Precious Roy

Congrats to the Giants, they owned the Patriots from start to finish. You know, I had a gut feeling about the Giants after the first NE game and the Tampa Bay game that they would be able to beat Dallas, then I had a gut feeling that they would beat Green Bay, and I had a gut feeling that they could win the Super Bowl, and that the Pats considerable luck to this point was bound to run out, but I tried to convince myself otherwise. I knew they would give them a fight, but jesus, I didn't expect that game. I don't want to call this an epic choke in the sense that anyone who's watched the Patriots game to game this year had to notice them losing steam as they got into the second half of the year and into the playoffs, the defense began to show more and more holes, the offense went from high flying and full of big plays to relying more and more on the run and the short pass, and game by game we saw more chinks in the armor. They were lucky to escape with wins against Baltimore and Philly, the Giants game week 17 went to the wire, and that AFC championship game was about as ugly a win as you can get. And I don't want to call this the biggest upset ever, because aside from the mortality of the Patriots being apparent, the Giants had looked fucking great down the stretch. Eli rebutted every knock on his game with stellar performance after stellar performance, the passing game became more balanced and focused with the subtraction of Shockey and addition of Steve Smith, they found a two-headed nightmare of a running game once Bradshaw took off, the secondary started playing really well after being inconsistent early in the year, and the d line really clicked and hit full steam. So yeah, they beat the 18-0 team and everything, it's a great accomplishment from a team that nobody thought would make it this far, they played incredibly well down the stretch, 10 straight on the road or whatever it was, including playoff wins against the top two teams in the NFC with two of the biggest homefield advantages supposedly, but the odds were against the Patriots most of the way too, they'd looked human for a while and it finally caught up with them. Great, epic win, but It's really annoying to see it labeled the all-time choke/upset, it's not fair to either team. Anyway, here's hoping the NFL caught the Giants spying or using steroids or something....

Then when should he say it? If he brings it up during the season, he's a distraction. If he brings it up in a bye week, he's a spectacle. Offseason, he's irrelevant. When is it the right time to say that the NFL is walking the line when it cavalierly decides to destroy tapes? He compared it to the CIA concealing and destroying interrogation tapes. Come the fuck on, how can anyone take him seriously after that?

Gasol is always hovering around or a little below 2 blocks per game average, generally top 15 range in any given year. Occasionally he has a big game where he blocks 5+. He's got a better career average in the category than KG or Amare Stoudemire. He's not Alonzo Mourning or Dikembe Mutombo, but the guy is one of the better shot blockers in the league. And I still don't understand how a guy with an average of 8.6 rebounds over almost 500 games in his career is "nothing close to a good rebounder". That's a good, solid number. By that logic Yao Ming isn't a good rebounder because he's 7 foot 6 and "only" averages 9 boards a game over his career. And I guess Chris Bosh sucks too. And Rasheed Wallace, he's got 6's all over the place and never even had a single season that matches Gasol's career number, he must be fucking terrible! Say whatever you want, but anyone getting 8+ rebounds a night in the NBA is a good rebounder.

Is it really outlandish to say that a coach who's team had like 4 losses I think at the time I wrote that should be first half coach of the year? And your reasoning is that he shouldn't win because moron Boston fans didn't like the guy before this year and "he has Kevin Garnett"? Really? Flip Saunders had KG for how many years? He got em in the playoffs his first year, the year after that the C's were rebuilding on the fly with a ton of young players, and last year was the same thing but with Pierce injured. He did a good job in Orlando, had them at .500 or above every year, including that first year where the team was a who's who of journeymen and scrubs, Ben Wallace was having his breakout year, Darrell Armstrong was the go-to guy and F'n Pat Garrity was their second leading scorer. Why does it matter what Celtics fans supposedly think, I'm not a Celtics fan. They're in a bit of a rut now and either way my answer probably would have been different by the end of the year, but he took what's basically a 3 man team with nothing at point guard or much in the way of a bench and had them playing great team defense and sitting on the best record in the league. It's pretty ignorant to put all of that solely on KG.

