PhillyArena Forums

PhillyArena Community => NBA Discussion => Topic started by: westkoast on December 23, 2008, 02:46:45 PM

Title: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: westkoast on December 23, 2008, 02:46:45 PM
So in the spirit of the holiday coming up I got everyone on the board an e-gift.  Not to be mistaken with a real gift that I spent my hard earned money pressing the next button on for you.

JoMal - Bonanza on Blu Ray.  You deserve it.  It's old, it has cows and cow boys, I really don't see what else could top this other than a hip (which wal-mart was fresh out of)

Ted - A Gift Card with your local doctor so he can perform a Vescetamy, seriously it's a recession and you can't keep spitting out kids.  19 is enough.

Skandery - Busta Rhymes F. Ron Browz - Arab Money ...the single on cassette tape inside of a yellow water proof Sony Walkman.

W.O.W - A green card.  It's about damn time the US Government not only recognizes your contributions to the sport of basketball by detailed break downs but they also realize you will just keep coming back and back and back.

Reality - http://www.hetracil.com/index.html ... don't thank me, thank science.

Spursx3 - Handball gloves, enjoy senior.

Ziggy - I am going to remove all the punks and dirty white trash from Portland....by reminding them we have room for them in Sacramento (doubles as a  present for JoMal)

Jemagee - Mike Dunleavy will be the new coach of the sixers....I know, I shouldn't have. 

DB - I've replaced all your servers with Windows Milenium boxes.  Have a Merry X-Mas and a happy new year.....in the office fixing them.

Joe Vancil - I got you a computer.....so you might actually post here.



Hope everyone and their family has a great holiday.  Here is to another great year of basketball talk, random bickering, and all around good times on the "internets" together.
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: SPURSX3 on December 23, 2008, 03:28:33 PM
W.O.W., i'll trade you my handball gloves for your greencard....


Merry Christmas to everyone, and to Ted, "Merry Jo-Smith-mas" to you...j/k
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: jemagee on December 23, 2008, 03:40:00 PM
And to those of you not of the christian faith happy holidays to you as well
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: westkoast on December 23, 2008, 03:41:31 PM
And to those of you not of the christian faith happy holidays to you as well

I tried to keep it generic but realized I put 'Merry X-Mas' in the topic title after so carefully selecting my wording.

Maybe I should get myself a book that teaches political correctness.
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: jemagee on December 23, 2008, 03:48:22 PM
God don't do that -
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: westkoast on December 23, 2008, 04:34:36 PM
How could I forget JN?

For JN I purchased the Prince and Jesse Ventura duet album titled 'Megasota'

I also am not of the Christian faith but I do think baby jesus is a cool guy.
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: jemagee on December 23, 2008, 04:37:50 PM
Quote
Jesus was way cool
Everybody liked Jesus
Everybody wanted to hang out with him
Anything he wanted to do, he did
He turned water into wine
And if he wanted to
He could have turned wheat into marijuana
Or sugar into cocaine
Or vitamin pills into amphetamines

He walked on the water
And swam on the land
He would tell these stories
And people would listen
He was really cool

If you were blind or lame
You just went to Jesus
And he would put his hands on you
And you would be healed
That's so cool

He could've played guitar better than Hendrix
He could've told the future
He could've baked the most delicious cake in the
world
He could've scored more goals than Wayne Gretzky
He could've danced better than Barishnikov
Jesus could have been funnier than any comedian
you can think of
Jesus was way cool

He told people to eat his body and drink his
blood
That's so cool
Jesus was so cool
But then some people got jealous of how cool he
was
So they killed him
But then he rose from the dead
He rose from the dead, danced around
Then went up to heaven
I mean, that's so cool
Jesus was way cool

No wonder there are so many Christians
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: westkoast on December 23, 2008, 05:00:47 PM
Jem that's grown Jesus, I don't care for him much.  He looks like someone who got thrown out of a Greatful Dead concert.  It's just baby jesus that I find cool.
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: jemagee on December 23, 2008, 05:04:59 PM
Guys who look like jesus don't get thrown out of grateful dead concerts
Guys who look like ted maybe
but not guys who look like jesus


Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: Ted on December 23, 2008, 06:15:06 PM
Merry Christmas to everyone, and to Ted, "Merry Jo-Smith-mas" to you...j/k

Lame, but at least is was somewhat original. I'll give you 6 out of 10.
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: ziggy on December 23, 2008, 08:25:44 PM

Ziggy - I am going to remove all the punks and dirty white trash from Portland....by reminding them we have room for them in Sacramento (doubles as a  present for JoMal)

Hope everyone and their family has a great holiday.  Here is to another great year of basketball talk, random bickering, and all around good times on the "internets" together.

