Reserves J.R. Smith and Chris Copeland each had 13 points for the Knicks, who trail 3-2 and will need a victory Saturday in Indiana to force a seventh game back here Monday. They are trying to become the ninth NBA team to overcome a 3-1 deficit to win a series.

Anthony, who didn’t make a basket in the fourth quarter of either game in Indiana, made a jumper midway through the fourth quarter after Indiana closed within four points. He followed with two free throws, Raymond Felton made a layup, and the Knicks were never in jeopardy again.

Paul George had 23 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Pacers. They played without point guard George Hill because of a concussion and committed 19 turnovers.

But George battled foul trouble and couldn’t contain Anthony quite as well as he had while the Pacers easily won the previous two games.

David West had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers, who were trying to reach the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2004.

The winner faces the defending NBA champion Miami Heat in a series that will start Wednesday.

New York didn’t really shake its scoring slump, shooting only 41 per cent from the field, but put together a few runs during the game to open just enough space against a Pacers team that shot 36 per cent and was a dismal 19 of 33 at the free throw line.

They clearly missed Hill after learning about four hours before the game they would be without him.

Pacers coach Frank Vogel said Hill was hurt after a collision with Knicks centre Tyson Chandler during the first half of Indiana’s 93-82 victory on Tuesday. Hill finished the game and scored 26 points, but experienced some headaches and showed concussion symptoms since and wasn’t able to pass the league’s concussion tests so he could play Thursday night.

The Knicks went back to their regular lineup, reinserting Pablo Prigioni, after going with a bigger group in Game 4 in a futile effort to match Indiana on the boards. The smaller group did a better job, getting outrebounded only 43-40.

The Knicks finally opened it up midway through the third quarter with a 12-4 run, started by Smith’s bank shot and featuring a 3-pointer and follow shot from Copeland, who got more playing time while coach Mike Woodson gave little to veterans Amare Stoudemire and the slumping Jason Kidd, who missed his only shot and remains scoreless in the series.

Anthony made a jumper and a 3-pointer on his first two shots, and Iman Shumpert followed with another jumper for a 7-0 start. Smith got a big ovation when he checked in, which grew much louder when he made his first shot, dribbling back behind the arc for a 3-pointer that made it 17-12 with 2:56 left in the opening quarter.

Smith has endured a miserable stretch since elbowing Boston’s Jason Terry in the fourth quarter of Game 3 in the first round. Suspended for Game 4, he hasn’t relocated his shot since, hitting 28 per cent in the first four games and has been criticized for not being focused after he was seen out a nightclub with singer Rihanna the night before Game 1 — a day game.

He was only 4 of 11, but hit the jumper that started the Knicks’ run in the third quarter.

The Knicks extended their 19-15 lead after one to 32-23 on Copeland’s 3-pointer with 7:06 remaining in the second. The Pacers chipped away for most of the half but couldn’t take the large in part because of their sloppy free throw shooting, going 8 of 16 in the half that agonizingly wouldn’t end when both Chandler and the Pacers’ Sam Young committed fouls more than 30 feet from the basket in the final 2.4 seconds.

Notes: The Phoenix Suns are the last team to win a series after trailing 3-1, beating the Los Angeles Lakers in 2006. The Brooklyn Nets forced Chicago to a seventh game in the first round but dropped Game 7 on their home floor. … West was 5 of 13 in the first half. The other four Indiana starters were 5 for 23.

Let’s talk about Jason Collins, shall we?

For the record, I am not here to advocate or oppose homosexuality (although, if you’re asking, I say love/date/etc whomever you want – if you want the gray hair and wrinkles that come with a relationship, who am I to stop you? ).  I simply want to talk about homosexuality in sport.

Don’t worry, I am prepared for people to yell at me about this.  Please, let me know how I do addressing a sensitive topic.

Everyone is saying Jason Collin is the first openly gay athlete in American professional sports which is a big deal because being gay in America is a big deal (apparently…). If you’re new to this, check out a story here.

I want to be clear that he’s not the first openly gay athlete.  There are several gay female athletes (although no one seems to care about them – I won’t get into my feminist rant right now, though) and word on the street is that baseballer Glenn Burke, of the LA Dodgers, was out to his teammates when he played in the 70s. I’m not sure if you can count that since no one, especially the media, didn’t know and therefore wasn’t really ‘openly’ gay…

The reason that this is a”big deal” is because of the perception of gay people (I’m not saying it’s right – I’m saying that’s what the perception is).  Gay women are seen as more masculine, so when a female athlete is gay, people think, “Oh, well, that makes sense,” because she is already doing something ‘masculine’: playing sport.  The flip side of this is that gay men are seen as more feminine and since athlete’s are supposed to be hyper-masculine, being gay is contradictory to their image.  Unfair, isn’t it?

That’s why people thought it would be a long time before there was an openly gay athlete in the big three leagues (because, really? Who watches soccer?).  But then along came Jason Collins and BANG. Ideas shattered.

I have a few thoughts on this…

I was very proud of the NBA, and David Stern (I love/want to be him), in the way they handled this.  For that matter, I’m proud of the US in general.  In a recent Twitter chat (#sbchat, on Mondays for those of us in Aus – check it out) we discussed whether the US was “ready” for an openly gay athlete.  Now, it’s pretty obvious they are.  When the news broke, at first I thought, “Okay. He’s gay. How funny that we were just talking about that on #sbchat…”  But then I thought, “WAIT. What are people going to say?”  It’s not that I wanted them to say anything, I just assumed they would.  But they didn’t.  Everyone was… nice.  And I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud to be a sports fan.

However, I have to wonder if it would have been different with a bigger name. Yes, people know Jason Collins and I don’t mean to discount his courage but would the reaction had been different if it would have been a Jeter, a Manning, or a Howard (no, I am not implying that any of them are gay, I am just saying that they’re big names)?  I wonder if people would have been more or less accepting.  It’s “easy” to accept someone who hasn’t been in the spotlight that much, but it will be interesting to see how people handle it when it’s someone iconic.

For instance, the other day I was writing a post about women who should be WAGs and trying to pair them up with AFL players I thought might be good for them (hypothetically, of course).  I realised that Buddy Franklin (for the Americans who read my blog – HI MOM! – Buddy is one of the best players in the AFL… although he’s killing my dream team right now, so I might debate that point).  He’s iconic.  When I Googled whether he had a girlfriend, a thread came up that discussed that he was gay.  I cannot tell you how many comments I read that were ADAMANT that he was not.  People could not even fathom the notion that their Buddy could be gay (there were also comments of support an indifference, but the anti-gay comments were prevalent and the most passionate).  Alas, no one knows if he is and frankly (ha ha, name joke!) it’s none of our business.  But I was surprised at how many people seemed downright angry at the assertion that he was gay.

