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I know its still early for this but its never to late to start right?? But on Yahoo! they predict that we would have the number 3 pick for Jordan Hill F/C combo from Arizona St. What do you guys think about this??? I don't know much about him. But who do you guys think we should get?
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=n ... ;type=lgns
CJ please delete this one post and keep the other one.
I think we're thin at the small forward position so I would concentrate there, and depending on whether or not we keep Baron, there are a lot of good point guards available in this draft
Let's package the pick for a player that can help us right now. As far as young guys, two projects (Jordan and Taylor) and a future star (Gordon) are enough.
rule #1: dont draft for need (especially if you're in the top 3)
rule #2: draft talent
rule 1 + rule 2 =
sure we have baron.
taylor's a true sg
hart is _____.
give rubio a few years of backup and davis mentoring.
If you have the chance to draft Rubio, Jennings, or Holiday in this draft, you do it without hesitation. These 3 players have far more potential at the PG position than Taylor. Taylor, as exciting as he can be is not a true point guard, and forces way too many turnovers. This team needs a PG to groom for the future, and thankfully this draft is loaded with guards.
I am going to merge the thread so david can catch & delete. Thanks for the heads up!
Depending on how high our pick is, I would either follow your logic or blow up this entire "project" we have going on and go full-on rebuilding mode. But yeah, personally I hope we trade the pick and get someone that could really help us right now, I'm tired of potential, results would be nice
If you have the chance to draft Rubio, Jennings, or Holiday in this draft, you do it without hesitation. These 3 players have far more potential at the PG position than Taylor. Taylor, as exciting as he can be is not a true point guard, and forces way too many turnovers. This team needs a PG to groom for the future, and thankfully this draft is loaded with guards.
You have no evidence of this, just because Taylor forces turnovers does not mean that with a little bit of seasoning that he can be a future star...give the guy a chance, hes only been with us (playing) for less then half the season he has potential but you have to give things time.
the nice thing right now about "rebuilding" if we chose to do it at the end of the year and trade a few of our big names- it shouldnt be that long of a rebuild process until we start winning with guys like gordon and thornton who have shown some great signs over the past few weeks. while this season has been completely different and worse than many of us expected, we are going to have a lot of nice options to work with at the end of this season in terms of what direction our franchise is heading. hopefully we can land a high pick in the draft- that just gives us another nice option.
I really think we should actually trade are pick for someone that can really help this team. This years draft class is pretty weak unless you can keep your hands on rubio, jennings, or holiday.
I agree, either package and trade the pick for a good player. If we keep the pick, I definitely don't want to see another project. I say go for a player that is smart, can play D, knows his role, and can contribute immediately.
Blake Griffin we should go for him if we get 1st pick
We have bad luck so I am assuming we'll get the 7th pick again. If that is the case, this is what I do:
Trade Baron for a true PG the likes of Kirk Hinrich or Jose Calderon, then get an athletic slasher to back up Thornton off the bench, my money is on DeMar Derozan out of USC, he is ridiculously athletic.
I like your ideas about trading for Jose or Hinrich. Both are unselfish and they always think on the team first. They are better defenders than Baron and don't need so much the ball in his hands as Baron does.
Anyways Jose is commited with the Raptors and I don't see him leaving the Raps...Hinrich would be easier to get although I think we should offer a package with Kaman since they need they haven't got any quality center.
The Bulls will definitely want Kaman if we are talking trades with them, I'm not sure how I feel about that until I see Kaman play with the other big men. Baron on the other hand I have seen play and it's infuriating.
Does anyone remember the stipulations as to whether or not we get Minnesota's pick? What has to happen for us to get it?
cannot be a top 10 pick, we get it in 2010 i think, dont remember
Right now Minnesota is has the 7th worst record. If they climb to 11th worst then would we get the pick? If so then, McHale needs to keep the wins coming to just save his own @ss and give us their pick.
I'd rather wait another year and get Minny's pick when it becomes unprotected. Especially with this draft being weak compared to last year's.
ditto as well.
But I'm pretty sure the pick is top ten protected in 2010 also. Unprotected in 2011. So best case: Minny stays in the bottom ten this season and next, then REALLY tanks in 2010-11 so LAC gets a huge pick.
But I'm pretty sure the pick is top ten protected in 2010 also. Unprotected in 2011. So best case: Minny stays in the bottom ten this season and next, then REALLY tanks in 2010-11 so LAC gets a huge pick.
you right, the pick is ours unprotected after 2010/2011. Lets just hope mc'hale gets fired and jefferson will not play for any other coach! =)
actually, im hoping that minny gets enough wins to maybe get like the 10th or 11th pick in the draft.
think about it, if we end up with a top 4 pick AND the 10th pick, we could maybe get a monroe, griffin, or rubio as our top 4 AND get a derozan, jennings, or curry. if we get minny's 10th or 11th pick, im alright with that. im a real fan of derozan.
The players that have caught my eye for the 09 draft are
Jeff Teauge
James Harden
Darren Collison (senior top defender and team player)
Eric Maynor
Patrick Patterson (Could be a steal)
Al-Farouq Aminu
Blake Griffin
I like those guys above too. As far as guards go, I also like Willie Warren and Terrence Williams. Both guys are really athletic scorers who are a lot of fun to watch. For forwards, I think Greg Monroe could also be a nice piece for us. Jordan Hill is another guy I think would be great for our team. He is not the best scorer, but his energy and hustle off the bench would be nice, especially if we have a mid range lottery pick and most of the top prospects are off the board.
Either we land the top pick and take Blake Griffin or we trade our pick to move down ( like from 3 to 11 ) to take Jennings or Curry. Rubio at best will be a mixture of Beno Udrih and Jamaal Tinsley AT BEST. Thats not very good for a top 3 pick.
Get with the program people, its griffin or bust.
I am not sold on Jennings anymore than I am sold on Rubio. But like you said, we just gotta wait and see where our pick ends up being. Gordon and Griffin= success for us. Two hard workers who can step into the league with a very professional attitude will mean good things for this franchise, no matter who is around them (well it might be a good idea to tweak the roster a little)
Get with the program people, its griffin or bust.
I am not sold on Jennings anymore than I am sold on Rubio. But like you said, we just gotta wait and see where our pick ends up being. Gordon and Griffin= success for us. Two hard workers who can step into the league with a very professional attitude will mean good things for this franchise, no matter who is around them (well it might be a good idea to tweak the roster a little)
I am not sold on the current team as is. I hope if they fire Dun and try a new coach, I hope they trade the pick for a player thats ready now and compete for the next few years. If the team is going in that direction. If not then dump the high salaries and keep the rookies. Build up like portland.
how can you be so quick to want to draft jennings (who hasnt proven anything) and yet predict rubio (who has 10x the IQ, maturity, and experience all the while being YOUNGER than jennings) as being a lottery bust.
rubio rubio rubio.
no way his ceiling is beno freaking udrih.
so if griffin is off the board and we had the #2 pick, who would you guys select if we had the current roster we have right now???
a PG?
a Swingman that can play SG/SF?
a Post player- and what type- defensive bigman or one who can score?
If I had the number 2 pick i think i would have to take rubio in this draft. with no rubio, im not sure who a clear #2 guy in this draft is. i like harden, but we have gordon and thornton, and harden is undersized. no need for 2 undersized SG's. My pick would probably have to be Jordan Hill from Arizona. He hustles and works hard each game. I would like his energy off the bench, he reminds me somewhat of a milsapp type of player. But man, please let us get the #1 pick! Please!
What would you guys do?
i think mike smith made a great point last night. if harden was in last year's draft class he wouldnt have been picked in the lottery. other than griffin (who would probably go top 10 last year), this class is thin.
that's if rubio doesnt declare.
if rubio's not there, id have to think about jennings. he's obviously not ready to contribute any time soon and could very well end up being a gerald green-type bust. much too raw at the moment.
i wouldnt mind jordan hill, but wouldnt feel comfortable drafting him at 2. instead id package the pick with a player or two for some other pieces.
no way his ceiling is beno freaking udrih.
Yeah man seriously he rapped (no pun inteaded) Jennings when they met. He's played in the Olympics (huge stage) and his IQ and passing ability are being compared with Nash's. Udrih or Tinsley at best? Hard to imagine seeing as he's performed so well against everyone in Europe. Even WORST case scenario he'll be miles ahead of Udrih and Tinsley.
