Garbage-Time

My Name is Earl Corollary

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2008-03-15T00:59:43-05:00

Fire John Paxson

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2008-03-13T22:59:28-05:00

An Open Letter to John Paxson

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-10-17T20:42:42-05:00

Dear John,

I'm writing you this letter to plead with you not to make the same mistakes you have made before. I understand not wanting to give up Luol Deng for Pau Gasol. By the end of Deng's career he may have been the superior talent when compared to Gasol. But this is Kobe Bryant!!!! Luol Deng will never be on the same level as Kobe. If we were rating players on a scale of 1 - 10 Michael Jordan would be a 10, Kobe would be a 9.5, Deng has the chance to be an 8. You always have to trade an 8 for a 9.5 and Deng isn't even an 8 yet he may be a 6.75 or a 7.

Kobe solves the low post dilemma the team faces also, the need for a low post threat is to draw double teams. Kobe is going to draw double teams all game long, which is going to open up the 3-point shot for Hinrich and Nocioni. Kobe is going to make Hinrich a better Point Guard because he isn't going to have to worry about guarding 2 guards all game long he will finally get the chance to guard point guards. Adding Kobe to the Bulls also make them even stronger defensively, no offense to Deng but Prince made him his bitch during the playoffs. Kobe isn't going to get dominated in the post. Bryant, Hinrich, and Wallace are all potential All-Defensive First Team selections. The Last time there was 3 teammates on the All-Defensive First Team was 95-96 Bulls, and they won the championships.

You don't have to worry about Skiles and Kobe not meshing. Skiles' wants a 100 percent out of his players at all times and Kobe does that. Kobe doesn't half heartedly plays defense like Ben Gordon. He is one of the best defensive players in the league.

A trade of Deng, Gordon, Duhon, and filler for Kobe would work under the cap. The trade would be easier to facilitate after Nocioni becomes available to trade. Also a sign and trade of PJ Brown would also work and it's not exactly like he is going to turn down free money, and he most likely will get cut and he could get two paychecks.

A Lineup of Hinrich, Bryant, Nocioni, Smith, and Wallace with Noah, Thomas, and Thabo coming off the bench, is a way better team than The Lebron James Gang in Cleveland from last season or the World Champions Miami Heat.

John, you have two choices to make, you can either be the man and pull the trigger on a blockbuster trade that make The Bulls the favorites to win the East for the next three seasons, or you don't make a movie and hopefully in three years we may have been to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Yours faithfully,
Wade Jones

P.S. Make the trade!

That's Got to Hurt!

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-09-01T23:23:00-05:00

Presidential Counterparts II

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-31T07:07:48-05:00

Here is part two of our Basketball Players and their Presidential counterparts. The List Goes From President Grover Cleveland to President George W. Bush. From NBA Superstars - NBDL Stars, this list has it all.

Grover Cleveland – Michael Jordan

Grover Cleveland is the only President to have served two non-consecutive terms. Michael Jordan had the most successful comeback in the history of Sports. Very few athletes have retired and comeback at the same level before they retired.

Benjamin Harrison – Ben Gordon

Benjamin Harrison was known as "Little Ben" He also had accomplished many things while in office, he signed the Sherman Anti-Trust Act which is still used today. Ben Gordon isn't known as Little Ben but on the Bulls he is Little Ben. He is a High impact player, even though he is undersized for a Shooting Guard.

William McKinley – Lebron James

William McKinley was a Congressman for 14 years for the state of Ohio and he was elected Governor for 8 years before becoming President. Lebron James has been a 3 time Mr. Basketball in Ohio before he was drafted first by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Theodore Roosevelt - Julius Hodge

Theodore Roosevelt was shot when running for the Presidency in 1912 he recovered. Julius Hodge was shot in 2006 and he recovered.

William Taft – Doug Christie

William Taft had inspirations on becoming a member of the Supreme Court, but his wife, held other ambitions for him to become President. Doug Christie also had the desire to play basketball, but his wife too had other ambitions for him, and both their dreams were crushed.

Woodrow Wilson – Luol Deng

Wilson believed he was a representative of the people so his governing showed that will. Luol Deng is a man of the people; he is doing everything in his own power to help make the Sudan a better place.

Warren G. Harding – Rasheed Wallace

Warren Harding was commanding and powerful speaker but was notorious for his verbal gaffes. Sounds a lot like Rasheed Wallace who comes up with some catchy phrases like "the ball don't lie, both teams played hard".

Calvin Coolidge – Kwame Brown

Coolidge had a talent for effectively doing nothing and the country liked this. Kwame Brown is also famous for doing nothing He was overrated when he became the number one pick and he has yet to live up to the hype.

Herbert Hoover – Chris Kaman

After Hoover's Presidency he would head up to the mountains or deep into the woods to go fishing in relative solitude. Hoover was an outdoorsman, he and Kaman would get along great. Chris has his own archery range and he only has a small group of friends.

Franklin D. Roosevelt - Larry Bird

FDR was responsible for reviving the country after the Great Depression. Larry Bird was a part of the reason the NBA gained in popularity throughout the 80's. Each man left his own marks.

Harry S Truman - Shaquille O'Neal

Truman popularized such phrases as "The buck stops here" and "If you can't stand the heat, you better get out of the kitchen." While Shaq made these phrases famous "One lucky shot deserves another." "Our offense is like the Pythagorean theorem: There is no answer!" and "I would like to be referred to as 'The Big Aristotle'."

Dwight D. Eisenhower – David Robinson

Eisenhower attended West Point during his military career he became the Supreme Commander for the invasion of France during WWII. David Robinson attended the Naval academy he served two years in the Navy and he became a Lieutenant despite his nickname being the Admiral.

John F. Kennedy – Grant Hill

Kennedy was the youngest man ever to be elected President; His Presidency was cut short due to his assassination. The full potential of his leadership was never witnessed. Grant Hill was labeled the next Michael Jordan but complications from surgery never allowed him to live up to that label.

Lyndon B. Johnson – Vince Carter

Johnson was extremely popular after he took office, but his popularity slowly decreased which lead him to withdraw his candidacy for a second term. Vince Carter was hugely popular when he first entered the league but since he left Toronto his popularity has declined to the point of people labeling him overrated.

Richard M. Nixon – Chris Webber

Nixon was very popular when he was reelected he won 49 – 50 states, but his popularity ended with the Water Gate Scandal. Chris Webber was a popular and likable star until the allegations of him taking money as an amateur were brought up, his star started to fade.