But back to business, I am excited to see how this all plays out.  Collins and the NBA have a unique opportunity here to support gay rights and be role models for other gay athletes (or even gay youth – they need some love).  While I can’t stand insincere displays for publicity, I would love to see some action on the part of Collins and the NBA.

That’s all… how did I do?

UCLA’s Shabazz Muhammad interviewed with the Raptors and several other teams on Wednesday night. Muhammad is a 6-foot-6, 20 year old freshman that averaged 17.9 points (44.3% FG | 37.7% 3PT | 71.1% FT) and 5.2 rebounds in 30.8 minutes per game. Both DraftExpress and NBAdraft.net currently have him going 10th to the Portland Trail Blazers.

They have also interviewed Cody Zeller, a 7-foot center out of Indiana. The 20 year old sophomore averaged 16.5 points (56.2% FG | 75.7% FT) and 8.1 rebounds in 29.5 minutes per game. DraftExpress currently has him going ninth to the Minnesota Timberwolves, while NBAdraft.net  has him going fourth to the Phoenix Suns.

The Raptors have no draft pick in this year’s draft as it was traded to the Houston Rockets last summer for Kyle Lowry. It is currently held by the Oklahoma City Thunder, however the Raptors can use the pick if it becomes a top three selection.

The Los Angeles District of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers a variety of no cost classes for business owners in our Training Room, located at 330 N. Brand Blvd., Suite 1200, Glendale, CA 91203.  Picture identification is required for all attendees by building security.  The parking garage daily rate is $9.00. After hours parking is free.

View the Los Angeles SBA online calendar at:  http://www.sba.gov/events

Registration for all our classes is required.  

To register, please go to the registration site: http://www.eventbrite.com/org/1756202965 unless otherwise indicated. 

May 2013:

How to Improve Your Business Workshop Series

5/29      6:30PM – 8:30PM

Presented by: Victor Green

Do you need advice and direction to help your business make more money, identify your customers; control your finances; make your marketing effective, and much more…? All of these issues will be covered in this session. The speaker is Victor Green, a Brit, who is a very successful entrepreneur. Let him tell you what makes a business succeed. This session will allow you to ask questions and be involved in the audience’s discussions. This is a great opportunity to ask questions and learn from the best. Book you place NOW.

June 2013:

Federal/State Basic Payroll Tax Seminar

6/7  9:00AM – 3:00PM

Presented by: EDD, State of CA

This informative seminar will cover:

• California payroll reporting requirements, including forms, employer obligations, reporting, and payment requirements.
• About independent contractor reporting requirements.
• Electronic filing and payment requirements and options.
• Federal payroll reporting requirements, including Forms 940, 941, 1099, W-2, W-4, W-9, and alternative filing.

To reserve your spot, log on to www.edd.ca.gov/Payroll_Tax_Seminars/ or call 888 745-3886

8(a) Application Workshop

6/13      9:00AM – 11:00AM

Presented by: SBA

Recommended: established business of at least two years

This workshop will address the initial entrance criteria needed for the 8(a) Business Development Program. Review tips on how to complete the electronic application and how to market in the federal contracting arena. Seating is limited to 25. Pre-registration is required. No walk-ins will be admitted.  Register by phone: 818-552-3223 or by email:beatriz.devis@sba.gov

When registering, you will be asked to provide the following information:

Name

Company name

Address

Email

Phone

Number of years in business

________________________________________________________________________

Green.SBA.gov helps small businesses find green contracts, grants, and partnerships throughout the federal government.  It promotes sustainable, environmentally friendly procurement practices and lets small businesses share information related to green contracting.

Free Small Business Counseling by Appointment…..Call or Click

LA SCORE @ 818 552-3206 or www.scorela.org

LA Small Business Development Center @ 562-938-5020 or www.smallbizla.org

__________________________________________________________________________

Please note that the SBA training program is made possible by the generous support of our volunteer teachers and presenters.  We appreciate their time and expertise; however, these presentations do not represent an endorsement of their views, opinions, products, or services by SBA.  All SBA programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable arrangements for persons with disabilities will be made, if requested at least 2 weeks in advance.

Filmmakers Converge on Rhode Island

SOURCE:  HP Digital/U.S. Embassy

Rhode Island may be the smallest U.S. state, but the Ocean State is making big waves in the film world. Considered a portal for the best of independent cinema, the Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF) brings celebrities, award-winning filmmakers and enthusiastic audiences from around the world to Providence, Rhode Island, every summer.

Through its affiliation with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, RIIFF is a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards for short films. Started in 1996, it has also become a leading juried competition showcase for international independent filmmakers.

Taking place August 6–11, the 2013 festival will give filmmakers and film buffs the opportunity to exchange ideas in discussion forums, master classes and colloquia. In 2012, RIIFF screened more than 200 cinematic works from 51 countries and 34 U.S. states; of these screenings, 28 were world premieres.

Small Biz University  ”Take your Small Business to the Next Level.”

Menopause The Musical (R) – June 1, 2013 – 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

2013 Funkfest - Don’t miss Funk Fest 2013 on Saturday, May 18th at International Park featuring R Kelly, Bel Biv Devoe, Rakim and more.

Funk Fest®
http://www.funkfestconcerts.com
The 2013 Funk Fest® music series marks the 19th anniversary of the festival which began as a small concert in an outdoor venue in Mobile, Alabama. Each year, Funk Fest® attracts music enthusiasts from all 50 states to its specially-selected venues and adds significant tourism revenue to each city’s local economy. The music festival has played host to some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Frankie Beverly and Maze, the Gap Band, New Edition, Whodini, Big Daddy Kane, Betty Wright, Doug E. Fresh, Rickey Smiley, the Ohio Players, the SOS Band, Cameo, Erykah Badu, Charlie Wilson and many others. Funk Fest® celebrates the rich cultural heritage of “old school” music and has grown into a true celebration of human expression.  Read more…

2013 CAMP RONDO FEATURING: RAJON RONDO

2013 CAMP RONDO

FEATURING:
RAJON RONDO
UofL/UK Former/Current Players
Surprise Guest

Camp Rondo will be 5 FUN FILLED days of basketball instruction, drills, competitions and team play.