What would you guys do?
i wouldnt mind jordan hill, but wouldnt feel comfortable drafting him at 2. instead id package the pick with a player or two for some other pieces.
Couldn't we just select Harden and trade him? Or do what Ekker said and package the pick. And I agree with Ekker, Hill is a bit high at the 2. Thabeet is also ranked being selected 2-4 currently. haven't seen much of him though. Too bad we're solid at the PF/C spots though Griffin would be a no brainier at the 1.
I'm also a fan of Rubio and would totally consider picking him up if we have the option to. Then we ship out Davis and get 1-2 players for him.
I like Rubio but I don't see him a top three pick. I would never pick him that high. We need to get the best available player on our first pick. The international game is way different than an 82 game nba season. Way stiffer competition.
it shouldnt be a comparison of the nba and euroleague, but between the euroleague and college basketball.
im feeling it. ricky rubio will be one of a kind.
Rubio won't be around by pick 11, unless some BS happens hence why I said take Jennings or Curry.
Jennings knows United States style of ball and has a lot of talent. Hes being highly scrutinized by the media because he jumped ship to play in Europe and is basically the star of his team, for an 18 year old kid thats a big task on the professional level. Stephen Curry would be great for this team too. He can steal the ball and shoot well, however he would have to learn that its Gordons ball first, then his turn to shoot. We could actually use both players to take the ball up off and on.
Everyone seriously needs to lay off Rubio and look at the talent that is elsewhere on the board. I'm all for drafting players from anywhere but its not a safe bet to take an international player. Rubio's stats aren't highly impressive But go ahead and wish to draft him. If he turns out to be a bust like Yaroslav or Nikoloz Tshikizitis or w/e his name was don't go crying on the forums or at your local bar.
I'd rather MISS on a draft pick HERE so we don't have to pay extra money to buy out his contract overseas.
I can guarantee you that Rubio won't be neither a Korolev nor Skita...You only have to see his career to see we are talking about a guy that at his age he has already proved many things. You don't have to be afraid about this topic. IMO a top 3 pick would be a risky decision but if Mike Conley was drafted fourth for the Grizzlies then everything is possible.
On the other hand I've finally arrived to the 1000 posts club in this great forum. I arrived here in 2002 and I think I can say that I'm one of the oldest around here so I feel proud to have stayed loyalty to this ballclub. As you know to be a Clipper fan isn't easy but to come here and see your illusion and love for the team is always a big boost.
Thanks everybody for your patience to read my comments and specially to David who is the father of this forum and always has been great with me.
Unless we have the #1 pick for Blake Griffin right?
What player/players would you like to pick up?
We need a quality PG that can slow down the offense and manage with limited TO's. We can run a Davis/option 1 draft pick or option 2 Taylor. I currently believe we are way to high in the draft for a team with this many starter type players. The Clippers should solely be looking for upgrades in depth or at the most another big to to replace Camby if everything goes to hell next season and he walks.
As a UCLA fan I would like to trade down with a team (maybe pick up a solid bench player in the process) get Jrue Holiday.
WE are alos going to need to fill the Fred Jones spot, as I don't see him coming back and scouts must have seen him playing at a solid enough level to at least warrant a two year contract. The Lakers as well could still be interested and pick Fred up.
Side-Note: Has anyone been watching Josh Powell the man is playing hard basketball and has become a strong rotation player for the Lakers. Seems every team takes one of our players and makes them fit better in their system.
OMG, I was just thinking that yesterday when I heard he like 17 points.
The guy can play, but not sure why the CLIPS let him go.
The only exception of a former Clipper player turned Laker that has not worked out is Vladimir Radmonivic.
So is it the system or is it the coach?
How is James Singleton doing these days?
You need only check the buzz on Rubio to know that he's no Korolev. Please. Rubio has been a phenom for years, plus he gotten the nod from no less than CP3 and Deron... that's good enough for me. And don't give me that "weak draft" bs. Like the draft is such an exact science! Griffin is a stud in any year! That combination of strength and athleticism just doesn't happen that often. I don't care what Mike Smith said about Harden either. Harden can play, that fantasy about where he would or wouldn't have gone in last year's draft is just that... fantasy. If we added Harden, so what if we've already got Gordon and Al, he could spell either, or allow Eric to play a little point (which he says he can do) and have three bonafide scorers on the perimeter at once! Or go small, let Al play 4 and run some teams to death. Harden is my pre-season pick for ROY. I like Terrence Williams a lot too. He's a multi-talented guy, and Gerald Henderson is strong. The conference tournaments and March Madness will highlight almost all of these players over the next few weeks. It should be fun to watch.
Does he have a YouTube compilation?
Love what you wrote. Pretty much what I have been thinking about the draft for a long time now. Griffin is a baller. He hustles big time too which i love seeing from a guy with a nice skill set. Also, I think Mike was more saying Harden would be a late lottery pick last year to illustrate how deep last years draft was. Harden is good too though. I mean, the lottery was pretty deep last year.
My favorite point you brought up- Terrence Williams. He hasnt gotten too much hype that I have seen, but I love his hops and ability to do a lot of things. I really, really wish we had a late lottery or mid first rounder to pick this guy up as a Thorton back up.
I am also excited for some March Madness this year, should be fun to watch. The first couple days where there are like 30 games or so played are awesome, so much exciting stuff happens.
wow.. this is what i need to hear from a point guard.
@ 37 seconds, see what he says? now thats a point guard and a team player.
This is a pretty good compilation of Rubio. Tell me those passes don't remind you of CP3.
man these videos make me want rubio just as much as griffin now.
is it too much to ask for both? trade baron to whoever gets a top pick so we can draft both guys!
i heard the wizards might be interested in trading their pick this year cuz they dont want to take on any more salary, but who knows.
Rubio has a certain flair and court sense that you can't teach. He can work on his jump shot, he can even improve his athleticism... any player can. What you can't teach is the natural flair he has (which fans love and of course PAY to see - not a bad thing in this economy) and the kind of court vision he displays. Oh, and that "team first" attitude doesn't hurt either. Comparing the risks associated with drafting him to the unfortunate experiment that was Korolev is like confusing Kimbo Slice with Ali. They're both in the same martial field... but there's a big difference. I can't honestly say that I prefer him to Griffin, or even Harden, who I think is for real... but he's a close third. Rubio just seems a special player and special players don't come along that often.


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NLCS – Game 7 – On Field Celebration – Finals
Tournament Time!
This week we look back at Game 7 of the National League Championship Series. Rain didn't dampen anyone's enthusiasm of going to the World Series!
The winners of each week's tournament will be published in the 2013 Giants Yearbook.
Results for Finals:
Angel Pagan, Brandon Crawford & Hunter Pence: 59.34%
Angel Pagan: 40.66%

subset: commoncrawl


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Carl M. "JR" Vaughan Jr.
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. – Mr. Carl M. "JR" Vaughan, Jr., 49, of North Augusta, SC, entered into rest on Monday, June 10th, 2013. Born in Savannah, GA and a lifelong resident of the North Augusta and Appling areas, he was a son of Linda Ann Ray (Jake) Felkel, North Augusta, SC and the late Carl M. "Joe" Vaughan, Sr. JR was the owner and operator of Vaughan and Vaughan Construction. He had a passion for both riding and building bikes and was a former member of the Divine Winds Bike Club. JR had a heart of gold and always put the needs of others before his own. In addition to his parents, family members include a son, Josh (April) Vaughan, Clearwater, SC; step-son, Blake Barfield, Augusta, GA; siblings, Sheila (Chad Sharpe) Craft, North Augusta, SC, Keith (Bonnie) Vaughan, Evans, GA, Joe Vaughan, North Augusta, SC, Marty (Tommy) Rivers, Graniteville, SC, Jerry (Missy) Schroth, Wichita, KS and the late Kenneth Vaughan, grandsons, Caden, Colton and Cameron Vaughan and a life-long friend who JR thought of as a brother, Bruce Tomes, Augusta, GA. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Thursday, June 13th, 2013, at 2 o'clock in the chapel with Pastor David Brooks officiating. In accordance with his wishes, JR will be cremated following the service. It has been asked by the family that if so desired memorials be made to Bel Air Baptist Church P.O. Box 14743 Augusta, GA 30909. (www.belairbaptist.org) The family will greet friends on (tonight) Wednes-day, June 12th, 2013, from 7 until 9 o'clock at Hatcher Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Langley, SC.
