The Commish Memo
Hating on Houston’s streak; Psycho-T and race; NBA vs. NCAA; Kobe and techs, etc…
For basketball fans, there’s no time like right now. For the next month, all we’ll have to to do is flick through some channels and we’ll either find some underdog college squad hitting a flurry of threes, scaring some teetering Goliath to death or we can we can find two pro squads clawing for a playoff spot, trying to out-grind an opponent. I imagine it’s how people felt in Austin this past week, with 26,345,871 bands playing at South by Southwest. For a hoops fan — particularly this year — it’s more than a smorgasbord.
With that said, let’s get at some Memo bullet points….
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You all know that I’m a hater, so I spent the entire Houston Rockets Streak waiting for them to lose — actually hoping that they’d lose. I felt like they were imposters. It really irked me that this squad was going in the record books, this rag-tag outfit that rode a wave, snatching vics from lowly squads and banged-up elite squads. That’s a sucky way for me to go about my fandom, but that’s how I get down. So, count me as one of the few jerks that found some pleasure in how Houston went out, whimpering like Boston was the school-witch and it just pulled the tissue out of Houston’s bra. It was embarrassing. The crowd was sitting on their hands for most of the fourth quarter, mustering only some psuedo-grandiose standing-O at the end of the game. I can’t blame them. Watching Mac sleepwalk bored me too. With Boston putting that veteran-OG-smash on this pretender-squad, Mac was spending successive offensive possessions hiding on the baseline, letting Shane Battier take awkward forays to the lane that made me blush. Mac shrunk again, just as I thought he had morphed into a Franchise-type. Let’s see how he and the Rockets bounce back with this treacherous schedule ahead.
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Chris Paul plays like Barry Sanders. Not metaphorically, but literally. He makes holes appear. It’s a jarring thing to watch. He straight-up plays a different kind of basketball than everyone else. The way he uses space and momentum, what he sees, the way he sees…it’s just plain ‘ol advanced…I’m saying that he doesn’t play within the physical framework that most humans use. It’s like he’s a computer. Watch him.
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You know that Kobe leads the NBA in techs, right? He has 13, three away from a suspension. The dynamic he has with the refs, however, is much different than some of the previous malcontents like Sheed and AI (both dudes have grown up, noticeably). AI took complaining and whining to Laimbeer-levels. It was annoying. In AI’s younger days, his reactions to calls and no-calls were like that of an ornery brat. Sheed had a persecution complex. His constant bickering and arguing was informed by his idea (probably true) that the refs were out to get him. Kobe is on some other stuff, though. For a while he was actually confronting and excoriating officials on nearly every play. He’d do so in an extra-volatile manner, too. It’s all about entitlement with him. He’s Kobe, so blow that whistle when he misses a shot or gets touched on a drive to the basket. It was downright startling at times. He’d drive to the hoop, get some typical NBA contact, the ref would let it ride and Kobe would come down, glaring, flailing his fist, foaming at the mouth and dropping 26 F-bombs within two or three manic sentences. When they threw him out of that Portland game, it was probably the most deserved ejection of the season — for any player. He was on some bully-ish. He seems to be getting it under control (you see a lot of helpless, limp-armed sulking now), which is essential. If that kind of dynamic returns in the playoffs, it could get ugly.
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I was big fan of both the Jason Kidd Trade and the Shaq Trade. I’m not giving up on the Kidd swap, but Dallas is looking ugly. Shaq and the Suns, on the other hand, are on a sinister creep right now. If you can believe it, they’re playing under the radar these days. But check ya boy Diesel. He’s averaging a double-double in March, playing with a purposeful chip on his shoulder. Phoenix? They’re scoring just fine: 132, 123, 127 and 111 in the Suns past four wins.
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I’m straight-up sick of explaining to people why the NBA is far superior to college basketball — not just superior, but far superior. Interestingly, the chasm is never more apparent than during March Madness, because it’s during March when the NBA really heats up, while the college game features a bunch of unfamiliar teams playing games high on emotion, but low on skill and execution.
Years back, I was a newsaide/intern with the Washington Post copy-desk. On the first Friday of the tournament, I switched one of the televisions from the tourney and threw on an L.A.-Minny game that held serious playoff-seeding implications. My copy-desk crew was both furious and confused. How dare I switch to an NBA game during the first round of the tourney? How could I switch to an NBA game during the first round of the tourney? I believe I was the only NBA fan of the whole crew, but they all loved college basketball. I can see why that would be the case. Everyone goes to college and has a ball getting blitzed, heading to the game and acting like a crazed loon in the student section, rooting for their squads. That kinda stuff holds nostalgic value that doesn’t vanish after you graduate. It’s also easier, for many Americans, to root for young kids playing with a conspicuous devotion, as opposed to millionaire athletes that you believe to have ingrate-streaks. The college crowds of students and alumni are typically more amped than the corporate-crowds in pro arenas. And, yes I’m going here, America is more apt to root for a game that features a good amount of white players (see the previous note on Tyler Hansbrough) than a league that seems like an extension of the MEAC.
