Signifying nothing

Well worth losing sleep over, after a very dicey start by the Jazz.

Stockton Originally uploaded by Theorris Well it is that time of year again: the start of basketball season. Utah played Denver and waxed the floor with them--108 to 87 last night. Preseason, of course means nothing, but it is good to see the Jazz off to this kind of start. It is going to take a great deal of work, of course, for the Jazz to get back to the height of the Stockton/Malone era. Perhaps the statues out front of the Meltdown Center will finally work some magic after years of some pretty mundane play. With Collins gone, I'm not sure I'm going to have an Ostertag to bitch about this year, other than aiming that at the poor besotted Boozer. In a weird, pre-season bit of coincidence, former Running Ute Pace Manion, who is currently a rather stiff Utah Jazz commentator along with the non-stiff Thurl Bailey, was in the Apple Genius Bar line in front of me yesterday. I was just working out that it was him when the Genius approached and said "Pace? What's your p...

I remember back in the 80's that there were very few Jazz games on TV. This was simply because the Jazz had precious little media draw yet and there was precious-little media out there readily available. Yes, we had cable and satellite back in the 80s, but it was nothing like the over-saturation of media that we have at the present. Apparently the NBA, in its infinite wisdom, wishes to return to that time period when the only way you could witness games is on the radio. Pretty much all the Jazz games are on FSN this year. For those of us who have no desire to drink the "Premium Cable Package" Kool Aid at 100 smackers a month, the only option is radio. Sure I could head out to the bars, as I am wont to do on occasion, but that many times a month? Give me a fucking break. Here it goes: fuck you NBA. Fuck you. Pushing all of your games to premium cable is an idiotic mistake. What kind of money are you making off that deal? Jesus. On the other hand, as I sit here,...

Ok, so maybe Ron Boone is not a legend in the eyes of many, but he was an all star in the old ABA 3 times over for the Utah Stars (go stars!) and I remember watching him play when I was a kid. I believe, as well, that Booner is high in the NBA record books for best free throw percentage. After he left the ABA he played in the NBA for 8 seasons and ended up with a .830 FTP . In case you don't know, he now serves as a commentator on Jazz games. Now what is all this leading to, you ask? Well tonight I had the opportunity to meet Booner at a social function. I didn't delve to much into asking him questions about his career or even about the Jazz, fearing that it would be tedious for him. I am kind of kicking myself now, however, for not mentioning my fond memories of the Utah Stars as a kid. I did, however, bring up the topic of the dearth of Jazz games on broadcast TV this year. The League, he stated, wants to shift in the direction of having more games on FSN or other s...

Game 4 of 2008 NBA finals might be one of the best Celtic games I've seen since the era of Bird. All I have to say to the cursed ABC announcers who officially called that it would be 2 and 2 at the end of this game is would you like a nice Cabernet to go with that crow you've got to eat? Again it was all Kobe and what a great "team" player he is. Aside from a 5 minute love-fest for Odom (who admittedly did have a great first half) and a minor affair with Azira or whatever the hell his name is, the man-crush for Kobe continued amongst the ABC announcing crew. I refuse to even name them, their partisanship disgusts me so. Why was Kobe a "team" player tonight? He wasn't scoring worth shit, that's why. Best player ever? My ass. The consensus at the Wilhelm is that the Jazz, of course, could easily take the Celtics, despite their stellar play. It is a hard one for me, as I was a Celtics fan before the Jazz came along to Utah, and would still bleed...

So here it is half time of the NBA finals and I am about fed up to here -->_ with the ABC announcers are their sering man-crushes on Kobe fucking Bryant. There is not a single play where they aren't verbally drooling over him. So, what I need is suggestions for a 3 hour play list for the next play off game (scheduled for Thursday.) Please offer up your long list of selections. Hell, despite my dislike of everything bel canto , I might even listen to a complete Wagner Opera than this fucking drivel. Tannhäuser , anyone?

Oh my, the NBA is just asking for it: NBA.com: There Can Be Only One . My first thought was wondering where I could find a picture of a horse's ass to meld with Kobe Bryant's. There can be only one horse's ass like Kobe. Thank the basketball gods for that. In the name of Bill Lambier, Amen.

I noted with interest what Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Daily News had to say about the Lakers/Celtics easy ride to quest for the NBA finals: Halftime report sponsored by Lakers and Celtics in the NBA Finals, and isn't that just so convenient? The two most storied franchises in NBA history. Complete with all those historic battles from the 1960s and '80s. All those vintage clips. And arriving just in time to save the league from another Pistons-Spurs ratings tanking. Now, if you live in Utah or San Antonio, or even Detroit, this might be just a wee too neat for your tastes. There, the conspiracy theories run rampant. Of course, if you live in Salt Lake City and San Antonio, what else do you have to do? Other than disavow Mormon extremists. To think a billion-dollar enterprise like the NBA would actually be involved in any nefarious shenanigans is, naturally, absurd. Destroying its credibility and free-flowing cash pipeline over an exposed scheme would not be sma...

I was attending to work, traveling to yet another conference today, so I had the pleasure of listening to Hot Rod call the game for the Jazz against los Nuggets. There is nothing like hearing how the best team in the NBA (Utah) trounced another good NBA team (Denver) while traveling through the marrow of the world. Jazz.

