Showing posts with label basketball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label basketball. Show all posts
Monday, April 7, 2008
Rock Chalk Jayhawk
Congratulations to the 2008 NCAA Men's Basketball National Champions, The University of Kansas Jayhawks.
Monday, July 5, 2004
The Paul Fritz Invitational (insert sport here) Tournament
When I get rich, I'd like to host 6 celebrity sports tournaments a year. I'd have hockey in January, basketball in March, softball in May, golf in July, soccer in September, and flag football in November. Each would consist of 8 teams. With the obvious exception of golf, the teams would be split into 2 pools of 4, then seeded for a single elimination bracket to determine the winner.
The whole thing would be for charity. Every player and team would be playing for the cause of their choice. Each member of the winning team would get $5,000. Each captain would get $10,000. The winning team gets $25,000. Every participant gets $2,000, and every team gets $10,000. For the golf tournament, the overall individual winner would get $10,000.
Teams would consist of musicians, actors, former pro athletes, my friends, and me. No pro athlete can play in the tournament that he/she went pro in (example: Tom Glavine and Cal Ripken Jr. could play in the hockey and soccer tournaments respectively, but neither could play in the softball tournament).
Teams sizes are as follows: 11 for hockey (2 lines, 2 defensive pairings, 1 goalie), 8 for basketball (5v5, 3 bench players), 11 for softball (10 starters plus an extra), 4-man golf teams, 8 for soccer (1 goalie, and 7 players to be arranged in any manner desired by the captain), and 8 for football (7v7 and 1 extra). Players would be split into teams based on their individual ability. The idea is that every team has an equal chance as possible to win.
For each tournament, 2 areas of play would be needed. Again, golf is the exception, where half the teams would start at the 1st hole and the other half at the 10th. Of course, all tournaments would be held in Fargo.
After a winner has been crowned, festivities would commence. These would include a music concert, several video game stations (most likely with the same sport as the tournament), an awards ceremony.
The whole thing would be for charity. Every player and team would be playing for the cause of their choice. Each member of the winning team would get $5,000. Each captain would get $10,000. The winning team gets $25,000. Every participant gets $2,000, and every team gets $10,000. For the golf tournament, the overall individual winner would get $10,000.
Teams would consist of musicians, actors, former pro athletes, my friends, and me. No pro athlete can play in the tournament that he/she went pro in (example: Tom Glavine and Cal Ripken Jr. could play in the hockey and soccer tournaments respectively, but neither could play in the softball tournament).
Teams sizes are as follows: 11 for hockey (2 lines, 2 defensive pairings, 1 goalie), 8 for basketball (5v5, 3 bench players), 11 for softball (10 starters plus an extra), 4-man golf teams, 8 for soccer (1 goalie, and 7 players to be arranged in any manner desired by the captain), and 8 for football (7v7 and 1 extra). Players would be split into teams based on their individual ability. The idea is that every team has an equal chance as possible to win.
For each tournament, 2 areas of play would be needed. Again, golf is the exception, where half the teams would start at the 1st hole and the other half at the 10th. Of course, all tournaments would be held in Fargo.
After a winner has been crowned, festivities would commence. These would include a music concert, several video game stations (most likely with the same sport as the tournament), an awards ceremony.
Tuesday, June 1, 2004
Come over to the dark side...
The NBA playoffs have been WAY better than the NHL playoffs this year. And I'm a man who loves hockey and hates basketball. Why has the NBA put out a better product?
1. Minnesota Timberwolves made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals. This was the first year they won a playoff series. They beat Sacramento in 7. They forced Los Angeles to a Game 6, when most people expected the Wolves to lose in at most 5. But the best part about KG and the T-Wolves run? Someone else cared. I watched several playoff games with my buddies John, John, Brian, and Aaron. Going over to the Maxwell's place became almost ritualistic.
2. The Lakers. OK, most people don't like them, and I was rooting against them in the Minnesota series. But I would like to see Payton and Malone finally win. On one condition: they walk off into the sunset after the Finals.
3. Dallas, Colorado, Detroit, Toronto, and Philadelphia all lost in the NHL playoffs. I wanted to see at least one of these teams win it all. Dallas was one and done. Detroit, Colorado, and Toronto left after the second round. And Philly lost in the Eastern Conference Finals.
4. Calgary and Tampa Bay. I'm not Canadian and I'm not from Florida. I just don't care.
5. The commercials for the NBA playoffs. The Black Eyed Peas rewrote the lyrics to their song "Let's Get Retarded" to fit the basketball theme. The song has a great beat, the TV spots feature some of the NBA's greatest legends, and Fergie is a hottie. The other commercials feature the NBA trophy (I have no idea what it's called) as an object of affection. Gary Payton professing his love outside the window. Jermaine O'Neal waiting for her (it?) to get ready in Larry Bird's living room. Clever. I like it.