I know Bonzi is in Beijing now, Darius is in Memphis, Zach is in La La Land, Damon is trying to get to Phoenix, but as far as Qyntel Woods, Tanya Harding, Dontonio Wingfield, & JR Rider I don't know where they are, so if you can round them up, I guess Sacramento is as good a place as any.  Party hardy Jomal, and say hello to Geoff for me.

Merry Christmas wk!!
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: Skandery on December 24, 2008, 01:26:30 AM
Thanks for the well wishes, westkoast.  I can get down with some Busta!

Merry Christmas!
Happy Hanukkah! (I know there are 23 correct ways to spell and I probably still messed it up)
Krazy Kwanzaa!
Eid Mabrouk!
Feliz Navidad!
Praise Odin!
Hail Eris!

Happy Holidays Everyone!!
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: jemagee on December 24, 2008, 08:55:57 AM
You forgot Festivus
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: SPURSX3 on December 24, 2008, 09:29:29 AM
Merry Christmas to everyone, and to Ted, "Merry Jo-Smith-mas" to you...j/k

Lame, but at least is was somewhat original. I'll give you 6 out of 10.

Is, "Jo-Kwanzaa" the correct Holiday term???    ;)

Just kidding, Merry Christmas everyone!!  Even you Reality! :D
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: Lurker on December 24, 2008, 11:25:53 AM
Thanks for the well wishes, westkoast.  I can get down with some Busta!

Merry Christmas!
Happy Hanukkah! (I know there are 23 correct ways to spell and I probably still messed it up)
Krazy Kwanzaa!
Eid Mabrouk!
Feliz Navidad!
Praise Odin!
Hail Eris!

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Sums it up pretty well.


Oh and my personal opinion:  Bah Humbug!    ;)
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: westkoast on December 24, 2008, 11:40:09 AM
Thanks for the well wishes, westkoast.  I can get down with some Busta!

Merry Christmas!
Happy Hanukkah! (I know there are 23 correct ways to spell and I probably still messed it up)
Krazy Kwanzaa!
Eid Mabrouk!
Feliz Navidad!
Praise Odin!
Hail Eris!

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Sums it up pretty well.


Oh and my personal opinion:  Bah Humbug!    ;)

I guess I should return that life size poster of Greg Popavich that I got you then huh?
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: SPURSX3 on December 24, 2008, 11:45:40 AM
Thanks for the well wishes, westkoast.  I can get down with some Busta!

Merry Christmas!
Happy Hanukkah! (I know there are 23 correct ways to spell and I probably still messed it up)
Krazy Kwanzaa!
Eid Mabrouk!
Feliz Navidad!
Praise Odin!
Hail Eris!

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Sums it up pretty well.


Oh and my personal opinion:  Bah Humbug!    ;)

I guess I should return that life size poster of Greg Popavich that I got you then huh?

Maybe he wanted W.O.W.'s green card too.... ;)
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: westkoast on December 24, 2008, 11:51:31 AM
Thanks for the well wishes, westkoast.  I can get down with some Busta!

Merry Christmas!
Happy Hanukkah! (I know there are 23 correct ways to spell and I probably still messed it up)
Krazy Kwanzaa!
Eid Mabrouk!
Feliz Navidad!
Praise Odin!
Hail Eris!

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Sums it up pretty well.


Oh and my personal opinion:  Bah Humbug!    ;)

I guess I should return that life size poster of Greg Popavich that I got you then huh?

Maybe he wanted W.O.W.'s green card too.... ;)

Should just have put in Amnesty and got all 3 of you done at once.
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: jn on December 24, 2008, 11:54:21 AM
Thanks westy, but if you could see your way clear to rigging the draft lottery in the Wolves favor for the next couple years that would really help.

Hail Eris, Skandery?  I guess I'll have to start looking for the fnords in your posts.  ;D 
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: Lurker on December 24, 2008, 11:55:07 AM
Thanks for the well wishes, westkoast.  I can get down with some Busta!

Merry Christmas!
Happy Hanukkah! (I know there are 23 correct ways to spell and I probably still messed it up)
Krazy Kwanzaa!
Eid Mabrouk!
Feliz Navidad!
Praise Odin!
Hail Eris!

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Sums it up pretty well.


Oh and my personal opinion:  Bah Humbug!    ;)

I guess I should return that life size poster of Greg Popavich that I got you then huh?

Maybe he wanted W.O.W.'s green card too.... ;)

Should just have put in Amnesty and got all 3 of you done at once.

Pop poster is great...my dartboard needs a new cover.

And I don't need no stinkin' green card.  My momma waddled over the bridge before I was born.
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: westkoast on December 24, 2008, 11:57:55 AM
Thanks westy, but if you could see your way clear to rigging the draft lottery in the Wolves favor for the next couple years that would really help.

