nuggs have a bright future. hope karl stays-on while the team matures and improves. big upside there.
meanwhile, what looked like a clear path to the finals for the heat now looks like a struggle to get there. i'd say boston is the favorite, at this point.
It's not just the scoring Daniel in Soccer, it is all the other action too that matter, including the defensive action. But it certainly helps watching it with other fans. It is not just European though. One of the best national teams is Brazil, probably the most successful nation ever, and it is the sport of Africa with a rise in playing standards after many of the best players have now joined top European clubs. India will be the new growth area, as it is already a major TV sport there. If you can see the Champions League on TV that will give a good introduction, played between the best club teams in Europe, with all the top players. The final is next Saturday (Bayern Munich against Chelsea) but the action will start again in the Autumn. And talk about tension. My team, Manchester United, thought they had won the UK Premiership yesterday, but Manchester City took it in about the last 10 seconds of the season with a goal to put them ahead in their game.
Greg, sorry about the Prem yesterday, what an amazing last few minuites. For me it was a strange day getting 4th palce means that we have to sweat and hope Bayern Munich beat Chelsea on Saturday to get Champions league. Bit strange that an ex Spurs keeper played so badly against Arsenal. Watched it in a pub that had all the games on and the atmosphere was great, all good spirits, lots of jokes and no hassle, just what it should be like
My stepson was here yesterday afternoon - been a Spurs fan since the day he was born, its in the family genes. He was watching Sky Sports News in one room and I was watching Sky Sports 2 in another. So you can imagine what it was like especially when Arsenal were losing and City were losing. We'd have both taken half time as the end! I'll certainly be supporting Bayern Munich, hoping home advantage pays dividends!! My three year old grandaughter could not understand why daddy and grandad were getting so uptight, elated and dejected all within a few minutes. Mind you, she knows the names of most of the Spurs players!
They will become part of a set of supporters described by someone on the Guardian football blog as " The Miserable who hope to dream". I can say as a supporter for over 46 years it has taken its toll on me. My wife is from Tottenham so she understands how I feel, anyone who on holiday last year gets up at 6 in the morning to watch an Arsenal v Spurs game also derserves a medal!
I keep telling her the season is nearly over however it will soon be Euros 2011, time to get the diary out and pencil in those games.
Yes, they are already in mine! My brother-in-law has been a season ticket holder for about 30 years; he always expects something to go wrong, even when they are two up with seconds to go. He lives quite close to the ground, would never move away from NE London, it is so ingrained. Besides the Euros I'm now looking forward to the transfer window and the pre-season tour so we can start to put it right again...
Basketball's early John Elway, always in the final dance, never winning the prize. Miami still gets to the finals though. Can't see them losing to the Pacers, Old Man Boston, and Overachieving by Other Team's Injuries Philly.
Even though I think both series will be done in five, the WCF are all-entertainment level. And while these playoffs have been meh level so far, Spurs versus OKC and either winner going against the Heat in the Finals could be the salve for the needy.
That's what I do and it drives my wife crazy. She is usually reading while we watch sports so she isn't paying enough attention to know what is going on without volume. She's learned to deal with it though, unless the Hawkeyes are playing. Then I'm not allowed to listen to music.
here in south-florida, it's now almost accepted as inevitable that the heat will lose in the second-round to the pacers, thereby ushering in an offseason of massive doubt and angst. one respected columnist (dave hyde, of the sun-sentinel) speculated that if the heat lose to indiana, the trade talk you'll begin to hear in the offseason is this:
dwayne wade and chris bosh (to orlando) -- for -- dwight howard (to miami).
i suppose the flip-side is that you could trade bron for howard. assuming everyone's healthy, wade -- bosh -- howard is a fairly perfect complimentary cast. but yeah, bron and howard would be a devestating one-two punch.
okay, so let me see: if there's a chance of the heat winning the title at this stage, then i'd rather have the LAL take OKC to at least 7 games. OTOH, if the heat can't win, then i'm torn between (a) not wanting OKC to win the title before we do and (b) LOLOLOLOLOL LAL.
You gotta cheer for okc to knock off the lakers, then san antonio to knock off okc. san antonio are old guard, not gonna be a powerhouse much longer, thus not an enduring threat to younger teams like the Bulls and heat.
Even though I enjoy watching the clippers play, i hope they never win a game because their owner donald sterling is a racist and a misogynist and an all-around fucking douchebag and should just go away and stop embarrassing humanity. And, honestly, I'm holding back a little bit on that opinion.
Re: The Lakers: I thought that playing a kid out of high school was the douchiest thing they could do, but I believed I could cheer for them again once he failed or they traded him away. I'm still waiting.
They drafted Shaq out of LSU. I remember how quiet he used to be, seemed shy almost around the mic, very quiet. It's fun to see how personable he's become.
