When I win this contest I will openly and admittedly plagiarize for my acceptance speech.   I will stand up there and say, sin verguenza,

“I feel that this award was not made to me as a man, but to my work--a short span of work in the agony and sweat of the human spirit, not for glory and least of all for profit, but to create out of the materials of the human spirit something which did not exist before. So this award is only mine in trust. It will not be difficult to find a dedication for the money part of it commensurate with the purpose and significance of its origin – like a weekend in Boston this summer for a Yankee game at Fenway with my two boys. But I would like to do the same with the acclaim too, by using this moment as a pinnacle from which I might be listened to by the young men and women already dedicated to the same anguish and travail, among whom is already that one who will some day stand where I am standing – in the future NGS contests.

“Our tragedy today is a general and universal physical fear so long sustained by now that we can even bear it. There are no longer problems of the spirit. There is only one question: When will I be blown up? Because of this, the young man or woman writing today has forgotten the problems of the human heart in conflict with itself which alone can make good writing because only that is worth writing about, worth the agony and the sweat. He must learn them again. He must teach himself that the basest of all things is to be afraid: and, teaching himself that, forget it forever, leaving no room in his workshop for anything but the old verities and truths of the heart, the universal truths lacking which any story is ephemeral and doomed--love and honor and pity and pride and compassion and sacrifice. Until he does so, he labors under a curse. He writes not of love but of lust, of defeats in which nobody loses anything of value, and victories without hope and worst of all, without pity or compassion. His griefs grieve on no universal bones, leaving no scars. He writes not of the heart but of the glands.

“Until he learns these things, he will write as though he stood among and watched the end of man. I decline to accept the end of man. It is easy enough to say that man is immortal because he will endure: that when the last ding-#### of doom has clanged and faded from the last worthless rock hanging tideless in the last red and dying evening, that even then there will still be one more sound: that of his puny inexhaustible voice, still talking. I refuse to accept this. I believe that man will not merely endure: he will prevail. He is immortal, not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice, but because he has a soul, a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance. The poet's, the writer's, duty is to write about these things. It is his privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart, by reminding him of the courage and honor and hope and pride and compassion and pity and sacrifice which have been the glory of his past. The poet's voice need not merely be the record of man, it can be one of the props, the pillars to help him endure and prevail.”

And it would be without shame because how can I possibly ever do any better than William Faulkner? 

p.s. I had no idea how many people were in this contest when I chose the venue for the February 8th bash.  I am going to have to change it.  It will be at the El Jardin in the Glen.  We'll clear out the tables in front of the bar and get a great mariachi band.  The margaritas were coming from there anyway.

You can think about the NBA in any number of ways.  It can be superstar versus superstar - Kobe versus Shaq.  It can be team versus team - Pistons versus Spurs.  It can be coach versus coach - Riley versus Jackson.  How about the NBA as a 3 on 3 -  with GM, coach, star.  It is not too far fetched.  Think about it.
 
Detroit - Dumars, Flip, Billups
You have to like Dumars, Flip, Billups.  It's rock solid.  It is machine-like in its efficiency.  It is perfect spacing and execution.  It is Dumars and Dumars was always great - even if it wasn't ever flashy or more than it needed to be.  I like this team.
 
Indiana - Bird, Carlisle, ONeal
Bird, Carlisle, ONeal is good but you have to think this organization is still suffering some sort of bird flu that they caught last year.  With the upcoming trade they will likely have finally kicked it but it will take a little more time to regain their strength and fully compete.
 
Miami - Riley, Riley, Shaq
Riley, Riley, Shaq is really with Wade too but you know showtime has many moving parts - and in this case even includes a reinvigorated Alonzo Mourning - so you gotta like what you see.  The talent is there and the coach is on the bench.  If it wasn't for Wade I would be rooting against these guys out loud, but with Wade I am very intrigued and ready to jump on the bandwagon.
 
Chicago - Paxon, Skiles, Hinrich
Paxon, Skiles, Hinrich.  I could play on this team.  I am a short white guard who understands the value of playing with the most intensity and grit and I make smart shots and most of my free throws.  They have established the work ethic and style of play.  The next step is hanging out the Help Wanted sign and signing some offensive stars.
 
New York - Isiah, Larry, Marbury
Isiah, Larry, Marbury.  I tend to root against Isiah - not as any firm rule but somehow I always find myself rooting against him. He signed all of this talent - based on his keen eye for the stuff - and then hoped that it would come together.  When it didn't, he called somebody who knew how to clean up a mess.  The problem in NY is that Marbury needs to go. It will take time and, as such, can only be done if Isiah can follow the coach long enough.  All that is needed is patience in New York - good to see him struggling.
 
