Grab Bag Fridays: Why Wouldn't This Happen?
(1 Cent): Can't Wait 'Til Monday
Yes, I know I have a day (Monday) dedicated to all things sports and that I use Friday's Grab Bag to write about other topics ... but I absolutely couldn't stop myself from writing about the tragedy of the NBA, the Busdrivers (my fantasy team) and my mind.
The lead item is the potential season-ending injury to Dwayne Wade -- the superstar for the Heat and the #1 dude in the NBA for fantasy points (FP's) ... and my only hope for a sure championship season. Basically, reports are saying the best case scenario is that he will miss 6 weeks, doing rest and rehab (aren't those things opposites?) and could be back in time for the NBA playoffs. The worst case scenario is that he's done for the season, has surgery and will be back in 4 months.
Just to get this item out of the way, the Miami Heat are DONE. Finished. Stick 10 forks in 'em. In the immortal words of Dave Chappelle, they're "effin' done, son!" The Heat are 1-6 without Wade this season, with all 6 losses being by double digits (stat courtesy of ESPN). Yeah, I know they didn't have Shaq for the first half of the season ... but what has he proven thus far? What did he do against Dallas last night? Exactly. He did nothing (well, nothing in the form of preventing a blowout). Wade is the Miami Heat. Shaq is 35 (in March) and has been done since he allowed my Lakers to lose to the Pistons a couple of years ago (yes, I'm still bitter about that). If Shaq is the "#1" scoring option, then who's #2? A washed up Payton? A declined Walker? Kneeless Williams? Jason "3 point champion when no one is guarding me" Kapono? Zo? That's the thing, there is no #2 option. All those players are #4-5 scoring options (in this point in time). I don't care if the Heat have more games at home than on the road; I don't care that they're playing "weaker" teams; I don't care that they're in the East ... the fact is, if Wade misses 6 weeks, the Heat will be a participant in the lottery faster than Gary Coleman after binge drinking. Write it. Print it. Quote me on it.
The most important aspect (for me) of Wade's injury is my fantasy team is not the juggernaut it once was. You see, Wade averaged a couple decimals over 48 FP's a game (with my calculations of 25 FP's being an "average" fantasy player). He's twice an average player. There's no replacing him. Of course, I will try to with Darko Milicic (don't laugh) and Smush Parker (don't puke).
As I've said at least 2 times before in my blog ... the ONLY thing that ever prevents me (and my co-owner) from a (NBA fantasy) championship is injuries. Usually, this type of catastrophic injury happens right after we set our line-up for the week, during the playoffs. Now, we have to deal with this for the remaining 5-6 weeks of the regular season ... and still have to make the playoffs. Of course, we are 4 games ahead of the Wild Card team with 5 games (weeks) left in the season (not including this week, where I'm basically assured a win). So, I'm not a betting man, but I'd double down on us making the playoffs. But, still, now wins are not going to be "guaranteed" and a lot more "stress" enters the picture.
I'm basically counting Wade out for the rest of the fantasy season and playoffs. Even if he does come back to play, how effective will he be for me? R.I.P. Wade's Stats '07. You will be missed.
So, for me to still pull out this playoff appearance and championship, the perfect storm will have to occur:
-- Amare Stoudemire will have to continue to dominate ... even when Nash comes back
-- Jason Kidd will have to stay healthy (word on the street is he has a cracked rib!!!!)
-- Kobe Bryant will have to pretend it's 2006 and fire off some 40+ (regular) point games
-- Richard Jefferson will have to come back (early March) and play like he was projected to (i.e., not like poop)
-- Delonte West will have to keep doing his best imitation of Pistol Pete
-- Have Stephon Marbury read some stats from '04 to remind him he used to be good for almost 18 and 8 (points and assists)
All in all, it's almost the worst thing that could happen to the Busdrivers ... well, within reason.
--------------
In a related sports item, I had an anonymous person (someone I honestly don't know or can't figure out) comment on an article, which I will post and respond to:
Q: "Not much to say except that if the Lakers trade Bynum for Kidd I believe the Lakers are selling out the future of a great team for the prospect of a good team this year. How do you feel about Bynum leaving the Lakers? P.S. Congrats on the Fantasy Court, I of course believe that your ridiculous stats are in fact real. " -- Anonymous
HCP: Well, with the trade deadline passing yesterday, we know for a fact the Lakers are not getting Kidd ... or that anything else happened. I thought there was supposed to be a flurry of moves? Henderson to the Jazz? Dixon to the Raptors? That's the best these fools could come up with? Lame.
