The New Social Web: #IranElection

The power of change has always been via dissemination of information. Those that seek to prevent change make moves to prevent information being shared. Recently, in Iran, we've seen amazing courage and a call to minds/actions. All done via "social media" like Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, etc. Is this the new "social web"?

Here are some thoughts that stand out from the Twitterverse:

RT from Iran: "140 chars is a novel when you're being shot at." #IranElection

RT from an Iranian: "I realize now i do not fear death. I fear my daughter will not be free when i die." #IranElection

RT from Iran Change your Twitter Location to Tehran & Time Zone to GMT +3.5. Help shield #IranElection & confuse Iranian censors!

RT U.S. Government Asks Twitter to Stay Up for #IranElection Crisis http://viigo.im/V6v

RT all my posts as much as possble to help confuse censors - #Iranelection

RT People have green pics to support the protesters in Iran #iranelection.

RT Open Letter to the World - English Version http://bit.ly/u7TZJ #iranelection

RT Going green for Iran. . . wish I could do more. . . #iranelection

And, tons of video at YouTube, LiveLeak, etc. Each designed to enable counter attacks in the cyber-war for the hearts/minds of Iranian civilians. Is the US now infringing the sovereignty of a UN Member State by enabling the Twitter universe to engage in anti-government activities? We say yes. We also say it must.

Does this constitute another wave of information? We used to get our Current Events much more slowly (if at all). First it was letters, then newspapers, then telegraph, then movies, then television, then cell phone (audio only). Now, we're getting real events streamed (nearly) live via cell phone cameras and text messaging. Seems impossible for any change averse polity to hold back this tidal wave of information.

In the end, what does all this mean? Are we getting truly unadulterated versions of events? Or, are we getting less and less "re-packaging" of events? Either way, this is a trend that shows no sign of stopping or slowing down. The move to "real-time reality" is truly a tidal wave. It will be interesting to see how governments ("open" or "closed") respond to this new wave.

NBA Finals - Game 5

ITS OVER! Lakers have secured 15th NBA Championship. And, how sweet this one is. I'm sure hoops fans would have loved another nail-biter. But, after that simply amazing second quarter run (16 to Oh!), it was all over. The only remaining drama was 1) would Kobe get a triple-double and 2) would anyone hurt themselves in the post-game celebration. Great great win by the greatest franchise in the NBA.

Lots of chatter about "best ever" with respect to KB24. This is kind of unfair to Kobe. Obviously, he has been compared to (and models himself after) MJ, but Kobe is still playing. Kenny Smith ranked him 10th ALL-TIME. And, he's still playing! He is the only guy around who can improve his standing. Nuts.

Here's a nice factoid for comparison on the NBA Finals stage:

Kobe Bryant averaged 32.4 points and 7.4 assists per game against Orlando during the Finals. The only player to match or surpass Bryant's averages in each of those categories in an NBA Finals series was Jerry West, who averaged 37.9 points and 7.4 assists per game for the Lakers in their 1969 Finals loss to the Celtics.

That, to me, is a measure of his greatness. The widely acknowledged best SG B.M. (Before Michael) and Kobe is right there. By the way, Jordan never got that close to the Logo. Just saying.

Some more on the impossible. Instead of saying "single best ever", I'll identify the best ever (no limit) at each position, ranked how I see them...

PG - Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson
SG - Michael Jordan (for now), Kobe Bryant, Jerry West
SF - Larry Bird (for now), Pending 1*, Julius Erving
PF - Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Reserved 1*, Reserved 2*
C - Wilt Chamberlin, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal

Pending 1 - this spot is waiting on Lebron James to get a title. No one gets on my list without winning a title.

Reserved 1 - this spot is reserved for Elgin Baylor. Simply the best player ever to not win a title - a true shame.

Reserved 2 - this spot is reserved for Karl Malone. The second best player ever to not win a title - ironic that both played for Lakers. :-|

That's the Top 16 players of all-time. I'd take that squad anytime. :-) Let's just run a few 8 vs 8 player team challenges - Wilt and Bill picking squads.