1. Minnesota Timberwolves made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals. This was the first year they won a playoff series. They beat Sacramento in 7. They forced Los Angeles to a Game 6, when most people expected the Wolves to lose in at most 5. But the best part about KG and the T-Wolves run? Someone else cared. I watched several playoff games with my buddies John, John, Brian, and Aaron. Going over to the Maxwell's place became almost ritualistic.
2. The Lakers. OK, most people don't like them, and I was rooting against them in the Minnesota series. But I would like to see Payton and Malone finally win. On one condition: they walk off into the sunset after the Finals.
3. Dallas, Colorado, Detroit, Toronto, and Philadelphia all lost in the NHL playoffs. I wanted to see at least one of these teams win it all. Dallas was one and done. Detroit, Colorado, and Toronto left after the second round. And Philly lost in the Eastern Conference Finals.
4. Calgary and Tampa Bay. I'm not Canadian and I'm not from Florida. I just don't care.
5. The commercials for the NBA playoffs. The Black Eyed Peas rewrote the lyrics to their song "Let's Get Retarded" to fit the basketball theme. The song has a great beat, the TV spots feature some of the NBA's greatest legends, and Fergie is a hottie. The other commercials feature the NBA trophy (I have no idea what it's called) as an object of affection. Gary Payton professing his love outside the window. Jermaine O'Neal waiting for her (it?) to get ready in Larry Bird's living room. Clever. I like it.
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Although I'm not a big fan of basketball, and I detest the NBA, I would like to see the Minnesota Timberwolves go all the way. KG is an amazing player. He definitely deserves the MVP. And with Latrell Spreewell, Sam Cassell, and Michael Olowokandi joining Wally Szczerbiak as the supporting cast, they have the skill to not only get out of the first round of the playoffs, but to go all the way to the Finals. And win.
I watched "The Breakfast Club" the other night. Is this what passed for a great movie 20 years ago? I wasn't impressed. The romantic ties between Judd Nelson and Molly Ringwald and Emilio Estevez and Ally Sheedy seemed tacked on at the end (although the latter was a little more believable). The conversation between Mr. Vernon the Principal and Carl the Janitor could have been extended more. I guess the movie wasn't that bad, but it wasn't that good either.
Ever see that Nike commercial where Lance Armstrong is a boxer and Andre Agassi is playing for the Boston Red Sox? I want to know how they did that!! It looked so realistic. Randy Johnson bowling that strike. Marion Jones hitting her vault. And they should make a sequel to that commercial. My suggestions: an MLB star and an NBA star as an NFL quarterback and wide receiver, a hockey player on the golf course (most hockey players ARE good golfers), Tiger Woods trying a few different sports. I'm just throwing out ideas here.
OK, those Weezer lyrics from Pinkerton:
-- "I think I'd be good for you and you'd be good for me" - El Scorcho
-- "How stupid is it?/I can't talk about it/I gotta sing about it/and make a record of my heart" - El Scorcho
-- "For all I know you want me too/and maybe you just don't know what to do/or maybe you're scared to say/'I'm falling for you'" - El Scorcho
-- "I'll bring home the turkey if you bring home the bacon." - El Scorcho (notice a pattern yet?)
-- "If everyone's a little queer/can't she be a little straight?" - Pink Triangle
-- "Screw this crap, I've had it!" - The Good Life
That's 9 so far by my count. The Green Album is on deck.
I watched "The Breakfast Club" the other night. Is this what passed for a great movie 20 years ago? I wasn't impressed. The romantic ties between Judd Nelson and Molly Ringwald and Emilio Estevez and Ally Sheedy seemed tacked on at the end (although the latter was a little more believable). The conversation between Mr. Vernon the Principal and Carl the Janitor could have been extended more. I guess the movie wasn't that bad, but it wasn't that good either.
Ever see that Nike commercial where Lance Armstrong is a boxer and Andre Agassi is playing for the Boston Red Sox? I want to know how they did that!! It looked so realistic. Randy Johnson bowling that strike. Marion Jones hitting her vault. And they should make a sequel to that commercial. My suggestions: an MLB star and an NBA star as an NFL quarterback and wide receiver, a hockey player on the golf course (most hockey players ARE good golfers), Tiger Woods trying a few different sports. I'm just throwing out ideas here.
OK, those Weezer lyrics from Pinkerton:
-- "I think I'd be good for you and you'd be good for me" - El Scorcho
-- "How stupid is it?/I can't talk about it/I gotta sing about it/and make a record of my heart" - El Scorcho
-- "For all I know you want me too/and maybe you just don't know what to do/or maybe you're scared to say/'I'm falling for you'" - El Scorcho
-- "I'll bring home the turkey if you bring home the bacon." - El Scorcho (notice a pattern yet?)
-- "If everyone's a little queer/can't she be a little straight?" - Pink Triangle
-- "Screw this crap, I've had it!" - The Good Life
That's 9 so far by my count. The Green Album is on deck.
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