Links: The SLAM Caucuses
Plus other odds and ends…
I have never voted in a U.S. Presidential election. It’s my right, I understand, and as a member of this democracy we call the United States, I have the choice of selecting whichever person I feel best represents my social views to represent me, should they become President. The reason I never voted before was because I was trying to stay under the radar and not get jury duty. Ignorant? Perhaps. Selfish? Definitely. But that all changed in 2007. The judicial process found me, so in 2008, I’m jumping in with both feet. And since Stephon Marbury isn’t running for President (YET!), I’ve been doing a little research into the various candidates.
If you don’t live in the U.S., you probably don’t understand why last week’s Iowa Caucuses were such a big deal. This is understandable. I live in the U.S. and I’m not sure why they were such a big deal. After all, this is Iowa we’re talking about. But what happens in Iowa apparently doesn’t stay in Iowa. A win (or a loss) in Iowa apparently portends big things for these candidates. For instance, Sen. Hillary Clinton finished third last night among Democratic candidates, and now some are saying that she needs to dramatically change her tactics to remain in the race. I’m no political expert, but maybe she needs to change her personality to remain in the race.
At this point, I don’t know who I’m going to support. Someone asked me the other day if I would vote for a Republican, and I said Yes, I would, if there was a Republican candidate out there I felt was worthy of my vote. I have historically found myself siding more with Democratic candidates on most issues, although I don’t want to label myself a Democrat, because once I become a billionaire from writing about basketball, I’ll probably support a Republican who will introduce big tax breaks for the rich. But for now, I tend to support people and ideas more than any specific party.
I’ve generally been that way with the NBA as well. Whenever I’m asked what my favorite team is, I say the Hawks, and then people say, Well, what other teams do you cheer for? But I don’t really cheer for any other specific teams. I like players, I like styles of play, I even like some coaches, but I don’t find myself glued to every Spurs game or Suns game or Celtics game. I like to watch KG go against Rasheed, though, and I like seeing Kobe score billions against the Raptors. But teams? Teams that I like? None. Other than the mighty Hawks.
Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t think it is. Does anyone else root for particular players instead of teams? Or do we mostly just root for our favorite team and then a bunch of individuals?
Also, I was going to do a post comparing the various Presidential candidates to NBA players, but Brown Recluse did it over at FreeDarko, so instead you just get ramblings from me about all this. Also, here’s a great Rudy Giuliani story to read.
• Last week I linked to that story about the Cruz sisters getting their makeout on. Now there’s some conjecture that perhaps it wasn’t the Cruz sisters but Penelope Cruz and Mia Maestro. I guess we shouldn’t care either way. Ryan, calm down.
• One reason I feel pretty strongly that the Pistons are going win the East this year, despite losing to the Celtics the other night, is that the one unifying element of the previous Pistons contenders is back: that chip on their shoulders. After 
beating the Pistons, the Celts were going crazy, with Paul Pierce popping his jersey (as pictured here). And according to that article, the Pistons definitely noticed.
• Been meaning to post the picture here for a while. When I was in Atlanta over the holidays, I was in the Hawks locker room pregame when someone noticed that Shelden Williams had a pair of red gators in his locker. Shelden wasn’t around, so we all started laughing about them, and then Al Horford decided to document the moment with his iPhone. As Al was snapping a picture, Shelden came walking around the corner.
• Hey Matt Bonner…watch what you say.
• I went to a restaurant here in NYC over the weekend and ordered this. It is the greatest thing I have ever eaten. Also the most barbaric, probably.
• Come on, not again.
55 Responses to “Links: The SLAM Caucuses”
Jan.7 at 4:30 pm
Sam Rubenstein says:
Hillary cried today. Nice work.
Jan.7 at 4:35 pm
Dan says:
I am with you, Lang; I support the Raptors, because they are my hometown team, but I am a fan of basketball individuals and overall styles of play rather than teams. For instance, I am really liking the Hornets play this year, whereas last year I wasn’t really all that impressed. But that doesn’t mean I necessarily “cheer” for them so much as I enjoying watching them do their respective thing.