Visit www.HatcherFuneralHome.com to share memories of JR and leave a message of condolence for the family.


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New developments in the search for missing 13-year-old Dylan Redwine, which is beginning its fourth week, included a scam artist demanding ransom and an anonymous donor offering a reward for information through Crime Stoppers.
The La Plata County Sheriff�s Office reported Monday that a subject has been attempting to perpetrate a scam on Facebook regarding the search.
�He identifies himself as �Abass Gadafi,� a new resident of the Bayfield area,� the Sheriff�s Office said in a news release. �He claims to be the �boss of a kidnapper gang� and claims to be holding Dylan Redwine captive and wants $1,000 to provide a photo of Dylan, and then he expects another $4,000 in order to release Dylan.�
The money is to be sent to an address in the United Kingdom through Western Union.
�This is a scam,� Capt. Jim Ezzell with the Sheriff�s Office said. �Do not send any money.�
Anyone who has been contacted in this scam is asked to call central dispatch at 385-2900.
The organizers of the Facebook page Find Missing Dylan Redwine have also posted warnings about the scam.
The only bona fide place for people to donate to help with search costs is the Find Dylan Redwine account at Wells Fargo Bank or at the dinner and silent auction taking place from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the Pine Valley Foursquare Church, 1328 County Road 501 in Bayfield.
Also on Monday, Crime Stoppers said it will issue a $6,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of the 13-year-old. The reward includes $5,000 contributed by an anonymous donor and $1,000 from the Crime Stoppers organization.
The investigation is continuing with dozens of investigators on the Dylan Redwine Task Force, the news release said.
�The volume of tips received on the tip line is keeping several investigators, both locally and out of the area, busy,� the news release said. �Tips have come in from across the U.S. and are continuing to come in. The tips include information relative to theories, items, locations and persons.�
The items discovered during the search that drew hundreds of volunteers Saturday are also being analyzed for their value to the investigation.
The task force is still requesting any recreational video footage or photographs that include vehicles traveling any routes between Vallecito Reservoir and Durango from 6 p.m. Nov. 18 to noon Nov. 19.


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With severe cuts or sequestration on the way, much speculation surrounds the future of the MOX project and its funding from the National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA).
Reports out of Washington, D.C., have cuts to the project of greater than 50 percent with claims based on viewing NNSA's "passback" information. While the numbers are being crunched, South Carolina's federal delegation are pushing to keep funding levels up for the construction of the Mixed-Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF) – the main MOX facility.
Federal agencies submit initial budget requests to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review in the early fall. OMB staff clarify policy and technical questions with the agencies during a review phase. The budgetary decisions of the OMB director are passed back to the agencies, in what is known as an OMB "passback." This document outlines the appropriations for federal agencies, who revise their budget requests accordingly. This document for NNSA has been significantly delayed this year, according to NNSA. And now released, it is the source of much speculation.
"Congressman Wilson is working with the entire South Carolina delegation to ensure that the MOX project remains relevant and on the way to completion," said Caroline Delleney, communication director for Rep. Joe Wilson. "He has reached out to officials at NNSA through phone calls, letters and staff-level inquiries. Our office has also requested to see NNSA's Passback Numbers but has not been granted this information yet."
As one of the nations largest capital projects, the MOX Project is a focus for cost-cutting in times of budget distress.
Wilson, Rep. Jim Clyburn and Sen. Lindsey Graham are being touted as the leaders of the MOX charge for funding.
"Sen. Graham has been in continuous contact with all the related stakeholders," said Kevin Bishop, spokesperson for Graham. "He remains very concerned about the MOX Project."
However, if funding for the construction is slashed, it could be extremely expensive to restart, according to Dr. Clint Wolf, executive director of the Campaign for Nuclear Technology Awareness.
"Several things that happens if you cut projects," he said. You've just increased the cost – period."
Wolf added that there are significant costs in having to maintain the portion of the facility already constructed. Also, you have to retain talent – which is already difficult at a time when nuclear staffing is already under stress with developments at Vogel and V.C. Sumner.
The MOX Project has received much criticism for exceeding its budgeted construction cost. However, raw materials have seen a significant increase in cost since the estimates were projected.
"Even if it was not a nuclear program and didn't involve plutonium – the price of construction would go up by 30 percent in this time frame," Wolf said.
According to data from the Handy-Whitman Index of Public Utility Construction Costs, nuclear construction costs have risen around 30 percent in the last 7 years. Electrical equipment and transformers have risen more steeply still.
Major cost savings have already been realized at the MOX Project with the Department of Energy preferring to use existing facilities rather than construct the Pitt Disassembly and Conversion Facility (PDCF).
"The MOX Fuel Alternative is DOE's preferred alternative for surplus plutonium disposition," an October DOE publication reads. "DOE's preferred option for pit disassembly and the conversion of surplus plutonium metal to supply feed for the MFFF, is to use some combination of facilities at (Los Alamos National Laboratory), K-Area at SRS, H-Canyon/HB-Line at SRS and MFFF at SRS, rather than to construct a new stand-alone facility."
Wolf estimated that $3.5 billion was saved with this decision.


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Over 100,000 plants have been established through individuals and businesses supporting
Rainforest Rescue's Plant a Rainforest Project. To showcase the outcomes, Rainforest Rescue has
established a demonstration site at the Crystal Castle, a visitor's attraction in northern NSW.
The rainforest walk at the Crystal Castle winds amongst planted Pencil Cedars, Bangalow Palms and other
local native plants that thrive in what was previously an old grazing paddock. Only 100 years ago this area on
the New South Wales far north coast was part of "The Big Scrub", the largest expanse of sub-tropical
rainforest in Australia. The Big Scrub originally covered 75,000 hectares between Byron Bay, Ballina and
Lismore, now, sadly, less than 1% remains. The scattered rainforest remnants contain a rich diversity of flora
and fauna, including fifty threatened species that need our help to survive.
Today on the rainforest walk cicadas trill loudly, Fig Birds feed on the berries from the Native Peach and
butterflies drift gracefully through the planting. In May 2006, Rainforest Rescue established the first trees in
its Plant a Rainforest Project inviting the community to get hands on. Already, some trees are five and six
metres tall. In March 2008, volunteers were again called forth to plant a diverse range of trees, shrubs and
understory species to bring the planting tally to an impressive 4,000 since the start of the project. Natural
regeneration of some species has occurred and with lots of rain during the past wet season over 7,000
plants are now thriving.
The rainforest walking track will be expanded to over a kilometre this year, as we plant and naturally
regenerate areas that are presently covered by pasture grasses and weeds such as Lantana. The work
to create a resilient healthy rainforest is well underway and demonstrates that with the right amount
of effort and expertise rainforest ecosystems can be restored. The rainforest walk at the Crystal Castle
is open to the public and is not just a place for rainforest species to seek sanctuary but provides a
nature experience for people to enjoy and learn about the fascinating Big Scrub, raising awareness
of rainforest conservation.
The Crystal Castle is just one of 10 sites on the New South
Wales far north coast where Rainforest Rescue is working to
re-establish rainforest, restore biodiversity, connect
fragmented habitats and sequester CO2.
Last year, in this region through the Plant a Rainforest Project
20,000 rainforest plants were established.
By Dave Rawlins.


text:
Herman's Hermits with Harlem Gospel Choir at B.B. King Blues Club and Grill
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Lady Gaga, left, is welcomed by fans upon her arrival at Narita international airport in Narita, east of Tokyo, Tuesday, May 8, 2012. The American singer on a Asian tour schedules to hold three concerts this week in Saitama, north of Tokyo. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)


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Susie Chesser received an unexpected gift that has had her smiling since she opened it on Christmas Day.
Chesser, of Aiken, received an autographed rookie card, signed jersey and letter from former Atlanta Braves player Dale Murphy. What makes this story even better is that the package had been mistaken for a gift that Chesser purchased for her husband. When it came in the mail, she wrapped it, and it sat under the tree until Christmas Day.
