One of the downsides to having League Pass is the possibility of watching games like Jazz at Trans Wolves. Coach Sloan’s 20th anniversary to the day. Coach McHale’s re-debut. Masochistic curiosity rears its ugly head once again and I tell myself “Alrite, let’s give it a shot, see what shakes out.”

If it’s a large intestine that’s being shooken, the most likely outcome is shit.

Aside from everything else that sucks about being a T-Wolves fan, how do they endure seeing Kevin Ollie looking so much like OJ Mayo? Dr. McHale knows to salve a wound with salt.

Kevin Ollie

McHale looked so earnest on the sidelines, the Jazz were out of rhythm all night, and the Wolves are not very talented. That’s probably why it was a painful game to watch, but I can’t say for sure, I didn’t pay much attention. Spent most of the time on the phone with the girls I picked up during the weekend. The Finals pick is still Celtics over Jazz in 6.

Ovinton J'Anthony Mayo

J’Anthony is all good. What’s confusing is the lack of a g in Ovinton. Ovington? OK.

When I first started working at a large beverage company, my boss made sure to impress upon me how finishing university would benefit me. I already knew this; and I know that it could benefit them as well. Getting that “SMART” rubber stamp on your forehead, or a diploma, same thing, does amount to something, both tangible and not. Still, it was nice to hear something supportive about my studies, as opposed to the usual “Why the hell are you doing that?”

A reluctant university student, I’d settled on an English major, almost by default. Soon my lack of faith in the mass education system had come to outweigh the positives I was aware existed. Courses were dumbed down to the lowest common denominator. A prof who reminisced about hanging out in cafes with his students in Germany and France was unavailable when a dumbass TA accused me of plagiarism. The paper eventually got cleared, and it got an A, but I was turned off.

My, admittedly juvenile, reaction was, fuck them, I don’t need them. Paying good money to a school with a billion dollar nest-egg and having my 1 polite email, my 1 polite phone message, and my repeated office visits, during posted prof’s availability hours, ignored or met with the absence of said prof didn’t appeal to me. I didn’t want any immediate answer, I just wanted an explanation of the process, to know where I stood at that moment. That wasn’t possible, I just got the runaround… check with this faculty dept., no speak with that academic advisor, no the academic advisor at the college which hosts the faculty. And so on. My question was simple, but it was like no one was allowed to tell me anything useful. I never heard back from the prof or the TA, ever; and the final exam for that course was written before my final paper had been reviewed, cleared of plagiarism, and graded. Ah yes, the proper reward for good work is unnecessary stress going into finals.

I was also turned off by the industrial treatment of the material we were studying. Every major reading was followed by a crappy essay requirement. Though they differed in content, each essay boiled down to the same thing. Attempts at being creative or arguing points not already raised by the instructors were mostly met by indifference, or suspicion, or smug disapproval. It felt less like education and more like indoctrination.

So, I stopped going.

Now, after three years off, I’m going back. Some indoctrination could be useful. I knew I’d eventually go back, for practical reasons, if nothing else. Having that man say “Stay in school,” and pause, and look up at me from his paperwork and say “I want you to make sure you stay in school” made something click. When I told him my major, he didn’t say “What, you wanna be a teacher?” (hell no), or “There’s no money in that” – he said “That’s interesting. It could give you a pretty wide base for the future.” Again, I already knew this, but having a successful executive say it, rather than my (also successful) family & relatives, or me to myself, provided the impetus to act.

If you’re ever someone’s boss, they should already respect you. Keep and grow that respect by taking interest in their future. And if you’re a prof, do your fucking job. It doesn’t matter how many students you have, you’re compensated handsomely for what you do. Make an effort.

And if you’re a student, get your mind right and geddat money, mayne.

Bookstores are some of the most soothing public places. Quiet, unhurried atmosphere. Human contact with rarely any agenda. I don’t do it to be a bastard but I love stretching out my legs into the aisle while I sit and browse through a potential buy. Without looking away from the text, I feel a part of some world as others carefully step around me. It’s not that I enjoy being in their way, it’s just the mutual respect; they let me have my space and comfort without disturbing my reading, I’m thankful for their cooperation. Especially if they’re a woman with nice legs in a skirt. Peripheral vision is the bomb.

A few days ago I chanced into the Indigo books at the Yonge-Eglinton centre after dropping my cousin off at work. Browsed for a bit and, having heard his name recently, started leafing through Orhan Pamuk’s Snow.

The words were gentle, caressing the brain like a small girl would a puppy. Or a cotton shirt your skin after a shower when you’re tired. The protagonist, Ka, lonely like Kafka’s K., was more palatable than his near-namesake. Less of a lost cause. Less bewildered. The snow, the book’s earliest, wasn’t as sharp as The Castle’s. If the snow could be dangerous, it promised of a melancholy lulling into death. Not a quick frostbitten freeze. I read the first chapter, only a few pages, and bought the book.

I’m still at the point where the story is slowly being set up.

Pamuk is the Turkish word for cotton. I know this by chance, it’s used as a loanword in Serbian. Like most proper Canadians, I’m from elsewhere; Serbia as it may be.

