The league is just about full, with a few stragglers still to sign up. I'm going to close the enrollment as of the end of the day today (Thursday), with the draft set for Friday (assuming Yahoo! cooperates).
So, if you've received the password/League ID and have yet to sign in, do so today, please, or else you'll miss out. Or, if you're interested in playing, shoot me an email at supersonicsoul AT hotmail.com.
Oh, and nice work by the Bucks yesterday.
Thursday, October 30
Wednesday, October 29
Wagers
Some NBA-related totals to ponder as the season gets underway. I’ve put my selections in italics.
Thunder Wins vs.
Barack Obama States Won
George Karl’s Tenure in Denver vs.
Allen Iverson’s
Blazers Wins vs.
Darius Miles Games Played
Thunder Wins vs.
Chesapeake Energy’s Stock Value
Years before NBA is in Seattle vs.
Total Coaches Fired
50+ Win Western Conference Teams vs.
50+ Win Eastern Conference Teams
John McCain States Won vs.
Greg Oden’s Games Played
Rasheed Wallace Technicals vs.
Minutes Remaining on Sarah Palin’s 15 Minutes
Spurs Playoff Wins vs.
Tim Duncan’s Rebounds Per Game
Thunder Wins vs.
Barack Obama States Won
George Karl’s Tenure in Denver vs.
Allen Iverson’s
Blazers Wins vs.
Darius Miles Games Played
Thunder Wins vs.
Chesapeake Energy’s Stock Value
Years before NBA is in Seattle vs.
Total Coaches Fired
50+ Win Western Conference Teams vs.
50+ Win Eastern Conference Teams
John McCain States Won vs.
Greg Oden’s Games Played
Rasheed Wallace Technicals vs.
Minutes Remaining on Sarah Palin’s 15 Minutes
Spurs Playoff Wins vs.
Tim Duncan’s Rebounds Per Game
Tuesday, October 28
Fantasy III
Just a friendly reminder to sign up for the completely free SuperSonicSoul Fantasy League over a Yahoo sports. Shoot me an email at supersonicsoul AT hotmail.com and I'll forward you the pertinent details. There are a couple of spots left, so if you think you know a better way to fill out a roster than Sam Presti, jump on in. Draft day will either be Thursday or Friday.
In the News
Gary Washburn sheds some light on how the former Sonics are adjusting to life in Oklahoma City, whether it's tossing cermonial coins at a high school football game or getting denied entry to nightclubs because of their race, today in the PI.
Speaking only for myself, I've moved on from this team. Brian Robinsonat SonicsCentral made a point a while ago about how emotionally unattached most Sonic fans were to this roster, and I have to agree. If this had been the Payton/Kemp/Schrempf Sonics, or the X/Chambers/Ellis Sonics, the pain would be much, much higher.
Suffice it to say I miss the Sonics, but I don't miss this roster. For all the lousy things I can say about Clay Bennett, at least he took the team when we cared for them the least.
Speaking only for myself, I've moved on from this team. Brian Robinsonat SonicsCentral made a point a while ago about how emotionally unattached most Sonic fans were to this roster, and I have to agree. If this had been the Payton/Kemp/Schrempf Sonics, or the X/Chambers/Ellis Sonics, the pain would be much, much higher.
Suffice it to say I miss the Sonics, but I don't miss this roster. For all the lousy things I can say about Clay Bennett, at least he took the team when we cared for them the least.
ESPN Gets Some Soul
The nice folks at ESPN asked our opinion about a few NBA-related topics, and we (I) were glad to help out. You can see the results here.
(I know what you're thinking - did they also ask kansascitykingsforever.com? What about charlottehornetpride.com or thesdclipperjoint.com?)
Fine, smart guy, you got me there. But, anyway, at least it lets the rest of the sporting world know that at least some people in Seattle still care about the Sonics.
(I know what you're thinking - did they also ask kansascitykingsforever.com? What about charlottehornetpride.com or thesdclipperjoint.com?)
