Wallace and The Haters audio

Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace joined us from the Orlando pre-draft camp for his weekly segment. We talked about Orlando, the prospects, the Grizzlies roster, and the report that the Grizzlies are trying to move Mike Miller.
That interview and the Haters segment from this week are in the new splashcast below. (I tried to add some of the old stuff from the old splashcast that was the most downloaded)

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Doyel understands Gasol, audio

Call Gasol a star? Not in this space. by Gregg Doyel. The LA and local media continues to echo what I always said about the guy. People are now actually seeing the guy play now. Weird, huh?

Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace was on the show and talked about being in the room during the lottery, who he thinks will go with the picks before the Grizzlies pick, etc.
Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace weekly segment (5-21-08)

Kevin Frazier from Entertainment Tonight sneak attacked the show on Tuesday to rub the Lakers win over Utah in my face and talk about some Hollywood stuff.
Kevin Frazier calls into the show

Jeff Goodman from Foxsports ran down the Tigers recruiting class, the NBA playoffs, and what Anderson and Dozier are going to do. Jeff Goodman weekly segment (5-20-08)

5

I will talk about having the 5th pick later. Totally depressing. Thanks to all of you that came out to the event last night. It proves how badly people want to care... only to be let down.

Praying for relevance

A prayer for relevance... for the following argument, and for the Grizzlies. Quickly... We will be doing the show from 3-6 tomorrow live at the Flying Saucer downtown in conjunction with the Grizzlies Lottery Party. Press Release Here.

I am praying that what I am about to write becomes applicable after tomorrow night. I talked today on the show about how there are many people that I talk to about the Grizzlies that think the team should take Michael Beasley with the first pick if given the chance. I disagree. You take Derrick Rose if you get that spot.

The reason Rose should be the number one pick is that great PG's are not on bad teams. Before you say what you are thinking, ask yourself if you really consider whoever you are thinking of to be a great player. You don't. Great PG's consistently are on winning teams. There is a reason for that. You can have a great power forward and be terrible or have a low playoff ceiling. Ask Garnett, or Bosh, or Brand, or Gasol, or Al Jefferson, and on and on and on. It is insanely rare to have a great PG and have a losing team.

Derrick Rose is going to be a great NBA PG and when given the chance to take a great PG or great PF, you take the great PG when you don't have an elite player that dominates the ball. (IE that point-forward thing that LeBron, Kobe, Wade, McGrady have going on where they control the ball). There is only one Tim Duncan, and really Manu dominates the ball in crunch time. (So don't bring that up).

Beyond the fact that it would sell more tickets, and sell more jerseys, and get more local support... you take Rose with the number one pick because it is the best basketball decision. Great PG's win... consistently.

Let's just pray the Grizzlies have a chance to make that choice.

Some links from the last few days

The TV bit from this week... Mic Check with Chris Vernon on CW30 video

Gene Hackman was on The Chris Vernon Show to talk about his new book, the movies he has been in, and what he is doing now

Gene Hackman on The Chris Vernon Show

We made a bet with our buddy Kevin Frazier from Entertainment Tonight on the Jazz/ Lakers series, he also talks about his new website and some of the hot girls in Hollywood that are cool

Kevin Frazier on The Chris Vernon Show part 1 part 2

Eric Hasseltine (voice of the Grizzlies) is filling in for me on Friday, he will be live at the Fox and Hound on Sanderlin, take care of him.

Gene Hackman on the show Wednesday

Yes, that Gene Hackman... the actor Gene Hackman. He is scheduled for the show on Wednesday. Are you freaking kidding me? Gene Hackman on The Chris Vernon Show. Check it.

The guests from the Monday show

Jim Nantz from CBS talked to us about his new book, his career, if he rehearses the lines that he says at the end of events, and he even tells us what he would have said if Memphis would have beaten Kansas.

Jim Nantz on The Chris Vernon Show 5-12-08

Utah Jazz SG Ronnie Brewer was on the show to talk about the series with the Lakers, living in Salt Lake City, playing for Jerry Sloan, guarding McGrady and Kobe, etc.

Ronnie Brewer on The Chris Vernon Show 5-12-08

Jeff Goodman from Foxsports.com was on for his weekly spot and talked about the OJ Mayo situation, if Ebanks is coming to Memphis, who will be the next Memphis assistant coach, etc.

Jeff Goodman on The Chris Vernon Show 5-12-08

They have found out about Pau...

