An interesting idea has been kicking around the brain factory recently. A new resident of an NBA city needs to see how the fans of the city respond to the team. Living in Atlanta certainly brings it's own particular challenge since the city (mostly) seems to not give a damn about the team. This might make for an interesting research project. This site would feel relatively comfortable analyzing the fan bases of three, possibly four NBA franchises. A research project of this sort could lead to interesting analysis of major metropolitan centers in the United States, but there are some considerations:
1. While one city being observed is residence to the authors, the other two guaranteed cities are former residence of the authors.
Answer: This is only appropriate. We don't live in Cleveland, and we're not fucking going to Cleveland.
2. Three of the possible subjects also happen to be the three teams from Texas. Does region matter to analysis?
Answer: Perhaps, but broke twenty-somethings can't travel a great deal, so deal with it
3. The fourth possible option is Dallas, a city neither author has lived in but seems to despise.
Answer: Distaste for Dallas is based on experiences there and with people who identify strongly as residence of said location.
So that's it. We'll be occasionally bringing you reports about Atlanta mixed in with reports on the sociological importance of the Rockets, Spurs and possibly Mavericks.
Feast bitches,
-Dusty
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Bong Hits for Jesus, Round 1
We’re running through my Itunes, reader. The party just rocked through the new Black Keys, and we’re on to “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath. It’s a party folks. The beer is running and it’s time for the first edition of “Bong Hits for Jesus.”
In tonight’s edition I would like to tell you how much I like Mark Cuban.
That’s right. A Spurs fan loves the Cubester.
Mark Cuban is exactly the kind of owner that any fan would be, and that’s exactly why you should like him too.
Several years ago there was a great piece in Sports Illustrated about Mark Cuban after he’d owned the Mavericks for a few years. Highlights of the article include:
-He lived in a huge mansion that had almost no furnishing in the entire thing.
-One of his main recruiting tools for players was providing them with incredibly plush towels.
*Tony Iomi is destroying on a solo right now.
-Cuban said that he always remembered a place with nice towels, so he figured the presence of nice towels, along with offers to exorbitantly over pay to get talent, would convince people to play in Big D.
-Dallas was also the first place (I believe) to put PS2’s (this is several years ago) and flat screen TVs in the lockers for every player.
*Planet Caravan might be one of the greatest pieces to put an album together, ever.
Mark Cuban would appear to be the kind of guy who wants to run his team like a successful business and a great hometown team.
I know what you’ll say. “Dallas fans suck. They’re all bandwagon, it’s not a loyal town.” You would not be totally wrong. I have to point out that some of the most die hard, knowledgeable fans I’ve ever met were Mavericks fans, but you would be generally true with your opinion. Now, Freeballin’ will never be a forum for the advanced kind of sociological research necessary to try and explain the typical Dallas-wish-wash fan. Today I am simply trying to convince you that Mark Cuban is the right kind of owner for any sports team, and his methods are risky (business background) or stupid (might be due to living in Dallas, did I say that out loud? Whoops.) but they show a degree of concern for the team and city that I admire.
Spurs fans were irate when Cuban went on the air during the playoffs and insulted the great city of San Antonio by calling the Riverwalk “muddy” and gross or something to that effect. He railed on the city, and I loved every second of it. What the hell does Mark Cuban care about the Riverwalk one way or another? Hell, what do the citizens of SA care about the Riverwalk? It’s just for the tourists. The Riverwalk may be an important part of the economy in SA (big tourist site), but it’s not an insult to city pride. I mean it’s not like he knocked on Taco Cabana.
Mark Cuban was simply trying to rile up fan support and intensity. He was just trying to get everyone amped and excited. That is awesome, folks. Rivalries are what make sports great, so if someone is encouraging the citizenry (without going too far below the belt, leave my bean and cheese alone), then I cannot condemn that person. I’ll say it. God bless you, Mark Cuban.
I want rivalries! I want vengeance! I want bean and cheese! And you should too.
Mark Cuban does.
-Dusty
In tonight’s edition I would like to tell you how much I like Mark Cuban.
That’s right. A Spurs fan loves the Cubester.
Mark Cuban is exactly the kind of owner that any fan would be, and that’s exactly why you should like him too.
Several years ago there was a great piece in Sports Illustrated about Mark Cuban after he’d owned the Mavericks for a few years. Highlights of the article include:
-He lived in a huge mansion that had almost no furnishing in the entire thing.
-One of his main recruiting tools for players was providing them with incredibly plush towels.
*Tony Iomi is destroying on a solo right now.
-Cuban said that he always remembered a place with nice towels, so he figured the presence of nice towels, along with offers to exorbitantly over pay to get talent, would convince people to play in Big D.
-Dallas was also the first place (I believe) to put PS2’s (this is several years ago) and flat screen TVs in the lockers for every player.
*Planet Caravan might be one of the greatest pieces to put an album together, ever.
Mark Cuban would appear to be the kind of guy who wants to run his team like a successful business and a great hometown team.
