text:
Adding a Search Control to a Form
From NeoWiki
In addition to using form-based filters, you can also create a control on a form that will allow the user to quickly filter the data according to the control setting. As an example of this, we will create a combo box on our All Sightings form to filter by the StateOrProvince field. The process for creating a search control with a text box or a list box is very similar.
Add An Alias to the All Sightings Query
In the process of testing this approach, I discovered that the field name StateOrProvince was problematic. The macro described later in this article read this name as two field names separated by the logical operator "OR", and threw an SQL error. Fortunately, this issue was easily solved by creating an alias for the field in question.
- Open the All Sightings Query for editing (In the main database document, click on Queries in the left hand column, then right-click or control-click on the All Sightings Query and choose Edit from the contextual menu)
- In the Alias row of the StateOrProvince column, type State
- Click the Save icon on the toolbar, or hit Command-S
- Close the Query
Working With the Form
- Open the All Sightings Form for editing (In the main database document, click on Forms in the left hand column, then right-click or control-click on the All Sightings Query and choose Edit from the contextual menu)
Correct the State Column in the Table
The steps in this section are not normally part of creating a search control. They are necessary here because we created the Alias for the StateOrProvince field after the form was built.
- Right-click or control-click on the State column heading and choose Column... from the contextual menu.
- In the General section of the Properties: Text Box window, replace StateOrProvince with State
- Close the Properties: Text Box window.
Create the Macro
- With the All Sightings form open, go to the Tools menu, choose Macros then Organize Macros and finally NeoOffice Basic.... The NeoOffice Basic Macros opens.
- Under the Macro from section, click on the flippy triangle next to All Sightings
- Click on the flippy triangle next to the folder named Standard under the All Sightings entry
- If no module in the Standard folder, click on the New button.
- In the New Modules Window, type a SearchMacros in the Name field and click OK button.
- Click on the Search Macros module
- In the Macro Name, type SearchByState
- Click the New button. The AllSightings.Standard NeoOffice Basic window opens
- After the existing End Sub entry, paste the following code:
- Sub SearchByState dim oFilter as object dim oFormCtl as object oFormCtl = ThisComponent.Drawpage.Forms.getByName("Standard") oFilter = oFormCtl.getByName("StateSearchComboBox") if oFilter.CurrentValue <> "" then oFormCtl.Filter = "StateOrProvince LIKE " + "'"+oFilter.CurrentValue+"'" oFormCtl.ApplyFilter = True else oFormCtl.ApplyFilter = False end if oFormCtl.Reload End Sub
- Click on the Save icon (the hard drive) on the toolbar
- Close the AllSightings.Standard NeoOffice Basic window.
Note Embedding the macro directly in the form has the advantage that if you move or copy the database file to another computer, the macro will still function. The disadvantage, however, is that you will be ask whether or not you want to enable macros in the form any time you open the form.
Add the Control to the Form
- If the Form Controls toolbar is not visible, go to the View menu and choose Toolbars an then Form Controls.
- Click on the Combo Box button on the toolbar
- On the form, drag to create a combo box in the space between the title and the table.
- Click on the Label field button on the toolbar (the ABC button).
- Drag on the form, near the combo box to create a label field
- Double click on the label field you just created. The Properties: Label Field window opens.
- In the General tab, in the Label field, type Search by State:.
- Double click the combo box you created. The Properties: Combo Box
- In the General tab, in the Name field type <StateSearchComboBox
- In the Data tab, make the following changes:
- Make sure the Data Field field is empty
- Set the Type of List Contents to Sql
- In the List Content enter the following statement:
- SELECT DISTINCT "State" FROM "AllSightingsList"
- In the Events tab, click the ... button to the right of the empty field in the Text modified line. The Assign Action window opens.
- Make sure that the Text Modified event is highlighted
- Click the Macro button. The Macro Selector window opens.
- In the Library section, click on the flippy triangle next to All Sightings
- Click on the flippy triangle next to the Standard folder under All Sightings.
- Click on the Search Macros folder. A list of macros appears in the Macro Name section.
- In the Macro Name list, select SearchByState
- Click OK in the Macro Selector window and again in the Assign Action window.
- Close the Properties: Combo Box window
- Turn off Design mode by clicking on the blue drafting triangle on the form controls toolbar
- Set the newly created combo box to one of the State options, and verify that the form filters correctly.
- To clear filtering, delete the entry in the combo box.


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YouTube is busy pulling down video of singer Kanye West interrupting Taylor Swift's VMA acceptance award because it violates MTV owner Viacom's copyright. Viacom is already angry enough with MTV.
But there are plenty of places to find Kanye interuppting just about anyone. You've probably already seen the parody with Barack Obama.
Now there is a plethora of Kanye-isms online, like on the IGN message boards, where Kayne interupts Wynona in a spoof of the movie poster "Girl, Interupted."
Then there's the one where he tells the men on Iwo Jima that they don't have the best flag. And, of course, the one where he tells the Beatles that they were good, but Elvis was better. And so on, and so on.
The Kayne meme has started to morph into other Internet memes, like the Cheezburger cat.
And this, this inevitable mix of Rick Rolling and Kanye.
Lets us all just hope Kanye's rudeness doesn't spread like a virus.

subset: commoncrawl


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Samsung Galaxy NX Camera Preview
I have been waiting for this camera ever since the Galaxy Camera was announced last November! The first fully connected interchangeable lens camera is here.
I knew the reality of a completely connected interchangeable lens camera was just a matter of time. And who better to bring it to us than Samsung? They knocked it out of the park with the Galaxy Camera that was released in November and they are back to do it again with the innovative Samsung Galaxy NX Camera — the first interchangeable lens camera with a fully connected, 4G experience. Image this — the best of the NX system is bread with the best of the Galaxy system. And, poof! The Galaxy NX was created.
It's a game changer, no doubt about it. Over the last few years, consumers have voiced an opinion about desiring a smooth, seamlessly connected photo experience. They want to quickly take, edit and share their images with friends and family. Being bogged down by transferring images from a disk to their personal computers and then loading them to Facebook simply takes way too long.
I was lucky enough to get some hands-on time with the camera yesterday. And I was very impressed with what it has to offer. More information about my first impression will come later. First, I will give you the rundown of the specs.
The Samsung Galaxy NX Camera features the same 20.3-megapixel APS-C sensor found in the NX line of cameras. The sensor offers a hybrid autofocus system. It features a huge 4.8-inch fixed LCD touchscreen, SVGA electronic viewfinder and very similar user interface as what we saw in the Galaxy Camera. The camera is powered by a 1.6 GHz Quad-core processor. It is 3G/4G LTE and Wi-Fi compatible for constant connectivity and sharing of images. It has a maximum shutter speed of 1/6000 of a second and hast 8.6 frames per second continuous shooting speed. The body style is very similar to the NX20 — giving users a nice sized hand grip (a very important feature to this reviewer).
But one of the best parts of the Galaxy NX Camera is that the users are no longer constrained by the camera's built-in lens. Which now means this camera to can not only be used by daily point-and-shoot and mirrorless camera enthusiasts, but (dare I say it?) professionals and semi-professionals, too. I know, I know … bring on the backlash. Trust me, I thought long and hard before writing those words. I knew they would stir up some deep rooted beliefs about professionals and their cameras–what they look like, how they perform and who uses them. But I decided to take the plunge because the line between professional and consumer is fading fast. Mirrorless cameras broke open that invisible line when products like the Olympus OM-D E-M5 and the Sony NEX-7 were introduced as viable competitors to traditional DSLRs. But Canon and Nikon started paving the way a few years before that by creating a new line of semi-professional cameras called "prosumer DSLRs." But what do these aforementioned cameras have that cameras like the Sony RX1 and Fuji x100s (cameras that can produce some amazing, professional grade images) don't have? Interchangeable lenses–the ability to pick your own lens from a myriad of choices. The ability to have the same camera be a fantastic portrait camera and a great street-shooting camera at the same time.
So Samsung is paving the way. They are committed to the idea of making the Galaxy NX user friendly for all types of photographers: the budding professional photographer as well as the daily point-and-shoot user. But this is no easy task. Professionals are demanding and require that their equipment meet certain standards. And a lot of point-and-shoot users want a camera to do the work for them. The Galaxy NX actually does a good job at marrying these needs into a camera that has the capability to offer complete photographic control to the user or let the camera do the work for them due to a great user interface and a nifty little feature called the ifunction and many of Samsung's lenses. The "iFn" button (this is how it is printed on the lens) allows the user to change features like shutter speed, aperture, exposure compensation, and ISO through a twist of the lens.
The lens selection of the Samsung NX line of cameras is moderate right now … coming in at 13. But I suspect that will change, that we will begin to see Samsung grow their line of lenses to meet the demands that the Galaxy NX will produce. If this camera is meant to be used by professionals, Samsung will need to make sure their lens selection is stocked with high performing lenses with wide open apertures and fast AF speeds.
During the first look at the Galaxy NX I was able to get my hands on the full line of lenses. I went straight for the big dogs; the 60mm f/2.8 macro, the 85mm f/1.4 and the brand new pre-production 10mm f/3.5 fisheye. I was impressed with the lens/camera combination of these higher end Samsung lenses. And overall, I am pleased with where the selection of lenses currently stands, but I know it will not be enough to keep professionals happy. A telephoto lens with a variable aperture range of f/4-f/5.6 will not cut it. Professionals are looking for lenses with apertures of f/2.8 and greater; especially when it comes to mirrorless cameras.
Of course, we all know that the Galaxy NX camera will be capable of quickly connecting to the internet using either a 3G/4G LTE or Wi-Fi experience and that the camera will have a capable sensor that can take some amazing images, but there are a few really neat features of the Galaxy NX camera that might not get as much attention as those. The first one is a "watermarking" option that allows the user to seamlessly drop a logo or copyright over the images. This is a great feature for professional photographers who are using this camera as a second (or third) body and want to have their images up on Facebook seconds after the shot was taken.
Another great feature is the expansive creative modes that are available. For example, users can take images and drop them into a photo book program that can then be printed by a printing company and sent back to you in no time. Lastly, the battery in this camera is huge! Samsung knew that the processor and LCD screen would be a major battery drainer, so they decided to fight this battle with an insanely large battery. I used it nonstop for the better part of an hour, but I barely put a dent in the battery life. I will be interested to see how it holds up in daily use, but so far I am very pleased that the Galaxy NX was given a battery of this size.
The user interface will be very similar to the current Galaxy Camera. It will be just as easy to navigate the web, download new apps, visit Facebook, log onto Pinterest, and have a Skype conversation as it was with the former model. But the Galaxy NX Camera is much more of a deliberate attempt to focus on great photographic quality than before; a camera with benefits … a camlet. Make that an ILCamlet.
Although I was using a pre-production model (very pro-production I was told), the camera responded very well minus a small glitch here and there. As a reviewer who is used to pre-production units, these glitches — a slight delay in response time for example — are expected as the manufacturer is still working out the kinks. What I really wanted to see was the image quality that was produced from this camera. I was really happy with it, especially after attaching some higher end lenses to it. Pixel peeping was reserved for in-camera viewing only as I was not allowed to remove any images from the camera. But I was pleased with the results when viewed this way. The images seem much sharper than those coming from the original Galaxy camera thanks to a larger sensor and better lens options. The images seem to be on par from what I got out of the NX300; a camera that is reviewing very well for us. I was able to capture the pretty blue sky up against the Ney York City skyline with great color quality. No purple fringing (chromatic aberration) was seen at the edges of extreme contrast. The shutter was responsive. Auto focus was good, but effected by the lens being used. Some of the lenses were more responsive than others. I really enjoyed using the new 10mm fisheye even though I am not a huge fan of them. I digress for a moment; the 10mm fisheye on the Galaxy NX's body produced a softer and smoother feel than I thought it would. I was much happier with the lens than I first expected to be.
I think the Galaxy NX will appeal to a broad range of users. Avid photographers will likely enjoy the flexibility of this camera. The young generation of users will love its sharing capabilities and budding professionals could really benefit from taking this along on their shoots and posting watermarked images onto social media just seconds after snapping the image (or minutes later if they choose to do a quick edit in Snapseed first). No matter who uses this camera they are sure it find it fun and easy to use. I know I did!
I am looking forward to getting my hands on a final release of the Galaxy NX camera. I can't wait to show you guys what it's capable of producing.
Pricing and availability have yet to be announced, but we expect it to be released later this year — possibly around the same time the original Galaxy Camera was released and just in time for the holidays.