Anyways, I was just discussing this very item (Bynum for Kidd) with my friend last night. I was a little bit torn and could argue the pros and cons for both decisions. I guess when it came down to it, I wouldn't include Bynum in a trade for Kidd because of the youth, the flashes of good performances and his potential. The question would be, "Will Kidd put us over the top?" I guess it's all hypothetical ... and the Kobe/Kidd/Odom trio would be awesome ... but who knows, Bynum could be one of the best big men in the league one day (a more offensive, less defensive Dwight Howard?). You don't want to look back one day and think, "Crap, I just gave away an awesome talent for an aged all-star."
But ...
Isn't it all about championships now? Think about the Shaq trade. Yeah, it took the Heat 2 years, but him and Wade (ok, Wade with Shaq tagging along) got it done - a championship. Would it be worth trading Bynum for a championship? Hmmm, now I'm thinking yes, it would. I mean, Kobe is in his prime right now -- do you think 4-5 years from now, Kobe will still be this spectacular? This healthy? You can't predict the future. With Kidd, at least it would've made us a more legitimate contender now. So, if the Kidd addition would've earned the Lakers a championship this year or next year, would it be worth Bynum? That's a similar question Heat fans are asking themselves right now, in retrospect ... was it worth trading Caron Butler (All-Star this year) and Lamar Odom (was playing like an All-Star until his knee injury, but he's playing now) for a very aged Shaq and that one (lucky @$$) championship last year, that Wade won all by himself? I mean, think about it ... yeah, you got the "name" of Shaq ... but think of the trio Butler/Odom/Wade would have been right now, in the East ... they'd have a great team for years to come. Now? They have a very old, washed-up Shaq ... and a bunch of over-the-hill, former All-Stars that aren't doing much.
I'm bringing this up because ... it's a similar situation. If Kidd brings a championship, then great for us right now. But if Bynum starts tearing it up in Jersey (remember, he's only 19 years old) and the other guys we'd have to trade to make the salary work (probably Kwame Brown, Radmanovic and .... I don't know, Sasha or Farmar?) ... I don't know. I just don't know. It'd be nice to know if Bynum was for real going to be a star ... and how Kidd's health will hold up for the next 3 years ... I'm glad I'm not Kupchak on this on.
So ... long story longer ... if you put a gun to my head (or any appendage), I would trade Bynum for Kidd ... but it wouldn't be without extreme hesitation and quite possibly some regret. The only thing that would soften the blow would be the 4th ring for Kobe. I think that might make it worth while.
(2 Cent): California ... We Came And Went
To make yesterday even worse (on top of Wade going down, duh) the OC had its series finale and will never be seen again.
Yes, it got kinda corny towards the end of this final season ... yes, it probably slipped a bit ... yes, I still loved it. I guess since I was a fan from the first season, it's just sad to see the conclusion of characters you really liked (more on this later). I mean, c'mon, it was a witty show ... had likable personalities ... and always entertained you. What more can you ask for in a show?
For me, the hour finale wasn't long enough ... I think the producers/writers thought so too, because it seemed a little crammed (i.e., they jumped ahead six months ... and then like, 6 years at the end). It was hard to tie up everything and sort out situations in just one hour, when so much had been going on.
I really wish it hadn't ended. Series finales always leaving me feeling ... empty. Like a happy, stable part of my life has ended. Yes, I realize this sounds pathetic because it's TV, but c'mon. TV shows sometimes define an time period. The OC had a good 4 year run; it shaped what people wore and talked like; it was a small phenomenon.
I can also remember a couple of other show's finales, like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Aire, Sienfield, Boy Meets World, Saved By the Bell and Home Improvement. I think the OC's end is a little more disappointing, in the fact that it probably didn't go for as long as it could have ... or should have.
With all those shows, though, you had characters that you identified with, wanted to be like or wish you could kick it with in real life (i.e., Taylor Townshend, Kelly Kapowski or Hilary Banks ... ha). When the shows end, it kind of makes you reflect on how other things end and that there aren't many things that last forever. I suppose the moral of the story is, enjoy the moment because the "good" could be taken away at any time.
