The 2012 NBA All-Star game, which Orlando is hosting, could be canceled if the lockout extends into December or January.
If that happens, Orlando will get an all-star game at some point, NBA commissioner David Stern has promised. “Once a game is in the rotation, it’s in the rotation,” Stern said while visiting Orlando in [...]
יום שלישי, 12 ביולי 2011
Bulls going national
With the NBA locked out. Many Chicago Bulls are heading to play international ball this summer and compete in the European championships.
Source: http://www.chicagonow.com/chicago-bulls-confidential/2011/07/bulls-going-national/
Report: Shaquille O?Neal to work for Turner Broadcasting
Because of injuries and issues with his weight as a player, the post-Los Angeles career of the surefire Hall of Famer was more than a little disappointing, even considering his championship run with the Miami Heat in 2006. Still, the loquacious nature that served Shaq so well as he built up an endorsement empire upon entering the league in 1992 grew by the year. And though his deep and monotone delivery has been the source for satire for middling stand-up comics and sportswriters alike, he should have sites like these filled up with all sorts of in-season video clips as he takes to the airwaves.
Then again, as our own Eric Freeman pointed out Saturday, O'Neal's potential addition to the "Inside the NBA" set (his hiring has yet to be confirmed by Turner, to say nothing of the eventual revelation of his role in the broadcasts) could move Chris Webber away from the set, or into a diminished role on the program (halftime can only go on for so long). Webber has quickly established himself as a star analyst. He's easily the best on any of the national broadcasts of any former player, or, at the very least, tied with Steve Kerr and a country mile removed from the nearest competition. Less Chris Webber on the tube, even with his significant airtime on NBA TV, is not a good thing.
That said, as Matt Moore brought up on Saturday, Shaq could be working a few feet from Sir Charles, a man he once tussled with during Barkley's final season as a player (they've since made up, video after the jump):
We don't know Shaq's role yet, though, or even if the hiring is legit (although Rovell and his sources are usually to be trusted on matters like these). We can safely assume, as it was with Barkley's first season in 2000-01, that O'Neal will be a constant source for goofy. And we can always use more goofy in our lives.
Now we just have to figure out when Shaq's television debut will be. Hopefully sometime before the fall of 2012.
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יום שני, 11 ביולי 2011
Kyle Korver saved a dying snapping turtle
Over his eight NBA seasons, Bulls swingman Kyle Korver has been known for only two things: looking like Ashton Kutcher and being really awesome at shooting threes. Beyond that, his life is something of a mystery. We can only assume he acts in stage performances of "Dude Where's My Car?" and spends 12 hours every day taking jump shots. Now, though, you can add one more quality to Korver's profile: friend of animals.
On May 25, a turtle found itself with a serious shell crack along Route 23 in Pennsylvania. Luckily, Pierre Robert, a local radio DJ legend, saw him in the road. He pulled over and sprang to action. From Kristin E. Holmes for the Philadelphia Inquirer:
"Its shell was cracked, and I said, 'Oh my God, it's dead,' " Robert recounted. "Then its head moved in and out of the shell, and I saw bright-red blood coming out. It crushed me."
Robert called the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education and the organization's Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic. Rick Schubert, the center's director of wildlife rehabilitation, told him to bring in the turtle.
Meanwhile, another car pulled over to help. It was Kyle Korver, an ex-76er who plays for the Chicago Bulls. Korver, a friend of Robert's who still spends time in the area, coincidentally was driving by.
"There was blood everywhere," Korver said in an interview. "I didn't think [the turtle] was going to make it."
Korver fetched a shopping bag from his SUV. Robert picked up the snapping turtle - a dangerous maneuver, Schubert later told him - and put it in the bag.
Robert placed the turtle on the backseat of his car, next to Lucy, his golden retriever.
"I'm talking to the turtle saying, 'Don't give up, turtle. It's not too late,' " Robert said.
It was not too late for the turtle, since named Thomas. After more than 13 months of rehab, Thomas was returned to the wild with a less attractive, but fixed shell. It was referred to as "a small victory" for local wildlife, but an important one nonetheless.
Korver had a minor party in the rescue, but his selflessness deserves consideration. He may not be able to defend LeBron James, but he sure can defend turtles.
New Podkast with Kevin Arnovitz: "The Decision" anniversary, and Yao Ming's retirement
The lockout continues, but so does the ear candy production. In our newest show, we get a visit from Kevin Arnovitz, editor of ESPN.com's Heat Index. Among the talking points: | PODCAST |
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| Andy and Brian talk with Heat Index editor Kevin Arnovitz about the one year anniversary of "The Decision," and the sad news of Yao Ming's retirement. Podcast  |
Or is it, as I contend, the most basic and obvious reason: LeBron left Cleveland in a narcissistic, self-absorbed and cruel manner, and has yet to truly acknowledge and accept responsibility for that mistake. Until James mans up, it will remain difficult to recapture his previous likability.
- How long will it take for LeBron to reenter the public's good graces? Many people, including Kevin, subscribe to the popular notion that "winning is the ultimate cure-all." A title equals a problem solved. Personally, I think winning is the second step, and first remains manning up for The Decision.
I don't disagree winning would bolster James' reputation on the court, especially in light of a disappointing Finals against the Mavericks. However, I actually think LeBron would be even more hated if Miami had won the championship, because that's a storyline where "the villain" wins without experiencing any form of comeuppance or lesson learned. It makes no sense that people would instantly cheer a guy they previously hated just because he has a ring.
Along these lines, for all the talk about how the 2009 and 2010 titles resuscitated Kobe's Bryant image after Colorado, the three-peat breakup and the Radio Tour, I firmly believe the most critical step was the 2008 season. The Lakers lost the Finals, but that campaign saw Kobe steadily perceived as a less selfish, more approachable teammate. An actual human being. Somebody you'd even want to succeed in the first place. Only then will people other than Laker fans not just admire the idea of Kobe winning championships, but actually appreciate it.
(Brian and I also discussed this topic with ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst, who's covered LeBron since his high school days, on ESPNLA On Air.)
- It's ironic that one year anniversary of The Decision would fall on a day with reports of Yao Ming retiring due to persistent injuries. Skilled a player as Yao was, he may be remembered most for his dignity, humility and genuinely kind soul. We spend a few minutes sharing our respect for the iconic center.
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