Man, the Lakers got an absolute steal. I don't know what Ripper is talking about saying Gasol doesn't rebound, the guy's got a career average of 8.6. I also don't see why it would be a problem on offense, Bynum is active and can score on garbage baskets and he's got good instincts for passing from what I've seen, and Gasol has pretty good range on his shot and is a really underrated passer. The guy it will probably affect the most is Odom, but he's versatile enough to adjust. As for the NY comparison Curry's a guy who wants to plant on the block and stay there till he gets the ball, Randolph has well rounded skills but he always wants to try and beat his man 1 on 1 and is a black hole once he gets the ball. But the main difference between Bynum/Gasol and Curry/Randolph is that the former pair actually plays defense, and both of them are monster shot blockers. If Bynum gets back to the level he was playing at this year that front line will absolutely murder people on the boards and make it really tough to score in the paint. Add the defense of Kobe and Fisher to that and they could be a scary defensive team. As for Memphis my initial impression was that they absolutely hosed themselves here, but that was before I heard that Pau's brother Marc was part of the trade. Now, I still think they got hosed, but at least Marc Gasol gives them a chance to make out ok down the road. He's supposed to be pretty good and he's even bigger than Pau, but who knows when he plans on coming to the NBA, and who knows if he would even want to play for Memphis. The picks are going to be in the mid 20s, Crittenten could be good but they already have a bunch of little guards on the roster, and the cap room is nice and all but most of the real all-nba level players are going to got locked up with extensions because even with all the cap room in the world the rules are set up where the team that currently owns the player can pay him the most. They traded Pau Gasol to overpay for Monta Ellis? Good luck selling that to what's left of the fanbase. I seriously can't believe that's the best offer they could get for Pau F'n Gasol. Half the GMs in the league have to be banging their heads against the wall right now. We need some Isiah Thomas react on this.

Good for the Mets, I'm just glad he didn't end up in Boston and the Yankees didn't give in and sell the farm for him

Sure, why not

I think Webber will be a good fit with the Warriors. Their whole system is based on versatility of skills and he's about as versatile a big as you can get. He's a great passer from anywhere on the court and can score inside and out. They like to spread out their offense to get 1 on 1 opportunities and outside shots, Webber's skills can fit perfectly in that system. Figure he'll be playing 20-25 minutes a night for now, mainly at center, as long as he's kept himself in game shape he should be a fine addition to their team. Kind of ironic to see him reunited with Nelson, but they're both way more mature at this point, they should embrace this and flourish together. Also, it's been rumoured that Jason Kidd and his agent have approached the Nets asking for a trade. Supposedly Dallas and Denver are the most interested right now.

Hyperbole much? Maybe? I don't know, but it seems like he really twisted himself getting into a character, and if his overdose was some extension or result of that, shit, I think he's earned a degree of hyperbole

BATMAN BATMAN BATMAN Seriously though, this is truely tragic and unfortunate, but from everything I've read today, and it's been mentioned in this thread, it sounds like he sort of went off the deep end playing the Joker, and if it's true that he OD'd on sleeping pills and booze, which seems to be the case, he's just made himself a fucking legend. I mean, we all knew that Dark Knight was going to be awesome and that it looked like he gave an amazing performance of the Joker, but to have this shit attached to it? This movie is going to be massive and dude is likely going to become a fucking legend to rival James Dean. He was so into the role that he pushed himself to the brink of sanity, he likely died as a result of his commitment and desire to give a legendary performance....that's some wicked shit. Not that it's really any solace to anyone that was close to him, and I don't think I've seen a single movie he was in other than parts of 10 things when they showed it on Comedy Central so I don't really know what he was like as an actor and if he deserves the posthumous hype he's getting, but I think that's pretty cool. If you've gotta go out, go out in style....

If they get Cassell I'd probably have to give them the nod in the east. Stoudamire would be a fine addition too, but Cassell would be the best case scenario. I still think they'd need to add another big as well though.

