Cavaliers: 98  Pistons: 88

There’s a reason people have dubbed the Cavs the “Cleveland LeBrons.” If you don’t see why, tonight’s game provided 34 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists worth of evidence as to why this guy turns a non-playoff team into a Finals contender every year. As much as I complain about any star treatment by NBA officials, this guy is one of the best basketball players on the planet. He’s the reason why the Cavs were running away with this game in the second and third quarters. Once again, the Pistons put up a good fight late in the game, but the Shaq-less Cavs (and mostly LeBron) were too strong in the end.

The Cavs started off hot, and as I noted on Twitter, were shooting 67% for the game at one point in the 2nd quarter. Just as I pleaded, the Pistons tightened up their defense. Cleveland put up 60 points in the first half but were held to 38 in the second half. The heightened defensive intensity helped the Pistons get back into the game in the 4th quarter.

However, the Pistons were unable to hit shots (39% shooting on the night) and weren’t able to come all the way back to beat the Cavs. Outside of Rodney Stuckey (25 points on 16 shots) and Charlie Villanueva (19 on 15 shots, 8 rebounds), the Pistons didn’t have a consistent offensive threat on the floor. Jason Maxiell (10 points on 3-5 shooting) was the only other Piston in double figures.

Random notes:

Overall, this loss was disappointing, but without Ben Gordon, the Pistons are missing their three best players. Unlike the other injury-depleted professional team in Detroit, the Pistons aren’t deep enough to compete with the top teams in the NBA without Gordon, Rip Hamilton, and Tayshaun Prince.

The Pistons are back in action on Friday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. Hopefully they’ll be able to end their slide at 6 games and get back on track.

According to espn.com Shaquille O’Neal will miss his 6th straight game tonight. I don’t know if you can call this catching a break, because the Pistons will be in for a tough game with Shaq on the court or with Shaq off the court.

The Cavaliers aren’t playing their best basketball right now, but they are still in the top 3 in the East and with LeBron on your team there hardly ever is something like a bad night. Let’s hope that the Pistons can take care of business at home. This is exactly the opponent you need to beat to prove that you can still cause some trouble in your Conference.

 By Kyle Bauer

Yeah, Christmas is freaking awesome. I love presents, and I mean I really love giving and receiving. So much so that I dont still dont sleep on Christmas Eve. I know being 22 years old, thats not the proudest thing to admit, but then again why should I be ashamed? I STILL LOVE CHRISTMAS, I STILL LOVE THE HOLIDAYS! Forgive me for my childish excitement. But for the cookies which I still demand my poor mother make every Christmas Eve, watching a Christmas Story and now Bad Santa (my new addition to list of dorky x-mas traditions), and waking up at 8 am to open presents, is something I can’t deny and likely wont change soon.  I will be pushing my kids out from underneath the tree to unwrap my gifts. Dont get me wrong, I also cannot wait to see the looks on peoples faces when I give them gifts.

Digest that paragraph. I think I gave you an idea of just how much I love Christmas. That paragraph could had been wiped with the first line, but I wanted to make a point of emphasis. But as much as I love Christmas, I love Thanksgiving even more.

Why?……SPORTS, THATS WHY!!!!!!!!!

The night before Thanksgiving in Detroit has always meant a few things to me. Bar night in Neal Ruhl’s favorite city, Royal Oak, and there will be a game in Joe Louis Arena and a game at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

The Pistons have played at home, the night before Thanksgiving every year since 2005, going 4-0. They have played on Thanksgiving Eve every year this decade, going 5-4, losing all four on the road.

I have attended a couple of these games in the past. Against Atlanta in 2006 and New York in 2007. It was certainly a good time. My friends and I were considering making it an annual thing, but last year we all had prior engagements. This year, we initially balked at tickets and with the game being against the Cavs, all the affordable tickets have long been sold out.

The Red Wings tradition of Pre-Thanksgiving at home goes a little deeper than the Pistons. All but one season since 1995, has seen a game in Joe Louis Arena on this (what should be) Holiday. The Wings record on the night before Thanksgiving since 1995 is a staunch 9-3. This includes a 7-3 blowout of Colorado in 2005 and a 7-1 deconstruction of Edmonton in 2003. The only game on the road was in 2001, when the Wings beat Columbus 1-0 in overtime at Nationwide Arena. I do not know who exactly scored that goal but I’ll go ahead and guess it was Fedorov. It just seems like something Fedorov would do.

I typed in "Red Wings Night before Thanksgiving" into Google Image and 
I got this....it works. Wonder who Dave Coulier spends 
Thanksgiving with?

So when slappy Lion fan tells you (and he/she will) “THE LIONS ALWAYS WIN ON THANKSGIVING! DURRRR!!!!!” Stop them and say, no, the Red Wings always win the NIGHT BEFORE Thanksgiving. For the record, the Wings have only played once on Thanksgiving in recent years and that was in 2007 when they lost on the road in Nashville.

Tonight the Red Wings will fire up versus the Atlanta Thrashers. I had thought the NHL contracted the Atlanta franchise in 2004 after Dany Heatly killed Dan Snyder. So I’m excited that I’ll get to see what theyre all about.

Tomorrow I will blog about the beauty of the NFL on Thanksgiving or rather, what used to be the beauty of the NFL on Thanksgiving. You probably wont be surprised to see part two of this blog to be dripping with cynicism. Still read it anyway!

Pacers over Clippers, Bobcats over Raptors, Magic over Heat, Celtics over Sixers, Hornets over Bucks, Mavs over Rockets, Nuggets over Wolves, Blazers over Nets, Kings over Knicks

NIGHTLY LEADERS

Scoring: D. Granger, D. Wade, L. James, R. Gay

Rebounds: E. Okafor, D. Howard, G. Wallace

Assists: R. Rondo, J. Calderon, S. Nash

DARKHORSE PLAYERS: E. Okafor, Stephen Jackson,

With Thanksgiving less than 24 hours away, it got me thinking about the holiday lineup of games that will be made viewable to myself.  It got me thinking about which of the next three holidays has the best slate of games, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s Day.  It’s a valid question indeed.

Lets start with Thanksgiving.  As we all know, Thanksgiving is always known for their NFL games and turkey legs.  This year’s lineup is very questionable though.  Detroit always plays a home game, which in itself makes it less than exciting, the Lions host the Green Bay Packers.  Then Oakland travels to Dallas for the Cowboys annual turkey day game.  I know Cowboy fans are excited about this (Jesse) but not so much for me.  The final NFL game of Thanksgiving day features the New York Giants traveling to the struggling Broncos.  To me this is the game with the most intrigue.  Thanksgiving also has two NBA games scheduled, and both are good games.  Orlando Magic at the Atlanta Hawks then the Chicago Bulls at the Utah Jazz.

Next lets focus in on Christmas day.  Christmas day is all about the NBA, and the NBA on ABC.  Five games are scheduled and all are on either ABC or ESPN.  The Quartet of games is headlined by Lebron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers traveling to play Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.  The other headline game is a big Eastern Conference game between the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics.  Other games include the Heat vs the Knicks, the Clippers battling the Suns, and the Nuggets playing the Blazers.  One NFL game is scheduled for Christmas day, the Chargers travel to the Titans, and the game can be found on the NFL Network.

Finally lets look at the games on New Year’s Day.  College football is well known for hogging up the television time when the new year hits.  The biggest two bowl games on New Year’s Day include the BCS Rose Bowl and BCS Sugar Bowl.  Teams are still being determined. Other bowl games include the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl, the Capitol One Bowl, and the Outback Bowl.  One NBA game is being televised nationally, and that game features the New York Knicks playing at the Atlanta Hawks on NBA TV.

