Messages

1

NBA Discussion / Re: Chicago and the Cubbies

« on: August 31, 2010, 06:58:26 PM »

 Where were you guys when I was asking everybody walking the streets of Chicago where the best pizza can be found.

...oh......right.

2

NBA Discussion / Re: Chicago and the Cubbies

« on: August 31, 2010, 02:20:25 PM »

Ted -

I'll have you know, cowpies with tomato sauce are considered a delicacy in these parts, you mid-western elitest!!!! We put tomatoes on anything, including our wedgies.

An Irate Irritantist 

3

NBA Discussion / Re: Chicago and the Cubbies

« on: August 30, 2010, 05:18:44 PM »

We had plenty of recommendations for deep dish while in Chicago. We went to Pizzeria Uno, but Giordano's was also recommended - by a Cubs fan and his mother when we were at Wrigley. We solicited suggestions from all around us while watching the game.

Wrigley Field recommendation - Spicy Italian Sausage. Not recommended - Old Style Beer).

Poag Mahone's recommendation - whatever is on draft for the beer; the chile; the Chicago Stockyard Burger and the BBQ pulled pork sandwich. Not recommended - going there for lunch during the week.

Deep Dish - not recommended unless Pizzeria Uno just is not representative of it. Had to wait for an hour to be seated. Since the pizza takes almost an hour to cook, they asked us to order at the time they took our names for a table. Little time to really peruse the menu or know how big a pizza to get. The small for two people (and one of those people was ME) was plenty large enough. Supposed to be the originator of deep dish, but it seems Giordano's has gotten more votes here and by our friends from Chicago as well, who could not make it the night we went. Might have made a difference.

Dinner recommendation - Berghoffs German Restaurant had the look of old Chicago about it, but at 8:30 Saturday night, they had run out of Jagerschnitzel and the Sauerbraten, so I settled for the Wiener Schnitzel. Still recommend it, but what was up with them running out of my first two choices? Great ...and I mean GREAT ....bread!

Miller's Pub recommendation - beer was okay, nothing to remember. Canadian Baby-Back ribs were very good; also was informed by others at my table the chicken marsala was good, and the seafood dishes.

Thinking about making an annual trip to Chicago, maybe during the Taste of Chicago event that takes place the two weeks leading up to the Fourth of July. Wife does not, however, want to go when that crowded. Have a cousin up in Wisconsin who also was po'ed I did not tell her I was coming. Looking like a big crowd will be there now, huh?

4

NBA Discussion / Re: Chicago and the Cubbies

« on: August 30, 2010, 12:07:20 PM »

Plenty. Poag's had the best, which they brew there. But honestly, they do not measure up to Anchor Steam.

5

NBA Discussion / Chicago and the Cubbies

« on: August 30, 2010, 11:42:01 AM »

Finally saw a Cubs game a week ago Sunday, at Wrigley. It was Sweet Lou's final game, in which the Cubbies lost 16-5 to Atlanta. Still....enjoyed the game immensely. Got a "first-time" to Wrigley certificate and the striped shirt and the cap. Baseball from the 1930's.....

Loved Chicago as well. Walked the Millenium Park, did the top of the Sears (now Willis Tower, though no TRUE CHICAGOAN ever calls it that), road the "L" all over, ate a deep dish (not my favorite), hung out at old bars, like Poag Mahone's and Miller's Pub (a favorite) in the Loop, did an architectural Chicago River boat tour, the Navy Yard, the Field Museum, and a quirky gangster tour of the mob hits of the past. Plan on returning.

6

NBA Discussion / Re: How important is the NBA to you?

« on: August 30, 2010, 11:32:15 AM »

No argument as for why, just that it is.

Main question still is how important does the NBA remain for those in non-title NBA cities? What happened to Cleveland this year illustrates how frustrating it is for the have-nots, whose mere existance is so necessary for the sucess of the LA's, Celtics, Miami's and the others who actually HAVE championship aspirations. Malone, Payton, Richmond, and now Lebron and countless others who opt to go where they feel they are more likely to win a championship never seem to include Utah, Sacramento, or even Denver.

Happens in baseball too, though, but unlike baseball, basketball teams DO have to deal with the salary cap, so wannabe baseball millionaires are much more limited as to where that possibility can take place then in basketball.

7

NBA Discussion / Re: How important is the NBA to you?

« on: August 27, 2010, 05:51:36 PM »

http://www.cnbc.com/id/37447815/Lakers_And_Celtics_Again_The_NBA_s_Embarrassing_Parity

8

NBA Discussion / Re: Dalembert gets his wish

« on: June 18, 2010, 12:47:13 PM »

Good riddance to an overpaid back-up Center.  I do think he's better than Hawes, but that's not saying much.