The family was completely unaware of the huge surprise that was awaiting Chesser.
"It was just an unbelievable Christmas," Chesser said. "It was just so serendipitous, really."
Chesser has been a big Atlanta Braves fan since her marriage to her husband, Richard, in 1981. She kept two Dale Murphy baseball cards in her wallet along with photos of her family. Murphy, who played in the major leagues until 1993, has always been her favorite player.
"He's always done good work – he's just a good person," Chesser said. "He's someone who has always done good things. He's someone you'd want your children to follow and emulate. Nobody can hold a candle to Dale Murphy."
Unfortunately, her wallet was stolen six years ago, and she never bothered replacing the baseball cards.
Over the summer, Chesser was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Her daughter, Catherine Chesser Woods, wanted to do something special for her mother to help keep that vibrant smile on her face. She remembered the two stolen cards and decided to reach out to the baseball player to see if he would send an autographed card to Chesser.
In October, Woods managed to get in touch with who she believed to be Murphy's assistant. They told Woods they would see what they could do.
Woods heard nothing more.
"I didn't think much of it," Woods said. "I figured he was busy and gets lots of requests."
Christmas arrived, and the family was sitting around the tree opening gifts. Chesser's husband began unwrapping a present when a flash of light blue caught Woods' eye. She then saw the signature on the back of what turned out to be a baseball jersey.
"I saw the autograph and started crying," Woods said. "I then realized that it was for mom."
Chesser was stunned and was in such shock, she had Richard read the handwritten letter from the famed baseball player:
"Dear Susie – Just wanted to say thank you so much for being my biggest fan over the years. I know you have some health issues that you are dealing with now. I hope and pray that you'll be well. God bless you! Dale Murphy, Atlanta Braves #3."
By that point, there wasn't a dry eye in the house, Woods said.
Chesser, who was already gracefully handling cancer with a positive attitude, said this made her feel even better.
"It was a good perk for my spirits," Chesser said. "I'm going through chemotherapy, and this was a great boost."
A little later in the day, Chesser's husband surprised her with a Lexus. At that point, Chesser was worn out but ecstatic by all the wonderful surprises. She said she almost felt embarrassed by all the generosity, but Woods' said her mother deserved it all.
"I have the best family in the world," Chesser said. "Everyone has been so wonderful to me."
Chesser said if she could say anything to Murphy, it would be "thank you" for being so kind and thoughtful as well as being the kind of person she'd like her children to look up to.
As for Woods, she was beyond touched by the gift that meant so much to both her mother and the family.
"It's still hard to believe that he did that. It was great," Woods said with a huge grin. "He made my mama smile."
Susie Chesser received an autographed rookie card, signed jersey and letter from former Atlanta Braves player Dale Murphy.×


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A new series of ads:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/driveon/2 ... s/3184029/
That doesn't look as funny as the other ones.
It looks like just an intro...there's potential for future episodes to be very funny. We shall see.
I actually really like it. Especially the part where they prevent that guy from getting in the Toyota Camry lol.
We shall. I hope they are funny.
I liked the Dr.Drain one better that could be a great series. Realize two different selling topics but the comedy in them itself
yeah, this has to be an intro for future "episodes." Lots of potential for comedy!


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The hell are they 5-1 right now? How do they manage to continue to not only start off well, but look good doing it? Duncan is about 2 games from retirement, Ginobili is at best a role player off the bench and Parker is getting weaker as each game goes on.
To have this kind of success is admirable on all fronts. I can't see them falling below a 3 seed in the playoffs, and still making it to the 2nd round with no problem.
Right now they are doing it through defense. Something our team is allergic to currently. They aren't getting it going offensively strangely enough.
All I know is once Duncan retires and Pop too the Spurs won't be nearly that consistent.
What has surprised me is this.
Lineup GP MIN Pace OffRtg DefRtg NetRtg +/-
Starters 10 99 95.8 93.5 92.7 +0.8 -4
Other 14 572 97.2 108.3 92.2 +16.1 +173
Total 14 671 97.0 106.1 92.3 +13.9 +169
The Spurs have been winning games via their bench strength. The starting lineup isn't doing very well but the bench is killer. A net rating of 16.1 is crazy good. That means the Spurs have the best bench in the league handily but the starters are underachieving and is only a bit better than average compared to other starting lineups.
In comparison our bench only had a net rating a bit higher than 1 because the bench defense is putrid.
However, in terms of net rating(11) we have the 5th best starting unit in the league and we play our starters together more than any other team.
They have a very good franchise, team and coach. Yup, it's that simple.
Maybe next year they won't be as good.
As long as they have Pop, Duncan, and Parker, they'll be in the conversation of legitimate contenders. That being said, the window seems to be closing on TD's career, maybe another year after this year..


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You will notice that sun and shade patterns change during the day. The western side of a house may even be shady due to shadows cast by large trees or a structure from an adjacent property. If you have just bought a new home or just beginning to garden in your older home, take time to map sun and shade throughout the day. You will get a more accurate feel for your site's true light conditions. Conditions : Full to Partial Sun Full sunlight is needed for many plants to assume their full potential. Many of these plants will do fine with a little less sunlight, although they may not flower as heavily or their foliage as vibrant. Areas on the southern and western sides of buildings usually are the sunniest. The only exception is when houses or buildings are so close together, shadows are cast from neighboring properties. Full sun usually means 6 or more hours of direct unobstructed sunlight on a sunny day. Partial sun receives less than 6 hours of sun, but more than 3 hours. Plants able to take full sun in some climates may only be able to tolerate part sun in other climates. Know the culture of the plant before you buy and plant it! Conditions : Light and Plant Selection For best plant performance, it is desirable to match the correct plant with the available light conditions. Right plant, right place! Plants which do not receive sufficient light may become pale in color, have fewer leaves and a "leggy" stretched-out appearance. Also expect plants to grow slower and have fewer blooms when light is less than desirable. It is possible to provide supplemental lighting for indoor plants with lamps. Plants can also receive too much light. If a shade loving plant is exposed to direct sun, it may wilt and/or cause leaves to be sunburned or otherwise damaged.
A week to 10 days before planting, add 2 to 4 inches of aged manure or compost and work into the planting site to improve fertility and increase water retention and drainage. If soil composition is weak, a layer of topsoil should be considered as well. No matter if your soil is sand or clay, it can be improved by adding the same thing: organic matter. The more, the better; work deep into the soil. Prepare beds to an 18 inch deep for perennials. This will seem like a tremendous amount of work now, but will greatly pay off later. Besides, this is not something that is easily done later, once plants have been established. How-to : Pruning Flowering Shrubs It is necessary to prune your deciduous flowering shrub for two reasons:
1. By removing old, damaged or dead wood, you increase air flow, yielding in less disease. 2. You rejuvenate new growth which increases flower production.
Pruning deciduous shrubs can be divided into 4 groups: Those that
require minimal pruning (take out only dead, diseased, damaged, or
crossed branches, can be done in early spring.); spring pruning
(encourages vigorous, new growth which produces summer flowers - in other words,
flowers appear on new wood); summer pruning after flower (after
flowering, cut back shoots, and take out some of the old growth, down to the
ground); suckering habit pruning (flowers appear on wood from previous
year. Cut back flowered stems by 1/2, to strong growing new shoots and remove
1/2 of the flowered stems a couple of inches from the ground) Always remove dead, damaged or diseased wood first, no matter what type of pruning you are doing.
Examples: Minimal: Amelanchier, Aronia, Chimonanthus, Clethra, Cornus alternifolia, Daphne, Fothergilla, Hamamelis, Poncirus, Viburnum. Spring: Abelia, Buddleia, Datura, Fuchsia, Hibiscus, Hypericum, Perovskia, Spirea douglasii/japonica, Tamarix. Summer after flower: Buddleia alternifolia, Calycanthus, Chaenomeles, Corylus, Cotoneaster, Deutzia, Forsythia, Magnolia x soulangeana/stellata, Philadelphus, Rhododendron sp., Ribes, Spirea x arguta/prunifolia/thunbergii, Syringa, Weigela. Suckering: Kerria How-to : Planting Perennials Determine appropriate perennials for your garden by considering sun and shade through the day, exposure, water requirements, climate, soil makeup, seasonal color desired, and position of other garden plants and trees.
