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worthwhile - to see a young rookie finally
get a chance to show his stuff before the
home crowd. And the crowd was so wonderful
to him - just going nuts, ven on his failed
dunk attempts. And then chanting his name
when he was at the free throw line - it realy
must be a dream come true for him. Let's hope
he'll have many more games like that in a
Kings uni!
The JWill thing was almost anti-climatic.
I felt badly for Jason - to see him trying
to run a team that's struggling, and then
to be embarrassed in the place where he was
once king himself, in more ways than one.
Sigh. On a humorous note, what about those
male dancers??! They were awful! not because
they were men, but because they were unattractive
- the white guy was a pudgy, little butterball!
If you're gonna have male dancers, they should
be as attractive as the women! do you mean
to tell me in all of Sac these were the best
they could find?! I loved it when the crowd
booed them in the third quarter, and then
they were noticeably absent for the rest of
the timeouts! I don't even like the dancers,
period. It's another gimmicky thing the NBA
stole from the ABA to make games more exciting
and an all-around entertainment package. Heck,
isn't the game exciting enough without it?
For years, teams like the Celtics and the
Knicks refused to have dance teams or mascots.
I don't know if the Celtics have either, still!
Bonsy
I
have to agree with you on that. I don't like
to see dancers at sporting events.
I
love dance, I have a background in dance and
my daughter is very involved in dance. I enjoy
the "dance" aspects, I even apprecated
the male dancers last night. They were talented.
But,
the whole point of the dancers as "cheerleaders"
isn't about dance. It's about having young
women out there half naked, jiggling across
the floor.
I've
just accepted it, since there's obviously
nothing I can do to stop it. Apparently they're
there for the men to stare at.
But
that all hit home after listening to the Rise
Guys this morning. They were really ragging
on the male dancers and that ticked me off.
Their problem was just "guy talk"
about not wanting to see men dancing at all,
something "gay" about it. THAT ticked
me off.
I
try to watch some of the women and a few of
them are very good dancers. Cara is especially
good, and she's also very pretty. But some
of them are just out there bouncing around
for the bounce of it.
So
to try to discuss these male dancers as "dancers"
is a waste of time when it seems they're just
supposed to be there to "look at".
And Kingme was right, they weren't much to
look at, but they were very good dancers.
Sigh...
The
other thing is, the crowd loves the Hip Hop
Crew and they have several male participants
that get big cheers.
I
don't understand why they weren't noticed
by the Rise Guys then.
Chris
Webber our 125 million dollar jump shooter
Bo
Kimble
When did Chris forget to attack the rim? It's
almost painful watching him. I hope it's the
ankle cuz he's looking old, slow and predictable,
no explosion what so ever. It's basically
50/50 that if he goes into the post that he'll
get an offensive foul called on him. No creativity
or imagination . . . I mean he's got guys
like Laphonso Ellis and Pau Gasol giving him
fits. Not exactly Karl Malone or even Horace
Grant. I'm not usually one to rip Webber,
but remember when he used to rip rebounds
down and flush them back on people, ran the
floor like a guard and finished the break
. . . I hope it's the ankle cuz I'm getting
tired of watching him hoist up 18 footers
. . . this team has about 6-7 guys I'd rather
see shooting long jumpers.
I
think he falls in love with his jumper, he
runs down court, sets up in the high post
and instead of the ball swinging around and
people cutting off the ball, Webber holds
it and decides what he is going to do with
it. Sometimes he gets really creative and
crosses over twice and then launches his 18
footer.
I
remember when Webber actually would throw
down on someone.
Fortunately,
we've got Gerald Wallace. HAHAHAHA
I
don't really have a problem with him taking
it. Because you're right, he does get that
shot a lot in the flow of the offense... because
the defense gives it to him. But he starts
shooting jumpers and doesn't use the entire
arsenal like Duncan or Garnett. When was the
last time you saw Duncan camp at the high
post and shoot 15 jumpers a game, it doesn't
happen.Webber makes one or two and then he
camps at the high post and waits there.