Fine, smart guy, you got me there. But, anyway, at least it lets the rest of the sporting world know that at least some people in Seattle still care about the Sonics.
Monday, October 27
SSS Christmas Wish List: Wheedle
There is sad, then there is Wheedle-slouched-against-closet-door sad.
Some lucky soul out there already won the bidding for this gem, and I can only hope that he figures out a way to pose in the uplifting manner befitting the former mascot of the Sonics. As it is, however, it's a pretty accurate portrayal of Sonic fan spirits these days.
Some lucky soul out there already won the bidding for this gem, and I can only hope that he figures out a way to pose in the uplifting manner befitting the former mascot of the Sonics. As it is, however, it's a pretty accurate portrayal of Sonic fan spirits these days.
Dino Rossi? You've got to be kidding me
Like many of you, I recently received an email from the supposedly non-partisan group "Save Our Sonics" (whom a lot of us invested time and money with last year) with a special message from alleged number-one Sonics fanboy Dino Rossi:"I proudly stood along the parade route in 1979 when the Sonics won the championship. I never wanted the Sonics to leave Seattle. Early this year, I was asked to remain silent on the proposed Key Arena renovation offer by representatives of the group of private investors so Governor Gregoire could support it without suffering political repercussions. But when I read the headline of the Oklahoman newspaper near the end of the legislative session that read 'Washington governor gives up: Official says there is no saving Sonics,' I knew we had to act and I publicly supported the public-private partnership. Still, Gregoire remained silent." - Dino RossiDoes Rossi (a guy who openly hates the city of Seattle) really think Sonics fans are that dumb? Does he really think the working class fans of the Supersonics are going to vote for a guy who wants to lower the minimum wage just because he (supposedly) watched the '79 championship parade? Guess who else was at that parade? The Wheedle! Should we elect him for State Treasurer?
Worse, does Rossi really think Gregoire failed Sonics fans by not caving in to Clay Bennett's extortion demands? Anyone with half a brain (sorry Ho-Shu) knew from day one that Bennett had no intention of keeping the Sonics in Seattle. There is no way in high heaven Bennett would have allowed local business people to invest in "his" team.
As devastated as I was by the Sonics leaving town, I'm proud that the Governor stood up to Bennett the Bandit and told him where he could stick his $500 million dollar tax shelter. I love the Sonics more than any grown man should, but in the end, I'd rather wait a few years for a locally owned team playing in a renovated Key Arena.
Look, I know sports and politics go together like ice cream and dirt, so I have tried to keep my political views far away from Supersonicsoul (for instance, I have not once promoted my big "VOTE OR CRY" political comedy shows, next week on Nov 1st and 3rd--Be there!). I really wish S.O.S. would have done the same.
Perspective
Allow me, if you will, to drift back to Saturday night in Philadelphia, to an evening when sports jumped out of the box in which it is usually contained, and became something much, much more.
Jamie Moyer, a man more than a decade older than almost everyone else on the field that night, holds a team full of 20-somethings in check for nearly seven innings, culminating a more than 20-year quest for playoff glory.
(And, if I might point out, ponder this for a moment: Jamie Moyer, born Nov. 18, 1962, has been the poster child (man?) for older athletes for the past month or so. In fact, for the past half-decade he's been held up as a geezer. Well, think about this - Jamie Moyer is a full year younger than Barack Obama. How you like them apples?)
Anyhow, there was a moment in the sixth inning when Moyer, clearly nearing the end of his tether, is denied a strike by the home plate umpire. He receives the ball from the catcher, pauses for a moment to gather himself, toes the rubber, and leans in for the sign.
At that moment, watching on television, any person who had ever played competitive sports knew exactly what was running through his mind. "Jamie," he seemed to be thinking to himself, "focus." For more than 20 years he had been reaching for this opportunity, and he was not about to let it slip away.
At that moment, you would have had to have been made of stone (or from Tampa) not to be cheering for the man.
