The weekend is starting early for me. By the time you read this, chances are I’ll already be in northern Michigan sucking down an Oberon next to a river full of fish that — if tradition holds true — will completely avoid my line. But before I leave, here’s some links for you to read while you’re pretending to work.
- The Vegas Summer League kicks off on Friday. At least two games a day (including a pair of Pistons games, starting with Friday’s opener against the Lakers) will be televised on NBA TV, but NBA.com will also have a live online stream for every game on the schedule. (I’m not sure if those games will be archived, though, so you may want to arrange your schedule accordingly.) (hat-tip: JackDutch)
- One player you won’t see playing in Vegas is Alex Acker — Keith Langlois reports that he’s pulled out a knee injury. That shouldn’t be a huge surprise — it’s the same injury that nearly scuttled his contract with Barcelona last year.
- From the same Langlois post as above:
Curry said he talked to Rodney Stuckey after the Pistons were eliminated from the playoffs by Boston – Curry was scheduled to coach the Summer League team even before succeeding Flip Saunders as head coach – and made a deal with him. If he brought his teammates to Las Vegas in top-flight condition, the Pistons would hold just one practice a day leading up to the Summer League opener instead of two. “We sort of had an agreement that the guys were going to be in shape,” Curry said. “They were (in Auburn Hills) about two to three weeks, getting some work in. They held up their end of the bargain and we’ve had two really good days of practice so far.”
I don’t know what I like more: that Curry trusted his young players to make the right decision or he considered Stuckey enough of a leader to get on his teammates.
- Kelly Dwyer on the double-standard in which people view the NBA and any other sports league. I’m used to it, but it’s still annoying.
- Bill Ingram from HOOPSWORLD says the Pistons are “believed to be close” to offering CJ Miles an offer sheet, but A. Sherrod Blakely says that’s only going to happen if the Pistons know the Jazz won’t match it.
That’s all for now. Knowing my luck, the moment I leave will be the moment The Big Trade will finally happen, but rest assured I’ve left the site in good hands: long-time DBB reader Mike Payne (who runs a pretty kick-ass blog himself) has the keys. If anything big happens (or if anything small strikes his fancy), he’ll keep you updated. Enjoy the weekend, folks.
Finally, a coach that the players really respect has arrived. Curry is da man.
Interesting bit about Stuckey/Curry. I like the implications of it. I also like the Miles rumor, quality,YOUNG player. It probably cements Rip as a Piston.
Enjoy your Oberon — that’s some good beer.
Being a displaced Kalamazoo kid living in Chicago, the hardest part is not having Bell’s Beer (in my opinion one of the top 5 microbrews on the planet). Some beef between the owner and his Illinois distributer or something. Anyways, enjoy.
I love that article you linked about Sprewell. I almost forgot he choked a coach out! Ahh, the memories.
I also liked that article comparing the media’s reaction to Sprewell vs. the reaction to Chacon. Memories indeed, but I also thought the article made a valid point.
That Dwyer link really pissed me off.
I don’t think much of Dwyer’s opinion from previous writings. Like, it’s nothing personal. I’m not Buzz Bissinger. Dwyer didn’t steal my woman. He didn’t take money and throw NBA games. He didn’t buy my team and move it far away to his neck of the woods. No, it’s just an opinion on some of his work. That opinion hit a new low.
Sorry, Dwyer. Did you fail to notice Barry Bonds, BALCO, Roger Clemens, the Expos moving, the ‘94 strike? Double-standard my ass.
Sprewell wasn’t ‘borderline-anonymous.’ Obscure my ass. Sprewell was a rising star, and he was an identity because THE NBA MARKETING REVOLVES AROUND SELLING POTENTIAL STARDOM AND INDIVIDUAL STAR TALENT. Sprewell was a rising star. I knew who he was before the P.J. incident, and I wasn’t a Warriors fan. I wasn’t all that hep on the NBA at the time, either.
Inordinate amount of attention compared to Chacon? Choking incident from a shitty baller, or choking incident from a nationally-recognized star? How about murder? Dwyer, you wouldn’t be writing this if Chacon attempted to kill the guy. Remember Ugueth Urbina? What about murder? Remember Rae Carruth? It isn’t a double-standard for the NBA, Dwyer.
News-flash: Bad news sells.
The NBA hasn’t had ENOUGH attention to its problems. A main source of the problems stem from the commissioner.
I don’t think the NBA can be defended, what with the biggest swine among all porcine commissioners just hamming everything like a multi-billion dollar industry was a muddy pen. Oblivious, snorting, bee-lines to the money trough, some squeals when threatened . . . way of life for David Stern.