Gerald R. Ford - Jamaal Magloire

Gerald Ford was a President that no one really wanted he wasn't elected as Vice President he was the Speaker of the House, and when it was his turn for reelection the people spoke and didn't elect him. Magloire was an All-Star for no apparent reason besides that the east needed a center and he filled that void, he had a decent game, and ever since than he has been an unwanted man.

Jimmy Carter – Tim Duncan

Jimmy Carter was a soft-spoken man, he was a lovable loser. Tim Duncan is also a soft-spoken man but he is just a loser, he is a huge fan of Dungeons and Dragons, he is such a fan he has a tattoo for it.

Ronald Reagan - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Before Becoming President Ronald Reagan was a popular actor. He was in the movie Knute Rockne All American. During his NBA Career Kareem Abdul-Jabbar starred in Airplane and he was in Bruce Lees last movie Game of Death.

George H.W. Bush – Bill Walton

Each of these men had sons that went onto do the same thing that they were each great at, and their sons never lived up to their legacy's.

Bill Clinton – Kobe Bryant

Bill Clinton and Kobe Bryant both have one thing in common; both were caught cheating on their wife's. Kobe with someone in a hotel room in Colorado, Clinton with someone in the Oval Office. They got caught something their predecessors never did.

George W. Bush – Luke Walton

Bush and Walton have the same thing in common, not living up to the legacies of their fathers. Bush entered a war the US couldn't win, Walton will never be considered a great player, plus he has that stupid tattoo.

Part I

NBA Players and the Presidents of the United States of America Part I

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-30T06:39:47-05:00

Here at Garbage-Time we like to look at other aspects of culture and comparing it to the NBA. Today we will be looking at Presidents of the United States and who there counterpart is in the NBA. This is a two part series the next part will be up Friday.

George Washington - Jerry West

George Washington was our the first President of the United States he symbolizes the office, and he is on Dollar Bill which is the most important dollar amount. Jerry West was one of the 50 greatest players to play the game of Basketball. He is also immortalized as the NBA logo.

John Adams - John Stockton

John Adams was the 2nd president he was one of the best presidents at delegating and not handling everything himself. John Stockton is the All-time assist leader so he wasn't too bad at delegating either.

Thomas Jefferson - Paul Shirley

Thomas Jefferson achieved distinction as an horticulturist, statesman, architect, archaeologist, paleontologist, author, inventor, and the founder of the University of Virginia, among other roles. When President John F. Kennedy welcomed forty-nine Nobel Prize winners to the White House in 1962 he said, "I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent and of human knowledge that has ever been gathered together at the White House—with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."* Paul Shirley was the only one in the NBA that was as multitalented as Thomas Jefferson

James Madison - Magic Johnson

James Madison was the fourth President he was referred to as the "Father of the Constitution," Madison protested that the document was not "the off-spring of a single brain," but "the work of many heads and many hands." Magic Johnson was one of the many hands and heads on so many great Laker teams.

James Monroe - Adrian Dantley

James Monroe was the fifth President, he was an average president compared to the greats who came before him, but he suffered with poor financial planning after his presidency, Adrian Dantley was a 6 time All-Star and he also suffered financially but he blamed his agent David Falk. Too bad President Monroe didn't have the same luxury.

John Quincy Adams - BJ Armstrong

Both of these mens reached the pinnacles of their careers Adams as president. BJ as a world champion, after their careers ended they moved onto other things and neither could ascend to the top again BJ as a GM and President Adams as a Governor.

Andrew Jackson - Wilt Chamberlain

Andrew Jackson was one of the greatest Presidents ever. Wilt was one of the Greatest NBA players ever. The one thing they shared in common is their love for woman.

Martin Van Buren - Spud Webb

Both men are only 5' 6".

William Henry Harrison - Kevin McHale

President Harrison was the first president to die. Kevin McHale killed his career playing with a broken foot.

John Tyler - Steve Francis

Tyler refused to compromise and that affected his ability to govern. Francis too refused to compromise and that most likely killed his career, he never learned that Yao was the man.

James Polk - Scott Skiles

James Polk had an uncanny ability to assist in getting things done. He helped accomplished many things during his presidency. Skiles good at giving assists, its the one thing people will remember him for is his 30 assist game.

Zachary Tyler - Robert Parish

Zachary Taylor was known as Old Rough and Ready, and That describes Robert Parish's game.

Milliard Fillmore - Kirk Hinrich

Milliard Fillmore wasn't even supposed to become president it was Taylor's abrupt resignation that brought him to power. Kirk Hinrich wasn't supposed to be the Bulls PG but after Jay Williams Motorcycle crash the Bulls had to find a replacement and Hinrich was their man.

Franklin Pierce - Charles Barkley

Franklin Pierce was known as a dough-face, and Charles Barkley is known as a doughboy.

James Buchanan - Stephon Marbury

James Buchanan was one of the first Presidents to be known for his ability to change his mind a lot. Stephen Francis is also a flip flopper.

Abraham Lincoln - Penny Hardaway

Abraham Lincoln was one of the greatest president of all-time he helped end slavery, and he was assassinated which ended his presidency too early. Penny was supposed to be the next Michael Jordan until his knees went bad and he became a mediocre player, his career was ended way too early also.

Andrew Johnson - Scottie Pippen

Andrew Johnson was famous for screwing up everything Lincoln accomplished, he couldn't hold it all together. Scottie Pippen also failed by not holding the Bulls together after the second time Jordan retired, Pippen had to leave town and leave the Bulls in ruin.

Ulysses S. Grant - Carmelo Anthony

Grant was beloved by most for his accomplishment he achieved during the Civil War. Carmelo was beloved by all for his accomplishments during the NCAA tournament. Grant was a modest president, the jury is still out on Carmelo.

Rutherford B. Hayes - Dirk Nowitzki

Hayes only won the presidency by one electoral vote. Dirk won the MVP when everyone thought Steve Nash should have won it.

James Garfield - Len Bias

Garfield had the shortest presidency and Len Bias didn't have a NBA career.

Chester Arthur - Qyntel Woods

Arthur was accused of being corrupt and taking bribes, Qyntel was a dog fighter. Both men were corrupt and never knew that each of them were blessed to be were they where.

Part II

* From Wikipedia

Basketball Purgatory

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-28T15:55:00-05:00

August has to be the worst month as a basketball fan. July has free agency beginning and September has the start of training camp. August has nothing at all.

This year we have been blessed with the Tournament of the Americas which isn't entertaining at all. I've almost turned to watching the WNBA but I've been advised against that because they don't make antidepressants strong enough to make those games enjoyable.