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Safe arrival at the launch facility for MetOp
After its slow journey through the night, the upper-composite, which comprises the MetOp satellite and the Fregat upper-stage, safely arrived at the Soyuz launch preparation facility on Wednesday 11 October.
In preparation for the six-hour journey, the upper-composite was hermetically sealed and moved out of the Upper Composite Integration Facility (UCIF). In the outer hall it was lifted by crane and transferred to the train. This time the procedure to attach the upper-composite to the wagon ran perfectly and the precious cargo left MIK 112 at 21:30 on Tuesday 10 October, escorted by three MetOp team members.
The convoy reached MIK 40 near the launch pad in the morning of 11 October where it was carefully off-loaded by crane. Here the upper-composite will be mated with the third-stage of the Soyuz launcher.
Peter Edwards, ESA MetOp Project Manager said, "Following the satisfactory clearing-up of the earlier handling incident which delayed the first attempt to get the satellite to the launch pad, this time the transfer from the integration facility to the launch facility went extremely well. We are all looking forward the roll-out and then, next Tuesday, when MetOp, our "baby" and Europe's first polar orbiting weather satellite launches."
The fully assembled launcher will be rolled out and erected at the launch tower on Saturday 14 October, ready for launch on Tuesday 17 October.


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Ball Handling & Ball Screens Camp
Event Description
2019 Summer Camps
On behalf of our coaching staff, I want to welcome you to the 2019 edition of our Fox Valley summer basketball camps. We're excited to continue working with youth players and helping each to develop their games.
Location: Lawrence University, Alexander Gym, 1100 East South River St. Appleton, WI, 54915
* $10 discount for each additional camp registration *Family Discount $5 per kid.
Youth Skills Camp - Covering all the essential areas and skills of the game.
Shooting Camp - This camp teaches the proper shooting technique.
Shooting Lab * -Different from our shooting camps, we'll video and analyze shooters technique. (Max 64)
NBA Dynamic Scoring Camp - Emphasizing footwork, attacking defenders, finishing in traffic to help score against talent.
Post Camp - Teaching the essential skills needed to play the post position. Camp 1 & 2 are different. You do not need to attend both.
Ball Handling Camp - Covering skills a player will need to effectively handle the basketball.
Competition Camp - This camp is structured around numerous competitions that will improve overall skill and speed of play.
Perimeter Skills Camp - This is a new camp covering intermediate and advance skills of the guard and forward perimeter spots.
Competitive Shooting Camp - This camp focuses on competing while shooting. Every rep becomes game reps.
Shooting off Screens Camp - This camp teaches proper footwork coming off screens and technique to shooting on the move.
Ball Handling & Ball Screens - Learning how to handle the ball while using the ball screen to make plays and score out of it / find open teammates.
Offensive Skills - A new camp this year a 6-hour day which includes Skill development and 3x3 & 2x2 live competition
Post camp and Ball Handling Camp 1 & 2 are different. You do not need to attend camp 1 to attend camp 2.
In all our camps, our goal is to match our skill and game-play instruction to every player's vision for selfimprovement. We look forward to working with the youth players in the Fox Valley. As always, players will receive: Small group and individual instruction from experienced coaches and players. Strong focus on fundamental skill work, and individual drills to help you improve.


text:
Paul Smedley has a new Virtual Box build up that contains (among other
things) a conversion utility (Qemu-img.exe) that will convert VirtualPC .vhd containers to VirtualBox .vdi.
When I try to run it against my VirtualPC WinXP container, I get a 'file read
error' right when it gets to 2GB. My VirtualPC container actually consists of
4 seperate files, each at most 2GB in size, so I am guessing the utility
fails because it wants one big file (not multiple segments).
Does anyone know if it is possible to connect these 4 files into one large
container - and if so how?
Dave McKenna


text:
The great high-speed rail lie
On High-Speed Rail
In 2008, voters approved a $10 billion bond to begin construction of a bullet train from Los Angeles to San Francisco that would make that trip in less than three hours. So who knew that by 2011 the general consensus would be that the project is an ill-conceived, mismanaged boondoggle?
Former Amtrak spokesman and Reason Foundation writer Joseph Vranich knew. In 2008, before the state Senate Transportation and Housing Committee, he called the project "science fiction." He said the train won't travel from Los Angeles to San Francisco in less than three hours because that exceeds the speed of all existing high-speed rail.
But on French railway schedules, a TGV (Train À Grande Vitesse) takes two hours, 38 minutes to go from Paris to Avignon. That's 430 miles. The route for the L.A.-to-San Francisco line is 432.
So what's going on here?
It's simple. Vranich makes stuff up. Adrianne Moore, vice president of policy at the Reason Foundation, says the Europeans are abandoning rail in favor of driving and flying. Nonsense.
Transportation market share of European high-speed rail lines has grown steadily and many are near 80 percent. Rick Geddes, a professor at Cornell University who is also on Reason's payroll, said on National Public Radio that the California system can't be powered by renewable energy - except that the Hoover Dam generates four times what the train needs.
The Reason Foundation is funded by Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell Oil, the American Petroleum Institute, Delta Airlines, the National Air Transportation Association and, of course, the Koch Family Foundation. They know what will happen once Americans, furious about gas prices and the way airlines treat them, experience electrically powered 200-mph trains. But big oil and aviation can't attack high-speed rail directly - that would be an obvious attempt to abort competition. So they hire a "think tank."
Reason collaborates on research with James Moore III, a transportation engineering professor at University of Southern California. They parrot Reason's "train to nowhere" nonsense, a phrase they apply to all rail projects. It's especially absurd in this case, because interim services will have high-speed rail trains slow and reach the Bay Area on existing rail lines. Reason's minions claim there's no business plan or ridership figures. Except that anyone can go on the California High-Speed Rail Authority website and download them.
Where does the corporate cash and propaganda end and the legitimate criticism begin? It was impossible to know in Florida, where high-speed rail was killed using the same techniques.
A modern 200-mile-per-hour rail link between Los Angeles and San Francisco will change America's transportation paradigm. Just like in Europe and Asia, California will develop a profitable system joining all its cities. Nearby states, such as Nevada and Arizona, will link into the network, just like European countries did after France established its network. Jet airplanes will be used for what they were intended: long-distance travel. Automobile use will be reduced. This will save millions of barrels of oil. And that's the real reason these lobbyists want it stopped.
Roger Christensen is a transit advocate from Los Angeles County (former chairman of the Metro Citizen Advisory Council) who has moved to the Central Valley, where he awaits high-speed rail.


