James says:
mark my words, this will be Gilbert's strongest year
James says:
prediction
James says:
you heard it here first
Monday, July 12, 2010
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Rule #1 in "successfully" building your underachieving nba franchise: alienate fans by forcing them to buy cable
Finally, the nba season has begun.... and the ineptitude of the Jazz front office are in midseason form.
Just look at the tv schedule for the Jazz this year. You want to watch your Jazz? Get cable or satellite or some other extra expense for the privilege of rooting for the team with the most contradictory name in sports. Is this a joke?
Growing up watching the Jazz, I took comfort in knowing that I could at least watch a few games on tv and still consider myself in the know of what was going on with the team. Today's family operating on a budget and priorities of life? Forget it. Go get cable you cheapos.
Forget the fact the Utah Jazz are a bunch of underachievers. Forget the fact that there is this thing called a recession. Forget the fact that unemployment is in the toilet. The Miller group obviously thinks they are feeling the squeeze, and want to squeeze the fans back. What better way to "sell" your team to the masses by making it exclusive to the "haves" over the "have nots"?
Although the late Larry Miller had a few missteps with the team from this fan's perspective, I can say with certainty that the Utah Jazz was viewable to the masses under his watch. This new breed of Miller group is giving me thoughts of seeking free agency with my fandom. I'm sure there are better front offices out there that try to keep "all" fans in the know. Yes, the Jazz aren't the first to force their fans to "get" cable, I just didn't think the Jazz was that type of organization. Being a Jazz fan trying to convince other fans of the value of this team is becoming harder and harder. Especially when you see a championship Laker organization once again guaranteeing HALF of their games on local tv. (Lakers broadcast away games on local kcal9, home games on FSN west).
The worst part of this "new" Jazz way of running things is the lack of any type of forward thinking. It appears the Jazz are thinking about "now" and getting dollars for "now" to pay underachieving players with bloated contracts for "now". What about the fans who want to watch their Jazz "now" and stick with the team for the "Future"? Hey Miller group, ever heard of building your fan base from the ground up? Perhaps how Larry did with my generation?
Good Luck.
-J
Just look at the tv schedule for the Jazz this year. You want to watch your Jazz? Get cable or satellite or some other extra expense for the privilege of rooting for the team with the most contradictory name in sports. Is this a joke?
Growing up watching the Jazz, I took comfort in knowing that I could at least watch a few games on tv and still consider myself in the know of what was going on with the team. Today's family operating on a budget and priorities of life? Forget it. Go get cable you cheapos.
Forget the fact the Utah Jazz are a bunch of underachievers. Forget the fact that there is this thing called a recession. Forget the fact that unemployment is in the toilet. The Miller group obviously thinks they are feeling the squeeze, and want to squeeze the fans back. What better way to "sell" your team to the masses by making it exclusive to the "haves" over the "have nots"?
Although the late Larry Miller had a few missteps with the team from this fan's perspective, I can say with certainty that the Utah Jazz was viewable to the masses under his watch. This new breed of Miller group is giving me thoughts of seeking free agency with my fandom. I'm sure there are better front offices out there that try to keep "all" fans in the know. Yes, the Jazz aren't the first to force their fans to "get" cable, I just didn't think the Jazz was that type of organization. Being a Jazz fan trying to convince other fans of the value of this team is becoming harder and harder. Especially when you see a championship Laker organization once again guaranteeing HALF of their games on local tv. (Lakers broadcast away games on local kcal9, home games on FSN west).
The worst part of this "new" Jazz way of running things is the lack of any type of forward thinking. It appears the Jazz are thinking about "now" and getting dollars for "now" to pay underachieving players with bloated contracts for "now". What about the fans who want to watch their Jazz "now" and stick with the team for the "Future"? Hey Miller group, ever heard of building your fan base from the ground up? Perhaps how Larry did with my generation?
Good Luck.
-J
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Redskins Fan says:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4303047
have i mentioned i hate shaq
well, i hate shaq
i think this thing is going to blow up
James says:
wow, maybe Lebron has a shot now
Lebron had NO chance
and now, because of the kindness of Shaqa claus, it can happen
Im so glad Shaq is still relevant
Redskins Fan says:
did you hear that i hate shaq
the cavs will NOT win the championship
bank on iy
it
James says:
wow, imagine the storyline for next season
Redskins Fan says:
drive and diss guarantee
James says:
Shaq vs. Kobe
with Lebron
Redskins Fan says:
the spurs will win
they need a back-up big guy but there are guys available
i hate shaq
had i mentioned that
James says:
this conversation will be published as a Drive and Diss entry
Redskins Fan says:
that is a great idea
James says:
Drive and Diss is back
Redskins Fan says:
we should just publish all of our daily im's
James says:
check it
Redskins Fan says:
hahaha
nice!