To the people naming Boston as the favorite to win it all... I'm as impressed as anyone by what they've done this year, especially by the fact that their success has been predicated moreso on their defensive effort rather than their ability to outscore people with their trio of all-stars. Doc Rivers should be coach of the year, and KG has to be an MVP favorite......but I just don't think this team will win it all as presently constructed. They could, but Detroit/San Antonio will be a tall order, especially the Spurs. The main reason is Rondo and the lack of depth. Rondo is a liability on offense and is way too much of an unfinished product to be asked to play 30+ minutes at point for a team that hopes to win it all. Maybe he can capture lightning in a bottle and put it all together come playoff time, but from what I've seen he's been extremely inconsistent but the talent of KG, Allen and Pierce has made up for it. The margin for error is much smaller in the postseason. As for the bench, after Posey they're very thin and one dimensional. Eddie House can score but that's about it, and Glen Davis shows flashes but he's an undersized rookie PF and they don't want to play KG at center/have him at primary post defender more than they have to. Their lack of depth at PG and C is a concern. Now, if they go out and add a couple veterans before the trade deadline we're looking at a different picture. Damon Stoudamire has been rumoured, Earl Boykins is unsigned, Chris Webber is unsigned, Gary Payton wants to play for Boston again, I'm sure they'll make a couple moves, but right now they've got some unresolved issues.

1. Detroit, but Boston is neck and neck. Probably a 7 game coin toss. 2. San Antonio, because they are who we thought they were. Phoenix hasn't proven it in the playoffs yet, and Dallas....I'm down on Nowitzki after last year and the collapse in the finals. 3. S-P-U-R-S 4. I would have said LA before the Bynum injury. Cleveland, but they aren't really a darkhorse being as they were a finalist last year. I guess I'd have to say Denver, not that I really think it could happen, but you have to respect their talent level if everyone is healthy. Utah or New Orleans I just can't see happening this year, and Portland could win 60 games and I still wouldn't consider them a true contender. Nobody in the East outside of Detroit, Boston and Cleveland remotely resembles a championship team. 5. Kevin Durant. A rookie that can come into the league and be a 20 point scorer and go to offensive player is a pretty rare thing, especially one who should be a sophomore in college. Sure, his team doesn't win much and he has some terrible nights shooting the ball, but he's pretty far ahead of his peers at this point. Al Horford is runner up, he's been a consistent, near double double presence for a decent Hawks club. Sean Williams is my darkhorse, but I don't think he'll be consistent enough to really move into the picture. 6. Chris Paul 7. Chicago by far. They came into the year as a favorite in the East and a lock for a top 4 playoff seed, and at this point all they have to show for the season is a fired coach and strife amongst the players. Miami will be a popular answer, but between Shaq being old and injury prone, Wade coming into the year hurt, and bringing in guys like Smush Parker and Penny Hardaway (neither of whom lasted into the new year it should be noted) I didn't expect them to be all that good this year. I didn't expect them to be this bad, it's amazing to me that a team with Wade can lose 14 straight games, but they really are pretty bad beyond him, Haslem and J-Will when he's healthy. Ricky Davis has been a huge bust for them. 8. As a Knicks fan, yeah, we're not lacking in "storylines" or "situations". It's like Vince Russo is booking our team. The only thing we're missing is pyro and ballyhoo.

Agreed

With the Pats inability to cover their 2 touchdown spreads over the second half of the season and into the playoffs and the Giants playing them so close in week 17 that should surely come down to around 10 points give or take

QFT ESPN's going to be unwatchable for the next 2 weeks. Like it wouldn't have been if the Pats were playing the Cowboys or Packers? Honest question: I see so much kvetching about ESPN and the incessant media hype on this board, pretty much since I've been here.....so why the fuck do you watch Sportscenter et. all? You're all on the internet, if you want to see highlights from a game it's easy enough, I just don't understand the "fucking ESPN is going to drive me insane" mantra, just don't watch it unless it's for an actual game. At all. I don't. It's easy to get your sports fix from the internet/newspapers/talk radio without relying on a shitty channel that everyone obviously hates.

And the Pats play in Foxboro, 40 minutes or so outside of Boston. FOXBORO V. DIRTY JERZ, WOOOOO!

Yeah it will, but it would have done better with Favre in there. And to everyone with their panties in a bunch, it should at least be a good football game. The Giants gave them a scare in that Saturday night game and they're on a major roll right now. Add to that the fact that the Pats haven't exactly been dominating anyone lately and we should be looking at a competitive game.

hahaha, I love the melodrama in this thread. GIANTS V. PATS ON FOX! EVERYONE CRAP THEIR DIAPERS AND THROW A TANTRUM!

craziness

YES! TIME TO RETIRE OLD MAN!

HAHAHAHA WORST KICK EVER

I almost wish Tynes would miss this so we could see Tom Coughlin kill a man on live tv

MANNING AM LEGEND

BRADSHAW! OHHHHHH.....THAT SUCKS