As the youngest of eleven children, a lot of things went unsaid when I was growing up. My Dad – a workaholic and at times very stern man – wasn’t big on touchy feely communication. All these years later I’m starting to realize that upbringing comes in handy covering the NBA.
There was no such thing as [...]
Archive for January, 2009
Speak Up
Posted in Uncategorized on January 30, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Six Degrees Of Larry Brown
Posted in basketball, home game, writing on January 29, 2009 | 1 Comment »
I had a feeling it would go like this when Larry Brown came to Portland. I’m not talking about the Blazers steamrolling a hobbled Charlotte Bobcats either. It’s more about Brown leaving a lasting impression.
Call it “Six Degrees of Larry Brown” if you will.
There was a reason Brown held his pregame availability at 5:00 at the [...]
To The Point
Posted in away game, basketball, writing, tagged Jerryd Bayless, Sergio Rodriguez, Steve Blake on January 27, 2009 | 5 Comments »
Just when you thought Portland’s point guard rotation was back to normal with Steve Blake returning to the floor, along comes a Brian Skinner pick.
When the Los Angeles Clippers big man put a body on Blake with about five minutes left before half, a yelp and cringe by Blake said it all. Not sure what hurt [...]
A Little Bit Mo….
Posted in basketball, home game, writing on January 22, 2009 | 5 Comments »
Rarely do I take handouts from multi-million dollar ball players like that, but the Cleveland Cavaliers locker room was in good spirits and so was I.
Besides, when Mo Williams offers you a postgame quesadilla, you take it.
How could I not? He caught me off guard as I came around the corner and into the locker room. [...]
The Real Redd
Posted in basketball, home game, writing, tagged Michael Redd on January 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
It was well after midnight when I heard the voice in my head scold me: you just buried the lede!
The story was filed. A re-write was not in the works. Neither was on-the-fly editing.
Sleep.
After a fresh six hours, it was one of the first thoughts that crossed my mind this morning – burying the lede. [...]
The Writing On The Wall
Posted in basketball, writing, tagged Channing Frye on January 19, 2009 | 18 Comments »
It’s not a story I looked forward to writing. But the conversation had to take place: Channing Frye’s future in Portland.
For those of you who have taken the time to read this blog over the past six-seven months, you know my take on Frye. After arriving in New York around the same time and both [...]
Which Way Will They Go?
Posted in basketball, writing on January 17, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
This time of year is never easy around the league: the NBA trade deadline. It’s basically a guessing game in some instances, and that’s even if your sources launch or can confirm a so called “done deal.”
Case in point: As a news service, HOOPSWORLD takes a lot of heat about the rumors they discuss, [...]
New Knicks, Old Tricks
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Eddy Curry, Isiah Thomas, James Dolan, Larry Brown, Stephon Marbury on January 14, 2009 | 4 Comments »
Click-click-click-click-click. That’s the sound of a New York Knicks media relations lackey typing your conversation with a player or coach into their BlackBerry, only to send it on to upper management. Maybe it’s not that way right now. But that was the reality not too long ago.
You may think these shenanigans about a certain [...]
Deal Or No Deal?
Posted in basketball, writing, tagged Kevin Pritchard on January 12, 2009 | 9 Comments »
This blog post isn’t about Darius Miles. I promise. But it is about how wallowing in the Miles mire now is an obstacle Portland must overcome quickly.
That first big hurdle could arrive in the coming weeks with the NBA trade deadline fresh on everyone’s mind. You think the rumors going around the league are [...]
What A Day….
Posted in basketball, home game, tagged Darius Miles on January 10, 2009 | 8 Comments »
You think you know, but you have no idea. Covering the NBA when drama strikes on or off the court often means nothing but a full day, and Friday was no exception. It went a little something like this….
2am: My two-year old daughter decides it’s time to wake-up…..good times. She must have sensed the drama.
4am: [...]