Includes:

• Lunch
• Snack
• Camp Rondo t-shirt
• Camp Rondo armband
• Autograph/photo session
• A chance to win two Celtic tickets for the 2013/2014 season
• Opportunity to meet and hang out with RAJON RONDO

TWO SESSIONS AT MID-AMERICA:
Session 1: July 8 – July 12
Session 2: July 15 – July 19
Go to www.camprondo.com
Monday – Friday:  9am – 4pm

If you have questions, please contact:
Ben Easley | camprondo2013@gmail.com or call 502.599.9081

There will be “ONLY 2″ camps in Louisville at “MidAmerica Sports Center”

on Watterson Trail

beenetworknews.com 30 seconds

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PITISE UNIV

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Best NBA Players Ever

We’ve all made a list of who we think the top NBA players of all time are (my list will be coming after the NBA Finals) and as usual with these things some are more likely to agree with the list then others.

Chris Palmer’s first list of his top players (5 in total) was on 20^th Dec 2012, the second (7 in total) was made on the 14^th of May 2013.

Chris Palmer’s 5 Best NBA Players Ever (That he’s seen)

Chris Palmer’s top 7 NBA Players Ever

In that time-span Kareem (previously 5^th) and Magic (not on the first list) jump up to 3^rd and 4^th respectively, interesting.  How this is possible without them playing an NBA game I’m not sure.  Additionally, LeBron, despite gaining a fourth MVP award, moves down the list from 4^th to 5^th (due to Magic and Kareem moving up).  Hakeem also moves from the 3^rd best player on the first list, to not even making the top 7 on the second list as numbers 6 and 7 on the second list are (Bill) Russell and Tim Duncan respectively.  Duncan is currently active in the NBA and therefore it is at least logical that he can move up a place.  What doesn’t seem logical though is that Hakeem would slide down a minimum of 5 players (assuming he’s at number 8) and that Bill Russell would jump up to 6^th, again, despite the fact that in that time he hasn’t played any games.

Do people change their mind on these things? Yes, but to show such a level of inconsistency is another thing.

Weaker Defences

 Another one of Chris Palmer’s tweets is about the defences that MJ and Kobe faced.

I’ve already written an article about the rules changes in the NBA and how they’ve affected the game (which you can read here) but I’ll briefly summarise two of the rules changes that affect defence for the purposes of this article.

Hand checking has been removed –there is less resistance in the game today for both perimeter and post players due to the curtailing of hand checking.  This means that defensive players are no longer allowed to exert a physical force with their hands on an opposing offensive player.

Three second rule – The introduction of the three-second rule now means that players are not allowed to stay for more than three seconds in the painted area under the basket known as the key (with some exceptions).  As a result the players of today are now able to drive to the basket (with less resistance due to the removal of hand-checking) and finish at the rim with less (not total) chance of the shot being disrupted due to the fact that the opposing defensive player many not be standing in the paint waiting for him to attempt a shot at the rim!

Now, does it seem that Kobe faced “weaker” defences than Michael Jordan?

On a side note, Chris Palmer also later tweeted that:

I’m not going to take a picture of my television and show you guys that I do own one however I will say that I do watch a large number of NBA games and can confidently say that hand checking is not present in today’s NBA.  Do you know why? Because the NBA removed it, and if a player does try to hand check today they are called for an offensive foul!  Below are exact quotations from the rules section of the NBA website which cover the rules changes I’ve talked about.

(http://www.nba.com/analysis/rules_history.html )

1999-00 Rules Changes state:

In the backcourt, there is no contact with hands and forearms by defenders. In the frontcourt, there is no contact with hands and forearms by defenders except below the free throw line extended in which case the defender may only use his forearm. In the post, neither the offensive player nor the defender is allowed to dislodge or displace a player who has legally obtained a position. Defender may not use his forearm, shoulder, hip or hand to reroute or hold-up an offensive player going from point A to point B or one who is attempting to come around a legal screen set by another offensive player. Slowing or impeding the progress of the screener by grabbing, clutching, holding “chucking” or “wrapping up” is prohibited.

2004-05 Rules Changes state:

New rules were introduced to curtail hand checking, clarify blocking fouls and call defensive three seconds to open up the game.

2001-02 rules changes state:

Illegal defence guidelines will be eliminated in their entirety.

A new defensive three-second rule will prohibit a defensive player from remaining in the lane for more than three consecutive seconds without closely guarding an offensive player.

To back up what I’m saying here’s a quote from NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, who was asked about the rules changes:

Reporter: Seeing that you played in one of the greatest eras in NBA history, what has changed the most in the NBA since your days as a player?

Answer: I think guys played more of a true position back when I played.  A small forward was a small forward, a power forward was a power forward.  You didn’t play both.  The power forward position had the license to kick your butt and the game was very physical.  I think the physical aspect of the game, some of it has been taken away with the rule changes.  But the game is still played the same, you can’t change that. - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/287041-getting-off-the-bleachers-an-interview-with-dominique-wilkins

Additionally, here’s a quote from Joe Johnson who currently plays in the NBA when he was asked about the hand-checking rule.

“It benefits me, It definitely changes the game because it gives every guy that extra step. If we could hand check now, the game would be totally different,” Johnson said. “If they couldn’t hand check back in the day, there are some guys that would have been even better than they were. It would have been nuts for some of the big-time scorers and perimeter players from the 1980s and 1990s. Can you imagine what (Michael) Jordan would have done in a league where you couldn’t hand check.” - http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=216664&page=3#dkUIarKVGr78eS1S.99

Interesting, Joe Johnson who currently plays in the NBA says that they’re not allowed to hand-check.  Chris Palmer says that players do hand-check.  Who do you believe?

Carmelo Anthony

Carmelo Anthony recently won his first scoring title 10 years into his career.  Shortly after Chris Palmer tweeted that:

Carmelo is currently 12^th on the all time NBA points per game list and has one scoring title.  As an example I’ll take Michael Jordan and Kevin Durant who both rank higher on the all time points per game list, while shooting a higher percentage for their career and  have racked up more scoring titles than Carmelo has in his career. Is Melo still the best pure scorer in the game’s history?

Chris Palmer also goes on to tweet the following:

Where is Karl Malone on this list?

While most will severely disagree with him placing Carmelo above Barkley, Stockton and A.I, the inconsistency in his argument comes here, where he states that in his opinion Melo is not a hall of famer.

Barkley and Stockton are already in the Naismith Hall of Fame and therefore to rank Carmelo as better than them would surely indicate that he is a Hall of Fame calibre player right?  Apparently not.

Melo is better than Barkley and Stockton who are already in the HOF but he himself is not a HOFer?