So looking at those three days, to me it’s really not even a toss up to which day of games I am looking forward to the most.  I am extremely partial to the NBA and basketball, so I am very excited about Christmas day and that Lebron Kobe game, but that’s not the best day of this bunch. Nothing beats the college football bowl season, and with two BCS games on the dial, it gets even better.  The Rose Bowl looks like it might be a Ohio St. Oregon matchup that would be a really great game.  The Sugar Bowl with include either Florida or Alabama (loser of SEC title game) and most likely Cincinnati.  I won’t be tuning into that NBA game but New Year’s Day gets my award for having the best day for sports viewing.

It’s hard not to laugh.  One fiasco after another, this Knicks organization just can’t seem to get anything right.  Is it just me or have the Gods of Basketball seemed to have put some kind of curse on this team?  There have been so many problems with the Knicks that it doesn’t seem like it’s ever going to stop.  What kind of player would want to play there?  Especially if that player is a superstar free agent hungry for a ring?

This all began with Isiah Thomas.  The guy was a fantastic player, but he was a hothead and made many poor choices as coach and executive of the franchise (this combination never works: just look at Mike Dunleavy in Clipperland) .  Thomas sold away most of the Knick’s future draft picks for the likes of Eddy Curry (came with a lot of baggage) and Zach Randolph (a locker room nightmare).  He signed fringe players to mid-level exceptions.  And worst of all, he coached the New York Knicks to some of their worst seasons in franchise history.

So Isiah Thomas was fired after much public pressure from the fans, and former Phoenix coach Mike D’antoni was hired.  But it almost seems like Thomas left a legacy behind.  A beloved point guard of Thomas, the talented but troubled Stephon Marbury butted heads with the franchise and was eventually told to stop coming to practice.  This fiasco gained much publicity in the press throughout the 2008-2009 season.

Even now, the Knicks are in a sorry state.  Right now they are 3-10, and at this rate it would surprise a lot of people if they won more than 25-30 games this season.  Their source of hope right now is a still out of shape Eddy Curry, who is coming back from a sore knee.  The Knicks even thought about signing the extremely troubled Allen Iverson, a sure sign of desperation.  But to me, their biggest problem is their players themselves.  Most of them are in a contract year, and they all know that to get better contracts next year they need good stats.  As a result, a lot of players are extremely greedy with the ball and there is just an overall lack of cohesiveness and team spirit.

The franchise is resting its hopes on next summer, when there will be enough money to sign one or maybe even two max contract players.  But what player would actually come to this sorry franchise?  Lebron James, arguably the most coveted of the free agents, flirts with the Knicks relentlessly, wearing NY caps and shoes to games, dropping subtle hints here and there (at least he used to), etc.  This is a losing franchise that is a soap opera of fiasco after fiasco, and there’s no end in sight.

Lebron won’t come to the Big Apple.  They have nothing to offer him.  Even from Cleveland he’s gotten so many endorsements that he is already a household name.  Neighboring franchise New Jersey Nets are just as bad of a team as the Knicks but without all the drama.  One of his close friends, mogul rapper Jay Z, is a minority shareholder for the Nets and has been courting James for months.

Yes, the Knicks can offer money.  But James seems like the ambitious type and it’s doubtful that he will spend the next few years of his career rotting on an embarrassment of a team.  For the New York Knicks, yes they will probably get a big FA or two who’s in it for the money, but the ultimate prize, the best player on the market, stays out of their grasp.

This franchise, starting from the bottom up, needs to get its act together.  The fans deserve it.

The rankings are out again, and there is a new #1. Who is it? How far did the former #1 fall? When will New Jersey get it together? The rankings begin right now.

1. Orlando Magic (11-3) (previous ranking: 9) Five straight wins have vaulted the Magic to the best record in the NBA and the top spot in the rankings. Despite losing Jameer Nelson for four to six weeks, this team is still deep and they are really coming together.

2. Atlanta Hawks (11-3) (previous ranking: 2) If the Hawks had not of lost to New Orleans last night, the talk of them being #1 would be a no-brainer, but this team is still one of the tops in the East. They are really showing themselves as a contender. This is another team that is deep, and if they can stay healthy, they could go a long way in May.

3. Phoenix Suns (11-3) (previous ranking: 1) The Suns loss to the Hornets prevented them from holding the top spot for the week. With Orlando and Atlanta on fire as of late, they had to be bumped down two spots. Not many impressive wins for them to stay among the tops in the rankings

4. Los Angeles Lakers (10-3) (previous ranking: 4) The Lakers stay put after a 3-0 week, and it is good for them that Pau Gasol is back, he will be able to take the load off Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum. The team is complete again, but Phoenix is still holding their ground against them for first in the Pacific Division.

5. Dallas Mavericks (10-3) (previous ranking: 5) The Mavericks may have beat the Lakers, and have won five straight, they were all hard fought victories. The Lakers right now look better than Dallas and with Gasol back from injury, they look more like a better team. If Dallas can beat the Lake Show for a second time with Gasol in lineup, it will be good enough to overtake them. Good 3-0 week for them.

6. Boston Celtics (10-4) (previous ranking: 3) The Magic and Mavericks rise has knocked Boston down a couple of spots. The C’s were a victim of Orlando’s win streak, which was their only loss of the week. Thank Kevin Garnett for avoiding an embarrassing loss to the Knicks at the Garden.

7. Cleveland Cavaliers (10-4) (previous ranking: 5) The Cavs took a pounding from the Wizards this past Wednesday, but responded with wins over Indiana and Philadelphia. At least Shaq has been at home for the games he’s been injured from, and not just the Washington game. Those that know the backstory can have a good laugh.

8. Milwaukee Bucks (8-3) (previous ranking: 10) The Bucks could not beat the Mavericks, but they did take advantage of the weak part of their schedule, beating, New Jersey, Charlotte, and Memphis to cap a 3-1 week and stay tied for first with Clevleland in the Central Division.

9. Denver Nuggets (9-4) (previous ranking: 8] The Nuggets crush the Lakers at home 10 days ago, and in the next week, they lose to the Clippers at Staples Center. This team started out strong, but have been hot and cold since. They have to find a way to stay consistent.

10. Portland Trail Blazers (10-5) (previous ranking: 6) The Blazers went 4-0 last week, but only 2-2 this week. They lost to the Hawks, which wasn’t a surprise, but they also lost to Golden State. Just like the Nuggets, they have to find a way to stay consistent as well. They are good, but we forget that this team is young still.

11. Miami Heat (8-5) (previous ranking: 7) The Heat continue to free fall down the rankings. A huge loss at home to the Thunder, and another bad loss to the Raptors. Udonis Haslem did save the team’s free fall from being worse with a game-winning jumper to sink the New Orleans’ Hornets

12. Houston Rockets (8-6) (previous ranking: 12) The Rockets won the games they were supposed to win (Timberwolves and Kings), but loss the games that they were expected to lose (Suns and Hawks). The 2-2 week has them staying put at #12.

13. Utah Jazz (7-6) (previous ranking: 20) Playing the Cavaliers, and coming close to beating them has had a great effect on the Jazz. They have won three in a row since the Cavs loss, and have a long homestand ahead of them in which they have six straight at home (they started it by beating Detroit on Sat. night).

14. Oklahoma City Thunder (7-7) (previous ranking: 16) Another big win against a good team on the road as OKC beat the Heat on South Beach. That along with a win at Washington were good wins. Tough losses against Orlando and the Lakers result in a split week, but as with the Thunder’s season, those wins keep going a long way.