I know what you’ll say. “Dallas fans suck. They’re all bandwagon, it’s not a loyal town.” You would not be totally wrong. I have to point out that some of the most die hard, knowledgeable fans I’ve ever met were Mavericks fans, but you would be generally true with your opinion. Now, Freeballin’ will never be a forum for the advanced kind of sociological research necessary to try and explain the typical Dallas-wish-wash fan. Today I am simply trying to convince you that Mark Cuban is the right kind of owner for any sports team, and his methods are risky (business background) or stupid (might be due to living in Dallas, did I say that out loud? Whoops.) but they show a degree of concern for the team and city that I admire.
Spurs fans were irate when Cuban went on the air during the playoffs and insulted the great city of San Antonio by calling the Riverwalk “muddy” and gross or something to that effect. He railed on the city, and I loved every second of it. What the hell does Mark Cuban care about the Riverwalk one way or another? Hell, what do the citizens of SA care about the Riverwalk? It’s just for the tourists. The Riverwalk may be an important part of the economy in SA (big tourist site), but it’s not an insult to city pride. I mean it’s not like he knocked on Taco Cabana.
Mark Cuban was simply trying to rile up fan support and intensity. He was just trying to get everyone amped and excited. That is awesome, folks. Rivalries are what make sports great, so if someone is encouraging the citizenry (without going too far below the belt, leave my bean and cheese alone), then I cannot condemn that person. I’ll say it. God bless you, Mark Cuban.
I want rivalries! I want vengeance! I want bean and cheese! And you should too.
Mark Cuban does.
-Dusty
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Ron-Ron. A Fickle mistress...
In a perfect world Ron-Ron will be to the Houston Rockets what Bon-Bons were to Peggy Bundy. The sinful indulgence that puts that really makes life better.
I have been hoping that Chuck Hayes or Carl Landry would turn into Charles Oakley and that we would pick up the next incarnation of Vernon Maxwell at the same time... I thought it would take two or three players to do this... We got it all in one crazy and scary individual. Ron Artest has done several interviews since the initial shock of this trade has happened; most of them trying to explain how he is a changed man. He interviews more like Mike Tyson than Sidney Pottier. His history and his perpetual stink eye terrify fans who worry about chemistry, but it also terrifies other teams.
Artest could be the difference between the Rockets being like watching All the Right Moves a hundred times or watching Varsity Blues a hundred times. Varsity Blues still makes me laugh and All the Right Moves still makes me scratch my head as to ho this guy has become the leader of a religous cult. I think it is better to laugh more than ponder sociopathic religous pyramid schemes, myself. Anyway,the Rockets looked at all the first round exits and decided that for the price of Bobby Jax and two late first round pics that they wanted could say, "I don't want your life," to the old days and risk their team turning into talk show fodder.
Despite any of this, I believe that we are moving toward a more enjoyable product. Louis Scola and not Ron-Ron could be the sixth man of the year. That is a bold prediction that if right means we will be, at teh very least, in the Conference finals. I firmly believe that Ron will need to be on the floor at the beginning of the game to keep him happy. Louis coming off the bench though adds offense and makes sense because he is an energy guy. not a crazy guy,
I like this trade because we gave away little that would fit on our team, and if it doesn't work we still have a trade chip/expiring contract. This finally give the Rockets a combination of players with edge and talent. I think Artest will be more like Rodman than J.R. RIder.
The Captain Signing off for now...
I have been hoping that Chuck Hayes or Carl Landry would turn into Charles Oakley and that we would pick up the next incarnation of Vernon Maxwell at the same time... I thought it would take two or three players to do this... We got it all in one crazy and scary individual. Ron Artest has done several interviews since the initial shock of this trade has happened; most of them trying to explain how he is a changed man. He interviews more like Mike Tyson than Sidney Pottier. His history and his perpetual stink eye terrify fans who worry about chemistry, but it also terrifies other teams.
Artest could be the difference between the Rockets being like watching All the Right Moves a hundred times or watching Varsity Blues a hundred times. Varsity Blues still makes me laugh and All the Right Moves still makes me scratch my head as to ho this guy has become the leader of a religous cult. I think it is better to laugh more than ponder sociopathic religous pyramid schemes, myself. Anyway,the Rockets looked at all the first round exits and decided that for the price of Bobby Jax and two late first round pics that they wanted could say, "I don't want your life," to the old days and risk their team turning into talk show fodder.
Despite any of this, I believe that we are moving toward a more enjoyable product. Louis Scola and not Ron-Ron could be the sixth man of the year. That is a bold prediction that if right means we will be, at teh very least, in the Conference finals. I firmly believe that Ron will need to be on the floor at the beginning of the game to keep him happy. Louis coming off the bench though adds offense and makes sense because he is an energy guy. not a crazy guy,
I like this trade because we gave away little that would fit on our team, and if it doesn't work we still have a trade chip/expiring contract. This finally give the Rockets a combination of players with edge and talent. I think Artest will be more like Rodman than J.R. RIder.
The Captain Signing off for now...
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