Later, after the game was finished and Moyer received his accolades for a job well done, I was reminded of Nate McMillan's frustrating experience as a member of the Sonics during the 1996 NBA Finals.
Like Moyer, McMillan was an immensely respected veteran player and, like Moyer, he was near the end of his career. This chance against Chicago would likely be McMillan's only chance at drinking from the championship cup.
Sadly, as all Sonic fans know, Nate's shot at glory was sidetracked by injury, and while he was able to get an ovation from the KeyArena faithful when he checked in during game three, you had to know his inability to play full out in the NBA Finals must have killed him, especially when his team lost a close fight with the Bulls in six games.
In any event, watching Moyer Saturday night reminded me again why we love sports. As much as we cheer for Moyer and as much as we cheered for McMillan, we were also cheering for ourselves, for the possibility of achieving greatness. With the Sonics leaving Seattle this year, I've grown more and more disillusioned with the NBA and pro sports in general. The continual begging for more public funds, the extortion of fans and cities, the betrayal of built-up loyalties, it's all there.
But on Saturday night, I remembered why I love following sports so much. Sometimes, beyond all the garbage, there's a beautiful moment. Thanks, Jamie, for reminding me.
Jamie Moyer, a man more than a decade older than almost everyone else on the field that night, holds a team full of 20-somethings in check for nearly seven innings, culminating a more than 20-year quest for playoff glory.
(And, if I might point out, ponder this for a moment: Jamie Moyer, born Nov. 18, 1962, has been the poster child (man?) for older athletes for the past month or so. In fact, for the past half-decade he's been held up as a geezer. Well, think about this - Jamie Moyer is a full year younger than Barack Obama. How you like them apples?)
Anyhow, there was a moment in the sixth inning when Moyer, clearly nearing the end of his tether, is denied a strike by the home plate umpire. He receives the ball from the catcher, pauses for a moment to gather himself, toes the rubber, and leans in for the sign.
At that moment, watching on television, any person who had ever played competitive sports knew exactly what was running through his mind. "Jamie," he seemed to be thinking to himself, "focus." For more than 20 years he had been reaching for this opportunity, and he was not about to let it slip away.
At that moment, you would have had to have been made of stone (or from Tampa) not to be cheering for the man.
Later, after the game was finished and Moyer received his accolades for a job well done, I was reminded of Nate McMillan's frustrating experience as a member of the Sonics during the 1996 NBA Finals.
Like Moyer, McMillan was an immensely respected veteran player and, like Moyer, he was near the end of his career. This chance against Chicago would likely be McMillan's only chance at drinking from the championship cup.
Sadly, as all Sonic fans know, Nate's shot at glory was sidetracked by injury, and while he was able to get an ovation from the KeyArena faithful when he checked in during game three, you had to know his inability to play full out in the NBA Finals must have killed him, especially when his team lost a close fight with the Bulls in six games.
In any event, watching Moyer Saturday night reminded me again why we love sports. As much as we cheer for Moyer and as much as we cheered for McMillan, we were also cheering for ourselves, for the possibility of achieving greatness. With the Sonics leaving Seattle this year, I've grown more and more disillusioned with the NBA and pro sports in general. The continual begging for more public funds, the extortion of fans and cities, the betrayal of built-up loyalties, it's all there.
But on Saturday night, I remembered why I love following sports so much. Sometimes, beyond all the garbage, there's a beautiful moment. Thanks, Jamie, for reminding me.
Friday, October 24
Fantasy II
Looks like your trusty narrator has fouled up the log-in process for the league. Here's how it should work:
Send me an email at supersonicsoul AT hotmail.com expressing interest in joining the league. I'll email you back the Password, at which time you can click on this link, where you'll type in the league name and password. (I think I've got it right now). [UPDATE: Alas, I did not. The league ID # is 124389, which will accompany the emailed password].
[I think].
Luckily, I anticipated that I would screw this up, so we've got all of next week to get things rolling. The first game for the league doesn't start until the week of Nov. 2, so you've got the weekend and a couple of days next week to log yourselves in and adjust your pre-draft rankings.
