Ron Artest?

Yeah, umm...this required a post from out of my quiet summer. The Rockets' have made a deal to acquire Ron Artest from the Sacremento Kings, in exchange for Bobby Jackson, some rookie, and next years number one pick, as well as some cash.

First of all, let's just throw this out there. That is a gutsy and interesting move by Daryl Morey. Totally took me by surprise, no doubt about that. I would have figured there were teams in the Ron Artest sweepstakes, would not have figured the Rockets' to be one of them! But I digest. (Yes, I know it is digress).

I love Ron Artest on the basketball court! I really do. And I know that he loves Rick Adelman. So, from that point of view, this seems like a nice deal. And if all goes to plan, this really puts the Rockets' in a pretty good position. Doesn't quite put them with the Lakers, but puts them right there with the Spurs and the Hornets as far as the West goes.

But let's just think about this a second. Chances are HIGHLY likely this will not go to plan. Ron Artest just adds another player with the problem that our other 2 alleged "stars" have. He can't stay on the court. Only once since the 03-04 season has Artest managed to appear in more than 57 games. In that time, he has missed an average of 41 games a season. Now, I do realize that one of those seasons included an almost season long suspension, and that is not the same as an injury. However, when you are talking Ron Artest, you never know just how close you are to an outburt causing a season long suspension! So he has missed half a season each season for the last 6 seasons.

That is a lot of money to invest in someone who misses that much playing time. Let's just throw some numbers out there. This is a guy who has played 13 seasons, and this is a sample of his games played: 27, 28, 55, 7, 16, 40, 56, 57. That is 8 of those 13 seasons right there. That is a whole bunch of games missed. Now add that to Yao and T-Mac's propensities to get hurt all the time, and you start to question this deal. A number 1 pick for a guy who misses half of the season on average for the last 6 seasons? Not to mention, I was hoping the Rockets' would dump T-Mac this off season. The guy is not a winner, plain and simple. I will not call him a loser...well, yes I will, the opposite of a winner is a loser. And the guy has never won jack taco. He's a loser.

On the face, I think this seems like a possibly great deal. But when it is considered how much time the 3 stars of the Houston Rockets' miss, I don't think this deal will have any effect. The Rockets' still can't get out of the first round with T-Mac. Although, this could be his best shot.

"And here we...go."

Ok. So obviously, it has been a while since anyone has heard from me. But that's ok. School has been out, and I pretty much use this blog as an outlet for the use of my time during class. But "The Dark Knight" has now come out, so it was time to come out of hiding.

Just to note...a full report on TDK will come later, but I have been thinking about this certain line (the one above), for a few hours now, and just reflecting on it.

Such a simple line. Delivered...perfectly. It is delivered at an incredibly important moment in the movie. The Joker has put a great deal of explosives on 2 boats, and given the detonators to the people on the other boat, with the instruction, blow them up, or they blow you up. And if neither of those things were to happen, he would blow them both up.

Now, one of the boats was filled with convicts, the other with innocent civilians, but neither was willing to take all those lives. However, the Joker thought they would. So he is sitting over Batman, waiting for it to happen, and just utters those magical words. "And here we...go." The delivery was just incredible, but what happened next makes those words even more magical. Nothing. The look in the Joker's eyes, a look of defeat almost. Total surprise that the people of Gotham would not stoop to his level to save their own asses.

If you have seen the movie already, try to think about that line. Picture it in your head. The delivery, and then what happened next. I had to see the movie a second time before I really appreciated it, but now...Wow. Just magical.

Why the Derby is STUPID!

Read this headline...this is seriously the headline...

"Favorite Big Brown dusts field; runner-up Eight Belles euthanized"

I am sorry, that is just not ok. This is just not right, it's like someone just said, hey, what are you up to today? I don't know, I was thinking about taking that beautiful animal over there, strapping a saddle on its back and then riding it, and making it go faster than he is capable of going. Oh really, how are you going to manage that? Well, I am going to take this whip and whip him in the ass until he goes faster and faster. So fast in fact, that he breaks all his ankles and can't be saved. He will be so bad in fact, that he has to be euthanized in front of 175000 people. It will be great, wanna come? You know it! Well bring your funny hat!

That seriously pains me to even put that picture up there. This stupider than Nascar. At least in Nascar the only animal hurt is an idiot human who volunteered to take left turns for a living.

2nd Round Picks...well, most of them

So the Celtics can't beat the Hawks...whatever. It actually won't change my pick for the next round whether they do or not, but it might change the number of games I pick them in.

So let's just go with the ones we know.

West Semi 1

Lakers(1) v. Jazz (5)

Frankly, the Lakers are just too good for the Jazz. I really believe in all my heart that the west comes down to the Lakers or Spurs. And with news that Kobe is in fact the MVP of the league, I think he will play with an extra bounce in his step. I am going to go with the Lakers in 5. They take both home games to start, then take one game in Utah, and close it out in LA. But all the games will be fun, I just think the Lakers are too good in the end.