15. Chicago Bulls (6-6) (previous ranking: 14) A 1-2 week puts the Bulls at .500, They beat the surprising Kings, in which that was no surprise. They have loss to the Lakers and Nuggets in this West Coast road trip and then have two tough games in the Blazers and Jazz on the road. Some injuries have set them back, but this team should be better and are better than what their record shows.

16. San Antonio Spurs (5-6) (previous ranking: 17) The Spurs are still struggling to maintain the high expectations. They all haven’t been healthy together, as the Big Three of Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili have been injured at various times of the year. Richard Jefferson has really been non-existent. It’s still early, but when will they finally start to peak?

17. Indiana Pacers (5-6) (previous ranking: 13) Three straight losses has the Pacers dropping four spots. A loss to the Cavaliers is one thing, but to lose to the Knicks and Bobcats is a MAJOR setback, especially blowing a huge lead to New York and losing the game.

18. Toronto Raptors (6-8) (previous ranking: 19) The only team to go 1-3 and move up, it must be because the teams below are doing awful, but the Raps did just run into teams that are better than them, losing two in the mountains (Denver & Utah) and Orlando, but an impressive win over the Heat was their saving grace this week.

19. Sacramento Kings (5-7) (previous ranking: 15) The Kings have lost three straight, against the teams they should really lose to (Chicago at home, Dallas and Houston on the road), but the schedule is encouraging for them to get back to .500 by Wednesday with games at Memphis and against the New York Knicks. Still playing hard and playing with fight, something that has not been seen in Sacto in a long time.

20. New Orleans Hornets (6-9) (previous ranking: 25) Had it not been for Udonis Haslem’s jumper to sink them at Miami, the Hornets could have risen further in the rankings. The team looked like it was in major trouble, but they had impressive wins over Phoenix and Atlanta. Maybe hope is not lost in the Big Easy.

21. Philadelphia 76ers (5-8) (previous ranking: 21) The Sixers escaped with victory over the Charlotte Bobcats in a game that they weren’t supposed to win, but they followed that up with a very bad loss to the Memphis Grizzlies and the fell to the Cavs on the road. This team is not that impressive, but luckily for them, a lot of teams are not that impressive either.

22. Los Angeles Clippers (5-9) (previous ranking: 22) The Clippers lost a couple of bad ones in New Orleans and in Memphis, but they did come on national television this past Friday and won a good game over the Denver Nuggets, so their ranking stays put for another week.

23. Detroit Pistons (5-9) (previous ranking: 18) During the five year anniversary of the “Malice at the Palace”, many bloggers and media people were so focused on how the Pacers have been rebuilding. Sure the Pistons have been in the playoffs consistently, but has anyone noticed that Indiana is ahead of Detroit right now. Five straight losses has the Pistons in the Central Division cellar, and John Kuester needs to know that Joe Dumars has very little patience.

24. Golden State Warriors (4-8) (previous ranking: 24) The Warriors winning percentage in 2009 before Stephen Jackson trade: .333. The winning percentage in 2009 after Stephen Jackson trade: .333. Not much of a difference since Jax’s departure, but it is good to see Stephen Curry get more playing time for the Warriors.

25. Charlotte Bobcats (4-9) (previous ranking: 23) The Bobcats winning percentage in 2009 before acquiring Stephen Jackson: .333. The winning percentage in 2009 after acquiring Stephen Jackson: .250. The one thing that is said though is that they have shown a lot more offense in the last few games, and they ended their seven game losing streak with a win over the Pacers Sunday night.

26. Memphis Grizzlies (4-9) (previous ranking: 27) The Grizz are 2-1 since Allen Iverson was officially released from the team. This team is playing with more confidence, and more loose since the departure of A.I., and by beating and staying with teams that are better than them, it can go a long way (just ask the Sacramento Kings and Oklahoma City Thunder)

27. Washington Wizards (3-9) (previous ranking: 26) The Wizards have their Big Three healthy and together again, but they are still playing the same? What is with this team? It looked as if they turned a corner when they beat their rivals, the Cleveland Cavaliers, but they have lost big to the Thunder and to the Spurs. This team is just hard to figure out. Is Gilbert Arenas on to what he says about this team and “hidden agendas”?

28. New York Knicks (3-10) (previous ranking: 28) The poor Knicks go 2-1 over the week, and can’t move up anywhere. Mike D’Antoni’s bunch could have moved up quite a bit if they could have beaten the Celtics last night, but a 1-7 record at MSG is not going to help matters in this team’s quest to improve.

29. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-12) (previous ranking: 29) The Timberwolves have quietly lost 12 in a row, if it wasn’t for their only win against New Jersey, this team would be 0-13. The question is with them has to be: What does Ricky Rubio think of this? The worst thing about losing 12 in a row is that majority of these losses have been extremely bad.

30. New Jersey Nets (0-13) (previous ranking: 30) The only chance for the Nets to win was lost on Saturday at the hands of the New York Knicks. Lawrence Frank is still around has to be due to the fact that management knows that this team is ravaged with injuries. But at the same time though, there seems to be no wins in sight as they hit the West Coast for a road trip. How much longer will the rope hang for Frank?

Apologies for another light week here at the GHHT, but busy weeks come with the territory when at The U. Since my last recap, the Pistons beat the Washington Wizards, but lost their next 5 games. Despite some recurring themes throughout those losses, I’ll go with a game-by-game approach.

Pistons: 106  Wizards: 103 – I wasn’t able to watch this game, but the box score shows a lot of the things we Pistons fans expected coming into this season. The guards and Charlie Villanueva carried the scoring load: CV31, Will Bynum, Ben Gordon, and Rodney Stuckey combined to score 91 of the Pistons’ 106 points. Detroit out-rebounded the Wizards 44-43, but that feat comes with an asterisk as Antawn Jamison did not play for Washington due to a shoulder injury. The big story of the game was the Wizards’ inability to score late in the 4th quarter. Washington went the final 5:03 without a field goal (until Gilbert Arenas hit a meaningless 3-pointer with 3 seconds left), and only scored 5 points in that time.

Mavericks: 95  Pistons: 90 – I think this game would have gone the other way for the Pistons if they hadn’t been on the second leg of a back-to-back. They looked tired at points during the game and it didn’t help that Ben Gordon made only 1 of 16 shots. Dirk Nowitzki maintained his MVP-like play in the early season with 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. I was very impressed with Dallas rookie Rodrigue Beaubois. The Frenchman scored 14 points (on a perfect 6-6) in 19 minutes. Despite Gordon’s poor shooting night, I support John Kuester’s decision to give Gordon the ball in the closing seconds when a 3-pointer would have tied the game. Ball Don’t Lie’s Kelly Dwyer chimed in on this decision during his daily recap of NBA action.

So do you go to Ben Gordon, with the game on the line?

Of course you do. Hell yes, you do.

Why?

Because Gordon, and I’m paraphrasing here, is “a career 41.5 three-point shooter.”

And after Sunday’s outburst? He’s a 41.4 percent three-point shooter.

As always, great stuff from KD. Many Pistons’ fans wanted to see the ball in Will Bynum’s hands at the end of the game. I disagree. Bynum isn’t a great 3-point shooter, and you can’t trust the NBA officials to call a foul (or the Mavericks to foul in that situation) when the game is on the line. Unfortunately, Gordon missed and the Pistons took the loss. He’ll make up for it at some point this season.