EDIT: When I say "they", obviously I mean Orlando drafted Shaq.
You gotta cheer for okc to knock off the lakers, then san antonio to knock off okc. san antonio are old guard, not gonna be a powerhouse much longer, thus not an enduring threat to younger teams like the Bulls and heat.
Sounds like Rose will be out all of next season. Which means by the time he comes back the season after next, the Bulls will look like a much different team. Some combination of the following players will be gone: Asik, Boozer, Gibson, Korver,and Rip Hamilton.
They'd like to keep both Gibson and Asik, but will be fortunate to have the money to sign one of those two. Korver just won't get resigned... he struggles as it is now to get open for a shot, and in two years, he'll be even slower. Boozer they'll find a way to ditch somehow. Rip will be gone unless he steps it up next season, which is definitely a real possibility if he can spend the offseason working out and stay injury free.
I think they're tied up with Deng's salary even then, but I'm not sure that they want to get rid of him; he seems to excel every other season, but even on his "off" seasons, Deng is still pretty good; I'd like to see him stay.
I hope they finally get a decent backup point guard. I haven't watched the hawks enough this year to know if getting Heinrich back is something to look into; I'm kinda in the dark about that. But some sort of upgrade at back-up point guard that wouldn't cost more than the smaller of the two salary exceptions (3 mil?).
Obviously we still need a second scoring option. Hamilton hasn't emerged as it, and Deng probably never will be it. We need a two who can come out throwing, and Deng is more of a counterpuncher, which is all fine and good and certainly useful, but not when the Bulls first scoring option is at the point guard position... that's when the number two needs to be a pure scorer, which Deng is not and which they envisioned Rip would continue to be.
I'm sure they'll keep Noah, though I suppose I could see them trading him if they found a way to obtain a pure scorer as well as gain some cap space in the process with which to keep Asik and Gibson in the fold. I like Noah a lot, and his improvement since being drafted is totally impressive. I also like his attitude. I remember him getting some flack from teammates in his rookie season when he talked about how the team lacked a killer instinct and a belief in their ability to win, but he was right, but dismissed it because he was a rookie. I also remember him calling out lebron during a game (while still with the cavs) when lebron did some stupid dance as he stepped up to the free throw line. I like Noah, respect him as a player. But I don't think he's untouchable (like Rose is), if the right deal can be swung, even though he is arguably the second best person on the team.
Heat might be in some trouble. We talked about the heat bench back in the day. I even think there's a thread on it somewhere, or maybe it's buried in another thread (I think, actually, somewhere in the "that might be the end of emu for me" thread). They spent all their money on the big three, and it's just too hard to pinch pennies rounding out the rest of the line-up when a championship team needs a bench that is not only talented, but also fits together as a cohesive unit. The heat were brought/bought together with the expectation that they'd be winning more nba titles than they knew what to do with, and if they don't pull it off this year, they'll be spending all their time in the off-season wondering if they'll do it at all, if they based all their plans around the wrong assumptions, lebron wondering if he made the right decision taking less money to play for the heat, bosh continuing to feel unappreciated, etc etc etc.
P.S. Maybe I don't see it because I don't follow the lakers regularly and don't live in L.A., but does Kobe ever sincerely take the blame for a loss upon himself. I mean, yes, gasol made a bad pass at the end of the game, but kobe didn't do jack down the stretch in the fourth quarter, and while he is a great player, his self-absorption seems inflated greater than his talent, and it causes problems on the court. When a player thinks they can do no wrong, they typically fuck it up for everyone.
P.P.S. While it does make me giggle a bit to read the criticism of lebron shying away from the final shots of games (which he may or may not be doing), and while I agree he (or Wade) should be taking those final shots (see: Durant, game 4 vs l.a.), I'm not sure he really deserves to have the criticism heaped on him like that. One, he passes off to guys who have open shots, who have made the shots before, and in which he displays a confidence in his teammates to make them. If they made those shots, he'd get none of that criticism. I guess what has me thinking about it is that as I relive old Bulls moments in my mind, I can't help but wonder how much Jordan would've been criticized had Paxon not made a huge shot against the lakers in the finals or Hodges against phoenix or Kerr against any number of teams in the post-season. The Bulls' bench in those glory years wasn't a hell of a lot better than the heat have now, but they play better as a unit, they are pieces that fit together as chosen and not as dictated by three players sucking up all the salary cap, and, obviously, the Bulls were better coached than the heat are now.
Maybe I don't see it because I don't follow the lakers regularly and don't live in L.A., but does Kobe ever sincerely take the blame for a loss upon himself. I mean, yes, gasol made a bad pass at the end of the game, but kobe didn't do jack down the stretch in the fourth quarter, and while he is a great player, his self-absorption seems inflated greater than his talent, and it causes problems on the court. When a player thinks they can do no wrong, they typically fuck it up for everyone.