Larry Bird

Chris Palmer has also tweeted about Larry Bird.  Here’s what he had to say.

He later went on to tweet the following.

For those of you who don’t know Bird played in the NBA from 1979 until 1992.  The NBA introduced the 3pt line in the 1979-1980 season.  Unlike today, taking a 3 point shot was frowned upon and as a result Bird was asked to slow down with the number of 3 pointers he took by his coach.  Consequently, he went on to only shoot a total of 276 three pointers in the following 4 years after his rookie season (from 81 until 84).

It’s interesting to note that Chris Palmer doesn’t mention that Bird is part of the 50-40-90 club.  In fact he’s not only a member of it, but has twice recorded a season where he’s shot over 50% from the field, 40% from 3 and 90% from the free-throw line.  Only six players in NBA history have accomplished this feat, while Bird (2) and Nash (4) are the only ones in NBA history to accomplish it more than once.  Furthermore there have only been 3 seasons in NBA history where a player has shot 50-40-90 while averaging over 28 points per game, Bird is responsible for two out of those three seasons.

Bird the most over-rated shooter in NBA history? Doesn’t seem accurate (forgive the pun) does it?

Oh, and Bird also won the 3 point contest during the all-star weekend, three times, in a row.

Rings and the Dream Team

When comparing the 92 Dream Team to the 2012 Olympic Team Chris Palmer decided to add Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan do the 2012 Olympic Team and tweeted:

Do I even have to break this down for you?  Why would you evaluate a player’s skill or ability based on the number of rings that they win throughout their career?  The last time I checked winning a ring was a team achievement and therefore evaluating a player based on the number of rings they’ve won doesn’t seem to make sense.

I guess a starting 5 of Derek Fisher, Bob Cousy, John Havlicek, Robert Horry and Sam Jones would destroy everyone huh?

Furthermore at the time of their respective tournaments the players of the 92 Dream Team had total 12 rings: (3 from Bird, 2 from Pippen, 2 from Jordan and 5 from Magic).  Guess how many the 2012 Olympic Team had accomplished at the time of the Summer Olympics? Half as many is the answer (6), (5 from Kobe Bryant and 1 from LeBron James)

So even using Chris Palmer’s own logic his statement doesn’t make sense.

Conclusion

Why did I take the time to point all of these things out?  Because I find it pretty amazing that these types of things are tweeted / spoken via Twitter and TV by employees of ESPN (and other companies might I add). ESPN is a recognised establishment and one that holds much power in the world of sports.  The employees therefore have a responsibility to educate both young and old in a responsible and accurate manner and frankly it doesn’t seem like they are doing so.  As I said in the introduction this blog post’s purpose was strictly to critique @ESNPChrisPalmer’s tweets about basketball, nothing more, nothing less.

You can follow me on twitter: @SwishNBA

CityFella

I told him to call her maybe.

It turned out we were wrong.

How I Did It:

“My Friend Carly thinks you’re cute.”

How He Reacted:

Quite happily.

How She Reacted:

Very unhappily. At first. Then eventually very happpily.

Why It Actually Worked:

Because I’m a genius.

English: Udonis Haslem playing with the Miami Heat (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NBA TV logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Image via CrunchBase

I am tired! Tired of playing games on the Twitter Train
Woke up this morning and found that Twitter has suspended me again
Was it all the #heatstroke tweets in support of the champions?
Are you a hater – Twitter?

Is someone reporting me as a slam addict?
Is that why you are abusing me?
You are right, I may be an addict
Addicted to the @NBATV, @MiamiHeat @NBA

Yes I will own it
I will claim that my addictive personality
will not allow me to get enough of the
adrenaline that drives the atheletes to greatness

Is that such a bad thing?
I am not addicted to drugs, alcohol or even sex
I am addicted to the thought of success
the drive of perseverance

The road to glory
Miller, Wade, Bosh, James
Anthony, Andersen,Allen
Varnado, Jones, Lewis, Battier
Cole, Haslem, Howard, Chalmers

So Twitter, I am not going to quit
I will keep tweeting, and tweeting, and tweeting
When I get tired I will just turn to TNT
And watch in quiet

I deserve my Twitter privilege
I want it back
#Twitter, #Twitter, #Twitter

I watched the NBA playoffs last night. Seeing the Thunder getting knocked out brought joy to my heart. Yes, I am one of those bitter Sonics fans who will always support any team other than the Thunder (by the way, worst team name in the NBA.) Yesterday was a bitter pill (it was decided that Seattle will not get an NBA team next year) and a then the Thunder lost and made everything better.

I will start with the bad news OKC fans, it is over. It was over last summer when you traded James Harden. Sure, you got two future first round picks from Houston. Those first round picks will land you outstanding middle-of-the-road talent. Late first round picks are worthless unless you have a GM who can see those diamonds in the rough, thank goodness no one in your front office will ever find one of those. Last year you landed Perry Jones (good work) two years ago you had three first round picks and got lucky once because you picked a Quincy Pondexter from the University of Washington.

Most of you are still thinking that Russell Westbrook’s injury was what prevented you from getting the NBA title. It could be, but it doesn’t matter because YOU LOST! It doesn’t matter why you lost, it just matters that you lost because you, my friends, have a cursed team.

Here is how the next ten years is going to roll out for your team. This summer your front office will go looking for a center who can play basketball better than your current centers. The team will pay this new player too much, in Seattle we call this the Jim Mcilvaine syndrome. The stars of your team will become disgruntled, demand more pay and then begin the next season with bad attitudes. The team will spin out of control for a little bit and then your front office will trade one of your best players to Milwaukee for Vin Baker, or a Vin Baker substitute of similar quality. Fans will rejoice and everything will be right with the  NBA until the playoffs start and your Vin Baker substitute isn’t quite as tough as your previous star. This is when the fun really begins, because now you (do you guys say “y’all” in Oklahoma?) will be unhappy with the direction of the team. People will begin questioning the coaching and front office. Clay Bennett, your owner/James Bond supervillain, will announce a few changes and then raise ticket prices. Fans will become outraged and the new “center will not hold” the team together.  Attendance will drop. The team will play like an NBA Developmental team and will finish in the middle of the pack in the Western Conference. Playoff loses will accumulate and after a few years the team won’t even make the playoffs. All of the superstar players you currently have will be too old to improve and will be traded away for younger players. Pretty soon your team will have one good player surrounded by twelve bad ones. This is when Clay Bennett will demand a new tax-payer funded stadium, oh, and he will raise ticket prices again.  He will claim that he needs to improve the facility in order to improve the team. People in the community will ask, “Didn’t we just spend X number of dollars ten years ago on a stadium?” This is when Smeagol (aka David Stern) will swoop in and start the blackmailing process. You will have to decide whether to pay up or have the team move to another city worse than OKC. Fresno? Bakersfield? Waco? Smeagol will do his best to find another owner in the city, he is not very good at this so he will have to find another owner somewhere else. A new owner will appear and he will promise not to move the team. You will try to believe him, but you know behind those dead eyes, pretend smile, and ape-like forehead that the owner is going to do his best to sink the team to unheard of depths so people will stop going to games. The owner will raise ticket prices, hire a terrible coach (is PJ Carlesimo available? He usually is.) and start planning his escape. The team will be so bad that they will get great picks in the draft and will begin building a solid, young team, but it will be too late, your team will be off to Fresno and you will be left with an empty, almost new stadium and a bunch of old OKC Thunder t-shirts.

