Some Great Highlights

If you are like me and have been missing your usual fix of NBA highlights, I found a nice clip featuring both recent and classic highlights from years ago. Enjoy.

The Oldest NBA Players

With Shaq recently retiring, it got me thinking of some of the older players in the league. The NBA season can take a toll on an athlete's body so I am always impressed when I see some of the older players still competing.

Here are just some of the guys who extended their careers into their 40's. Kevin Willis 44, Robert Parrish 43, Dikembe Mutombo 42, Kareem  Abdul Jabbar 42, John Stockton 41, and Karl Malone 40. I'm surprised that so many big men were able to hold up for so many years.

Here is a list of last seasons oldest players. It will be intersting to see which ones will be retiring first from this group. Any predictions?

Jason Kidd
Derek Fisher
Marcus Camby
Theo Ratliff
Steve Nash
Juwan Howard
Ben Wallace
Grant Hill
Kurt Thomas

FYI- Andrew Bynum holds the record for being the youngest player to ever play in the NBA.

Post Season Depression

It's been a year since I started this blog and I can think of no better way to celebrate than being depressed because basketball season is over. I think it's good to take a break, but I miss seeing the daily highlights.

Just like some new mothers get post partum depression, I get post-playoff depression. I feel like I am being mocked when I check for scores and highlights but am only able to see hockey and baseball. 

I know it will be hard for the next several months, but what really makes it hard is the possibility of labor disputes delaying things even further.

The Best NBA Player's Nicknames

If you are a popular NBA player, it's common to have a nickname. Sometimes players sound more like super heroes than they do athletes when you hear some of their aliases. Below I have listed just some of the more popular NBA player's nicknames. I have categorized them by how good I think the names are.

Favorite Nicknames
Dr. J- Julius Erving
Chocolate Thunder- Daryl Dawkins
The Diesel- Shaquille O'Neal
The Iceman- George Gervin
Magic- Ervin Johnson
Thunder-Dan Majerle
Air- Michael Jordan
The Microwave- Vinnie Johnson

Decent Nicknames
The Mailman- Karl Malone
The Glide-Clyde Drexler
AK47- Andrei Kirilenko
The Pistol-Pete Maravich
The Human Highlight Reel- Dominique Wilkins
Dr. Dunkenstein- Darrell Griffith
The Big Ticket- Kevin Garnett

Don't Really Care For These Names
The Dream- Hakeem Olajuwon
The Black Mamba- Kobe Bryant
The Matrix- Shawn Marion
The Birdman- Chris Andersen
The Stilt- Wilt Chamberlain
Silk- Jamaal Wilkes
The Truth- Paul Pierce
Zeke- Isaiah Thomas

Horrible Nicknames
The Round Mound of Rebound- Charles Barkley
Big Country-Bryant Reeves
The Whopper- Billy Paultz
Z-Bo- Zach Randolph
The Big O-Oscar Robertson
The Custodian- Brain Cardinal
The Worm- Dennis Rodman

NBA Conspiracy Theories

I haven't heard as much talk from basketball conspiracy theorists this year as I have in the past. Their theory is that the NBA wants the bigger teams to go to the finals and win the championship each year. They believe that teams like the Lakers, Bulls, and Knicks are more likely to advance because they make more money for "the man" because of their large fan base as opposed to smaller markets like the Jazz, Kings, and Grizzlies.

There are times when I see some bad calls which make me entertain the idea that a ref may want a particular outcome for the game.  I will admit that All stars and veterans get preferential treatment from the refs, but that's noting new. As much as I think the NBA would love to have the most popular teams with the biggest draw in the post season, I don't believe that games are thrown in an effort to get them to the finals.

As tempting as it is to give credence to some of these theories, I think many of them are promoted by disgruntled fans who's teams were eliminated from the play offs. The day the NBA starts to hire WWE refs, then I may change my mind on this topic. Even if the commissioner and the refs were trying to produce a particular outcome, I think it would just make a victory that much sweeter for the underdog teams.

Speaking of conspiracy theories, have you ever looked closely at the NBA lottery machine?  I heard there is a computer chip that controls it which is manufactured by a company which is owned by the Federal Reserved and the Illuminati.

NBA Finals- Finally

The NBA is finally down to the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat. This should be a good rematch of the 2006 finals, but I can't believe we have to wait until Tuesday for the first game. I have a feeling if the NBA thought they could get away with extending the playoffs into July, they would try it.

I'm sure there are many bitter Cleveland fans who will cheering for Dallas. I still can't believe how ugly things got for Lebron when he left Cleveland. He was the icon of the city for so many years, then instantly became their worst enemy by choosing to continue his career with another team. I know there are many Miami haters out there, but I enjoy watching them play and I'd like to see Miami bring home another championship. That won't be an easy task for them if Dirk keeps playing like he has been.

I Wore Short Shorts...

I was a product of the 80's, so it was normal to wear John Stockton shorts. Nobody seemed to mind back then, since we didn't know any better. We figured if those shorts were good enough for Dr. J, Magic, and Bird, then they were good enough for us, too.

Despite my complacency with the style back then, there was one occasion when I felt a little uncomfortable. During my senior year in high school, I was invited to play in a county all-star game. I was the last guy to get there when they were handing out uniforms, so I got last pick. Despite being one of the bigger players, I ended up with the smallest pair of shorts. My teammates felt bad for me, but not bad enough to trade. That moment was preserved for posterity thanks to this photo (that's me trying to guard Goliath).

It's hard to get your kids to think you were cool when they see pictures of how short your shorts were. It's also hard to lecture them about modesty after they see that. I think today's styles have gone too far in the opposite direction. I feel like I'm wearing a tent when I try on the baggy short styles of today. I hate to say this, but I kind of like shorter shorts as long as you can wear spandex under them ala Kenny Sky Walker.

I know... you are thinking that is just as bad, but I don't care. At least I finally got rid of my striped knee high tube socks.