(1/2 Cent): Going Back to Cent 1
Oh, so the last part of that person's comment ("P.S. Congrats on the Fantasy Court, I of course believe that your ridiculous stats are in fact real. ") ... was that trying to say someone out there doesn't believe my stats?
I wouldn't make this ish up, son! I'm posting real stats ... c'mon, I keeps it real here at Two And A Half Cents. Look back to my roster from my November post ... then after some trades and free agent pick ups, I have a killer line-up. I try not to divulge too much info, but I am doing this league from CBS Sportsline (read my beef with them, also in November's column) and the league is called Game Over. It is a head-to-head league, with each week being a game against another team. You have 10 players active and all their stats add up for a final score for the day, with each day being averaged out for the week. Add it up and you get the final team score. In fact, here's a look as of 2:00pm today of my roster and their fantasy points (FP's):
C - Amare Stoudemire (Suns) ................ 43.5 FP's
F - Luol Deng (Bulls) ................................ 24
F - Zach Randolph (Blazers) ................... 34.5
F - David West (Hornets) ........................ 36
F - Chris Wilcox (Sonics) .......................... 32
G - Kobe Bryant (Lakers) ........................ 47
G - Jason Kidd (Nets) ............................... 44
G - Stephon Marbury (Knicks) ............... 24
G - Dwayne Wade (Heat) ......................... 46
G - Delonte West (Celtics) ........................ 40.5
------------------------------------------------
Total Team Fantasy Points ...................... 371.5
I mean, I picked up David and Delonte West along with Chris Wilcox in the free agent pool ... traded for Kobe, Marbury, and Richard Jefferson (who's the 3rd guy on my bench, behind Smush and Darko ... gah!) ... had the rest drafted originally on my team. I'll admit, these numbers right here are the highest they've been all season (which makes it a perfect time to show them), but all my numbers from every post have been legit. Even if I sucked and my team stunk, I'd still post them. More to write and complain about. As I've said before, I've been doing this since high school with my co-owner friend J.H., so we know how to draft, what to look for in the pre-season, how to trade, etc. Don't hate the player, hate the game!
-------------
Sorry for so much sports on today's Grab Bag ... but it is what it is (ha, always wanted to type that). I'll be back Monday for some music shtuff ... and of course, sports. Have a great weekend.
HCP
Yes, I know I have a day (Monday) dedicated to all things sports and that I use Friday's Grab Bag to write about other topics ... but I absolutely couldn't stop myself from writing about the tragedy of the NBA, the Busdrivers (my fantasy team) and my mind.
The lead item is the potential season-ending injury to Dwayne Wade -- the superstar for the Heat and the #1 dude in the NBA for fantasy points (FP's) ... and my only hope for a sure championship season. Basically, reports are saying the best case scenario is that he will miss 6 weeks, doing rest and rehab (aren't those things opposites?) and could be back in time for the NBA playoffs. The worst case scenario is that he's done for the season, has surgery and will be back in 4 months.
Just to get this item out of the way, the Miami Heat are DONE. Finished. Stick 10 forks in 'em. In the immortal words of Dave Chappelle, they're "effin' done, son!" The Heat are 1-6 without Wade this season, with all 6 losses being by double digits (stat courtesy of ESPN). Yeah, I know they didn't have Shaq for the first half of the season ... but what has he proven thus far? What did he do against Dallas last night? Exactly. He did nothing (well, nothing in the form of preventing a blowout). Wade is the Miami Heat. Shaq is 35 (in March) and has been done since he allowed my Lakers to lose to the Pistons a couple of years ago (yes, I'm still bitter about that). If Shaq is the "#1" scoring option, then who's #2? A washed up Payton? A declined Walker? Kneeless Williams? Jason "3 point champion when no one is guarding me" Kapono? Zo? That's the thing, there is no #2 option. All those players are #4-5 scoring options (in this point in time). I don't care if the Heat have more games at home than on the road; I don't care that they're playing "weaker" teams; I don't care that they're in the East ... the fact is, if Wade misses 6 weeks, the Heat will be a participant in the lottery faster than Gary Coleman after binge drinking. Write it. Print it. Quote me on it.
The most important aspect (for me) of Wade's injury is my fantasy team is not the juggernaut it once was. You see, Wade averaged a couple decimals over 48 FP's a game (with my calculations of 25 FP's being an "average" fantasy player). He's twice an average player. There's no replacing him. Of course, I will try to with Darko Milicic (don't laugh) and Smush Parker (don't puke).
