All posts by jonniker

Is an NBA lockout Inevitable?

By | February 28, 2011 | Basketball, NBA, Uncategorized, Unsportmanlike Conduct | Comments Off

For all the talk of the seemingly unstoppable NFL lockout next year, even I, the last remaining NBA fan on the planet, often forget that the NBA is very likely heading towards one as well. It’s not nearly as urgent — hell, they have a lot more time than the NFL does, and there are a lot more moving parts — but it’s there nonetheless, lurking in the shadows.

But is it inevitable? Oh man. Everyone seems to think so, and it all ties back to the astonishing inequities between the teams, owners and everyone in between. This, for the record, is why my husband thinks there should be a fan union of sorts, because while all this drama happens, who gets screwed? The fans, natch. The very people who pay everyone’s salaries and make this whole effing thing possible.

The hot mess that is the Hornets (and their recent trade) is illustrative of why this is a disaster. Teams are receiving payouts, the NBA-owned (and bailed-out) Hornets are increasing their payroll and it goes without saying that Mark Cuban is pissed, because that’s what he does. Plus, there’s speculation that the NBA only invested in the Hornets so they’d have leverage in the upcoming labor negotiations.

It’s so ugly. The whole thing gives me a headache.

Add the other recent weirdness with Carmelo Anthony getting traded to the Knicks — Carmelo, incidentally got totally screwed by The Decision, but what did he expect? That’s what you get when you’re a second-fiddle player, you screw up your old contract AND you’re negotiating in a LeBron James year, Carmelo. And I’m a Syracuse alum and a de facto fan of yours, but still. What do you want me to say?

The NBA is allegedly finally gaining back some fans, but the collective greed of the entire organization — from the owners, to the players, to the NBA itself — is making it as ugly as it can possibly get, and it’s only going to get worse. I know that’s a shocking statement. Greed! In professional sports!

And yet, as a fan … it sucks.

I blame you, buddy.

Jonna is more excited than ever that the Lakers look like crap.

All Stars and No Back-Up: This is what I’m SAYING, Miami.

By | February 14, 2011 | Basketball, LeBron James Ego, NBA | 5 Comments

So, Miami lost to the Celtics on Sunday. And let me assure you that although I am a Celtics fan, my comments really aren’t about the strength of the C’s, but about the weakness of Miami, which is what I have been saying all along, and is chief among the reasons why I thought the formation of the Big Three on the Heat was an effing disaster and a stupid idea from the beginning.

They have James, Bosh and Wade. But that’s ALL they have. And though I am a fan of seeing them lose — of course I am — what bothers me is that it’s yet another display of astonishing arrogance from LeBron James, et al., who think that they are big enough to carry an entire team. Yes, players like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Jason Kidd (in his prime, anyway) can do enough to change the course of a game, but a lot of that is in the way they manage the rest of their team and lead by example. They know you can’t win a championship on the shoulders of one, two or even three players alone.

Miami doesn’t seem to really get that. The Heat has nothing in terms of a bench. They have a CRAPPY bench. Compare it, as Wallace did here, to the C’s: Perkins, Rondo ( a star in his own right), Davis. The Celtics bench outscored the Heat, 52-20. That’s pretty significant.

Of course LeBron thought he’d be enough. Of course he did. As did Bosh and Wade, in a way, although I hold them less culpable, probably because I find them less obnoxious than LeBron. It’s probably a little personal, I’ll admit it. BUT STILL.

LeBron said, in his riff of the famous Charles Barkley Nike commercial, “I am not a role model.”

No. No you aren’t.

Jonna really dislikes LeBron, and doesn’t care who knows it.

Clyde Drexler to Bring NBA to London For No Jolly Good Reason

By | February 3, 2011 | Basketball, Crazy People, NBA, WTF? | Comments Off

The other day we were watching the Celtics-Lakers game, and it was … well, it was great. It was also paused for Yo Gabba Gabba for a teething toddler, but that’s what TiVo is for, I suppose.

It was a great game because it was two great teams playing, there was parity and even though it was my team playing (and ultimately, winning), who doesn’t love a REALLY good game of ANY kind? I can even get into a good hockey game if it’s exciting enough, and the fans are into it, just as any sports fan would.

The problem is, it’s like the NBA watched “The Secret of My Success” one too many times (does anyone else remember Michael J. Fox going, “EXPANNNNNND!” over and over again?), and now the NBA is, well, it’s too big. There are too many mediocre teams, and not enough star players — or rather, enough revenue from the crappier teams — to support it. There aren’t that many really good games anymore, because there are too many teams, too many games on television and it’s just becoming a mess.

For God’s sake, Toronto might be doing okay financially, but they don’t have a great history keeping top talent (Vince Carter! Chris Bosh! Uhh…), and that’s the country RIGHT NEXT TO OURS. And there’s only ONE TEAM in the whole country and that team has been around for SIXTEEN YEARS. Not to offend any Toronto fans, but if the team was such a leaping success, the NBA would have considered a few other Canadian teams, or at the very least kept the Grizzlies in Vancouver. But, ah, no. Mostly because its too busy farting around in sinking US markets.

