NBA Numerology

I've been trying to work as much sports-viewing as my schedule will allow these days. (Current rotation: NBA/NHL playoffs, UEFA Champions League/EPL and baseball.)

I'm most excited for the start of the NBA playoffs. One thing I've noticed is that the current crop of vanguard stars are taking on more single-digit uniform numbers.

Aside from Kobe switching from #8 to #24 (attributable to sexual assault allegations) you have LeBron going from #23 to #6 (post-Decision) & Carmelo going from #15 to #7 (& even KG going from #21 to #5).

Now consider the current stars: CP3, Stoudemire & Rose #1, John Wall #2 (he can Dougie!), Wade #3, Deron Williams & Rajon Rondo #8.

I have a theory that the shift is due to the most recent Olympics team (2008 gold medal) and its positive experience team-building in Beijing. Because FIBA (basketball's international governing body) requires uniform numbers between 4-15 during international competition (including the Olympics), many established NBA players had to eschew their professional number for a different number. Make of these facts what you will.

-dk

Odd Futurism by Bethlehem Shoals

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/article/241404?id=241404

I've been struggling for a while now with trying to articulate my feelings towards Odd Future -- both in terms of their music and in terms of their cultural meaning. Fortunately, Shoals here has covered every topic I had in mind, as well as addressing numerous ones I am not smart enough to think up independently.

On a side note, it feels appropriate to post this after the recent news that freedarko (an NBA blog founded by Shoals) is shuttering its doors. I had the same feelings reading this article as I do when reading an especially great freedarko post: it's lengthy, dense and cross-references a ton of outside material from different media. The only thing that would make the article more freedarko-esque is a bunch of random photos that seem to make no sense in the context of the writing.

Finally, it is relevant to note that my first introduction to the concept of 'SWAG' comes from this 2007 freedarko post. ("SWAG = competitive style. It's as simple as that.")

-dk

I Heart Basketball

I'm excited for this year's NBA playoffs -- I'm certain they will be compelling, and the league is in a good place right now.

As I type this I'm watching the Clippers in double overtime, one night after watching the Lakers go to triple overtime to beat the Suns. Between watching Kobe, Nash, Blake Griffin & John Wall I have an appreciation of the surplus of talent currently present in the NBA.

Speaking of Wall, here's a video of him doing "The Dougie":

-dk

PS: by the time I finished this post the Clippers closed out the Wizards in 2OT & Blake Griffin recorded his first professional triple double in a career-high 51 minutes: (33-17-10)

Ben MF Gordon

Watching bulls @ celtics game 5 on tnt. Shaping up to be a great series--here's a clip of Ben Gordon grabbing his crotch:

http://deadspin.com/5228598/a-ball+grabbing-good-time-at-the-united-center



I love NBA basketball come playoff time.