Some tweets from the sweet series clinching Game 5:

# @sportsguy33 We need the Revenge Series first - 2010 and Celts are going down! In 2011 we can have the Rubber Match , when Lakes get 17th
about 13 hours ago from TweetDeck in reply to sportsguy33

# The L.A. Lakers win their 15th NBA championship, beating the Orlando Magic 99-86. (via @cnnbrk) Wooo Hooo
about 14 hours ago from Twitterrific in reply to cnnbrk

# 10 minutes and I can already get the official "on the court" hat shirt DVD and towel...for 79.95.
about 14 hours ago from Twitterrific

# We Are The Champions!!
about 14 hours ago from Twitterrific

# "Dad. Can we watch the trophy presentation?" "You bet, son." 3:00 left in the game
about 14 hours ago from Twitterrific

# LOTS of Forum Blue and Gold in the stands. "Lucky." - Napolean Dynamite
about 15 hours ago from Twitterrific

# KB24 refused treatment on his hand at halftime-Finals MVP is wrapped up
about 15 hours ago from Twitterrific

# Screening (antonym): Dwight Howard
about 15 hours ago from TweetDeck

# Screening: ...His opponent can see him and, therefore, is expected to detour around the screen.
about 15 hours ago from TweetDeck

# Screening: ...he may be as close as he desires providing he does not make contact...
about 15 hours ago from TweetDeck

# Screening: When a player screens in front of or at the side of a stationary opponent...
about 15 hours ago from TweetDeck

# Traveling: a. A player shall not run with the ball without dribbling it. b. Hedo Turkoglu
about 15 hours ago from TweetDeck

Series fade out, with "We Are The Champions" in the background...

NBA Finals - Game 4

Truly a Game of Two Halves. I'm not sure if bad offense or good defense is the cause. But, Lakers played a horrible first half and Orlando (as they tend to do) played a horrible second half.

A quick note about officiating. Its widely assumed that the Lakers got shafted in this Game. They did. But, not in the first half. 10/16 for Orlando and 8/11 for LA - not too horrible. Its the second half that is so shocking. In the 3rd, 1/2 for Magic and 6/7 for Lakers - again not too one-sided and really just evening out the 1st half (11/18 and 14/18 through 3 quarters). But, then the 4th quarter - 10/17 for Orlando and 0/0 (yup - ZERO of ZERO) for LA. In today's NBA it is IMPOSSIBLE to go a full quarter without committing a single shooting foul. I know there isn't any NBA conspiracy. But, this stat alone confirms that NBA referees are atrocious.

Now, to the important stuff. The 3rd quarter was legendary. Kobe kept them in the game but Trevor put them over the top. 30-14 in the quarter - now THAT is championship ball. The 4th quarter is legendary as well but in a much different way. Orlando had this game WRAPPED UP. As Chick would say its in the refrigerator. BUT, the Magic forgot to shut the door. Epic collapse by both the players and coaches. I'll give SVG the "no foul" play but why not press everywhere? No need for dbl-team. And, no need to cover the 2 pt field goals. Full-court pressure and park EVERYone at LEAST free-throw line extended. This is the culmination of the season. Play it to the fullest. I think Magic true colours showed up. They had trouble in every series holding leads. By this point in the season, "you are what you are". No different here.

A selection of tweets from the Game:

# DFish "...if I'm on the floor, I have to make a difference" cool!
9:56 PM Jun 11th from Twitterrific
# Enjoying this post game a LOT
9:30 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# Now THAT is a flagrant foul
9:15 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# Nelson must still be groggy. Just got out hustled by a 7 footer
9:13 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# "Fish gets a puppet" - Goose
9:11 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# Jameer welcome to Pau's world
9:10 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# Fish is AWESOME
8:53 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# Two ha-yuge misses
8:50 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# Hedo is on All Ugly Team. Done and done
8:46 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# Noooooooo
8:45 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# Ooooooooooooh
8:44 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# ABC enough with the R rated ADs. Kids are watching
8:43 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# Hedo Turkolu = OC and traveling EVERY time
8:41 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# Seems like Howard has 50 rebounds sheesh
8:32 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# Superman better keep those chicken wings down
8:22 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# Now THAT is championship basketball
8:11 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# Offensive foul by Howard missed AGAIN
8:09 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# Lakers D is En Fuego ahora
8:05 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# Knock knock. Who's there? Los Lakers
7:57 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# Big Sale in Orlando 50% off all foul calls
7:55 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# Can someone please send Scott Foster the definition of Illegal Screen?
7:50 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# Wishing Lakers would pressure Howard on defense
7:48 PM Jun 11th from mobile web
# The fix is in . The Magic are being allowed to play a different game than LA
7:18 PM Jun 11th from Twitterrific
# Total bunk call against Powell
7:14 PM Jun 11th from Twitterrific
# Howard uses his hands more illegally than anyone since Rodman
7:10 PM Jun 11th from Twitterrific
# Mike Breen needs to get a dictionary - Murphy's Law??
7:07 PM Jun 11th from Twitterrific
# Bennett, if the defender is on the ground, it's a charge.
6:59 PM Jun 11th from Twitterrific
# Lakers can't buy a shot
6:59 PM Jun 11th from Twitterrific
# When will they start calling the Howard Moving Pick?
6:51 PM Jun 11th from Twitterrific
# Tough quarter. Magic played great. Still Lakes down only 4.
6:50 PM Jun 11th from Twitterrific
# I wonder if Hedo can ever drive without taking three steps every time?
6:40 PM Jun 11th from Twitterrific
# Apparently the Magic have never committed a foul ever
6:38 PM Jun 11th from Twitterrific
# Loving that Howard is in the VitaminWater ads now
6:36 PM Jun 11th from Twitterrific
# The Bennett Salvatore Effort is alive and well.
6:31 PM Jun 11th from Twitterrific
# Wonder if Superman can keep up this pace - he's pushing off on every rebound
6:25 PM Jun 11th from Twitterrific

The first half was so pathetic, I ended up locking out my API access. Good times.

I must admit the overtime period (no WAY the Lakers lose now) and the post-game were quite pleasant times for us. And, of course, the 4.6 shot was HUGE. I gotta believe the whole street heard us. :-)

I'm sticking with my original guess - Lakers in 6 (at home). I expect a very tight game 5 swinging to the Magic on some bogus calls down the stretch. Poetic justice for LA would be closing out @Staples with a HUGE blow-out win. We'll see. Can't wait.

NBA Finals - Game 3

Where to start? Let's see. We have an underdog at home playing for its first ever win in the Finals - not a SERIES win but a GAME win. Quickest whistle in the league (Crawford) - check. Worst whistle in the league (Wunderlich) - check. Unconscionably bad free throw shooting by the road team - check. Absolutely torrid 1st half shooting by the home team (75%) - check. And STILL the Lakes were in it to the end.

Orlando fans take whatever you want from this game. But, I'm disagreeing with Mark Jackson (said in my JVG voice). The Lakers lost this game. If I'm Orlando and my win is hanging on Kobe missing 4 freebies and making two horrific turns at the end, I'm in serious trouble.

I said before that Orlando stretches it to 6. But, after that shooting pace and only be up 5 at half and 4 at the end? Wow. They should have won by 20. The Lakers can rest easy knowing they let a VERY winnable game slip through their fingers.

NBA Finals - Game 1/2

I guess I was on Cloud 9 after the Game 1. That was just a sweet win. The post defense the Lakes threw at Superman has defined the early part of the Series. Game 2 just confirmed it. If that defense continues, the Series will be short indeed.

Some in-game thoughts on Game 1:

"If Mickney Leetrus is the leading scorer, Magic won't win a game."
"One Dave..Never put the Cart in front of the Horse.....Magic looked really poor tonight!!!!"

"Did you see the box score? Not saying it will happen. But, if Superman, The Michael Jordan of Turkey or Shard Lewis are NOT the leading scorers, Magic have no chance - cuz the Lakers are EN FUEGO!!"

"13 down, 3 to go"

The Magic looked REALLY tight. Worse than I expected. Their entire offensive game is predicated on tossing it into Superman, then having him kick-out for a shot or a swing. None of that happened. Lakes contended the entry and then closed out on the shooters ALL over the court. I especially liked that Kobe went back in late "...we may be up big but this game is NOT getting close".