The best times to plant are spring and fall, when soil is workable and out of danger of frost. Fall plantings have the advantage that roots can develop and not have to compete with developing top growth as in the spring. Spring is more desirable for perennials that dislike wet conditions or for colder areas, allowing full establishment before first winter. Planting in summer or winter is not advisable for most plants, unless planting a more established sized plant.
To plant container-grown plants: Prepare planting holes with appropriate depth and space between. Water the plant thoroughly and let the excess water drain before carefully removing from the container. Carefully loosen the root ball and place the plant in the hole, working soil around the roots as you fill. If the plant is extremely root bound, separate roots with fingers. A few slits made with a pocket knife are okay, but should be kept to a minimum. Continue filling in soil and water thoroughly, protecting from direct sun until stable.
To plant bare-root plants: Plant as soon as possible after purchase. Prepare suitable planting holes, spread roots and work soil among roots as you fill in. Water well and protect from direct sun until stable.
To plant seedlings: A number of perennials produce self-sown seedlings that can be transplanted. You may also start your own seedling bed for transplanting. Prepare suitable planting holes, spacing appropriately for plant development. Gently lift the seedling and as much surrounding soil as possible with your garden trowel, and replant it immediately, firming soil with fingertips and water well. Shade from direct sun and water regularly until stable.
Prevention and Control: If possible, select resistant varieties. Keep nitrogen-heavy fertilizers to a minimum as well as
over-irrigating as they encourage lush growth. Practice crop rotation and prune out or better yet remove infected plants. Pest : Aphids Aphids are small, soft-bodied, slow-moving insects that suck fluids from plants. Aphids come in many colors, ranging from green to brown to black, and they may have wings. They attack a wide range of plant species causing stunting, deformed leaves and buds. They can transmit harmful plant viruses with their piercing/sucking mouthparts. Aphids, generally, are merely a nuisance, since it takes many of them to cause serious plant damage. However aphids do produce a sweet substance called honeydew (coveted by ants) which can lead to an unattractive black surface growth called sooty mold.
Aphids can increase quickly in numbers and each female can produce up to 250 live nymphs in the course of a month without mating. Aphids often appear when the environment changes - spring & fall. They're often massed at the tips of branches feeding on succulent tissue. Aphids are attracted to the color yellow and will often hitchhike on yellow clothing.
Prevention and Control: Keep weeds to an absolute minimum, especially around desirable plants. On edibles, wash off infected area of plant. Lady bugs and lacewings will feed on aphids in the garden. There are various products - organic and inorganic - that can be used to control aphids. Seek the recommendation of a professional and follow all label procedures to a tee. Fungi : Leaf Spots Leaf spots are caused by fungi or bacteria. Brown or black spots and patches may be either ragged or circular, with a water soaked or yellow-edged appearance. Insects, rain, dirty garden tools, or even people can help its spread.
Prevention and Control: Remove infected leaves when the plant is dry. Leaves that collect around the base of the plant should be raked up and disposed of. Avoid overhead irrigation if possible; water should be directed at soil level. For fungal leaf spots, use a recommended fungicide according to label directions.
Diseases : Blight Blights are cause by fungi or bacteria that kill plant tissue. Symptoms often show up as the
rapid spotting or wilting of foliage. There are many different blights, specific
to various plants, each requiring a varied method of control.


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The Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies (CCICS) was established by Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) in 1966 as an outgrowth of its concern for and commitment to Chicago's inner city communities. Since its inception, CCICS has focused on the analysis of institutions, systems and people with a direct impact on the quality of life in the inner cities of the U.S. and elsewhere in the world by creating programmatic and research initiatives. CCICS demonstrates NEIU's urban tradition of education, research and service.
The curricular thrust of the undergraduate and graduate programs of CCICS is to prepare those who work and live in the inner city to understand and act upon the expressed interests of residents of the inner city and to participate fully in the richness of the African and African-American cultures. Since the beginning, the approach has been interdisciplinary with effective curricula and a philosophy, which re-examines every research issue, problem, assumption and question from an African-centered perspective, rather than from the traditional, European-centered viewpoint. This discipline encompasses a research methodology and worldview, which achieves different results when applied to present day inner city populations, and leads to new relationships between human and natural resources in the Chicago metropolitan area and worldwide.
CCICS staff assists prospective students and their families with the admission and financial aid processes to get started on their academic journey at Northeastern. CCICS houses the bachelor's and master's programs of Inner City Studies Education, as well as an undergraduate minor in Inner City Careers. CCICS provides comprehensive academic support and co-curricular programs for students. CCICS serves nontraditional, part-time and returning adult student populations as well as traditional first-year and transfer students. CCICS also offers the general education program of Northeastern to students who are interested in taking day or evening classes.
In keeping with Northeastern's mission, CCICS provides a quality education at an affordable price.
Since 1966, CCICS has been a leading center of scholarship and activism in this country. Located on Chicago's South Side in the historic Bronzeville neighborhood, CCICS has worked toward the forward progression of African American culture and life.
In the beginning, CCICS opened its doors with a graduate program in Inner City Studies with the purpose of training and preparing more teachers to work in inner city schools. An undergraduate program was added in due time. In the early 1970s, an emphasis on cultural enrichment and interconnectedness across the African diaspora was added to the teacher training curriculum.
CCICS is named after Dr. Jacob H. Carruthers, who came to Northeastern and the Center for Inner City Studies in 1968. Dr. Carruthers eventually became the Director of the Center and played an integral role in formulating the curriculum that would go on to benefit many Inner City Studies Education students in the years to come. The building was named after Dr. Carruthers in 2004, after his passing that same year.
CCICS has two computer labs, equipped with more than 30 computers (PCs and Macs) with online access to the main campus, the Internet and libraries around the world.
CCICS houses a branch of Northeastern's Ronald Williams Library. CCICS's library houses the most extensive resource center on African-American issues in the Midwest. In addition, it contains master theses of CCICS graduates that document a multitude of African-centered research and studies compiled on politics, education and history of the culture of African-Americans since the late 1960s.
CCICS is home to two chartered student organizations: 1) the Inner City Studies Major Club, and 2) the UTATU Collective.
Student Disability Services (SDS) are available at CCICS. SDS provides academic and technical assistance to students and works closely with faculty to facilitate student access. We provide students with physical and learning disabilities reasonable accommodations and services in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To apply for services students must self-identify disability by submitting documentation based upon diagnosed need from appropriate professionals.
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21 minutes agoNortheastern Illinois University's faculty, staff, students and alumni are racking up awards like they're the Chicago Cubs. Before you tune in to the remaining World…
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2 hours agoNortheastern Illinois University has selected Chemistry Professor Ana Fraiman as the 2016 recipient of the Audrey Reynolds Distinguished Teaching Award. Professor Emerita of Linguistics Audrey Reynolds…
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It takes a lot of work to be a full time Fresno State fan. Make sure you're staying hydrated while you're keeping up the team spirit with the Fresno State Bulldogs 16oz. tumbler. Featuring an embroidered team logo placed between the double wall insulation, a spill-resistant lid with a rubber seal and a team-colored lid, this tumbler is as fanatical about the Bulldogs as you!
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CP3 did have a few mistakes that really hurt us. You can be one of the fans that puts the blame solely on him because he is the leader of the team, but I don't think this is fair. Game 5 was one of the most horrible officiated games I've ever watched. I really don't want to be one of those fans that blames the refs, but seriously?! On top of that, the whole Sterling freak show had to have had some type of impact on this team. CP3 being the leader of the team and head of the players union, and Doc spending so much time trying to juggle all these things.
It might sound like excuses for CP3, but I truly feel that this could have been a completely different playoffs for the Clips if Tony Brothers overturned that ONE call, and more importantly, if this Sterling fiasco never happened.
I have a question. Since some on here believes CP3 choked and cost us the series just because we lost game 5. Does that mean ZBO choked in the 1st round against the Thunder? I mean you can say his mental mistake cost his team a 2nd round date with us. I don't see many memphis fans and the media calling for his head. With ZBO in game 7 Memphis had a great shot of knocking OKC off. Just wondering the definition of CHOKE and if it applies in that situation. To me that is a bigger choke and was the dumbest mistake of the playoffs not CP3's turnovers in a non elimination game
Did Randolph's play cost the game? Were the Grizzlies in a "run out the clock" mode at that moment of the foul? Z-Bo got a regular foul for that during the game. I don't think they are the same thing at all.