Cleveland - Ferry, Brown, LeBron
Ferry, Brown, LeBron.  If I repeat the names of this team out loud five times I always have the same thought -  Brown will be gone before this team hits its stride.  With LeBron you can copy the Jordan path to championships that the Lakers will be taking or you can come up with a new way - but you need a way that LeBron buys into because you will hit bumps along the ways.  My bet is that the Brown system falters before the glory that is coming hits LeBron in all its gold and glitter and, at that point, there is a high profile coach on the Cav's bench.
 
Boston - Ainge, Doc, Pierce
Ainge, Doc, Pierce.  What is this?  I always admired Ainge's competitiveness and style of play.  I always liked Doc.  And Pierce looks like a real star.  What is going on here?  From a distance I thought they were purging their malcontents.  They should be doing better, shouldn't they?  Somebody please fill me in.
 
Lakers - Kupchak, Jackson, Bryant
Kupchak, Jackson, Bryant.  Wow.  It will be a fight with the Pistons, Spurs, and Heat but they could do it.  It wont be hard to attract top talent to play Kobe's supporting cast - no matter how much bad press he gets. Some of the new talent needed grew up watching and dreaming of being like him winning all those championships and playing in L.A.  Every star loves sunshine, girls, movies, the recording business and money?  It is a good bet that Phil can teach Kobe how to be Jordan and Mitch can bring in the missing pieces.  I like this bet.  Buy now.
 
Memphis - West, Fratello, Gasol
West, Fratello, Gasol.  I don't know what to make of that.  Seems to be working.  I would enjoy seeing it work.  I am just not a true believer yet.  There is a weakness in the spine or something.  Not that they won't dazzle us at times but the frailty will make itself felt eventually.  They also score lower than you would expect when you look at them with my handicapping.  I guess what I am saying is - I am not afraid of this team. 
 
Denver - Kiki, Carl, Melo
Kiki, Carl, Melo.  I don't know what to make of it but I basically like what I have seen from all three - when they were on their own.  This one is better for me to hear from people who are closer to these guys.
 
Clippers - Baylor, Dunleavy, Brand
Baylor, Dunleavy, Brand.  Interesting.  Seems to be working ok.  Worth keeping an eye on even though it is usually hard to imagine the Clippers as a good team or organization.  Brand brings a lot to the equation.  An argument could be made that he is the best player over the last 5 years.
 
Dallas - Donnie Nelson, Avery, Dirk
Minnesota - McHale, Dwane Casey, Garnett
New Jersey - Thorn, Frank, Kidd
Philidephia - Billy King, Cheeks, Iverson
Washington - Ernie Grunfeld, Eddie Jordan, Jamison
San Antonio - Buford, Popovich, Duncan...
 
The Book's Hot Tip
Keep an eye on this no name team - Larry Harris, Terry Stotts, Michael Redd.
 

Oh what a relief Rex is.

With the most dominating defense in the league falling on their face last week in Pittsburg and an offense that could only be described as offensive - the Bears had two major hurdles to overcome when the Atlanta Falcons came knocking at Soldiers Field last night if they wanted to hold out any hope of winning it all this year.

1. Re-establish the defense

2. Show life on offense and score some points

Although Michael Vick has a quarterback rating in the low 70s, his ability to pass and run (he averages over 5 yards a carry and has more than 500 yards on the ground this year) creates headaches for any defensive unit - even the most confident and capable.  And with little anticipation that Kyle Orton was going to wake up Sunday morning and be someone he isn't - a highly qualified professional quarterback that strikes fear into NFL defensive coordinators - re-establishing the defense was priority number one.

When the public address announcer shouted in the second quarter, ''The wind-chill is 7 below zero," a huge ovation came right back at him from the Bear faithful, some bare chested.  That must have sent a chill up Michael Vick's spine because that is Bear's weather.

It is not easy to move the chains when they are frozen but it turned out to be impossible for Atlanta when combined with the fact that Brian Urlacher and company felt pressured to prove a point - that they are the most dominant defense in all of football.  They held Vick to 122 yards passing and 35 yards rushing while limiting the Falcons to just 3 points on a total of only 231 yards. No question about it - the defense re-established itself.