Some in-game thoughts on Game 2:

"The Myth of Michael: go to 1:28 2:30 of this and then :54 of this. Magic's play was 6yrs BEFORE MJs."

"14 down, 2 to go"

The Magic were still tight. But, Shard got "lost" a couple of times and made the Lakes pay. PJ needs to point that out to Kobe and Lamar. I did NOT like the last LA shot. Kobe had plenty of time to dish to 3 wide-open guys. They dodged that bullet. And, the OT turned out very good - Kobe not dominating and Lamar not turtling.

Lots of chatter about a sweep. But, I doubt it. I expect Orlando to be VERY fired up and win Game 3. Then, I expect a tight Game 4 (a la G2) that Magic win at the wire. Then, Lakes win Game 5 and come home to close it out in Game 6. However, I wouldn't be surprised if Lakers steal G3 and close out the sweep. The Magic are playing that bad right now.

Is it bad that I'm bummed that Lakes are NOT doing this to the Celtics? Really, we got it bad when we can't enjoy a Finals victory. Sheesh.

Also, unfortunately I'll be watching G3 on "tape delay". So, no Twitterverse for me until I get back and run through the game. I'll be live for Game 4, tho. Can't wait.

NBA Finals - Preview

Not sure if its the 2 cups of coffee, but I'm buzzing right now. Oh, wait. Its the NBA FINALS BABY! Its going to be a great Series and I'll be blogging one Lakers fan's viewpoint throughout.

For now, my thoughts (like you care THAT much) on the matchups...

PG - DFish vs Skip to my Lou - Advantage: even. Fish is slowing down but has the wiles and gumption to get even on this matchup. Skip has the wheels but I'm not sure how he handles the pressure and with Jameer Nelson in the wings, it can't be good. Backup note: Farmer/Brown kill anything that Johnson brings. I'm really hoping Shannon Brown can take it to the next level - he has a GREAT toolset for the triple post.

SG - Mamba vs Some Rookie - Advantage: no contest. Just to make it a little less lopsided, let's combine Courtney Lee and Mickael Pietrus and call him Mickney Leetrus. There is no reasonable scenario where Mickney hangs with Kobe. The stats are not THAT off (except pts) - 17.8|5.6|2.4|1.56 vs 26.8|5.2|4.9|1.46. But, Kobe commands dbl/tpl teams the entire time and Leetrus will be ignored a LOT. If you get wide open corner 3s the ENTIRE game, you better be able to notch 15+ a game. Guarding LBJ is tough. But if you think about it, LBJ's actually a bit predictable. Either he runs headlong to the rim or dishes to a teammate at first sign of trouble. Mamba don't run that way. He doesn't let you off the hook after the first move. Poor Mickney Leetrus is in for a LONG series.

SF - Ariza vs MJofT - Advantage: (slim) to Orlando. Hedo has the ball a TON but takes a LOT of late shots. Ariza has covered a couple bigger heavier guys. This will seem like a vacation for him. And if Ariza continues his torrid shooting, this matchup easily swings the other way.

PF - Pau vs Shard - Advantage: (big) to Los Angeles. Lewis will get lots of open looks from deep. But, he will get absolutely killed on defense. I can easily see Lewis averaging 18-20 ppg and Gasol getting 26-28 ppg and tons of assists on the drop pass to Bynum after Howard comes to help.

C - Bynum vs Superman - Advantage: (not as big as it seems) to Orlando. Bynum has the length and size to play Superman one-on-one. This will (hopefully) limit the touches/shots Howard gets. If Bynum commits himself to D and R (help us out here @kaj33), then this Series is over quick. If he doesn't, then Dwight goes nuts and Lakers have to roll a dbl to him - not good. We'll see how well the new D handles a serious post threat.

X - LO vs Nelson (I guess) - Advantage: Lakers. The Lake Show gets BIGGER and LONGER when they sub. I could easily see Odom subbing for Ariza first to get 3 bigs against the Magic top group. But, either way, Lamar should be able to abuse Lewis even more than Pau will. I had to use Pietrus to get the SG position in the ballpark. What else does Orlando bring? The Nelson question will be big and distracting - will he/wont he play... - this can't be good for a young team on the big stage for the first time.