New Orleans couldn’t support a team on its own, and instead of just letting it die, the NBA stepped in and bought it. There are a jillion other struggling markets in the US, but it’s like they just get greedier and greedier and all it does is dilute the brand and make it less fun for the fans. When I tell people I’m an NBA fan, they laugh at me, because there are fewer and fewer of us every day. It’s on its way to becoming a JOKE.

And now? Clyde Drexler promises that the league will expand to the UK. Yes, because THAT’S what the NBA needs. Overseas expansion! No, they aren’t satisfied with expanding to unwelcome markets in North America, they want to bring their unwelcome … unwelcomeness … to London! Because teams already travel between the coasts, and traveling to the UK is no big deal! (He said that! He said it would be NO BIG DEAL!)

It’s a really big deal. Basketball might be a “global sport” (because Allen Iverson plays in Turkey! And there’s Yao Ming! Who … plays in the United States, but I hear his merchandise is really big in China!), but there are so many logistical issues, and team issues, and I just imagine the Lakers playing a bunch of third-string yahoos in a London franchise, and it makes me very sad. Attracting talent for an American sport abroad, combined with the unfavorable exchange rate and cost of living issues, and the fans trying to adjust and … and … flying from LA to London, which HA HA HA I HAVE A HEADACHE. MAKE IT STOP.

Make it stop, Clyde. Shut yer pie hole.

{Photo source}

Jonna can’t stop reading this article and saying, SERIOUSLY?

Tiger loses Gillette; Influence Drops; Hordes Cheer

By | December 27, 2010 | Athletes Who Advertise, Celebrity Athletes, Golf | 2 Comments

… or maybe not HORDES, but at least me.

I don’t know I care, as it has zero bearing on his ability as an athlete, but, as I’ve discussed many times before, Tiger made a living selling his image as a clean-cut family man, not just as an athlete, so with every endorsement he loses, I cheer a little inside. And outside. And then I discuss it with everyone I know, even though no one cares as much as I do.

He’s already lost Accenture, Gatorade, AT&T and others, and his endorsement earnings were down $22M year over year, but now — yeehaw! — Gillette is the latest sponsor to tell him to hit the road. And after all, he still has Nike.

2009 wasn’t exactly a spectacular year for our fine golfing friend, and I would say that it’s relatively rare for athletes to truly reap the consequences of their actions — after all, $22M down, the dude is still left with $70M, and that’s just for ONE YEAR. And yet, you have to wonder (hope?) if others will follow suit.

Tiger Woods on his knees

Jonna is stoked that the Patriots clinched home field advantage and remains as riveted by Tiger (and Elin) as ever.

Brett Favre Injured, No One Cares, Oh My God

By | December 13, 2010 | Brett Favre Watch, Crazy People, Football, injuries, NFL, WTF? | Comments Off

Look, the football season is not my favorite thing in the world. I don’t find football nearly as compelling as basketball or baseball — I mean, ask me about how I feel about the Red Sox right now, and I will go ON and ON about how excited I am! And how Theo Epstein redeemed himself! And LOOK, I AM BUYING MY TICKETS RIGHT NOW RIGHT NOW!

Football? Meh. Only if it’s a snowy game, and I can’t explain why that is except it makes me feel cozy watching all those men slide around in short sleeves, missing easy plays because they fell on their asses, etc. etc. It’s interesting, to me, how football is always played, no matter what (well, provided the ceiling doesn’t cave in), and how the elements impact game play. It’s fascinating to see how a warm-weather team reacts in snowy Foxboro vs. their home turf. I … I kind of love it.

So you can see why I was excited for yesterday’s matchup between the Pats and the Bears, given the snowy weather. You can also maybe see why I was flipping through ESPN and NFL Red Zone before the game, and why I seriously wanted to shoot myself directly in the face when the commentators virtually everywhere were talking more about Brett Favre’s stupid starting streak and his maybe-injury over and over and over again. More than the Metrodome, even) so help me, they cut into Metrodome footage to discuss it). More than effing ANYTHING ELSE.

I ask you, after everything that’s happened? After the stops and starts and stops and starts and stops and retire! Unretire! OH YES, THE PENIS! The creepy-eyebrowed wife! The … just the whole thing. I’m disgusted that anyone — mostly the media, not to sound like Sarah Palin–wants us to care, nay, DEMANDS that we care about Brett Favre’s stupid streak. About his career. About his anything.

I know I’m making it worse. I know I am, by even giving it airtime here. But man, I can tell you that I wish Brett Favre would just go away altogether.

If only he had retired. IF ONLY.

This is one of many photos of Brett crying. I don't know why he's crying here.

Jonna actually watched the entire Patriots game from start to finish on Sunday, marveling at the second consecutive trouncing by the Pats, and even better, it was a snowy one. She later watched the end of the Jets game and rejoiced.

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