As I've said at least 2 times before in my blog ... the ONLY thing that ever prevents me (and my co-owner) from a (NBA fantasy) championship is injuries. Usually, this type of catastrophic injury happens right after we set our line-up for the week, during the playoffs. Now, we have to deal with this for the remaining 5-6 weeks of the regular season ... and still have to make the playoffs. Of course, we are 4 games ahead of the Wild Card team with 5 games (weeks) left in the season (not including this week, where I'm basically assured a win). So, I'm not a betting man, but I'd double down on us making the playoffs. But, still, now wins are not going to be "guaranteed" and a lot more "stress" enters the picture.
I'm basically counting Wade out for the rest of the fantasy season and playoffs. Even if he does come back to play, how effective will he be for me? R.I.P. Wade's Stats '07. You will be missed.
So, for me to still pull out this playoff appearance and championship, the perfect storm will have to occur:
-- Amare Stoudemire will have to continue to dominate ... even when Nash comes back
-- Jason Kidd will have to stay healthy (word on the street is he has a cracked rib!!!!)
-- Kobe Bryant will have to pretend it's 2006 and fire off some 40+ (regular) point games
-- Richard Jefferson will have to come back (early March) and play like he was projected to (i.e., not like poop)
-- Delonte West will have to keep doing his best imitation of Pistol Pete
-- Have Stephon Marbury read some stats from '04 to remind him he used to be good for almost 18 and 8 (points and assists)
All in all, it's almost the worst thing that could happen to the Busdrivers ... well, within reason.
--------------
In a related sports item, I had an anonymous person (someone I honestly don't know or can't figure out) comment on an article, which I will post and respond to:
Q: "Not much to say except that if the Lakers trade Bynum for Kidd I believe the Lakers are selling out the future of a great team for the prospect of a good team this year. How do you feel about Bynum leaving the Lakers? P.S. Congrats on the Fantasy Court, I of course believe that your ridiculous stats are in fact real. " -- Anonymous
HCP: Well, with the trade deadline passing yesterday, we know for a fact the Lakers are not getting Kidd ... or that anything else happened. I thought there was supposed to be a flurry of moves? Henderson to the Jazz? Dixon to the Raptors? That's the best these fools could come up with? Lame.
Anyways, I was just discussing this very item (Bynum for Kidd) with my friend last night. I was a little bit torn and could argue the pros and cons for both decisions. I guess when it came down to it, I wouldn't include Bynum in a trade for Kidd because of the youth, the flashes of good performances and his potential. The question would be, "Will Kidd put us over the top?" I guess it's all hypothetical ... and the Kobe/Kidd/Odom trio would be awesome ... but who knows, Bynum could be one of the best big men in the league one day (a more offensive, less defensive Dwight Howard?). You don't want to look back one day and think, "Crap, I just gave away an awesome talent for an aged all-star."
But ...
Isn't it all about championships now? Think about the Shaq trade. Yeah, it took the Heat 2 years, but him and Wade (ok, Wade with Shaq tagging along) got it done - a championship. Would it be worth trading Bynum for a championship? Hmmm, now I'm thinking yes, it would. I mean, Kobe is in his prime right now -- do you think 4-5 years from now, Kobe will still be this spectacular? This healthy? You can't predict the future. With Kidd, at least it would've made us a more legitimate contender now. So, if the Kidd addition would've earned the Lakers a championship this year or next year, would it be worth Bynum? That's a similar question Heat fans are asking themselves right now, in retrospect ... was it worth trading Caron Butler (All-Star this year) and Lamar Odom (was playing like an All-Star until his knee injury, but he's playing now) for a very aged Shaq and that one (lucky @$$) championship last year, that Wade won all by himself? I mean, think about it ... yeah, you got the "name" of Shaq ... but think of the trio Butler/Odom/Wade would have been right now, in the East ... they'd have a great team for years to come. Now? They have a very old, washed-up Shaq ... and a bunch of over-the-hill, former All-Stars that aren't doing much.
I'm bringing this up because ... it's a similar situation. If Kidd brings a championship, then great for us right now. But if Bynum starts tearing it up in Jersey (remember, he's only 19 years old) and the other guys we'd have to trade to make the salary work (probably Kwame Brown, Radmanovic and .... I don't know, Sasha or Farmar?) ... I don't know. I just don't know. It'd be nice to know if Bynum was for real going to be a star ... and how Kidd's health will hold up for the next 3 years ... I'm glad I'm not Kupchak on this on.