text:
This Norton Critical Edition is based on the Folio edition of 'King Lear'. Notes on the text help readers navigate the rich history of 'King Lear' and includes the nine essential primary sources from which Shakespeare borrowed significantly in creating the play.Shakespeare, William is the author of 'King Lear', published 2007 under ISBN 9780393926644 and ISBN 0393926648.[read more]
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text:
Welcome to Maryland 511
Maryland 511 is Maryland's official travel information service. Maryland 511 provides travelers with reliable, current traffic and weather information, as well as links to other transportation services. Maryland 511 helps motorists reach their destination in the most efficient manner when traveling in Maryland.
Send Us Your Feedback
Your feedback is important to us.


text:
Two sides: For every fan, there's a nay-sayer
For every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. In Charlottesville, there are two definite reactions to the success of the local Dave Matthews Band.
On the one hand, there are those who love/adore/admire/respect what Dave has done musically and for the community. But for every person on that side of the argument, I've met another who grimaces in disgust at the very mention of the band's name.
It's natural. You can't win them all, and you very well might die trying.
Last week the Dave Matthews Band released a new studio album, Stand Up. With this effort it looks as if they've found a way to keep their name on people's lips for a long time to come. All the anti-Dave types may just want to start packing their bags and looking for another 'ville to live in.
Personally, I haven't bought a DMB album since Before These Crowded Streets. That album was absolute genius, the climax of an amazing run of albums and tours that solidified the group in the minds of both fans and critics.
After that, things (specifically, Everyday) went a bit downhill. Well, maybe not downhill– let's just say the album seemed sterile. Previously the band oozed soul and passion, but on that record those elements were sorely missed (save for a few magical moments).
Stand Up reeks of passion and inspiration. The first five tracks are huge and gripping, with big, big, big drums, catchy riffs, and sing-a-long vocals. Two of the tracks are singles, and a third is the title track ("American Baby," "Dreamgirl," "Stand Up"). It's a pretty explosive introduction, figuratively and literally: fireworks explode in the background of "American Baby."
After the first third of the album, things slow a bit, but not much. "Smooth Rider" is a transition track into "Wake Up," a song I personally don't jive with, but I could never deny its musicality and the band's musicianship. Let's just say I have a profound respect for the skill evident in this disc.
As the album progresses, the depth of the band becomes more apparent. The ballads are stronger, the grooves get darker and grittier, the song arrangements more unpredictable. Much of this is because of the influence of producer Mark Batson on all but two of the songs. He seems to have turned the band on its head and has shaken something different and fresh out of the boys.
Batson's background in hip-hop leads him to focus on the drums and on creating loop-able moments of the band's jams and noodling sessions. This works because the guys in the DMB are some of the best musicians around, hands down. Carter Beauford is a drummer's drummer. With him driving the train on Stand Up, the band can't go wrong. Everything else falls into place.
For those with an equal and opposite reaction to mine, there will be more to join your ranks, but only because after Stand Up, there will be a new or born-again fan popping up for every one of you.
Stand Up