Lakers: 106  Pistons: 93 – Don’t kid yourself: this was a beat-down. The Pistons’ bench was able to make things respectable towards the end of the game, but the Lakers were able to slack off when leading 88-63 after the first 3 quarters. Los Angeles dominated on the glass (44-32) and shot 47.2% on the night, even after shooting 33% in the 4th quarter. Kobe Bryant scored a seemingly-effortless 40 points. Poor Jonas Jerebko was charged with guarding the Black Mamba and looked like a rookie should in the process. Poor nights from Charlie Villanueva (2 points) and Rodney Stuckey (-30!) were a big part of the Pistons’ downfall. Still, it’s nice to see the team come back late in the game and not let the Lakers get too comfortable (Kobe was brought back into the game when the Pistons got to within 10 points).

Trail Blazers: 87  Pistons: 81 – The Pistons trailed for the majority of this game, but were consistently making small runs to get close and nearly take the lead. Unfortunately, the Blazers had an answer for every run the Pistons made. It seemed as if Brandon Roy would come up with a huge basket when the Pistons got too close. I was shocked when I saw he only scored 20 points; I thought he had at least 30. Charlie Villanueva bounced back from his poor outing against the Lakers with a 20 point effort. It would be nice to see him end up with more than 3 rebounds, but Ben Wallace grabbing 12 rebounds and a slow pace kept the amount of chances to a minimum. Surprisingly, the Pistons out-rebounded the Blazers 39-36. Portland killed the Pistons with their offensive efficiency, racking up 25 assists on 33 made field goals.

Jazz: 100 Pistons: 97 (OT) – I had a hard time paying attention to this one. Most of it had to do with the technical problems Fox Sports was having with their broadcast (especially the lack of the score on screen during the first half). Regardless, this loss was disappointing. The Pistons had a golden chance to win at Utah for the first time since John Stockton retired and came up empty. Packey summed up the night nicely at Motown String Music:

Even though it was an entertaining game, that doesn’t mean it was aesthetically pleasing.  The Pistons turned the ball over 17 times and allowed Utah to get to the charity stripe 44 times, of which they made 33, serving as the difference maker in this one.  Detroit made 21 of their 25 attempts.

Suns: 117  Pistons: 91 – The Pistons fell behind early in the 2nd quarter, trailing by 16 (58-42) at halftime and stretched their lead to 20+ in the 3rd quarter. The Suns were able to run on the Pistons at will, both after made baskets and defensive rebounds. Steve Nash continued to play at the ridiculous level we’ve seen from him this year (even by his standards) with 20 points and 9 assists. Amare Stoudemire received a technical foul early in the 3rd quarter and, like Rasheed Wallace in his early Piston days, took his game to another level. Stoudemire finished with 21 points and 5 rebounds. The Pistons, like most teams do at the end of a road trip, looked like they just wanted to get on the plane and go home.

To their defense, the Pistons have played 6 games in the last 9 days. Only one of those games was at the Palace, and it was on the second half of a back-to-back. The Pistons actually played three sets of back-to-back games in this 6-game stretch. Essentially, this was a 6-game road trip for the Pistons. Unfortunately, they were only able to come away with 1 win. The five losses came against teams with a combined 46-20 record (currently), and even that mark is held back by Utah’s 7-6 start. They took care of business against the (currently) 3-9 Wizards. The reality of the situation is that there aren’t many teams in the NBA that would come away from a stretch like this with a .500 record (3-3). There are definitely areas the Pistons need to improve (defense, general focus, Rodney Stuckey’s shooting), but don’t think that these losses are because the Pistons are a bad team. They just went up against some of the best teams in the NBA in a short stretch and weren’t able to come away with wins.

The Pistons are back in action on Wednesday against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland has been red-hot as of late, but hopefully the Pistons can come away with a November win against the Cavs for the second year in a row. The silver lining? The Clippers come to town on Friday.

#1 – Atlanta Hawks

The best team of the NBA so far. Josh Smith has been superb in the first 14 games. He has been the horse they have been riding. The Hawks had a weird loss to the Hornets Friday but that’s Ok on the road and on a second of back-to-backs.

#2 – Cleveland Cavaliers

Without Shaq, the team plays better. He just doesn’t fit there and with him out for a while now, they were able to give minutes to JJ Hickson who could be the solution for their problems, certainly not offensively but maybe defensively.

#3 – Phoenix Suns

The Suns remain red hot. 2^nd best record of the league so far, even with the loss to the Hornets on Thursday which shouldn’t be a shock because every time that the Suns are dominated on the boards, they lose, and it’s a lock just like that.

#4 – Los Angeles Lakers

Gasol is back and that means the Lakers should make their push to the league’s best record now. With the Spanish Center there, they are just so tough to beat, they are big and physical.

#5 – Orlando Magic

With Rashard Lewis back, they become a matchup nightmare again. The win against the Celtics highlighted that. Vince Carter is coming alive, against Boston he scored 26, turned the ball over a lot but took the game over in the end and that what you expect from your superstar and the reason why Orlando traded for him.

#6 – Denver Nuggets

Carmelo Anthony has been terrific so far and put himself in the MVP race however they are still not on the same level as last season. Their defense has been OK but when Billups doesn’t play well, all of a sudden nobody else but Carmelo produces.

#7 – Dallas Mavericks

Nowitzki has been carrying them because the bunch of injuries already started, Marion and Howard haven’t played together for a decent amount of time, and it’s not close to end.

#8 – Boston Celtics

On back-to-backs they look old. The loss against the Magic can be faced as a problem but when healthy, they are still the best team in the NBA. The question is: for how long will they remain healthy?

#9 – Milwaukee Bucks

The Jenningsmania is all over the NBA, even in this Power Rankings.

#10 – Portland Trail Blazers

Travis Outlaw is out with the same injury that held Webster for the entire season last year and that’s a hit on their second unit. The 3 men backcourt has survived so far but maybe is time to trade Miller.

#11 – Miami Heat

As Wade goes, they go which means that so far, they are a playoff team.

#12 – Houston Rockets

Even I’m convinced that this team needs somebody who can create his own shots on clutch moments. That guy is neither Ariza nor Brooks. Hopefully McGrady won’t screw the good vibe around the team.

#13 – Oklahoma City Thunder

When those four guys score, they are tough to hold. Lately even when they lose, they are on the game until the end. As the season progresses, they progress and the Western Conference should watch out.

#14 – Utah Jazz

With Williams back and Boozer stepping up, the Jazz won all three games this week including one against the Spurs which was their first in San Antonio in 20 games.

#15 – Toronto Raptors

They won 42% of their games. With all the money spent in this team and with playoff expectations around them, they have to perform better.

#16 – San Antonio Spurs

Ginobili and Parker out this week, injuries caught with them like expected. They always start slow, so no worry there.

#17 – Chicago Bulls

Derrick Rose has struggled a lot and that’s a real problem. This is a team that has a lot of variations and formations but it’s only 8 deep.

#18 – Indiana Pacers

They are who we thought they were: a .500 team.

#19 – Detroit Pistons

With Hamilton and Prince out, they have been able to hang in there but the problems are the same, lack of size inside and no rebounders, and when they face decent competition, that’s a problem.

#20 – Sacramento Kings

They are 5-7. Can you believe that?! The Kings won 41.7% of their games and that’s crazy. Tyreke Evans and Omir Caspi have been big so far.

#21 – Los Angeles Clippers

Yes, they have been a disappointment but when Gordon and Griffin return, they should be better. The push to the playoffs is yet to come but Kaman has played the best basketball of his career and Baron Davis is finally finding himself on that offense. Their second unit is amazing.

#22 – New Orleans Hornets

Without Chris Paul and with the new coach, they played well this week. Rookies getting more playing time and when Stojakovic shows up to play, they are not that bad. It’s tough to see them over .500 though.