That is all.
Send me an email at supersonicsoul AT hotmail.com expressing interest in joining the league. I'll email you back the Password, at which time you can click on this link, where you'll type in the league name and password. (I think I've got it right now). [UPDATE: Alas, I did not. The league ID # is 124389, which will accompany the emailed password].
[I think].
Luckily, I anticipated that I would screw this up, so we've got all of next week to get things rolling. The first game for the league doesn't start until the week of Nov. 2, so you've got the weekend and a couple of days next week to log yourselves in and adjust your pre-draft rankings.
That is all.
Fantasytasic
As my fellow Soul brothers will attest, I’m a grumpy old man, even if I haven’t reached 40 years of age.
As evidence, how many thirtysomethings do you know who: drive a Buick, don’t have a credit card, don’t like technology, have no idea how Facebook or MySpace works, don’t have a cell phone, and boil their own maple syrup.
Okay, I made the last one up (why should I boil it myself when it flows through the streets of Canada anyways?), but the rest of that sad, bizarre, grouchy list is entirely accurate.
Why do I mention this? As a segue to explain why I’m not much of a fantasy sports fanatic. Heck, I’m not even an aficionado, or a devotee.
I just never really cottoned to the idea that I have to root for someone playing against my team. If Allen Iverson’s on my fantasy team, and the Nuggets are playing the Sonics (ouch! yep, still hurts), I never could find it within myself to hope AI would score 40 points. As a result, fantasy sports and I didn’t get too close.
However, I had an epiphany this morning – suddenly, I am an NBA free agent. If I want to root for Iverson, I can, with no guilt or remorse necessary. Suddenly, I’m ready to jump on fantasy sports with all the excitement of a man discovering cable television. (And, yes, smart guy, I do have cable. I get all 18 all-hockey channels and both of the Tim Hortons channels).
With that fantasy revelation fresh in my mind, I decided we should kick start our 2008-09 SuperSonicSoul Fantasy League. As in years past, it’s open to SONIC fans from all over the world, as well as any other readers of this site who will refrain from making mocking comments about our team-less plight.
Among the special features contestants will enjoy:
-PRIZES! I’m ponying up some of my hard-earned Canadian money to provide the first-place winner with a suitable Sonic memento of days gone by.
-NOTORIETY! See your name in lights as we will weekly/monthly update notable achievements in the league on the website (updates subject to laziness).
-FREE! As with everything else associated with SuperSonicSoul, the league is free.
If you’re interested in joining, click on this link to be forwarded to the league’s home page. Yes, fellow recluses, you’ll have to get a Yahoo account to play along. Sorry, but them’s the breaks. If, for some reason, the link is not working or you have trouble getting your team registered, email me at supersonicsoul AT hotmail.com. Of note, to make sure our lazy readers have enough time to get their acts together, the kickoff to the League of Soul is Week 2 of the NBA season (i.e., games of November 2nd).
Oh, one final thing. In tribute to Sonic history, it'd be great if everyone could pick their favorite Sonic as their team name. I've already taken Nate, but Jim Farmer is still available.
As evidence, how many thirtysomethings do you know who: drive a Buick, don’t have a credit card, don’t like technology, have no idea how Facebook or MySpace works, don’t have a cell phone, and boil their own maple syrup.
Okay, I made the last one up (why should I boil it myself when it flows through the streets of Canada anyways?), but the rest of that sad, bizarre, grouchy list is entirely accurate.
Why do I mention this? As a segue to explain why I’m not much of a fantasy sports fanatic. Heck, I’m not even an aficionado, or a devotee.
I just never really cottoned to the idea that I have to root for someone playing against my team. If Allen Iverson’s on my fantasy team, and the Nuggets are playing the Sonics (ouch! yep, still hurts), I never could find it within myself to hope AI would score 40 points. As a result, fantasy sports and I didn’t get too close.
