More Than Just a Pretty Shot

We know. We know. We post about Steph a lot. Ok, ok, ok...a LOT. But over the last few days a couple of pieces have gone viral in the Davidson social media circles that have absolutely spoken to the heart  of Davidson, Stephen Curry himself, and why everyone enjoys watching him play.

The first comes from a good friend from our Davidson years (she lived on the same freshman hall as Paul and Jack), Gabi Wallace. Fair warning - it's quite touching.

Davidson Daybook: An Old Man's Wish and a Wildcat Favor - by Gabrielle Wallace

The second piece comes from another Davidson classmate of ours, one who played on the women's basketball team while at Davidson and spent a decent amount of time sharing the gym with Steph.

Charlotte Magazine: Prettier Than He Looks - by Amanda Ottoway

It's no wonder why the Davidson community has suddenly morphed into some of the biggest Golden State fans in the country. And if these pieces haven't convinced you to cheer for the Warriors tonight as they attempt to level their playoff series once more, then maybe this will:

The Eye Test: Final Four Edition

Each week I compare my impressions of a player or team to statistics, to see if they confirm the "eye test." I first started out by looking at Bobcats legend Byron Mullens. This week I'm going to put the Final Four teams to the eye test.

Wow, what a tournament it's been. One for the ages. Think of all the memories we'll have: La Salle. Florida Gulf Coast. Aaron Craft's shot. Trey Burke's shot. And of course, the injury to Kevin Ware (no freaking way I'm including a video) that was one of the more surreal scenes in recent sports history. While it was undeniably awful, his attitude and the reaction of athletes everywhere epitomizes everything we love about sports. Anyone not rooting for Louisville at this point is either a Wichita State, Michigan, or Syracuse fan. Or maybe you need one of those other teams to win for your bracket's sake. Or Louisville beat your team. Ok, not everyone is a fan. But if you didn't get choked up watching Ware's teammates cry when he was carted off, you don't have a soul.

Alright, where were we? This week I'd like to put the eye test on each Final Four team based on what I've noticed while watching the tournament this year. Without further ado:


Louisville
Observation: Kevin Ware needs to drink more milk Russ Smith is the best finisher around the rim for a player 6'0" or less since Allen Iverson

The Tweener: "A Cold-Blooded Three!"

On February 26 I wrote an inaugural Tweener column. It's that time of the week again! This time we're going to look at the five most hateful shots of the 2013 NCAA Tournament (to date, at least).

Just in case you forgot why this column was called "The Tweener," it's because I love points, and more specifically shots, like this:

Anyway, here's the real theme of this week's piece:

THE TOP 5 MOST HATEFUL SHOTS OF THE NCAA TOURNAMENT (thus far)

True Life: I Met Bismack Biyombo

A couple weeks ago one of our writers, Jack Peterson, wrote this piece about couples and families in the NBA. In this piece, Jack jokingly made reference to Bismack Biyombo, of the Charlotte Doormats Bobcats, as the unfortunate child of a destructive family. A reader and close friend sent the following email about a hilarious and actual run-in he had with the one-and-only Bismack. The original text of the email is in bold, with our very selective edits in parentheticals and italicized. 

"Sup

The Tweener: A Horcrux, Decisions, and a Flying Chicken

On February 26 I wrote an inaugural Tweener column.  It's that time of the week again - here are this issue's quick hitters:

• Forgive my depression. I still haven't fully recovered from the soul crushing loss Davidson suffered in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Thursday.  As we slouched on the couch in the dark in the immediate aftermath of this loss, a friend remarked, "This must be how it feels to make a horcrux."  That someone could reference Harry Potter in this situation almost made me smile, but my cheek muscles didn't budge.  Perhaps the worst part? So many good things that happened in that game will be lost because of the final result.  I'm talking about the smart defensive scheme Davidson employed, the realization by the rest of the country that Davidson was probably under-seeded, Jake "Late second round pick/poor man's Ryan Anderson" Cohen's fluid game, and, most notably, this: 

