May 24, 2007 3:03 pm  |  42 Comments

Links: News Round-Up

And keeping an eye on the upcoming Stern vs. Sopranos family war…

by Lang Whitaker

Hello darkness my old friend…that’s right, the dominant noise around the SLAM Dome today is the sound of silence. We’ve been neck deep in work the last seven consecutive weeks, editing and shipping SLAM 109, SLAM presents Streetball and then SLAM 110, back to back to back. Not fun. Well, I guess it is kind of fun, because it’s better than like doing construction work or digging a ditch or something. But after almost two months of chasing NBA players down via Sidekick and cell phone and then reading and writing all day long, we can all use a break.

We’re going to post the SLAM presents Streetball cover tomorrow and have an amazing article about the cover story from that issue. And then in a week or so we’ll debut SLAM 110, which has a really cool cover and concept. I did the cover story for 110 and spent some time with a couple of guys who gave me a very unique perspective on…well, you’ll have to wait and see. Coming soon, I promise.

In the meantime, guess what? We actually have NBA news happening again! Are you kidding me? Let’s get at it…

• A couple of weeks ago I wrote…

The more I watch Brian Hill coach, the more I think Orlando needs a new coach. Hill just seems so stodgy and stiff, and the Magic have a lot of young, athletic players.

It appears the Magic front office agreed. Brian Hill was “re-assigned” late yesterday, meaning they basically told him they don’t want him coaching the team any longer.

So who’s taking over? Well, Billy Donovan is being mentioned, although his latent interest in the gig might just be a way to get more money out of Florida and AD Jeremy Foley. (For what it’s worth, I don’t trust grown men named “Jeremy.”) Other than that, the usual suspects are having their names thrown around, from Marc Iavaroni to PJ Carlesimo. And then there’s…

• Stan Van Jeremy, anyone? He was allegedly offered the Pacers job but turned it down because he didn’t want to uproot his family, which lives in South Florida. Orlando’s not that far away, is it? And it would set up a nice little rivalry between the Magic and the Heat.

• And still nobody’s talking about Mark Jackson, which is surprising to me. He says he took himself out of the running for the Pacers job.

• The BETcats have a new coach: Sam Vincent. Really surprised to see someone who has a history with Michael Jordan get the job. Vincent’s introductory press conference will be simulcast tonight on “106 & Park.”

• Someone from the Blazers is already leaking info that they’d be interested in going after Mike Conley and Greg Oden, and that they’d be willing to trade Zach Randolph to Atlanta for the third pick. Er, they know Atlanta needs a point guard does not need a power forward, right? Meanwhile, the Portland media rolled up on Greg Oden at the airport, where he was in town to meet with Nike. GO says he was excited to see a mountain with snow on the top.

• We had a little bit of an argument here yesterday about the Sonics. I still think they’re going to leave Seattle, Durant or not, because from what I’ve read the city government seems completely unwilling to work with them. And then today we read that owner Clay Bennett is talking about moving to Kansas City, adding that thinks in Seattle seem really bleak.

• Here’s a surprise: Billy Knight has no idea what he wants to do with the third pick in the Draft.

• I suspected this and mentioned it here at the office yesterday, but here’s confirmation: There was no NBA game last night because the finale of “American Idol” was on. I’m also curious about what the NBA will do during the Finals, because the last few years they’ve played games on Sunday nights. This year Sunday night games would have to go head-to-head against the final two episodes of “The Sopranos.” Stern vs. Tony!

• I saw a headline about former American Idol-er Kellie Pickler dating an NHL player, and I thought it was really unfortunate that her last name is Pickler. Then I saw that she’s dating someone named Tootoo.

• And finally, catching up with Keon Clark, who was last seen riding around on a motor scooter.

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  • white hot eboy Posted: May.24 at 3:09 pm
    Lang, per the Kellie Pickler link, I would liketo build an igloo too, but South FLA ain’t havin’ it. Maybe if I was on the Lost island…..

  • Bozaframa Posted: May.24 at 3:10 pm
    1st!

