The Links: Weird pictures, and Shaq and D-Wade masks
Today’s news and notes from around the NBA…
Hey. It’s here, you know? The season starts tonight, and I’m pumped and ready. There’s a ton of stuff on the internets today, so let’s get right to it…
QUOTES OF THE DAY
“It was a 24-hour thing. It literally came in and went out.” — Michael Finley, on having a stomach virus.
“I was never a big Halloween guy. I never really understood it. I didn’t go trick-or-treating as a kid. I still don’t know what it’s about.” — Keyon Dooling, mystified by Halloween.
“I feel physically I could average a triple-double.” — Jason Kidd.
“I’m not a ball designer, but I have to say I really don’t like this ball. The more I use it, the more I hate it.” — Yao.
“Beyoncé. Just to see what she is like. Just to see if it’s all real.” — Andre Miller, on which celebrity he’d like to have dinner with.
“That’s the last time I do that” — Sam Mitchell, after hurting his back while demonstrating defensive positioning to Andrea Bargnani.
THE LINKS…
• Is it just me, or is Chris Wilcox standing on Bob Hill’s foot in this picture? As long as you don’t touch the hair, I guess.
• It’s almost as odd as this picture of the Suns — why are they all holding their hands like that?
• For tonight’s season opener in Miami, the Palm Beach Post is providing three life-sized masks for fans to print out: Shaq, D-Wade and Riles. Scary.
• Kirk Hinrich has agreed to a $50 million deal with the Bulls, which will keep him off the free agent market next summer. Hinrich also talks about how he doesn’t spend a lot of money, and then there’s a note about him owning a Maserati and a Hummer. Nice.
• In other white point guard news, Luke Ridnour signed a three-year extension.
• Mutombo says he’s forgiving the fan in Orlando.
• Carmelo says he has Barry Manilow in his iPod. Also, the Nuggets are going to run more than ever this season, so much so that Melo’s had a runner emblazoned on the back of his Jordans.
• Stephen A. Smith reappears to write about basketball, and he’s all over the place in this column on Billy King.
• And who’s the only NBA writer to pick the Sonics to make the postseason? Stephen A.!
• Good story on Chauncey Billups, who is being asked to step up and lead the Pistons this season.
• Jason Kidd is putting it out there. A triple-dip for the season?
• The Post says the Knicks are losers by buying out Jalen Rose, although they don’t mention that they’re saving $16 million in luxury tax money by buying him out. Surely that counts for something, right?
• Andrew Bogut is back in time for the regular season.
• Terence Moore says the Hawks still need two more players, and I’m guessing he’d recommend they get two guys who used to play at Notre Dame or were members of the Big Red Machine.
• Michael Olowokandi went into the preseason without a team, and now he’s got a spot with the Celtics.
• James White is out in Indiana. Hopefully someone else signs him before the dunk contest.
15 Responses to “The Links: Weird pictures, and Shaq and D-Wade masks”
Oct.31 at 3:38 pm
ZaZ says:
hey lang, just wanted to say something about the masks on the links today…the shaq mask took 2 pages to print…which is a riot…the riley mask is about twice as big as the dwade mask…finally is dwade’s head is this small we’ve got problems…ZaZ
Oct.31 at 3:50 pm
J3K says:
Too bad about James White. For some reason I bought that old Ball Above All (Hoops TV.com!)mix-tape a few years ago and the most impressive thing on there was definitely James White doing two-handed windmills from the free-throw line.
Is Jason Kidd going to average a triple-double with assists, rebounds and missed field goals? That’s the only way I see it happening.
Oct.31 at 4:01 pm
Boing Dynasty says:
I heard a great quote from the “to the point” sports show on The Score in Canada. It was an interview with the comish, David Stern, after about 5 minutes or so of questions about how unpopular the new ball is, S Jack poppin shots, and the un-nesasary uniform rules, the comish started to get heated.
That’s when he bursted out, “NO, no, your right, that’s exactly what iam. Iam a nit-picking headband moniter”.
possibly the greatest thing i have ever heard.
1
Oct.31 at 4:15 pm
steve p says:
I caught the same interview on the Score. Best part was when Stern stopped the questions and said something like- “I was told I have 9 minutes with you guys, do you think youll ever ask a basketball question.” The David Stern robot was definatelly set to cranky yesterday.
Oct.31 at 4:19 pm
Nads says:
James White - Future of Flight
Oct.31 at 4:19 pm
abelp says:
yo lang i was just reading back issues ran into No. 83 rookies most likely to from the 2005 season you picked luke jackson for ROY boy was that a miss given that luke didnt play in cleveland and just got cut from the celtics!!!
Oct.31 at 4:47 pm
Lang Whitaker says:
I thought about that pick yesterday. My thinking was that all those old crusty writers would love Jackson and he’d look good playing alongside Bron. Unfortunately he got hurt and never even played much that year. Luckily nobody reads our rookie picks.
Oct.31 at 5:18 pm
Drolfe says:
You scared the crap outta me with ‘D-Wade masks’ (realised later it was Shaq and D-Wade masks), i thought it was another face injury.
Oct.31 at 5:33 pm
Chris O'Leary says:
Melo’s rockin fakes
Oct.31 at 6:30 pm
albie1kenobi says:
i suggest all NBA players wear those dwade masks when they play. i’m sure they’ll get a lot of calls in their favor, to say the least.
and i think Nash is doing his Mr Burn impression. either that or he’s throwing the dynasty sign wrong. maybe it means dynashty.
if kidd does pull off an oscar robertson this year, i think he should get his MVP.
since we are talking about point guards, i remember someone mentioned hinrich talking to a girl about his truck on the top 50 players. i guess this just reconfirms it. good stuff.
Nov.1 at 8:58 am
Moses Scurry says:
Andre Miller used to hustle pool at the age of 7 or 8? Staying out until 3 or 4 in the morning? He was a gambling prodigy! South Central Fats!
Nov.9 at 5:03 pm
cj says:
sick yo
Mar.15 at 2:08 pm
daddy says:
bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbboooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooodirk
Mar.15 at 2:10 pm
daddy says:
dis was the sorryest game ever i had to got eat instead of watch drik get punished by steve so dis is to u dirk im never gone to win a game i said im never gone to win a game in my life or make mvbp
Apr.26 at 9:25 pm
Wade says:
You Crazy Wade is The bomb.