James says:
HA HA HA HA HA
Redskins Fan says:
btw here is some more nba analysis
i really like what detroit did
not at all
they now have a roster of about 20 shooting guards to compliment the great charlie villenueva
dumars is the most overrated gm ever
there
hard hitting analysis the readers of drive and diss expect
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4303047
have i mentioned i hate shaq
well, i hate shaq
i think this thing is going to blow up
James says:
wow, maybe Lebron has a shot now
Lebron had NO chance
and now, because of the kindness of Shaqa claus, it can happen
Im so glad Shaq is still relevant
Redskins Fan says:
did you hear that i hate shaq
the cavs will NOT win the championship
bank on iy
it
James says:
wow, imagine the storyline for next season
Redskins Fan says:
drive and diss guarantee
James says:
Shaq vs. Kobe
with Lebron
Redskins Fan says:
the spurs will win
they need a back-up big guy but there are guys available
i hate shaq
had i mentioned that
James says:
this conversation will be published as a Drive and Diss entry
Redskins Fan says:
that is a great idea
James says:
Drive and Diss is back
Redskins Fan says:
we should just publish all of our daily im's
James says:
check it
Redskins Fan says:
hahaha
nice!
James says:
HA HA HA HA HA
Redskins Fan says:
btw here is some more nba analysis
i really like what detroit did
not at all
they now have a roster of about 20 shooting guards to compliment the great charlie villenueva
dumars is the most overrated gm ever
there
hard hitting analysis the readers of drive and diss expect
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Sad Photo of the Day
I happened to be looking for random images for research purposes and stumbled upon this. I guess Dallas was eliminated again? Does the NBA care? Does anyone care?
From this photo it looks like Cuban cares... or perhaps he is thinking about bonehead point guard moves his team has acted upon in the past few years: NOT Locking up Nash who won 2 MVPS after signing with the Suns? Trading away an up and coming point guard for an overrated Jason Kidd?
Oh yes... Cuban cares.
-J
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Drive and Diss Quick Hit: Why the Pistons are Doomed
Welcome to a new feature here at Drive and Diss: Quick Hits. These are the kinds of observations Drive and Diss talk about over the course of the day, so it's kind of like bringing you behind the scenes at the Drive and Diss worldwide headquarters. In today's inaugural edition, we examine why the Pistons are doomed. Even if they get past the pesky Sixers and their legion of Andres, the Pistons are going nowhere. And it all has to do with the playoff rotation (or should we say lack thereof) of Coach Flip Saunders.
Flip has decided to shrink his bench for the playoff run. And in the process his offense has abandoned him. When Detroit traded for Juan Dixon about a month ago, we thought it was a stroke of genius. It's always been our opinion that Juan has the ability to be a new age Vinnie "Microwave" Johnson - instant offense off the bench for about 15- 20 minutes a night. So it seemed like destiny when Juan went to Johnson's old team. However, not only is Juan not playing, he was left off the playoff roster! Nice work Pistons. Enjoy your soon to be early vacation. -E
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Tale of two cities: Philadelphia vs. Denver
As I sleepily watched the Denver Nuggets vs. the Los Angeles Lakers game it was obvious from the start what the eventual outcome would be. Every year there are a few playoff series where a seasoned nba fan can predict which teams phone in their appearance, and which teams relish the role of playing upstart.
In this case, the Denver Nuggets are using their rollover minutes.. and it is only game one.
Realizing the need to be more productive, I decided to take a nap rather than see the hapless Nuggets inflate the already bloated ego that is the Los Angeles Lakers. A few hours later I woke up to see how the Philadelphia 76ers would handle their gift of a second season. Needless to say, I'm happy I took my nap during the Nuggets game. The Sixers were impressive - The exact type of team that nba fans are hungrily looking for to play the role of upstart.
This isn't to say the Piston's are rattled or their season is over. But it was refreshing to see a young team play fearless against a championship caliber team. As an nba fan, I want to watch an actual series. I do not want to watch a team who celebrates the fact they enter the playoffs as an eighth seed, and have their all star over-celebrate with a DUI charge.
As I watched the Sixers from afar on my couch, I started to think about the storylines that led both of these teams to the situation they are in today. The biggest storyline that links these two teams is the trade of Andre Miller for Allen Iverson.
When this trade went down I was never a fan of it. I did not understand the need to trade a point guard with solid leadership ability for a lone maverick hall of fame shooter. Of course, I'm in the minority when it comes to this trade. Friends have asked: “How can a team pass up on the acquisition of one of the greatest players of all time?” I found the answer simple: Andre Miller is a quiet leader, which I think would have benefited the Nuggets in the long run. Allen Iverson is a flashy superstar with incredible talent and zero leadership ability. The Nuggets did not need another scorer; they needed a leadership guy that could defer to Carmelo Anthony and his talents without burdening him with the actual role of leading. They needed a player that could lead by example, possibly teaching Anthony how to be a leader for the future.