The month of August started out well with all the reaction to the KG trade, but that has worn out, The Celtics have been crowned the Eastern Conference Champs so I'm looking forward to the 2008-09 season.

Rafer Alston is trying to make a name for himself with his mini crime spree. Living in Houston, I realize its too hot for him to play some streetball but Seriously Skip to my Luo get a membership at a gym and stay out of the club.

I think Skip looks good in prison orange, this isn't an actual picture but an artist rendering of what he would look like in an orange jump suit.

Don Nelson wants to get paid more money but he doesn't have the right owner anymore, and even if he was still with the Mavs, Cuban would be to busy learning the electric slide so he can be on Dancing with the Stars. This news made David Stern a happy man, with Cuban too busy learning the mamba maybe he will be too busy to bitch about the league.

The trade rumors have been endless this month with who would want to trade for Antoine Walker's fat ass, or who would want Juwan Howard's washed up self.

The Bulls aren't going to make a move to solidify the Power Forward position. So I am openly taking suggestions for a new favorite team, so if you've got any let me know. I want a team that wants to be great and not just a playoff team.

Stephon Marbury hasn't learned how to shut the hell up he thinks Ron Mexico is a good guy in a bad situation. Yeah it was the 130 million dollars he got for being a mediocre QB that caused him to become the ring leader of a dog fighting circuit, he didn't know what he could spend his millions on.

I think I discovered Bill Simmons next book idea , Len Bias to KG: How Danny Ainge lucked in to a championship because Kevin Mchale is the Best GM in Sports according to Forbes Magazine. It will be exactly like his Red Sox book, but less people will buy it because they don't want to hear him complain in two years when the Celtics suck again. The other reason people won't buy it is because he pretty much took an entire summer off so he could recycle his celtics columns into a book, and make people pay for it this time.

All I want to know is it October yet?

Team USA not a Dream

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-27T21:21:37-05:00

Watching Team USA pound on teams in the Tournament of the Americas hasn't been very entertaining. It's been an absolute ass kicking, thats all its been, nothing more nothing less.

I'm not surprised that Team USA is winning, these are the games they are supposed to win. This is no Dream Team.

This team is like the US Military its the biggest and the baddest, and it will roll over anyone in a traditional setting. They can bomb the hell out of a country and destroy everything in sight. The problem is when they have to fight in a non traditional war, like Vietnam, we don't roll over teams, and its an actual battle, that the US may not win. Argentina, Spain, Serbia, Italy these teams are Team USA's Vietnam.

You can't declare this team The Dream Team Because its not. The Dream Team had 10 of the 50 greatest players ever. Ten of them will most lilely be Hall of Famer's, and Laettner will probably make it based on his collegiate career, since most consider him the one of the greatest college players of all-time.

This team has 5 at the most and there is no guarantee this team will even have that many. Team USA had the Greatest Player of all-time and arguably had the best PG, SF, and Point Forward in the history of the game. If you were going to form an all time great team none of the players on this team would even make the list. Kobe is the best player on this team but he wouldn't be in the top 7 on the Dream Team.

This team is by far the best team in the Americas but that isn't saying much when Argentina, and Brazil don't have their full rosters. But you can't declare this team next Dream Team when they haven't played anything.

So please stop the hype this team is no Dream Team! They are All-Stars and that is it.

Week in Review

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-26T17:09:31-05:00

It seems that the blog is getting some good press from Epic Carnival and The Half Court Heave they both linked to the Marbury for President and and Bringing Ugly Back.

Stephon And Kobe: Bi-Polar, Lack of Media Training, Who Cares?

Tim Donaghy gets to keep his pension.

Learn to Play Basketball like Steve Nash

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-25T05:00:00-05:00

I thought we all could improve our game, so here is some Steve Nash training videos.

Is Adam Silver the Next David Stern?

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-24T23:21:00-05:00

Sooner or later David Stern is going to retire or resign or get overthrown in a coup d'état. Any one of these are very possible. Hopefully the coup d'état doesn't happen but I wouldn't put it past the fans due to this Donaghy Scandal.

David Stern is the most likable commissioner in professional sports. So he is going to be a hard man to replace. His replacement is waiting in the wings, Adam Silver is that man. Adam Silver replaced the widely loved Russ Granik as Deputy Commissioner. If Granik was the apparent heir to the commissioner there would be no need to write this.

The Great thing about Stern, and Tagliabue is that they never tried to be the story. They knew that the focus should be on the players and the teams on the field and court and not them self's, this is a mistake that Bud Selig has yet to realize this.

What do we really know about Adam Silver? He has been with the league for the past 14 years. He oversaw the creation of NBA TV (which is doing great by the way) He was an executive producer for the movie "Like Mike" which started Little Bow Wow. Also he helped produce the movies "Michael Jordan to the Max", Whatever happened to Michael Ray?", and "Year of Yao". If any of these movies are indicators about his job performance we should be scared. The truth be told we don't know much about Mr. Silver, I think the league needs to make him more visible, let the public get to know him, because what I know of him right now, I don't really like, he is no Russ Granik.

When Roger Goodell replace Paul Tagliabue everyone wanted to know who Mr. Goodell is. We got that answer when he decided he would be the Sheriff and clean up the NFL. My fear is that since no one really knows who Adam Silver is he too will have to make a name for himself right away and step away from the giant shadow of David Stern. I want to believe that Adam Silver isn't going to make a huge statement like Goodell made with his personal conduct policy. So I'm begging you Mr. Silver to be more like your predecessor and not like Mr. Goodell.

Marbury For President

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-23T19:21:00-05:00

It seems to me that Stephon Marbury is planning a presidential campaign. I think he should.

He is use to make bold proclamations such as declaring himself as "the best PG in the league".

He has been on four teams so he should have a large base of supporters.

He is against poverty in the USA by offering his sneaker for $14.98, but he isn't against low wages in asia or poverty anywhere else or he couldn't charge $14.98 for his shoes.

He has a Secretary of defense already in Ben Wallace.

He flips flop like the best politicians. He defends Michael Vick one day and the next day he doesn't.

I don't know what Mr. Marbury views are on abortion, free trade, privacy, the war in Iraq, gay marriage, or any matters of relevance, but if he ran for president we would all get to hear his eloquent public speaking skills on a daily basis. All I know is that He should be the next President of the United States of America. All I know is if he ran

Why I Love Basketball

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-22T21:13:05-05:00

My fiancee asked me why I write about basketball and nothing else. So I decided to explain it to her, The reason I love basketball so much is because it was the first sporting event my father and I ever attended alone. Before my first basketball game, all the sporting events I've ever been to were with the entire family. We had to have gone to at least 10-15 games before I turned the age of 10, but the problem was it was with everyone my mom and sister would come with and we would always leave before the end of the game because my sister would be bored.