  • yo Posted: May.24 at 3:11 pm
    first

  • white hot eboy Posted: May.24 at 3:12 pm
    Oh, and the biggest injustice I’ve had in a long while, I received my latest SLAM issue in the mail, with the DIRK cover! Bullsh*t!!! I’m in Florida, how did Shaq’s cover not make it to me. Now I have to buy a second copy (and let my son have the Dirk issue to rip apart. He’s 2 1/2 so he doesn’t know any better)

  • white hot eboy Posted: May.24 at 3:13 pm
    Bozaframa & yo…. maybe tomorrow.

  • Bryant Reeves Posted: May.24 at 3:19 pm
    Keon Clark stories will never get old

  • white hot eboy Posted: May.24 at 3:27 pm
    Lang, can Billy Knight get Lost on an Oceanic Flight? He is unbelievably moronic. What will be the bigger highlight for the Hawks, their new unis or the pick?

  • Lang Whitaker Posted: May.24 at 4:13 pm
    @white hot: All the subscribers got the Dirk cover. Wasn’t our call, there.

  • Boing Dynasty Posted: May.24 at 4:15 pm
    So a Oden and Durant conver it is. Good look.

  • white hot eboy Posted: May.24 at 4:15 pm
    Lang, that is horrible! Thanks for the info, though.

  • Dutch Rich Posted: May.24 at 4:20 pm
    I ain’t know you and Charlie Murphy was tight?

  • Alex Posted: May.24 at 4:21 pm
    Hahahah, I live 3.5 miles from teh Arena and I got a Dirk issue and I was so puzzled. Thanks for clearing that up Lang.

  • Boing Dynasty Posted: May.24 at 4:21 pm
    Really eboy? worse than the VC cover going to Canada instead of the Bosh cover? Nah, not even close.

  • Alex Posted: May.24 at 4:21 pm
    The American Airlines Arena that is.

  • white hot eboy Posted: May.24 at 4:23 pm
    Boing Dynasty, maybe that was the distributors way of saying take your boy back we don’t want him.

  • Billy Blanks Posted: May.24 at 4:33 pm
    Yeah, i was wondering about that too. I live on the east coast, but I always get western conference players on my cover whenever u guys split it. It’s that difficult to give subscribers covers that match their regions? I mean we are subscribers!

  • BigWalt206 Posted: May.24 at 5:09 pm
    Lang, things will work out in Seattle, they always do. The Seahawks had the moving vans running before Paul Allen stepped in at the last second to save us. Ken Griffey Jr. built an entire stadium…that got voted down TWICE! People are so fickle here, but when its all said and done the Supes will still play somewhere in western Washington. The most important part of this whole thing is that people finally have hope again. After a year of it raining nothing but shit and bad vibes on us, the clouds might finally be parting. …or at least this is what I tell myself in the mirror to keep from crying

  • peteb80 Posted: May.24 at 5:13 pm
    Don’t know if anybody else mentioned this (I’m avoiding Lost spoilers), but there’s a picture on nba.com right now where Greg Oden looks like he is Kevin Durant’s father (and pretty happy about it). Also does that pic mean Durant has signed with Brand Jordan?

  • Reggie Evans Posted: May.24 at 5:14 pm
    on a sportscenter update on 610 in houston, bibby said he’s willing to take the MLE for one yr if the kings can’t work out a S&T w/ houston. he wants to reunite w/ adelman and plus, TMAC is a good friend of his.

  • Lang Whitaker Posted: May.24 at 5:20 pm
    Haven’t heard anything about Durant signing a shoe deal.

  • Russ Bengtson Posted: May.24 at 6:06 pm
    a) I think the Sonics are still moving, too. Even if Durant turns out to be amazing, he’s not gonna turn the whole thing around right away. Is he gonna be THAT much better than Rashard? b) Lang, wouldn’t you be that much more worried if Billy Knight announced he had some sort of grand plan already figured out? (Besides collecting 6-9 guys, I mean.) Personally I think they should take Conley third and offer him to the Blazers…for Brandon Roy.

  • kabelion Posted: May.24 at 6:22 pm
    Speaking as a grown man whose name happens to be Jeremy, I would like to apologize on behalf of the following individuals for having wronged you in some way.
    Jeremy Schapp, Jeremy Irons, Jeremy Piven, the Jeremy that spoke in class today, Jeremiah the bullfrog, Jeremy Hotz and Sir Ian Mckellon.

  • Russ Bengtson Posted: May.24 at 6:27 pm
    I have no idea what Lang has against people named Jeremy, but I DO know that I hate Jeremy Schaap.