Coaches - Zen vs Panic - Advantage: no contest. Granted SVG is a good Xs/Os guy. But, at this point of the season, it's about execution and energy. That's why Zen has 10 rings (and counting). Any good college or HS coach could have figured out the Cavs over a best of 7. This is Bright Lights time and I expect SVG is not so good this figuring out a (real) offense.

Intangibles - M(otivation) HUGE advantage for Lakers; E(xperience) HUGE advantage for Lakers; (lack of) R(espect) advantage for Magic; H(ome) C(ourt) advantage for Lakers.

Orlando...
Championships: 0
Last Championship: Never won title
Last Season: Lost in Eastern Conference semifinals

Los Angeles...
Championships: 14 (5 as Minneapolis Lakers)
Last Championship: 2002
Last Season: Lost in NBA Finals

I'm still expecting a long series. But, ultimately Lakers prevail. Unlike any other sport, the NBA requires getting close and failing before a team can win it all. This Lakers team had that hurdle last year. The motivation to atone for last year will trump the "we have nothing to lose" freeness the Magic will bring. Lakers close it at home in 6 games.

Ciao

Game 6 - Western Conference Finals

We're headed to The Finals!

This was a shockingly easy close-out game. The Lakes solved the Denver riddle and exposed them (again) as very weak defenders. And, when they couldn't make enough baskets to hang with the Lakers, the Nugs rolled over pretty easy.

Now, time to clear room on the bandwagon. Have already started to hear it. Good times.

Of course, with Superman coming to town, the Finals are shaping up to be a GREAT series. A Kobe/Lebron series would have inevitably focused on the two superstars going solo against each other. However, we should remind that the Lakers a VERY good team and so is Orlando. Watching the Magic swing the ball and end up with a easy flush for Dwight Howard TIME AFTER TIME against the Cavs should provide any motivation, if needed.

I've been hearing Lakers in 5 max. I'm going to say it goes seven and Lakers prevail at home, proving, yet again, how important home court is in the NBA.

Game 5 - Western Conference Finals

A spicy little number to encourage the home crowd. Interesting little tetes all over the place. But, after watching a highlight reel, I'd have to agree that the Shannon Brown dunk is the best. Bad pass by Nugs main guy, a SEVEN FOOTER leading the break for the Lakers, and Brown flushing with authority over the Nuggets only effective defender. All good and wrap this series.

Interesting post from SG about refs but he missed an obvious solution - put more refs on the floor. They wouldn't have to exert as much energy to be in the right spot so calls are better. More eyes on the floor decreases the number of missed calls. And, a dilution effect would help smooth out "philosophical" differences in whistle style. I still think the downside is lack of competent officials. But, the SG's call for a serious NBA Officials Training Camp would fix that.

I've a feeling that this one is still going seven games. Each game has been so tight (Game 4 included) that its unlikely Lakers close it in six. With the historical trend against road teams in a 7th game, the Nuggets are in trouble. Either way, they will be VERY feisty in Game 6. My over/under for ejections is 2.5.

Can't wait.

Game 2/3/4 - Western Conference Finals

This is a combo (and long) post as I caught the games on the fly during a FANtastic trip to the Oregon Coast.

Game 2, obviously, was a bummer. But, the officiating in that game set the tone for the Colorado games. Allegedly, these guys are the best. Officials: Steve Javie, Dick Bavetta, Marc Davis. But, they blew it on a basic technical issue - NOT a judgment call. On the late game tip, JR Smith flashed across Ariza's line of sight BEFORE THE BALL IS TOUCHED. This is a violation. Bavetta blew it BIG time.

And, then the (failed) judgment call. When a guy has the ball and a defender puts two hands in his back and PUSHES HIM TO THE FLOOR, that's a foul. But, they called it traveling (I guess). NBA officials are so far underwater. There has to be a better way...

@sportsguy33 What about getting the NBA to put 5 refs on the floor? Or would it be impossible to get enough qualified refs?

