NBA FINALS Guest Blog: The STIG Edition

I haven’t posted in quite sometime.  I am known to do more often than not (and yet the world continues to spin).  Thankfully my good pal by way of Mergl Drive in Port Dover, Ontario THE STIG is ready and willing to pick up the slack (or pick up the slacker that I am) and deliver some thoughts on the recent ending of the NBA finals.  Enjoy!!

NBA FINALS by THE STIG

NBA Action is Fantastic!  I know, I know-that was the NBA’s slogan from the 80s but it’s changed so much over the years that it’s hard to keep up with.

Another thing that is hard to do is to watch basketball when you’re wife is a Lebron James fan and you’re not.  That was the case in my house with the NBA Finals this year.  Watching Lebron James dribble the ball for 18 seconds and then start the offence was gruelling enough but to hear a cheer every time Cleveland did something good was worse.

And yet, during the game last night, we had an interesting conversation.  My son crawled into bed with us and asked who was the best player.  My wife answered with Steph Curry as he is the current MVP and I countered with LBJ.  What just happened?  How could this be?  I hate King James and here I was defending him!  Was I taking crazy pills again?

We both made valid arguments and then we laughed.  I feel asleep two minutes into the 4th quarter and was awoken to the TV going off.

“What happened?” I asked my wife.

“Cleveland lost.” was her reply.

In a daze, I asked, “So Golden State won?”

She didn’t answer and then we went to bed.

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Steve Nash – Life After Basketball

I’m retiring.

I heard someone once say there comes a day when they tell us all that we can’t play anymore. We’re not good enough. Surplus to requirements. Too slow, maybe. When you’re a teenager with outsized dreams and a growing obsession, and someone tells you this ain’t gonna last forever, it’s scary. I never forgot it.

Steve Nash is retiring from basketball.  He penned a letter to announce his decision via The Players Tribune (found here).

Nash is a Canadian Icon on and off the basketball court.  IHis play on the court has inspired many young Canadian basketball players to imagine the possibilities of a Canadian excelling on the largest basketball stage, the NBA. Nash won consecutive NBA MVP awards and was most likely a sham bench call from competing for a NBA title.

Nash is now in charge as general manager of Canada Basketball and his vision and diplomacy will lead a new generation of Canadian basketball stars onto the world stage.  If you haven’t read his letter please find a few minutes to do so. It’s well worth the time.

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Charles Oakley Bobblehead Night

It’s Charles Oakley bobblehead night as the Toronto Raptors host the Miami Heat and continue to fete their 20th anniversary.  In a past life I used to cherish the way Charles Oakley played the game of basketball and in an awkward twist of fate I used to collect bobbleheads, so naturally this evening is of a certain significance (don’t forget that it’s also the start of March Break and I’m sipping back copious amounts of some tasty scotch…goodtimes indeed)

Watching Oakley play was a pure joy for me.  He was that natural enforcer on the court.  A regular don’t mess with me or my mates kind of guy.  When he was traded to the Raptors for a soft player like Marcus Camby I was ecstatic as the Raptors desperately needed the leadership and toughness he supplied.

Off the court Charles Oakley seems to be an honest and states things as a matter of fact.  This type of style often leads to  a fantastic quote.  Case in point before today’s game he was asked what his thoughts were about the idea of having a bobblehead in his honour.  In classic Oakley fashion he offered this well timed gem.

Well I had a head so you never know what could happen.

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Larry Legend Still Owns Dominique Wilkins (Even During ‘Nique Week)

The Atlanta Hawks have just commemorated their finest player in franchise history Dominique Wilkins with a statue.  This is a great honour for Wilkins who is no doubt an icon in Atlanta and one of the 50 finest basketball players ever to lace up a pair of sneakers.

During his time on the court however Wilkins and his Atlanta Hawks mates were stymied by the likes of Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics and Michael Jordan led Chicago Bulls.  As many will attest as good as Larry “Legend” Bird was on the court he was perhaps even better with his trash talk and quick wit.

When Larry Legend was informed about Wilkins and the statue he replied with this gem

I’m pretty sure it’s not made in a defensive stance.

I think this quote only cements Larry’s legendary status as a trash talker.  Insert Slow Clap…….

Larry Bird on video says of Wilkins statue: "I'm pretty sure it's not made in a defensive stance." #ATLHawks

— Chris Vivlamore (@CVivlamoreAJC) March 5, 2015

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DeJuan Blair Sets Screens Like a “GOON”

I was watching the morning highlights with my young sons (The Association and The Merger) the other morning when I came across DeJuan Blair destroying Brian Roberts on a massive screen.  Blair’s screen immediately floored me (weak pun intended) with memories of the hard-nosed brand of basketball that my friends and I played in the McMaster “C” division intramurals “circa the year 2000”.

