Tag: NBA

When did the Hugging Incident come up?

In a salacious document dump of Ken Starr-like proportions, the Vail Daily News received the transcript of Kobe’s police interview yesterday. I must say, I’m sure he was very flustered at the time, but what with the lying, the backpedaling, and the constant fretting about “my career and my image,” Kobe comes across as both thoroughly unlikable and exceedingly guilty here. He’s fortunate this never went before a jury.

The Republican Pastime (Redux).

He may not be able to stay awake during the Superbowl, but Dubya loves him some baseball…and, as it turns out, baseball owners love them some Dubya. “More than a dozen current and former owners and family members are among the president’s top re-election fundraisers…Seven are Bush ‘Rangers,’ each raising at least $200,000, and six are ‘Pioneers’ who have brought in $100,000 or more.
” In contrast, Kerry received a paltry $2000 each from Red Sox chairman Tom Werner and Padres owner John Moores. Hmmm…between this and the Tim Robbins Hall of Fame fiasco last year, I must say I’m feeling pretty proud to be an NBA fan right now. While baseball lines Dubya’s coffers, basketball puts up a Dem for president (albeit one who appears to have fallen off the radar at this critical political juncture.)

Swift Boat Vets for Diesel.

As November 2 nears, the rhetoric and name-calling continues to heat up between these two increasingly irate contenders, particularly on the controversial questions surrounding their past records of service. I am, of course referring to Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. “Even with wings you never as fly as me … you remind me of Kobe Bryant trying to be as high as me … but you can’t … even if you get me traded … wherever I’m at, I’m Puffy; you Mase and you’re still hated” contests the recently-slimmed down Shaq on his new (and, um, probably not-so-good) hip-hop CD. In a related story, Vice-President Cheney declared today that, if you root for the Miami Heat, the terrorists will kill you.

Empire Falls.

After two previous losses to Puerto Rico and Lithuania, the US Men’s Basketball team are knocked out of gold medal contention by Argentina (and Manu Ginobli.) I saw some of the earlier games, most notably the US-Germany scrimmage which A.I. won on a buzzer-beater 3, and the team definitely seemed confused. I don’t really see this as the death knell of American basketball it’s being made out to be, though. As many others (including Mark Cuban) have noted, the team was just poorly constructed…it needed less All-Stars and more NBA-level role players in the worst way.

MSG Moves.

After a relatively quiet offseason, the Knicks finally get in the game, giving up Mutombo, Harrington, Frank Williams, and Cezary Trybanski to acquire shooter Jamal Crawford and rebounder Jerome Williams from Chicago. A cap-killer, sure, but I don’t think it’s a bad trade at all…New York needed more scoring in the worst way.

Turmoil for the Laker Nation.

After months of little public movement, the assault case against Lakers star Kobe Bryant hits a crossroads of sorts. On one hand, because Judge Ruckriegle’s court apparently leaks worse than the Titanic, the accuser is contemplating dropping criminal charges against Bryant (but will still make a civil case.) On the other, another woman has emerged to corroborate a pattern of “aggressive” behavior on Kobe’s part. Hmmm.