By Craig Kwasniewski
With the season right around the corner, Monday Morning Point Guard gets back to what it originally was created for, a weekend review of the NBA. For those of you interested in the NFL-related MMPG, check out our sister site, The Association NFL.
Without further adieu, let's get started on our first NBA-related MMPG:
1. And we all thought Ron Artest was the problem: First you had Steven Jackson's reaction to a bad lapdance, then over the weekend you get Kings' coach Eric Musselman 0.11, now there's news of infighting between Kings players.
According to Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune: "Should be an entertaining competition for a starting forward job in Sacramento, where Kenny Thomas and Shareef Abdur-Rahim were involved in fights late last season and in camp. Yes, Ron Artest may be their moderating force..."
Suddenly Ron Artest is not all that bad.
2. Well there's some positive new coming out of Sactown. It seems that Bonzi Wells is busy causing problems in Houston.
According to Peter Vecsey (the most bitter NBA columnist EVER!), "How fortunate were the Kings Bonzi Wells twice rejected 5-year offers between $36 million and 38M? Since signing with the Rockets for two years for $5M, the 6-foot-5 forward, entering his ninth campaign of controversy, has been on the sidelines injured. "It's been a wasted 18 days for him and the team," Jeff Van Gundy sighed. Wells is currently on extended leave due to a mysterious "personal problem."
In addition to missing games because of the "personal problem" he's already missed a few games because of two root canal procedures. Ouch!
3. Speaking of Stephen Jackson, it looks as though he's trying to change is identity by shaving is head.
So why the sudden change Steve-o?
"When people see me, they only look at my hair and my tattoos," he told Mike Wells of Indystar.com. "They don't even know me. All they're going by is the Detroit situation and what happened the other night. Both situations were situations I was put in, that had nothing to do with me. I was just caught helping my teammates. That's what I'm going to do, help them."
Ummmmmm, okay Steve-o!
4. Dumb marketing is not left solely to NBA franchises (Wizar*s and Celtics anyone?). Jay-Z, EA Sports and Champ Sports have a special offer with purchase of the S. Carter Basketball IV's.
According to an EA Sports press release, "Exclusive to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation3 computer entertainment systems, gamers who purchase Rbk's new S. Carter Basketball IV shoe at Champs Sports will receive a special code to unlock Jay-Z's character for use in the game."
"Jay-Z's character in NBA LIVE 07 has been modeled after many of his favorite NBA stars and will possess many of their traits, making for one of the most skilled players in the game. Jay-Z will boast the baseline to baseline quickness of Allen Iverson, the above-the-rim leaping ability of Baron Davis and the three-point touch of Peja Stojakovic among others."
Do you guys know what the internet is? It took me all of 30 seconds to find the code online. (Shhhhh, don't tell anyone but it's here)
BTW - Does the "three-point touch of Peja Stojakovic" include his choke-ability?
5. Finally, I had tickets to the Lakers-NOOCH preseason game on Friday. I chose to stay home with the wife a catch a DVD. Preseason hoops officially sucks!
Let me explain... as our site states, we are "biggest basketball fans on the planet." I used to go to three to four preseason games every year. Yet somehow, with the injuries, the player complaints and the general apathy, I just don't give a damn about the preseason. Maybe it's the general acceptance that star players like LeBron, Kobe and Wade can take these games off or the fact that good ballers go through the motions during the game, I just don't care.
Bring on the regular season and let's cut the preseason in half!
a bald head will give steve j. a cleaner identity ?
last time i watched a docu about life in a maximum prison, a lot of the inmates there are sporting bald heads !
Posted by: coach | October 23, 2006 at 09:17 AM