Like
Steve Kerr waiting at the 3 pt line.
I've
watched Webber since the Michigan days and
I don't need a shot chart to know he's playing
a different game than he used to. Even different
from his first year with Sac.
Not
necessarily better.
I
mean his first year with Sac, he won a rebounding
title.
Maybe
it's his ankles because they need him to bring
it and be a power forward not some sissy finesse
forward.
Steve
Kerr was a stretch, but IMO the offense moves
better and there are more 'cutters' when Vlade
or Chris sets up in the low post, not Webber
getting the ball in the high post.
Regardless
of his free throws early, even though one
was from a foul on a stick back attempt and
another was him being bailed out . . . he
fell in love with his jumper for the final
3 quarters.
It's
got to be the ankles though, because the Webber
that played 'before' the ankle injury last
year, the guy who was exploding and dropping
50 on Indiana with a mixture of the power
game and the mid range game is nothing like
the guy we've been seeing after the ankle
injury, this year and last year.
SactoGreg
I
think the ankles are certainly part of the
problem, but not the entire reason for Chris'
jump shot selection. He has gradually become
more comfortable with the 18 footer and I
think a lot has to do with Chris maturing
as a seasoned veteran. Sure, his confidence
level seems to be lower with the ankle problems,
but his long range jumper really has rounded
out his overall package.
With
that being said, I agree that he needs to
move to the basket more often than not. He
seems to favor the outside jumper TOO much
these days, and he is very effective when
he penetrates the paint. He is a very good
free throw shooter as well, so getting to
the line should be a higher priority for his
game.
Let's
watch him closely over the next few games.
We should really know more about his ankles
if he continues to play cautiously as he appears
to be in the last five games.
Q
Look
into my crystal ball...
Chris
signed a 7 year, $123 million contract, but
that does not mean what so many of you thought
it meant - that he would continue to improve,
to be the Kings dominant player and to lead
them to the championship, or even stay with
the Kings. I knew that then, and can only
say that there is no guarantee that Chris
will be anything more than a very talented,
injury-prone player during his stay here.
He may be gifted; he may be charming; but
he is not a leader, like everyone seems to
want him to be. Unless he has a no trade clause
on his contract (I forget), he could be traded;
and even if he does not have such a clause,
he may eventually wish to be traded (especially
if Hedo and Flubber are stealing his thunder).
Mike
will play out the the year left on his traded
contract, but he has yet to re-sign. Counting
on him being here after this season is wishful
thinking. If he continues to be an asset,
then there will be a bidding war for his services;
and even if he re-signs, there is no guarantee
that Geoff might not trade him.
Peja
has back problems now. If he solves them,
he will be a force in this league and for
the Kings for a decade to come, because Geoff
loves the guy's shot and game and potential.
If he does not solve them, then he will end
up a gifted role player. Right now he is injured,
and so Hedo and Flubber will get lots more
time; which, just as when Chris was out, will
help the young talent evolve faster. When
he returns, he will have to fight hard to
get his starting job back and, if healed fully,
will manage it.
Doug
is going to be healthy and play hard every
night, but will soon enough be relegated to
a role player during the course of his six
year contract.
Vlade
has just three years left on his contract,
and will probably not get it renewed. So this
is his time to get a championship or not.
He will be a starter for as long as he remains
effective, but will see less and less minutes,
except during the playoffs or when the Kings
are not getting what they need from their
"stars" (Chris and Peja, initially).
Scot
is more than just a role player. He is the
Kings next starting center. That is until
someone like Tim Duncan joins the team; but
perhaps even then. He just keeps getting better
and better and makes things happen defensively
while he is in there. That said, as valuable
as he is, his staying depends upon lots of
factors beyond his immediate control. He could
start on lots of teams in the league right
now. It just depends upon what Geoff envisions
and what becomes available to him.
