Shaq and Enron
In the aftermath of the pending Phoenix-Miami trade that will send Shaquille O'Neal and the remaining $40 million on his contract to the Suns, long-time colleague Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel had the best line I've seen on the internet.
Recalling the big-money contracts of Brian Grant, Antoine Walker, Eddie Jones and now Shaq that Heat president Pat Riley was able to dump, Ira wrote, "He has made more money disappear than Enron."
Classic.
---
Thanks to reader Ben Smith, who passes along this quote from LeBron James, which I had not seen but thought was interesting.
After the Cavaliers' 114-113 win over over the Celtics on Tuesday night, James was asked if Boston is one of the league's most (trash) talkative teams.
"They're up there," he said. "Them and Detroit. They talk, but they back it up."
Asked which team does the least amount of trash-talking during a game, James said, "Utah. They don't say nothing. They just kick your butt."
The ghost of John Stockton lives, apparently.
---
Speaking of Stockton, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame unveils its nominees for the Class of 2008 during All-Star Weekend.
I've been thinking all along that Stockton, who retired after the 2002-03 season, would be eligible this year and -- presumably -- be elected.
Wrong.
Players have to be retired for five full seasons to be eligible for the Hall of Fame. This is the fifth season Stockton has been retired, so he will be eligible next year. So will Michael Jordan, who probably has a chance of being elected.
Topping the first-time nominees are Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon, who last played in 2001-02.
Jazz fans will be interested to know that Adrian Dantley is eligible to be nominated again. So is Bernard King, whose 19-game stint as a member of the Jazz during the 1979-80 season ended after an ugly off-the-court incident (Trust me, I've seen the police report). In its aftermath, he was traded. King ended up playing 13 more years in the NBA and, obviously, enjoyed considerable success.
Veteran referee Dick Bavetta is also eligible for Hall of Fame induction this year.
If Jazz fans out there have any thoughts on Bavetta possibly going into the Hall of Fame, let me know. I'll pass them along. No profanity, please.
-- Steve Luhm
Recalling the big-money contracts of Brian Grant, Antoine Walker, Eddie Jones and now Shaq that Heat president Pat Riley was able to dump, Ira wrote, "He has made more money disappear than Enron."
Classic.
---
Thanks to reader Ben Smith, who passes along this quote from LeBron James, which I had not seen but thought was interesting.
After the Cavaliers' 114-113 win over over the Celtics on Tuesday night, James was asked if Boston is one of the league's most (trash) talkative teams.
"They're up there," he said. "Them and Detroit. They talk, but they back it up."
Asked which team does the least amount of trash-talking during a game, James said, "Utah. They don't say nothing. They just kick your butt."
The ghost of John Stockton lives, apparently.
---
Speaking of Stockton, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame unveils its nominees for the Class of 2008 during All-Star Weekend.
I've been thinking all along that Stockton, who retired after the 2002-03 season, would be eligible this year and -- presumably -- be elected.
Wrong.
Players have to be retired for five full seasons to be eligible for the Hall of Fame. This is the fifth season Stockton has been retired, so he will be eligible next year. So will Michael Jordan, who probably has a chance of being elected.
Topping the first-time nominees are Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon, who last played in 2001-02.
Jazz fans will be interested to know that Adrian Dantley is eligible to be nominated again. So is Bernard King, whose 19-game stint as a member of the Jazz during the 1979-80 season ended after an ugly off-the-court incident (Trust me, I've seen the police report). In its aftermath, he was traded. King ended up playing 13 more years in the NBA and, obviously, enjoyed considerable success.
Veteran referee Dick Bavetta is also eligible for Hall of Fame induction this year.
If Jazz fans out there have any thoughts on Bavetta possibly going into the Hall of Fame, let me know. I'll pass them along. No profanity, please.
-- Steve Luhm
11:27 AM
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5 Comments:
I might be the only one who remembers this, but in the '97 Finals, game 6, he called Eisley for a shot clock violation (that he didn't get the shot off, which went in) and didn't call Ron Harper for a violation (which also went in). I never forgave him for that.
actually, could have been game 5...
You're not the only one. Beleive me. I remember those two calls by Bavetta in game 5. I'm still bitter.
Believe me you are not the only one who remembers those two calls. Bavetta gets it from the crowd every night he does a game at the ESA.
Both calls came in the fourth quarter of a game the Jazz were dominating. They changed the momentum of that game more than anything MJ could have done.
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