This all changed April 13, 1990 this was the first sporting event I would attend with just my father. It was the Bulls vs Bucks. I hated the Bucks, because they were from Wisconsin and everyone from Illinois is supposed to dislike Wisconsin (I was 8, I didn't know any better, the hatred for Wisconsin comes naturally when you are nine due to the fact that all the males in my family are Bears fans and they spew their hatred towards the Packers, it rubs off on a child.). I hated the Bucks they were my sworn enemy. I was so excited for the game. I remember walking into Chicago Stadium and being in absolute awe of my surroundings, The smells, the sights, the sounds, my dad. I knew this is where I belonged, I found my sport.

Walking up to are seats, I was so excited to see my hero Michael Jordan in person, I was hopefully optimistic that I would get an autograph, I didn't realize at the time that getting an autograph sitting in the 300 level was near impossible, so just to say I never got an autograph. We got to our seats, they were located in the corner I remember I could see the Bulls bench. I don't remember the details of the game, but this is what I remember; the Bulls won, I got to stay to the end of the game, I ate some food, and I got to spend time with my dad alone, it was my first guy night.

The reason I love this game so much and I write about it is because of this moment in time, maybe if this didn't happen I would be writing about baseball, or god help me hockey. Some day I hope to have these moments with my children.

I love this game.

Rare NBA Collectables

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-21T22:46:28-05:00

Scouring Ebay for rare NBA collectables can be a treat especially when you find some of the great auctions that I found today.

First up is a trio of Signed basketball cards featuring Rik Smits, Byron Scott, and Kirk Snyder. This has to be one of the strangest grouping of players ever, what do they all have in have in common? That you can buy all three for the low low price of $3.99.

Next up is a Lonny Baxter signed card for the low low price of $2.50.

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For all you Mateen Cleeves fans out their who still believe he can be a great point guard in the NBA, you can get a signed card for only $2.50.

This is the exact card I was searching for a signed Nikoloz Tskitishvili card.

Here is another great trio of signed cards Scot Pollard, Roy Rodgers, and Jamal Robinson for only a dollar.

Second to last piece of memrobillia any true basketball fan must own a pair of signed Alvin Williams game worn sneakers. Only for $70.00 Canadian.

The last thing I found that everyone should own is signed index cards, the signatures on these index cards include Jerry West, Kevin Durant, Greg Oden, Shaq, Dwight Howard, Ron Artest, Magic Johnson, Joakim Noah, Ben Wallace, John Wooden, Dr. J, Mike Conley Jr. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Charles Barkley.

Here is a sample of the wonderful product you can purchase.

Here is where you can see the rest.

Why are Players Allowed to Gamble?

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-20T20:28:35-05:00

With the Donaghy scandal raising more questions about the integrity of the referees in the league, Donaghy is said to have information that 20 referees broke the collective bargaining agreement with the league by gambling, it raises the question why are players allowed to gamble but the referees are not allowed to gamble besides at the horse track during the off season?

I understand the reason why the league would ban gambling, because if a ref got into serious trouble, and had a debt that they could not pay off, that they may be put in a situation where they could attempt to shave points, or provide inside information.

So why are players allowed to gamble? Aren't they just as likely to get into trouble with debt, or a bookie? Aren't they even more capable of shaving points in a game? For example Charles Barkley has stated that he has lost millions of dollars gambling, wouldn't a player losing this type of money be more likely to try to fix a game to make up for the insane amount of money that he lost?

I don't see the problem rising from a player betting on games they played in like Pete Rose. I could see players getting into trouble playing blackjack or craps, or placing a bet on football, and if the player gets into trouble wouldn't the idea of fixing a game be an easy solution?

I'm not saying this would ever happen its highly unlikely, but we all thought a ref interfering in an outcome of a game highly unlikely, but what it happened?

All I really want to know is why there is a double standard between players and referees. Why are players allowed to gamble and referees are not?

Week in Review

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-19T19:59:18-05:00

The end of the second week of Garbage-Time is here and it was a good week. A french basketball blog linked to my Simpsons piece. I'm not going to link to the blog because I'm not a fan of the French, and I don't know French, so i have no idea if the blog is saying nice things about the site.

Donaghy plead guilty and allegedly he has info about other refs.

NBA TV is for sale.

Saturday I took a look at unattractive throwback jerseys.

Obama got my vote because I don't think Hillary could do this.

Bringing Ugly Back!

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-18T19:32:03-05:00

The one thing the NBA does very well is market it's teams. The NBA has created a market for something that no one really knew there was a market for, The throwback jerseys. Throwbacks are a great, don't get me wrong, when Gold State wears "The City" Uniforms they look awesome and everyone wants one. I jumped on throwback bandwagon when Jordan came out of retirement to play for Washington, I rushed out and bought a Bullets hat that had the number 23 embroidered on it. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I love the throwbacks, they celebrate the history of the league. The only thing I don't like about throwbacks are that they only celebrate the cool looking jerseys from the past. I think the league should embrace all of its past and have the horrifically ugly jerseys as throwbacks.

I do think there is a market for the ugly throwbacks. That market is the guys that like to get drunk and watch basketball, or go to the games to have a good time. These are the guys that would purchase an ugly throwback, that marketing mistake, they would embrace the ugly throwback, and they would make it cool or at least think they were cool for wearing them, a nice buzz can make you do alot of things. Drunken fans for every team would love to own a piece of their team's history, they would should show their support for their team by wearing an ugly throwback to a game, or to their local sports bar. These are the people that would help bring ugly back.

When looking back at the ugly throwbacks there are two division, pre-1990 and post-1990. all the post-1990 have a common theme throughout, this theme is large logos, that make absolutely no sense why they were used. I love all these uniforms if I had a few thousand dollars to spend I would scour ebay for all these jerseys, and I would wear them proudly, they would say I am a true fan of the NBA lets take a look shall we.

Atlanta Hawks

I love the image of the hawk because the word Hawks on the front of the jersey didn't give the team away.

Cleveland Cavaliers

It is like a little league jersey, but its for the NBA, the only thing that is missing is some angry parents.

Detroit Pistons

The horse reminds me of a knight in chess, Knight to E2, Checkmate!

