ESPN has a great interview with NBA Jam designer Mark Turmell that discusses some of the venerable game's lesser-known details. No, we're not talking about unlocking Bill Clinton - everyone knows about that. We're talking about the special edition with Michael Jordan and Gary Payton on the same team, the rumors of the game being haunted, and special code to handle Detroit playing Chicago.
All-NBA crazy person Ron Artest, created a song tribute for Micheal Jackson. The song is oddly catchy, but - more importantly - this establishes Artest as the premiere crazy person in the NBA.
The New Yorker is carrying a (very long but) interesting piece about Vivek Ranadivé, a software engineer who coached his daughter's school basketball team in a fashion that appears to test the limits of the game's etiquette by many other coaches, even though it is completely within the rules. A very insightful look into how to maximize your team's potential and overcome lack of skill, though it gets somewhat repetitive with its Lawrence of Arabia analogies.
I remember when I used to play back home in the neighborhood, there was always games like that. One of my friends was playing... and it was so competitive they broke a piece of leg from a table and they threw it and it went right through his heart and he died, right on the court.
We had to play against an NBA player tonight. Anybody else ever hold him scoreless? I’m a history major. They’re going to remember that we held him scoreless or we lost by 30?
—
Loyola (Md.) coach Jimmy Patsos, on double-teaming Davidson's Stephen Curry on every possession for the entire game, regardless of who had the basketball. Curry got 0 points, and Davidson won by 30 because they always had an open man to make shots. Perhaps history will remember Patsos for being an idiot.
Well, on the last play of the day, Kevin Love went up for a dunk. I tried to block it and the next thing I knew I was making two unexpected trips after practice.
1) To team physician Sheldon Burns (he is also the USA Basketball head physician) to get 12 stitches in my chin,
2) To visit Matthew Alm of Brookside Dental (Minneapolis), to get my front tooth popped back into place.
Thanks Kev. :)
—
Shaq's favorite dancing sidekick, Mark "Mad Dog" Madsen, talking about his first practice with UCLA standout and new candidate for "hilarious NBA dancer" Kevin Love. Is anyone else as excited as I am?
I'm a horse - Kobe ratted me out
That's why I'm getting divorced
He said Shaq gave a bitch a mil
I don't do that 'cause my name's Shaquille
I love 'em, I don't leave 'em
I got a vasectomy, now I can't breed 'em
— Shaquille O'Neal, freestyle rapping in New York. Good to know about the vasectomy, big fella. Good to know.
I love KG [Kevin Garnett], but it's his own damn fault he stuck around in Minnesota. It's like staying with an adulterous wife hoping that she'll change. At some point, you've given her too many opportunities... then, she divorces you. Would I really wish you success in your NEXT relationship? Not so much.
—
paladinz, while discussing the NBA finals with Binkley.