You're forgetting that even if the play was not overturned, all we had to do was play defense and keep them from scoring and we win the game. Instead, CP3 commits another dumb play by fouling Westbrook's hero 3pt shot. That's two straight boneheaded plays that cost us the game. Stop making excuses for him.
Oh, and even after all that, we could have still won the game with time left on the clock.
Don't get me wrong Joe he did make a boneheaded couple of plays, however, that doesn't take away from the fact that had the call gone our way we would've been up 2 with the ball giving us a high probability of winning.
Either way it didn't happen and CP3 choked. Plus I was of the belief that OKC wouldve won the series anyway.
Zbo mentally and emotionally choked game 6 costing them in 7. He owned up for it and they loss game 7. Paul choked this ref stuff becomes weaker by the day. Chris Paul lost game 5 and game 6 was a walking dead effort when okc made its small runs.
He's like fallen off the face of the earth.
when chris brings the ball in...he lets it roll so he can get some more seconds for a play...he rarely drives in for a lay up ..just brings the ball up the same way every time...so predictable..
he shoots when he has wasted 22 seconds on the clock ...or he goes for a tree at the beginning of the clock..the offend is stagnant...when they had bledsoe ...he would pressure the defense...he would drive in....there is no penetration in this offense...only when the second unit comes in...crawford and collision..
if collision leaves ...the clippers need a penetrating guard as back up...for the draft...they need to move up by trading their pic and maybe a player (dudley) and get the croatian center Jusuf.
No, because it wasn't a basketball play, and the Thunder were blowing Memphis out (so there would have been nothing to "choke" away). ZBo was a complete idiot for doing it though. I thought he had finally grown up in Memphis, but it turns out he was still the same old ZBo who sucker-punched Amundson, beat up Ruben Patterson in practice, etc. all along.
he shoots when he has wasted 22 seconds on the clock ...or he goes for a tree at the beginning of the clock..the offend is stagnant
if collision leaves ...the clippers need a penetrating guard as back up...for the draft...they need to move up by trading their pic and maybe a player (dudley) and get the croatian center Jusuf.
We didn't lead the league in PPG and Ortg because Paul was rolling the ball and then waiting till late in the clock to make a play, or because we had a stagnant offense. If our offense is stagnant, then it just speaks poorly of most of the other teams in the league.
You are correct. The refs would have made sure of it.
These were two very evenly matched teams. Giving one team a 4 - 10 point advantage for EVERY game in the series, home and away, that team wins. It doesn't matter whether the win is by perceived choking, heroic plays or phantom calls, or THE MAN ON THE MOON, the additional points -- like the house edge in a casino -- grinds you to dust.
To re-explain, for those of you who do not gamble: a point in the first quarter is exactly the same as a point in the fourth quarter. The refs gave OKC four early extra points by calling two quick phantom fouls on DJ in the first half. Thus we lost the ball two extra times and he also sat DJ for extra minutes -- all in the first half. (I don't recall, but there were other first quarter gifts to OKC.) Thus the effects, the four point gifts, of ref dishonesty in the first half seemingly has no effect -- until you are up four points with 1:30 left instead of being eight points up with 1:30 left. Big difference. Big edge -- courtesy of the refs. But it is not noticed except by those -- including the refs -- who know that FOUR POINTS LOST IN THE FIRST QUARTER ARE CRITICAL IN THE LAST TWO MINUTES.
Most fans don't notice. But the refs know this. They know fans will turn on their own team for fear of looking like excuse makers. They know that fans won't even support their own coach when he observes -- rightly so -- that the Clippers were robbed. And the fans would sooner blame Chris Paul than some corrupt official who stole the game -- even after video replay.
As I said in another trail, IT ISN'T AN EXCUSE WHEN IT IS THE TRUTH.
Once the fix was in, nothing can undo it. And the refs know that too.
I meaning ZBO having a mental breakdown in game 6 cost them game 7 with his suspension. It was a mental error. It he would of been there for game 7 for his team memphis had a great chance of defeating OKC. Without ZBO they had no chance. although ZBO isn't the same quality of player as CP3 he is the 1st or 2nd best player for his team and not keeping his cool to me is choking under pressure when your team needs you the most. Point is mistakes happen and we need to get over it and look forward to next season
paul is good in a full court game,(regular season)
playoff time ...game is pretty much half court game...
that's where he is not as good..
clippers had 3 point shooters this year..
clippers had an advantage over okay team ( oklahoma) with blake and dj..
dj did not get many looks????
they needed to pound the ball inside..
when chewbaka got hurt and left the game...clips should have capitalized on that..
that is the point guards job to focus the offense there..
doc rivers can only coach..the players need to execute.
paul was the quarterback of the team..
it is his fault that they did not..
simple as that..
pick and roll...dunks...easy plays...
if he is the best point guard...well they should have beaten okay team..
I think this shows that he is overrated and over paid...
clips need to draft a point guard this year and maybe when paul's contract is up ...the new guy can take over and get that championship for us..
because it is not about the regular season..it is about the playoffs...
just ask carl malone and john stockton...how many championships did they win?
I blame Chris but I don't doubt he's one of the best players in the world either. What bothers me is that people don't seem to understand that opportunities to advance to conference finals just don't present themselves every year and that first trip is the most important. Its not as easy to get over that hump as people try and make it seem.
I understand people talking about all the other stuff that went on to prevent us from advancing but even still CP was in a position to win the game DESPITE of it all and failed to seize his moment. These sorts of chances just don't come around that often. Everything despite the adversity fell into place and the opportunity was lost. It will be very interesting to see how CP responds to this over next season and into the playoffs.
he choked,
he looked like a schoolgirl at her first prom...
what was he thinking????
or maybe he was thinking of brother cliff?
or maybe he was dreaming that he would star in a (kia) commercial with his friend blake?
or a shoe deal..???
or ????? what?
clearly he was not thinking about calling a time out or dribbling the ball to half court.
I just wonder if CP3 is the right option for this team. We don't have a big who can reliably knock down the midrange shot (although Blake improved massively in this area). Both of them operate in the paint, which is where Chris wants to go because he is not a great outside shooter, which means it is very crowded and more difficult to get a good shot. I also thought with the addition of Doc we'd see less ISO Chris at the end of games but it seems he is determined to keep it and be the hero.
Guys I think would work better for us.
Steph Curry
Damian Lillard
Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irwing would be nice..
we can trade Paul for possibly a big and a wing and a first round pick???
I'd love for us to trade CP3 for Kyrie and the number one pick which we take Wiggins and gives us a great prospect to play the 3 and I think Kyrie would elevate his play under Doc and with the supporting cast we have.
Would you consider trading Chris Paul and JJ for Curry and Thompson (GS) or Chris for Kyrie Irving and the No.1 overall pick?
NO! JJ for Klay maybe. Chris > Curry. Curry turns it over way too much. Chris has rare bad turnover games. Kyrie isn't proven yet. Never been i. Playoffs
Some of yous are like Lakers fans. One stolen playoff series and it is THE END. Trade 'em all.
Blake and Chris are your ticket into the Finals. If you can't see it, you are blind.
if you choke in the playoffs...what use is he to us????
we can trade him for 3 players..we have blake and dj and reddick ...only need a sf and a pg..
look at golden state,they would have beaten us with bogut in the game...
we would have been out in the first round..
doc will improve on the team defense and we won't be dependent on paul for offense,
and with doc as coach and players wanting to come here now....
and we cannot build around them when they make around 36 mil combined...plus what dj will want next summer...maybe 13 mil..
you do not have enough money for any other players..get rid of his 18 or so million dollar contract...
sign Irwing for 8 mil...then have 10 left for carmelo...
what do you guys think??
In what world does Irving take an $8mil a year contract and Melo a $10mil a year contract???? You're delusional.
chris is trade-able for the right pieces, how many world champ teams needed superstar PG on their teams? just ask chalmers and fisher. we need an athletic wing scorer that averages 23-25ppg without breaking a sweat and is near unguardable when chooses to take over a game
Completely agree. I'd love a great SF!
CP3 is the ticket to a second round exit at best until proven otherwise.
