The Links: Ronaldinho meets Michael Jordan; Jay Williams sent home
Today’s news and notes from around the NBA…
by Lang Whitaker
So I’ve decided that from now on, I’m going to do my best to throw a little bit of something in The Links each day so that they’re not just a bunch of Links and Quotes.
I missed a few days last week because my doc finally cleared me to do some traveling after my elbow/staph infection issues cleared up. Wifey got invited out to a conference in Vegas, so I tagged along and went out there to gamble and chill and eat good food. The coolest thing we did was on Friday, when we took a helicopter flight down into the Grand Canyon. I was pretty nervous, just because it seems like you always hear about helicopter accidents at the Grand Canyon. It didn’t help when the pilot informed us that we’d hear music in the headsets while we were in the air, and the first song that came on as we lifted off the ground was Tom Petty’s “Learning to Fly.” Couldn’t they have played a song that’s a little more positive? How about “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing?” Anyway, it turned out fine. Very, very cool and totally worth doing, if you’re ever out there.
Let’s hit The Links…
QUOTES OF THE DAY
“The style that we’re playing now, we don’t really play with a point guard.” — Isiah Thomas, on the Knicks’ new uptempo offense. Strangely, they start two point guards (Marbury and Francis).
“Guys are not corn-fed anymore. You don’t have many of the Karl Malones.” — Nate McMillan.
“Six weeks? Forget six weeks. He healed in six hours.” — Vince Carter, on Marcus Williams’ bad wrist.
THE LINKS…
• One thing that went down when I was out of town was this whole Sebastian Telfair mess. I can’t really tell what’s happening and what isn’t happening, but I do know that Doc Rivers shouldn’t have lied to everyone about the incident. And I saw a few people in the comments said I should say something about “my boy” Bassy. Truth is I don’t really know him at all. Yes, I wrote that cover story on him last season, but that was the first time I ever met him. He did ride in my Dad’s car over to the photo shoot, though.
• And did the Celts almost pull the trigger…er, I mean nearly trade for Carlos Boozer last year? The Jazz say nope.
• Lots of funny stuff here about the Lakers picking on Andrew “Socks” Bynum.
• At the end of Sam Smith’s most recent column, he writes…
“Slam magazine is publishing some lyrics from Ron Artest’s new rap CD that apparently discuss drug use and violence. Wow, who’d have thought it?”
What, that Ron Ron would discuss drug use and violence? Or that SLAM would publish the lyrics?
Actually, I don’t think SLAM published the lyrics. Our own Sam Rubenstein published some lyrics right here, but SLAM the magazine didn’t publish the lyrics. Which means Sam Smith is reporting incorrect information. Shocking, isn’t it Mark Cuban?
• Eric Musselman apologized and got all teary-eyed.
• Michael Jordan, meet Ronaldinho.
• According to Lawrence Frank, it was one of the toughest things he’s ever done, but they did it anyway: The Nets waived Jay Williams. It was a great story throughout training camp, but I saw JWill play at the Garden last week, and he’s not even close to being the player he was a few years ago. He’s still effective, and I thought he might make the Nets as their third point guard, but he just can’t move well enough to keep up with anyone. And watching Nate Robinson fly past him over and over last week just wasn’t fun for anyone. Hopefully Jay is still improving and we’re not seeing the finished product.
• I know it’s only the preseason, but I’m keeping a sharp eye on the Pistons. Something just doesn’t feel right there, especially when they’re getting blown out.
• The Sixers have fewer people bidding for them, but one of the groups remaining includes Will Smith and Julius Erving.
• Same story, different city: The Nuggets are hoping that JR Smith will step up and take playing basketball seriously.
• Love for Joe Johnson.
• The good news? The Magic have a veteran tutoring Dwight Howard and Darko Milicic. The bad news? That veteran is Tony Battie.
• Gotta like Mike Fratello coaching the ballboys in Orlando.
15 Responses to “The Links: Ronaldinho meets Michael Jordan; Jay Williams sent home”
Oct.23 at 3:12 pm
Simmy Sosa says:
Thats a good read on Joe Johnson. He will be an all star this year. You heard it here first…
Oct.23 at 3:26 pm
jay broder says:
lang you the man! interesting..will diggity and the dr. owning the sixers..should be interesting….ok, what team is diddy going to buy while we are at..pretty soon the sternbot is going to be on a rap album! all kidding aside..that is cool news! yeah feel bad for jay will but he had no movement at all. he just could not even get the ball up the floor. he looked like he was struggling everytime he tried to get up the court. forget about explosion..he has no speed period! hope his broadcasting job at the espn is still there! like the new cover…no props to kob24?? still getting used to that one! he better get another cover soon! you the man!
Oct.23 at 3:32 pm
oliver says:
Man for a billionaire Mike sure dont dress too good-
Oct.23 at 4:39 pm
Alex says:
Is Richard Dumas playing anywhere now? That guy was pretty good.
Oct.23 at 5:20 pm
marcel mutoni says:
Orlando Sentinel NBA columnist Tim Povtak’s pic is awesome! I wish I had a pic like that in my column. *sigh*
Oct.23 at 6:08 pm
DP says:
hey jay best if luck to you man. sometimes bad things happen to good people. i know you will bounce back though man, you are a warrior. kb24 is number… you know and monta ellis fo most improved player of da year. kyle lowry OR rudy gay fo rookie of da year. play wit it.
Oct.23 at 6:24 pm
Dblizzy says:
I’m mad they list MJ as a “Former US basketball star” He’s still a basketball star in my opinion…
Oct.23 at 7:12 pm
Reggie says:
But I guess you know Whoo Jackson well enough to have 8 seperate columns on him and his shooting. Are we going to get a break down of Bassy’s police report?
Oct.23 at 8:35 pm
Stevo says:
Lov3 Ruben and His Elbows. THe Kobe Stopper
gave another to Joe Joe Smith hey?
Oct.23 at 8:55 pm
Ang says:
thank God, lang. i miss when you would “throw a little bit of something” every day on the links.
Oct.23 at 11:26 pm
Drolfe says:
Totally unrelated news: Mark Price has resigned from his coaching position at the South Dragons in Australia’s NBL. Shane Heal has been named replacement player/coach. That is all.
Oct.23 at 11:58 pm
Tom Jackson says:
Did anyone else notice that Mr. Tim Povtak claims in his article, in a very matter of fact non-schalant manner mind you, that the Detroit Pistons would rather have Joe Johnson than Chauncey Billups. Isn’t that, at best, subjective? Maybe I’m wrong…
Oct.24 at 12:31 am
Lang Whitaker says:
Reggie, when I see the Bassy police report I’ll break it down. Promise. And Mutoni, you should just use that dude’s pic for your column.
Oct.24 at 11:03 am
Alley Kaye says:
Dear Mr. Whitaker: I’m actually just a Grand Canyon vacation planner and your entry came across my newsreader. I’m glad you enjoyed your flight to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. That’s a fun trip, isn’t it? I got a kick out of your comments about the music, I wonder if the “powers that be” at the helicopter company considered the full range of “implications” of that Tom Petty song! Check out our blog sometime at http://news.grandcanyon.com Hope your elbow is better.
Oct.24 at 2:01 pm
Wedgie Evans says:
Joe Johnson will play like an All Star once again this year but he probably won’t make the team. Haters.