Seriously, why not? Put enough guys out there so that every position can be monitored, especially in the lane and under the basket. I think the only downside to this is truly finding enough qualified people.

Game 3, once again obviously, was sweet redemption. Again a lot of chippy stuff from the Nuggets. But, the Lakers responded and Kobe Diem brought the win. Those free throws at the end demonstrated that its still Mamba, BronBron, D-Wade, in that order, until he retires.

Game 4, was pathetic. Read TJ Simers diatribe (would love to hear the interchanges first hand) and he almost gets it. What PJ meant is that the Lakers were trying to respond to the Nugs energy (and were doing a good job) but each time a close call came up, it went the Nugs way. When you're on the road, fighting a good team, a heated home crowd and 3 (incompetent) officials, it can be "difficult". The fact that they had a realistic chance with 2 minutes left tells you this. But, a few missed shots, a couple bad calls, and a few showboats later, you have a 19 point loss.

This much I know, JR Smith will not make it out of LA alive if he tries those antics on Wednesday. Glad to hear that Jones got busted for his asinine tripping of Kobe. Once again, how is that not called? Kobe's got a spotlight on him EVERY play and the guy trips him at the top of the key IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLOOR. Hey Ken Mauer, Bill Spooner, and Bennett Salvatore, what exactly were you looking at? Clearly, not the obvious flagrant foul committed right in front of you.

And, then the (obviously not a) flagrant on Bynum. This was a game changer. Instead of an iffy pair of freebies and a chance to get to single digits, the Nugs get 2 PLUS the ball. This is bad. When the league "fixes" this insanity, how is the momentum returned to the Lakers? That truly bogus call swung the game squarely back to Denver. Who knows what happens if he misses those two, Lakers bomb a 3 and JR Smith self-combusts rather than hitting those 3's? Well, apparently what happens is the NBA nails the affected team's coach for 25 large while saying "oops".

I'm wondering now who's going to be choking on the whistles in Game 5. I must admit that this is the first time I've been truly concerned about which ref is calling the game. If Wunderlich is anywhere near downtown LA, there will be serious problems.

I'm beginning to understand what Mark Cuban was saying. The Nuggets actually are the lesser team and they are trying to make up for it by being overly physical - not just w/Lakers, plus previously with the Mavs and in the regular season. Houston got quite far playing that kind of game. Its up to the Lakers to respond appropriately - not by cheap shots but by playing an aggressive, efficient game. We'll see if they can.

Game 1 - Western Conference Finals

Really REALLY liked that game. It would have been better to not get in an early hole. But, the Lakes took the Nugs early energy and responded well. I think the Nuggets are in trouble. That was their best chance to steal a game and they crumpled.

Fish hitting shots, Ariza stealing passes, and Kobe driving hard. All good! I think I'm going to stick with my Lakers in 7 prediction. Even PJ was on his game. The early Kobe on Billups and late Kobe on Melo is a coup (hopefully KB24 can keep this pace). Then the "intentional" foul with <6s, no Denver TOs, and up by 3 strategy - JVG about popped a gasket praising that decision. Furious George is in WAY over his head.

Expecting an easy Game 2 win and then some INTeresting games in CO. Can't wait.

Getting a kick out of Laker Tweetville. @kaj33 tweets, @jeaniebuss tweets, then they get retweeted by @miketrudell. Fun to watch.

Game 7 - Western Semi-finals

Now, the (Lakerdom) world is back to normal (again). Just a great day of basketball. Lakes had an EASY time against a weak Houston squad and the Celtics got punk'd at home. Can't get any better.

Its funny watching the media rip the Lakers. I'm still looking for a columnist that brings something other than venom to the scene. At least there is the "from wire reports" angle to give us something straight.

Now, onto the Western Conference Finals. We're expecting a VERY entertaining series. Denver is a great up-tempo squad. I see this going 7 games. Though, truth be told, it could very easily be over in 4. But, much different matchups in this series favoring the Lakers overall.

A quick tale of the tape:

PG - Billups v. Fish - advantage (slight) for Denver. Lakers have better depth though (who is the Denver backup PG again?) and Fish will be able to stay with Billups.