Hail Eris, Skandery?  I guess I'll have to start looking for the fnords in your posts.  ;D 

I spoke to Santa and he said he would talk to the Spurs on tips to see if you can make that come true.
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: SPURSX3 on December 24, 2008, 11:58:52 AM
Thanks for the well wishes, westkoast.  I can get down with some Busta!

Merry Christmas!
Happy Hanukkah! (I know there are 23 correct ways to spell and I probably still messed it up)
Krazy Kwanzaa!
Eid Mabrouk!
Feliz Navidad!
Praise Odin!
Hail Eris!

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Sums it up pretty well.


Oh and my personal opinion:  Bah Humbug!    ;)

I guess I should return that life size poster of Greg Popavich that I got you then huh?

Maybe he wanted W.O.W.'s green card too.... ;)

Should just have put in Amnesty and got all 3 of you done at once.

Pop poster is great...my dartboard needs a new cover.

And I don't need no stinkin' green card.  My momma waddled over the bridge before I was born.

lol  :D :D
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: SPURSX3 on December 24, 2008, 12:00:28 PM
Thanks westy, but if you could see your way clear to rigging the draft lottery in the Wolves favor for the next couple years that would really help.

Hail Eris, Skandery?  I guess I'll have to start looking for the fnords in your posts.  ;D 

I spoke to Santa and he said he would talk to the Spurs on tips to see if you can make that come true.

*cough* *cough* *cou-back injury-gh* *cough* *cou-start now before too late-gh*
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: SPURSX3 on December 24, 2008, 12:03:30 PM
Thanks for the well wishes, westkoast.  I can get down with some Busta!

Merry Christmas!
Happy Hanukkah! (I know there are 23 correct ways to spell and I probably still messed it up)
Krazy Kwanzaa!
Eid Mabrouk!
Feliz Navidad!
Praise Odin!
Hail Eris!

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Sums it up pretty well.


Oh and my personal opinion:  Bah Humbug!    ;)

I guess I should return that life size poster of Greg Popavich that I got you then huh?

Maybe he wanted W.O.W.'s green card too.... ;)

Should just have put in Amnesty and got all 3 of you done at once.

Where is W.O.W???  did he travel back to the Yucatan for Christmas? 
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: westkoast on December 24, 2008, 12:09:15 PM
Thanks for the well wishes, westkoast.  I can get down with some Busta!

Merry Christmas!
Happy Hanukkah! (I know there are 23 correct ways to spell and I probably still messed it up)
Krazy Kwanzaa!
Eid Mabrouk!
Feliz Navidad!
Praise Odin!
Hail Eris!

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Sums it up pretty well.


Oh and my personal opinion:  Bah Humbug!    ;)

I guess I should return that life size poster of Greg Popavich that I got you then huh?

Maybe he wanted W.O.W.'s green card too.... ;)

Should just have put in Amnesty and got all 3 of you done at once.

Where is W.O.W???  did he travel back to the Yucatan for Christmas? 

Last we heard from him he was going out to dinner with JoMal.....

Now they are both M.I.A like the Heat.....


Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: Lurker on December 24, 2008, 12:49:35 PM
Here is a little time consumer (internet game)...if you make it through enough levels you can throw snowballs at Sarah Palin.  It is courtesy of PETA.

http://www.peta.org/feat/HolidaySnowballFight/index.aspx
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: ziggy on December 24, 2008, 03:38:35 PM
Thanks westy, but if you could see your way clear to rigging the draft lottery in the Wolves favor for the next couple years that would really help.

http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/12/21/kevin-mchale-and-blogger-power/

Kevin McHale and Blogger Power
December 21, 2008

Apparently Kevin McHale fears blogger power:

"I think you're going to see more and more shorter term stuff in our league," he (McHale) said. "Just because the access now, theres so much media availability and everything else."

"There's just so many bloggers; everybody's got an opinion. There's all kinds of stuff going on. Sometimes that starts forming the opinion of people in front offices, too, and owner. It?s been kind of a crazy year so far."

Looking back, McHale has been the subject of quite a few posts offered in this blog.

Despite this attention - which hasn't been very kind - McHale is still an employee of the Minnesota Timberwolves. This suggests that

    * McHale is wrong about the power of bloggers
    * McHale is right about the power of bloggers, but this blog isn't very powerful
    * McHale is wrong about the power of bloggers, and this blog isn't very powerful

Looking at the Last Major Decision

My sense is that point #3 is correct.  Despite the powerlessness of this blog, I thought I would spend some time re-visiting McHale's last major decision as a general manager.

On draft night McHale traded the draft rights to O.J. Mayo (and a few other players) to the Memphis Grizzlies for Kevin Love and Mike Miller (and a few other players).  At the time this trade was made I noted that I thought McHale got the better of the deal.  After 26 games this year, though, the T-Wolves have only won four games while the Grizzlies have a record of 9-17.

So did McHale make another mistake?  Did I say something that was wrrrrrrr?., not correct?

