Pittsnogle signs two-year contract with the Celtics: Our hearts go pitter-patter

July 26th, 2006 | Posted by PostmanR

Back in June, we felt the biggest NBA Draft snub was Kevin Pittsnogle. If the Knicks were going to go ahead and nab this guy in the first round, Pittsnogle had to have gotten picked up at some point, right? Nope. Dude has a baby to support, let’s get him to the NBA and fast! We waited for the news.

And as E so aptly put it back then, “We did expect Pittsnogle to get the nod, though, considering his size, versatility and consistent success in college. Lack of athleticism probably killed him, but man…that dude was good, despite his ridiculous tattoos. Unfortunate.”

Unfortuate, indeed. But, the day has arrived. After spending some time playing in the summer league with the Heat, Big Pitty signed a two-year contract with the Celtics today.

We think his tattoos will be the perfect accessory to a green Celtics jersey, no?

Pittsnogle definitely has talent, great range for a big man and was successful as hell in college. Hopefully, his collegiate game translates to the pros.

Remember kids, your dreams can come true.

Superman, suddenly vulnerable

June 29th, 2006 | Posted by PostmanE

It’s a visual thing. I know that. It only has so much relation to reality - such is the nature of sight. It’s a rudimentary observational tool.

But damnit, age makes me sad as hell sometimes.

There he was, Michael Jordan, towering over Rachel Nichols on draft night like he towers over so many other average humans. Trademark bald head, thick, trimmed mustache. All there. The MJ we remember. The Air Jordan we love.

But last night, in the midst of highlights full of 20-year-olds with sinewy features and limitless athletic ability, stood a guy that looked, for all intents and purposes, every bit the middle-aged man. He’s gained weight. His face is slightly wrinkled, his demeanor meek. He just seems…old. MJ seems old, and man, does that hurt.

He defined my childhood. Seriously. Knowing I’m not alone in throwing this out there, often, when talking about sports or life or anything else, Jordan was the only thing my father and I agreed on. Father and son, in unison: Greatest player of all time. Yep. I know, Dad. We watching the Bulls game tonight? Sounds good.

The he retired, and that was OK. I didn’t understand the nature of the business then, but I figured if MJ wanted to play still, he could. He just didn’t want to, and who were we to tell him what to do?

Unlike many others, I was even OK when he decided to come back, knowing he would never be the same, but wanting a little bit more video, a few more Jordan moments to pack away. He was old then, too, but not like this. And I was still in high school, still impressed by the lessened frequency of mind-blowing moments. He still felt larger than life, then, like he was a gym teacher messing around with the younger kids for fun, occasionally holding the ball up with one arm while the boys jumped up and down around his legs, unable to reach where he held the game. He could turn it on whenever. He was Michael. He was not bound by age or physical limitation.

Now he just seems human. Mortal. Like most middle-aged fathers, whose sons have come of age, suddenly vulnerable. Imperfect. Possibly just, well, wrong sometimes (Wizards, anyone?).

It’s probably only half true. MJ is still probably better at basketball, even at his age, than 98% of the 6 billion human beings left on the planet. He’s probably just as intimidating as ever with sneakers on, in the gym, shooting hoop after hoop after hoop. And he probably sees the game better than most people alive, sees players’ faults and their strengths like few else can.

But it sure doesn’t look that way. I guess that’s the unfortunate side effect of sight. It makes things harder to see sometimes.

For now, at least, I’m hoping that’s the case.

You spin me right round, baby right round…

June 29th, 2006 | Posted by PostmanE

The NBA Draft. The hope for your team’s future. The first step in a long process of franchise-building (Bobcats) or the final step in a run at the top of the league (Bulls?). Drafts are an inherently exciting device, chock with intensity and intrigue and surprise.

Last night did not dissapoint. While the Raptors did what Chad Ford said they would do since the lottery came out and selected Andrea Bargnani at the top spot, the Bulls got a little tricky with their two No. 1 picks. John Paxson and company drafted LaMarcus Aldridge only to trade him for the player they wanted anyway, Tyrus Thomas, and Victor Khyrapa. Thanks Portland! Later, they traded to get a guy, who, according to our immediate video-based impression, looks amazing. Jay Bilas agreed, which is always fun.

Those were only two of the trades, though. Commissar Stern - did I say commissar? I meant commissioner - was forced to rattle off deal after deal in the first round, usually with a distinguishable look of bemusement on his face. (Also hilarious was Stern and Dan Patrick’s little exchange in the early part of the first round; Stern was nice enough, I guess, for a guy who knows he could have Patrick killed with a snap of the fingers.)

I could go on and on about all the wheeling and dealing, but most interesting to R and I were the absences of Kevin Pittsnogle and our hometown guy, Marco Killingsworth, anywhere in the draft. We didn’t expect ol’ Marco to get drafted; he’s 24 and peaked during the Duke game in December. We did expect Pittsnogle to get the nod, though, considering his size, versatility and consistent success in college. Lack of athleticism probably killed him, but man…that dude was good, despite his ridiculous tattoos. Unfortunate.