Philadelphia 76ers

I think the stars are classy, patriotic but why are they on opposites sides for the shorts and the jersey?

Toronto Raptors

My seventh grade science teacher is the one who came up with the mascot for Toronto, thank God he didn't create the jersey.

Memphis Grizzlies

I like how the Grizzly on the short can palm the basketball and it looks like he as an opposable thumb.

Houston Rockets

Are stripes slimming, or was this before Charles gained a bunch of weight and could barely outrun an old man?

Phoenix Suns

Classic use of a basketball on a jersey also Hawks and Rockets for other prime examples.

Utah Jazz

Another use of poor colors but they use a a beautiful mountain scene in the background.

Larry Brown and his sweater

My official statement is no comment.

All images were acquired from web site sportsecyclopedia.com.

Mascot Dunks!

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-17T17:23:05-05:00

Continuing with yesterdays theme of mascots. Today we will take a look at NBA mascots dunking.

Mascot Hall of Fame

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-16T23:06:51-05:00

In my daily scouring of all things sports something very interesting came to my attention The Mascot Hall of Fame. First thing I never knew such a thing existed, why didn't I know such a thing existed? This is by far one of the most unbelievably things I have ever heard of. So I go to the website which is www.mascothalloffame.com and there are 9 inductees a third of the being NBA mascots. Out of the nine inductees I recognized a third of them, one being the The Phillie Phanatic of The Philadelphia Phillies, another being Bucky the Badger of University of Wisconsin, and the third being The Phoenix Gorilla of The Phoenix Suns. Out of the three NBA mascots I recognized only one, probably the most famous mascot in the league.

So it came to a shock that the other two were both bears. Why do teams have bears as their mascots unless they are the Grizzlies? I have no idea, the two mascots are Clutch the Bear of the Houston Rockets and The Jazz Bear of the Utah Jazz. I have no idea what bears have to do with rockets or jazz music, but each of these teams have one for a mascot. Here are their bios from the Hall.

The Jazz Bear

Utah Jazz's Mascot
Introduced in 1993 * Created NBA's Mascot Conference * Recognized by peers and fans as one of the top NBA mascots * Received the RC Willey community service award * Day named after the Jazz Bear by the Governor of Utah * Received over 50 other community service awards for charity work *
Born deep in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, "Bear" was destined to be a star. After graduating Bear Point Academy and performing as a member of the Bearnum and Bailey Circus (where Bear learned most of his tricks), Bear was finally discovered by a Jazz scout and was able to bring his high-flying, crowd-pumping skills to Jazz fans young and old. Jazz Bear separates himself from the rest with his combination of pyrotechnics and acrobatics. Jazz fans have the pleasure of watching Bear repel from the arena ceiling, as well as sledding, surfing and biking down the arena stairs. Some Bears hibernate when it gets cold; Jazz Bear prefers dunking through hoops of fire for warmth. A winner of numerous community awards, Bear is a huge part of the Jazz's success.

Clutch the Bear

Houston Rocket's Mascot
Introduced in 1995 * Voted first NBA 2005 Mascot of the Year * 5th Most recognizable mascot of all time by USA Today * 2003 Game Ops Mascot of the year * Mascot Video skit of year 2004 and 2006 at Idea Conference * 2005 "Crazy for the Finals" Mascot Stunt competition winner * Star of his own book "Clutch's Day at the Doctor" * Over 250 appearances in Houston, USA and internationally outside of the Rockets games.
Since bursting onto the scene in 1995, Houston's Own CLUTCH "The Rockets Bear" has become one of sport's most celebrated mascots. Named the 5th most recognizable mascot in sports by USA Today in February 2005, Clutch is the Houston Rockets' number one fan, and can be seen cheering on his team at all Houston Rockets home games. Whether he is creating impromptu comedy, cheerleading, signing autographs, dancing with the Power Dancers (to the beat of his own drum), doling out hugs, or performing on-court skits, Clutch is always a fan favorite. While attending a Rockets game there is a good chance you will see Clutch get shot out of a cannon or dunking the ball while soaring through the air. You might also catch Clutch's alter-egos (Angel and Devil Clutch). Though a celebrity in his own right, he has worked with many Hollywood celebrities, sports stars and politicians, including Jack Nicholson, Kevin Costner, George Bush Sr., Tiger Woods, Adam Sandler, Bill Murray, Nelly, Chris Tucker, Andy Roddick, Roger Clemens, and Nolan Ryan, to name a few. Clutch tours over 100 schools each year performing school programs and makes numerous other community appearances throughout the Houston area. Not to be just a home town Bear, Clutch has developed a strong following in China along with his buddy Yao Ming.

I am just mystified that these two are some of the most recognizable mascots, how can that be? Up until today I never heard of them. They make absolutely no sense for being a mascot, these two are even crazier idea for a mascot compared to the Gorilla, which is one of the coolest mascots ever because he was one of the first mascot to do the trampoline dunk. Which is more entertaining than watching Nate Robinson attempt the same dunk 12 times. I leave you with the bio of the greatest mascot in the history of the NBA.

The Phoenix Gorilla

The Phoenix Suns
The Suns Gorilla or "Go" as he is affectionately called raised the bar before the NBA even knew there was a bar to raise.
Before GO or BG fans would go to a game and see the same old stuff. After Go or AG there was an opportunity to see a character performer launching themselves off of mini-tramps executing high flying acrobatics while performing spectacular dunks. BG there was the same old thing. AG there were fun and creative in game skits and routines performed by NBA mascots on the court in quarter breaks and timeouts that would leave you rolling in your seats. BG it was the same old thing. AG it was just plain better! The Godfather of the mini-tramp dunk the Gorilla flies high to his rightful perch in the Mascot Hall of Fame.

My Favorite Basketball Video Games

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-15T11:38:36-05:00

With yesterdays release of Madden 08, it made me think about basketball video games. I've always had a soft spot for basketball games ever since I was a little boy. Here is a look at my personal favorites.

I remember the best thing about going on road trips with my parents was that I would be able to play a video game for 5 or 6 straight hours and then we would arrive at the hotel we were staying at. Long before Gameboy came out there were these little electronic handheld games, and my absolute favorite one was Jordan vs Bird. That game use to make road trips fly by. The game wasn't very complex there was a handful of images that showed up depending on which way you pressed the directional pad. This game is what made me so competitive, every time I lost to Bird I would get so angry.