That is where it will end, except the team will change its name to the Fresno Fog and begin their rise to playoff contention. Smeagol will appear occasionally to thwart any efforts your city will make to get another NBA team and he will continue sucking the blood out of communities to extend his life. You will watch the Fresno Fog from a distance, you will enjoy the talent on the team, but in the end you will hope they lose.

Thanks for a great season. See you next year when you lose in the first round.

Love,

Jon

Brendon Ayanbadejo is correct: “Gay” does not equal “feminine.” More to the point, as the Super Bowl-winning linebacker recently told Meet the Press, “gay” does not automatically equal anything at all. “People think that gayness has something to do with femininity, when really we just need to erase that stereotype from our minds, because LGBT people come in all different types and shapes and forms,” Ayanbadejo said shortly after Jason Collins became the NBA’s first out gay player.

Way to go, Ayanbadejo. Double high-five, in fact. We already know he is awesome, but such continued challenging of these norms and stereotypes will not only promote LGBT rights and acceptance but stands to help prevent violence against women.

Without diminishing current victories for LGBT rights, we also need to connect them with women’s rights and the increasing number of men stepping forward as leaders and partners in ending all forms of gender-based discrimination and violence.

For far too long, popular culture and stereotypes have associated “gayness” with femininity. Of course, there’s nothing inherently wrong with the traits traditionally associated with “femininity.” The problem is this: Boys and men are taught to be “men,” and certainly to be good athletes, by not being “feminine.” Don’t cry like a girl. Don’t throw like a girl. Don’t be a bitch. In this way, boys and men learn that femininity is inferior. Femininity is a threat. Femininity is the enemy.

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LeBron James scored 23 points, Dwyane Wade added 18 and the Heat rallied from an 11-point second-half deficit to beat the Chicago Bulls 94-91 on Wednesday night and close out their second-round series in five games.

Chris Bosh scored 12 points and Udonis Haslem added 10 for Miami, which ran out to a 22-4 lead, then was outscored by a whopping 29 points over the next 27 minutes before recovering. The Heat outscored the Bulls 25-14 in the fourth.

Carlos Boozer finished with 26 points and 14 rebounds for the Bulls, who were without Derrick Rose for the 99th straight game. Nate Robinson and Jimmy Butler missed potential tying 3-pointers on the final possession of the season for Chicago, which dropped the last four games of the series.

Robinson scored 21 points, Butler had 19, and Richard Hamilton 15 for the Bulls.

And there was drama, all the way to the end.

Robinson’s 3-pointer with 1:43 left got the Bulls to 94-91, and Butler knocked the ball away from Chris Bosh for a turnover on the ensuing Miami possession. But Boozer missed an open 15-footer with about a minute remaining and, when Wade knocked the ball off Boozer’s leg after a Miami miss with 45 seconds left, the Heat retained possession — with a fresh shot clock to boot.

But Miami didn’t score, and the Bulls had a final chance. Robinson missed a 3, and Butler faked his way free for a good look that hit the rim, before bouncing away.

Time expired, and the Heat lingered on the court in celebration. Wade held on to the game ball as he shook a few fans’ hands, and he, James and Bosh exchanged some high-fives — the last three Miami players to leave the floor.

Shane Battier opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer to get Miami within five. Another 3-pointer from Battier — over Boozer, his fellow Duke alum — came not long afterward, and he connected on a pair of free throws after being fouled on a 3-point try to cut Chicago’s lead to 81-79.

Norris Cole had a pair of baskets, the second being a left-handed driving dunk, to put Miami on top, and the Heat found a way to close it out from there.

Miami will open the East finals at home next week, and it’ll be a playoff rematch from its march to the title last season. If Indiana beats New York — the Pacers lead that series 3-1 — on Thursday, then the Heat and Pacers will meet for Game 1 in Miami on Monday night. If the Knicks extend the Pacers to at least six games, then the East finals would open Wednesday night, regardless of opponent.

The Heat will almost surely be big favourites against either Indiana or New York, though it’s certain either opponent would enter a series against Miami with plenty of confidence. The Knicks went 3-1 against the Heat this season, outscoring them by 11.5 points per game and winning both of their games at Miami convincingly. The Pacers went 2-1 against the Heat, winning twice in Indianapolis and losing their lone game in Miami.

To put that in some more perspective, the Heat went 2-5 against the Knicks and Pacers, and are now 72-12 against all other NBA clubs this season.

Then again, given how Miami has played over the last 3 1/2 months, the notion of the Heat losing to anybody four times might seem downright impossible. The Heat lost at Indiana on Feb. 1. They won at Toronto two days later, the first victory in what became a run of 27 straight wins — and the start of a stretch that has seen Miami now go 45-3 in its last 48 games.

More than half the league — 17 of the other 29 teams — didn’t win 45 games, total, this season, even including playoffs.

No one would have thought the ending would be so exciting after the way this one started.

Marco Belinelli took the Bulls’ first shot, a woefully short airball. Joakim Noah took their second shot, a very long airball. Their third possession was a turnover.

The night was shaping up like a Chicago disaster. It was 10-0 before half the crowd was in their seats, and 22-4 just past the midpoint of the opening quarter. Since the start of Game 4, in barely over 53 minutes of play, the Heat had outscored the Bulls by 40 points. Everyone in the building — except for the 20 or so guys in red uniforms or wearing suits on the Chicago bench — had to be thinking that the series was over.

If so, then they were all wrong.

Game 5 turned into a microcosm of the Bulls’ season. They were unfazed, unflappable, unrelenting in the face of being counted out.

And before long, the massive deficit was a thing of the past.