  • Lang Whitaker Posted: May.24 at 7:21 pm
    @kabelion: If Jeremy isn’t such a bad name, why do you use kabelion?
    Also I hear that right now Mike Conley might not be too high on the Hawks’ wish list. I think he’s going to be good but I’m not sure how good. Better than Chris Paul? As good as Chris Paul?

  • Basketball Carriere Posted: May.24 at 7:29 pm
    I can’t believe Tootoo is only 24 I’ve been hearing about this guy for like the past ten years since he was playing for the ocn blizzard, which is only like an hour and a half away from where I grew up (Cumberland House)Dude had the Crosby like hype up north, even had his own store of his merch. This made my week thanks Lang

  • Paps Posted: May.24 at 8:49 pm
    What, no Sam Mitchell re-signing?

  • kabelion Posted: May.24 at 9:15 pm
    Because Jeremy is a crappy name for an adult. Unfortunately for me, there is no cool nickname for it. If I shorten it I’m stuck with Jer or worse, Remy. For some reason people can’t figure out that it has 3 syllables. And everyone hates Jeremy Schapp.

  • Boing Dynasty Posted: May.24 at 9:28 pm
    Ah, so Kabelion is cooler?

  • Marijn Posted: May.24 at 9:44 pm
    As a Hawks fan, let me be among the first to say HELL NO to Randolph.

  • Co Co Posted: May.25 at 12:20 am
    Billy Knight doesn’t like point guards unless they are career backups with bad knees and bad backs. This eliminates anyone in this draft or future drafts from consideration. Marijn, I’d take Randolph. We need a post player and someone with a little thug in him. We could kill two birds with one stone. Ha. I’m only half serious.

  • kabelion Posted: May.25 at 12:49 am
    Almost as cool as Boing.

  • Jumpman Posted: May.25 at 1:20 am
    GO and Mike Conley should ALWAYS play together, being in the NBA on the same team just seems perfect. Question for people who wear Undrcrwn gear. How do the Layups feel and does anyone have the Purple/Green/White style. The more I look at it on their site, the more I like it. But comfort wise, is it worth it?

  • Joel O's Posted: May.25 at 1:57 am
    Kabelion is 3 syllables long. You could, however, shorten it to Kab or possibly ‘Elion.

  • Joel O's Posted: May.25 at 1:59 am
    Durant going to Seattle would be just weird; they’re in a flux right now, the ownership / management is in a strange alienating situation… what hope does having Durant give them when the very future of the team itself (being in Seattle) is in question? Gotta be a bittersweet, confusing time to be a Sonics fan…

  • Holiday Posted: May.25 at 2:25 am
    If what Im reading is true and Dirk really got the new cover then SLAM you really dropped the ball! I love the magazine, it’s great and all but seriously just like the MVP he really got something he didn’t deserve! I know alot of people say he was the MVP of the regular season but seriously Dallas is good enough without him to make the playoff’s in at least the top 6 spot’s and maybe then they could have made it out of the first round! Slam could have waited and gave Portland the cover for getting the number 1 draft pick that would have been better I mean really anything but Dirk!

  • Holiday Posted: May.25 at 2:59 am
    The Sonics should move to Vegas and rename the team, then trade Rashard Lewis for Shawn Marion! and then try and sign Billups! of course after drafting maybe Durant or somebody with good trade value! and rebuild like that! Just some idea’s!

  • Boing Dynasty Posted: May.25 at 3:11 am
    Not even close Jeremy.

  • Joe_x Posted: May.25 at 7:05 am
    The worst part of that Pickler story (and there were other bad parts - “Eskimo”? Try “Inuit.”) was that they called Tootoo an “NHL star.” A more accurate description would be “an NHL player who can barely skate, has no hands, and runs into the boards as often as he hits people.”

  • Russ Bengtson Posted: May.25 at 7:20 am
    So, the hockey equivalent of Jason Collins?

  • B-54 Posted: May.25 at 8:06 am
    Sonics have fans now?

  • Russ Bengtson Posted: May.25 at 8:08 am
    And regarding the photo: David Stern, or Dr. Leo Marvin?

  • B-54 Posted: May.25 at 8:15 am
    What’s happened to Larry Bird’s face?

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