God it pains me to say this . . . (NBA)

but the Lakers are damn, damn good. They tore Houston apart last night, at Houston, although T-Mac was out.

Forget about Kobe. Kobe's great, but this isn't about Kobe.

It's about Big Chief Triangle. I personally can't stand the guy, but, y'know, he just gets it done. When the triangle is working and the people running it really get it, it's just amazing what it can do. You can insert almost anyone in it and their value dramatically improves.

But that's not all. Triangle also gets his guys to play hard, tough defense. And he knows what buttons to push, and what books to give guys, etc. He gives his teams motivation, and confidence.

I can't begin to express how bitter I'll be if he brings Kobe another ring, but right now, that's where we're heading. I don't think it'll be this year, but I can't rule it out, either.

Jackson's smart, and most importantly, he knows how to motivate his players. Forget X's and O's, that's what Tex Winter, etc. are for. It's all about reaching guys. Jackson does that as well or better than anyone ever has.

If I were Bill Simmons, I'd know say something like "I will now light my hair on fire." Since I'm not, I won't.

But this is about as begrudging as praise as you'll ever read.

It's also damn well-earned. Triangle totally crushed JVG in the coaching department last night. Real man-boy stuff, and JVG is no coaching slouch.

Tip of the cap to your greatness, PJax. As much as it pains me.

 

Re: God, it pains me to say this . . . (NBA)

Don't use last night as your barometer. T-Mac being out was huge. No line on the game until that story until it was announced, and then it came out as -2. It probably would have been 9 or 9.5 otherwise. (Just using this as a gauge, not like the point line's the end-all, be-all).

Without a scorer like McGrady, it's not the same dangerous Yao.

 

Odom out for a month at least.

 

I will say that seeing Kwame Brown motivated is something I never thought I'd witness in this lifetime.

 

Oh, no, Pringle, you're totally right. I agree. It's: this win, after leading by 27; their beating the Spurs the other night; their crushing Utah after losing at Utah. Believe me, I'm looking for counterarguments. I'm just, unfortunately, running out of them.

I don't think they'll contend this year, if I'd be pushed to make a choice. I do think they could go on a skid right now after losing their early MVP, Lamar Odom. I just think that with Bynum emerging, and guys understanding the system better, with role players like Turiaf, etc., they're poised to do some damage. I still think Phoenix, San Antonio and Dallas are all better teams.

But I have to say they're a lot better than I thought they'd be. They're for real, at least right now. They have to be taken seriously now.

 

Neither did Wilbon, in another one of his Jordan-ass-kissing rants. Of course, MJ picked Kwame #1 as GM of the Wizards. Wilbon won't even read the outstanding MJ book (can't remember author ) chronicling his comeback with the Wiz. This is the adult equivalent of covering your ears and gong 'UMMMMM UMMMM UMMM' while someone says something you don't like. Totally childish. Why not just go all the way, Mike, and burn the book? Pathetic. I could keep ranting here, but I'll stop.

I like Wilbon, but the Jordan (and others, e.g. McNabb) shilling is absurd and embarrassing.

I love MJ, but to this point, he sucks as a management guy. There's no way around that. He's supposedly never around the Bobcats, either. Hey, there are plenty of execs like that, but let's keep the deification of MJ confined to the court for now. He's no Jerry West.

 

I don't understand why people have trouble realizing and admitting that Phil Jackson is one of the top five coaches in the history of the NBA.
And as one who covered him as a player, not a coach, he's still one of the best I ever dealt with in any sport.

 

The book was by Michael Leahy. Great book.

 

Red Auerbach certainly had trouble admitting it.

But the dude has won 9 championships. Great players or not, nobody but Phil and Red can say that.

 

It's because he could easily replace the 'BYH' in your signature, spnited. He can be one of the biggest azzhats in the world when he wants to be. Often he does this for a specific reason, but it rubs a lot of people the wrong way.

Additionally, when he starts condescendingly jiving about Zen, etc. and sounding like he wants to be the next Jim Jones or something, this also wears thin. He's a coach, and a damn good one, but he gets on his 'Prometheus bringing fire to the savages' kicks too much. That's what kills him in people's minds.

 

A freaking outstanding book, agreed. One of the most accurate pieces of sports writing I've ever seen. No hagiography, just all the warts and pettiness - and greatness - that athletes, like all other humans, possess. If I ever do a biography/'snapshot in time' book, I hope it's 1/3rd as good as that book was.

For the MJ (or anyone else, for that matter) 'Image Protectors,' like Wilbon - suck a dick. Give us the real MJ; we can handle it. And maybe even like him more. We don't need your 'you can't handle the truth,' 'Republicans buy shoes, too' whitewashed bullshit. Save it.

 

Yeah, that was kind of tough for him, wasn't it? ; )

Amen. I hate you, Almighty One, for this, but it's true.

Clarification: buckweaver, I am not refering to you as 'Almighty One,' but instead to the person occupying Heaven, if you believe in Him or Her. The previous sentence wasn't quite clear on that, as 'Almighty One' could easily be misconstrued as refering to the person who provided the quote. Or to put it simply: My writing sucks, and I'm not good with antecedents. : )

BW, I hope you'll settle for 'Exalted One' in lieu of the other term.