text:
Damon Weaver's interviews are great. Check this one out with Flash.
Damon Weaver With Dwyane Wade30 09 2009
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: basketball, Dwyane Wade, Interviews, Miami Heat, NBA, Sports
Categories : basketball
I believe in Dwyane Wade.30 10 2008
Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: basketball, Commercials, Dwyane Wade, Marquette, Miami Heat, NBA, Sports
Categories : basketball
Fear the Zone13 08 2008
American basketball players have been branded as arrogant, hot-dogging individuals masquerading as a team.
You've heard of LeBron James' "absolutely" answer to whether they will win gold. There have been similar proclamations from Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade.
It's interesting that they're so confident seeing as though they were part of the 2004 National Team that rode USA Basketball's name through the mud.
Arrogance? I smell it. But I guess bad habits are hard to break.
But what of Team USA's coaches? Are they as arrogant as their players seem to be?
On the eve of the much-anticipated USA-Greece Olympic basketball game, I've found this excerpt from a Chris Sheridan article to be very telling:
"Interestingly, Krzyzewski said the Americans' game plan going in will not include much use of a traditional 2-3 zone unless the man-to-man defense proves ineffective. That's particularly intriguing given Greece's difficulty scoring against a traditional zone, something the American coaching staff noticed as it was on hand to scout Tuesday's Greece-Germany game.
" 'If I tell my guys we're going to play a certain amount of zone, it's almost like saying our man-to-man is not good defense. Just psychologically,' Krzyzewski said Wednesday in discussing his tactical scheme with ESPN.com.
But if they're no good against the zone, shouldn't you play zone?
'Well, no,' Coach K said. 'They may not be good against our man, and over the years, the championship teams I've had have made teams adjust to them. And if you're constantly adjusting to who you play, then you've got to be careful you never know who you are. But again, zone is part of our repertoire, and I'm not saying we're not going to use it, I'm just saying I don't know how many minutes we'll use it.' "
"It's almost like… our man-to-man defense is not [good enough]?" Are you kidding me? Clearly, it isn't. Clearly.
For an example, please see the first two Olympic games featuring the American team. Full-court to 3/4-court pressure masqueraded as their supposed tough man-to-man defense. When they got into the half-court, their defense was putrid. A couple nice, highlight reel weak-side blocks can't erase actual sloppy defense.
Coach K is learning that coaching a group of high-powered NBA professionals has a lot of "ego and chemistry management" in the job description. But is it worth it to be stubborn about applying a principle that is clearly effective against the Grecian National Team?
Does Coach K think that he's Dorian Gray? Where's your portrait at, man?
Playing a 2-3 is not the equivalent of selling out the American dream. Uncle Sam's not going to swing out of the rafters and choke you with Old Glory, Coach K.
And regarding the "if you're constantly adjusting to who you play, you never know who you are" gem, I think it's easy for the coach of a top flight NCAA program to say that. Year after year, his teams are injected with blue chip, 5-star talent.
As much as people like to talk about American dominance in basketball, this quote is very telling. If USA plays a zone, they won't be "playing down" to Greece.
If Duke plays Appalachian State or Campbell and re-vamps their offensive sets, I can see how that is a needless concession to a supposedly inferior athletic talent.
But this isn't some ACC vs. Southern/A-Sun exhibition. This is an Olympic game against a team that spanked them in 2004.
If Coach K is truly worried that playing zone will deteriorate the American team psychologically while conceding that the Greeks are better, he is sorely wrong.
The coaching staff's talk about respecting their opponent is all clearly lip service. They're setting themselves up for failure.
Play zone.
Comments : 7 Comments »
Tags: Carmelo Anthony, Coach K, Duke, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, NBA, Olympics, USA Basketball
Categories : basketball, Sports
Postseason Roundtable Discussion13 06 2008
There are a myriad of issues that surround the NBA. And as much as I love to talk and dictate, I thought it would be fun if some of Feet in the Paint's friends could come in and answer some burning questions. (In the picture, I'm the guy in the red suit.)
The great people of the roundtable are:
Pico Dulce at the east coast bias
Jeff Lin of Setshot
Don of With Malice…
Dannie from Hoops State of Mind
Khandor of Khandor's Sports Blog
and Jeff Sack from Slam Dunk Central
Now, I present to you, FITP's Postseason Roundtable…
Has the sun set on the Phoenix Suns? It's odd that in arguably the best season post-MJ, has the entertaining "7 seconds or less" basketball concept seen its end?
Pico: Yes, since D'Antoni is gone. I'm not at all sure what Steve Kerr is doing out there; he doesn't have any good defensive basketball players to actually play "more defense" with. Amare has his moments, Shaq's still big, but Steve Nash is better running (on both ends) than he is in the half-court. The Knicks will take shots in 7 seconds, eagerly… and the rebounding numbers will be spectacular. Until they get some running forwards (or use Jared Jeffries?), and then the joy of fast basketball will be back. The Suns will have to do a deep re-tool to get back to being a top-level contender, and the age/ health of Shaq and Nash will not help.
Jeff Lin: I wish it weren't so, but it's looking bad for the Suns. I've loved watching them over the last few years, and was hoping that D'Antoni could effectively get Shaq into the offense and defense. It didn't seem to work, but I think that the Suns just didn't have enough time to work out all the kinks. In addition, the west was just so strong this year. I don't know what the Suns could have done to get them past the Spurs or the Lakers (or even the Hornets.)
Now D'Antoni is gone, Nash and Shaq are aging, and the Suns look to be fading. That said, I think that the "7 seconds or less" strategy is not finished. The Warriors still employ a version of this, and other coaches will implement faster offenses in coming years. I also think that the league will try to make some rule adjustments to promote faster play. It's all about money, and more baskets equals more profits.
Don: At the Suns, yes. I think we'll see a slower tempo of basketball played in Phoenix. Mike D'Antoni will build a similar game-plan over in New York, but it will take time. Just because he's moved, don't expect any "I-was-wrong" revelations from D'Antoni. And that's a good thing.
Even if it's not the "7 seconds" philosophy, there are other teams that are build to play a high-octane brand of basketball too. Don't fear: fast-paced, high-scoring teams will always exist.
Dannie: It's about 7:00PM for the Phoenix Suns team as currently assembled. They have about an hour before they are done. Shaq has been relegated to a 20-25 minute per game role player. Steve Nash's defense weaknesses are being exploited at an increasingly high rate. Amare Stoudamire continues to show why he is Tim Duncan's lap dog in the playoffs and therefore strengthening the reasoning behind Steve Kerr taking a chance bringing Shaq in. And I still don't think anyone trusts Boris Diaw or Leandro Barbosa in pressure playoff situations. They need to make a move this summer for a more well rounded perimeter player and bolster their defense. With Kerr still as GM and old school player Terry Porter now the head coach I wouldn't be surprised if the Suns start playing a more traditional style of basketball.
As for the "7 seconds or less" style I don't think it will ever come to an end. It is predicated on the type of players on a given team (Golden State/Denver) and the philosophy of the coach. The better question should be can that style of play get to an NBA Finals and win? I have to say yes because the Magic lead Lakers were successful playing a similar style. The problem with the current teams that implement run and gun basketball is they don't play ANY defense. You don't have to be as good as the Boston Celtics on defense, but you have to be decent on that side of the ball to ever compete for the ultimate prize. Until a coach and GM blends the right combination of up tempo offensive players and strong defensive role player this style of play is destine to fail.
Fouled Out: I don't think so. The Suns may be the fastest team in the league, but there are other entertaining teams in the league too. The Warriors' fast-paced style is thriving in the league considering they are in the West. The Hornets may not be as fast as the Suns or Warriors, but there style of play is very interesting and entertaining. The precision passing skills (including the alley-oops) of Chris Paul are very fun to watch. The Suns will never be the same without Mike D'Antoni, but on the other hand, the Knicks will be nowhere near the run-and-gun Suns even with D'Antoni at the helm.
To sum it up, I don't believe that the NBA will be less entertaining because of D'Anonti's departure from Phoenix. There are other teams that are also use an entertaining system of play.
Khandor: The Suns have definitely been Eclipsed.
Jeff Sack: As I recently wrote in a article, I blame Steve Kerr's ill timed trade for Shaquille O'Neal ended any hopes the Suns had of going far in the Post Season. Unfortunately as much as I personally am a fan of fast break basketball, it will win you lots of regular season games, but since the Showtime Era in LA half court basketball wins championships.
What is the significance of Kobe Bryant receiving this year's MVP?
Pico: Well, on one hand it's about time, in terms of his skills. On the other hand, it's the final step in the re-legitimization (not a word, I know) of Kobe… so it goes. It also removes the final question (if there was one) to his Hall of Fame candidacy.
Jeff Lin: Kobe was certainly deserving, but I don't even know what the MVP award means. Best player in the league? Best player relative to their teammates? Highest overall contribution to their team? No one seems clear on these criteria.
With so many deserving stars in the league, it seems that the MVP award has simply become a way to recognize each star in turn. When Shaq was at his best (say 1998-2003), I thought he should have won it every single year, but he only got it once (1999-00). There was no one who had a greater impact on the game during this time. His play prompted more defensive adjustments than any other player, and a number of rule changes were even made by the league in response to his game.
Now the MVP award just seems to be passed around to all the best players—which is ok, but we need to acknowledge that. Without clear criteria on how it should be awarded, I don't know that there's any "significance" to anyone winning it.
That said, Kobe is an amazing player.
Don: Vindication? It's amazing the amount of 'growth' we've witnessed in this past season. But it comes at a price for Bryant – there's no backsliding into juvenile behavior now that you've entered adulthood.
I've slammed him a bit here, but have back-flipped. I've changed my stance, because he has.
There will always be those who hate him because he's good – and especially that he's not playing for the team they support (gogo Boston!? – on that, I can abso-effin'-lutely guarantee you, that if Kobe gets taken off in a wheelchair, his leg's fallen off). But Kobe's a Laker, and he'll be one of the best in the league for a few more years to come. Get used to it.
Dannie: No significance. I am probably one of the furthest people from a Kobe fan and I thought he deserved to win MVP this season. Now if New Orleans would have remained atop the Western Conference and Kobe still won, then there might be something to talk about. If that were the case I think the award would have been almost a "love gift" for a player most believe to be the best player of the last 3-4 years in the world. But that isn't what happen and now his MVP award just adds another hollow bullet point to the list Kobe Bryant fanatics will try to use to strengthen their ridiculous argument that he is better then Michael Jordan.
Fouled Out: I think this is Kobe's year, it's is his time. I'm not really a big fan of Kobe, but as a basketball fan, I can see that he really stepped up this season to lift the Lakers to success. He left his off-season drama behind and moved forward for a better and brighter season. His points are dipped a little, but his overall play is up. He rebounds better and he passes more now. His newfound trust for his teammates also helped the Lakers significantly because Kobe doesn't have to touch the ball that much to get points. Kobe's game improved in all-around aspects and it showed in their win column and for that reason, he deserves to win the award.
Khandor: Kobe has been the 'most talented' player in the NBA for a number of years. However, he has not focused his energy on 'making his teammates better' – i.e. by creating easy scoring opportunities for his lesser talented teammates in games and providing exemplary leadership in practices for them to emulate – during these same years. This year, that has changed. Kobe has (finally) 'begun' the transformation from 'supreme individual talent' to 'supreme team player with supreme basketball talent' which is at the heart of the game. When a Superstar realizes the need to play the game this way – i.e. by playing the first three quarters of a game for his teammates so that they will play the 4th quarter for him – his team undergoes a dramatic transformation, as well. Players improve their commitment to the team; players improve their individual game; and, the team functions as a cohesive unit, emphasizing its strengths and minimizing its weaknesses. Kobe's MVP Award this season reflects this reality for the Lakers. Their organization is, once again, committed to winning the NBA championship, their individual players have improved their skills, and Kobe Bryant has begun his ascent to the level of dominance once displayed by Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Oscar Robertson and Bill Russell, the All-Time Greats of The Game.
Jeff Sack: My personal choice for MVP would have been LeBron James. Now I take the term literally Most Valuable Player. Without LBJ the Cavaliers are the Miami Heat, they don't sniff the playoffs. Where I believe the Lakers still would have made the playoffs without Kobe. Not first place in the West, but put Sasha Vujacic in for Kobe they are a sixth seed. LBJ was more Valuable to his team in my mind than Kobe was to L.A.
There are those labeled as saviors to the league (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, etc.) but none landed in a "big market" city. Is this a hindrance to the NBA's marketability?
Pico: Coverage is national, and so are the games; I can watch Wade and 'Bron on ABC, ESPN, TNT, so the small market effect is not as strong as some would say with respect to the NBA's current marketability. If the big market clubs have deeper pockets/ revenue streams… I can see that being a way that the small market hurts marketability. The players have to be larger than life winners to gain the iconic status that the NBA would love to leverage.
And part of marketability comes from being able to put those stars on actual well-known advertisements; Lebron has had little issue securing advertisements from Cleveland. The one thing that having the players away from the big market DOES do is hold those players a little bit farther from the fire/ scrutiny of multiple outlets looking for the athlete to slip up. Though to counter that, the player who plays in, say, NY, will have a LOT of reporting into every aspect of their life, and more eyeballs will know their story.
One thing about being in a smaller market is that, perhaps, there is less of the "being out on the scene" that does assist in exposure… but that exposure confers more status on the player as individual vs player as representative of the Association. The NBA may not even want their stars associated with the Big Rapper, or the Slick Real Estate Guy, if it's not under the commissioner's control.
Jeff Lin: Yes, and again, it all comes down to dollars and cents. You put a big star in a big city and there are more people around to buy tickets, jerseys and bobbleheads. Put them in a small city and there is simply less purchasing power.
Guys like LeBron will sell jerseys no matter what, but the fact is that you put the guy in a bigger market and he will sell more jerseys.
Don: Not as much as refereeing issues… gambling… and the specter of the NBA ramrodding the Sonics move out of Seattle. Players in big market cities has a way of working itself out. If their teams don't pay the cash – or put a good support cast around them, the players will move. LeBron? He'll be in NY one way or another.
Dannie: First let me start by saying I don't think the league needs "saviors." The game is much better off marketing past and developing team rivalries than individual players. With that said, I think the NBA's marketability when relying on individual players is more about team success than location. If Kevin Durant played in New York and they still were one of the 5 worst teams in the NBA would it really matter that he was in a big market?
Individual players control their own marketability and perceived likeness in the marketplace with the endorsement deals and appearances they make that are mostly separate from the NBA.
From a basketball, NBA business standpoint players need to be on TV. In order for them to get on TV often their team must be a winner. If these players are on ESPN, ABC and TNT weekly it wouldn't matter what market size city they play in. I think it is that simple
Fouled Out: No I don't think so. It actually helps the marketability of the league. Because if a potential big star lands on a city that has a small market, he can shake up the city and bring it's crowd to their feet. Take the Hawks for example. The market in Atlanta is relatively small compared to other teams, but since they made it to the playoffs this year, the fans started going to their games. I believe that there's no such thing as "small market" city. It's just that the people are not hooked up with their teams because they are not winning. The Hornets had a hard time filling up their stadiums early in the season but when they started winning, people from New Orleans started going to the games. Players labeled as "saviors" are really saviors in a sense that they have the potential capacity to shake things up and bring its home-crowd to their feet..