But alas, the draft is over, and Screamin’ A. Smith has finally ceded our eardrums. HOWEVA, it’s back to work today, just another fun day at the Postm -

(On phone) Hello? Oh - hey R. Huh? Alright, I guess. Yeah. I know. It’s not personal, it’s business. These things happen. OK. Talk to you later man.

(Hangs up.) OK - sorry. I’ve gotta go. R just traded me for the rights to Bassie Telfair and cash consideration.

Adam Morrison: X-Box 360 Lover

June 28th, 2006 | Posted by PostmanR

It’s been a while since we’ve talked about Adam Morrison around here (namely because we became distraught after Gonzaga knocked our Indiana Hoosiers out of the NCAA tournament and he hasn’t cried on the court in awhile), but with the NBA Draft looming tonight, we felt it was appropriate to delve into Morrison’s obsession with video games.

Apparently, EA Sports is rolling out a series of commercials starting tonight during the draft for NBA Live ‘07, which will feature Mr. Morrison. (You can peep some video of that stuff here. I haven’t gotten any of them to work, so good luck. Guess you might just have to wait until tonight!)

We all know he and his good butt buddy J.J. Redick play each other in Halo online, but apparently Morrison plays a whole host of other games whenever he get the chance. From a recent interview with IGN:

“Pretty much all I do in my spare time is play games,” laughs Morrison. “Xbox Live is where it’s at, I’m always online.”

If Morrison plays video games with the same emotion and intensity with which he plays hoops (which this interview certainly indicates), we imagine him standing up, pacing around and talking trash into his X-Box 360 online headset. It’s a scary image, indeed.

(Small update: The Mighty MJD has a video up of one of these Morrison commmercials.)

NBA Draft 2006 - Feel the rush

June 27th, 2006 | Posted by PostmanE

The NBA Draft. It’s usually - usually - not the greatest test of how your team does the next year. But this year’s different, right? No high school players, right?

Well, that might actually weaken this draft, believe it or not. NBADraft.net has that European guy, Bargnani, going 1st overall and Tyrus Thomas going 2nd to the Bulls (C’mon Bulls). Um, remember Greg Oden? Yeah, he’d definitely get drafted over both of those guys.

Either way, I’m still really excited for this thing, moreso than in recent years, and I probably shouldn’t be, given the shallow talent pool.

Without sounding too much like some sort of circus clown, let me just say - this draft could get craaaazy! Will the Bulls get a guy to push them over the hump, or just another young player on a too-young roster? Will the Raptors completely eff up this draft, as with most things concerning their franchise? Is Bargnani the new Dirk or the new Darko? Will J.J. Redick get drafted in the top 10, free to urinate on NBA groupies for years to come? Does Adam Morrison have his seizure problems under control?

Here’s a couple more draft boards to check out. NBA Draft 2006. Can you feel it?

(Apparently, there’s already a 2007 NBA Mock Draft. Will Marco Killingsworth at least be in that one?)

(Quick little amusing update. Apparently, some crazy shit is going down in Andy Katz and Chad Ford’s world over on ESPN. Rudy Gay is pictured. It just read as such: As Wednesday’s draft hurtles toward the NBA planet, the latest rumors are out of this world. Raptors fans, pay attention. If you’re a Raptors fan, and you weren’t already paying attention, you’re not a Raptors fan. Also, if your team drafts Rudy Gay, you should stop being a Raptors fan. Also - I would bet my apartment this means absolutely nothing. But we’ll see.)

Weekend Fun: So, what else is there to do?

June 23rd, 2006 | Posted by PostmanE

As I noted earlier today, this is one of the first ‘Weekend Fun’ posts we’ve ever had to make without mentioning the NBA playoffs. Fortunately, the NBA draft is nearly here, so you can spend some time this weekend thinking about that, if you’re so inclined. (We’d like to personally thank Isiah Thomas for the Bulls’ beneificial draft picks this year. Thanks, Ike.)

Also, the lack of basketball will certainly be accompanied by an increased interest in day-to-day baseball stuff - and not just Ozzie Guillen vs. Jay Mariotti nonsense (though Rick Morrissey writes a column worth reading today on the subject). Like, actual baseball. I might even start working through the Cubs media guide I was recently given. Exciting stuff, I know.

But, in the short term, the NBA’s lingering absence will no doubt be most effectively filled by the World Cup, which, despite a boring afternoon of action today, continues to entertain and surprise and destroy the spirits of men. Group of 16 action starts tomorrow afternoon with Germany v. Sweden at 11 and Argentina v. Mexico at 3. Sunday, the team I’m likely to root on now, England, will face Ecuador in the early match, and those pesky Polskis will take on their neighbors, the Netherlands.

R departs for Bloomington as we speak, signaling impending drunkenness. Enjoy your weekend as well, peeps. See you Monday.