Stream of consciousness

An usher stopped me last night at the Grizzlies game and said, "Chris, you are right, I have been here for 4 years, and this year is boring basketball, these crowds are dead."

It is my mantra that the Grizzlies and many teams are overcoached. This is never more evident than last night when the Grizzlies played the Houston Rockets. It is 100% totally absurd that Jeff Van Gundy throws the clamps on a team that has a roster built to run. Rafer Alston (he is only good in open court game), Stromile Swift (half-court basketball renders him useless), David Wesley (great pure shooter who could get a ton of 3's in transition), and I could go right down the roster.

Even more puzzling is the fact that you have Yao and McGrady, two young guys in their prime, and they walk up the court to play in a game where they have twice the amount of contested shots as opposed to if they were running. The Rockets have been hobbled by injury, but this is how they do it with a full compliment of players also, and I will never understand.

On a side note.... A report came out today that Yao is not even the first or second highest selling jersey in China. 1. McGrady 2. Iverson 3. Yao

The Tigers are getting better, I think, but it hurts that we have to wait until March 2nd to see them play anyone but Popsicle State.

Everyone keeps telling me that the signal is better.

How can I get excited about this Super Bowl? The commercials? No story lines and no real big time stars. The only story to me is Big Ben possibly winning in his second year. Other than that, this is blah.

My buddy is in the Dominican and he sent me a text message yesterday saying that Bartolo Colon was in the airport throwing out money while kids were diving on the ground to pick it up. He said it was like Dominican Santa was in town. I wish I could throw money on the ground.

In the Ipod rotation...

Artic Monkeys (Whatever people say I am, that is what I'm not) ... I downloaded it because it is the #1 record in the UK. Diggin it.

Ingram Hill (Junes Picture Show)... Memphis band, Memphis alum and lead singer Justin on the show Friday.

Lucero (Tennessee) ... another Memphis band, I love this album, their first one.

Respect.

Verno

Full Blog update tommorow mornin

Greatest single NBA performance?

What happened last night may very well be the best performance in NBA history. In fact, I think it probably is. You have to consider that Wilt was a monster in comparison to his competition, and he was a center hitting all high % shots. Kobe has a lot of haters, in fact, he blows every other athlete away in this department. He shoots too much...
He is a ball hog...
He broke up the best thing going...
blah, blah, blah...

The real deal is that whether you like the guy or not, he is one of the greatest basketball players to ever lace em up. He is carrying a bad team. People want to talk about how he does not make his teammates better. How about the fact that they are over .500 and without him they would have won 4 games? In addition to that, he may very well become the greatest offensive player ever before it is all said and done. It will take a while for this to sink in, but 81 is as ridiculous as it gets... I think.

I was easy to predict Plummer screwing up badly in a big spot, but Delhomme? I would not have guessed that.

Take away 70% of a teams offense (Steve Smith), and you win.

After watching the Tatupu kid for Seattle, it struck me that this will turn out being one of the best defensive draft classes ever. Tatupu, Derrick Johnson, Shawn Merriman, DeMarcus Ware, Marcus Spears, Antrell Rolle, Carlos Rogers, Thomas Davis, Luis Castillo, Bryant McFadden. It has been unreal.

The Grizzlies broke their losing steak behind Mike Miller. Miller for sixth man of the year.

If it comes down to Carmelo vs. Pau for the All-Star game, Carmelo deserves it. He has been lights out for the last few weeks... oh yeah, and he is better.

The Tigers game on Saturday was visual NyQuil. 50-something fouls, that is goofy.

In the Ipod rotation....