Bobby
is quicksilver and can start on most teams,
but is again relegated to backup. Watching
him I get the feeling he lusts after stardom
and wants to be a regular starter. He accepts
his role, sure; but looks hungry out there,
even more than last season. He makes things
happen. Will he be around for awhile? Again,
it all depends.
Hedo,
if he stays healthy, decides to go after it,
and the Kings pay him and play him enough,
is the future of this team.
Flubber,
if he stays healthy, continues to learn the
game avidly, and the Kings pay him and play
him enough, is the future of this team as
well.
Also,
there are players on other teams whose contracts
will run out and they will be looking to play
somewhere else. One of these players is Tim
Duncan. I think he is available in two years;
and I get the feeling he wants to play here.
He could replace Vlade, or Chris for that
matter. (I mean, if Mike is a valid change
of direction for the team over Jason, then
Tim would be just as valid a change for the
team over Chris.)
Also,
there are less gifted but just as viable options
out there, depending upon the makeup of the
team at any given point. For example, the
Suns' Big Jake could be a welcome addition
to the Kings, depending upon what the Kings
would have to give up for him. There are lots
of examples out there that you can think up.
Why
am I saying all this? Because it is becoming
clearer to me that Geoff's objective is two-fold:
to build a team that is entertaining and thus
sells tickets and ancillary and gets TV airtime
and revenue; and to build a team that wins
championships. The owners do not matter, as
long as they are willing to pay the players
and the bills and stay out of Geoff's way.
What matters is that Geoff accomplish his
aims and prove himself. It does not matter
to him whether or not the public gives him
the credit. I am sure it amuses him when the
media lavishes the owners with so much credit
for the team's success. He knows that the
people who write the checks, the powerbrokers
will know the truth. He is betting on it.
So...
He
needed a team that had no winning record and
no real media market to build into a winner.
The Kings. Sacramento.
He
needed to be able to call the shots eventually.
Out goes the old owner, in comes the new.
He
needed coaches on his wavelength he could
sway. Out goes prior coaches, in comes Rick
and Pete.
He
needed to offload distractions regardless
how nice or gifted and pull in the best talent
available, extraordinary talent, even if they
were tainted or flawed in some way who he
could have his coaches mold into a winning
unit. Out goes Mitch, in comes Chris. In comes
Peja, Jason, Vlade, Hedo, Bobby, and Doug,
and out goes Olden, Max and Corliss. Out goes
Jason, in comes Mike and Flubber. You get
the idea.
Of
all these players, aside from Chris and Jason,
the best natural athletes Geoff has pulled
in are Hedo and Flubber. Peja is the best
shooter and learns other aspects of the game
fast.
Thus,
it is my humble contention that Peja (if he
heals his back), Hedo and Flubber are the
players most likely to be the stars of this
team on into the future, even near a decade
from now. (And it is entirely possible that
somebody like Tim Duncan, or someone else
who could be a huge impact player for the
team, will join the Kings within a couple
of years.)
What
I am hoping is that the Kings SOMEHOW manage
to find a way to win the Championship THIS
and/or next season; so that Vlade and Chris
can realize their dreams of a championship,
and the Kings can smoothly begin to metamorphosize
into a perennial contender and champion and
boxoffice/TV-airtime sensation, just as Geoff
envisions. This would speed up the process
markedly and make it much more possible for
Geoff to continue to build the team.
Vlade's
spirit holds this team together right now,
and so the Kings need to win a championship
soon. This way when Vlade's body can no longer
followup on his spirit's intentions, the team
will more easily replenish itself with superior
talent to carry on.
If
not, then this window of opportunity could
too easily slip out of Geoff's and the Kings'
grasp.
This
season: first Chris is out for a month and
comes back less than impressive, but the Kings
win like crazy; next Peja hurts his back,
and Hedo and Flubber get more time and make
the best of it and the Kings start winning
again; and finally, at the end of the season,
every player will have developed his game
and the Kings go raging and roaring into the
playoffs with everybody healthy, driven and
on the same page, and win it all.
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