The Tweener: March Madness Edition

On February 26 I wrote an inaugural Tweener column.  It's that time of the week again, only this time with a March Madness theme! Here are this issue's quick hitters:

• My family was in town over the weekend for the beginning of my sisters' spring break. We spent one night out at my aunt and uncle's house, where we played Dilbert: The Board Game. Modeled after the cartoon, the point of the game is basically to be a corporate employee: avoid work at all costs, ruin your boss's happiness, and maximize your time in the bathroom.  I am so ashamed to admit this next part: the laziness this game requires reminded me of Rick Barnes. Yes, the Longhorns finished another season without an offensive or defensive scheme, riding their confused coach to a 16-17 record. The worst part? Rick Barnes probably won't even get fired The Longhorns still have to play in the post-season College Basketball Invitational. How they got invited I'll never know. But here's to you, Rick Barnes, and the success you'll have eating ice cream and working in the corporate world should you receive your due punishment.

Om nom nom nom nom

Wilt and The Legend of 20,000

By Brian Sachtjen

Twenty thousand. Almost every casual sports fan has heard of Wilt Chamberlain and the claim that he slept with 20,000 women over the course of his life.

Now you have to admit, that number sounds way too round and convenient to be based on any sort of truth. Where did it come from? Allegedly, he created that figure after a 10 day stay in Honolulu where he slept with 23 women. He took that rate of promiscuity, divided it by 2 to be conservative (for a pace of 1.15 women per day), and multiplied by the number of days he had been alive and sexually active (since age 15) to arrive at 20,000.

So this begs the question: did Wilt actually accomplish the feat of 20,000, or was that just an arbitrary representation of his success with women? And just for fun, where would other famous athletes and celebrities fall on the spectrum of sexual conquest? Let’s pretend that Vegas sets over/under lines for degenerate gamblers like myself to bet on - what would these lines be, and where would I put my money? With great pleasure I present to you the Durex^© Athlete/Celebrity Cocksman All Stars.

The Tweener - Inaugural Edition

In tennis, a player will use a tweener to get out of a tough position. It is a shot that requires a precise amount of timing, coordination, and luck. The tweener bridges the gap between net play, recovery, and a ground-stroke rally. In this new, hopefully weekly piece, I will attempt to "bridge the gap" between things that are not at all sports related and sports themselves. If you're reading between the lines, you'll understand that what that really means is, "I want to comment on things besides sports, as well as specific things in sports that I find either hilarious or interesting. And in order to do so, I'll find a way to connect them that probably doesn't make sense at all." These pieces will be quick-hitters, and therefore should come much more often. I'll list something not related to sports, and something sports related, and do my best to connect them somewhat coherently. Enjoy.

• Snowfall in Kansas City ---- FC Barcelona's 2013 Alternate Jerseys Starting last Wednesday, February 20, Kansas City has seen over a foot and a half of snow (with more expected overnight tonight). My sisters have had more than their fair share of snowdays, that much is certain. These storms come on the heels of one of the more shocking incidents the city has seen, as a gas leak produced a massive explosion last week, completely leveling J.J.'s Restaurant, a local favorite. My heart goes out to those individuals and families affected by this explosion. The colors in the pictures of the explosion, and the colors of murals (by Mike Savage) across the street, constantly reminded me of Barca's jerseys. Maybe because these jerseys look like fire. I don't know.

ASG Roundtable

Last weekend a group of well paid athletes gathered to walk around a basketball court and throw down a few dunks.  The next night, a group of athletes that make even more money gathered to do the same thing in the NBA's annual All Star Game. Whether you're bored at work or bored at home, here is our live discussion of the event, beginning Sunday, February 17th at 8:30 PM (Eastern...of course.)

Brian: Hey there America - welcome to the first (of hopefully many) NBA All Star Game live blogs, delivered to you courtesy of Jack, Brian, and the artist formerly known as Paul, who decided to spend the first half with family, instead of making jokes about Ne-Yo and everything Russell Westbrook has worn this weekend. Jack, what's happening?