Khandor: No. The NBA, today, is much bigger than that. There are more than enough 'Stars of the Game' to go around, filling up both the smaller markets and the larger ones. The NBA has a global reach today, and its marketing extends to smaller communities throughout the continental USA, larger communities (with major media outlets), and international communities, as well
Jeff Sack: I can only speak from personal experience. I covered Cleveland as a radio beat reporter from 1995-2007. I saw Cleveland turn from a NBA Wasteland to a viable and vibrant market after James came to the team. So I think it just makes more markets viable markets. The Durant situation is strange because the Sonics are in the process of locating. But D-Wade and Shaq brought a buzz to Miami in 2006.
On a similar note, what is the significance of the meteoric rise of Boston and LA? In what ways does it affect the NBA?
Pico: LA never really left; they had a couple of mediocre years but they had Kobe… but Boston is out of a relative nowhere. It's great to see that if a team can put some good role players (this is key to their success) around some excellent talent, winning can happen… in the Eastern Conference. The same roster wouldn't have won the West, necessarily. Too many other tough outs in the conference. But I do think that the NBA is happier than a pig in slop to have these longtime rivals in the finals again – coastal teams, big named players in big name jerseys, good basketball, high drama… big win for the Association. This is a much more fan friendly finals than many of the recent series.
The moves that teams in the West made to match that curious Pau Gasol fire sale (I forget which move was first, actually, so correct me if I'm wrong about Pau being first) might change the balance of power between the conferences. The West is now aging (though Golden State and Denver and Utah may be on the come-up), and the Suns and Mavs really blew their wad in making poor, short-sighted moves.
Teams in the East see that if they can make the package and grab a player – or if their guys develop – the conference is there for the having. And there are multiple real contenders in the East now – Boston, Cleveland (though they need work), Detroit… teams can get in that conversation if they are willing to make that move or two. And Atlanta and Philly… I smell good things in the future. Indiana can come back. The Knicks might get back to respectable…
Jeff Lin: Well, the league can capitalize on the long rivalry between these teams, and it has done so. It's good for the league's coffers, but I don't know what else.
Don: I'd hardly categorize LA's rise as 'meteoric'… surprising? Yes. That it's happened this fast. Even with Bynum's growth, I didn't truly expect LA to be in the finals this year. Boston? Their growth was definitely meteoric, and a lil' mercenary. KG & Allen came over, and if they can win this year – the putting-in-hock of the franchise's future was definitely worth it.
Certainly looking like a good piece of work thus far.
Dannie: I think it is great for the game. It is easy to market. But the demographic that is effected the most are fans of the game who
1. Witnesses of that rivalry as it happened
2. Diehard fans that know and appreciate their NBA history
The older generation in my opinion followed a team first and players second. Today's younger fans follow their favorite player first and often by association support the team they play for. So I think this years NBA Finals bring out the older generation of fans they may have stepped away from the game for a while.
Fouled Out: In some ways, this will increase the popularity of the league at least for a few years. Old-school NBA fans will have the chance to don their old Lakers and Celtics jerseys. But the Lakers-Celtics face-off is not exclusively for the older generations because the younger fan base will also get to enjoy the long-standing rivalry of Lakers and Celtics. Some may say that the Finals is rigged by the comish, but I don't think so. The Lakers and Celtics both worked their asses to reach the top and they deserve to be there. This is a chance for old-school fans to walk down the memory lane and relive the past and a chance for younger generations to experience the rich and long-standing tradition of the Lakers-Celtics rivalry.
Khandor: A bi-coastal rivalry like this, which re-emphasizes the roots of the game and re-establishes its core elements, involving Boston and LA – significantly sized communities in major media markets – is important to sustain a healthy, vibrant NBA product long term. Re-invigorating central 'hubs', like this, from time-to-time, is essential to provide solid underpinnings for the game, as a whole, allowing the league to grow and maintain its stability, simultaneously.
Jeff Sack: It is the premier rivalry in the NBA. It is the equivalent of Yankees/Red Sox in Baseball, or Dallas/Pittsburgh in the NFL. it plays on the nostalgia factor, plus it features some of the best players in the Association today.
There's been talk about excluding those under the age of 20 from the NBA draft. How will this affect the NBA?
Pico: Hey, for real? The Alaskan Assassin? I miss Langdon.
The age limit… I hate the age limit, as a college basketball fan. There is a problem, certainly, with kids thinking their skills are NBA ready when they are NBA never-will-bes, and there is a problem with general managers trying to one-up each other by signing young talent that doesn't pan out. But the age exclusion is frankly fairly silly. There are players who can contribute or at least learn at the NBA level who have to spend two years going to classes they're not interested in taking, receiving what might be inferior training… I don't think a change in the age limit will change much about the NBA as a whole, however. The players are always around, even if one or two becomes exposed in college. But it would be nice if teams could draft 18 year olds and send them to the D-League (i.e. not allow them to play in the NBA) for training, and life skills tutoring. More on that in the next answer.
Jeff Lin: I hate the age limit. Along with the dress code and outrageous restrictions on court behavior (no hanging from the rims??), it strikes me as paternalistic and vaguely racist. As a sociologist, I think these issues have institutional, not conspiratorial, roots. David Stern is not a racist, but to make more money, he has to make the league appealing to as many potential fans as possible. This is the impetus for the behavioral rules mentioned above—which collectively serve to "whiten" the appearance of the league.
The dilemma for the NBA is that so many of its players come from disadvantaged backgrounds (ie, they seem too "black"), and therefore lack marketability. This is a recurring problem for the NBA. The league, in response, is forced to take action through behavioral restrictions, especially as it markets on a global level. Agents and team officials are in on this as well, as a better public image inflates everyone's income.
What is the rationale behind age restrictions? As many others have said, you can vote when you're 18, you can go to war, you can work at Foot Locker. Why can't you make a living playing basketball? I wonder if these age restrictions would have come up at all if the league was more white. Where are the age restrictions in baseball and hockey?
I also wonder if there isn't some tacit or explicit agreement between the NBA and the NCAA to let these players contribute to college profiteering before they can go pro.
Don: It won't. It will have to come around during the next CBA, and I don't think that's for a few years yet. For it to occur would mean that the NBA/owners will have to offer the players something in return… so there'll be some type of balancing act to it. Even if it does, all it means is that we see a bit better NCAA.
Dannie: There should be no age limit. If a player is good enough to play let him play, simple as that. If a team wants to draft him and he isn't ready that is why every NBA franchise should have a D-league team to develop these players. Guess what people, not everyone wants to go to college. College isn't for everyone. The point of college is to develop skills so I can thrive in my desired profession. If my desired position in an NBA player and I am capable of playing now why stop me. I really don't see any benefit for the NBA. Maybe you get more polished players since they had to play in college for 1-2 years. But you also keep out guys like LeBron or Kobe how are capable of being stars right away.
Khandor: Excluding 'Players Under the Age of 20' from the NBA draft helps the league immensely. It improves the image of the league by ensuring that its incoming players are more mature with the life experience gained from those years after high school. It improves the on-court product by eliminating players from the NBA game who are still 'developing' their individual talents and their overall understanding of how elite level basketball actually works despite the immense 'athletic ability' they already possess. It improves the financial environment in the NBA by preventing individual clubs from committing exorbitant sums of money to still immature players who may never fully develop at the NBA level down-the-road.
Jeff Sack: I had the pleasure of covering Trajan during his days in the NBA, as a member of the Cavaliers. He is a class gentleman, bright, articulate, and truly a nice man. That being said he did not have the skills to make it in the NBA. I have always been in favor of having a similar system in the NBA as you do in MLB, with each Association team having their own minor league team. In my scenario, if you don't want to go to college, that's fine you go to the minor league team for four years. That way you can earn money for your family, and hone your skills at the same time. I do not want athletes learning the game at the NBA Level.
In the beginning of May, Trajan Langdon won the Euroleague Final Four MVP. Historically, ambitious American basketball players skipped across the pond to make a name for themselves. They would leverage European success into NBA stints. With the D-league getting more push behind it, where do you see European ball and D-league ball in relation to each other?
Pico: The bigger name players always will come out of the college or prep ranks, or they will be Euro players who come over from the Euroleague (and similar leagues in South America and one day, in China). So I think that in terms of cachet for an American baller, it is similar. I can't see players – even in the age limit increase scenario – choosing to go abroad to play. Too far from home, too little exposure for the NBA, and college coaches are great salesmen. Plus take some of the skinny American college ball prospects, put them up against 28 year old men, and watch them fold like a newspaper. They couldn't take that kind of muscling.
The top levels of European ball are definitely better than the D-League games I have seen. The Spanish league? I watched half a game on a trip to Sevilla last year on a tiny television and I was fully impressed. I would have stayed in the hotel to watch more. I couldn't say the same about the Developmental League. But Euro ball varies very widely; the British league isn't great, there are many divisions in each country, and the low-level ball isn't a place to get seen… a player looking to step back across the water could get lost in the shuffle.
Going to Europe, for an young player, has little allure to it. And that's sad. The D-League has even less allure, and will continue to not have allure until it becomes a minor league system where teams can point and say, that Austin Toros team produced 3 NBA all-stars. It needs a track record. Despite my earlier objections, I think it would be interesting to see a system where players decide not to go to college and to make a little bank in backwater cities with the hope of reaching the NBA (b/c the scouts will see them) or going to Europe/ South America/ China/ Israel; they'd get a real education in language, culture, and how to play the game in a team concept.
Jeff Lin: Not sure on this one, but the D-league has a hard-to-shake stigma in the US. And given that players are paid more in Europe than in the D-league, Euro-play seems to be a more appealing option. However, if the NBA can effectively promote the D-league as the "closest step" to the NBA, it may counteract some of the stigma.
Don: European basketball is way, way, way ahead of the D-League. Hell, on the international stage, the NBA is yet to prove that as of this moment that they are a superior game to what's being played in Europe (well… at least 'non-US').
There's definitely a leaning towards finesse over physicality, but that Europeans are 'soft' is simply untrue. It's just that in the NBA a lot of stuff that's called in Europe is let go… and there are different rules for stars as to rookies or 'scrubs'.
Additionally, the money in Europe is far, far greater than the average player can earn in the D-League. And money always talk. Ask Splitter why he's still in Europe.
I still think that as it stands at the moment, European basketball still trumps D-League… and only post the Olympics will it stand below the NBA on a truly world stage (for the record, I think the US team finally get it done and get gold).
Dannie: I think the two serve different players and different purposes. The NBA is trying to develop a minor league system to cultivate young developing players with the D-league. So if I am a basketball player with the sole purposes of getting into the NBA I would focus on showcasing my ability in the D-league. On the other hand if I was a player that just wanted to play ball professionally I would go over seas and hoop in Europe or some other foreign country. I am not playing with the sole purpose to get to the NBA. If someone sees me and likes my game and offers me an opportunity to play in the NBA obviously I would take it. But if that doesn't happen I know I can have a successful and long-term career over seas. Whereas I don't think anyone can make a career out of playing in the D-league.
Khandor: FIBA and the D-league are both viable options for players who are non-NBA ready. FIBA is gradually moving closer to the NBA by adjusting its 'Rules of Play' (e.g. the longer-distance NBA 3-Pt Shot is now being phased into FIBA). Given the sizable salaries which are paid to European 'pro' players, it will continue to be the primary option for players to hone their games and improve their stock in the eyes of NBA General Managers, on a long term basis. D-league players are directly accessible to the NBA within a specific season but are not being called up on a permanent basis in large numbers yet and given the relatively low salaries associated with the league it will continue to be the 2nd rung on the ladder leading toward the NBA.
Jeff Sack: I still think that the Euro-Leagues will be a very viable alternative to a player who can't make the Association, if for no other reason the money. Euro-League teams can pay a player more than a NBDL team
College ball vs. the NBA. Many college basketball fans cite NBA players' "lack of effort" as a reason not to tune in. Do you hold any perceived differences between college and pro ball?
Pico: Hells yeah, I do. I've been a college basketball partisan for years and years. The only reason I liked the Knicks was because they were the hometown team and they beat up other teams (in the early/ mid 90s). In college I fell in love with the pageantry and partisanship of the game – your guy was always your guy. He'd never get traded (though now they transfer with greater frequency). And the college game looks as if the players are putting in more effort – they are generally smaller, less athletic, less able to get to the rim in three strides. The college game is often more organized/ more system oriented and less athletically focused. The professional season is also just. so. long. It's painful in January and everyone knows it. If it were shorter… if teams at the bottom were playing to not get "relegated" as happens in European leagues… I tune out except for my fantasy teams and the playoffs.
Jeff Lin: There are a lot of differences, and the two games are very distinct from one another now. The talent differential is off the charts, and this is the root cause of many of the other differences. The structure of the season is also critical. With an 82-game schedule, you just can't expect maximum effort every night. College players, many of whom are at the end of their playing days, have a lot more to lose. In personal terms, the stakes are higher.
Don: Given I'm from outside of the States, I think there are 2 things that are immediately apparent to me.
1. People in the US have a particular college they have an affinity for, through either attendance or at the very least – knowledge of. Or, they have a team that they really, really hate.
2. The seasons are hugely different in the amount of games played.
As a result, I think that some fans view the NBA differently, and are a lil' more critical than they are of the NCAA games.
Dannie: Sure there are differences. The NBA is in the entertainment and merchandising business so it behooves them to have loads of talent and that is what we get night in and night out. The NBA brings the highest level of basketball in the world. Lack of effort or not you still can't watch better players anywhere else. And therefore I regularly tune in. Also the NBA has a lot more one-on-one play and more free motion offense, whereas college has a lot more formulaic offense and structured plays. That makes sense when you are talking about the caliber of players and the quantity in the NBA. Every team has multiple players capable of doing their thing without a structured play call. In college only the top teams have more than 2 players you could trust to give the rock and say go make it happen. College ball is more about team play and how talent is maximized within the team concept. Also rivalries never die in college because fans have more of a vested interest in their school than a casual NBA fan has in his home team. That adds a different type of atmosphere to the college game that you can't get in the pros. Also the NCAA tournament 1 and done system makes their playoffs much more excited because there is really no tomorrow. There is way more
pressure in college ball than the NBA. LA is down 2-0 and feel just fine right now. You don't have that luxury in the big dance.