Which is why the best basketball in LA is usually played in Westwood.
Just noticed your footnote for the heat line-up next season. Not sure you'll get howard. Looks like he prefers being the man of the team, and that won't happen with lebron with the heat (or Wade, for that matter). The Bulls have a better shot at getting Allen, depending on their cap situation. Really not sure what Nash will do next season, can't even begin to speculate on him. Considering the heat prefer running the ball through lebron, don't know that nash would be the best choice, though if anybody can find a way to become a fit on a team, I suppose nash could. If joe johnson gets released by the hawks as part of the cap amnesty program, that's who the heat should go after. Johnson is a sharpshooter than lebron could rely on, plus it wouldn't cost the heat much to pick him up. The heat definitely need some inside presence, 'cause bosh can't do it alone; he's a solid player, but he can't carry a team (see: Toronto, fail).
i was sort of kidding with that footnote. there has been speculation, among local sportswriters, about the heat pursuing d12 if we lose to indiana. but who knows? a disaster so far in game four, btw. projected final score based on first-half of first-quarter: indiana pacers 72; miami heat 0.
Probably only discussing with Lowlife here - what a game, wrong result though. Chelsea only went ahead for the first time with the last kick, didn't deserve to win, though Bayern lost it, rather than Chelsea winning it, with a bad substitution and missing the penalty - why did Robben take it, when it was obvious that Cech would have a good idea how he would take it? Sadly Spurs will lose millions of pounds, possibly even the break-up of their team, with a penalty kick taken in another game. If only Arsenal had drawn their last game I'd have been celebrating. Good for Di Matteo though, hope they keep him.
Saturday night was a strange night came out of my pub feeling really gutted. This will mean that Modric will go although lots of Spurs fans will say take the money on him as we can buy some other players who want to play for us. Bale and others will stay although there are rumours that Harry may go to Chelsea as well.
I look back over the games we should have won with regret back the fact is the club on the limited budget we have still came 4th and we have some new great players such as Sandrio , Stephen Caulker and Kyle Walker.
It will be interesting again to see how we come out of this as usual we never know what Spurs will do, its the reason will love and hate the club so much.
Comments
meanwhile, what looked like a clear path to the finals for the heat now looks like a struggle to get there. i'd say boston is the favorite, at this point.
rip, chris bosh.
I keep telling her the season is nearly over however it will soon be Euros 2011, time to get the diary out and pencil in those games.
and thus, a chill falls over the land, and a heavy burden comes to rest on bron's shoulders.
there there; let it out, bron. it's okay to cry.
Even though I think both series will be done in five, the WCF are all-entertainment level. And while these playoffs have been meh level so far, Spurs versus OKC and either winner going against the Heat in the Finals could be the salve for the needy.
true with basketball, too. got to watch activity taking place away from the ballhandler and his defender.
1/ Olympic Torch relay started
2/ Cricket England v West Indies
3/ Rugby: European Cup Finals
4/Football: Champions League Final
Might not be posting too much music today!
Craig
dwayne wade and chris bosh (to orlando) -- for -- dwight howard (to miami).
i suppose the flip-side is that you could trade bron for howard. assuming everyone's healthy, wade -- bosh -- howard is a fairly perfect complimentary cast. but yeah, bron and howard would be a devestating one-two punch.
You gotta cheer for okc to knock off the lakers, then san antonio to knock off okc. san antonio are old guard, not gonna be a powerhouse much longer, thus not an enduring threat to younger teams like the Bulls and heat.
Even though I enjoy watching the clippers play, i hope they never win a game because their owner donald sterling is a racist and a misogynist and an all-around fucking douchebag and should just go away and stop embarrassing humanity. And, honestly, I'm holding back a little bit on that opinion.
(OK, I was kinda cool with Shaq, but that ended.)
They drafted Shaq out of LSU. I remember how quiet he used to be, seemed shy almost around the mic, very quiet. It's fun to see how personable he's become.
EDIT: When I say "they", obviously I mean Orlando drafted Shaq.
yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes.
_______________________________
(n.1) your 2012 -- 2013 heat starting five: udonis -- bron -- dwight howard -- nash -- _______ (ray allen?, who knows.).
They'd like to keep both Gibson and Asik, but will be fortunate to have the money to sign one of those two. Korver just won't get resigned... he struggles as it is now to get open for a shot, and in two years, he'll be even slower. Boozer they'll find a way to ditch somehow. Rip will be gone unless he steps it up next season, which is definitely a real possibility if he can spend the offseason working out and stay injury free.
I think they're tied up with Deng's salary even then, but I'm not sure that they want to get rid of him; he seems to excel every other season, but even on his "off" seasons, Deng is still pretty good; I'd like to see him stay.