We have 56 million of a 70 ish mil cap number invested into DJ,CP,JJ,BG and yet we have to get more people to support them when we have yet to see any of them have dominate throughout a playoff run. The fact that you think we have untradeable players is crazy talk. That Is 56 million in 4 players and they still need a all star caliber SF to get out of the second? Does anyone else see the problem with that ?
Anyone who watched the display Westbrook and Durant put on last night can easily see what the problem is and while a SF would be nice the fact is that those two simply play at a higher level of play more consistently. Blake and CP had good regular season numbers playing 40+ mpg in that OKC series but outside of CP in the first game neither had another game where it was no one can stop me and you will have to evaluate your entire game plan to stop me types of games and that is what the playoff is about. Your superstars doing superstar things and then you evaluate what you are missing but its hard to truly say what we don't have that could put us over the top when we can't get 7-8 games of high caliber playoff performances out of our superstars
Well there's Lebron and there's Durant, only problem is that we aren't getting them. Harden is inferior to Paul, I'd be hard pressed to find a coach who thinks Carmelo has a greater positive influence on a team or offense than Paul, and that was the third option. 4th option is Paul George and he's not even a better scorer than CP.
People just say it as if there's a plethora of those players around. A guy who "easily" scores 23-25 PPG and is unstoppable when he decides to be (no one is really unstoppable just when they decide, but semantics). Those kind of players are usually the league's best players and if they are that good at scoring are usually closer to 26-27 PPG or higher scorers anyways.
Then again, McGrady was said player, Kobe after Shaq and before 07-08 and getting Gasol was said player, Lebron was that player in Cleveland. There were two past second round appearances by those guys over what was it, 14-15 seasons combined? Both appearances by Lebron, none in the West. Durant was that guy last season without Russell, also didn't work out, maybe, just maybe there is more to it.
For the exercise, let's entertain it, it might be the solution. Who could we realistically trade Paul for, and who could we realistically trade Blake for, not what team can we rip off to give us a complete team for one player.
Chris Paul
J.J. Redick
Carmelo Anthony
Glen Davis
DeAndre Jordan
Patrick Beverly
James Harden
Matt Barnes
Blake Griffin
Jordan Hamilton
Chandler Parsons
Terrence Jones
Dwight Howard
Let's say we go wild and do both:
We'd have all the wing scoring we could imagine. Wing defense would obviously be weak, we'd have to get a more defensive PF, get some defensive wings off the bench, etc. Not sure how were much different from Houston outside of the coach and that our other scoring is at SF, not C.
Maybe some people would suggest Blake for Love, and that could certainly be one that the Wolves would like, and Love would re-sign here. That's not really changing our composition, it's only better if Love is then a better player than Blake. Maybe some sort of Paul for Rondo + Green kind of deal, though I'm not sure how we are getting better, that's the trade you make when a star is disgruntled and wants to leave.
Rajon Rondo
Jeff Green
Blake Grifin
Someone said Paul for Lowry + DeRozan, maybe that's an option.
Kyle Lowry
DeMarr DeRozan
Now I don't see how that team takes on the Spurs or Thunder and wins. I don't see how that team even gets past Golden State, but there's a hope that is imbedded in changing things and "maybe, we'll see". I'm not sure any of those looks like an improved state for us, anyone have other ideas of who we can actually get that isn't just a lateral let us try a different look type move?
blake and chris,like stockton and malone...
have been waiting for a finals since 1988..
want to see it in my lifetime
lets trade for carmelo or love...
keep blake...
everybody else is expendable..
If Lebron wanted to come play with CP, but we would end up having to give up Blake, I would do it in a heartbeat.
The cp for Lowry and derozan trade makes sense. Definitely think that could be a finals team.
The one that makes the most sense is a cp for rondo package. Rondo is a good half court guard as well as can lead the break. He would make Blake the primary option and really help deandre develop more offensively or at least set him up more. Green would be an alright addition probably would be more fair to get the 6th pick also which we could flip for a real SF since green is really a PF.
CP3 isn't LeBron. When CP3 gets a ring, come back with that.
Are you seriously trying to equate Chris Pauls heaving the ball from nearly full court to Lebron shooting a three to beat the shot clock and shooting a airball ?
No. Do you always feel the need to call out people all the time? In your words, "you seriously need to chill".
Exactly. One was making a dumb mistake when the game was won and the other was a guy trying to make a play late in the game when they're down.
Finals team? That is certainly pushing it. Competitive first and second round team, definitely. Anything outside of that will need a lot of the same improvement the current team needs, which sort of brings us back to square one. At the least though some people will be satisfied and can argue about whether it is Blake or DeRozan's team.
Rondo is not a good half court guard actually, Celtics offense was quite below average when his role increased. People keep forgetting that they were a good and competitive team due to their far and away league best defense, especially when KG was on the floor, not because they were doing anything impressive on offense.
You can only be so good as a half court player without good isolation scoring abilities or good shooting ability. That's where Rondo's problem lies. If you look at all the NBA's best PG's, they can score in isolation and/or shoot effectively, and also very good in pick and roll. Rondo has one, very good in pick and roll, but severely lacking in isolation scoring and overall shooting ability despite the great improvement in his mid-range jumper.
I think those are two 50-55 win teams, the a Rondo one more like 48-51. In the East, they could get to ECF, but so could this team. In the West they are first round exits unless you get a good matchup, and we still maintain some of the issues the current team has that needs to be fixed via some moves or trades.
I think both you and Clipperboy24 have alluded to a great comparison. Stockton and Malone were a good pair, but could never get past that hump and be a contender. Another good similarity is Boozer and Williams for the same Jazz just in the early 2000's. Either way we do need some revamping. The hard thing is finding a solution now...this offseason is going to be a challenge: no cap room, no enticing trade bait like Bledsoe, and no high draft pick to change our fortunes.
Williams and Boozer aren't anywhere near as good a pairing as Paul and Blake as each was individually inferior and those Jazz teams as this team we have, though we could lean on the hope that a top 2 seed gets upset and we get a 7th or 8th seed team in the second round to get our WCF appearance, lol.
blake has gotten better each year,
next year he will be even better..
the clips need another post up player to take the pressure off of blake..
can kevin love play center??
maybe blake can?
they would be the west coast bash brothers and with dj..
the three of them would dominate the paint
they have the 3 point shooters....
they need a big defender...
or they get one in the draft..
someone that can play power forward and they can move griffin to small forward..
with the guys on this roster,i would be able to average 8 assists..
chris is not needed ..at !8 mil...
So you agree with me. You do call out fans in general. And you do know that you're offending a portion of members here by what you say? Just because you don't mention names, you think you have a pass? You're wrong.
I also disagree with your webster's definition of Sports fan. It isn't about about who screams the loudest. It isn't about who's the most positive. It isn't about how many redundant, trivial threads one makes. It isn't even how big your pom poms are. A fan is one who sticks with a team no matter how bad they are. A fan is one who stays with a team mired in ineptitude for years/decades, while having the worst owner in sports history. A fan is the guy waiting a decade or more to see his team make the playoffs. That is a true fan. And I'm not talking about the guy that jump in when the getting was good. They have a term for that too. It's called a bandwagon fan. Don't judge people for acting on or wearing their emotions on their sleeves. Chances are, they have been fans of this team longer than you. Just say'n.
I mentioned Westbrook and Sefalosha for CP would be a fair trade in the beginning of the season, I got a lot of heat for that. I wonder how that trade sounds now?
The commonality is that all three teams have invested way too much money and usage into the least important position on the court.
OKC would laugh and hang up the phone.


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SALT LAKE CITY � A northern Utah man who drew support from other residents after he was arrested for shooting at a suspected burglar who was fleeing his property apologized during a court appearance Tuesday for taking matters into his own hands.
Clare Niederhauser, 64, made the comments after agreeing to a plea deal that included a reduced charge. He also agreed to pay a $700 fee, take a weapons class and forfeit the weapon he used, a .357 caliber handgun.
Niederhauser told the judge in the Layton city courtroom that he acted the way he thought he should but �should have known better.�
Layton police arrested Niederhauser Jan. 31 after he fired two rounds at a suspected burglar and getaway driver leaving his home. No one was hurt, but police said the shots were unlawful because the burglar had dropped a crowbar he was carrying and was fleeing the property. The shots could have endangered somebody�s life, police said.
