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Time to Say Good Bye

We've have a great run. But now it's time to say goodbye.

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Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Jordan Still Rises Above The Rim



Only Michael Jordan can continue to prove his doubters wrong and answer questions without words but actions. Yes his Air Airness is continuing to fly even if not often but when he does, it's still looks sooo graceful.

48 years old and oh what 8/9 years removed from the league and Jordan is still flying. He's been known to lace it up in team practices also.

When asked by a camper at the Bobcats fantasy camp this week if he could still dunk, Jordan answered later in the day the only way he cold, by dunking. Now it was later in the afternoon when the dunk was performed so we don't know how much time he needed to warm up for the dunk but hey he dunked it and looked good doing it.

Yea it's Jordan and it's still fun to see him fly when he does.

Source

Friday, July 8, 2011

DWade On Playing Across the Pond



And so we continue with the talk of possible player movement across the pond we couldn't help but to think about Dwayne Wades comments, from the AP....

"If there’s an opportunity there, I’d consider it,” Wade said.


Would he, Lebron and Bosh get together and attempt to win the Euroleague?

More Inquire Into Overseas Hoops



Fans don't look at it as NBA Players are turning their backs on you, because they are not. As the news came down of Deron Williams coming to an agreement to lace up in Turkey, it was just the beginning of what could be a domino effect. Professional basketball players are out of work in the United States so therefore they are in a position where they may need to look elsewhere to continue working in their profession. It's easy to say that they have more than enough money or make too much money but the facts are they will be missing checks despite having contracts in place. Those contracts currently are not being honored so therefore there is no income, unemployed to break it down. The catch, well you risk that contract being voided if your playing somewhere else and sustain and injury. At the end of the day players want to compete hands down and until the business of the labor issues is resolved you've got to do something other than just sitting around and running to meeting after meeting.



Roger Mason Jr. of the New York Knicks and a vice president of the players union is well aware of what is currently going down and why he'll make sure to pack two cell phone chargers with him going forward. He told Newsday

"I can see anybody doing it," said Mason Jr. said. "This is what people have to understand. It's definitely about earning a living, but we've already been so blessed, a lot of guys love the game and want to be able to compete . . . I've talked to a lot of the star players, Chris Paul, Amar'e, Melo, I think that those guys are open-minded to everything."




Unlike the other major professional sport in the midst of an work stoppage in the United States, there are other paid options out there, maybe not in the same tax bracket but nonetheless paid options.

Remember that kid in high school that could leap out of the gym, nail the fadeaway jumper and defend like a hawk only to not be recruited by a major college, settled for a smaller college and next thing you know you only see him 3 or 4 months out of the year because he's earning a living overseas doing what he loves to do and getting a check for it? Yea that guy. Well now that guy is going to be sought after for how it really works across the pond. Roger Mason Jr is one of those guys that has experience across the pond and with his position as a VP he's getting the calls on everything from rules and regulations to insurance. The key component has to be insurance for any player so as to protect their current contract with their NBA team "in-case-ish" happens, that's what insurance is right?.

How this all will play out and how it will effect the players, the NBA, the owners (who, along with team personnel cannot have any contact with players) and the goal of reaching a deal is still to be determined. However movement of NBA players, especially marquee players, seeking other options overseas to keep some income coming in is something that cannot just be taken "with a grain of salt" now.

Just understand these guys don't like being unemployed just as much as the 10 or so percent of Americans that are and when your in a field that doesn't have that long of a lifespan to begin with, it may make it just that much more important.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

First Deron Williams, Next Will It Be Kobe Bryant?



Remember the name of the Turkisk team Allen Iverson signed with last year....can't pull it up or pronounce it? Well it's Besiktas. Well they are at it again as Deron Williams of the New Jersey Nets agreed to take his game overseas during the lockout for $200k a month plus other goodies.

Besiktas isn't stopping there. Can you imagine Deron Williams driving the lane and dishing it out to Kobe as a teammate in something other than an All-Star game or Olympic competition? Ergin Ataman the head boss bench for Besiktas can and he's going to try and pull it off.




Ergin Ataman told Yahoo! Sports...

“After we signed Deron, we started to look around and find a friend of his, find other NBA stars, who want to come over and play with us. If Kobe wants to play with Deron in Istanbul, we can discuss this.”

“We cannot give him the same money as he gets from the NBA, but if the money isn’t everything in this, and Kobe wants to play during the lockout, wants to play with Deron Williams, we can find some deal on the money,”


Sounds like to us Besiktas is going to have all of our sleep patterns off if this goes down if we can find a network to air the games. The domino effect is very close to being in effect. As for the loot....Kobe has almost $25M on the table for next season in Hollywood.





Still think it's a long shot? Remember Kobe got ribbed pretty good for the endorsement deal he signed with Turkish Airlines...we didn't forget that.

Michael Beasley Possession of Mary Jane, Legal Issue Only



Going 84 mph in a 65 mph zone is going to bring out the blue lights. Last week that's what happen to Michael Beasley, and oh he had 16.2 grams of marijuana in the car (were not surprised). Slap on the wrist fine in Minnesota for Beasley. So now what about his status in the NBA. The Wolves and David Stern surely will drop the hammer as this isn't Beasley's first time with this issue.



No need to scratch your head and worry about it Mike, it's a lockout and therefore it's strictly a legal issue ($128 fine to be exact).

Tim Frank, a league spokesman, said in email as reported by Ira Winderman

"The anti-drug agreement-including testing and penalties-is not in effect during the lockout"


Well looks like this issue can be put to rest.

Spotted: Lamar Odom and Khole Kardashian Chillin'

Of course this is just one big happy family those Odoms and Kardashians...



Just hanging out at Universal Studios...



Lamar's son Lamar Jr and daughter Destiny were along for the fun as well...



...and everyone jumped on the Jurassic Park ride trying not to get too wet

Spotted: Chris Paul In The Big Easy

Chris Paul runs New Orleans basketball wise, so it's fitting he shows up on the scene during the Essence Music Festival this past weekend in the Big Easy



Just chilling and taking in the fun...something to smile about after sitting in those labor meetings the last few weeks




NeNe is so excited to see CP3 she is about give him the tightest hug...



Rapper Lil Twist joined the Hornets PG at the CP3 Kids Walk

Right Jab Left Jab From Andrew Bynum



So you have to do something to stay in shape our it's going to be very tough to get back in shape when the master lock is taken off the team facilities.

Andrew Bynum has dipped into the Kendall Gill book and is using boxing to stay in shape. Maybe he's continuing to let off steam from that sweep and this way he can't get fined or suspended.





Just be easy on those knees.