It is good to see that home cooking is still favored in Dallas. Case in point: How many times can the Jazz be fouled and never get the call yet someone even breaths on Terry or Nowitski and it is free trip to the line? How hard a foul does poor Korver have to take in the last minute of the game before they call a foul for him and then don't give the ball back to Dallas? How many times do they have to foul Williams on a three point shot before the officials call it? (Apparently not twice as that is how many times he was fouled at the end of the game.) Did you notice that it was Rat Face who was officiating? Only Dick Bavetta is better at throwing games for whoever the Jazz are playing against. Well there was that ref who was BUSTED for betting against the Jazz (among other teams) but he was just the fall guy for the shenanigans that basically pervade NBA officiating. Think I have an ax to grind?

So for his second ever outing in the NBA, Fesenko was thwacked again. In his previous Jazz experience it was a elbow to the eye, which causes for instant court-side stitches. Last night it was a forearm to the nose (and more blood). Talk about welcome to the NBA. In other Fesenko news, my friend Hopabout saw him at the store buying flowers the Saturday before last. She speculated, of course, that he was going on a date. She found the whole experience of seeing him doing this "cute."

Oy, I have been watching far too much basketball since Thursday--given all the fun of the NCAA tourney and the horrific (and badly officiated) Jazz loss to the hated Lakers on Thursday, but, dear god almighty, how the hell can the Jazz be falling to the Sonics? I know you are gloating, Middlebrow. I can sense it all the way over here. Ok, that's better: Korver just scored a trey. 38/29 Seattle. I might be less pissed off at the Jazz. Now as far as the NCAA: at least UConn and Duke are out. My odd bracket picks pay off! UPDATE (10:32 pm) Ok, the Jazz pulled back together. I might add that they only did it because I went to watch them do it. UCLA also squeaked out a win--damn.

Multimedia message Originally uploaded by Theorris This was taken before the Jazz had officially won, but hell yah! Jazz win! Beat the best team in the league. I'm predicting round three again, as I predicted previously.

Well during the 4th quarter of the Jazz vs. Bucks, I was steeling myself to write a sad-sack, why the hell can't the Jazz win on the road post, when suddenly in the last 2 minutes, they finally showed why they are the good team that they are. Finally the fouls went their way and their ability to contain the ball came back. Credit Boozer for pushing it to the Bucks. I will no need to trim my nails for a while, that's for sure.

I am endeavoring to remain positive about the Jazz's performance tonight against the Bucks, but it is difficult. How could they blow their lead and be only up by 1 at the half? Okay--okay: at least I have the solace with the notion that the Jazz tend to have stellar second halves.

A few things of note in the Jazz loss to the Bulls tonight: Kirilenko came back with a vengeance and looked pretty good. As usually people don't notice his scoring and defensive contributions. Lucky he had a great dunk and 2 three pointers tonight. Okur continues his super strong games (holy hell if he would just step back a bit and stop toeing the line on those 3 pointers.) The jazz seem literally cold (not metaphorically) when they play at other venues. Did you notice how much they continually blow on their hands at the beginning of away games? What's up with that? The Jazz are trying too hard to draw fouls that are never going to be called in their favor early on in away games. The Jazz still have a peppy game, but aren't bringing it out very often on the road. The Jazz's passing has gotten quite good lately. They used to be such a predictable team. The passes they are making are risky, yes, but cause for some great baskets.

Well after a very shaky, might I say butter-fingered start to tonight's game, the Jazz came to their senses and pulled out a great come-from-behind victory against the Pistons. I don't know what in the hell was going on in Minnesota (other than the Jazz may have been dazed by the continual howling of the timber wolf sound effect they apparently like to use ceaselessly in Minniapolis), but I'm glad they pulled out of it for a fine 1 and a half quarters tonight. They actually looked like the playoff contenders they are. On other victory from defeat fronts, House Bill 188 that I wrote about earlier that had shady intent on UTA, failed by 8 votes in the Utah House of Representatives. I received the following email from previously mentioned Representative X: After hearing the floor debate today, I voted against HB188. Thanks for writing and sharing your views on the bill and the role and management of UTA. [Representative X] Is this the end of statewide legislative meddling in...

The Jazz score 77 points in a half? Are we looking at a return to their early-season massive scoring streak? This bodes well, my droogies. Now if they can just contain Golden State and Yeltsin (Don Nelson), I would be much happier. Allowing 64 points is not good, even if you are scoring fools. * (Bill Lambier)

No doubt the wankers at the SL Trib will be whinging (yet again) about how the Jazz blew a 16 point lead, but those nit wits thrive on stirring up discontent. The Jazz, while losing that lead, were hammered, but calling on the strength they've gained since this streak began, the withstood the sledgehammer. I particularly liked Harpring's no-compromise play against Anthony et al which was interesting since Milsap and Okur were the ones to foul out. Anthony was just taking advantage of anyone who didn't play him hard. Lesson learned since the come-back: they lean on you, lean back. Jazz win, in overtime, 188 to 115. See you in Salt Lake, punks.

9 Straight! Originally uploaded by Theorris Three point fest tonight. Rock on. A comment was made that "we won't see that happening again for a long time from a Jerry Sloan team" by, I think, Jeff Hornacek. Despite his experience with Sloan, I certainly hope that is not the case. It has been nice watching the Jazz develop the long bomb game, along with a strong inside presence over the last 2 years. Sloan has been unfairly categorized as a inside game guy. Perhaps he's changing in his old age. Perhaps he can develop a full-court sense. Perhaps he skillfully works with the players he has on hand. I think that is the case. With Okur, Korver, Kirilenko, Miles, and Williams as potential long ballers, I think he is set. Given that Okur has suddenly ramped up his inside game, I think we're golden. Round 3* in the finals, here WE (as in the Jazz) come! Now if the Jazz pull of a Conference win, oh my. *Parker's out. Marbury won't get in the groove ...