Pre-Vegas Quick Hitters

Out in Vegas for the weekend so you won’t have my brilliant additions here at SoD.  I fully plan on attending a couple of NBA Summer League games because who really wants to miss Adam Morrison facing off against Chase Budinger in practice jerseys?  Certainly not this guy.

Matrix is coming to Dallas – I’m a little crushed by this.  While I didn’t exactly expect for Shawn Marion to come back to the Valley, I wasn’t necessarily ready to see him running and gunning with a Western Conference rival who actually cares about winning.  Through a few savvy off-season moves (re-signing J-Kidd, and acquiring both Marcin Gortat and Marion) the Mavs have actually positioned themselves to contend in the West.  Marion appearing on the Gambo & Ash show today and talking about how he felt “bad for the Suns fans” didn’t make me feel a whole lot better.

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A Matrix Sequel That Wouldn’t Suck

Kiss and Makeup Boys

From the “you’ve got to consider the source” files – KTAR’s John Gambadoro reported that the Suns may have an interest in bringing Shawn Marion back to the Valley for a return engagement.  For this proposed scenario to occur Grant Hill would have to take off for Boston or New York and the Suns would have to clear a few more bucks in order to offer Marion near the mid-level exception (about $5 million).

Bringing Marion to the place where he started his career would almost make too much sense for the Suns.  They’ve already admitted that Shaq was a failed experiment (see: Cavs salary dump) and that doing anything

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Just One of the Guys…

Taurasi Celebrating the Lone Title in Phoenix Basketball History

On Thursday night, 3-time WNBA All-Star Diana Taurasi was charged with a DUI in Phoenix around the 7th and Camelback area.  After last years Detroit Shock / Los Angeles Sparks brawl, this represents yet another step for the WNBA to being more like its big brother league.  In addition – Taurasi has now proved that Jason Richardson isn’t the only Phoenix shooting guard who can hop behind the wheel of a car drunk.  I anxiously await Taurasi driving 90 in a 35 with a toddler in the front seat.  Your move Diana.

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Entertaining Myself in Tokyo

I’m sitting here in the airport getting ready to jump on a 13 hour flight to Dallas, I’m sleep deprived, confused and just want to leave – but thanks to a picture on The Big Lead I was reminded of one of my favorite incidents of 2009.  I am of course referring to this:

Take that Bucks mascot – Bongo.  Not only did you get hit in your deer junk but you also fell through the hoop and tore your ACL.  If that’s not funny I don’t know what is.

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Pony Tail Enthusiasts Rejoice

It's so Horribly Greasy

To the surprise of absolutely no one, the Suns picked up the team option on forward Lou Amundson ensuring that he’ll be with the team next season.  For those of you unfamiliar with Lou – he’s basically a weird looking bundle of energy who rebounds, dunks, and rides his bike to the arena for games (a bicycle, not motorcycle..awesome). 

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Quick Notes on Singaporeans and Sports

Urban Youth Dreams of Playing Cricket

Loyal readers of this blog know that I’m currently in Singapore – which for those of you who don’t know how to type “time in singapore” into google, is 15 hours ahead of Arizona time.  As this is a sports blog and you likely care very little (to none) about my other experiences – and trust me there have been very few – I’ll give you a taste of some of my sports related experiences:

• I saw cricket batting cages along with a pickup game of cricket.  I’ve not been to the inner cities of LA or NY lately so I’ll just make the assumption that this is the way the United States is since I’ve left.  I welcome your confirmations.
• In the window of a store there was a Chicago Bulls shirt that was red with gold glitter and had faux autographs from members of the early 90’s Bulls – including Bill Cartwright, Trent Tucker, and John Paxson.  Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were nowhere to be found.  Somehow I resisted the urge to drop the seven Singapore dollars it would have cost to purchase this luxury item and will likely forever regret not owning what I believe was a female shirt with a fake Trent Tucker autograph. 

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Falling in Love with Earl Clark

Consider Scott Howard Firmly in the Earl Clark Camp

Now that I’m a Suns season ticket holder for the first time I feel a bit of extra investment in the team and their moves – basically I don’t want them to completely suck this year.  The Shaq move was good, and I’m hoping they don’t deal Amare but to be completely serious,  I don’t expect title contention, but 48 wins and a 6 seed wouldn’t be a ridiculous request.

In Thursday’s NBA Draft the Suns added Louisville SF/PF Earl Clark.  For those of you unfamilar with Clark he’s apparently a mercurial talent who can be every bit as good as he is allegedly apathetic about the game.  The book on Clark is that he’s a 6’9 tweener who handles the ball like a guard, can rebound, and is extremely athletic.  The bad news is he doesn’t appear to have the greatest “motor” (which is white-speak for “he isn’t Tyler Hansborough), lacks consistency, focus, and mental toughness.  Admittedly those aren’t the prime qualities you’re looking for in a lottery pick – but from most reports Clark was a top-5 talent in this draft.  He averaged 14 points and 9 rebounds for a very tough Lousville team. 

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Why Robert Sarver and Steve Kerr? Why?

Steve Kerr is Desperate to Give Me Away

I understand the fact that the Suns are no longer contenders – I’ve accepted it.  Phoenix had the 6th highest payroll in the NBA last season and missed the playoffs, it isn’t exactly a recipe for success.  While I think they were in fact much better than their record – Amare Stoudemire’s injury, Terry Porter’s existence, along with injuries to Steve Nash and Leandro Barbosa hurt them quite a bit – even if they had been healthy and playing under Alvin Gentry for an entire season they would not have won a championship.  Thus I’ve accepted that Shaq needed to go in order to clear some payroll to make the team younger.  However this Amare to Golden State crap is ridiculous.  The original rumor was that Golden State would give up 7 foot Ivan Drago-clone Andris Biedrins (he of the 11 pt – 11 rebound averages), 3rd year underachiever Brandan Wright, summer league superstar Marco Belinelli, and the 7th overall pick in the recent NBA Draft – Stephen Curry.  I am not crazy about, nor do I even like, that deal.  If those players were so talented Golden State probably would have cracked the THIRTY win mark.

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Shaq Traded to Cavs OR How to Go From 1st in the West to the Lottery in 16 Months

The Suns Will Now Be the Only Team Shaq Didn't Reach The Finals With

I come to you tonight as SoD’s first international writer.  With times being tough in the blogosphere we’ve decided to expand our little Mom and Pop operation on a global basis – either that or I’m here on business for my real job…I’ll let you decide.  A lot has apparently changed since I last set foot on American soil – first of all the United States is now apparently a soccer power (bring back the title boys – an apathetic public awaits you).  Oh, and the Suns traded Shaquille O’Neal for cap space.

Frankly there are two schools of thought here:

(1) Good to get rid of Shaq’s $21 million dollars a season because all he did was slow down the offense anyway.

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How Good Were The ’08-09 Lakers?

Cover Your Face When Kobe's Around

As I watched the Lakers stroll through the NBA Finals I couldn’t help but wonder if they were actually all that good.  I couldn’t shake the feeling during the playoffs that the Lakers were a product of an injured Celtics team, a weak Western Conference, and LeBron James having a supporting cast comparable to that on ALF.  My gut feeling says they weren’t that good – the litmus test?  Comparing them to previous NBA champs.

2008 Boston Celtics – They beat pretty much the same Lakers team in 6 games.  If you want to say that Trevor Ariza and Shannon Brown would have made the difference please go ahead – I won’t be listening.  Celtics win in 6. 

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