#23 – Philadelphia 76ers

They are the ones to open a playoff spot on the East. They face problems on offense and defense. With Brand there, they haven’t been as committed to Iguodala on offense which they should if they want to save the season.

#24 – Golden State Warriors

Jackson is gone and the Warriors got cap relief instead. They’ll play shorthanded for the rest of the season but Don Nelson likes it this way. Nelson who, by the way, is 23 wins away from his record which means he’s 23 wins away from retirement what could mean that next season, maybe the Warriors will be OK.

#25 – Charlotte Bobcats

Probably the dumbest team in the NBA. The franchise is for sale but yet they took on Jackson’s awful contract in a move that won’t make them better than those teams they are fighting.

#26 – Memphis Grizzlies

Iverson is now gone for good. It’s time for them to translate talent into wins.

#27 – Washington Wizards

They have been the most disappointing team so far.

#28 – New York Knicks

Apparently they refused going after Allen Iverson, which would at least entertain us, because of Eddie Curry and Toney Douglas. I have no words for that.

#29 – Minnesota Timberwolves

They miss Kevin Love but as expected they would be bad anyway.

#30 – New Jersey Nets

They have been banged up but nothing justifies that awful start. Douglas Roberts is back, so is Harris, which means the offense should be better but the 0-17 start looks real.

Check More At: MVN

Power Rankings III: http://basketballoutsider.wordpress.com/2009/11/18/power-rankings-iii/

Fones Skullcandy NBA series.Wish list pro Natal, aqui tu acha pra vender esses e outros modelos super hypes…

via : dailydrop

If only...

“And starting at wide receiver for your Cleveland Browns, number #23,  The King, Lebron James.”

That has quite the ring to it, doesn’t it. With the recent suggestion that Lebron James has the talent to join an elite group of athletes by starring in two sports, I ask that you to let me take you on a ride, a hypothetical ride, down the path that could have been.

Let’s go back to 2003 and instead of the buzz surrounding the NBA draft, the hype surrounds which college football team Lebron will choose to attend. After much internal debate, Lebron decides to stick with his hometown Buckeyes, forgoing a shot to start with the Gators. During his first year with the Buckeyes, Lebron gets his feet wet and turns some heads with his long reach and jaw dropping ability to pick up yards after the catch. On the NBA side of things, Darko Milicic ends up going first to the Cavs, followed by Carmelo to the Pistons, Bosh to Denver and Wade to Toronto.

With James at Ohio State for a second year, the Pistons continue their domination of the NBA with their second NBA Championship in a row to go along with Carmelo’s Rookie of the Year award. Cleveland’s downward spiral into oblivion is fast-tracked by the poor selection of Darko at number one. The team is surrounded by talks of contraction and movement. On the other side, James lights up the NCAA and ends up as a Heisman finalist.

Coming off his best season, Lebron declares that he will enter the 2005 NFL draft. With his ridiculous stats and abnormal height, Lebron is touted as the number one wide receiver. Ironically enough he is drafted third overall to the Cleveland Browns, pushing wide receiver Braylon Edwards to the number four spot overall.

Prior to entering the NFL, Lebron signs a record-breaking deal with Adidas, bringing the brand to the forefront of the NFL for the first time in history. With Lebron starting at wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns, the 2005-2006 season turns out to be the first winning season in quite a while for the team. In the NBA, Detroit reaches the finals once again after beating the Toronto Raptors who reach the NBA Conference Finals as Vince Carter and Dwayne Wade have formed one of the top backcourts in the history of the NBA.  A Toronto fan can only dream…

Fast-forward to the present day. Lebron is still a member of the Cleveland Browns, who have had four straight winning seasons and are coming off of a SuperBowl appearance on the backs on James and QB Brady Quinn. In the NBA, Toronto is the team to beat in the East as Vince Carter has decided to stay and play with Dwayne Wade. In other news, Nike hooks on to Darko Milicic and over the course of the 5 years subsequent to his draft, they endured the 5 least profitable years in their history. Oh how different history could have been.

While it is fun to hypothesize and speculate, the reality is that Lebron is a phenom on the NBA court and as sports’ fans we should not wish or even suggest anything more. He is the bar that everyone is going to be measured against for years and years to come in the NBA. With that being said, the only thing we can hope for is that James doesn’t make the same mistake as another famous 23 did. Stick to basketball Lebron, if only for your sake.

Fresh from her triumphant European tour The Wirk has returned to home base to share her account of her evening on the town in the Nation’s Capitol. We join her movie as she takes in a Public Enemy show, donates a garment to the cause of homeless youth, attends the birthday party of Washington Post columnist Michael Wilbon and keeps it hot with the reigning NBA MVP.

insideplaya

Wednesday. Most people are home on Wednesday night. The Wirk is not most people. I wasn’t even supposed to be in town ~ since work was originally expected to keep me in Europe this week, but I am fluid and have learned to just “roll with it”…

Wednesday. Usually I go out with my girls for SBN. What’s SBN you ask? I’ve dubbed it ~ Sweaty Bitch Night. Why?!?! Because my girls and I get dolled up and head to our local watering hole where we proceed to dance and drink like fools. We think we look cute when we take pics with the other patrons, but we’re convinced they’re asking themselves , “Who are these sweaty bitches?!?!”

Wednesday ~ this one was different, since my girls all seem to have variations of swine flu, the common old, and strep and are staying home. The Shaq-less Cavs were in town to play the Wizards, and with my ex in the middle ~ I felt no need to try to get a seat… I’ve seen that show many times and wanted to do something fresher. Public Enemy was in town to help raise awareness for Youth Homelessness. Ironically, when looking for something fresh, I chose to go old school…

THE AUTHOR GETTING HER WAG ON WITH
CLEVELAND CAV ZYDRUNAS ILGAUSKAS

PE

I rounded up a couple of my friends who are Public Enemy fans and off to the show we go. Lisner Auditorium is a small venue. Picture a movie theatre on opening night ~ yeah, the show is general admission, but good luck finding a seat. If you donated a coat, you could be upgraded to a VIP seat closer to the stage. I went through my closet ~ pulled a coat. I’m not sure what happened, but there was some miscommunication and my 2 friends who I shard the cab with went empty handed to the concert. Yeah, I don’t know… Anyway, I’m set with my VIP bracelet and am already thinking of how I am politely going to tell my two friends, that I’m sitting up front and that I’ll see them after the show. Sure enough, my opportunity came at the bar, when my friend told me to wait for them. I think she could tell I was getting spazzy… “We’re all gonna sit together,” she said. “No, we’re not.” I replied. With that settled, into the auditorium I went.

I sit next to a guy named Jimmy. It just so happened that Jimmy knows the guys that are working security. Courtesy of Jimmy, I am upgraded from the 10th row to the 3rd row. Jimmy is now my best friend. My friend sees this and texts me, “I just saw you move up with that guy. Hook us up bitch.”… I laugh out loud and show my new best friend her text. He tells me to talk to his friend ~ he thinks his name is Carlos and see what I can do. I go up to the guy and call him Carlos ~ and he says, “Did you just call me Carlos?” OK – we’re off to a bad start, Carlos is obviously not this guy’s name… BUT I have no shame and I will be short 2 friends if I don’t make it happen for them. I continue to press on with “Carlos” and ask if my friends can move down. After getting the green light from him, I wave my peeps down and manage to sustain those friendships for at least one more night.

Show starts. Flavor Flav (aka Fookie Fookie) is on the stage doing his thing. Chuck D gets on stage and wow, that voice… Talk about contrast from Maxwell last week…

Chuck D’s voice is commanding. Think of it like this. At fast food restaurants you have to ask for ketchup. Why?!?! Who knows ~ ketchup is free. Anyway… I’d imagine Maxwell almost whispering, “Can I have some ketchup, please?”. Chuck D would say, “Gimme some ketchup.” Flavor Flav wouldn’t utter a word. He’d just hop the counter and grab it himself.