Dalembert was in the way of the Sixers getting better, their lack of an inside post game was due to Sam's own limited abilities.

It's good for Phila. to be rid of him, but I'm not sure where Nocioni fits in.  I suspect the Sixers will draft another Center or acquire one through a trade. Collins isn't going through the season depending on Hawes, Smith or Speights to control the middle.

Agreed. Dalembert would be judged differently ability-wise if he had a more reasonable contract. But it is only for one year.

9

NBA Discussion / Re: Congrats Laker friends!

« on: June 18, 2010, 12:31:14 PM »

In honor of the latest well-deserved Laker championship, I ran naked down K Street Mall, whacking winos with my baton.

 

Wait, no.  It was funny when I read it.  Then I actually visualized and now it's appalling.

There were dozens of us taking turns. We were clanging our cowbells with glee as they tried to avoid our onslaught.

10

NBA Discussion / Re: Congrats Laker friends!

« on: June 18, 2010, 10:43:15 AM »

In honor of the latest well-deserved Laker championship, I ran naked down K Street Mall, whacking winos with my baton.

11

NBA Discussion / Re: Dalembert gets his wish

« on: June 17, 2010, 06:52:14 PM »

I'm also hearing Hedo wants to come back to Sac-Town because that is the only place he feels at home at.

Less likely to happen, but then, Petrie is really good at keeping his moves close to the chess before pulling the trigger.

Wonder how the Kings are going to draft now. My guess is they will still take the best big man out there at five, but the Dalembert trade certainly alllows them to consider a wider field now. 

Very doubtful based on the size of his contract and what the Kings could offer up.  I just thought it was good to see that a small market team can still attract players based on relationships and attitudes as oppose to fame and big time endorsements.  Hedo could actually make more money in Canada than he could in the US.

He was happy when he was here, playing basketball.

12

NBA Discussion / Re: Dalembert gets his wish

« on: June 17, 2010, 05:56:47 PM »

I'm also hearing Hedo wants to come back to Sac-Town because that is the only place he feels at home at.

Less likely to happen, but then, Petrie is really good at keeping his moves close to the chess before pulling the trigger.

Wonder how the Kings are going to draft now. My guess is they will still take the best big man out there at five, but the Dalembert trade certainly alllows them to consider a wider field now. 

13

NBA Discussion / Re: Is Donaghy really 15-2 at picking playoff games due to refs?

« on: June 17, 2010, 05:54:44 PM »

The point that Donaghy was making, 'coast, is that refs can easily alter games in favor of one team over the other simply by calling certain infractions that probably happen on every possession more for one team and not so much for the other.

He admitted that in the League meetings before playoff games they all essentially discussed the tendancies of certain players to do something that maybe the refs ignore during the season, but are told to call attention to in the playoffs, so they will start calling it. They did this to Yao Ming regarding the way he sets screens. Donaghy was told to watch his feet and sure enough, several years back, Yao suddenly could not set a legal screen in the playoffs.

Donaghy made some money on that one.     

14

NBA Discussion / Dalembert gets his wish

« on: June 17, 2010, 05:46:52 PM »

Samuel Dalembert just get traded from the Sixers to the Kings for Spencer Hawes and Andres Nocioni. May be just to rent him for a year, as he is in the last year of his contract.

He should help a bit more then Hawes at center. Hawes is a good player, but not very tough and a bit light for paint work. Also, and this is kind of important, Dalembert is not likely to start hefting 3-pointers when maybe you need your center under the basket.

Nocioni wanted the Kings to trade him, so he was going somewhere. He adds toughness for the Sixers, but he is behind two other SF at Philadelphia, so I wonder what the will be doing about that. 

15

NBA Discussion / Re: Is Donaghy really 15-2 at picking playoff games due to refs?

« on: June 17, 2010, 10:56:01 AM »

Overall, I think this topic is not going to ever to satisfactorily resolved, but Donaghy was interviewed by our local sports radio station this morning about his latest allegations and he said one thing that kind of struck home with me.

He was being asked about how the League might try to influence the outcome of games, to extend a series for ratings boosts, for instance and how that might happen. Donaghy said that before every game, the League has a meeting with the game refs and goes over specific things to look for and how to literally call the game in certain situations.

Donaghy admitted that it was these meetings prior to the games that he used as his source on his game betting. He would often leave these meetings and go straight to his bookie to place his bets.