Khandor: The NBA game has the most 'talented' players in the world but it is focused primarily on the 'entertainment' aspect of the sport, rather than 'the Sport itself as entertainment' which is what the US college game is focused on. There's a big difference between these two environments. The 'Rules of Play' in the college game reflect 'The Values and Principles of Basketball, and how the game should be played properly'. In contrast, the 'Rules of Play' in the NBA game reflect some of that, at its core, but is focused primarily on 'The Principles of Mass Entertainment, and the need for Added Excitement to sell the spectacle to the General Public'.
Due to the many 'bastardized' Rules of Play in the NBA game, Coaching and Strategy (in general) is extremely complicated and, when done well, is at its zenith.
Jeff Sack: I think most fans really start to get into College ball around tournament time, when the teams are fighting to stay alive. And if you are going to compare that to Sacramento VS the T-Wolves in February, of course the NCAA game is far more exciting. The real test is comparing that Kings/Wolves against Duke VS some no name school in January. I don't think you will see much more effort in that game!
OJ Mayo has been accused of receiving $35,000 during his recruitment to USC. Is this simply a "rule shapes morality" case? Who really benefits in these cases?
Pico: The school didn't pay for it; and Mayo was steered to a particular agent. This sort of thing happens all the time, for sure, and it's the agent and the player who benefits. That been said… there are no drugs, no murder, and no games thrown. So I can't get up in arms about a fella with no money getting some money for his talent. If he didn't make the league, would he have to pay the agent back? Probably not. So I can't get up in arms there. Was this money from a booster? Did it steer him to USC? No, and no. I can't get all heated about Mayo.
Jeff Lin: Schools benefit. Agents and runners benefit. Endorsers benefit. Player benefits, but is also exploited.
The system is corrupted. Each actor in the system predictably acts in his/her own interests. (For a conceptual overview, see all five seasons of "The Wire.")
Don: Benefits? No-one. Definitely, college basketball loses out.
Dannie: Well obviously the player benefits because they get paid and in most situations have no consequences. If you don't get caught while you still care about your college eligibility than from the players point of view they see no problem. The schools are the ones left with consequences in lost scholarships and post season games. I just think it is what it is. Part of the business of basketball and dealing with talent. I don't know many 18-year olds turning down that kind of money when they know worst case scenario they can't play the one year of college ball they had been forced into anyway.
Khandor: No, this is not "simply a 'rule shapes morality' case".
Unfortunately, US college basketball has been corrupted, at its core, and what was once a simple game is no more. In today's environment, college sport – at the highest levels of competition – is Business-driven. FULL STOP. Academic Integrity has been abandoned and is no longer at the heart of the US college, NCAA Division One experience for men's basketball players. Academic Integrity is the Loser in this situation where the only (real) winner is the 'Business Side' of the game.
Jeff Sack: The NCAA system is antiquated at best. Why should USC make tons of money on Mayo's shirts, and he not get a cut? In the old days the argument was the player got a free education. Not if you stay in school just one year. The system needs to be changed.
Since the years following the original Dream Team, American-born players seem hesitant to participate in international events like the Olympic Games. In contrast, international players openly look forward to it — as seen by recent statements by Manu Ginobili, Dirk Nowitzki, etc. Are international players more enthusiastic about these and events and why?
Pico: International players in the NBA will be more reluctant (as Steve Nash has been with respect to playing with Team Canada), but they often feel a kinship with their countrymen in a way that US players will not. Our nation is more regional, and our league places emphasis on the individual, and ideal that's passed down to the youngest baller. There isn't a strong tug when people see the Stars and Stripes unless we're talking about the military. Winning it for the Red White and Blue has been trumped by money; and regionally, racially, ethnically, economically, the US is a polyglot of peoples. Great for living in my mind, but not great for getting a strong national fervor up for anything besides disagreement and wanting more money.
It seems that international teams all focus on the team concept, and there is a stronger cultural identity in relation to their flag. And basketball in the US is a wildly individual sport. Playing in the Olympics doesn't bring in more money for the individual, and doesn't impress that many people back home. It's not a big win for the players to play. But Spain will remember if Pau or Juan Carlos decide to hang back in the US recording their album or having boat parties.
Jeff Lin: I'm not entirely sure, but my impression is that international players typically play with their national teams from the time that they are very young. They therefore grow more attached to these teams and develop a greater sense of national pride. In the US, there isn't the same level of involvement at young ages.
We simply pluck the best players from the NBA for international competition and expect them to behave like they're undyingly patriotic. Are they proud? Sure they are, but we can't be expected to believe that service to country is their singular motivation. They have their own careers to consider, their own families. And with an increasingly hostile global attitude towards the US, American players have more to fear in terms of their personal safety.
Don: Sheesh… to answer that one you'd have to address a notion of 'national pride'… and I'm just not going there.
Dannie: Yes the top international players who play in the NBA are more enthusiastic mainly because they play in the US every year. So they only get the opportunity to play with their country men once every 2-4 years. I also think there is a different level of pressure and obligation put on international players to be on their national teams because they don't have as large a pool of great talent to pull from. So if Dirk doesn't play for the German team they have no shot (they have no shot regardless but you get my point) and so on down the line with every other country. Whereas the US has dozens of top tier players to pull from and guys just don't feel as obligated to commit. It's like Tracy McGrady can say to himself, "oh I don't have to play Kobe is playing." Also, the commitment is greater. The Dream Team just had to play in the 1992 Olympics. They didn't have all these other World Games to commit too. Not many NBA players will commit to playing basketball all year for 3-4 years straight. With that said I don't think we will have a problem getting the best of the best to play for the US anymore given what happened in the 2002 World Games and 2004 Olympics. As older players decline new stars will emerge and take the reins.
Khandor: Yes, international players are more enthusiastic about representing their native country in the Olympics than American-born players are because they do not see their involvement in the NBA as the endpoint of their journey, as a basketball player. International players begin their journey outside of the USA – where the NBA is located, save for the Toronto Raptors – and, from the start, have as one of their primary goals, representing their homeland in international competition in an Olympic environment. Once they reach the NBA, they still have this goal. In contrast, American-born players, from the start, have as their primary goal making it to the NBA. FULL STOP. Representing the USA, in basketball, at an Olympics, does not hold the same value in this player's life, since the NBA is widely recognized already as the highest level of basketball in the world.
Jeff Sack: I believe so, and mainly due to the success that South American and European teams have had in these tournaments. There is no upside for the USA they are expected to win.
Stylistic changes in the professional game have begun a new debate: would you draft a great point guard or a great center? What are your reasons?
Pico: Are there great centers anymore? Height is the thing you can't teach, and training has allowed for those taller players to do more on the court… hm. It depends on how the game continues to change. I would prefer a point guard, myself, because a player who sees spaces and opportunities, coupled with scorers, will outscore the other team. A guy taller than everyone else will have an easier time scoring, but if he can't get the ball, or get in position? He's of much less use.
Jeff Lin: I'd draft the best player, whoever it was. The era of one-star teams is over (if it ever existed). Successful teams need balance now. I heard someone (Doug Collins maybe) say that a championship team needs 2.5 stars now.
One thing that Kobe and LeBron have demonstrated (see also Jordan, West, Russell) is that the desire to win is just as important as talent. All of these players are/were basically pathological in terms of competitiveness. In my favorite basketball book—Playing for Keeps by David Halberstam—the author recounts a story in which Michael Jordan is invited to his roommate's home for Thanksgiving, where he is caught cheating while playing Old Maid against his roommate's grandma. ("Did you just cheat my grandma in Old Maid?") Jordan was insanely competitive. I wouldn't want to play pickup ball with someone like that, but if I was the GM of an NBA team, I'd go after that kind of player.
Don: I draft the center. You have absolutely no guarantee either is going to be great, and if you miss, the big body is going to be of more use than the lil' guy. I disagree that there are even stylistic changes. Look at the teams that are at the top now, and nearly every one has a good big man. Now, the media (and bloggers) have just gotten all giddy about trying to find the next Chris Paul. It's not real, get used to big men generally dominating.
Dannie: I don't think anything has changed actually. I have always believed the two most important positions (in order) are big man then point guard. To my knowledge the only teams to win championships without a HOF caliber big man in the last, lets call it 28 years have been the Jordan-led Bulls and Isiah-led Pistons right? So what has changed? This year neither team has a HOF point guard yet both have great bigs, one of which is a lock hall of famer (KG). In the history of the NBA there has only been one point guard that I would take over the best of the best Centers and PFs in the NBA and that is obviously Magic Johnson. But for me he doesn't even count. Because he falls in the category I call "freak" when talking about basketball players. He is atypical of the position and pretty much one of a kind. Give me Shaq, Wilt, Russell, Malone (Moses), Kareem, Duncan, Hakeem over any other great point guard. Great centers and power forwards inherently have more impact on the game because the nature of the position demands they protect the basket along with what they bring on offense. As dominant as Chris Paul is he couldn't stop Tim Duncan or Manu Ginobili the way Duncan can guard the rim against any New Orleans player.
Fouled Out: I think the usual answer would be "depends on what my team needs", but ideally I would prefer to draft a great center. I just think that big men (centers and power forwards) take longer time to develop their game. They may be great in college, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they'll be great in pro-league. Particulalry in the NBA, the guard position is kinda saturated. Teams can choose from a wide pool of guard players in the league compared to the pool of big men. I think guards are easier to train and they adapt to the game quicker than centers, and for that reason, I would pick a great center over a great point guard.
Khandor: Given these two choices, exclusively, I would draft a great Point Guard.
Basketball has always been and will always be – due to the Rules of Play – a guard's game. It's the guards who (I) handle and (II) defend the ball the most, not a Center (great or otherwise), and if you get 'Big' guards they can also do a significant amount of work (III) rebounding the basketball.
Jeff Sack: I have said for the last three years we are living in the Golden Age of the Point Guard. Chris Paul, Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Chauncey Billups, Andre Miller, Deron Williams, and soon Derrick Rose. Now that Amare is playing the four you have two great centers in the NBA, Dwight Howard and Yao. The age of the Giants ruling the NBA has gone the way of the dinosaur
There you have it. Thanks go out to the seven guys that participated. I couldn't have done it without them. Continue the discussion in the comments section.
Thanks again and keep an eye out for the next roundtable!
Comments : 7 Comments »
Tags: Age Limit, basketball, Boston Celtics, D-League, Dream Team, Dwyane Wade, Euroleague, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, NBA Draft, NCAA Basketball, OJ Mayo, Olympics, Phoenix Suns, Roundtable Discussion, Sports
Categories : basketball
LeBron James Is Like An iPod16 04 2008
I'll make a confession right now. I've gone to the Dark Side.
I bought an iPod.
After six years of rockin' the Dell DJ, I caved into the persistent and ubiquitous iPod marketing and bought an inferior MP3 player that blatantly tries to turn you into a captive consumer.
It's pretty, that cannot be argued. But the iPod is far from flexible.
I mean, iTunes is the only way to put music onto it? Really? And the files aren't ".mp3" Come on.
I really have to buy a $30 adapter if I want to plug it into the wall?
Wow. I just got scammed. And I'm actually enjoying it a little bit. I like walking around feeling like everyone else now. Let's go get McDonald's after our Starbucks coffee and bash on Barack Obama! Well alright! I love being fiscally conservative! Go unbridled consumerism!
I can now wear those white earphones proudly, displaying my social status. I don't have to cringe when people ask about my "iPod" and I have to respond using the noun "MP3 player."
I thought years ago: Man, I know I'm a consumer but I'll find an intelligent alternative to the iPod. Surely, I won't get sucked into the marketing and hype. I was wrong.
And now I am confused and wallowing in a feeling that isn't quite buyer's remorse.
Having gone through this conversion, I'm now staring straight at another paradigm shift that I'm not looking forward to.
Becoming a LeBron James fan is something I dread. But it's pretty much inevitable, isn't it?
Who else can the NBA marketers bank on? Dwyane Wade really came on strong a year or so ago. He won a ring playing "selfless" ball next to Shaquille O'Neal. He's a smooth dresser, a nice guy and has a great smile.
But sadly, D-Wade is about to go the way of Penny Hardaway and Grant Hill. I can't even remember the last time I saw him play 10 consecutive games. I'm sure that you can't either and that's very alarming.
So where does the NBA find another incredible athlete that is a winner and knows how to work the cameras?
Carmelo Anthony, the Larry Bird to LeBron's Magic Johnson, needs some time to clean up his image problems.
Kobe Bryant's image is probably too tainted at this point. He's also a bit old and his name is a bit tired at this point.
Chris Paul never gets on TV. He's a pretty boy though so look for cameramen to key onto him in the playoffs.
Tim Duncan is great. But he's old and watching his game is like staring at Mount Rushmore at noon. It's cool but kinda boring and I don't like how his thumbs are upturned when he runs.
So what's an NBA to do?
Witness LeBron.
Over the years, I've turned into a big Allen Iverson fan and I now enjoy watching Kobe Bryant play. But for some reason, the thought of enjoying LeBron repulses me.
I dislike him for a few reasons.
His Hype
I've heard the name "LeBron James" for almost a decade now. Much like Greg Oden, the media has surrounded this kid since his early high school days.
Do you know anyone that is a late adopter in the iPod consumer bell curve? Those people will never be impressed. In the same sense, I'm not really all that impressed with LeBron James. Nor am I impressed with Oden but that's another story…
A microcosm of the LeBron hype machine is his nickname, "The King." It says it all. He was crowned at a young age and he won't be dethroned until a clear heir emerges.
His Game
Broadcasters love to marvel at LeBron's game. I know he's talented, athletic and incredibly strong. But is his game really that marvelous at this point?
The man's go-to move is essentially a fullback dive. He puts his head down, covers up the ball and runs for daylight. LeBron can get called for charging twice each time down the court.
Up until the last month or so, his outside shot was atrocious. He seems to be knocking down longballs with more ease now but he's still streaky at best.
LeBron's got very good court vision but he's really not that great of a passer yet. LeBron gets assists but he forces shots like a half-Irish guy on St. Patrick's Day.
One of my college roommates was in the Ohio Catholic conference that LeBron's St. Vincent-St. Mary's belonged to. He told me that LeBron was incredible live but he would cherry pick for 3/4 of the game. I imagine it was like watching Leandro Barbosa play.
If LeBron had the letter "D" in his name, I would make another fairly obvious observation. But I digress.
His Facial Expressions
Damon Jones is definitely rubbing off on LeBron. Both are continually snarling throughout the game. The difference is that Jones does it while sitting next to the Gatorade. LeBron, why are you so mad? Big Z did all the work for you by giving you an incredible outlet pass. You're up by 20 and no one contested your dunk. Why are you snarling?
He looks like Wolf "The Dentist" Stansson out there.
There are few certainties in life. One is that I was eventually supposed to buy an iPod. The second is that I will eventually become a LeBron James fan.
I'll do it but I won't enjoy it.
Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: Anfernee Hardaway, basketball, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Grant Hill, Greg Oden, iPod, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Marketing, NBA, Sports
Categories : basketball, NBA, Sports