But the story of the night came at the start of the third quarter when coach Lovie Smith finally replaced Kyle Orton with Rex Grossman.  In the end, the coach Smith had little choice. With weeks of media pressure and grumblings from all corners of Chicago, Orton forced the coach's hand by going 2/10 for a whopping 12 yards in the first half.

It turned out to be the perfect decision at the perfect time.  Rex came in and threw a beautiful pass to a streaking receiver on his very first play and proceeded to move the ball up the field like - like a professional quarterback.  With a little luck on his side (a interception at the one yard line that was forced into a fumble and immediately recovered)  Rex Grossman helped the Bears overcome their second, and more difficult hurdle - showing life on offense and scoring points.  And just like that, with a 16-3 victory, the collective indigestion that had been forming over the last few weeks in Chicago disappeared.

Who am I?

I average just over 17 pts on 44% shooting, 6 assists and nearly 4 rebounds a game.

                                                   
I could be Peja Stojachovic and you would be close but Peja shoots a slightly lower percentage and doesn't have as many assists or rebounds.

I could be Baron Davis but I am not. Baron has more assists at 10 a game but only shoots 34% from the field. 

Now you think you've got it - Chauncey Billups. Sorry. After Thursday night's career game his pts per game is slightly higher and his assists up at 8 a game. But very close.

No, I am not Peja Stojachovic, Baron Davis nor Chauncey Billups. I am Stephon Marbury.

What does this tell us?

It tells us that intangibles are real otherwise the Kings and Warriors would consider a straight up trade for Stephon Marbury to be a good deal and the Pistons would see it as a wash.  But we know that is not the case.

It was reported today that Donnie Walsh has talked with representatives from 15-20 teams and in most cases, he took the call rather than placed it.

That is a lot of interest for Ron Artest. At 19 pts, 5 assists and 2 rebounds per game it almost seems reasonable.  In a sport where you need at least two stars on a team to win, one is currently available.  But is this star a wise choice or should these eager buyers beware? 

It is not to say that whatever team gets Artest will immediately suffer but it is to say that whatever team gets Artest will eventually suffer.  His intangibles ultimately make him a negative impact on a team and organization.

Many teams will convince themselves that Artest is worth the risk because many teams have only one and some have no superstars.  To illustrate the point let's consider one possible destination that seems just too tantalizing to completely ignore and where Artest could possibly gel just long enough to win a title before imploding again. 

Entertain the thought of Artest, Iverson and Iguodala.  Or Artest, Iverson and Weber.  How would you like to walk into Phili and play those guys?  In this one case, the crazy intangibles from all players involved just might combine and create some sort of explosive mixture that  has enough power to win one title.  If you were Billy King you might just try and convince yourself that Artest is worth the risk.  

But buyers beware - this sale is "as is".  No refunds.  No returns.

“To be successful you have to be selfish, or else you never achieve.” Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan has had the greatest impact on the game of basketball since I began watching (1970s) - a remarkable talent and a legacy of championships.  His sense of the basket and his knack for game winning shots has inspired the armchair and professional athletes like nobody else. Who, under the age of 40, has not wanted to be like Mike – at least a little?  

But there are two Mikes.  There is the incredibly talented “on court Mike” who managed six championships and completely dominated the sport at the end of his career.  And there is the “off court Mike” – the commercial Mike - who smiled that insincere smile at every turn and demanded that the “Jordan rules” open every door and pick up every check.

Although us armchair athletes desperately covet his six championship rings and the glory that accompanies being “the man” on the court, the real athletes desire the off court Mike – the commercial Mike – the fake Mike – the rich and famous Mike.  After all, it is much easier for them to achieve.

When Kobe entered the league I could not believe how much he was like Mike.  The potential of his talent was obvious but what stunned me more was how much he seemed to be imitating the commercial Mike.  Kobe took on Mike’s smile and mannerisms like a master mime. But he is not the only one.  LeBron, Dwayne, Tracey, ‘Melo’ - and now Ron.

"Here I don't think I'm going to have a chance to maximize my opportunity for my potential," Ron said. "When I first got here, all I wanted to do was play defense. I never really cared about offense, but what I see is players like Kobe, Tracy, Arenas and Jermaine getting the opportunity to maximize their potential on the court and to get paid.”

With a perennial malcontent like Ron Artest it can be difficult to understand his moods and motives but this much is obvious – he just wants to be like Mike – the commercial Mike that is. 