As always, let's look at some numbers.

http://www.wagesofwins.com/Twolves260809.html (http://www.wagesofwins.com/Twolves260809.html)

Table One reports the standard perspectives on a team.  First we have what the team could have expected given what the players did last year.  Then we have what these players have done this year.  As one can see, there is a clear difference.  The Timberwolves are actually a bit better this year than their record indicates. Given the team?s efficiency differential and corresponding Wins Produced this season, Minnesota should have won six to seven games.  And if we look at what these players did last year, Minnesota should have won 12 to 13 games so far this season.

When we look at the performance of the individual players we can see what happened.  Heading into this season it was believed that Al Jefferson, Mike Miller, and Kevin Love were going to be above average performers.  Looking at the numbers we see this expectation confirmed.  Unfortunately, the remainder of the roster has been awful. Six players have played more than 100 minutes and posted a WP48 [Wins Produced per 48 minutes] in the negative range.  And leading this pack is Ryan Gomes.

When we look at the individual stats, we can see where Gomes has come up short.

http://www.wagesofwins.com/JeffersonLoveGomesDec08.html (http://www.wagesofwins.com/JeffersonLoveGomesDec08.html)

As Table two indicates - with the exception of turnovers and personal fouls - Gomes has been below average with respect to every box score statistic.  In contrast, Jefferson has been above average with respect to everything except steals.  Love?s game has problems, but his ability to rebound and avoid turnovers also translates into an above Win Score and WP48.

When we look at this roster it seems clear - at this point  that McHale didn't make a mistake on draft day.  Heading into the draft Minnesota had one outstanding player.  After the draft the T-Wolves had three good players.  Unfortunately, the T-Wolves don't have much else.  And consequently, Minnesota isn't a very good team.

Memphis and Mayo

What about the Grizzlies?

http://www.wagesofwins.com/Memphis260809.html (http://www.wagesofwins.com/Memphis260809.html)

Table Three reports the standard perspectives on Memphis.  Unlike what we saw with the T-Wolves, Memphis is about on target.  Given what the players did last we would expect Memphis to have seven victories thus far.  The player's performance this year - thanks to the improved play of Mike Conley and Darko Milicic - translates into 8.9 Wins Produced. Consequently Memphis is on pace to win about 28 games this year.

More than 20% of these wins can be tied to the play of O.J. Mayo.  In fact, only Conley has produced more wins for Memphis.  Despite this overall level of productivity, though, Mayo is only about average on a per-minute basis.

http://www.wagesofwins.com/MayoDec2008.html (http://www.wagesofwins.com/MayoDec2008.html)

When we look at the individual stats - reported in Table Four - we see that Mayo has been an above average scorer.  But with respect to every other statistics (except personal fouls), Mayo is below average.  Consequently, he has not yet developed into a "good" player.

It's important to remember that neither Love nor Mayo has played 30 NBA games yet.  So it's a bit early to reach any strong conclusions.  Nevertheless, at this point I think McHale should be happy with the decision he made on draft day.

As for much of the rest of his decisions' well, many of those don?t look too good.  And that suggests that maybe the T-wolves were wise to move McHale out of his position as general manager.  Of course, that doesn't mean I - or any other person with a blog - should take responsibility for that decision.

Memphis Missing One Key Ingredient

Let me close with one last note on the Grizzlies.  Currently Memphis has three above average performers: Conley, Marc Gasol, and Kyle Lowry.  If Mayo improves a bit, Memphis might have four "good" players.  Although this suggests Memphis is on the way back to playoff contention, there's currently one major missing piece. Conley has the highest WP48 on the team, but his mark is only 0.144.  As I have noted in the past, a team can't be very successful if its best player can't post a WP48 beyond the 0.200 mark.  And right now, Memphis doesn't have anyone near that level.

This means Memphis is still missing a very important piece. What this team has is a collection of "good" players. What this team needs is at least one "great" player.

My sense is that in general, getting the one "great" player is harder than collecting a few "good" players.  This suggests that McHale and Minnesota - despite their current record - is closer than Memphis to finding success.  Of course, McHale and Minnesota have been in this position before.  Once upon a time Minnesota had Kevin Garnett.  Unfortunately, finding that collection of "good" players proved to be a difficult task for McHale.  Perhaps this is why he's no longer in charge of the search (not that I would suggest that was the right decision).

- DJ
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: jemagee on December 24, 2008, 04:31:02 PM
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?section=magazine&id=3789373

Nothing to do with basketball but read it anyway
Title: Re: Merry X-Mas Everyone! I got you all some e-gifts...
Post by: WayOutWest on December 25, 2008, 04:34:18 AM
I don't want to offend anyone's cult...err...religious beliefs so I'll keep it very "PC" ...

HAPPY HOLIDAYS BITCHES!

Dear Allah I hope Dan doesn't read this....