The reason I switched to that L.A. game was simple, tho — better basketball was going to be played in that game. Of the 10 players on a college court, usually only three or four are capable of creating their own shots, less than half can knock down an open jumper, very few can finish drives with regularity, squads spend 25 seconds passing the ball around the perimeter — it has it’s charm, but college basketball is a straight-up inferior game. So when people tout the college game over the NBA, it truly dumbfounds me. They can’t seriously believe that. If you wanna say, “College basketball is nostalgic, I like the amped-crowds and I enjoy some ethnic diversity amongst the players,” then cool, I’ll give you that. If you want to debate the merits of the college game over it’s professional brother — with a serious face — then I’m going to smirk and keep it moving.
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I’ve read several columns and nuggets about Tyler Hansbrough and race. I enjoyed them, but, then again, I simply enjoy to read the two sides/opinions jostle back-n-forth. One side says, “This Tyler Hansbrough kid is getting slurped…because he’s white.” The other side replies: “Tyler Hansbrough is getting slurped, yes, but…it’s because he’s awesome, not because he’s white. Racism doesn’t exist in sports.” One side offers some simple-minded sentiment, the other responds with either indignation or naivete. That’s how it always goes. I, for one, find this dance to be entertaining.
Here’s what I’ll say about this issue: 1.) Fans, more than media experts, dig Tyler Hansbrough because he’s white; and it comes from — as I’ve said before in this space — an inclination toward familiarity/commonality and not the more nefarious seat of racism. 2.) Tyler Hansbrough wouldn’t be nearly as loved or fawned over if he were black, because Psycho T — as a black man — would be viewed as a menace.
Think about it. There are a ton of rah-rah, tough-as-nails, psycho white dudes that love them some college basketball. Why, as a human, would they not revere and root extra-hard for a dude that, on a fundamental level, looks and behaves like them? However, it is up to “experts” — announcers, beat-writers, columnists — to put his actual game in perspective. That means, watch the hyperbole and compare/judge him accurately. Is Psycho T a better ball-player than Michael Beasley? Of course not. Is Hansbrough the NCAA Player of the Year? How can he not be? He had an incredible season — statistically and abstractly — for the top-ranked squad in college basketball.
Give him the award and shut up.
Now — for the more interesting and volatile aspect of this discussion — think about Hansbrough’s general behavior and demeanor on court. He’s never tried to punch an official or choke a coach or punch an opponent in the gonads, but he’s typically unhinged. He actually plays like a roid-raged football player, the special teams dudes that yell and, I don’t know, try to gouge their own eyes out when sprinting down the field on kick-offs. That kind of mania is pretty much standard-fare on a football field; on a basketball court it’s an oddity. Black people, specifically in this country, operate under a series of behavioral stigmas. The Angry Black Man is often an umbrella designation, placed upon any black man, showing more than (sometimes) a mere modicum of emotion. Hyper-emotion in black men is often seen as dangerous. Give Hansbrough some pigment and he wouldn’t be Psycho-T, he’d be Gangsta-Thug-Pariah T, he’d be called for a slew of techs and flagrant fouls and announcers would talk about how volatile, angry and unpredictable he is, not how tough and inspirational he is. That’s how I think race plays out in sports, it actively informs our perception.
With that said, I hope Psycho-T kills ‘em over the next few weeks…pun intended.
59 Responses to “The Commish Memo”
Mar.19 at 1:35 pm
H to the izzo says:
1)The NBA is obviously better in quality than the NCAA.Isn’t that kind of the point of the NBA being professional?And isn’t the big clue of the NBA’s superiority in the fact that the NBA is where the GOOD NCAA players go?
2)The whole Hansbrough race thing is old and tiring.
Mar.19 at 1:44 pm
Myles Brown says:
White people like other white people.
Mar.19 at 1:45 pm
TADOne says:
The crowd in Houston last night WAS embarassing, but so was TMac’s uninspired play. I like the Chris Paul/Barry Sanders comparison, but that is only because I cannot get enough of Chris Paul. And I so sign izzo on the other 2 subjects. As for Kobe and the techs: ……..
Mar.19 at 1:46 pm
TADOne says:
*co sign
Mar.19 at 1:53 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
“Hyper-emotion in black men is often seen as dangerous.”
Two words: Kevin. Garnett.
Mar.19 at 1:54 pm
shakey handle says:
two words: ALL NUDE
Mar.19 at 2:00 pm
Michael says:
Hasn’t Kobe led the NBA in techs three years straight now. He takes complaining to whole new levels, it’s frustrating watching him bitch after every damn play. He had started out really well this season, he was keeping his bitching to a minimum, but he blew up after the all-star break.