West Semi 2

Hornets (2) v. Spurs (3)

This should actually be kinda fun. Experience versus youth, Tony versus Paul, all sorts of good stuff going on. But here, unlike in the first round against Phoenix, I actually think the Spurs are the better team. Not to mention, more experienced. But do not be fooled. The Hornets are an incredible basketball team, I just think the Spurs window is not quite closed yet. I think the Spurs take game 1 in NO, then take both in San Antonio next weekend, and close it out in 6 back in San Antonio. GO SPURS GO!

East Semi 2

Pistons (2) v. Magic (3)

Now...I am not really sure what to say about the Magic, because I didn't watch any of their first round games, because they were all on NBAtv, which I find funny! But none-the-less, they are an incredible team with a great big man. But I think the Pistons have figured out that teams are not just going to give it to them, and that their window is even smaller than the Spurs, even if not as small as the Suns. The Pistons bounce back and get the Magic in 5 or 6. I will take 6.

'Iron Man' not terrible

So I did in fact go see Iron Man, mostly because I was secretly hoping that the new Dark Knight trailer would preceed it, and it did, more on that later, and it really wasn't so bad.

I think the thing I liked the most was the script. I thought it was clever and funny, and pretty fun. It is a movie that never got to dark, and kept everything pretty light, and considering the cast, that was the only thing that would work. Robert Downey, Jr. wasn't so bad, but not really believeable to me as a superhero.

And frankly, I haven't seen Gweneth look this hot in a very long time. I was almost shocked. She was incredibly beautiful throughout the entire film.

But what is with Iron Man as a superhero? One of the reasons I don't particularily like comic movies is that the superheroes are unreal. Like Superman, or Spidey. One of the great things about Batman is that he is just a man. And he just goes out, and beats the crap out of people with his bare hands.

Now, Iron Man is just a man as well. But this suit of his...Although, its perhaps the coolest technology this side of creating dinosaurs, is totally unbelieveable. I think...maybe its not, I am not quite a tech dork. But it seemed unreal.

But anyway, all and all, it was actually a decent movie, and it is for sure worth seeing. But let's not go overboard and call this movie something it isn't. Which is as great as the Dark Knight is going to be.

And while on that topic. The trailer...INCREDIBLE! There was actually one thing that bothered me though. One of the great mysteries of this film is Harvey Dent. Would be become Two-Face in this film? Or the next film? That is one of the things I would have liked to have gone unknown until July 18th. But Nolan did kind of give it away in the new trailer. But I don't care that much...if you thought the last trailer was good...this one is even better!!

The Celtics suck!

I just want to throw this out there. The Hawks, who won only 37 games this season, have won more games in the playoffs than the Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks, and Phoenix Suns COMBINED!!

And if they are somehow able to pull off a stunner in Game 7 (which I think they will), they will have won the same number of games as all those three teams AND the Houston Rockets. That is pretty incredible stuff right there!

So even if the Celtics pull this thing off on Sunday afternoon, it will just be because they have a home game, but when playing the Lebrons, it will not be easy at home either. Lebron is going to go into Boston and take Game 1, assuming that is who he is playing. So the Celtics have finally been outed as the team they really are. A bunch of over paid, over hyped losers who can not win a dang thing.

Rocket's win? Landry loses...twice

So first and foremost...very well played in Utah by the Rockets! That is a really nice win, with great intensity all the way through. Who would have thought that Rafer was actually a decent point guard. Certainly not me!

And it appears that Carl Landry is back to being Carl Landry. I really believe that is where most of the intensity of the Rockets comes from. He is just a fun player to watch because he plays with a ton of energy and plays so hard. But last night, though he came up with the biggest block this side of Tayshaun Prince, Carl was a big loser. He lost a tooth after getting jacked in the mouth by Carlos Boozer, and then, just totally unsuspectedly, gets a smooch from Rafer on national tv. I don't think he saw that coming. And Rafer, not someone you want to get romantically involved with, you know, with the whole anger issues. I mean, if he tries to stab strangers in the neck, what would he do to a jilted lover?

And as for T Mac. Nice game...Decent 4th quarter. 7 points isn't bad. 2-8 isn't good though. Not to mention, he could have come real close to icing the game if he hits a jumper on the Rockets last possession, and I am not even sure that it hit the back board...it was not pretty. And if Williams doesn't get blocked by Landry...then that missed shot looks very bad.

But, luckily, Williams did get blocked, and so T Mac can be a hero of sorts for at least 2 days. But the Rockets still have to win another game in Utah if they want to win this series. After the way they played last night though...I am not totally sure they can't do it! This thing should at least go 6...I don't know if I can take the Rockets to win 2 in a row in Utah, but I for sure like them back in Houston in game 5.