The name of the column in the LA Times today is... wait for it...

Pau Gasol is the incredible shrinking Laker

hahahahahahahaa!!!!! I love this. Welcome to the big city Pau. In 7 years nobody ever dared write something so critical about the play of the big fraud in Memphis. All you would ever read here when he played like crap was bologna like... Pau Gasol did not play his best game, which is not to say he is not a great player blah blah blah blah. LA knows better already. Last night was like Christmas eve and today is like Christmas. Welcome to the spanish death threats you will get Plaschke. Thanks to Dutch for the tip.

Mic Check from this week

Here is the TV bit from this week if you missed it...

Mic Check with Chris Vernon on CW30 (5-7-08)

Wallace talks about the prospects, other guests

Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace no longer had to stay silent about draft prospects. We talked about the players that will go in the top 10, some guys outside the lottery, and who could be available with the Grizzlies late first round pick.
Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace part 1
Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace part 2
Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace part 3

Some other audio from the week so far...

Rick Kamla from NBA TV talks about the NBA playoffs and the coaching carousel

Henry Abbott from truehoop.com talks about the playoffs and the daily routine for a blogger

Will Carroll from baseballprospectus.com talked about Mulder, Volquez, Arod's injury, what happened to Travis Hafner, and why Bob Costas called him.

Jeff Goodman talked about Tiger recruits, the Tigers getting a new assistant, UT getting rid of two players, and some players that are transferring.

ESCAPA

here is the game we were talking about-- let me know what your record is
http://www.iol.ie/~dluby/escape.htm

The interviews from the last 2 days (The Audio)

Grizzlies Head Coach Marc Iavaroni was on the show to talk about the meeting with Michael Heisley, being retained for next season, what he learned about coaching in the NBA in his rookie effort, etc. Marc Iavaroni on The Chris Vernon Show 5-2-08

Jimmy Denunzio (The World's Greatest Handicapper) made a huge return to the show and joined us live from Lexington to breakdown every horse in the Derby and who you should pick and look out for this weekend. Jimmy Denunzio and The Kentucky Derby 5-2-08

Bert Sugar was on the show for his weekly segment and talked about a bit he did on Sugar Ray Robinson on the internet and he gave us his Derby picks. Bert Sugar on The Chris Vernon Show 5-2-08

Chris Low from espn.com joined us to talk about the tremendous story of Chris Lofton dealing with cancer that was mentioned yesterday. Chris Low on The Chris Vernon Show 5-2-08

And from yesterday...

Music sensation Colbie Calliat was on the show and talked about becoming a star through her myspace page, touring, what she was like in high school, playing at musicfest this weekend, etc.
Colbie Calliat on The Chris Vernon Show 5-1-08

Wright Thompson from ESPN the Magazine and espn.com came on the show to talk about the Costas Now program and the changes and challenges of the sports media. Wright Thompson on The Chris Vernon Show 5-1-08.

This week's Mic Check

Here is the tv bit from last night if you missed it. A bit out of date already given the news about Iavaroni. Iavaroni was on the show today and I will post it tonight. Anyway, here it is...
MIC CHECK ON UPN 30 (5-1-08)

Iavaroni coming back for another year

NBA sources have confirmed to cvernon.com that Iavaroni will get another year. Heisley has decided the guy will be back. I am surprised, but glad they are giving the guy a chance. I thought Iavaroni would be fired. This in some small way marks a commitment to a guy that deserves a real chance. Good call by a franchise that has not made many of them. Let's try stability on for size.

The incredible Chris Lofton story

Remember last summer and the beginning of last season where everyone was asking "what's wrong with Chris Lofton?" It was not that he was having trouble dealing with expectations, it was cancer. Chris Low has the story (Tennessee's Lofton quietly faced and beat cancer). Many of you will remember that Lofton was my co-host in San Antonio during the Final Four for one of the shows. I loved the guy. It is interesting that we even talked about how he did not play well at the beginning of the season. Wow. I guess you sometimes have no idea what a guy may be going through.

Colbie Calliat on the show today

This is a little off the beaten path, but here is something your girlfriend won't make you switch the channel during. I think you will like this girl's story. Colbie Calliat is on the show today and she is living the American dream. She is one of the performers at musicfest this weekend, she has sold over a million albums, and it all started on her myspace page. Colbie will be on the show today at 4:30 and will perform at musicfest on Saturday at 5:30 on the Budweiser stage.