Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Found a cure for our fourth quarter woes -- just go find a 10-26 team to play and watch them do the same things you normally do (miss FTs, turn it over, not rebound), only even worse.
Tonight's (well actually this morning's) theme: Stylish Directors (you know, the ones where you can sit down to watch something and immediately know who directed it without even having to look at the credits).
Cisco ( B+ ) -- in the early going was getting lit up by Gay on one end, and on the other the bulk of his contributions were a pair of wide open feet set three pointers (i.e. the ones you actually want him taking). Was not terrible, but it was a one-sided affair. But stepped up with solid contributions in the third, and was smoothly stroking midrange jumpers by the 4th as many of the rest of the guys had started to struggle. And then of course the story of his game will be stepping up to hit the clutch three to win the game in the final seconds obviously (on yet another feed from Salmons). Gay continued his onslaught throughout, and that holds down this grade a bit, but this likely wouldn't have been an "A" type grade anyway -- of the four 20pt scorers tonight, Cisco was the likely the least, and played the simplest game (amazingly an in control midrange jumper game). But we needed every point from every one of the guys.
Quentin Tarantino -- lead off with the perfectly obivous one. An infantile film geek, and proud of it. Numerous people have tried to imitate Tarantino, but only his BFF Robert Rodriguez has really come close. Brilliant, vile and foul mouthed dialogue, over the top stylized violence, scads of references to the 70's, strippers, hookers, and psychos...its a strange strange world he lives in. And he has his own bevy of recurring actors/actresses, and just about anybody who reeks of vintage cheese or raunch can pop up. As an aside I don't actually think he consistently makes very good movies, just because he's such an egomaniac that he can't be bothered pandering to an audience and is mostly out just to have fun and geek out. But its always entertaining.
Moore ( C ) -- we only played 5 tonight, and we won with 4. That 5th guy was Mikki, who ate nearly as many minutes as the four guys playing big, but was just a teensy weensy bit less effective. Gave us an empty first half making minimal contributions in any area. Was better after the half, but still on a low level. Did come up with a nice little layup late off of a Brad feed -- funny how much easier it is for him to lay it in at 7'0" than for KT for instance at a mere 6'7". Fouled out a few moments later however, and we had nobody who Reggie wanted to play to put in in place of him. Reggie fundamentally does not trust the kids or KT + like most coaches had grown very attached to his vets.
Sergio Leone -- the master of the spaghetti western, which was always a style you could see coming a mile away Eastwood or no Eastwood. Strange sound effects, reused time and time again throughout the era, oiled down heroes and villains, many of them stock actors who were used repeatedly, grainy films, extreme moral ambiguity (to say the least), it was always an icky dirty genre.
Miller ( B+ ) -- tough one to grade. Shot a lot, missed a lot, and the most spectacular number from his game might have been 12-12 from the FT line, a number you don't see out of a center and one without which we go ahead and lose the game. And yet did a lot of little things, and a few big ones, that added up to more of a game than a 5-16 shooting night would have augered. Got points and assists in the early going, but inefficently. Passed very well, but was considerably bothered by the long Grizzlies frontline inside and threw up some awkward clunks. Responded however with a pair of his newfound thunderhick dunks, one in the first half, one in the second. And the one in the second half even coming in traffic and having Brad hopping around and yelling about what a badass he was. Was considerably involved in play late, hitting Mikki for a layup wiht a couple of minutes to go, grabbing a key defensive rebound, hitting a pair of FTs to keep the lead at three going into the final 2 second heave by the Grizz, and then being the guy to pick off the desperation halfcourt pass from Gasol as they looked for a miracle. Wasn't always pretty, but then again sometimes it was. And along the way 22pts 10rebs 5ast.
Tim Burton -- the relentless blue palette, the same actors again and again and again (Johnny Depp and Helenna Bonham Carter in partricular), the dark and bizarre worlds....I have long ago grown tired of it all frankly (I will admit to liking the first Batman somewhat, and Sleepy Hollow). But still the movies keep on coming.
Salmons ( A+ ) -- whoa ho! And out comes the vaunted "+", not only for the game (28pts 11rebs 7ast!), but for the circumstances (suffering from the flu). Off to the hot and easy start, just too quick for Miller, and while Beno had the one hot streak, it was really John who was the consistent engine through the half. And not only scored, but created shots for teammates as well -- an oft discussed flaw in his game -- and was on the defensive glass. Really stepped up in the mid 4th with us threatening to get blown off our home court by Memphis, of all teams. But John went on a streak where he just stubbornly attacked attacked and attacked some more, and on one ridiculous play in particular missed a shot and then waded inside amongst the trees to grab two offensive rebounds and finish with the +1 to draw us back wihtin 7 after we had slid back 10. Nor was he done yet -- he missed two threes in the final minutes that should have finished us if the Grizz were comeptent (which they're not), but grabbed the offensive board on one and finished, and came back down to be the assistman who set Cisco up for the winning three (after it looked like he was going to lose the ball). The opponent here was miserable, but this was a monster game for John and he carried us in all the ways an A+ type superstar is supposed to carry you. Scored, but more importantly than scoring, which is overrated sometimes, he did all the other things. He hit the glass in a major way, he stepped up at critical moments, he created shots, included THE shot. Just did it all and carried us uuntil the Grizzlies finally just handed over the keys at the last moment.
Terry Gilliam -- its funny how well known this director is despite his relative lack of credits. Of course it helps to get your start with the Monty Python gang. In any case, more bizarre worlds, often almost hallucinatory, constant plays on the nature of reality/sanity, dark and twisted surrealistic scenery, bizarre combinations of the modern and the antique. I have largely detested his work ever since he left Python, with the one huge exception of Twelve Monkeys, which was just brilliant (once you got past a couple of classic Gilliam moments).