Flipsyde.. We the People (saw them on Conan)
Stevie Wonder... Collection
Cody Chesnutt... The Headphone Masterpiece

Cal says shoot the 3.... chuck and duck

Today on the show--

Hopefully... John Sterling (fill-in for Nets pbp) Yankee PBP voice Nets win....dahhhhhhhhh... Nets win

Gary Parrish, The Return of Jimmy Denunzio (World's Greatest handicapper), Stats Norsworthy (third hour)

Have a great weekend -- I will post the picks before the games

Verno

Today Was A Good Day

As Ice Cube once did... Mike Miller decided to mess around and drop a triple-double. I have been saying for a long time that Miller should be the guy getting the second most amount of shots on this team. Pau gets more, and then it should be Miller. He is the best shooter on this team, and one of the best in the NBA. Beyond that, he is totally selfless, and I am glad that he got some credit last night nationally. The Kings are terrible. They made their run at a championship a few years ago, broke it up, and now they are a team with no chance.

Warrick was a nice revelation last night and I would love to see the Warrick/ Pau combo in the frontcourt more in the future (In the year 2000).

Gary had the gory details of how bad the new CUSA is in his article today...

The gory details
6 — Wins by the University of Memphis against teams from the six power conferences
5 — Combined wins by the rest of C-USA against the six power conferences
18 — C-USA's RPI ranking among the Division 1's 32 conferences
7 — C-USA teams with records at or below .500 heading into league play
4-9 — C-USA's record against the Sun Belt Conference (including Memphis's win over MTSU)
5-5 — C-USA's record against the Southland Conference (including Memphis's win over Lamar)

Horrific. I am not sure if they will get two teams in, unless Memphis blows the conference tourney.

At least one Packers source is saying that LenDale White will not make it past them (No. 5). Also, many believe that after Bush, White will be the second back taken. Interesting, considering the first two backs taken last year should have been from the same team (Benson ended up going before Carnell).

Welcome to the ACC Boston College... 0-3 so far.

Read Larry David's column on Brokeback Mountain...

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/editorialcommentary/story/CCCC9D69A0FE5A99862570ED00372109?OpenDocument

Thanks for checkin in

Verno

Stream of consciousness...

The Grizzlies have to get a point guard in order to have the ability to do anything come playoff time. I like Anthony Johnson as a guy that you might be able to get in a big deal that enables Artest to go somewhere else. Hubie always loved Johnson. I miss having Hubela around. We went from the press post game press conferences in the world, to the worst.

The Tigers have to have Darius Washington and Shawne Williams playing at a high level in order to make a deep tournament run. Also, against the big dogs, they need Dorsey to stay out of foul trouble, which seems highly unlikely.

Herman Edwards is no better than any player that demands a trade. The NFL must do something about coaches and their ability to bolt.

Marcus Vick will not be drafted. He must have read the classic How to blow an potential NFL career by Maurice Clarrett.

Why can't JJ Reddick be Jeff Hornacek? Of course, whitey is compared to whitey.

The Jets should hire the Magini guy away from Belichick.

Brodie Croyle was great on the show yesterday. We will catch up with him as we get closer to the draft.

45 in four straight games? Kobe is killing it. People say he is a ball hog. HE HAS TO BE. Who is he gonna pass to? Brian Cook? Best off-season acquisition is just like I said... Phil Jackson. Where are all the people that said Larry Brown was the much better coach to take over a sub-par team?

Shawn Marion is the most underrated player in the NBA.

Sometimes I feel like I am the only person in the world not watching Dancing with the Stars.

Never start playing Hot Shots Golf Fore on Playstation. It will consume you.

I wish Mitch Hedberg was still around.

Check the blog, it will be updated.

Thanks for listening.

Verno

Sorry for the layoff at the beginning of year

I have been getting things straight still with the move to the afternoon. Regular blog entries will be back by tommorow morning. Thanks for checking in.

In the Ipod rotation now-- new Fiona Apple (maybe I earned gay points) it's great... new The Darkness album (return of Rock and Roll)

Oh the anticipation....

Brodie Croyle on the show today, Memphis fball recruiting nugs, Gary, hopefully Michael Holley, etc.

Represent

Verno