The next two games are personal favorites because I was able to play against other people, which was very exciting because just playing against a computer can get boring. Arch Rivals and NBA Jams these two games ate up my allowance for a good 6 year span. These games were nothing like the league itself they were high pace two on two action that was just fun. The best part of the entire things is that I could beat other people it was a good experience when I won and a bad experience when I lost. I was still young and I wasn't a good loser or a good winner. I would complain when I lost and I would bask in the glory when I won. The one thing I remember most of all about NBA Jam is that Scottie Pippen was amazing like he was one of the best players in the game. I think if Jordan would have been in the game, no one could have beaten the Bulls.

Then there came a low no truly great video games were released for 10 years. I started my first year of college living in the dorms and I had one of the coolest roommates ever. Graham and I decided we needed to buy a basketball video game to occupy our time so we discussed the merits of the NBA 2k games and NBA live. We ended up choosing to get NBA 2k3. It was the greatest choice we both ever made. I think our grades suffered a little bit due to the late night games and constituent competition, but our lives were truly changed once we discovered the awesomeness of franchise mode. We would simulate all 30 seasons and see how many championships we could win. But the epic battles didn't begin until NBA 2k4. 2k4 changed the entire ball game due to the fact that you could run multiple franchises. We would both pick a team and they would usually be Utah and Atlanta, Than we would see who could win the most championships in one franchise. We met in the finals a bunch, and Graham would usually beat me, but it wouldn't ever stop me from trying to beat him, and when it did it was glorious because it was such a rare thing to happen. NBA 2k4 was the greatest video game ever in my opinion.

How to Fix the NBA Schedule

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-14T19:38:55-05:00

Almost every writer out there has an opinion on the formats of the playoffs. Some people believe they should seed 1-16 and not by the current playoff format. Some writers believe they should inter-seed which would have the 1 seed from the East play the 8th Seed from the west. Others want to reseed after the 1st round by conference or by the league as a whole. But the problem I see with the league isn't the playoffs it is the regular season schedule.

My plan involves of not having conferences all together and having the league focus on divisions. This would solve the balance between the east and the west because that difference would no longer be there. By losing the conferences and focusing on divisions we can get balanced schedules in each division. Where every team in each division plays the same out of divisional schedule with every team in their own division. This levels the playing field because a team won't because teams in a division won't have an unbalanced schedule for example, Detroit plays Toronto and Miami each 4 times while Chicago plays them each 3 times. Chicago Plays Charlotte and New Jersey 4 times each and Detroit plays them both 3 times. The rest of their schedules are the same. This would lead to the assumption that Detroit's schedule is tougher since they have to play the other two divisional champions from last season an extra time compared to the Bulls.

What is the purpose of having divisions if you play teams outside your division just as much as the teams in your division? There is no point, so I propose an idea that would make the playing fields level in the divisions and bring back rivalries to the NBA. I propose to to revamp the entire schedule instead of only playing teams in your own division four times each team would play them eight times. This would double the total amount of divisional games a team plays to 32, and the rest of the games would be played outside of a team's division. Each team would play every team outside their division twice which would bring the total games played to 82.

This is a great idea because it brings back rivalries that matter, who really cares about a Bulls, Nets Rivalry? I'm a Bulls fan and I would much rather have the rivalries that use to exist in the 80's and 90's. With each team playing so many divisional games, it makes divisions matter again and it also would open up the playoff format because conferences wouldn't matter anymore. The six divisional winners would be seeded 1-6 and the 10 best teams left would be seeded 7-16. This format makes the regular season relevant again but it also brings along the change we need for the playoffs to be great again.

Problems with the League

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-13T18:44:05-05:00

The NBA isn't a perfect league, it does have its problem and I'm not talking about scandals or things of that nature I'm talking about problems with the product itself. So lets look at some of these problems.

All-Stars not staying with the same franchise their entire career. On the 2007 East team there are only four players on the roster that are still on the same team that drafted them, and all four of the players have four years or experience or less. The 2007 West team had 10 players on the same team that drafted them. So 14 out of the 29 all stars less than half are with the team that drafted them or acquired their rights. There isn't a solution to this because you can't really control where players want to play at. Hopefully the young players in the East decide to stay with their current teams and people will follow the teams and not just the players.

No rivalries, there isn't a single rivalry that matters in the NBA anymore. The League and ABC tried to make the Lakers, Heat a compelling feud but that didn't really happen. There aren't compelling match-ups for fans to watch, this could be due to expansion. Are there just too many team in the league? Contraction could be a possible solution, but that will never happen. The only other suggestion I would have is to make divisional games more important. The way you would do this is by having each tame play every team in the league twice and then having them play against divisional teams 8 times a season. I believe this would make the league stronger because it would allow rivalries to be formed again.

The announcing isn't as good as it use to be. If the video below doesn't give you goose-bumps, I really don't know how to argue my point to you.

Why don't they do these sort of intros anymore? I don't believe this can be fixed, it has been down hill ever since the NBA went to ABC/ESPN.

Week in Review

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-12T21:31:46-05:00

The end of our first week back in the blogging business is here, and I would like to introduce a new idea I have its called the Week in Review. It's pretty basic just a review of things that happened during the week.

Garbage-Time got it first set of links ever this week! It was a very exciting moment in our history. The links were from FanHouse, HoopsAddict, and Ted Miller Sports Rant. They all linked to NBA Players and their Respective Simpson's Character, I have a second part of this that will be coming soon.

The Association knows the reason why Scot Pollard is wearing the number 66.

Penny and Shaq are back together. Thanks, Deadspin.

Kelly Dwyer thinks Charlotte can win 50 games.

The greatest melt down by a blog commenter I've ever seen. From Blog-A-Bull, we will miss you Joe Joe.

Who is the Peter King of the NBA?

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-11T08:52:56-05:00

With the NFL season beginning, there is something that NFL fans get to look forward too, MMQB by Peter King. Peter King is the must read for any diehard football fan. I look forward to quality writing about the NFL every Monday and Tuesday. Of course there are things we all dislike about his writings, but what columnist can't we say that about but thats besides the point. Peter King is a must read every Monday, which leads me to my point of who is the must read columnist for the NBA?

There are plenty of columnist that I read everything they write.

Bill Simmons - States on a regular basis that he is one of the last basketball fans on the planet. But he doesn't just write about basketball, problem he writes about everything else also.

ESPN Insiders: Chad Ford, Mark Stein, Chris Sheridan- Completely knowledgeable about the game, entertaining, inside information. Problem #1 you have to be an insider to read most of there stuff. Problem #2 since Chad Ford became a professor he is writing less and that makes insider worthless.