Can anyone defend the Sonics debacle? I can’t. I usually don’t care about owners doing with their property what they will. This isn’t about Oklahomans being evil. This isn’t similar to most relocations. To keep Shinn shackled in New Orleans and to keep Paul Allen on his own with similar aspirations and pleas for help, respectively, is not fair when taken with the open encouragement Stern gave Bennett along the way. As for Bennett, heh, Bennett can’t even be honest among his peers. Telling King Starbucks one thing about keeping the team in Seattle, Bennett then does the opposite. How’s that for integrity?
And what about Donaghy? Donaghy is the latest license to maim. Donaghy says hello every god damn day until Pig Stern gets the air gun to his job. There is absolutely no effort taking place to make this league better beyond half-assed attempts like Army Maj. Gen. Ronald L. Johnson and almost-defensive opinions like the Dwyer piece. Army guy? For real? Hiring a former member of the army to straighten up the referees? What kind of fool believes that will work? The army? Choosing a former member of the army with little basketball experience isn’t a good choice to fill a need for self-police!
And where’s ESPN with this shit? They clearly don’t care, they make the least effort to report about bad NBA things. ESPN is pretty pig-headed at this point in its business life cycle. Why should ESPN threaten their baby’s health when it’s sick? ESPN/TNT/ABC agreed to 930 million dollars a year for rights to the NBA. If the commissioner says there’s nothing wrong, and ESPN goes out of its way to show the contrary, and fans stop watching and stop spending en masse, where does that leave ESPN?
If you want to compare to investments made by ESPN in other entities, well, ESPN has a double-standard with the MLB, all-right. They know Americans love that sport so much that all the shit-dragging won’t completely kill over 100 years of tradition and history. Maybe that was the scope Dwyer needed. How many people truly love basketball? I’m sure the number is lower. How about the MLB? MLB has suffered mass exodus of fans over their scandals, but enough die-hards apparently survived to make it roughly the 2nd-strongest league. What about the NBA? For speculation, I don’t think there were as many die-hards. Would a series of scandals over ten years kill the NBA? ESPN is literally behaving like a protective mother, which clearly isn’t how they let things fly for the MLB. NHL? Everyone told Bettman to go fuck himself, and his games ended up on Versus. You think ESPN has a problem airing NHL’s dirty laundry?
To some extent, I also smell this defensive attitude from heavily-invested bloggers.
Dwyer’s article isn’t completely trying to defend the NBA, but at times it reads like “why’s everybody always pickin’ on me (the NBA)?” Well, come on now, Donaghy, the Sonics, the silly ball-change to start 2006-2007, Malice @ the Palace, right on back into the 80s where there were worries about time-keepers being on the up-and-up, all these incidents are things one shouldn’t ignore. When individually taken, they’re terrible. How about taking them as a cumulative?
The NBA is a living, breathing felon, as far as I’m concerned. In other words, fuck the NBA. I love basketball, but I hate this league, and there is absolutely no acceptable outlet across the globe for my love. Pistons? They’re good, but how good are they? We don’t know, there was a referee that skewed outcomes. There may be more of them that did this or are still doing it. Many could see and almost knew that guys like Donaghy were doing what they did before it broke in 2007, and after it broke, I was willing to give the league a year. That year’s passed, and nothing suggests that the NBA will improve. Things needed to change in the league for the better, and they’re not changing.
Since they’re not changing, I’m pulling no punches. Open season. Nothing is too negative. It all has to get aired. David Stern can not be trusted. The NBA is not genuine. There will be no quarter. There will be little or no defense.
Thankfully, the sport of basketball isn’t on a death bed. I want to see the NBA or some professional basketball organization play games. If it is to be the NBA, then I want the NBA to get healthy. I want basketball to THRIVE. At this point, I seriously doubt that will happen. It definitely won’t happen if we all just ignore the muddy pen that the league happens to be.
So, as far as I’m concerned, Dwyer can take his double-standards and keep waiting for that Sports Illustrated cover in vain, just like I’ll wait for the NBA to improve in vain. There’s hope for a better basketball league, I hope.
Joel
According to Wikipedia:
In early December 2007, Bell’s re-entered the Chicago market via two new distributors by creating three new beer brands, Kalamazoo Porter, Kalamazoo Royal Amber Ale, and Kalamazoo IPA. This was done for legal reasons: since each beer avoids the use of the “Bell’s” name and logo, and uses a different recipe from previous Bell’s brands, Larry Bell contends that these are not the same beers that were assigned to his former distributor. Nevertheless, Bell says he “expects to be sued by his former distributor, National Wine & Spirits.”[2][3] Initially, only the Royal Amber Ale was made available, in draft only, at about a dozen Chicago-area locations.[4]
I actually had the Amber Ale at a bar in Ukrainian Village and it tasted exactly the same to me.
Happy Hunting
Still waiting for Ugueth Urbina and Rae Carruth’s SI covers, as well.
