Anyone else? His newish 10am-2pm sports rap slot here in town on ESPN 710 am that is. Normally, I don’t cotton to New Yorkers carpetbagging to the LA market. And as a rule, I tend to hate anyone with the particular facial hair depicted in that photo. But I gotta admit, I’m was kind of feeling Max’s show the few times I’ve caught it so far. I’ll have to keep listening to really get a handle on what he’s all about. Or maybe it’s just that AM sports radio in this town is mostly a wasteland and anyone with a scintilla of intelligence and attitude will rise above. (Don’t get me started on Petros and “Money”. I’ll get around to laying out a list of crimes by those two meatheads some other day.)
Hey, have you heard about this Blake Griffin guy? He’s pretty good.
Just had to revisit this trash-talk-to-two-hand-double-pump-flush sequence from last night’s Clips beatdown of the Heat.
Blake’s mouthpiece-chew-stare-down following some vicious carnage at the rim is fast becoming iconic. I’ve taken to wearing a mouthpiece all day here in the office just waiting for a moment to dangle it out and chew it while looking back at my victim in the eye. The UPS guy didn’t appreciate it after signing for my Zappos box.
There’s a nice remembrance piece in the USA Today on the occasion of today’s 20-year (!?) anniversary of the death of Hank Gathers. The Loyola Marymount Lions basketball star, he died–on-court–on March 4, 1990 at just 23-years old, the result of a known heart condition.
If you weren’t around back then or don’t remember him, his story is well worth checking out. (There’s even a new book out about him.) That tournament run Loyola went on, making the Elite Eight just days after his death, remains one of my all-time favorite memories, sports-related and in general.
Didn’t really think we needed another arm at the back of the rotation and, as good as it would be good to see him in the Blue again for pure nostalgia, he’s obviously not the thrower he used to be, chemically enhanced or not.
If he’s here for middle relief and mop-up duty only, it just won’t have that same feeling when he trots out of the bullpen as it did in 2003.
It won’t be “GAME OVER” any longer, but more like “Game Being Held Until We Can Get To Broxton in the 9th” or “Game Lost Beyond Hope So Let’s Save Our Better Arms Until Tomorrow.” Instead of “Welcome to the Jungle,” we’ll have to find him a new signature tune. Maybe Tom Petty’s “The Waiting.”
Was that it? After all the hype–including my own–that was it?
If you cared at all, you know by now that Shannon Brown failed to advance out of the first round of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. 5-foot-something Nate Robinson won for a 3rd straight year, subsequently (thankfully) announcing his retirement. DeMar DeRozan, straight out of Compton (and USC) had a solid showing, going up against Nate in the final round.
Two relatively conservative dunks just wasn’t going to do it for Shannon. And if you bring out a Kobe Bryant to assist, you don’t just have him stand there and lob you a softball to dunk. Hell, I could have done that much.
The frustrating thing is his old McDonald’s High School All American slam dunk appearance from back in 2003 (where he would lose to some guy named LeBron) arguably showed more skill and creativity. As well as his funny-looking cornrow hair style. It’s here in some lousy quality 2003-era YouTube.
Clip of his two middling dunks from this past weekend below, should you want to relive the non-magic.
Losanjealous is happy to welcome back to Pacific Palisades this weekend the 18-year-old rock star phenom of Japanese golf, the impressively coiffed, impeccably styled Ryo Ishikawa (石川 遼) a.k.a. the Bashful Prince (“Hanikami Ōji”).
“Last year here, I was very, very nervous,” Ishikawa said Tuesday after an early practice round on the course nestled in the Pacific Palisades suburb of Los Angeles.
“But this year my mentality is much different. I experienced so many things last year. I’m much more comfortable.”
Kobe Bryant slam-dunked his way past Jerry West in the third quarter on Monday night to become the Los Angeles Lakers’ all-time scoring leader. It was also fitting that Bryant’s point total in L.A.’s 95-93 loss to Memphis, 44, matched West’s number. He also passed West against the Grizzlies, the team West took over after he stopped running the Lakers. Bryant’s career total of 25,208 points places him 14th on the all-time list.
The Sol drew a crowd of 14,832 to their opener last season, and ended up averaging more than 6,200 fans for home games at Home Depot Center. They finished the regular season 12-3-5, the best record in the league, before losing 1-0 to Sky Blue FC in the championship game.
“I’m especially excited to meet Coach Phil Jackson, the zen master,” Mr. Obama said in the East Room. “I’ve been a fan of Coach Jackson’s ever since his days running the triangle offense in Chicago. I want to congratulate him on his 10th NBA championship, the most in history. I do want to point out that six of them came with the Bulls. I just want to point that out.”
President Barack Obama shakes hands with Khloe Kardashian during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 25, 2010, during a ceremony honoring the Los Angeles Lakers 2008-2009 NBA basketball champions. Kardashian is married to Lakers forward Lamar Odom. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Of course Coop gets a lifetime pass for his service to the Showtime Lakers, but in calling this out, we’re just looking out for John Wooden, who doesn’t need his 99-year-old ears soiled with this potty talk.
“My opening statement is [expletive] UCLA,” Cooper said to the assembled media.
Our minds ran wild over the 7 Dirty Words, turning over the possibilities. “Shit UCLA”? Etc. (We had just seen In The Loop, so concocting innovative new swears have been a big part of the killing the day here.)
“Matt Kemp and the Los Angeles Dodgers reached a preliminary agreement Friday on a US$10.95-million, two-year contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal, subject to a physical, hadn’t been completed.
The move means Los Angeles avoids salary arbitration with Kemp, who batted .297 with 26 homers and 101 RBIs last season. He also stole 34 bases and won his first Gold Glove in centre field.
Kemp would make $4 million in 2010 and $6.95 million in 2011, with the chance to earn another $500,000 in performance bonuses during the contract.” [TSN.ca]
Anyone else? His newish 10am-2pm sports rap slot here in town on ESPN 710 am that is. Normally, I don’t cotton to New Yorkers carpetbagging to the LA market. And as a rule, I tend to hate anyone with the particular facial hair depicted in that photo. But I gotta admit, I’m was kind of feeling Max’s show the few times I’ve caught it so far. I’ll have to keep listening to really get a handle on what he’s all about. Or maybe it’s just that AM sports radio in this town is mostly a wasteland and anyone with a scintilla of intelligence and attitude will rise above. (Don’t get me started on Petros and “Money”. I’ll get around to laying out a list of crimes by those two meatheads some other day.)
Mixed feelings over the Dodgers 
Was that it? After all the hype–including 
Of course Coop gets a lifetime pass for his service to the Showtime Lakers, but in calling this out, we’re just looking out for John Wooden, who doesn’t need his 99-year-old ears soiled with this potty talk.
“Matt Kemp and the Los Angeles Dodgers 