I hope they finally get a decent backup point guard. I haven't watched the hawks enough this year to know if getting Heinrich back is something to look into; I'm kinda in the dark about that. But some sort of upgrade at back-up point guard that wouldn't cost more than the smaller of the two salary exceptions (3 mil?).
Obviously we still need a second scoring option. Hamilton hasn't emerged as it, and Deng probably never will be it. We need a two who can come out throwing, and Deng is more of a counterpuncher, which is all fine and good and certainly useful, but not when the Bulls first scoring option is at the point guard position... that's when the number two needs to be a pure scorer, which Deng is not and which they envisioned Rip would continue to be.
I'm sure they'll keep Noah, though I suppose I could see them trading him if they found a way to obtain a pure scorer as well as gain some cap space in the process with which to keep Asik and Gibson in the fold. I like Noah a lot, and his improvement since being drafted is totally impressive. I also like his attitude. I remember him getting some flack from teammates in his rookie season when he talked about how the team lacked a killer instinct and a belief in their ability to win, but he was right, but dismissed it because he was a rookie. I also remember him calling out lebron during a game (while still with the cavs) when lebron did some stupid dance as he stepped up to the free throw line. I like Noah, respect him as a player. But I don't think he's untouchable (like Rose is), if the right deal can be swung, even though he is arguably the second best person on the team.
Heat might be in some trouble. We talked about the heat bench back in the day. I even think there's a thread on it somewhere, or maybe it's buried in another thread (I think, actually, somewhere in the "that might be the end of emu for me" thread). They spent all their money on the big three, and it's just too hard to pinch pennies rounding out the rest of the line-up when a championship team needs a bench that is not only talented, but also fits together as a cohesive unit. The heat were brought/bought together with the expectation that they'd be winning more nba titles than they knew what to do with, and if they don't pull it off this year, they'll be spending all their time in the off-season wondering if they'll do it at all, if they based all their plans around the wrong assumptions, lebron wondering if he made the right decision taking less money to play for the heat, bosh continuing to feel unappreciated, etc etc etc.
P.S. Maybe I don't see it because I don't follow the lakers regularly and don't live in L.A., but does Kobe ever sincerely take the blame for a loss upon himself. I mean, yes, gasol made a bad pass at the end of the game, but kobe didn't do jack down the stretch in the fourth quarter, and while he is a great player, his self-absorption seems inflated greater than his talent, and it causes problems on the court. When a player thinks they can do no wrong, they typically fuck it up for everyone.
P.P.S. While it does make me giggle a bit to read the criticism of lebron shying away from the final shots of games (which he may or may not be doing), and while I agree he (or Wade) should be taking those final shots (see: Durant, game 4 vs l.a.), I'm not sure he really deserves to have the criticism heaped on him like that. One, he passes off to guys who have open shots, who have made the shots before, and in which he displays a confidence in his teammates to make them. If they made those shots, he'd get none of that criticism. I guess what has me thinking about it is that as I relive old Bulls moments in my mind, I can't help but wonder how much Jordan would've been criticized had Paxon not made a huge shot against the lakers in the finals or Hodges against phoenix or Kerr against any number of teams in the post-season. The Bulls' bench in those glory years wasn't a hell of a lot better than the heat have now, but they play better as a unit, they are pieces that fit together as chosen and not as dictated by three players sucking up all the salary cap, and, obviously, the Bulls were better coached than the heat are now.
Just noticed your footnote for the heat line-up next season. Not sure you'll get howard. Looks like he prefers being the man of the team, and that won't happen with lebron with the heat (or Wade, for that matter). The Bulls have a better shot at getting Allen, depending on their cap situation. Really not sure what Nash will do next season, can't even begin to speculate on him. Considering the heat prefer running the ball through lebron, don't know that nash would be the best choice, though if anybody can find a way to become a fit on a team, I suppose nash could. If joe johnson gets released by the hawks as part of the cap amnesty program, that's who the heat should go after. Johnson is a sharpshooter than lebron could rely on, plus it wouldn't cost the heat much to pick him up. The heat definitely need some inside presence, 'cause bosh can't do it alone; he's a solid player, but he can't carry a team (see: Toronto, fail).
that is all.
Saturday night was a strange night came out of my pub feeling really gutted. This will mean that Modric will go although lots of Spurs fans will say take the money on him as we can buy some other players who want to play for us. Bale and others will stay although there are rumours that Harry may go to Chelsea as well.
I look back over the games we should have won with regret back the fact is the club on the limited budget we have still came 4th and we have some new great players such as Sandrio , Stephen Caulker and Kyle Walker.
It will be interesting again to see how we come out of this as usual we never know what Spurs will do, its the reason will love and hate the club so much.