Mar.19 at 2:01 pm
Eboy says:
The Commish is fantastic.
Mar.19 at 2:10 pm
Ryan Jones says:
I wish Vince was more thorough.
Mar.19 at 2:11 pm
Ken says:
Another great column. Really like your work.
Mar.19 at 2:14 pm
H to the izzo says:
Oh and I still think Beasely should get POY
Mar.19 at 2:18 pm
lockedc says:
me too
Mar.19 at 2:18 pm
lockedc says:
me too
Mar.19 at 2:32 pm
Bubba Chuck says:
thanx vince
Mar.19 at 2:52 pm
riggs says:
if psycho-t were black he wouldnt look incredibly goofy.
Mar.19 at 3:07 pm
BETCATS says:
$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Mar.19 at 3:14 pm
Kyva says:
If Tyler Hanbrough was black and he played the same way, he would not get called for flagrant fouls, techs, etc. (LMAO at the Gansta-Thug title) He is not a wreckless player. (I believe that it was HIS nose that was broken last year) Every point, rebound, loose ball etc that he gets, he earns. He is very controlled on the court, rarely talks trash and the only time when he gets amped up is when his TEAM makes a big play (like 90% of all NCAA players) Sometimes it’s best to leave the race card in the deck….
Mar.19 at 3:27 pm
Sesa says:
13 Tech leads the NBA?
Wow, where Rasheed has gone to
Mar.19 at 3:31 pm
Sesa says:
How many games needed to proclaim that Jason Kidd signings in the Mavs as a bust?
Also, Shaq’s had to defend 2 players in the Suns because Amare lack of wilingness to close out on defender.
Mar.19 at 3:33 pm
Sesa says:
Also on the NCAA issue. I know that Kevin Love can flat-out shoot the ball, but the guy can’t defend and he definitely overweight.
How tall is the guy? 6′10? Yet he moved slower than Yao Ming.
Mar.19 at 3:46 pm
BETCATS says:
BOLD
Mar.19 at 3:47 pm
BETCATS says:
i was speaking of the font, and Vincent why dont you comment here?
Mar.19 at 3:50 pm
Dutch Rich says:
It’s not about black or white with Psycho T, it’s about facial expressions and the kid only has one.
Mar.19 at 4:01 pm
Smitty says:
I’m glad you were honest about Kobe, sometimes he’s right in the refs face and they don’t T him up, gets away with a lot. (I hate the Lakers!!!) Psycho-T
I live down here in ACC country so I hear lots of nonsense about him, he is a great college player. That can’t be disputed. But I wonder how he will do in the pros, where most PF’s are as strong or stronger???
Mar.19 at 4:13 pm
Vincent Thomas says:
BETCATS: I view the comment string as the commenters domain. I usually write my tripe and then keep it movin’…although, I regular check the string. In fact, I check them enough to tell Bubba Chuck that his Nuggets continue to make my eyes hurt. Also, I will be discussing a few of these thoughts and some others on ESPN’s First Take this Friday. Tune in if you can…
Mar.19 at 4:22 pm
Bro. D. says:
Psycho T looks like a blow up doll.
Mar.19 at 4:24 pm
Eboy says:
Vince is big tymin’.
Mar.19 at 4:24 pm
ciolkstar says:
Great piece. I really think you nailed the whole “racial perspedtives on Hansborough” bit. The Commish is gettin it.
Mar.19 at 4:25 pm
Allenp says:
I knew somebody was going to bring up Kevin Garnett. And I’m not surprised it was Russ. I also cannot disagree with his assessment because that’s where my mind went as I thought about likely rebuttals for Vince’s points. I would argue that KG is an exception that defies the regular rules, and also point out that a few years ago before he was so univesally revered a lot of people were unhappy with his profane and crazy outbursts. But, just like with Iverson (and to a lesser degree Sheed) once people get used to you and began to evaluate you a little more objectively, some of your previous warts get overlooked. But, good point by Ruass.
Mar.19 at 4:26 pm
what says:
Couldn’t agree more with this article, particularly the part about Psycho T, race, and why white people like college bball over the NBA.
Mar.19 at 4:27 pm
Allenp says:
What is the criteria for Player of the Year in college? Is their any criteria or it it kind of like MVP where writers decide to reward and screw who they please?
Mar.19 at 4:28 pm
ciolkstar says:
Kobe does complain too much/too aggressively. but Steve nash is last year’s WCF was the most ridiculous display of disrepect and bad sportsmanship not to get a Tech. EVER. He literally hops up after a whistle but before the call, points his finger in the ref’s face and says something along the lines of “don’t you dare make that call”
Mar.19 at 4:30 pm
ciolkstar says:
I remember reading in the NY times how black players were morelikely to get T’d up by white officials and white players were more likely to get T’d up by black officials.