SG - Jones v. KB24 - no contest. I had to go to ESPN to remind myself who starts at 2 for the Nugs. I say Jones gets tossed from at least two of the games.

SF - Melo v. Ariza - advantage (on offense) for Denver and (huge) advantage on defense for the Lakers. This matchup is closer than it might appear. Melo plays ZERO defense and can be "coaxed" into sticky ball, much like Ron-Ron. But, Melo is much stronger on O than Artest. So, while this is close to a toss-up, we'll give it to Denver. If Ariza can stay consistent with the outside shot (50% against Houston and 61% against Utah), then Lakes should be able to mitigate the Melo Effect.

PF - KMart v. Gasol - no contest. I love KMart's game - aggressive and attacking. But, he got KILLED by Dirk. Pau should easily exploit KMart's (lack of) size and (over) aggressive nature, which will allow Lakers biggest matchup to swing their way.

C - Nene v. Bynum - advantage to Lakers. Nene has been playing great ball. But, Bynum has the length and quickness to counter Nene's offense. When the Lakers have the ball, Nene will be spending a LOT of time helping KMart with Gasol. That will give Bynum MANY free looks. If he brings the same (home) energy to this series, twill be a short series.

Coach - Karl v. Jackson - um, next! Get Furious George some more candy.

Intangiles - Nuggets v. Lakers - advantage (duh) Lakers...

Denver Nuggets -
Championships: 0
Last Championship: Never won title
Last Season: Lost in Western Conference first round

Los Angeles Lakers -
Championships: 14 (5 as Minneapolis Lakers)
Last Championship: 2002
Last Season: Lost in NBA Finals

Can't wait. And, how soon til the Lakers can tender Ron-Ron the mid-level vet contract?

Game 6 - Western Semi-finals

Wow. Just wow. When you come out flat and then see what a horrific officiating crew can do, no wonder you end up in a big hole. But 21-3? Wow. I must say though that they fought back and made a game of it, even with nothing from Fish, Odom, and Bynum. I like that they showed some fight.

Now, about the refs. Seriously, there is no legitimate reason for Mark Wunderlich to referring any NBA game, let alone a playoff game. Gross incompetence! You gotta think that the fix is in. After the Donaghy fiasco, how can anyone allow this blatant corruption go on. At least we can do away with those Lebron/Kobe conspiracy theories.

Well, on to Game 7. I'm a little disappointed they didn't finish them off in 6. But, no one said the Rockets would be an easy out. LO has to get right fast or KMart is going to kill him. If one argues that the small quick guards give the Lakes trouble, then Denver will be a good match-up for them. We'll see.

Game 5 - Western Semi-finals

Now, THAT is what I'm talking about. Sweet precision resulting in a resounding victory. The Lakes took the Rockets early emotion, channeled it in the last half of the 1st quarter, then pounded them for the remainder of the game.

So many positives come from this game. Renewal for Bynum, rest for Odom, restored attacking from Kobe. The Rockets have a tall task in front of them for Thursday. If the Lakers bring ANY of this confidence to Texas, its all over. We're hoping that Dallas shows up tonight and can extend that series (really, it should be 2-2 right now).

Ok. Can't make it through a post without wondering why Apple is still playing. Why not split those minutes tween Kobe (with SB at the two) and Lamar? I can't even imagine the explosiveness of a Kobe, Trevor, Lamar, Pau, Andrew lineup. Sub-in Shannon Brown to check the quicker guards. This would allow Trevor, Kobe and Lamar to take turns beating up on Melo and then Lebron. Easy pickings but getting WAY too far ahead of things.

For now, let's look for a strong start - the team to lead at end of 1st has won each game. That's a good goal for now.

Ciao.

Game 4 - Western Semi-finals

What a pathetic effort. Hope this is an anomaly. Clearly, the Lakes felt like a split was enough. And, from our vantage, this loss wasn't unexpected - too much emotion for the Rockets. And, as feared, a lackluster start by the Lakers dug a (too) deep hole. Ah well.

The energy in the 4th was encouraging. The injury to Odom is not. Let's hope he comes back quick because Bynum is bringing nothing to this series.

Blah - that's it. Can't/Won't say anymore. Tuesday can't come soon enough.

