his jump if he were able to look down the road to this move.

Thats all for now, I am going to work on my blog's set-up