Jack: Ne-Yo actually sounds pretty bad. So bad I muted it and looked up "Let me love you" on youtube to listen to it instead. As far as outfits go, Craig Sager's jacket tonight may have won the weekend contest. He's only been on tv once tonight, but there's already an article on SportsNation entitled "Craig Sager is wearing the most ridiculous suit for the All Star game."

Brian: I saw that fake ESPN tweeted "I wonder how many pimps Sager killed in the 70s to make that jacket?" Pissed I didn't think of that myself. Anyway, I think the real question we need answered is: which All Star partied the hardest this weekend? Melo is the early favorite based on his interview, but my dark horse is James Harden. First time at the ASG, rising star, crazy beard...there's a decent chance he hasn't slept since Thursday.

The Kansas Jayhawks - Finally Laying a New Foundation

I should have written this piece weeks ago.  I’ve had these thoughts all season.  For someone who isn’t a particularly avid Kansas Jayhawks fan, I’ve watched a lot of their games this season.  I watched them lose early in the season to Michigan State. I watched them beat Ohio State. And then I watched them win a bunch of games in a row and climb to the top of the college basketball rankings. 

They didn’t belong there. That’s clear now.  And I know that is how the rankings work – you continue to win and others above you lose and you get to move up. The number one team in the country has lost the past five weeks.  I understand this season is “wide-open” in college basketball.

But that doesn’t prevent some teams from being clearly better than other teams. And Kansas isn’t among that upper group.

Hipster HOF: Andre Miller

It is time to induct the second member of the Hipster Basketball Hall of Fame - Denver Nuggets PG Andre Miller. In his 13-year NBA career so far, Miller has played for 5 different teams (including two separate stints with the Nuggets). He certainly has longevity, but does he stand up to the criteria for inclusion in our Hall of Fame?

As a reminder, we select for this hall of fame from on a set of questions we developed based on the Keltner List, designed to determine a player's worthiness for induction. Some of the questions are more or less necessities, others simply add bonus points and make a stronger case for the player. We have made one change to the first iteration of the list, changing question 9 from Do color commentators frequently use the terms "crafty," "sneaky," or "old-man game" when describing this player? to Do color commentators seem to think this player "always kills their team" or "plays great against us," when in reality his game is just better than the announcers expect? The first criteria applies to some HHOF (Hipster Hall of Fame) candidates, but not all of them - for some players, athleticism is part of what makes their game unique. The second criteria is a better test for players flying under the radar that are still highly effective, as local TV announcers rarely know anything meaningful about the teams they play against. If a player is "under the radar," they are a natural candidate for the HHOF.

The questions (and answers) are as follows:
 

1. Did this player have something unique or unusual about his game that distinguished him from many, if not all, of his peers? The better question here is, what isn't unique about Miller's game? From his no-jump set shot, to his pinpoint lob and lead passes, to his well-hidden athleticism (both in 2001 and in 2012), Miller's game has been confusing opponents his entire career. He also went to the University of Utah...huh? Check.

The Wizards Sparkle

Yesterday evening I had the distinct pleasure of going to watch the Washington Wizards host the Los Angeles Clippers.  Unfortunately, 3 of the best 5 or 6 players did not play.  On the other hand, I paid $5 for my ticket, so I think I got my money’s worth. 

7:05PM – We walk in (the we being myself and two of my roommates) just in time to see the Wizards intro video. John Wall is obviously introduced last. His eyes look…blazed…and he doesn’t look terribly happy.  Not that it’s a live feed, but he just clearly isn’t trying.

Making It Rain

**Edit - After reading this article for the first time, one of our editors looked like Dwight in this scene after realizing Steve Nash wasn't included.  Sadly, I have to agree and acknowledge that I messed up. Watch this...start at around 0:40.  His form is perfect, his hair is flowing, and his career shooting averages are absurd (49/43/90 - yeah you read that right).  So my apologies to all 7 of our readers.**

Watch this video. Specifically, watch Ray Allen.  Notice how he disappears from the screen for a while?  Rondo runs a fast break, and you never see Ray – not until the ball is kicked out to him in the corner for a sweet three.  It’s important that you see this.  It’s important that you know that instead of making a cut towards the basket for a layup (like most kids are taught), Ray runs to the corner and spots up.  It’s important to note that Ray Allen would do this even if it weren’t a fast break (he would run around screens until he popped open in that spot).