Public Enemy played their hits, but noticeably absent was Burn Hollywood Burn… Don’t worry, I’ll live. 911’s a Joke didn’t disappoint and Fight the Power was strong. “Elvis was a hero to most, but he never meant shit to me…”  Eureka ~ I’m not alone!!!

It’s 11PM. Concert is over and it’s time to hop in a cab to hit a birthday party. Happy Birthday, Michael Wilbon. Cavs v Wizards game has ended and the crew is making it over to a spot so we can toast our dear friend, and where he can get some grub after the game. We chat it up, catch up, and drink up. Mike bolts for home, and it’s decided that three of us will go to the club to see Lebron and the crew. With Teri and Neville with me, I’m off to a spot called Josephine’s… Randy (LeBron’s cousin and co-star in a State Farm commercial where they do the Kid and Play dance) has his phone off. We’re waiting and I notice Deshawn Stevenson is waiting too. HAHAHA… Deshawn is pissed. “This always happens when Cleveland is in town,” he yells. My girl gets the attention of Eric, Sam Cassell’s friend, and we’re in. The door girl wants $140 for the 3 of us. $40 for girls, and Nev has to pay $60 for being a dude. I laugh at her. Sam’s friend, Eric comes through for us again and we’re IN.

THE AUTHOR & DC FLAVOR MAN NEVILLE WATERS

PTI HOST AND BIRTHDAY BOY MICHAEL WILBON & THE AUTHOR

The club is packed. I couldn’t tell you what music was playing, and I’m pretty sure I had a fun time. We head to the bar. Check the scene, head to the VIP. Deshawn on one side and Lebron on the other. It’s an OBVIOUS choice. My girl knows Lebron from the league and being in PR. I “know” Lebron because of my Cleveland WAG past. What’s a WAG?!?! It’s an acronym I picked up when I was in London for 3 weeks. WAG stands for Wives and Girlfriends and I am a Cleveland Cavalier WAG alumnus… We’ve talked, been at the same parties and events, and sat less than 2 feet apart numerous times, but I still don’t think he puts it together and I’m not sure I want him to. I like being a little under the radar with him and although I think he’s special, I’m not Lebron crazy. I practically watched him grow up on the court because I went to the University of Akron, lived in Cleveland, and would see him all the time.

We walk over to Lebron and the club’s security attempt to keep us away from Lebron’s corner. Try again… We get waved through. We say, “What’s up?!?” After acknowledging each other, we’re done. There really isn’t much else to say. Lebron was sporting some smart eyeglass frames and was probably sweating harder underneath his sweater than he did on the court, because the club was HOT and I had heard he got hit with two techs during the game. C’est la vie.

My crew and I decide to bounce. I hop in the cab, text my friend to see if she’s still awake and ask to crash at her house since my car is there and I don’t drink and drive. She says I’m golden, but to go to the back of the house so I don’t wake up her housemate. Looks like I have one more stealth operation before I sleep…

Woke up at 8:30 this morning and reflected on a great night… Yeah., Wednesday. And I wasn’t even supposed to be in town…

The Wirk

Okay, so I watched bits and pieces of the Cavaliers and Wizards game when I wasn’t watching Modern Family (Wednesday nights at 9:00 PM on ABC) and I wasn’t really impressed. That is in general and on an individual basis for players on either team, except for Antawn Jamison. And Mike Miller. And the incredible Earl Boykins, but not for the same reason as the other two gentlemen.

First of all, the Cavs have had a problem for a while now, dating back to their series with the Magic, of not remembering that the game is 60 minutes long and doesn’t end until the final buzzer sounds. That may seem a little Madden-esque in its obviousness, but the Cavs can’t seem to put good to great teams away after earning a lead.

The reason why the Cavs lost last night could be attributed to many factors, facing a team with more glaring talent not among them. What I felt was the deciding factor is that Cleveland was outhustled by a Wizards team that needed a victory more than the Cavaliers did. The Wizards outrebounded the Cavaliers 49-35, and 16-6 on the offensive boards.

And there are even reasons for this lopsided rebounding total that can be excused by some on the Cleveland side. The Cavs played without Shaq, who despite his lost talents is still a big body that can sway a rebounding battle, especially with Brendan Haywood. Along with that, energy boost and all around hustler Anderson Varejao was noticeably absent from the Cavaliers.

It is very true when anyone says “you don’t know what you got until its gone”. A player’s value is most noticeable when he is no longer there. It happens all the time to any team that trades a significant player, and is most glaring when it is a midseason move. Remember the Chauncey Billups/Allen Iverson swap? Of course you do, who doesn’t? Billups was the wheels for the Detroit vehicle; he allowed it to flow smoothly and without much interruption. He was the distributer and leader of a team of veterans that lost focus after he left.

I could even notice it with Rashard Lewis being absent from the Magic’s first ten games where his excellent three-point shooting at the power forward position was glaringly absent and teams played the Magic like a standard team with Brandon Bass in the paint.

What does this mean for Cleveland? It means nothing as long as LeBron’s injury isn’t serious enough for him to miss major playing time. The Wizards and Cavaliers will see each other at least two more times, and nobody would be surprised if they met up in the playoffs and rekindled some of that magic from yesteryear. However, a fully healthy Cavaliers team should beat a fully healthy Wizards team more often than not, unless Gilbert can become near superhuman as he has in the too distant past for my liking.

How could I not have spoken about the most recent uprising that Allen Iverson is leading yet? To me, it is the best thing for Allen to do, even though it is some extremely childish behavior (if you don’t give me what I want, I will pout and make it miserable for everyone). Going to New York wont solve his problems, unless his only true problem is he wants to start again.

I thought at this point that Iverson would have seen that the end is drawing near and he should try and cement his legacy in the league by being on a contender once again. But, Iverson has always been the bronco that was impossible to break. You can think that you finally had the saddle on him and were calmly riding him around the ranch when he bucks you 15 feet into the sky only to have you crashing down on your fragile skull.

I thought that the Bobcats are the ideal situation for Iverson until they traded for Stephen Jackson, almost assuring no Iverson and Brown reunion. I don’t understand the Bobcats yet, but I hopefully will eventually. They are going through so much player turnover to try and find an identity that can bring more victories than headaches; maybe Jackson is that piece that can steady the ship.

He assuredly brings some much needed scoring and the Bobcats traded away Raja Bell who is having wrist surgery and Vladimir Radmanovic who didn’t play that often for Charlotte anyway. So I would say that is a net positive for the Bobcats if they can play Jackson at the 2, Gerald Wallace (the human tornado) at the 3 (or visa versa), then they could have some solid scoring potential from their wing players.

I have a Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins episode recap if you want one, and we all know you do. Here it is:

Jack Daniels leads to an angry and drunk Brad who takes it out on his female teammates at first. Then, in a foolish and life-threatening move, Brad focuses his drunken rage onto Darrell Taylor, a muscular black man who was a boxer for 8 years and had a bit to drink himself.

Brad, not realizing the physical harm that could be inflicted, provoked Darrell, sending Darrell into a blind rage where he took Brad to the ground and punched him in the face multiple times. The results were twofold: first, Brad’s eye swelled up and made him resemble the elephant man, the second was both Darrell and Brad were kicked off, leaving the Challengers with only one male competitor left (Dunbar).

