Buck Wild

Well, it was back to the old ways last night for Ridnour/Watson, as Bob Hill went with Earl Watson for the fourth quarter (they actually played together for a couple of minutes mid-way through), and the Sonics came away with another win, despite an off-night from Sugar Ray.

What can you say about Chris Wilcox that hasn’t already been said? The guy has been flat-out amazing since his arrival in Seattle, and the only man more excited about his performance than us has to be his agent. For crying out loud, Wilcox has probably made his unborn grandchildren rich by his performance the past few weeks. After all, if Jerome James and Calvin Booth can get 5-year deals based on a week’s worth of average performances, how much does The Beast get for playing near-All Star-like for a couple of weeks?

For all the Ridnour-bashing of the past week, you have to give him credit for posting a strong +11 last night, for nailing all 8 of his FTs, and for dishing out 10 assists (his third double-digit performance in four games). Face it, people, the man can run an offense; if we could get him to trade places with Watson as he runs back on defense, we’d have one of the three best PGs in the league.

All in all, a stellar game for the Sonics.

Kinged

Luke Ridnour was out to prove something last night, and he was successful, but not in the way he hoped.

Fresh off some somewhat stinging comments to the local media regarding his dissatisfaction with sitting in the 4th quarter of games, Frodo was given the opportunity to be The Man last night as Earl Watson sat out with a throat injury. How did the Young Duck react?

By going 2 for 10 from the field and scoring as many points in 33 minutes as Mike Wilks did in 15 (six). Oh, and did I mention he was -17 while on court? I didn't? Well, now you know. Or that the Sonics went on a 9-0 run when Wilks entered at the end of the 1st quarter? Or that they went on an 8-3 run when he sat in the 3rd?

Luke, feel free to test the free agent waters, because the tide is beginning to turn against you in this town.

Boo-Hoo Baggins

Frodo during happier, hairier times.

Not one, but two local papers are reporting today that Sonics guard Luke Ridnour is unhappy in Seattle. It seems Frodo doesn't think the arrival of Earl Watson and the subsequent improvement of the team adds up to good times:

"It's tough because I went on such a good stretch and [was] feeling so good, just playing and playing pretty well and then something like that happens," Ridnour said after Monday's practice at the Furtado Center. "I still played well, but it's tough to go through. (from the Seattle Times)

O.K., Luke, but tell us how you really feel:

“It sucks,” Ridnour said. “It is frustrating, and especially when I felt that I have played well for a long time now, and just like that, even when I played well, it hasn’t mattered, I still haven’t played. It has been tough. I am trying to stay focused and stay positive because it always comes back around. But it has been tough, I am not going to lie.”

“It is something I have to pray a lot about and see where I want to go." (from the Tacoma News Tribune)

Well Frodo, maybe if you spent less time worrying about What Jesus Would Do, and more about What G.P. Would Do, maybe you wouldn't be sitting on the bench in the fourth.