Jan.7 at 4:36 pm
Cheryl says:
I definitely follow players more than teams. I’ve lived in several different places and usually will support that team, esp. if a favorite player is on it (like Shaq and the Heat). I’m from D.C., so like you and the Hawks, I’ll support them no matter what.
Jan.7 at 4:37 pm
Cheryl says:
The Wiz, that iz.
Jan.7 at 4:41 pm
white hot eboy says:
I was about to say I can’t believe Lang has never voted before, but as I think back, maybe it wasn’t such a bad move. I truly hope you were klidding about that bone marrow sh*t. That looks worse than a McRib and I didn’t think that could even be possible. And I’m with you on the Pistons prediction. Paul has made himself look like an as*hole more than once this season, no? Didn’t he do pushups between free throws or some ignorant sh*t like that? Fu*k the Celtics, except KG.
Jan.7 at 4:43 pm
Lang Whitaker says:
White Hot, I know you’re a foodie and fan of Food Network — you have to try the bone marrow. I felt like Fred Flintstone sitting there digging that stuff out of the bones, but my gosh was it amazing.
Jan.7 at 4:46 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
lang bourdain
Jan.7 at 4:48 pm
Ryan Jones says:
I think Hillary cried b/c she heard the Cruz sisters didn’t make out with each other. It was an empowering moment and one she felt would bode well for her political aspirations. And then it turned out it didn’t happen. Either way, that video’s still awesome with the sound off.
Jan.7 at 4:49 pm
Ryan Jones says:
PS, the Cruz sisters are my favorite team.
Jan.7 at 4:51 pm
white hot eboy says:
LMFAO at Khalid.
Lang, I have you pegged more as a Barney Rubble, by appearance alone, of course. Really, amazing. What the hell does it taste like? I know my Ecuadorian in-laws suck marrow out of chicken bones and spare rib bones, and I kill my wife for that third world activity. Can you compare it to anything else?
Jan.7 at 4:52 pm
white hot eboy says:
Co-sign Jones on the new favorite team.
Jan.7 at 5:04 pm
Gumdrop says:
That Bonner quote was incredible!
Jan.7 at 5:10 pm
Gumdrop says:
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head as far as being a fan of the NBA goes these days, Lang. Perhaps it has to do partly with the Sternbots vision of marketing the great individuals of the league, as much as I wish I was above that kind of stuff, it’s probably ingrained in me.
Jan.7 at 5:10 pm
Donn says:
I’m a die hard Laker fan but i love basketball and there’s a player or two on each team that i enjoy watching…
Jan.7 at 5:11 pm
TADOne says:
Bone marrow?!?! I mean, why?? The humanity.
Jan.7 at 5:12 pm
Gumdrop says:
That said, while I certainly love to watch certain players, its much easier to get one’s hate on for a team. The Knicks lose=good, Marbury has a crappy game=meh.
Jan.7 at 5:13 pm
TADOne says:
Also, Bonner better watch his back before Zeke goes Chi Town on him. Great joke, though.
Jan.7 at 5:16 pm
white hot eboy says:
Bonner has to be in the “Greatest Quote Hall Of Fame” for that. “That’s right, I said it, it had to be said”.
Jan.7 at 5:18 pm
Gerard Himself says:
Still wanna know: when is Barack going to be in SLAM?
Jan.7 at 5:20 pm
Tom says:
I’ve been eating that bone marrow stuff since i was young, just cause my parents told me too. Apparently its rediculously healthy too. But Langs right, you feel like a Viking or something while you do it.
Jan.7 at 5:22 pm
TADOne says:
As for rooting for teams against individuals, I’m an unabashed Pistons fan but I always will root for individual players that have games I like. KG, Chris Paul, Nash, Gil are some of my favorites. I love players who look like they would play for free if they weren’t getting paid to play.
Jan.7 at 5:26 pm
H to the izzo says:
Vote Huckabee for a bright 1928.