Allen Iverson was lucky when he had his championship run in Philly. He had one of the best coaches in the nba to discipline him (somewhat), and surrounded him with quality leadership guys in Eric Snow and Aaron McKie. Fast forward a few years later and Denver was duped into thinking that matching two shooter mentality superstars would translate to victories. If anything, the team has floundered and is possibly getting worse. The problem is perception in the fact Denver brass equated Philly's past championship potential success to one single person in Iverson. All this trade has done has made it that much more clearer who was clearly responsible for Philly’s success. Larry Brown.
The mess in Denver is ugly. They have no leadership, they are poorly coached, and look listless as they play. This problem isn't going away unless one of their superstars steps into leadership void or the Nuggets trade for an actual leader.
Scorers are only one piece of the puzzle.
Just ask Mo Cheeks as he coached from the sidelines watching Andre Miller run a simple floor game maximizing the talents of the young players around him. Or ask George Karl as his veteran superstar got two technicals in the fourth and left for the locker room early. For the Nuggets, Iverson ejected to the locker room with time to play is a foreshadowing of things to come - an early playoff exit.
Philly? Their future is bright and is guaranteed to bring a couple of quality home games to the legendary raucousness of a Philly crowd.
In this case, the Denver Nuggets are using their rollover minutes.. and it is only game one.
Realizing the need to be more productive, I decided to take a nap rather than see the hapless Nuggets inflate the already bloated ego that is the Los Angeles Lakers. A few hours later I woke up to see how the Philadelphia 76ers would handle their gift of a second season. Needless to say, I'm happy I took my nap during the Nuggets game. The Sixers were impressive - The exact type of team that nba fans are hungrily looking for to play the role of upstart.
This isn't to say the Piston's are rattled or their season is over. But it was refreshing to see a young team play fearless against a championship caliber team. As an nba fan, I want to watch an actual series. I do not want to watch a team who celebrates the fact they enter the playoffs as an eighth seed, and have their all star over-celebrate with a DUI charge.
As I watched the Sixers from afar on my couch, I started to think about the storylines that led both of these teams to the situation they are in today. The biggest storyline that links these two teams is the trade of Andre Miller for Allen Iverson.
When this trade went down I was never a fan of it. I did not understand the need to trade a point guard with solid leadership ability for a lone maverick hall of fame shooter. Of course, I'm in the minority when it comes to this trade. Friends have asked: “How can a team pass up on the acquisition of one of the greatest players of all time?” I found the answer simple: Andre Miller is a quiet leader, which I think would have benefited the Nuggets in the long run. Allen Iverson is a flashy superstar with incredible talent and zero leadership ability. The Nuggets did not need another scorer; they needed a leadership guy that could defer to Carmelo Anthony and his talents without burdening him with the actual role of leading. They needed a player that could lead by example, possibly teaching Anthony how to be a leader for the future.
Allen Iverson was lucky when he had his championship run in Philly. He had one of the best coaches in the nba to discipline him (somewhat), and surrounded him with quality leadership guys in Eric Snow and Aaron McKie. Fast forward a few years later and Denver was duped into thinking that matching two shooter mentality superstars would translate to victories. If anything, the team has floundered and is possibly getting worse. The problem is perception in the fact Denver brass equated Philly's past championship potential success to one single person in Iverson. All this trade has done has made it that much more clearer who was clearly responsible for Philly’s success. Larry Brown.
The mess in Denver is ugly. They have no leadership, they are poorly coached, and look listless as they play. This problem isn't going away unless one of their superstars steps into leadership void or the Nuggets trade for an actual leader.
Scorers are only one piece of the puzzle.
Just ask Mo Cheeks as he coached from the sidelines watching Andre Miller run a simple floor game maximizing the talents of the young players around him. Or ask George Karl as his veteran superstar got two technicals in the fourth and left for the locker room early. For the Nuggets, Iverson ejected to the locker room with time to play is a foreshadowing of things to come - an early playoff exit.
Philly? Their future is bright and is guaranteed to bring a couple of quality home games to the legendary raucousness of a Philly crowd.
-J
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Drive and Diss Poll Madness! Alert: What Has Carmelo Learned from his Arrest?
Hey kids, it's time for another Drive and Diss Poll Madness! alert. Now is your time to let us know what you think Carmelo Anthony has learned from his DUI arrest. Good luck! And while most blogs would post a picture of 'Melo's mugshot, Drive and Diss is taking another route and posting a picture of 'Melo and his fiancee, former MTV VJay Lala. Did you know there were reports she refused to pick him up at the police station after his arrest? She denies it, but it's more fun to believe otherwise. Oh, and check out that shirt. Jordan must be so proud. We have one just like it, but with a picture of former NBA center Jim McIlvaine. (Currently sold out.)
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