Mar.19 at 4:35 pm
ciolkstar says:
I used to think KG could def get out of line and he’s been one of my favorite players since his rookie season. I clearly remember KG getting so close to Timmy’s face that his lips were about to touch his face while repeatedly saying “F$*K YOU N*&%GA! F@%K YOU” Time stayed calm like a G and got the W.
Mar.19 at 4:39 pm
nick says:
Nice work. Good point about Psycho–I do think that their would be a difference in first impression for a lot of people if he was Dolomite-T. However, I think it depends more on how an individual acts out their craziness. I’m sure if Psycho T nut-kicked a photographer or rocked a wedding dress, he’d get his commupance.
Mar.19 at 4:45 pm
nick says:
Oh, and f*ck you for hating on houston. Yes, they got clocked, but come on, 22 straight, 10 without Yao, average margin of victory of 12.4 points? its not like they were squeaking wins out, they were crushing. There’s a reason why only one team has ever won more in a row. Respect that. Houston fans, however…hate all you want. Half of the “fans” just don’t really give a damn unless we’re winning. It sucks.
Mar.19 at 5:21 pm
Bxballer says:
I agree with you on the Hansbrough topic, good read nevertheless.
Mar.19 at 5:38 pm
David says:
Care to expand on your statement, Ryan, or were you merely baiting Vincent?
Mar.19 at 6:24 pm
Jess says:
Hansbrough the NCAA Player of the Year, and the Tarheels are taking it all
Mar.19 at 6:54 pm
Captain America says:
Russ, KG as “dangerous” as say, Bill Laimbeer? please
Mar.19 at 6:55 pm
RV says:
technically speaking, 11 of the 22 were without Yao or tmac…does make it a bit more impressive. You should hate some on Artest too, he was one shot away from stopping it at 8 and couldn’t do it, novak and artest were probably the biggest factors in the streak
Mar.19 at 6:55 pm
Captain America says:
Vincent, the Rockets will take their 23 straight and second best in history and have all the other teams drool.
Mar.19 at 7:00 pm
Captain America says:
make that 22 straight
Mar.19 at 7:01 pm
Captain America says:
Diesel rolled Blazers last night and I watch college ball to spy talent for the next level.
Mar.19 at 8:51 pm
AB_40 says:
nice read. tomorow usc k state or detroit miami? If miami is blown out at the half I will definetly watch the other game. 2 of the propable top 10 picks in this years draft:D
Mar.19 at 9:02 pm
AB_40 says:
my bad that is next week, I’m watching boston-dallas. I’ll record that lil college game
Mar.19 at 10:33 pm
tealish says:
Haha I loved that paragraph about Kobe’s whining. For awhile, I thought I was one of the only ones who noticed it. It’s ridiculous actually. He gets SO MANY calls that I don’t know what he is crying for? He has been in games where he shot over 25 free throws compared to the opposing team’s
Mar.19 at 10:35 pm
tealish says:
*
Mar.19 at 11:05 pm
Jukai says:
God damn, the Commish says everything I agree with
Mar.19 at 11:15 pm
illydiva says:
Loves it Commish!
Mar.19 at 11:16 pm
Tone says:
Nothing is more ridiculous than the Mcgrady for mvp talk. Cats are acting if mcgrady is sacrificing his game for the team. Kobe is sacrificing his game, Mcgrady is just slumping. Wouldnt it be crazy if the rockets slipped right back out the playoffs.
Mar.20 at 12:36 am
hursty says:
50
Mar.20 at 3:17 am
Jukai says:
Anyone see the Onion’s take on Tyler Hansbrough? It’s hysterical. I’ll post the link up in the next comment but you guys are better off trying to find it yourself with the slow moderation.
Mar.20 at 3:17 am
Jukai says:
http://www.theonion.com/content/infograph/tyler_hansbrough My favorite part is the “nobody tell Tyler, but he’s white” in pig latin
Mar.20 at 5:23 am
snyper48 says:
Speaking of race,that Black Magic stuff was good.CP is on some other sh*t.Once again Lebron did it against the Pistons,I think he’s inside everybody’s head at Detroit.
Mar.20 at 5:41 am
LAN says:
wow ure a hater
Mar.20 at 11:23 am
Khalid Salaam says:
Chris Paul plays like Barry Sanders. Vince, that is a great comparison. I’ve been saying this all year. CP is simply nasty
Mar.21 at 11:31 pm
Bubba Chuck says:
thanx vince. & ur $$$$$ continue to make my eyes hurt
Mar.23 at 8:45 pm
Bubba Chuck says:
and they just won 2 in a row