Denver gets gully; Philly prays for Oden

I normally hate throwing the NBA and hip hop together because of the negative stereotype it generates, but when Allen Iverson gets traded, exceptions must be made.

Has there ever been three players on the same team more hood than Carmelo, J.R. Smith and now Iverson? Grab a big man from Cali and sign Master P to a 10 day and you’re talking about uniting a whole culture. These boys are going to break some records – namely most players on one team to sleep with Carmen Bryan. It’s just too bad they’re stuck in Denver, where ghetto is considered having just one NorthFace.

Anyway, it would be absurd to think the Nuggets didn’t improve immensely, and it’s hard to believe they won’t eventually pass the Phoenix Suns as the highest scoring team in the league. The question of how Iverson will react to having to share the ball is fair, but a bit skewed. Yes, he’s a gunner, but having barely average players around him (even on the best 76ers teams) played a large role into his propensity for shooting.

In Philly, the Sixers managed to get the three quarters for dollar they were seeking. Acquiring Andre Miller probably signifies the end of former UConn guard Kevin Ollie’s days playing 35 minutes a game. Miller is a talented player, but I think his point guard skills will be featured more if the team can win the lottery and draft Greg Oden. In the meantime, he’ll begin to understand more and more why Iverson enjoyed spending most of his time in Atlantic City. At least he had a chance to win down the shore.

The deal becomes a heist for Denver’s if the Sixers don’t get Oden however. If ever a team could fuck up having three first round picks, it’s Philly, who will probably end up with two tweeners and an offensively-challenged big man. Here’s a crazy stat that really means very little, but proves they can’t even get lucky in the draft: Of all their second selections in the Iverson era up until Kyle Korver (who they traded for), not one player is on an NBA roster today.

As for Iverson, I hope he gets to play for another championship. He’s too great a player to not win one. His leaving Philly is kind of upsetting. The Answer was in a class with the Jeter’s, Favre’s and Elmo’s of the world as stars who never switched teams in an era when moving around became commonplace.

For more:
NBA Roundtable on the Iverson Trade – NBA Fanhouse
Billy King: No Level of Incompetence that won't be tolerated – Complete Sports

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Nate Robinson, forgetting he's 4'8, says bring it bitch

Let me begin by saying I could care less about what last night’s brawl at the Garden will do to the NBA’s already questionable image. You know? Fuck it. The fight had nothing to do with the league being too black, too hip hop or too ghetto, as it will almost definitely be perceived. It came out of frustration – the same thing that labels Roger Clemens a rattlesnake when he knocks a hitter down following a homerun.

The corporate sponsors aren’t going anywhere, the league’s not folding and I’m certainly not going to stop watching because a bunch of players couldn’t hold their tempers in check. They are human. If you’re actually contemplating giving up on basketball because of some brawl, then fuck you. You’re probably the same person who condemned baseball to hell after the strike and then came running back when McGwire and Sosa made the game enjoyable to watch again. Yeah, that worked out you stupid bitch.

There is more talent in the NBA right now than at anytime in the last 15 years and people don’t appreciate it because they can’t identify with the players? Because Peyton Manning really gives a shit that he’s on your fantasy team, right?



On to analyzing the brawl.

Mardy Collins becomes the aforementioned rattlesnake. After the game, some Knicks said they felt the Nuggets were running up the score and obviously Collins was intending to send a message. He knew he was wrong. He clearly wasn’t looking to fight, but J.R. Smith wanted someone to pay for the hard foul – and rightfully so.

Enter Nate Robinson, who was still trying to redeem himself from that dunk he tried two weeks ago. He jawed with Carmelo Anthony and then proceeded to go at with Smith. The two ended up in the crowd with Robinson on top of Smith. Let me take the time to question just how tough New Jersey is. A 6’6 guy from Newark is not supposed to be on the receiving end of punches thrown by 5’9 kid from Seattle.

Once that part ended, Anthony saw the perfect chance to gain back some street cred after the whole snitching ordeal. He pushed Channing Frye, who wanted nothing to do with the situation, to the floor. Then he decided to sucker punch Collins, who deserved to be hit, but not like that. I’m still debating on whether or not it was an open handed bitch smack that Anthony threw.

Then Anthony, being a lot more of a pussy than I thought, started to back up waiting for people to get in the middle so he didn’t have to actually square up with anyone. Meanwhile, Robinson was looking for round two with anyone, except ‘Melo. Notice that he ran at him, threw his fists in the air, and turned his back to go find a tag team partner. After, we see Jared Jeffries getting held back by everyone in the Garden followed by a shot of an out of breath Robinson, and just like that, the highlight is over.

In all, ten players were ejected and we now await the inevitable “This is bad for the NBA” column, while we hope for the “Man, Nate Robinson can really throw down” column.

The one column I can guarantee we don’t see? “Maybe the brawl will help rejuvenate the Knicks.”

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Now Miami knows how Tupac felt

A season surrounded by brawling, death and the head coach losing his job will end Dec. 31 when Miami travels to Boise to play Nevada in the MPC Computers Bowl.

You’d think the Hurricanes would be upset about spending their New Year’s Eve in a potato field, but Brandon Meriweather (the helmet swingin’ gun toting vigilante that he is) said the team will go in with an us against the world mentality.

"Everybody in the world expected us to give up. We decided as a unit, as a defense, as a team, not to give up --not to give America what they want. It's easy being America's most loved, but it's hard being America's most hated."

It’s wrong to pick on the easiest target, but I’m pretty sure an exception can be made for The U. After the game, I fully expect to hear, “We came from the gutter and we’re still here.”

Cue the “Changes” beat…

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More on Telfair's Hoodlum Antics

So if yesterday there was absolutely no chance that Sebastian Telfair had anything to do with Fabolous’ shooting, today there’s at least a glimmer of hope.

The New York Post reports that Telfair was overheard making a phone call shortly after his $50,000 chain was stolen saying, “Get over here and take care of it.” It’s pretty clear that he wasn’t talking to the police.

The article leads you to believe that someone in Fabolous’ entourage did steal Telfair’s chain. If that ends up true, whether the police prove it or not, then the former Lincoln High star probably had to be involved in the shooting.

My stance remains the same. I’m all for this story being true. While Ray Allen overcame the prevalent Coney Island temptations in He Got Game, Telfair appears to be the anti-Jesus Shuttlesworth. He’s hood and the league isn’t going to change him. Watch your back Rajon Rondo.

As for Fabolous, well, I guess if gunshots don’t kill ya, they’ll probably help you sell records. Getting shot by an NBA player (or his friends,) living to tell about it and presumably keeping Telfair’s chain is instant street cred in my book.

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