"Golden State picked it up late, while hardly at their best." This is a quote, which seems to best define my Warriors these days. Of course, last night they missed the defense and scoring of Klay Thompson, but even with Klay I'm not sure it would have mattered. Some team synergy is amiss that can not be explained simply by having to adjust to Kevin Durant or the Absence of Andrew Bogut defending the paint. It would be an oversimplification to do so. In mind Durant is ever bit as capable of defending as Harrison Barnes, and Za Za in combo with McGee ought to be able to do a reasonable job making it tough for players to penetrate.
My instincts, and that's all I really have to go on, is that the team defensive intensity is not there. It is a given in a team sport that every single player on field or court must be zoned in on D for it to be effective. Such five man commitment to D is not happening with the Dubs. Yes, they appear to be trying, but without the "GRIT" that's needed to confuse their opponents so they make turnover or take difficult, rushed shots. Red Auerbach said it best back in the glory days of the Boston Celtics, paraphrased: Our opponents will only get well defended difficult shots at the basket. Our opponents will get no offensive rebounds. We will get more easy shots at the basket than our opponents. And we will get more shots at the basket than our opponents."
This is the mind set that the Warriors have embraced for the past two seasons. It is a mind set that they have yet to embrace as of today.
I am tickled by thought in today's Sac Bee that DeMarcus Cousins needs a rest. I don't remember Shaq getting many rests, and he certainly got hammered on more than our big talented juvenile delinquent. Besides, it's not even mid-season. Give me a break.
Suspicious absences - as in the case of Derrick Rose - lead to suspicions, and suspicions lead to rumors, and rumors lead to. . . what? It's been my experience never to anything good. Rose does not look or play like a happy man, or even a contented man.
Colin Kaepernick took a beating in today's sports section. He's been taking a beating ever since Trent Balke began dismantling the team,which started with the firing of Jim Harbough. If there is another quarterback out there that available better than Cap, I like to know who he is. Some of this crap directed at Cap, I'm afraid, is racist. He would not be taking as much heat if he hadn't made his unpopular decision to kneel during the singing of the National Anthem. Right now, in my humble opinion, the team should be working on find an offensive line that can 1) protect a quarterback, no matter if it is Cap or some mysterious new comer and 2) open up holes for the teams running backs.
And, lets also not forget finding some defensive backs and a few wide receivers. Focusing on a QB at this point is pointless.
Finally, is there any chance in the foreseeable future that the University of Conneticuts' women's basketball team will ever lose a game? They just won their 90th consecutive victory by beating the # 20 ranked South Florida team 102 to 37. That's 65 point margin. And why isn't this team getting more national recognition? They are certainly more interesting and exciting than some of the NBA teams I've watched this season.
50's Male by Tom Meschery
"Beauty is truth, truth beauty. . ."
- John Keats.
The Lady Irish are playing the Georgia Lady
Bulldogs in the Women's NCAA Final Four,
and I'm not the man I think I am, concerned
about her beauty not how talented she is
controlling the game, dribbling the ball,
her sweet jumper, how she drive the paint.
Instead I'm imagining a point guard
in an evening gown or wearing a bikini
reclining on a tropical beach. It's 2013.
What's wrong with me, I ask my wife
who is no less a beauty. She replies
this propensity you have for beauty does not
condemn you as a sexist. Babies are young
as several weeks will stare at photographs
of beautiful people far longer than they
will attend those of us less gifted by the Gods.
The Greeks were right about beauty,
and they used the same word for truth.
This should ease my conscience but doesn't.
It's not exactly beauty I had in mind.