So ... long story longer ... if you put a gun to my head (or any appendage), I would trade Bynum for Kidd ... but it wouldn't be without extreme hesitation and quite possibly some regret. The only thing that would soften the blow would be the 4th ring for Kobe. I think that might make it worth while.
(2 Cent): California ... We Came And Went
To make yesterday even worse (on top of Wade going down, duh) the OC had its series finale and will never be seen again.
Yes, it got kinda corny towards the end of this final season ... yes, it probably slipped a bit ... yes, I still loved it. I guess since I was a fan from the first season, it's just sad to see the conclusion of characters you really liked (more on this later). I mean, c'mon, it was a witty show ... had likable personalities ... and always entertained you. What more can you ask for in a show?
For me, the hour finale wasn't long enough ... I think the producers/writers thought so too, because it seemed a little crammed (i.e., they jumped ahead six months ... and then like, 6 years at the end). It was hard to tie up everything and sort out situations in just one hour, when so much had been going on.
I really wish it hadn't ended. Series finales always leaving me feeling ... empty. Like a happy, stable part of my life has ended. Yes, I realize this sounds pathetic because it's TV, but c'mon. TV shows sometimes define an time period. The OC had a good 4 year run; it shaped what people wore and talked like; it was a small phenomenon.
I can also remember a couple of other show's finales, like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Aire, Sienfield, Boy Meets World, Saved By the Bell and Home Improvement. I think the OC's end is a little more disappointing, in the fact that it probably didn't go for as long as it could have ... or should have.
With all those shows, though, you had characters that you identified with, wanted to be like or wish you could kick it with in real life (i.e., Taylor Townshend, Kelly Kapowski or Hilary Banks ... ha). When the shows end, it kind of makes you reflect on how other things end and that there aren't many things that last forever. I suppose the moral of the story is, enjoy the moment because the "good" could be taken away at any time.
(1/2 Cent): Going Back to Cent 1
Oh, so the last part of that person's comment ("P.S. Congrats on the Fantasy Court, I of course believe that your ridiculous stats are in fact real. ") ... was that trying to say someone out there doesn't believe my stats?
I wouldn't make this ish up, son! I'm posting real stats ... c'mon, I keeps it real here at Two And A Half Cents. Look back to my roster from my November post ... then after some trades and free agent pick ups, I have a killer line-up. I try not to divulge too much info, but I am doing this league from CBS Sportsline (read my beef with them, also in November's column) and the league is called Game Over. It is a head-to-head league, with each week being a game against another team. You have 10 players active and all their stats add up for a final score for the day, with each day being averaged out for the week. Add it up and you get the final team score. In fact, here's a look as of 2:00pm today of my roster and their fantasy points (FP's):
C - Amare Stoudemire (Suns) ................ 43.5 FP's
F - Luol Deng (Bulls) ................................ 24
F - Zach Randolph (Blazers) ................... 34.5
F - David West (Hornets) ........................ 36
F - Chris Wilcox (Sonics) .......................... 32
G - Kobe Bryant (Lakers) ........................ 47
G - Jason Kidd (Nets) ............................... 44
G - Stephon Marbury (Knicks) ............... 24
G - Dwayne Wade (Heat) ......................... 46
G - Delonte West (Celtics) ........................ 40.5
------------------------------------------------
Total Team Fantasy Points ...................... 371.5
I mean, I picked up David and Delonte West along with Chris Wilcox in the free agent pool ... traded for Kobe, Marbury, and Richard Jefferson (who's the 3rd guy on my bench, behind Smush and Darko ... gah!) ... had the rest drafted originally on my team. I'll admit, these numbers right here are the highest they've been all season (which makes it a perfect time to show them), but all my numbers from every post have been legit. Even if I sucked and my team stunk, I'd still post them. More to write and complain about. As I've said before, I've been doing this since high school with my co-owner friend J.H., so we know how to draft, what to look for in the pre-season, how to trade, etc. Don't hate the player, hate the game!
-------------
Sorry for so much sports on today's Grab Bag ... but it is what it is (ha, always wanted to type that). I'll be back Monday for some music shtuff ... and of course, sports. Have a great weekend.
HCP
posted by HCP @ 10:59 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home