Our intramural squad was a uniquely talented group of doormen from the campus pub where we all worked. The pub was aptly named The Downstairs John (due to its placement in the basement of Wentworth house and for the smells that emanated from it).  As doormen of the DSJ we called ourselves “GOONS” due to the gentle nature in which we would escort patrons from the premises when problems would occur.

On the basketball court we played the game with the same vigour as we approached our jobs as “GOONS”.  Thus as the sight a  DeJuan Blair like screen or a Bill Laimbeer elbow was commonplace anytime the “GOONS” were on the court.  Whether we were playing such intramural all-stars like SOCS McDonald Or Mutt 69 the “GOONS” made sure that anyone that stepped on the court knew who they were playing.

We often reminded the other squads that we were allowed to foul them 5 times each and that we carried 12 men on the roster.  If that wasn’t enough to entice them not to put the ball in the hoop we would then remind them that we controlled whether we they got into the pub that night (or any night for that matter).  I suspect the latter reason is the reason we were able to garner that FINALIST ribbon instead of the participant ribbon we most assuredly deserved.

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Guest Blog – The STIG Edition 2.0

(Stop the presses  2 post in a matter of minutes….could I be mastering this thing they call technology?)

Still Going Strong

As the 5 people reading this know, I once tried out to be the Raptors mascot.  Despite the painful rejection of not getting the gig, they have been my favourite team in the NBA for the last 20 years.  Yes, they’ve been in the league for 20 years now.  You know what else has been around for 20 years?  This mouse pad.

I bought this mouse pad at my first Raptors game at Skydome, 20 years ago and have used it on a daily basis ever since.  I’m using it right now.  They were playing the Indiana Pacers that day and the Raptors got rocked.  They lost by 30.  I think Alvin Robinson had a solid game along with Ed Pinkney but who cares?

In 20 years, I’ve worked on a lot of computers, both at home and at different places of employment and this mouse pad has always been by my side.  Is it a good luck charm you ask?

No, it’s just a great mouse pad.  Doesn’t matter if its an optical mouse or an old school one with the ball inside.  This one stays put and doesn’t slide along the desk when you move your hand.  The mouse glides over it effortlessly.

I hope in 20 years, if we’re still using a mouse with our computers, I’ll still be using this mouse pad.

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Guest Blog – The STIG Edition

(Hello Friends….it’s been quite sometime.  Remember me?  Well since I’ve been in hibernation a pal of mine (STIG) has donated some of his musings for your perusal. Enjoy!)

Separated At Birth?

I recently purchased the NBA League Pass for my Apple TV and other mobile devices.  To say it’s amazing is truly an understatement.  The other night, I had 4 games playing simultaneously on my laptop while I watched the Raptors on my TV.  It deserves a post of its own.

The backstory is that I bought it in order to watch Knicks and to follow Canadians Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennet for the Timberwolves.  Instead, I’m going to use it to follow this guy, Nikola Pekovic.  He is a beast!

In the 25 years I’ve been watching NBA basketball, I’ve never seen a player like him.  He’s massive!  He doesn’t have a basketball player’s body at all and yet, here he his, the starting centre.  And then I got to thinking, this guy reminds me of someone.  And then it hit me and I burst out laughing.

He’s Non from Superman II.

I shall be watching a lot of Timberwolves games this year!

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Charles Barkley Would Like To Buy A Vowel

Charles Barkley had a difficult time saying Toronto Raptors Jonas Valanciunas’ name last night.  Difficult is probably too soft of a qualifier for the linguistical ballet he performed on the Lithuanian’s name.  It was so bad that I’m pretty sure Don Cherry will be giving Chuck a lesson primer in the near future.

 

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Nick Collison Is Pulling Shenanigans Like I Would In 1994

(EDITOR’S NOTE: I’m a few days late on this story but I have a personal connection to it so I feel I need to post about it.)  

The Oklahoma City Thunder came away with an impressive 127-121 win over the Golden State Warriors last Friday night thanks to Kevin Durant’s (then) career-high 54 points.  Thunder power forward Nick Collison, however, would also like some credit.

57 is the number. Ive always said whenever @KDTrey5 and I combine for 57 we have a great shot to win.

— Nick Collison (@nickcollison4) January 18, 2014

While Durant made 19 of his 28 shots from the field, Collison drained 3 free throws.

This quote made me laugh because I can remember using the same material long before the twitter age.  

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FLOTUS Posterizes Dwyane Wade

Let’s set the record straight. I’m not a fan of anything that involves the Miami Heat.  They (as a team and set of individuals) don’t resonate well with me (probably has something to do with the fact that they are actually successful. Someone like myself isn’t used to dealing with anything that resembles success.)

However on this day I have to relent on my disdain for the NBA champs.  Today I say kudos to them for partnering up with the First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama to produce a video that promotes healthy eating. Watching the First Lady dunk on Dwyane Wade and mugging it up for the camera is fantastic and quite frankly one of the best basketball highlights I’ve seen in sometime.

Well do

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