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A Las Vegas man on his way home from Mexico is now heading to federal prison, after cops caught him trying to sneak 159 pounds worth of 115 dead iguanas over the border, Reuters reported.
According to federal prosecutors, last year 38-year-old Eliodoro Soria Fonseca tried to smuggle the beheaded, skinned and deboned lizards — a popular protein in central America — hidden beneath a layer of fish packed in coolers.
When he was sentenced in San Diego Thursday to two years in federal prison, Fonseca admitted he intentionally hid the meat when he crossed into California from Mexico because he didn't have the proper permits from the U.S. and Mexican governments.
U.S. & World
Stories that affect your life across the U.S. and around the world.
Although iguanas are considered imperiled but not endangered, they are regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Reuters reported that according to one iguana conservation expert, removing more than 100 iguanas from a particular area meant the local population was "technically wiped out."
Fonseca might have done well to have turned to Puerto Rico to sate his iguana craving.
The island launched a program this year to export the meat of the reptiles — which there are an invasive, non-native species — for food for up to $6 a pound, NBC Miami reported.
In Mexico, iguana meat is often roasted or parboiled and eaten in tacos, flautas and stewed, according to Reuters.


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- 28-04
- Séries
- 1987-2002
Parte de David Cunningham fonds
Series documents projects Cunningham took on outside of his main roles at MOA. Cunningham was involved in MOA's identity development in the late 1990s, and participated in shop product development around this time. He also provided external consultation to other museums and UBC departments. Included in this series is material regarding MOA exhibition cases at YVR Airport pre-dating Cunningham's time at the museum. Records include correspondence, drawings, measurements, and photographs.


