GatewayRedbirds.com

I'm not sure if I'm flunking the terrorist test here, but the iconoclast in me (as well as the fact that I don't like some of the key guys on the squad), is going to have trouble rooting for the U.S. in most if not all of their games all summer. You know why they didn't make a movie about the guy on Rudy's ND team who was 6'8 and an athletic monster?

I love my country, but I don't see any reason to root for these guys.

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"Isn't it just like BirdBot 6000 [the deity of the Beltran's bizarre cult] to send us to a team called the 'Cardinals?'" -Jessica Beltran
VolatileLyle

Speaking of iconoclashing, I'd like to read a good blog entry about how the legend of Michael Jordan may have surpassed the man and his abilities--and how if he peaked in today's world (independent of the talent in the league) he wouldn't demand the same reverence. 55 Bulls wins in 1994 wouldn't be a bad place to start digging.

This is probably the wrong forum to throw this out in, though, amongst a bunch of Bulls fans who watched Jordan dominate through their formative years.

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"Isn't it just like BirdBot 6000 [the deity of the Beltran's bizarre cult] to send us to a team called the 'Cardinals?'" -Jessica Beltran
VolatileLyle

There's a good chance that Michael might have beaten a reporter to death before his first title if he had to deal with the hyper-critical 24/7 twitter-age media that today's players face.

Yep. Also, the myth building is becoming grating at this point. He's dedicated his life to reminding everyone he's the best.

He is, but he needs to be less insecure about it. That said, he'd still win rings on rings on rings and be the best dude going.

As for international hoops, it's just not a competition. There's not a single basketball competition outside of the nba that is important. There's no "rooting" for me in the traditional sense than there is for an all star game. It's NBA Jam on rookie mode.

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"If it was anyone but Carp, I would have said, 'No,'" Matheny said. "Anyone but Carp."

I didn't choose my words well. It's not just that I'm not rooting for them. Most if not all nights this summer, I'd like to see the U.S. lose.

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"Isn't it just like BirdBot 6000 [the deity of the Beltran's bizarre cult] to send us to a team called the 'Cardinals?'" -Jessica Beltran
VolatileLyle

Thats the only way it becomes compelling. I don't think I'd care either way. I do want to see cool dunks though.

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"If it was anyone but Carp, I would have said, 'No,'" Matheny said. "Anyone but Carp."

The Lin decision can't be about money, can it? There's a huge market $lobbering all over him. It's just one outrageous year to swallow--and a $15 million expiring (which it will be in the outrageous year) is really quite tradeable.

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"Isn't it just like BirdBot 6000 [the deity of the Beltran's bizarre cult] to send us to a team called the 'Cardinals?'" -Jessica Beltran
VolatileLyle

Some people here are insisting that Melo wanted him out, but I don't really see it. I was really surprised when they signed Felton - Lin singlehandedly made this whole city freak out about the Knicks for a month and a half. Perhaps from a pure basketball standpoint, Lin most likely won't give the full value of his contract, but he brought so much publicity/merch sales/etc that I thought re-upping him was a sure thing.

I really have no clue what the Knicks master plan is.

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Let's Go Cards! Let's Go Hawks! Let's Go Bulls!

They pointed out on the radio that it's the Knicks and it's NY and it was during February when pretty much the only thing to talk about was regular season basketball. I don't think the Knicks need to worry too much about publicity.

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I have to disagree. At the time, I was working a sports pub half a block from MSG. The Rangers games always saw a terrific crowd and sparked lots of discussion, even on off days. Even in the beginning of the season (ie, when the Stanley Cup wasn't really part of the discussion yet). Knicks games drew next to nothing. No one talked about the Knicks except to complain about Stat being soft. New York simply didn't give much of a crap about the Knicks season until Lin. And I've simply never seen any fanbase (including bazillions of fair-weather fans who didn't necessarily ever care about basketball before that February run) respond like Linsanity.

All of a sudden, our bar is packed full of re-invigorated Knicks fans barking like they were Spike Lee, and right next to them family upon family of first generation Korean immigrants (Koreatown is a block south) going bonkers, proudly wearing Lin jerseys and tees.

There was definitely a lull once he was injured, but the momentum he single-handedly caused got people interested in the Knicks again. It was somewhat similar to St Louis getting excited about the Cards again once McGwire was pounding out 500 foot bombs. Lifelong fans felt their blood warm up again, and newbies flocked to the fun.

The more I think about it, the more I think it was a bad decision to save some money on Raymond freakin' Felton, who won't sell a single ticket or jersey except his family's.

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Let's Go Cards! Let's Go Hawks! Let's Go Bulls!