Related Links

Artest ready to roll...Perhaps it's showtime

Artest Should Join T.O. On the Inactive Roster

Why Ron Artest will work for the Cleveland Cavaliers

Artest, You Are So Right and So Wrong

Yes, Ron Artest, go play for Larry Brown!

Artest's Latest Antics Add to a Growing Legacy

  No Defense for Cavs - Again
"We as a team, the coaches, the players, are not getting it done on the defensive end of the floor, and it's evident by the 109 points and the 57 percent from the field," Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "Until we figure it out, you guys will see plenty of nights like this."

What this means for the Cavs
There is no room for long lapses in this division. No patience means trouble for a coach with no name.
 
Griz Reveal Weakness
"I couldn't get it going because they were double-teaming me, so it was hard," Gasol said. "It was a frustrating situation."

What this means for the Griz
Although the Griz have been on the rise the future is looking bleak with Pau confirming his natural weakness.
 
Flatfooted Heat Lose Again
"You give up a runout to lose the game, you deserve to lose," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. "Plain and simple, you deserve to lose. Nobody should feel sorry for you or nothing else. ... If you haven't learned things like that over your time in the league, you're not experienced. You're just old."

What this means for the Heat
Wade needs to raise his game a notch.  Scoring points is one thing - winning games is another.  Just ask AI and Kobe.

Bulls Going Nowhere Fast
"At times, it seemed like we were playing in quicksand," Hinrich said. "For whatever reason, we didn't have it tonight."

What this means for the Bulls
They need to toughen up.   Still reeling from Sheed laughing at them on their court.
 
Playing Terrible Good Enough Against Knicks
"The good thing is that we didn't play well, we didn't shoot well, we didn't get to the foul line and we still won," Sun's coach D'Antoni said.

What this means for the Knicks
They are bad.
 
A Loss is a Loss for Warriors
"It's still a loss," Murphy said. "We played well enough to win. We were up there in the fourth quarter against a great team, and we have to find a way to win those games."

What this means for the Warriors
Only time will tell.  They have to learn to close out games against better teams.
 
Lack of Intensity Doom Jazz
"I think it looked like we took them lightly tonight. And we have no reason to take anybody lightly," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said.

What this means for the Jazz
They need to shake things up.
 
The Doc is Confused
"I thought we caught the Spurs on an off night," Boston coach Doc Rivers said. "They were beatable."

What this means for the Celtics
Mid tier team for the forseeable future.

CHICAGO.  "It's often said Jordan needed Pippen and Pippen needed Jordan. I'm not sure Jordan didn't need Pippen more than Pippen needed Jordan," former Bulls assistant Tex Winters said.  His point is simple - every superhero needs a sidekick - at least if he wants to win championships.

This brings us to today's NBA superheros.

1. Kobe.  Kobe is going through his "jacking it up" phase.  Every great salesman talks himself into trouble and out of trouble - just looking for his groove. But he needs to talk a lot to do it.  Same is true for every great scorer.  MJ had years to jack it up before winning a championship.  Kobe won early as a sidekick and desperately wants to be "the man".  You have to admire that about him.  His trick will be to get out of this phase quickly and look at Odom as his Pippen. 

2. Shaq. He needs to switch roles from superhero to sidekick - from Superman to Robin.  But Shaq knows it.  And Shaq strokes Wade all night and day because he needs him to elevate his game just  one more notch.

3. AI.  He is not even looking for a sidekick.  I love this guy because he is 6' 0" - 165lbs and the leading scorer in the NBA.  He is my superhero because he is my size and he does so much.  Unfortunately for him, he is stuck.  Maybe it is small man's disease but he will have to jack it up all day and all night and drive and shoot and shoot and shoot until he is out of the NBA (you can almost hear a sigh coming from the commissioners office) just to prove to everyone - something. 

4. LeBron. He has the skills and mindset to take on a sidekick - the only question is who?  Drew Gooden is having a great year but not sure he fits into that Robin outfit.  Seems like the Cavs are building Robin by committee.

5. Duncan.  You can't be boring and be a superhero at the same time. 

CHICAGO. You could look to their great pitching staff, a great perfromance by El Duque at a critical moment in their playoff run or you could point to a performance for the ages from Konerko in the playoffs.  But that sort of stuff only happens when the perfect storm somehow occurs.  

Perfect Storm?

How else can you explain the mix of Jerry Reinsdorf, Kenny Williams and Ozzie Guillen winning a coin flip let alone a world championship.  This was a magical season because that is the only explanation for how the strange brew of these three could walk forward without falling down.