Untimely Appearances

Between his first and second matches of the 2012 US Open, Andy Roddick called a press conference.  Impromptu press conferences are fairly rare in the tennis world; some thought he may be dropping out of the tournament, some thought he just wanted to get some more air-time next to his wife (the ultimate “I don’t care what you say about my career, I married hotter than you did/ever will” move), and some foresaw what actually happened: a retirement announcement.  This couldn’t be said to be a major shock – everyone not named Andy Roddick believed he was past his prime, attempting to compete in a game becoming ever more dominated by wildly athletic, conditioned, punishing 20-somethings.  Some thought he had another year or two of quality competition in him if he wanted it.

The truth is, Andy Roddick has always trained extremely hard, and always competed even harder.  When he first began training with the major US players, Agassi was amazed at the power and commitment of the young teenager.  You could never watch an Andy Roddick match, against anyone, and say at the end, “You know, it really looked like Andy folded in that final set.”  For a man who went 2-19 against the greatest player history has seen (thus far), that statement is perhaps a greater legacy than any set of numbers or accomplishments he achieved on the court.

Yet despite his commitment, enthusiasm, energy, athleticism, and love for the game, Andy Roddick retires having only won a single major. 

One. 

Build Your Own Batmobile: How Average NBA Players Would Make Incredible Intramural Teams

Brian: Gentlemen, good morning. We are happy to bring our readers (all 4 of them) a treat today - we will be live drafting teams that we would consider to be "the best intramural team" made possible with non-All Star NBA players. The intent is to pick guys that have never made an all-Star game or first-team anything, but would have any intramural team in the country begging on their knees to be allowed to bring the ball past midcourt.

We will pick 7 players each, snake draft style, with at least 3 guards and 2 post players on each team. To determine the first pick, Paul picked a conference, Jack picked a team, and I picked a random player and we each had 5 seconds to guess their career points total. We came up with Western-Blazers-Luke Babbitt and Paul won the rights to the first pick with an amazing guess of 310 (actual total was 297). My mediocre at best guess of 3500 was good for second pick, and Jack "Portland Soccer Mom" Peterson will be bringing up the rear with a mind-numbingly poor guess of 6,789. Without further ado, Jack and Paul!

Paul: Alright lets get it started! After an embarrassingly easy victory guessing the career point total of Luke Babbitt (really Jack you guessed almost 7,000 points?), for the first pick on any streetbal-style team, you want a player with a silky J, wicked crossover move, good size, and a little bit of a mean streak. My selection has checked all those boxes over the course of his 13-year career, but despite scoring over 50 in a game for 3 different teams and leading the NBA in all-time 4 point plays, has never been an all-star selection, with his career highlights including a 6th man of the year award. Generally shoddy defense non-withstanding (but really who plays D in intramurals), with the first overall pick, I select Jamal "J-Crossover" Crawford of the Los Angeles Clippers.

There is no buzz-beater for greatness

Kobe Bryant’s story is an interesting one.  Filled with talent, promise, money, fame, set-backs, slumps, awe-inspiring finishes, dunks, friendships, friends he says would not have been successful without him, and friends that call him super old.  He’s produced some of the NBA’s greatest plays and moments of my brief lifetime.  He’s also produced some of the more character-less acts done by professionals - which is saying something.

And yet, despite all that, “Kobe!” is what any kid calls out when he practices his buzzer-beating fade-away.  (Ok, let’s be honest – it’s also what all high schoolers, college students, and young adults call out as well.)  Take a poll – who is the “clutchest” player in the NBA, who is the best closer, who would you most like to have taking the final shot for your team? Kobe.  (Challenged in the last year by Kevin Durant.)  Who sells the most jerseys around the world – most notably in China? Kobe.