However, I had an epiphany this morning – suddenly, I am an NBA free agent. If I want to root for Iverson, I can, with no guilt or remorse necessary. Suddenly, I’m ready to jump on fantasy sports with all the excitement of a man discovering cable television. (And, yes, smart guy, I do have cable. I get all 18 all-hockey channels and both of the Tim Hortons channels).
With that fantasy revelation fresh in my mind, I decided we should kick start our 2008-09 SuperSonicSoul Fantasy League. As in years past, it’s open to SONIC fans from all over the world, as well as any other readers of this site who will refrain from making mocking comments about our team-less plight.
Among the special features contestants will enjoy:
-PRIZES! I’m ponying up some of my hard-earned Canadian money to provide the first-place winner with a suitable Sonic memento of days gone by.
-NOTORIETY! See your name in lights as we will weekly/monthly update notable achievements in the league on the website (updates subject to laziness).
-FREE! As with everything else associated with SuperSonicSoul, the league is free.
If you’re interested in joining, click on this link to be forwarded to the league’s home page. Yes, fellow recluses, you’ll have to get a Yahoo account to play along. Sorry, but them’s the breaks. If, for some reason, the link is not working or you have trouble getting your team registered, email me at supersonicsoul AT hotmail.com. Of note, to make sure our lazy readers have enough time to get their acts together, the kickoff to the League of Soul is Week 2 of the NBA season (i.e., games of November 2nd).
Oh, one final thing. In tribute to Sonic history, it'd be great if everyone could pick their favorite Sonic as their team name. I've already taken Nate, but Jim Farmer is still available.
Multiple Choice
Yesterday, Commissioner David Stern commented during a conference call with reporters that the NBA has made "positive contact" with a prospective ownership group led by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, and that it is possible the league will return to Seattle soon. Based on that information, please answer the following multiple choice question:
Which thought runs through Mr. Stern's mind as he contemplates the reversal of fortune in Seattle, one in which a city hell-bent on opposing stadium funding has become one hell-bent upon spending $150 million on improving 10-year-old KeyArena?
A) "Egggggscellent."
B) Rubs hands together and makes evil cackling sounds.
C) "I love it when a plan comes together."
D) "Soon, it will all be mine. All of it!"
Which thought runs through Mr. Stern's mind as he contemplates the reversal of fortune in Seattle, one in which a city hell-bent on opposing stadium funding has become one hell-bent upon spending $150 million on improving 10-year-old KeyArena?
A) "Egggggscellent."
B) Rubs hands together and makes evil cackling sounds.
C) "I love it when a plan comes together."
D) "Soon, it will all be mine. All of it!"
NBA Talks to Ballmer
It is becoming more and more apparent that the KeyArena remodel is not something that will go away anytime soon, regardless of the passion (or lack of) for such a project in Olympia.
Today's PI has an in-depth story detailing how the city is planning on using the Convention Center portion of the hotel-motel tax to fund the $75 million that the state government was either unwilling or unable to provide.
That's far from earth-shattering news, as the idea has been floated through all the local papers recently. What was newsworthy, though, were the comments David Stern made in a conference call.
In his first words regarding Seattle basketball since the Sonics moved to Oklahoma City, Stern opined that "[the NBA has] had some positive contact" with the Steve Ballmer ownership group about the league returning to Seattle some time in the future.
How that scenario would play out, and whether it would be via expansion or swiping another city's team remains to be seen.
Today's PI has an in-depth story detailing how the city is planning on using the Convention Center portion of the hotel-motel tax to fund the $75 million that the state government was either unwilling or unable to provide.
That's far from earth-shattering news, as the idea has been floated through all the local papers recently. What was newsworthy, though, were the comments David Stern made in a conference call.
In his first words regarding Seattle basketball since the Sonics moved to Oklahoma City, Stern opined that "[the NBA has] had some positive contact" with the Steve Ballmer ownership group about the league returning to Seattle some time in the future.
How that scenario would play out, and whether it would be via expansion or swiping another city's team remains to be seen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)