text:
How New Teachers Can Work Effectively with Veteran Teachers, Parents, Principals, and Teacher Educators
By Amy DePaul
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
U.S. Department of Education
Richard W. Riley
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
C. Kent McGuire
Assistant Secretary
Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemination
Peirce Hammond
Media and Information Services
Cynthia Hearn Dorfman
May 2000
Printed copies of the Survival Guide for New Teachers are available free, while supplies last, from ED Pubs (Education Publications Center) by calling 1-877-4ED-Pubs or writing to U.S. Department of Education, ED Pubs, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Copies also can be purchased from the Government Printing Office (GPO) by writing to New Orders, Superintendent Documents, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. The stock number is 065-000-01303-7, and the price is $3.50. Orders also can be placed by calling the GPO Order Desk at 202-512-1800.


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{Blogtober- Day 3}
Today was my first day of a new adventure at GOGO Vacations. I was very anxious but excited about starting since my dream was to get into the travel industry. The day started at 9 which was a lot later than I was used to so it was nice to be able to sleep in a bit, plus the office is only 10 minutes down the road.
I walked up to the door with my coffee in my hand took a deep breath and knocked on the door until someone opened it. The woman told me where I'd be sitting, right by the window which was relaxing to me even though I will probably find myself gazing out the window a bit too often.
When my manager came in, she got me set up right away. I know nothing about the travel industry, I only have experience traveling as well as travel blogging. I do think this will help me when it come to selling the products. My title is Travel Consultant. I will be booking trips and figuring out quotes for travel agents and their clients. Everyone thinks travel agents/consultants are not popular anymore, as this may be true, you would be surprised at how many calls and emails came through to our office the whole day.
Once I finished all the necessary paperwork, I started taking some classes online, getting familiar with certain places. I was able to be certified in selling things specific to Cancun which I thought was pretty awesome. I've never been to Cancun so to learn about it really made me want to go. I got to learn all the different places near Cancun like Isla Mujeres and Puerto Morelos as well as all the different activities and excursions you can do here. The next thing on the agenda is learning Sabre and about other destinations like Aruba. I can't wait to see where this career takes me (pun intended). We are given 4 FAM days or familiarization days that we can take specifically to go to a place and learn about it. Our office specializes in the Caribbean, USA, Canada, Mexico but we can book other destinations as well.
One thing I found quite strange is the fact that I actually have to go by a different name since there's already another Kim in the office. Since there's a lot of back and forth with the travel agents and knowing who's who and what each other says, it's difficult if there is someone with the same name. Believe it or not. So I have to think of a different name to call myself… hmm…I might have to sleep on this one. Either way I know I'm going to answer the phone saying my actual name out of habit.
After this week, I'm off to training at their headquarters for two weeks to cram as much information as I can into my brain. I couldn't be more excited !
Thank you for letting me share this professional adventure with you all and who knows, maybe I'll be booking your next trip !
Here's a little background about GOGO.
If you wanna learn more about GOGO Vacations, check out the links below.
If you would like me to book your next trip please contact me and I would be happy to see if I can help !
UPDATE: I get to keep my name !!!


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20 January 2011
Kung Fu Kitchen: Chinese and Malaysian, Westfield Sydney CBD (20 Jan 2011)
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10 comments:
- joey@forkingaroundsydney said...
I've passed this place trice and have never seen anyone in it! You might be the first! :-P
- January 20, 2011 at 9:44 PM
- john@heneedsfood said...
Hmmm, not sure I'll be trying this place anytime soon seeing that Malay-Chinese Takeaway is now my #1 choice for laksa near my work
- January 20, 2011 at 10:40 PM
- Tina@foodboozeshoes said...
Another Westfield addition to try, though the comparisons don't fare too well...
- January 21, 2011 at 11:53 AM
- Maria @ Scandi Foodie said...
Wow that table is certainly narrow! :-D
I'll have to make a trip to the city to explore this place better!
- January 22, 2011 at 4:54 AM
- Simon Leong said...
hi joey, there was definitely a lot of people when i visited so perhaps the crowds are picking up. i wish they weren't there though so it would be easier for me to get a seat ;-)
hi john, you can't go too wrong with Malay-Chinese for laksa. when you're on a good thing stick to it.
hi tina, hoping the other dishes are good next time i visit.
hi maria, hope you get to try it soon.
- January 23, 2011 at 11:44 PM
If you are ever in Parramatta try the laksa at Oriental Tucker Box on George Street. Its comparable to Malay Chinese Takeaway. Open everyday except Sunday. The Char Kway Teow is good too.
- January 24, 2011 at 8:50 AM
Here's the website...just found it on google :-)
- January 24, 2011 at 8:52 AM
I had the Peking Duck here last week and it was fantastic. The name caught my eye while shopping in Sydney, and I think i'll check out their Laksa next time i'm in the city based on this review.
- January 24, 2011 at 4:55 PM
Just a clarification on the names - Chow Kuay Dew is generally the cantonese version whereas Char Kway Teow is usually the malaysian version. If you're very picky, the cantonese version should be more savoury whereas the malaysian version would be considered "sweet" by most cantonese. :)
- January 25, 2011 at 5:11 PM
- Simon Leong said...
hi sydney foodies, i've heard about the Oriental Tucker Box before and have added to my wish list. hopefully i'll get to try one day.
hi ken, thanks for the recommendation. sounds like i need to try it.
hi viv, thanks for the clarification although when i did a google search on 'Chow Kuay Dew' it actually comes up with no matches so i'm wondering if it's been spelt incorrectly?
- January 25, 2011 at 10:29 PM
Simon Food Favourites Map
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Minors who purchase, attempt to purchase, possess, or consume alcoholic beverages, as well as minors who are intoxicated in public or misrepresent their age to obtain alcoholic beverages, face the following consequences:
If a minor is seventeen years of age or older and the violation is the third offense, the offense is punishable by a fine of $250 to $2,000, confinement in jail for up to 180 days or both, as well as automatic driver's license suspension.
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Living in America since 2010 Welsh artist Matt Jones has explored this fascinating country by painting its architecture and landscape. He has covered thousands of miles painting America on trips to Hawaii, New Orleans, Utah, Joshua Tree, the Grand Canyon and around Los Angeles. Center Stage Gallery, Burbank presents 100 paintings from his travels around the U.S.A.
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