Jan.7 at 5:48 pm
SMK says:
It’s good as the finishing touch to osso bucco too, as the link states. Also, if you can get a hold of veal shanks, osso bucco is an easy meal to make that tastes pretty, pretty, pretty good and, if served with plenty of good red wine, allow you to get in the pants of whomever you’re eating it with.
Jan.7 at 5:49 pm
white hot eboy says:
SMK=Isiah with a screename. Sex Man Knicks? Osso Bucco is fantastic too.
Jan.7 at 6:02 pm
Lang Whitaker says:
You know when you get a steak at a nice restaurant and the very tips of it where it’s a little fatty get charred and burned and taste super intense? That’s exactly what it tastes like.
Jan.7 at 6:03 pm
Phil B says:
the blazers are my team, but yeah, there are always other teams and guys i also root for. although i have realized that now that the blazers are doing well and contending for the division title, i can’t cheer for the nuggets anymore. sorry ai and melo.
Jan.7 at 6:09 pm
TADOne says:
Great description Lang. But I still can’t bring myself to eat something I’ve always given to my dog.
Jan.7 at 6:10 pm
Rubens says:
no isiah!
Jan.7 at 6:38 pm
Ryne Nelson says:
Fantasy basketball will kill your real-life team affiliations. I will curse, chide and wish ill upon against players on my home-town Chi-Town squad if they happen to be on my opponent’s roster. Same with my favorite players. Fantasy hoops transformed my view of the NBA into strictly a players’ game.
Jan.7 at 7:07 pm
Allenp says:
I root for Iverson. Period. Everything else is just basketball. I like the other games, but I only really root for Iverson. And maybe KG. I began to really appreciate his game when I worked in Minnesota for a year.
Jan.7 at 7:26 pm
Phil B says:
i’m starting to hate fantasy basketball with respects on how it makes me cheer. i might just give it up or only select players i like… or only blazers… that probably wouldn’t be the best fantasy team ever.
Jan.7 at 7:32 pm
Matt Caputo says:
white hot , what happened to the Burger King Tourney joint?
Jan.7 at 8:22 pm
white hot eboy says:
Lang, thanks for the marrow answer. Matt, I went, played, my team blew like the modern day Heat, and when I tried to get some time with the dudes in the finals, they looked at me like I was out of my mind. When I said I was going to try and get the piece in the SLAM website, 2 of the dudes said “we ain’t got no computers”. I said well, you can be known worldwide since SLAM goes out everywhere and one of the ignorant idiots said “they know me around the way, I don’t need no other bullsh*t”. It took a bad turn when I told one of them “you realize this tournament isn’t getting you any closer to real money, right?”. Dude was heated, I didn’t give a fu*k and my opportunity to get something done went out the window. Honestly, the comp wasn’t even worth writing about, there were 6 tour teams that play everywhere and are sponsored so it was them and everyone else. My squad is a little to sporatic in it’s entirity to be dangerous against guys that play all the time. We only play together a couple of times a month. Whatever, Caputo, I promise something the next time a worthwhile event comes my way.
Jan.7 at 8:24 pm
white hot eboy says:
Plus these guys thought they were NBA products or whatever cause they had Jordan Brand shirts & shorts. Meanwhile, I try to give the Jordan sh*t I get away to fam, friends,etc. Dummies.
Jan.7 at 8:31 pm
peteb80 says:
Now if only you Americans could get as interested in politics as you are in food then the world would become a better place. (Also there would be more food left for everybody else).
Jan.7 at 10:19 pm
white hot eboy says:
Shut up, pete and eat a sandwich.
Jan.7 at 10:49 pm
dacre says:
Hmm my favourite player when I first got into the NBA was John Stockton, But I wasnt a big fan of the Jazz at that time…I loved the Sonics style of play with Kemp and ‘glove though…nowadays I find myself looking to the Phoenix Suns with Nash and Barbosa and I would probably say the suns are my favourite Team…but it was when Nash was at Dallas that I really enjoyed watching him and Dirk….
just so you know.