Kelly Dwyer- Great writer, enjoyed his work, but does he even have a job anymore? I really hope he does, but I haven't seen anything new from him in awhile, besides on TrueHoop.

Henry Abbott- The king of basketball blogdom. Every link he post is a most read if you are a basketball fan TrueHoop is always a must read. TrueHoop is my absolutely favorite site, but its not comparable to a column, they are just too different.

Bethlehem Shoals- Love freedarko! Love his work at the fanhouse, but he has the same problem has Henry.

Dime Smack- Great read, like the feud with Slam!, but the problem is its just not mainstream enough.

Random SI Guys- They just don't compare to Kelly Dwyer.

Charley Rosen- Too Retrospective.

Others- Bloggers, Newspaper Columnists, ect...

View MicroPollWeb SurveyFree Web Polls

Back to the Future Nikes

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-10T17:19:30-05:00

In Back to the Future 2. Marty McFly traveled to the future and he received the sweetest pair of sneakers ever. Little did we know that Nike actually got a patient for them. These seem to be the precursor to some very famous shoes or are the famous shoes a precursor to these?

The Images below are from the patient.

The most interesting part of is that these shoes look like they could have been pen a prototype for the Air Jordan XX's . Unfortunately the Jordan XXs don't lace up and tighten up on their own.

Air Jordans

Air McFlys

Via Gizmodo

Bring Back Roundball

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-10T05:58:56-05:00

This is a warning everything after the read more link may contain excessive cursing. You have been warned.

I've had this question on my mind for such a long time that I need to get it off my chest. Why has ABC made the theme song for the NBA a song that 12-year-old girls would like? Is the NBA now marketing towards prepubescent girls?

What the fuck is it, whose stupid ass idea was it to have the Pussycat Dolls do the intro to a sporting event? I just don't understand it, is the only reason is because they are attractive? That is my only idea why it would be a good idea, and if they wanted to save some money they could of went down to some hooters restaurant and hired some girls to dance around when they did the intro. No guy is watching the intro and saying to their friends wow those girls can dance, if they are saying anything, its either; "What the fuck is this?" or "I like the ass on the one on the left"

Wow! That was so great, how much fucking talent does it take to say the words "Right Now...." and just repeat it over and over again? How does this get me excited for basketball?

Here is an example of a great theme.

If hearing that song doesn't get you excited to watch some basketball, there is something seriously wrong with you. Roundball was a staple of the NBA everyone knew it was the theme to the NBA, and they loved it.

When people here the ABC theme, they don't care. ABC has used 9 different themes since they got the NBA and you know what, they all suck.
Here they are We Got Hoops by Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Can't Get Enough by Justin Timberlake,[19] Let's Get It Started by the Black Eyed Peas, Lose My Breath by Destiny's Child, This Is How A Heart Breaks by Rob Thomas and Runnin' Down a Dream by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Please ABC pay John Tesh for the rights to use Roundball, the true fans of the NBA are begging you.

NBA Players and Their Respective Simpson's Character

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-09T06:59:00-05:00

I've seen lists on other blogs comparing NBA players to rappers, superheroes and everything else. The one thing I've never seen is a list comparing the greatest athlete to characters from one of the greatest television shows ever.
Well here it is.

Homer - Shaq

Homer Simpson and Shaq are the perfect for each other. Homer isn't the best father or husband, people aren't expecting a lot from him and then he does something spectacular like saving Springfield from destruction. Shaq is the same way, he use to be unstoppable, and he use to be in shape, but now and again he will turn the clock back and have one of those games when we all remember why Shaq is one of the greatest players ever.

Bart - Kobe

Bart and Kobe are the big names that everyone comes to watch. They both have moments when you love them and they also have moments when you just don't understand what they are thinking. They both have an edge to them that is hard to define, but they also have something undeniably charming about them.

Principle Skinner - Bruce Bowen

Principle Skinner is Bart's mortal enemy, and Bruce Bowen is Kobe's biggest foe on the hardwood.

Apu - Dwyane Wade

Both Apu, and D Wade put their bodies on the line everyday they are at work. Apu at the Kwik-E-Mart where he has been robbed many times, and been shot. D Wade while driving to the hoop trying to make a high degree of difficulty shot, he drives to the hoop with no regards of being injured.

Chief Wiggum - Ben Wallace

Both are overrated, Chief Wiggum as a police officer, and Ben Wallace as a defender.

Dr. Hibbert - Gilbert Arenas

Both are the best at what they do, but they both may be a little crazy.

Barney - Vin Baker

Need I say more?

Smithers - Reggie Evans

Smithers may be a homosexual and I think the same can be said for Reggie Evans. What straight man willingly touches another mans junk?

Moe - Tracy McGrady

Moe is a loser, and T-Mac hasn't won anything.

Grandpa Simpson - Dikembe Mutombo

Do we really know how either one of these guys truly are?

Side Show Bob - Ron Artest

Both are a little crazy.

Lenny and Carl - Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson

Best friends till the end.

Crazy Shots

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-08T22:28:11-05:00

NBA Records

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-08T07:36:26-05:00

With Barry Bonds breaking the all-time home-run record last night. I've decided to take a look at some NBA records. The problem with records in the NBA are that there isn't one that means so much to the sport like the all-time home-run record, maybe besides number of illegitimate children, which will never be broken, that will always belong to the great Shawn Kemp.

There is Wilt's 100 point game, which maybe the home-run record for the NBA. This is one of the most amazing feats in the league, and I really don't believe it will ever be broken, and if it is, it will be the most amazing thing to be able to watch. Kobe's 81 point game was amazing, So I don't think I could describe what 101 would be like.

Kareem's Career 38,387 points , which is amazing feat in itself that it isn't held by Wilt also, when you look at the scoring records on NBA.com almost ever scoring record is held by Wilt. This will probably never be broken but if it is, it will be most likely be broken by Kobe. Kobe has 19296 career points, so for him to break it he would pretty much have to stay healthy for the rest of his career and average a little under 2000 points a season for the next ten seasons.

Scott Skiles 30 assists in one game. Amazing record, I wanted to find the box score for the game to see how many points he scored that game, but I couldn't. My question is with all the hate Jason Kidd has for Skiles why hasn't he made it his mission to destroy this record. I would think the idea of taking Skiles down would make J Kidd giddy. There are a lot of great point guards in the league that could possibly break this record. I believe Steve Nash could his highest is 22, but if he set his mind to it, he could break it. I also believe Jason Kidd could his career high is 25 and add his hatred toward Skiles and I believe he could be a man on a mission.