Then, Kelly Anne, who is someone who you can watch easily with the volume muted, started arguing with Dunbar because she heard that he was bragging about, uh, having relations with her. Dunbar denied ever proclaiming such heroics, but Kelly Anne insisted and really messed with the little team chemistry that remained.

The actual challenge was not all that exciting; they traversed hanging fences a couple hundred feet in the air. No big deal, the champions won, as always. So the champions sent in Katie to face Kimberly (the secret racist who doesn’t know any better) and they sent in Johnny Bananas (not his real last name, just a nickname) to face Dunbar, the lone male on the challengers. The episode ending with a “to be continued”, which is always disappointing and frustrating since I devoted an hour of my night to see who gets kicked off.

I really hope that the teams are mixed up better next season. For a couple of seasons now, one team dominates, which is not fun. You wouldn’t want to watch a Yankees-Royals series for 3 straight months would you? Next season they are doing a rehashing of “Fresh Meat”, which introduced us to the lovely, Evan, Kenny, Evelyn, Diem, and Casey.

I didn’t like “Fresh Meat” and I am not fond of them doing it again, unless they can’t secure enough former cast members to come back. There really is no difference between these newcomers and the former casts of the Real World or Road Rules; they all want fame and attention but don’t want to do much other than work on their bodies and get paid for it. Still, it’s the principle of the matter.

Onto a more ridiculous topic: the Cleveland Browns. Firing Eric Mangini before the season is over is a bad idea. It won’t turn the team around this season and leaves the team without an identifiable leader. Perhaps though, they could replicate the 49ers last season, which fired Mike Nolan and replaced him with Mike Singletary, who seems to be a good fit with that young team. Who would replace Mangini though? My best guess would be Rob Ryan, twin brother of Jets head coach Rex. He brings fire and enthusiasm, things Mangini seems to be purposefully eliminating from his memory bank.

And to my beloved Brady Quinn, who by all accounts last week, sucked. I can even admit that he did not play well at all. However, his two interceptions bounced off of receivers’ hands, which is in part his fault for not timing the throws better or putting them in a better spot. However, Steve Young, who knows a little bit about playing quarterback, said that not even Peyton Manning or Tom Brady could succeed with the talent level around Quinn (and for that matter Anderson).

The Browns have young offensive talent who may not be as good as some presumed them to be. And those players who could make plays last year were removed by Mangini as an attempt to establish dominance, which seems to me to be inherent with the position of head coach but whatever. Plus, the Browns were facing a Ravens team that was embarrassed and angry about their performance in the previous weeks leading up to the matchup.

All I am saying is that the Browns, and specifically Quinn, had no chance of succeeding. And another thing, everyone who is complaining about the throws during the last couple of seconds during the game that sailed out of bounds should shut up. Did that change the outcome of the game or were they meaningless attempts that were more symbolic than consequential? Sure, I would have liked to see the receiver have an opportunity to make a play, but Cribbs (the target) was triple covered with no hope of success. There were a lot of things to pick apart in Quinn’s game on Monday, but that should not be one of them.

I am starting to believe that Quinn will never be able to succeed in Cleveland, especially not with this coaching regime that removed all confidence he had in them when they benched him. Perhaps a change in scenery is the only way the Quinn can start over and become the quarterback a lot of people thought that he could be.

Seriously though, and I have said this before, Quinn is not the type of quarterback that can succeed with average talent around him. He needs a playmaker to find the openings in the defense. He needs someone who can turn a 5-yard catch into a 20-yard explosion. Or he needs an incredibly great safety valve that he can dump the ball to when in trouble (like he had in Kellen Winslow before Mangini removed him).

Oh, and one more thing. It boggles my mind that the Browns have not given Josh Cribbs the money he not only deserves, but is continuing to earn. He is the only reason the watch Browns games right now, he works hard on special teams (returning and covering), and he has done everything that is asked of him. Yet, the Browns have yet to figure out that it would be a good idea, no, great idea to resign him and give him a lot of money.

I wrote this title as an homage to my science background.  I have an advanced degree in medical science and have always enjoyed reading the titles of scientific articles; they are no-nonsense, clear, and serious, all qualities that elude me in real life communication.  Yes, I have an advanced degree; no, I’m not fully using it at the moment.  There are a few reasons for this, not the least of which is that I truly did not enjoy the prospect of a life long career in science.  It just wasn’t for me.  Also, if I can play the “it’s everyone else’s fault” card for a moment, many very well-intentioned people pushed me into science at a time when I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life.  But I don’t really enjoy blaming others for my life; it’s whiny, it’s weak, and it’s really futile, since what’s done is done.  I am lucky that I stumbled into the job teaching high school science a few years back; it was a fantastic experience and one I hope to duplicate in our new town as soon as possible.

The main reason I couldn’t (and probably can’t) pursue a career in medical science is that I have a pretty strong case of depression mixed with a potent shot of anxiety.  Some clinicians have given me the diagnosis of bipolar II, which I like to call low-cal bipolar, because it’s basically half the mania with all the depression.  It took me a long time to accept any mental health diagnosis.  I felt weak, ashamed, confused, and irritated.  I railed against the idea that I seek therapy or take medication; the diagnosis of and treatment options for depression  just seemed more fitting for someone more feeble, more fragile, more damsel-in-distress than I.  I say seemed more fitting because my wonderful primary care physician finally convinced me to take my SSRI and I eventually felt worlds better.  I felt pretty good, in fact.

Therapy, however, is something I still can’t embrace.  Now, let me first say that therapy is effective for many and therapists are very intelligent and talented mental health practitioners.  I’m sure I could benefit from therapy, but I don’t like talking to people I know, let alone strangers.  For me, for now, my medication is serving me well and I have far fewer dark days than I did pre-medication.  However, everyone needs some kind of therapy to help them with the stress of work, the stress of the impending holidays (more on that later), and the stress of the day-to-day.  So what unorthodox therapies do I use to augment my conservative medication regimen?

Dessert – I went to a baking class last night.  I was ready to leave as soon as I arrived.  The room was filled with strangers and I knew that eventually I would have to interact with them.  I was, sadly, a nervous wreck.  I stayed and yes, I did talk a little bit to some of the other participants (who were all lovely people) but mainly, I got to do what I really loved to do – bake.  I got to roll dough and knead dough and ever-so-delicately press dough into pie dishes.  I got to make chocolate pecan filling, biscuits, rolls, and tarts.  It was cathartic.  Baking and cooking are fabulous therapies for me; I focus on something very concrete, I work for a relatively short amount of time, and in the end, I produce something someone can enjoy.  The work itself is soothing; the longer you work, the more your senses get involved in the process; the dough feels stretchier, the smells get stronger, the food starts to look perfect.  It’s the best of all worlds; I feel better when I finish making dinner or dessert and my family also gets a tasty reminder of how much I love them.

Dogs – I love my mini schnauzer.  She’s irritable, curmudgeonly, and loud.  She vomits far too often and poops about five times a day, not always outside.  She’s five years old and still hasn’t mastered “sit” or “stay”.  But she’s my first baby.  I wanted a dog my whole life and I finally got her.  She tolerates only a very small number of people but she loves me.  She curls up with me at the end of the day and snores her adorable snore and I can’t help but smile.  She is the best listener in my family and is therefore the holder of all my thoughts and secrets.  Poor dog.  Sometimes I wake up and have the ominous “it’s going to be a dark day” feeling.  Maybe that feeling never completely goes away that day, but when my dog trots over to me and wags her sad little stub of a tail, the feeling definitely subsides.