Jan.8 at 2:14 am
robert says:
Ron Paul 2008! It’s like sternbot became a presidential candidate.
Jan.8 at 2:59 am
hursty says:
lol at pete. um, just wondering if someone like shaq or Gilbert Arenas ran for President then would they have enough people support to get it? (we all know Marbury would get it hands down, no contest)
Jan.8 at 4:50 am
peteb80 says:
Eboy! Don’t type with your mouth full!
Jan.8 at 5:07 am
DMC14 says:
Suns all the way (hopefully one day eventually) but originally i was a Barkley fan.
Jan.8 at 5:29 am
karan says:
i’m a tragic, tragic knick fan (hold the laugh track)… but my fav all time player has been gary payton, so i’ve always been cheering for his success too
Jan.8 at 6:37 am
Hisham says:
those pictures of marrow sent chills down my spine, especially after your description of the way it tastes. I never eat the ‘fatty’ because its substance means instant hurling for me. so: i’m not trying it. brrr
Jan.8 at 9:39 am
Vitor says:
Since I’m Brazilian I have always been used to cheering for just one team, like all true soccer fans do. You can’t possibly cheer for two different teams, you have to go all the way with one team. Either take one team or take no team AT ALL. Then you ride that team until you’re dead. Period.
Jan.8 at 9:46 am
duder says:
Let’s keep the Iowa jokes to a minimum… Thanks! Signed,
The Hawkeye State
(and Ricky Davis’ home state)
Jan.8 at 12:33 pm
Young Chris #3 says:
Great depiction White Hot, I had a conversation about something very similar with the youth director where I live. Every summer we have the neighborhood basketball league and a lot of the kids just want to dribble on you or shoot threes. Also, what George Karl said last week about the Nuggets overlooking the right pass for the fancy pass, yessir! The game is in a sad state right now thanks to the popularity of the And-1 Mixtape tour earlier this decade.
Jan.8 at 12:35 pm
Young Chris #3 says:
And I’d vote Shaq for president if it meant I would no longer have to see him tarnish his legacy.
Jan.8 at 3:02 pm
Bro D. says:
Ron Paul baby! All the way! I always support the home team first, soccer style, but when that team left (hornets) I kinda felt like a battered spouse. I like the Bobcats but its hard to support a team that isn’t shown on lOCAL tv.
Jan.8 at 5:16 pm
Dark says:
Another tragic Knicks fan here, and it’s always Knicks love first (tough love), then it’s just watching matchups. Like when you a see a commercial for a Suns-Mavs game, Celts-Pistons, Spurs-Celts, then you put that in your schedule. But yeah, I definitely love watching certain players - Chris Paul, JKidd, KG, TD, Kobe, etc.
Jan.8 at 10:38 pm
John D says:
The Pistons are not beating the Celtics in the playoffs.
Jan.8 at 11:31 pm
Bubba Chuck says:
F*ck politics
Jan.9 at 4:46 am
Tariq says:
I definitely vote for individuals (KG, Iverson) or certain incarnations of teams that capture my imagination (’04 and ‘05 Pistons, last year’s Warriors). Does that make me a bandwagon-hopper? Perhaps. But I really don’t see how you’re supposed to align yourself with a specific team unconditionally if you don’t have any ties to an NBA city. As soon as the Riyadh Cactii evolve from a figment of my imagination to an expansion team, I’ll root for them, but until then, I’ll just call myself a “basketball aesthete”.
Jan.9 at 4:48 am
Tariq says:
sorry that’s “root”, not “vote”…
Jan.9 at 6:57 am
beej says:
White hot, bone marrow ain’t third world sh!t, it has been prominent in French cuisine, mainly provencal cooking, even before there was France! It is definitely been in Europe since the middle ages. It is a staple in Modern French Provencal restaurants as well and Haute-Cuisine joints. So Kudos to Lang for the new discovery!
Jan.11 at 4:23 pm
Sam Mitchell's Conscience says:
Bonner’s quote just made my day.