Niederhauser�s attorney, Mitch Vilos, and Layton Assistant City Attorney Steve Garside deemed the plea deal fair for both sides.
Niederhauser pleaded guilty to discharge of weapon, a class B misdemeanor, and also will have to give up his concealed-weapons permit for a time.
In a statement read afterward by his attorney, Niederhauser acknowledged he shouldn�t have fired his weapon when he did.
�Despite all of the education and training I have received, I was not prepared for the effects of emotion and adrenaline, and how that interfered with my ability to act in accordance with my training,� the statement said. �I cannot be sure where the bullets I fired hit.�
He told other homeowners they have a right to protect themselves, but he cautioned them to fire their weapons only within the parameters of the law.
�Please know that you cannot shoot at a fleeing felon unless somebody�s life is in immediate danger,� the statement said. �Remember, we value life more than property.�
Although he apologized, Niederhauser had some words for other perspective burglars: �I hope my actions of that day send a clear message that career criminals are not welcome in our city.�
Niederhauser came home Jan. 31 to find a car parked in his driveway and a man leaving his house with a crowbar.
He detained the man at gunpoint and called 911, but the suspected burglar fled as police arrived. That�s when Niederhauser fired one shot in the burglar�s direction, police said. He had fired the other shot at the car as it backed out of the driveway.
Niederhauser told detectives that he aimed to shoot the car�s tire and later to scare the suspected burglar as he ran away.
Some Layton residents came to Niederhauser�s defense after his arrest, saying he was being unfairly punished for protecting his home. They launched a blog urging people to call police to complain, and to contribute to a legal-aid fund. At the top of the page, it said, �Support Clare Niederhauser. A good man did the right thing.� Layton police received dozens of calls questioning the arrest.
About a dozen friends and supporters went to the courthouse Tuesday to show support for Niederhauser. Teuvo and Deanne Jones, who live in Niederhauser�s neighborhood, say their friend should be lauded for making sure the burglars were caught. The area has seen a rash of burglaries in recent months, they said.
�I�m grateful that the criminal was caught because we are all much safer,� Deanne Jones said.


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|Topic Review (Newest First)
|4th March 2008 01:39 AM
I stand corrected regarding the Mistral OD not doing much to promote windsurfing world wide. It did and had a pretty long run. Its strength was in the early years when longboards were still big, but faded off considerably even when it was still the Olympic board.
When I raced longboards (last one was the Equipe II XR), I raced open class and rarely used a 7.5 unless it was blowing over 20 knots. My largest sail at time 10.6 Neil Pryde. I stayed pretty competitive with the course / slalom race boards as they evolved over the years, but when the Formula boards came out, the long board was toast, so to keep up with everyone else, I moved to Formula.
|3rd March 2008 07:23 AM
everything is more popular than the moth
at 20,000AUD and extremely difficult to sail would you buy one?
any real info
on the changes to the rsx board??
|1st March 2008 04:52 PM
I think you're dead right, Screamer, when you point out how important the gusts and lulls are.
Whether 8kg is worth "X" width or "Y" length is something it would take one hell of a lot of testing to find out, and in the end it would depend on the wind strength, sailor, gust/lull structure etc like you say.
I used to love slalom racing and did it to world title level, but never liked it in marginal stuff, when I preferred a powered-up longboard. Some other guys love getting onto short boards as early as possible. As you say, it's a personal thing and to each, their own.
Unregistered; in places like Germany, Holland and (to a lesser extent) the USA, Finns are quite popular. The German Finn association has half as many members as the entire German windsurfing association. Are you telling us that all those old guys sailing Masters divisions in Finns are trophy hunters? With 550 members in Germany and Holland alone (compare that to most windsurfer racing classes) there's no way the class is dead (and I'm not even a Finn fan, but truth demands that we look at reality rather than pretending we know it all).
Interestingly, one of the Finn's big rivals is the O-Jolle, which is like an even heavier and older Finn which is still very popular despite getting very little publicity. These guys aren't trophy hunters and their boats are not dinosaurs - in fact they are much more popular than Musto Skiffs or foiler Moths.
|1st March 2008 08:17 AM
However, I don't agree that board weight alone is "less important" when total weight is taken into consideration. I'm pretty sure 8kg or so is vital even if the whole "package" is 100kg.
My experience is this: marginal, flukey on/off wind - a longboard wins every time.
Marginal, but STEADY - say 10-12 knots - wide slalom wins except on extreme upwind course.(please note, when I say "win" I refer to early planing/speed).
Still, no hard data here, and for some sailors displacement speed and comfort will get them going earlier/easier, while for others a different technique and shortboard feel will play an important part.
|1st March 2008 04:16 AM
Hi Senor Steveromagnino,
What are the chances of a finn lover cruising the starboard forum.
only trophy hunters sail the fin
and now that the english guy who is unbeatable is sailing the class no one else will sailing the finn
the class is officially dead
|29th February 2008 04:19 PM
|Senor steveromagnino
On the other hand, the Finn is the only heavyweight sailor's option, and while it has also included fancier sails, lighter masts and so on, the reality is the hull shape is old school heavyweight.
They are a fantastic class representing most of what the olympics is about; for people wanting speed there are 49ers and boards and there used to be the tornado. Surely the olympics is not only about the latest and greatest...otherwise we'd have:
- musto skiff big man boat
- moth foiler medium size man boat
- 49er or better still an R or 12 2 man boat
- tornado or F18 cat
- Shaw 650 with wires or similar keelboat/sportboat
- various windsurfing appliances
I don't see this is particularly close to what the olympics should be about. Long live the finn. Unlike the Yngling it is a beast of boat that I am not man enough to sail.
Windsurfing is somewhat unique in that the gear doesn't last more than a few years anyway, sometimes less than a year, and is relatively cheap. So if any class should go through updates, then windsurfing is probably it. Race ready tornado giong around the world....forget about it, you could run 2 or 3 board campaigns for the cost of the container!
|29th February 2008 09:25 AM
Correct - throw away the RSX.....but
The only boards that kept the numbers up in windsurfing world-wide were the original Windsurfer and then the Mistral OD.
You are in dream land.
I look forward to the Beijing pumping competition, where your pumping technique will make you win.
Are we windsurfing or pumping. Just check the annual wind averages at Beijing.
|29th February 2008 08:12 AM
low carb weight loss and beer alternates
that being said ., years ago me and a friend discussed a strategy to lighten optimise our kits ( him an Equipe myself a Comp SST) after being regularly horizoned/ killed by the local 90 lbs weakling on light airs races.
After some brainstomring and checkin the bank account or lack thereof, we put our heads together and realized instead of lighter equipment at premium prices, it was better for us to just lose weight.
plain and simple.
So we went on low carb diets: stayed off the nachos and beer, switched to tuna salad and vodka tonic and lime,.
One big problem ,which any beer drinker funds out when they try hard liquor. Beer drinkers are used to consuming "volume". being a Canadian and used to drinking large volume of beer the vodka route turned us into annialated drunks.
We lost weight but lost our ability to sail.
so the best laid plans of mice and men or rather thirsty Canadians had gone awry.
|29th February 2008 05:44 AM
NP are changing the board,I dont know for better or worst
the last four year cycle changes where made to the rig.
now its the boards turn
the 49er is changing aswell it is getting a full carbon mast and new mainsail
its a pity the finn and 470 didn't constantly evolve instead they are like opening time capsules. Ha Ha
|29th February 2008 03:20 AM
the longboard has a much faster speed in displacement mode. That allows it to go faster in light winds, and planing lift increases by the square of the speed so low-end speed is important.
And the weight of the sailor AND GEAR (not just board weight) is vital, and the extra 8kg or so of a longboard is less important when viewed against the 90kg or so of the slalom board + sailor unit.
So since the longboard is faster in displacement mode, the lift increased by the square, and the width and weight are only slightly greater, that may well be more important than weight and width. Personally, I feel a longboard planes a lot earlier (and this seems to be confirmed every time I sail one against slalom boards in marginal conditions) but since there's not a dramatic difference between fast displacement, semi planing and planing, it may not look dramatic from the outside.
This isn't attacking slalom boards, which are great to sail.
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