Tonight's (well actually this morning's) theme: Stylish Directors (you know, the ones where you can sit down to watch something and immediately know who directed it without even having to look at the credits).
Cisco ( B+ ) -- in the early going was getting lit up by Gay on one end, and on the other the bulk of his contributions were a pair of wide open feet set three pointers (i.e. the ones you actually want him taking). Was not terrible, but it was a one-sided affair. But stepped up with solid contributions in the third, and was smoothly stroking midrange jumpers by the 4th as many of the rest of the guys had started to struggle. And then of course the story of his game will be stepping up to hit the clutch three to win the game in the final seconds obviously (on yet another feed from Salmons). Gay continued his onslaught throughout, and that holds down this grade a bit, but this likely wouldn't have been an "A" type grade anyway -- of the four 20pt scorers tonight, Cisco was the likely the least, and played the simplest game (amazingly an in control midrange jumper game). But we needed every point from every one of the guys.
Quentin Tarantino -- lead off with the perfectly obivous one. An infantile film geek, and proud of it. Numerous people have tried to imitate Tarantino, but only his BFF Robert Rodriguez has really come close. Brilliant, vile and foul mouthed dialogue, over the top stylized violence, scads of references to the 70's, strippers, hookers, and psychos...its a strange strange world he lives in. And he has his own bevy of recurring actors/actresses, and just about anybody who reeks of vintage cheese or raunch can pop up. As an aside I don't actually think he consistently makes very good movies, just because he's such an egomaniac that he can't be bothered pandering to an audience and is mostly out just to have fun and geek out. But its always entertaining.
Moore ( C ) -- we only played 5 tonight, and we won with 4. That 5th guy was Mikki, who ate nearly as many minutes as the four guys playing big, but was just a teensy weensy bit less effective. Gave us an empty first half making minimal contributions in any area. Was better after the half, but still on a low level. Did come up with a nice little layup late off of a Brad feed -- funny how much easier it is for him to lay it in at 7'0" than for KT for instance at a mere 6'7". Fouled out a few moments later however, and we had nobody who Reggie wanted to play to put in in place of him. Reggie fundamentally does not trust the kids or KT + like most coaches had grown very attached to his vets.
Sergio Leone -- the master of the spaghetti western, which was always a style you could see coming a mile away Eastwood or no Eastwood. Strange sound effects, reused time and time again throughout the era, oiled down heroes and villains, many of them stock actors who were used repeatedly, grainy films, extreme moral ambiguity (to say the least), it was always an icky dirty genre.
Miller ( B+ ) -- tough one to grade. Shot a lot, missed a lot, and the most spectacular number from his game might have been 12-12 from the FT line, a number you don't see out of a center and one without which we go ahead and lose the game. And yet did a lot of little things, and a few big ones, that added up to more of a game than a 5-16 shooting night would have augered. Got points and assists in the early going, but inefficently. Passed very well, but was considerably bothered by the long Grizzlies frontline inside and threw up some awkward clunks. Responded however with a pair of his newfound thunderhick dunks, one in the first half, one in the second. And the one in the second half even coming in traffic and having Brad hopping around and yelling about what a badass he was. Was considerably involved in play late, hitting Mikki for a layup wiht a couple of minutes to go, grabbing a key defensive rebound, hitting a pair of FTs to keep the lead at three going into the final 2 second heave by the Grizz, and then being the guy to pick off the desperation halfcourt pass from Gasol as they looked for a miracle. Wasn't always pretty, but then again sometimes it was. And along the way 22pts 10rebs 5ast.
Tim Burton -- the relentless blue palette, the same actors again and again and again (Johnny Depp and Helenna Bonham Carter in partricular), the dark and bizarre worlds....I have long ago grown tired of it all frankly (I will admit to liking the first Batman somewhat, and Sleepy Hollow). But still the movies keep on coming.
Salmons ( A+ ) -- whoa ho! And out comes the vaunted "+", not only for the game (28pts 11rebs 7ast!), but for the circumstances (suffering from the flu). Off to the hot and easy start, just too quick for Miller, and while Beno had the one hot streak, it was really John who was the consistent engine through the half. And not only scored, but created shots for teammates as well -- an oft discussed flaw in his game -- and was on the defensive glass. Really stepped up in the mid 4th with us threatening to get blown off our home court by Memphis, of all teams. But John went on a streak where he just stubbornly attacked attacked and attacked some more, and on one ridiculous play in particular missed a shot and then waded inside amongst the trees to grab two offensive rebounds and finish with the +1 to draw us back wihtin 7 after we had slid back 10. Nor was he done yet -- he missed two threes in the final minutes that should have finished us if the Grizz were comeptent (which they're not), but grabbed the offensive board on one and finished, and came back down to be the assistman who set Cisco up for the winning three (after it looked like he was going to lose the ball). The opponent here was miserable, but this was a monster game for John and he carried us in all the ways an A+ type superstar is supposed to carry you. Scored, but more importantly than scoring, which is overrated sometimes, he did all the other things. He hit the glass in a major way, he stepped up at critical moments, he created shots, included THE shot. Just did it all and carried us uuntil the Grizzlies finally just handed over the keys at the last moment.
Terry Gilliam -- its funny how well known this director is despite his relative lack of credits. Of course it helps to get your start with the Monty Python gang. In any case, more bizarre worlds, often almost hallucinatory, constant plays on the nature of reality/sanity, dark and twisted surrealistic scenery, bizarre combinations of the modern and the antique. I have largely detested his work ever since he left Python, with the one huge exception of Twelve Monkeys, which was just brilliant (once you got past a couple of classic Gilliam moments).
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haha!