Boozer went 6 for 7 in the opening quarter, his layup late in the period getting the Bulls within seven before James scored to end the first and give Miami a 30-21 lead. The Bulls were undeterred, and just kept getting stops on one end, making baskets on the other. Butler’s 3-pointer with 4:46 left in the half gave Chicago its first advantage of the night, 38-36.

To recap, the game started with a 22-4 Heat run — and in the 13 minutes that immediately followed, the Bulls rebutted with a 34-14 burst.

By halftime, it was 53-47. In the third, after Chicago briefly led by 11 — remember, they were down 18, making that a 29-point turnaround — the Bulls took a 77-69 edge into the final 12 minutes.

“I did feel a lot of pressure,” admitted the 17-year NBA veteran, who is on the advisory board of Fortius Sport and Health, the innovative $61 million training and sports medicine centre co-founded by Rick Celebrini, Nash’s personal trainer.

As part of the soft opening of the centre this week, Nash agreed to make the first official layup, free throw and three-pointer on the spanking new hardwood of the basketball court, play HORSE with some high school kids from Byrne Creek secondary and consent to a media scrum. The impressive crowd of reporters, photographers and TV cameras he attracted was evidence of his continuing drawing power.

A more than 90 per cent career free throw shooter, Captain Canada clanged his first two off the rim and missed the mark on his first attempt beyond the arc.

“I’m not worried about it,” Nash quipped. “If you give me a little bit of a warm-up, I’m pretty sure I’ll make those.”

Still, following a season in which Nash missed 32 games through injury, and looked tentative and lost, at times, when he did play, many are wondering if his Hall of Fame career is receding rapidly in the rear view mirror?

Steve Nash #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Three dissenters to that theory are Nash himself, Celebrini and Jason Cion of Byrne secondary. The Grade 12 student was picked out of the high school group by Nash and asked to if he wanted to trade shots with the two-time NBA MVP, as if they were just a couple of regular guys horsing around on a playground court.

“There was a little pressure for me, too,” Cion explained. “I just didn’t want to air-ball it. It was crazy that I got this opportunity. Being on the court with Steve Nash … I was a little bit in awe when he asked me to take the first shot. But he’s just a regular guy, a cool guy.”

He is also a guy with so many diverse interests that one wonders where Nash will find the time to bring his full attention to getting his game back in order.

General manager of the national men’s senior team for Basketball Canada, entrepreneur (Steve Nash Sports Club), environmentalist, philanthropist (Steve Nash Foundation), sports team owner (Vancouver Whitecaps) and marketer (Meathawk, a social media company), Nash is also a film maker. He co-directed the ESPN documentary, Into The Wild, after being mesmerized by the Terry Fox story when he was a kid. The doc and the newbie director won critical acclaim at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival.

Steve Nash at the Canada Basketball press conference.

“We’re shooting a documentary on Robbie Rogers (the U.S. soccer player who came out and is returning to play for the MLS champion Los Angeles Galaxy),” Nash explained. “It’s about Robbie. But it’s about homophobia in sport, and also where we’re at, compared to 20 years ago. Frankly, when my kids are 25 and 30, they’ll look back and be surprised and perplexed that this was even an issue. Terry Fox was a hero to me. Robbie Rogers, in his own way, is a hero to me as well, for having the bravery and courage to come out.”

Celebrini, who has worked with Nash for 10 years, doesn’t see his athlete’s passion for going in many directions at once as a detriment to recovering his former greatness. Nash played only 50 regular-season games this year — his fewest total since 1998-99 — and averaged 6.7 assists, his lowest mark since 1999-2000. He has had a chronic back problem for years. Combined with a hamstring issue, the point guard showed every one of his 39 years in the Lakers’ first-round playoff ouster by the San Antonio Spurs.

“What’s interesting is that he came into last season as good as I’ve seen him look, as sharp as I’ve seen him look, and as committed as he always is,” Celebrini said. “He had the freak injury, that fibula fracture (which cost Nash 24 games) that set him back. As anybody knows, when you come back from an injury like that, it’s tough to find your rhythm. Plus, he was in a new environment. It’s a challenge to regain that sharpness that he came into the season with. At 39, a lot of people have written him off. But he feeds off that. And he’s absolutely committed to proving people wrong. I absolutely believe that he will.”

When he signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the Lakers last year, Nash vowed he would play it out to its conclusion. He’ll turn 41 before that happens, an age when two other legendary guards, John Stockton and Bob Cousy, were in their sunset seasons but still able to show the young ones a thing or two about passing and hitting clutch shots.

“There’s a chance that at (41) could be it. A big chance,” Nash said. “But you never know how it goes, or how I’ll feel. Anything can happen between now and then.”

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The NBA Board of Governors has voted down a relocation bid to move the Sacramento Kings. The only thing remaining now, is for The Maloof family to accept Vivek Ranadive and the Sacramento groups pending offer. The vote result was 22-8. A new downtown arena is now on the horizon after numerous failed attempts. What started out as a great relationship between The Maloofs and the city of Sacramento quickly became icy, as the owners scaled back on spending on the team, backed out of two arena deals, and threatened to move the franchise on 3 separate occasions. The Maloof family had threatened to sell 20 percent of their stake in the team to the Seattle group if the NBA ruled against the sale, so all eyes are now on their next move. Most people in Sacramento would agree, their best move would be to sell the team to Sacramento, then move on..for good.

The player efficiency rating (PER) is a rating of a player’s productivity. Two important things to remember about PER are that it’s per-minute and is pace-adjusted.

To generate PER, a player’s positive achievements (including field goals, free throws, rebounds, assists, etc…) and negative acts (missed shots, fouls, and turnovers) are combined and calculated to return a single value.

Because it’s a per-minute measure, it allows us to compare, say, Caron Butler and Blake Griffin, even though there is a disparity in their minutes played.

Each player’s rating is adjusted for his team’s pace, so that players on a slow-paced team like Detroit aren’t penalized just because their team has fewer possessions than a fast-paced team such as Golden State.

Because PER is inherently an offense-centric metric, it should not be considered the final evaluation of a player’s accomplishments during the season. Where PER does shine is condensing the myriad of information and stats on players into a single number allowing an easier manner to rank and track. This, in effect, will allow analysis on evaluating what might be missing from the stats.

Taking the pros and cons of this metric into account, PER is a very useful starting point to create a quantitative betting system. What do you guys think about using PER? Chime in with your thoughts, ideas, and or suggestions in our forums.

