this game told me everything i didn’t want to know. the celtics are just the better team right now. lakers made the same type of comeback (down 24) in game 2, but couldn’t get over the hump. the celtics came back from 24 and took the game. the lakers showed their inexperience (because for some reason, Phil kept Farmar & Radmanovic in until the lead was already gone).
again, Phil proved my theory that his weakness is end of game plays. it’s always so obvious! kobe starts out near the paint, runs by a few weak picks and the ball never gets to him. we end up with sasha trying to get his own shot.
lakers have to win 3 straight. it’s never been done before, and everything i’ve seen tells me it’s not happening this time either. i’ll still root for the guys, but i’ve already thrown in the towel. bring on Beijing!
1 year ago
the refs definitely had an impact on the game….true, the lakers still didn’t play well and there are other reasons for the loss, but man. when a game goes down to the wire like that, just ONE foul call changes everything.
what the heck happened when kobe didn’t even touch the ball at that critical play near the end. phil is a great coach and he does so many great things, but i think one of his biggest weaknesses is drawing up specific and effective under-10-second plays.
lastly, i really hate to even mention conspiracy theories, but i’ve been hearing about how the nba is trying to ensure that this series goes 7 games. if the officiating becomes lopsided in favor of the lakers these next 3 games, i’d have to believe that theory. on the other hand, did you notice how they did NOT fine phil after he blasted the officiating? was that the nba’s way of admitting the lakers got jipped?
wow, i wrote more on this entry than i have yet to write for my final analysis paper.
1 year ago
i would’ve written this earlier, but i’ve been in Bakersfield for some choir stuff. fun times.
before the playoffs started i said it was such a great feeling to expect la to meet boston in the finals. but i have to admit, once the playoffs started, i started doubting. even though they were both the #1 seeds, i kept thinking, somehow, something was gonna screw up this storybook ending. after the first round, i was thinking…yea the lakers played really well, but utah is much better than denver…next round i was thinking, utah was tough, but here come the champs (spurs). and on the other side, celtics struggled against the HAWKS…then went another 7 against the cavs. up until friday night, i had my doubts, but the celtics finally took care of business. dream come true. for the first time in my life, i’ll witness, imo, sports’ greatest rivalry first hand (i was only 3 when they last met in the finals).
again, those negative thoughts are starting to haunt me…will the lakers’ youth finally show their inexperience?. what if lamar doesn’t show up. what if ray allen does show up. what if pau really is too soft. the celtics haven’t been good in the playoffs, but they seemed to get it together that last game…
but no, this time, i think i’m feeling more excited than doubtful. excitement has finally taken over after seeing what the lakers done. sweeping the nuggets, closing out utah in utah, the toughest place to win, and beating the spurs in 5. they’ve clearly played the best basketball against the best teams. on top of it, their fearless leader is finally reaching his full potential as a player and teammate. say what you will about his past *ahem* hartmansimersplaschke. in this moment, he is doing/saying all the right things and playing the right way.
i’m probably going to write more on this very topic, especially since they don’t even start playing for another 3 days. tentatively, i’ll say Lakers in 6.
1 year ago
I can’t believe I’m gonna post something by Plaschke, but this was pretty good.
”The Lakers didn’t just come back from a 20-point deficit to steal an 89-85 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals opener Wednesday.
They turned basketball’s smartest crunch-time team into dummies.
They turned basketball’s toughest veterans into twitching rookies.
They stole a victory from a team that was doing everything right, and they stole it after doing everything wrong.
In the end, after another Spur had bricked and another Laker had dived and wonderful spring chaos had once again returned to 11th and Figueroa, both locker rooms were quiet.
The Spurs, because they were trying to leave.
“We’re supposed to be smarter than this,” said Robert Horry, rushing into the hallway.
The Lakers, because they were trying not to laugh.”
Read.
1 year ago
i listened to a podcast on Wagner’s Ring Cycle for a homework assignment. the Ring Cycle is a cycle of 4 operas that add up to around 15 hours of drama & music. performances usually take 4 days, one opera per day. i highly recommend the podcast….it’s very well made, and geared toward the average listener, not music or drama experts.
a few interesting facts & observations from the podcast:
- Wagner worked on this for 26 years, writing both the libretto and the music.
- the work changed the landscape of music history, opera, theatre and philosophies of art.
- film scoring is a direct descendent of his compositional style (see leitmotif)
- Tolkien borrowed the idea of the Ring of Might from the Ring Cycle
1 year ago
i’m so proud of the 6 that represented kaba modern on Randy Whackson’s America’s Best Dance Crew. they consistently had the most versatile choreography and the most intricate formations. but what i appreciated even more was their humbleness, comradery, class, and the fact that every time i watched them, it was obvious that they were having fun. i think it’s messed up that they didn’t make it to the end, but for some reason, tv producers don’t believe in letting the most deserving win their competitions.
1 year ago
