Good Night, Sweet Prince [Nba Closer]

Continue Reading November 2nd, 2007

• What’s Gotten Into Tayshaun Prince? There’s only one way to explain the Piston’s opener on Thursday: Tayshaun Prince was bitten by something in the woods, and became Teen Wolf. Prince scored a career-high 34 points, and collected 12 rebounds (!), as Detroit beat Miami 91-80 in the season opener for both teams. The Pistons were even playing without Richard Hamilton, who was absent due to “a family matter.” Prince was 13-for-23 from the floor, and Chauncey Billups had 19 points. Shaquille O’Neal? Just watchin’ (six shots, nine points). The Heat was also without Dwayne Wade (recovering from several surgeries).

• Here Comes The Sun. Seattle’s home opener was a sellout, with fans refusing to come to grips with the name Oklahoma SuperSonics, which will be coming next year. Amare Stoudemire had 23 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Suns to a 106-99 win. Steve Nash had 18 points and 12 assists, and Kevin Durant had 27 points for Seattle.

• Tracy McGrady Eats Babies. Remember when Utah beat Houston in the opening round of the playoffs last year? Those were the days. Now, Tracy McGrady swats Jazz players like gnats. McGrady’s 47 points led the Rockets over the Jazz 106-95. And so the Rick Adelman Era begins 2-0. He may never lose.

Barry Bonds Just Won’t Leave Us Alone [Enjoy The Interview Stylings Of Jim Gray]

Continue Reading November 2nd, 2007

The Barry Bonds Big-Top Denial Circus made another stop on Thursday; and let me just say at the outset, that’s entertainment. In case you heard it on MSNBC’s Countdown with Keith Olbermann yesterday and are confused, let me translate: Barry says he never took steroids, and if the Hall of Fame accepts his record-breaking home run ball that has an asterisk printed on it, he will not attend his own induction ceremony. At least I’m pretty sure that’s what he said.

In interview situations, Bonds speaks like Cosmo Kramer enters a room. Be sure to duck as non-sequiters fly everywhere. He will also lapse into the third person without warning, and contradict himself more than once. There will also be jokes that only he finds funny. Oh, and this time he’s interviewed by Jim Gray! Fun for the entire family. The highlight from Mr. Bonds:

“I don’t think you can put an asterisk in the game of baseball, and I don’t think that the Hall of Fame can accept an asterisk,” Bonds said. “You cannot give people the freedom, the right to alter history. You can’t do it. There’s no such thing as an asterisk in baseball.”

Bonds also said “I will never be in the Hall of Fame. Never.” So does that mean he doesn’t expect to get voted in? Or, if voted in, he won’t go into the building? Or perhaps he doesn’t want to be included in the voting? Even Gray seemed confused, following each Bonds answer with: “So Barry, are you saying that …”

Countdown to an armed Barry raiding a Vegas motel room to retrieve his stolen memorabilia: about three years.

Bonds Would Boycott Hall Of Fame Over Asterisk [MSNBC]