Jerry Reinsdorf?

As a lifetime Bulls fan I enjoyed the 6 championships but I was amazed at how Reinsdorf and his evil little dwarf "crumbs" could drain as much of the fun and enjoyment out of winning.  Eventually, they got what they wanted and all the fun was gone - for years and years.  I am not a Reinsdorf fan because he is a terrible owner in every sport.

Kenny Williams? 

I have to be careful here but let's just say - it must be nice.  Some people are lucky but this guy is the luckiest of all.  GM in the majors?  Somebody explain that to me.  I know I will get slammed by Sox fans and they will point to incredible forsight in this trade and that pickup but I sleep comfortably at night with the belief that he just plain got lucky - and you won't be able to convince me otherwise so don't waste your finger strength.

Ozzie? 

When the Sox were tanking it his true colors came out.  He began to tighten up, choke, and eventually cry as he talked about quitting and the like.  Nobody was saved more by the World Series run than this egotisitical little manager.

All three of these guys together?  You could have made a stronger argument that a waterspout would form over Lake Michigan and the Cell would be pulled up into it and been lost for years to come.  But, instead they won it all.  Talk about the Perfect Storm!  

The Big Game

On Christmas Day we will see the Spurs and Detroit tangle it up.  Barring an injuries or suspension this proves to be a benchmark for the post season.

The West 

Clipper Trainwreck Just Ahead 

It is now cool to diss the Clippers but close your eyes if don't want to see it.  It promises to be an astonishing crash and with the Clipper's organizational history it likely will be fatal for the year.  In the next two weeks they face Miami, NY, Phoenix, Detroit and then the Spurs.  Although they have enjoyed the bird's eye view for the first month they will soon be looking up to Golden State and Phoenix.  

Golden  State with Task at Hand

Not an overwhelming couple of weeks but a solid challenge with games against Phoenix and Detroit.   We will know more about this upstart by mid month.

Phoenix in 1st?

Phoenix plays both the Clippers and  Golden State  so can sneak into first place if they play well.

The East

Cavs and Bucks Matchup

I know everyone likes to say that the Bucks are like the Clippers - overrated - but not so quick.  They have beaten the Mavs, the Warriors, the Heat and the Pacers and have accumulated the bulk of their losses on one bad western road-trip. 

At the same time the Cavs are a quality team with LeBron James and their losses came at the hands of quality teams like the Spurs, the Grizzlies and the Warriors.  This is a big game on the 10th.

Miami to Make a Move? 

It will take as long as it takes for Shaq to ome back but once he does he will have Dwayne Wade and an improved Alonzo.  This injury report is worth keeping your eyes on.

CHICAGO. Speaking in front of his locker Wednesday, Sanders declared, "Michael Irvin is totally innocent. I know the whole situation, and it isn't what it seemed. From his history, we were able to jump to conclusions and we shouldn't do that at all times. This is a country that says we're innocent until proven guilty, but it seems like it's the direct opposite."

What is Deon talking about?  Totally innocent?  Totally innocent of what?

Irvin was charged with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia after police found a marijuana pipe in his vehicle.  He was driving, it was his car, and he was in possession of drug paraphernalia.  None of those facts are in dispute.

I guess Deon means that Michael wasn't smoking the weed from the pipe in the glove compartment.  We know that!

His friend came over for Thanksgiving dinner, was patted down by Michael, whereupon Michael found the marijuana pipe in question.  Michael then gave him a stern talk about getting off the stuff or, for goodness sakes, at least keeping it away from his family.  Then Michael took the pipe from his friend and needed to get rid of it.  So Michael put it in his car and then forgot about it and then took his wife for a ride in the car. 

If Deon thinks we are not believing that story he is mistaken.  We believe Michael about all of that.  We hate when that happens to us.  It is totally understandable.

---

What about T.O?

"T.O. wasn't a problem until he asked for his money," Sanders said.  Deon makes two very interesting points.  1) He wasn't a problem, and 2) it wasn't until he asked for his money.

But actually, if I remember correctly, T.O. was a huge problem before he even came to the Eagles and his journey to them was even fraught with trouble.  People warned the Eagles that he was trouble and they still went ahead with signing him.  He was a problem, is a problem, and likely will be a problem for the next team that signs him.

And what does Deon mean when he says, "...until he asked for his money."  Didn't T.O. sign a contract?  Weren't the Eagles paying him his money?  Wasn't T.O. really asking for their money?