Deodorant – I felt quite lousy yesterday morning.  I was feeling down, tired, unmotivated, and full of self loathing.  It was one of those dark days when the thought “I’m a failure” kept echoing in my head.  My daughter, with her patented bouncy run, came bouncing into my room and saw I was sad.  She handed me Hoots and smiled.  I smiled back, but my daughter, in her infinite wisdom, could sense that Hoots wasn’t fixing my problem.  So, she ran into my bathroom.  I heard her rustling through my drawers (a favorite pastime of hers) and she reappeared, proudly holding my deodorant.  She handed it to me with a toothy grin and looked incredibly pleased with herself.  How could I not feel better?

Here, in no particular order, are some other sources of comfort I use when the days are long and weary:  Cleveland Cavaliers games, college football, John Legend’s music, The Colbert Report, Arrested Development on DVD, the holiday line of lotions from Bath and Body Works, smoked gouda, Food Network Thanksgiving specials, yoga, spaghetti with garlic and olive oil, my husband’s laugh, Real Simple magazine, rereading Marjorie Morningstar for the twentieth time, my daughter’s face when she wakes up in the morning (almost always all smiles), old movies, naps with my husband on the weekend, Johnny Depp…..

So every day I take a deep breath, my pill, and a healthy dose of one (or several) of my therapies.   And then I can find a genuine reason to smile each day.

By Ben Linton

Here’s a stat for you: The last time Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, and Caron Butler were all on the floor at the same time was April 1, 2007. Last night the Wizards’ big three made a statement that they can get it done by beating the Cavaliers 108-91 at Verizon Center. Only proving the point that if this team can stay healthy, they can be dangerous and return to their winning ways. The keyword is if.

In his first game this season, Antawn Jamison had a double-double with 31 points and 10 rebounds, as the Wizards (3-7) ended a six-game losing streak. He was truly missed when he didn’t play, and the Wizards looked like a completely different (and better) team on the floor with him in the game.

The return of Jamison helps everyone, but it mainly will help Arenas. This is one more person to take the pressure of Agent Zero, and it gives him one more person to pass to. Look for his assists and points to increase.

The Wizards are healthy and ready to go as they travel to Oklahoma City tomorrow to play the Thunder, a surprise team so far in the West.

We’re only a few weeks into this NBA season, and already we’re seeing some interesting developments:

Last week, LeBron proclaimed that he will (probably) change his number next season. Before I tell you why he’s right and why he’s wrong, watch his explanation:

I definitely understand LeBron’s intentions here. Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player on the planet, and he has had more of a global impact on the game than anyone. Still, having respect for a guy is not necessarily a great reason to change your number. So, if he dons the number six jersey as he plans, then has a deep conversation with Bill Russell one day, will he then change his number again? I mean, Russell does have a record 11 NBA titles in thirteen seasons (eat your heart out, Robert Horry), and I don’t see that record falling anytime soon…not in today’s salary-strapped NBA. In addition, he was player-coach for the last two titles, and the league’s first black head coach. THAT’S the kind of guy that everyone should respect.

LeBron himself said that he idolized Jordan at a young age, as do lots of kids that grow up watching basketball. My gripe is that as a grown man, you shouldn’t still be wearing #23 because your idol wore that number, anyway. Unless the guy was your dad…or there’s some other meaning behind your jersey number, it shouldn’t be that important. Personally, I think players should be more like Ron Artest, changing numbers every couple of years. I’m sure the NBA wouldn’t mind that much, as those die-hard LeBron fans would have to buy jersey after jersey to keep up so they can keep idolizing their favorite player. Accordingly, grown men shouldn’t wear another grown man’s jersey. It’s just kind of lame to me to see some out-of-shape fan squeeze into a Kobe Bryant jersey. Seriously man…you could’t pull that look off on Halloween.

Lastly, that’s the type of call that has to come from David Stern and the league. When I think of an entire league retiring a jersey number, I think of Jackie Robinson. Nothing against Jordan, but Jordan wouldn’t be who he is without Jackie Robinson…or Sweetwater Clifton. Notably, Magic Johnson agrees with LeBron on the matter.

- With a win in Houston Tuesday night, the Suns have started off 10-2 with the NBA’s best record. Nash looks great right now. He’s turning it over a lot, but he always does. Amar’e Stoudemire and Leandro Barbosa aren’t exactly impressing me (or my fantasy basketball team), but Channing Frye is playing great basketball, fitting in much better than Shaq ever did. His ability to space the floor makes it much easier for Amar’e to work inside and for perimeter players to drive to the hoop.

- Speaking of Shaq, his positive effect isn’t obvious to me yet in Cleveland. They did manage to beat Orlando, but that probably had more to so with Mo Williams actually playing well, something he couldn’t do in the playoffs last year. The biggest impact I’ve seen Shaq make this year was on Gilbert Arenas’ fiance. Of course, I was eager to see the first Wizards-Cavs game since the rumor broke, but Shaq was out tonight with a bum shoulder. Even though Gil is a nice guy, I don’t know how calmly one can take such large-scale rumors about the biggest clown in the NBA smashing the mother of your two (soon to be three) children. Add Delonte’s issues and the fact that LeBron still isn’t talking about his destination next season, and that’s a lot of drama. Maybe LeBron will give the Browns a chance. I silently think they traded Braylon Edwards away to make him happy.

- Earl Boykins is back in the league, and he just made Mo Williams look stupid, running circles around him late in the game. Earl is a hell of a pickup for the Wizards bench — I’m somewhat surprised he was still floating around and available. He’s a proven bench spark plug, and could probably help any team in the league.

- In contrast, Iverson might be able to hurt every team in the league. When the Grizzlies waive you, that’s what you call rock bottom. As I previously stated, Iverson could have played his way into the starting lineup. Still, it’s probably for the best. I think AI would be wise to chill out for a little while, stay in shape, and hope some team looking for an extra boost to make a playoff run takes a chance on him.

- Can we name Brandon Jennings the Rookie of the Year now, or do we have to wait? I say we should just do it now — just to relieve some of the pressure on Blake Griffin when he comes back. I willmake a bold stament (and by bold, I mean not very bold at all) and say that the ROY will definitely NOT be Hasheem Thabeet.

The Art of War – anyone read it?

In honor of John Mayer’s album release, I have listed the track list with plays of the week …

check out who gets the

“HALF OF MY HEART AWARD”

• HeartBreak Warfare — “The CHICAGO BEARS” — Jay Cutler throwing 5 INTS is an embarrassment, get it together windy city.

• All we ever do is say goodbye – “The Buffalo Bills” are supposedly looking to get Mike Shanahan… they only know how to lose super bowls… he has his work cut out for him should he get a contract on the table

• Half of My Heart — “Maurice Jones-Drew” — Fantasy folks understand how foul kneeling at the 1 yard line was.

• Who Says — “Bill Belichick“ — who says i can’t go for 4th and 2 on their 38? HA

• Perfectly Lonely — This is reserved for the haphazard “NEW YORK METS”…

• Assassin – “Lebron James”, could he play WR as a Cleveland Brown… ha, Mangini is saying he would take a shot on the phenom

• Crossroads – THE CAROLINA PANTHERS AND THE NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS

• War of my life — “Brock Lesner”… No joke, this man is very sick.

• Edge of Desire — “Baltimore vs. Cleveland” – Leave Brady alone, he said sorry. I feel so bad and hope he never has to face the Ravens EVER again, or at least for as long as Ray-Ray is lining up. Fighting Irish QB w beautiful hair just woke a sleeping dragon and he might put a hit out from the locker room.

• Do you know me? — “CARSON PALMER”… have you seen him this season?? Wake up America… the Bengals are for real.

• Friends, Lovers, or Nothing — “BUD ADAMS”, HAAAA not the dirty bird, double or nothing.