John Stockton's 15,806 career assists will probably never be eclipsed. Stockton has over 5000 more assists than Mark Jackson in 2nd. This record maybe the Joe DiMaggio 56 consecutive games with a hit. I just don't see how either record will ever be broken.

A.C. Green's 1192 consecutive games played. A.C. is the Iron man of the NBA.

Most wins in the regular season held by 1995-96 Chicago Bulls at 72 wins.

Most games in one season 88 held by Walt Bellamy.

2007-08 NBA.com Rookie Survey

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-07T08:28:16-05:00

On NBA.com they have posted a survey taken by the 2007 Draft class. This survey is very interesting due to the fact that it allows us to see how the rookies look at their fellow rookies.

The thing I find most interesting is that over 50% of the rookies surveyed believe Kevin Durant will be the Rookie of the Year. But when surveyed who is most ready to contribute right away that is taken by Al Horford with 29.5%. the interesting part is that Horford doesn't get one vote to become Rookie of the Year. How can he be the most ready to contribute right away, but not be considered for Rookie of the Year? If I remembered correctly last season every scout and writer thought Brandon Roy was the most ready to play in the NBA and guess what, he won the Rookie of the Year. So I find it hard to believe that your peers think you are the most ready to contribute right away but you can't win Rookie of the Year. I would think that both would coincide with each other.

Yi Jianlian was the rookie the players know the least about, which isn't very shocking since some NBA GMs know nothing about him, like his age or have seen him workout, I'm looking at you Larry Harris.

One more thing, the Rookies were surveyed on who they would most like to play against, and Kobe and Shaq were voted one, two. The interesting thing is some of the players thst they were looking forward to play against are Jamal Crawford, Ryan Gomes, David Lee, J.J. Redick, Quiton Ross, and Josh Smith. No offense to those guys but come on these guys aren't one of a kind players. None of these guys are All-Stars, or Hall of Famers and they will never be, why wouldn't you be like I want to dunk on Yao, or block Carmello at the buzzer. They are like I'd rather put up 50 against Jamal Crawford, or J.J. Reddick. I just don't get how Jason Kidd, and Dwayne Wade only get one vote each and how players like Carmello, Iverson, Rasheed Wallace, and Ben Wallace don't get any votes.

If I could play against any current NBA player, I would want to play against Reggie Evans, so I could hit him in the nuts.

Stay Classy Minnesota

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-06T15:01:11-05:00

Pioneer Press via Real GM
"The Timberwolves have no immediate plans to retire the No. 21 jersey of Kevin Garnett, the future hall of famer who was traded to the Boston Celtics last week.

"But if somebody asks for that number, I don't think I'm going to give it out," team owner Glen Taylor said. "Kevin was a special guy for our franchise and for Minnesota."”

I think this is the best piece of news I have read the last month about the NBA. With the gambling scandal, this news shows that there are good things happening in the league.

We all know how much Kevin loved Minnesota and that if he had his way he would have been a part of the Timberwolves for life, but the franchise wasn’t winning, and they wouldn’t have been able to build around his contract.

So Glen Taylor made a classy decision that I wish more owners would make, by essentially saying that Kevin Garnett’s number 21 will be retired even though Garnett will most likely not finish his career with the organization.

In the end it’s a shame that Garnett couldn’t be in Minnesota for his entire career because without him, I believe basketball will struggle in Minnesota.

Get a Medic!

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-05T10:35:22-05:00

This video makes me laugh every time I watch it.

Darrell Armstrong who do you think you are?

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-04T13:55:00-05:00

Darrell Armstrong doesn't want to be on a team that is rebuilding, shocking! I can't really be surprised that another aging veteran wants to win a championship before his time is up.

But this is Darrell Armstrong, Mister 9.2 ppg for his career.
You are 39 years old why are you still in the league?
What have you done to deserve to be on a champion?

You should be grateful enough that you were able to play in the NBA, seriously though you don't deserve to win an NBA championship, I'm so sick of aging veterans who want to win a championship, that they will get paid the veterans minimum to sit on the bench for a team that could possibly make the playoffs, instead of doing something practical like signing with a young team and helping young players blossom into superstars.

What would be more rewarding? Winning a ring while being the 12th man or helping in developing a young superstar. Take PJ Brown for example, he didn't want to be in Chicago, but he made the best of the situation and took Ty Thomas under his wing and helped mentor him. You should want to do that because you are doing something for the game you love. So why sell out for a chance at some piece of jewelry that you did nothing to earn? If you don't want to help the game, just retire and stop being selfish. This goes out to every aging vet not just you Mr. Armstrong. I believe that the league needs to do something about these players who just want a ring and make a maximum age limit, and once you reach that age you can no longer sign a new contract. I believe that would help solve this problem with undeserving veterans trying to wing a championship before they retire.

Darko Milicic

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-03T16:21:19-05:00

Since before the 2003 NBA draft, I have been obsessed with Darko Milicic. I read every piece of writing Chad Ford wrote about him before the draft, I was sold on him, he became my favorite NBA player before he played a second in the league. If I had the first pick in the draft I would have taken him, I was excited that the Pistons drafted him. I thought for sure he would be a better pro compared to Lebron or Carmelo. Up to this point I've been wrong but not once have I doubted the abilities of the man we all call Darko.

The 2007-08 season will be his coming out party, I think he will strive in the run and gun style that Coach Iavaroni is going to implement in Memphis. I'm predicting a 17 ppg, 8 rpg, and 3 apg, and 1.5 bpg and his first All-Star Team. I believe Paul Gasol is a better fit at the four with him then Dwight Howard was. I believe Mike Conley Jr is going to feed him the ball better than either one of his former shoot first PGs he played with on the Magic. Most of all I believe he believes in himself. I think he is tired of everyone calling him a bust.

Can't Wait...

wade.jones@garbage-time.com — 2007-08-02T17:53:21-05:00

So the NBA schedule was released today and I just can't wait till the season to tip off.

Some interesting tidbits from the schedule are Phoenix and Miami both have 25 games televised on ABC, ESPN, or TNT.
Atlanta, Indiana, and Philadelphia have zero games televised on ABC, ESPN, or TNT.

Boston has 10 games and Minnesota has only 1.

The Atlantic Division has 17 Games*
The Southeast Division has 36 Games*
The Central Division has 70 Games*
The Northwest Division has 42 Games*
The Pacific Division has 65 Games*
The Southwest Division has 59 Games*

Shaq and Kobe both play on Christmas day but they aren't playing against each other.

*Interdivisional games are counted once for each team.