Carruth didn’t get half the attention Sprewell got.
I think much of it has to do with history as well as race, though the two are intertwined, going back to the ABA.
The ABA was known for a freewheeling style of play, and also had a higher percentage of minority stars. The leagues merged in an era when the sport was enduring a spate of violent incidents. This culminated in Kermit Washington’s punch of Rudy Tomjanovich. The magnitude of Rudy T’s injury garnered worldwide attention at an inopportune time for the league.
In the 1980s, just as hysteria about cocaine use was reaching it’s zenith, Len Bias died of a cocaine overdose and Roy Tarpley was suspended around the same time. The Sprewell incident came just as the league was trying to figure out how to move forward from the Jordan era.
So a lot of it is bad timing, exacerbating existing racial prejudice.
Colin,
I was at the Marquee Lounge in Lincoln Park just last night, and they have– get this– Oberon on tap. With the orange globe handle and everything. Although $5.50 a pint is a little steep for a beer that tastes markedly more bland every year.
Sauce: All hope is not lost. Perhaps Brandon Jennings will spark a trend and perhaps European basketball leagues will be taken seriously. There’s a lot of sports content coming out of America, but not enough going in. Not to say Americans are too xenophobic, but they seem to be grounded firmly in a crippling ethnocentrism that causes them to dismiss anything of which they can’t claim ownership.
Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Pau Gasol, Yao Ming, Dirk Nowitzki, Peja Stojakovic all past all-stars who spurned college to play international ball. Andrew Bogut’s the only non-North American I can think of who even came here to play college ball. Why didn’t we get to see those guys play? Did we know these players’ averages when they played overseas like a dedicated American “football” fan may know his favorite Premier League player’s goal count over in England? No. American fans of the Premier League are the exception to the rule. Why has virtually no NBA fan in America heard of Ricky Rubio when the guy is almost a lock to go #1 overall next year? If I could see Ricky Rubio play, I’d jump at the chance because his scouting reports are incredible. The American media conglomerates don’t care about people like me though. Maybe Brandon Jennings can do something that will start to make them care. Because damn it, if I could watch Ricky Rubio play instead of just read reports on him, I would.
LB, leave it to you to appreciate a long-winded response.
There’s hope, but I’ve had it with asshat opinions like Kelly Dwyer’s and so-called Pistons fans rooting for the C’s. No more.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=pv-8eneGSK4
http://youtube.com/watch?v=TKYALsp-sIg
http://youtube.com/watch?v=bivsP_h6l0s
Do you see a pattern?
That’s crazy. I don’t see how they could be selling Oberon unless he resolved the legal dispute. $5.50 is pushing it,considering it’s one of my least favorite Bell’s brews.
That same Wiki article said that Oberon had been sighted at The Hideout. I wonder if these places are just putting the oberon label on the Kalamazoo beer.
They have Oberon on tap in West Bloomfield also (much cheaper then 5.50!). Your least favortie Bells, really? I’m salivating across the pond thinking about it right now. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Oberon.
That crazy rant deserves a standing ovation, Sauce. Well done, sir. Well done.
Bravo conspiracy theorists every where are rolling up the blinds in their tin sheds to let the light in. c’mon.
Come on Mike Payne, you gotta get on these things:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AsBWlEDS4wNkTAKM0rX088u8vLYF?slug=aw-hayesnets071008&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
Jarvis lasts just slightly longer as a Piston than Nazr and at about 1/6th the price.
From Mlive’s full-court press blog:
The Metro News, a Canadian news outlet, is reporting that the Detroit Pistons are trying to trade for Tracy McGrady.
July 10, Metro News: And, speaking of major trade possibilities, there’s a blockbuster brewing in the NBA, too.
The Detroit Pistons, we hear, are making a big pitch to the Houston Rockets for perennial all-star Tracy McGrady.
The outlet is based in Toronto, where McGrady started his career and spent his first three seasons playing. This could be one of the deals that Dumars has been working on.
Stay tuned…..
http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/
damn DetUMICH beat me by 7 minutes
I’m down with T-Mac.
Entirely depends on the deal for me.
Not sure what Houston will want…but
Would you guys do Chauncey and Tay for T-Mac (plus maybe a backup point)?
Then we’d have a lineup of Stuckey, Rip, T-Mac, Max/Dyess, Sheed
Or what about Rip and Tay for T-Mac:
Chauncey, Stuckey, T-Mac (wow talk about getting to the basket), Max/Dyess, Sheed
some interesting possibilities.
“Would you guys do Chauncey and Tay for T-Mac (plus maybe a backup point)?”
Setting aside reputation, can you explain to me how even a straight Chauncey for T-Mac trade makes us better?