Calculating PER (http://www.basketball-reference.com/about/per.html)

The Player Efficiency Rating (PER) is a per-minute rating developed by ESPN.com columnist John Hollinger. In John’s words, “The PER sums up all a player’s positive accomplishments, subtracts the negative accomplishments, and returns a per-minute rating of a player’s performance.” It appears from his books that John’s database only goes back to the 1988-89 season. I decided to expand on John’s work and calculate PER for all players since minutes played were first recorded (1951-52).

All calculations begin with what I am calling unadjusted PER (uPER). The formula is:

uPER = (1 / MP) *

[ 3P

+ (2/3) * AST

+ (2 - factor * (team_AST / team_FG)) * FG

+ (FT *0.5 * (1 + (1 - (team_AST / team_FG)) + (2/3) * (team_AST / team_FG)))

- VOP * TOV

- VOP * DRB% * (FGA - FG)

- VOP * 0.44 * (0.44 + (0.56 * DRB%)) * (FTA - FT)

+ VOP * (1 - DRB%) * (TRB - ORB)

+ VOP * DRB% * ORB

+ VOP * STL

+ VOP * DRB% * BLK

- PF * ((lg_FT / lg_PF) - 0.44 * (lg_FTA / lg_PF) * VOP) ]

Most of the terms in the formula above should be clear, but let me define the less obvious ones:

factor = (2 / 3) – (0.5 * (lg_AST / lg_FG)) / (2 * (lg_FG / lg_FT))

VOP = lg_PTS / (lg_FGA – lg_ORB + lg_TOV + 0.44 * lg_FTA)

DRB% = (lg_TRB – lg_ORB) / lg_TRB

I am not going to go into details about what each component of the PER is measuring; that’s why John writes and sells books.

Problems arise for seasons prior to 1979-80:

• 1979-80 — debut of 3-point shot in NBA

• 1977-78 — player turnovers first recorded in NBA

• 1973-74 — player offensive rebounds, steals, and blocked shots first recorded in NBA

The calcuation of uPER obviously depends on these statistics, so here are my solutions for years when the data are missing:

• Zero out three-point field goals, turnovers, blocked shots, and steals.

• Set the league value of possession (VOP) equal to 1.

• Set the defensive rebound percentage (DRB%) equal to 0.7.

• Set player offensive rebounds (ORB) equal to 0.3 * TRB.

Some of these solutions may not be elegant, but I think they are reasonable. After uPER is calculated, an adjustment must be made for the team’s pace. The pace adjustment is:

pace adjustment = lg_Pace / team_Pace

League and team pace factors cannot be computed for seasons prior to 1973-74, so I estimate the above using:

estimated pace adjustment = 2 * lg_PPG / (team_PPG + opp_PPG)

To give you an idea of the accuracy of these estimates, here are the actual pace adjustments and the estimated pace adjustments for teams from the Eastern Conference in 2002-03:

For all seasons where actual pace adjustments can be computed, the root mean square error of the estimates is 0.01967.

Now the pace adjustment is made to uPER (I will call this aPER):

aPER = (pace adjustment) * uPER

The final step is to standardize aPER. First, calculate league average aPER (lg_aPER) using player minutes played as the weights. Then, do the following:

PER = aPER * (15 / lg_aPER)

The step above sets the league average to 15 for all seasons.

The Warriors are facing elimination against the Spurs (Photo Credit: Nathaniel S. Butler/ NBAE via Getty Images)

Some things, for me, can’t be argued. DJ Jazzy Jeff is the greatest DJ of all-time (See: exhibit A, exhibit B, and exhibit C, and one more for good measure; talk to me if you want more proof) and after four months of watching  (attentively) Stephen Curry he might be the best all-around scorer I’ve ever seen

Now that sounds like crazy talk, right? I witnessed the genius of Michael Jordan, I was a huge fan of Reggie Miller when it was truly “Miller Time”, and Lebron James and Kobe Bryant you can’t say enough about what they are doing. The numbers, the performances, and the overall feel of the man who has brought an electric feeling back to Bay area basketball can’t be explained by the numbers alone.

But since we’re on the subject, I’ll lay them out a bit for you.

• He’s shooting .446% from 3-pt. first among active players, second all-time
• He made 272 three-pointers in 2012-2013, an NBA single-season record
• Since 2010 he has finished first or second in free throw percentage (.934 in ’12-’13)
• He was second in the NBA in steals in 2010-2011 (152)

The surface hasn’t even been scratched, folks. His numbers get even more ridiculous when you consider this years playoffs.

He’s unselfish (8.3 assists/game), he’s defensively savvy (1.7 steals/game), and despite playing on ankles that some have described as “tissue paper” he has played the most minutes in the 2012-2013 postseason. This isn’t an anomaly, folks, this is a real life superstar that has just taken that next step. It’s a step that Brandon Jennings, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, and a host of others haven’t taken yet. That unselfish balance between knowing you are the man, yet placating to those who aren’t as offensively gifted because it’s for the good of your team and its chances to overcome the formidable Spurs.That isn’t a knock on Klay Thompson, Jarrett Jack, or Harrison Barnes but Stephen Curry is your franchise. He isn’t just a role guy, he is the guy. He carries himself like it, plays like it, should be handled like it (watch those minutes Mark Jackson), and ankles willing is going continue to play like it.

It would be easy to play the “I can’t believe he was taken seventh” game four years later. To this day, I can’t completely fault the Portland Trailblazers for taking Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan based on need. Some things are a little more obvious and sting a little more. Like my Atlanta Hawks taking Marvin Williams over both Deron Williams (confusing) and Chris Paul (just inexcusable). But where does Curry fall? Yes, he’s magnificent now, but what did we miss then when he was chosen seventh overall out of Davidson? Well, lets start with the fact that he went to Davidson. I went back to the 2005 draft, and of the 240 picks between 2005 and 2012 (including international), only six came from schools outside of the major conferences; and two of them (Paul George and Stephen Curry) are making significant moves toward superstar status (Like to give the Sacramento Kings a shout out for drafting Jason Thompson out of Rider University one year. Only the second player out of their program. Kudos for over-thinking things).

Curry’s exploits, however, were well documented at Davidson as he single-handedly knocked off Gonzaga, Georgetown, Wisconsin, and Kansas to lead the Wildcats to the Elite Eight in 2008. Why is that so significant? Every other appearance the Wildcats have made in the NCAA tournament since 1970 resulted in a first round exit.

We’re watching something amazing happen with Curry. I’m not a basketball guru (and I encourage you to read my buddy over at Bleacher Report Andy Bailey’s write up about him) but I can recognize unbelievable talent when I see it, and Golden State has it in their organization.