Origins of English

With Jose Calderon finally a full time starter, the question of who’s the best backup PG in the NBA no longer has an automatic answer. Look here. Antonio Daniels? Probably; he just edges out Nate Robinson. At this point in his career, Nate would make a better starter anyway. Didn’t say he’d be a good starter, just that he’d perform better as a starter than as a backup.

Daniels has the ideal qualities for a great #2. Breadth of experience; any possible game situation is familiar to him by now. Acceptance of his place in the offense; he’s there first of all to set the table, but he can also bring home some scoreboard bacon and keep the defense honest. A value-added feature of A.D.’s game is the proficiency with which he gets to the FT line – because of both the points and the pressure put on the opposing defense. Emergency preparedness plan; with Arenas out, and when Daniels himself wasn’t hurt, the Wiz were business as usual. The ability to step up and play with the first team (and especially against first teams) is invaluable in a 2nd stringer. Antonio’s defense is acceptable – he’s not yet at the Sam Cassell level of decrepitude.

Plus Daniels once did this:

As everything related to the NBA, in my mind, revolves around the 17 time champions(that’s devastating domination, btw), so, ultimately, does this post.

The Cs could use a good backup at the point. House did a fair enough job last year, but we all like to tinker, and Eddie isn’t really a PG at heart.

Sam Cassell got the MVP stolen from him in ‘05-’06 as he single-handedly sculpted the Clippers out of clay and blew the breath of life into their lungs. Those days are gone, Nietzsche killed God(what?), and Sam’s legs are done. He’d like to keep playing, but it seems Ainge hasn’t made him a priority.

Which point guard can be had for nothing, Gabe Pruitt, or Scabz Scalabrine’s contract + a cash and pick combo? Where was Scalabrine in the Floor Burn Tournament? What’s your favourite type of cheese? For me: sandwich – swiss; ingredient – feta; meze and dip – blue. Don’t you like questionmarks?

Mustafa Shakur – Able player, performed well at Arizona, fell through the cracks. His Euro experience winning the 2008 Polish championship is a bonus. Ainge may consider him too inexperienced or too similar to Pruitt. ‘Staf’s a better PG than Gabe.

Travis Diener – The Pacers seem to like him as Ford’s backup, but their personnel moves rarely make any sense. Might be available if Indy buys into the Wonderful World of Tinsley again. Effective player in limited minutes.

Jamaal Tinsley – The Pacers supposedly hate him now but deep down they’ll always love him; they brought in T.J. Ford so it seems Indy’s moving on. He looks like this guy. NYC Point God with incredible game, which he often forgets to bring. I’m guessing he loses it while clubbing. Tinz most likely wants to start but is as durable as Vince Carter. If amenable to a backup role he might flourish on an established team like the Celtics.

Stephon Marbury – If the Knicks buy him out and he doesn’t go to Italy , he’d be a vet minimum addition for a contender. What he lacks as a teammate overshadows his talent.

Mike James – The Pitbull is a great slasher and decent shooter. He works his ass off on the court and is an underrated defender when motivated. Mike would be a great option for the Cs but with Pargo gone, New Orleans might need to keep him. The experience of Boston vs. the youth of N.O. makes James a better fit in Green rather than Teal. He is overpaid, however.

Kyle Lowry – The best PG available. The assumption that he’s available comes from Chris Wallace’s horrible track record as a GM. Even so, he might fetch a little bit more than dregs in a trade. Possible starter quality player on his rookie contract. A team guy, he sat behind Mike (T.J. Ford Jr.) Conley without complaining, even though he’s better than him. Lowry’s coming into his third year but his rookie season was spent absorbing the game from the sidelines because of a broken wrist. “Attack, attack, attack” – type guy on both ends of the floor. He’s an improving shooter but loves to slash to the basket and draw FTs at a high rate (again, extremely useful in a backup). Lowry’s only downside as a potential Celtic is his relative inexperience running an offense; he’s more of a creator than a quarterback.

My uneducated guess is that the odds are 3:1 that the Celtics start the season as is. The team can make do with the players on the roster. They can make do fine. A problem presents itself if Rondo has to miss extended time. There is no Other Man to slip into his place if he’s not around. In this particular case, that’s a bad thing.

Jamal Crawford has to be the one player who consistently takes shots with the highest degree of difficulty in the NBA.

Players who do unorthodox things on the court are always interesting. The awkward style he plays with is the reason Paul Pierce became one of my favourites. Stop and start drives, the slow pump fakes where he looks like he’s nuzzling the ball, the jab steps leading to long ill-advised fade aways – all done with the grace of a 3 a.m. field sobriety test. The Truth makes viewers cringe when he telegraphs his intentions or when he takes a Superman shot, but when he pulls it off he draws relieved smiles and reminds of the power of folly. Comedic chaos; and always with Pierce you appreciate the effort put forth. The intentions are always good, even if they could use editing.

Crawford’s game is smoother than Pierce’s, but it’s even more unconventional. The shots he takes are stream of consciousness. A sliver of airspace is enough to let a shot explode – no matter if he’s 28 ft away, or right under the rim and the outstretched arms of three defenders. No angle discourages Crawfish. Amazing when it works, stupid when it doesn’t. Mike D’Antoni would do the world a favour by becoming a calming influence without sterilizing his best guard’s creativity.