By Craig Kwasniewski
Here's some random thoughts on All Star Saturday Night:
-There's a ton of empty seats! I spoke with Brett, who was in Vegas covering the festivities for AOL, and he confirmed what you saw on TV... empty seats all around. Thomas and Mack was 60% full right up to the Three Point Contest. Maybe it was the traffic, but I'm leaning toward the ridiculous prices that the ticket agencies were charging (about $600 each for endzone upper deck seats). I'm really curious what happens at the All-Star game, which had prices starting at $1,500 each for the worst seats.
-Bill Laimbeer is no longer just an asshole. He is one fat, jelly doughnut-eating, cut his leg and gravy pours out, so fat he uses the ocean as a bath tub asshole. Nothing's changed over time. Last night he was chasing down the refs during an exhibition contest. He must really need that prize money. I guess coaching a WNBA team (karma's a bitch!) doesn't pay much. Though I thought congress raised the minimum wage a few weeks ago.
-The NBA Shooting Stars competition has finally hit rock bottom. No, I'm not talking about the clock malfunctions at Thomas & Mack. I'm talking about Smush Parker representing the Los Angeles Lakers. So for a $600 upper deck seat you get to see the worst starting guard in the NBA brick a slew of uncontested shots. Good times.
-Kobe lost in the finals of the Skills Challenge at the first passing station (insert a bajillion "Kobe can't pass" jokes here) as Dwyane Wade (who for the first time ever in his entire life won a competition without the help of the refs!) ending up winning easily. There's definitely an unfriendly rivalry between the two of them. I didn't see any of the typical All-Star Staturday camaraderie between them. Though the upside is that both D-Wade and Kobe brought a B+ game to the table. They, along with Steve Nash, are the only superstars who have ever tried to win the challenge.
-Hey Mary J. Blige, MC Hammer called, he wants his pants back.
-The Barkley vs. Bavetta race was brilliant! The whole event took me back to the Battle of the Network Stars right down to the campy jokes and Barkley falling over at the finish line. For nostalgia, couldn't they mix in a guest spot of Charlene Tilton's breasts.
-Jason Kapono won the Three Point Contest, ranking up there with Tim Legler as the most worthless player to win on All-Star Saturday Night. Does that mean we'll start seeing Kapono on deadspin.com with groupies? (Tim Legler, Apparently, Has Groupies)
-Finally, Dwight Howard got screwed! The Sticker Dunk was a perfect combination of showmanship and athleticism. Maybe Howard should have hyped the dunk up for a few days, but the surprise was part of the act. Someone should have intervened (David Stern, Wayne Newton, The Blue Man Group) the moment we found out that Nate Robinson was in the finals.
I hate Laimbeer as much as anyone, but boy does that dude have some huge money. Apparently dude's family is big in construction and he is the last person who would need the money you get from the Shooting Stars.
Go back and watch the tape after the Skills Contest and see how pissed off Kobe was during Wade's acceptance. When you see a dude start muttering and has a very unfriendly look in his eyes, it has to be on between them.
Did you notice that when Lebron started hitting shots at the end of the first half it's like he never acknowledged there were four other players on the East? He was playing angrier than I've ever seen him before and is about unstoppable if he can focus the anger through his talents. Wade just didn't look like he cared at all or even looked a bit above the contest.
Posted by: evan m. whitefolks | February 19, 2007 at 10:43 AM
wade won the skills compeition last year too....and i do not think there was a ref in that one either...i have read your blog before, and would have hoped your basketball knowledge woul not be drug through the "refs won the finals for the heat" mud...
Posted by: tj | February 21, 2007 at 12:28 AM
Bing knows something about sporting success, having been a Hall of Fame guard for the Detroit Pistons from 1966-75. And he is enjoying seeing the restaurants, bars and hotels bustling during the city's hot streak.
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