Hopefully for many years to come.

Listen in as the crew over at Inside the NBA has a good laugh as they analyze Dwyane Wade’s most recent fashion statement with his new suit…..

Downtown Memphis during rush hour

After losing Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York in the 2013 playoffs — the National Basketball Association has closed it doors citing lack of revenue. “It pains me to say this but professional basketball is broke,” commissioner David Stern sobbed at a press conference. The 2013 postseason now consists of Indiana, Memphis, Miami, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota — whose combined populations are roughly that of Queens.

“It’d be one thing if these cities liked basketball,” NBA CFO Jason Cahilly told the New York Times (the world’s largest circulating English language newspaper.) “But they’re just more interested in, you know, mowing their lawns and screaming at god and stuff like that.”

San Antonio City Council

The league, which had seen over 70 years of increased growth thanks in great part of the successes of franchises in Boston, Los Angeles, and Chicago — has had to file for bankruptcy because podunk towns now dominate the sport.

“The money just isn’t there,” Cahilly said. “Teams have tried to drum up interest in these town by holding book burnings outside arenas, and “bring your prayer snake to the game and get in free” promotions — but nothing can get these fat pieces of shit out of their Kraftmatic Adjustable Beds.”

The larger market teams, known for making basketball a lucrative, entertaining sporting spectacle night after night, had long been a gathering place for courtside celebrities, foreign dignitaries, and major musical acts. Pictured below, the Pacer’s version of Spike Lee, Daniel, is known throughout the brainwashed, jesus-obsessed state as having been trapped in a toaster-oven for six days. “Let’s go Patches!” Daniel shouts, unaware of his favorite team’s name because he doesn’t care/cannot read.

Indiana is a state named after a misconception that native Americans are from India

In a surprising turn of events a few years back, LeBron James decided to take his talents to South Beach. In doing so, the sport’s best player shunned larger markets, basically admitting he’d rather play somewhere where his mistakes could be hidden in backwater news “papers” (as they are called because stories are often spray painted on old cars instead of printed.) “Sometimes I notice they shut the scoreboard off early,” LeBron told Dick Buttkiss Sports. “I once scored 13 points for the other team, and the next day the Miami Herald just posted a boxscore from a different game under the headline “Cocaine Claims Another 68 Year-Old Victim.”

This postseason has seen a surge in small market success, based mostly on the fact that these poor guys have nothing to do in these piece of shit cities, so they just practice all the God damn time. “I’ve never left FedEx Forum,” Grizzlies G Tony Allen said. “I’ve heard there’s a Holiday Inn with a piano lounge 27 miles from here, but I’m scared I’ll get lost and raped by some woods-folk.”

The former NBDL Sioux Falls Skyforce are the current front runner in the west, expected to lose to the Heat in the finals. “I don’t consider myself a professional basketball player because me, nor any of my teammates, have ever, EVER, been paid,” some guy on that team said. “All I do is work out and eat the Bison that roam the field we play in,” he added.

“You heard me, we play in a fucking field with one basketball hoop.”

Fans of the league have been informed that they can watch perfectly exciting college basketball on CBS next fall, despite not knowing any of the youth basketball participants, low scoring games, and incessant picking.

The ‘Filipinization’ of Studio 23 turned the network away from quality upscale programming to youth-based, male dominated and mass-friendly programming.

I happened to take a brief look at CSI on Studio 23 recently, and I was shocked when they dubbed the program to Filipino. It was uncharacteristic and unusual to begin with. I remember Studio 23′s programming as being ‘different’ from other television networks, but in recent years they gradually shed its upper-class appeal in favor of a more mass-oriented approach. 

Studio 23′s ‘Filipinization’ began as early as 2004, introducing its most popular and recognizable slogan ‘KaBarkada Mo’. They aired supplementary programming for the popular reality show ‘Pinoy Big Brother‘, along with the addition of original self-produced programs aimed at young audiences. By then they were airing the UAAP and NCAA games, along with classic Filipino movies on its ‘Lunch Box Office’ and ‘Barkada Nights’ blocks. But the transformation was only the beginning.

In August 2010 a slightly modified slogan was introduced. The slogan ‘IbaKabarkada’ signaled a ‘new’ era for the UHF network, gradually moving away from the upscale program that they used to air in favor of shows aiming to a mass audience. Gone were the English newscast ‘News Central’ and its morning news show ‘Breakfast’. ‘IbaBalita’ took ‘News Central”s place and used Filipino as the main tongue. Reality shows like ‘Survivor’ and ‘The Amazing Race’ were also taken off the air, as are American drama series such as ‘Smallville’, ‘Desperate Housewives’ and ’24′.  Instead they devoted more air time to early morning anime, Asianovelas and Latinovelas. More Filipino classic movies and sports events were also being aired by the network.

Perhaps the biggest move made by Studio 23 was the transfer of traditional American canned programs to the late afternoon slots in favor of Barkada Nights, Philippine Azkals soccer, IbaBalita, WWE, UFC and NBA events. By the start of 2013, all of the canned American programs were dubbed in Filipino. 

So why did Studio 23 turned into a mass-oriented UHF television channel? A lot of it had to do with the growth of cable television and internet subscribers. More and more people subscribe in order to get more viewing options and catch up with all the latest news and information in a flash. Studio 23 used to provide viewers with ‘FUSE’ (fresh from the US episodes) of their favorite programs, but gradually deemphasized it following the ‘IbaKabarkada’ launch. Nevertheless they still air select canned programs from the US, albeit dubbed in Filipino in order for the masses to understand.

The network itself also saw the opportunity to acquire more sports properties in an effort to shift attention to a predominantly male audience. In 2011, Studio 23 started airing NBA games through a co-production agreement with Solar Sports. They also acquired the rights to air WWE programs, Philippine Azkals games, Top Rank Boxing and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. 

In the three years since using the ‘IbaKabarkada’ slogan, Studio 23 shot its way among the top five television networks in the country. However, I think the network needs to fine-tune their programming further. They need to reduce the programming hours of Filipino movies, which on average is six hours a day, and introduce more original programming. They also had to expand their sports programming; ABS-CBN does have the Balls Network, so why not? And air less MYX and Sine-Skwela, because it’s ‘nakakasawa’. 

In 1996, Studio 23 was the Premium Network, airing quality programs for the upscale family. But with all the technological advancements, it morphed into the ‘IbaKabarkada’ Network, airing programs for the youth, the males, and the masses. Today it is one of the most-watched television networks in the country, owed mostly to the ‘Filipinization’ that took nearly a decade to develop.