T-Mac can’t hit free throws, can’t hit three pointers (which certainly doesn’t stop him from shooting them) and can’t stay healthy.
Sorry, but as the board’s resident a-hole, I felt it necessary to bring this up.
Any deal for McGrady ($20.3M) has to involve 2 of Detroit’s starting 5 for the salaries to work under the cap. This is in part due to Joe Dumars unbelievable record assembling a cheap quality bench. How cheap? If you add the salaries of every Piston bench player under contract (Stuckey+Amir+Max+Afflalo+Samb=$5.29M) they STILL make less than backup Rockets PG Bobby Jackson ($6.9M). To trade one Pistons starter plus bench players and bring McGrady to Detroit it might take involving a 3rd team to make the salaries match.
Yep, it’s hard to know whether to support the deal or not without knowing what we’re giving up in the deal and if we’re getting anything back besides T-Mac, but I’m intrigued by the possibility of acquiring T-Mac for sure. I was sort of along the lines of thinking of DetUMich originally, but with Battier already in the fold, what’s the draw for Houston of acquiring Tayshaun? I’d think a Chauncey-Rip for T-Mac and another player (Scola? Bobby Jackson? Rafer Alston? Stevie Franchise is quite cheap) would be more likely. Some interesting possibilities for sure, couldn’t agree more.
Thanks to joe cubed for the knowledge drop … I vote for Rip and Chauncey for T-Mac and Francis AND Steve Novak. I figure, if they’ve got Brent Barry now, they’ve got their designated shooter and don’t need Novak. Novak could be ours and we could move him over to backup Tay and just bomb threes. I just wonder if he can play defense, because I know nothing about his skills on that end.
I hesitate to deal away both of our experienced starting guards–i still want one around to mentor Stuckey–but i guess I feel Tayshaun is significantly more valuable than Battier. That is probably my pistons colored glasses.
I will say I do like a potential lineup of Stuck,TMac,Tay,Sheed,Dyess/Max—-with the versatile amir and afflalo headlining the bench. Haven’t watched francis recently–but don’t think i want the guy.
Correction: the total salary for Piston bench players is $8.96M not $5.29M.
I think I suggested T-Mac and Scola for Rip and Sheed before.
It’s probably a better deal for Houston becuase it leaves the Pistons undersized, but I’m sick of Sheed. He’s the only one I want to see go (and he’s the hardest to replace damn him!).
T-Mac’s a total loser, incredible talent notwithstanding, and is not a no. 1 guy.
There’s a recap of a Summer League scrimmage on truebluepistons.blogspot.com. Things that peaked my interest:
- Stuckey appeared to have added range to his jumper.
- Samb hit three long jumpers and a couple half hooks (one from 12ft out).
- Sharpe initiated the offense when the backup PGs had trouble with full court pressure.
- Plaisted showed the ability to cover a lot of ground defensively.
@Slappy:
“T-Mac’s a total loser, incredible talent notwithstanding, and is not a no. 1 guy.”
As hard as I possibly want to disagree with you, I really can’t. He is an incredible talent, but he’s never been a winner and he’s not a #1 guy (at least not in Houston). I tell you, those 13 points in 35 seconds? Probably some of the most amazing 1-on-5 basketball I’ve ever seen and will ever see.
I can’t say I am 100% against a trade for McGrady, but I won’t support one if it costs us Billups or Prince. (prince because i DONT want McGrady starting as our SF)
I don’t like the T-Mac deal regardless of who we ship out. Bringing in Stuck to start is fine, but it definitely lessens our bench. Stevie “Cancer” Franchise….No thanks. Scola..perhaps. Bobby “I hurt my _______” Jackson.. No thanks. Dude hasn’t been healthy since he played for the Kings 3 or 4 years ago.
I am intrigued by either Chuck Hayes or Carl Landry (MRI not withstanding). But, I don’t see how we improve by trading 2 for 1 and bringing in Stuck, as incredible talent as he is. Joe D. might just make a lateral move just to bring in a new attitude. But if we agree we lack a “sense of urgency” then I think the last person we need is McGrady.
I wouldn’t be totally opposed to T-Mac. If we didn’t have to give up too too much. But I just don’t see paying T-Mac $20 Million. Sorry, I can’t do it guys. He makes what Chauncey & Tay make combined (roughly). He damn sure doesn’t average their combined stats, although he makes their combined salaries. That’s a ton of dough and I don’t believe he a franchise guy anymore. In a situation like Boston last year where he’s part of someone Big 3 maybe. But not for $20 million. He can’t carry a team for an entire season anymore. Where the hell is Carmelo?
Stevie Franchise is an expiring deal!
God I remember the days of watching him at Cole Field House when he played for the Terps… he was a stud.
E-Double, $20+mil is a lot but it would only be for two years.