Game 3 - Western Semi-finals

Ah! The world is back to normal. This game is, I think, a true reflection of these two teams. The emotion/rust has worn off and now they're playing about the way they should.

We'll see some interesting arguments about whether the Lakes are better with Farmar starting or not. I normally tend to agree with Mark Jackson. However, he is NOT the best point in this series. He did have a solid game. Nice to see and hope it carries over not matter how they play him in the remaining games.

I must admit that I've completely lost what little I had for Apple Turnover (aka Luke Walton). I continue to be amazed when he contributes to the team. He is very expensive for a back-up and can't make it as a starter. What do you do with him?

Felt bad for Artest. No way was that F2. Seems like over-reaction by referees based on Game 2. Too bad. Can't wait for the conspiracy guys to dredge that one.

I am LOVING the Vujacic/Wafer sub-plot. Two guys barely involved in his team's success just squaring off the entire time they're on the floor. Great stuff. I'm suspecting that if Sasha hadn't whacked him on the head Von would have gotten the offensive call. He basically did the same as D Fish but had the ball. If Sasha had just crumpled to the floor in the fetal position, he could have drawn the same F2 that Scola did.

Man, I hope Kupchak (Kup Check!!) figures out a way to get Ron-Ron into the Forum Blue and Gold next year!

Game 2 - Western Semi-finals

WOW! Lots of "physicality" in this one. We knew the Lakes would come out firing. While I don't condone violence, I'm glad that they responded to the Rockets rough tactics. It will be interesting to see if any additional penalties are handed out.

By the way Ron, you had your FOREARM jammed into Kobe's neck. Don't forget that when you're crying about a "wayward" elbow. If you're going to get physical, you can't whine when it comes back to you. Gotta think if Kobe gets pinched, then Ron-Ron rushing at THE marquee player in the NBA with venom in his eyes should draw something too.

By the way Luis, how much do you weigh? You have to be a LOT lighter than you look to go down that hard from a little tap from tiny Derek Fisher. If Fish is held out for next game, I don't see that as a big loss. At this point, his main contribution is "veteran experience". Jordan and Shannon seemed to have figured out how to play Brooks/Lowry.

Lost in the hoopla is 2 repeats from the 1st round - Lamar Odom is MUCH better for the Lakes as a starter right now. And, Yao is disappearing after a great Game 1. Rockets wont sweep at home this time though.

In the Big Picture, this is a good series. Rocks don't have enough to take Lakes in 7 games (remember it will be over in 6 anyway) but do have enough to challenge the Lakes "manhood". Denver series should be a vacation after this and Lakes will be ready for Cavs - who wont be tested til Orlando/Boston come to town (and maybe not even then).

Ciao.

Game 1 - Western Semi-finals

Disappointing...but luckily I couldn't see it. Seriously, does Sager look at the stuff the costumer brings him and say "Nope. That one isn't loud enough!" I'm really glad we didn't see the shoes. I might have had permanent eye damage.

And that, folks, is the best of what happened in Game 1.

True, the Lakers had a shot (and the lead in the 4th). I'm not too worried about the series. No way will the Rockets burn that good in the rest of this series. And, the Lakers have a LOT more left than the Blazers did. Lots of nice props for Rick Adelman (who I normally like a lot) but he can't hold a candle to PJ. There will be some nice drama and good ratings for the series. But, I said Lakes in 6 and I'm holding to it.

Why can't I find a clip of Pacman's blowout of Hatton on youtube yet???

Ciao.

Another Surreal Day

First off, I don't like being idle. Now, I *know* I'm not really idle - lots of things to do. But, I was raised to know that going to/coming from work on daily basis is what we do. THAT is what makes this so tough.

Second off, I feel bad for those "left behind". I really do. I'm not that unhappy for myself. I need to find a gig so the missus is comfortable. But, I know that the Right Thing will happen. But, the folks still there are staring down the same tracks into the same tunnel with the same realization that the light they see is a train. I will be praying for them.

Third off, I feel really blessed that God provides so well. He delivers EXACTLY what you need EXACTLY when you need it. No one can convince me otherwise. This has happened too often to be "coincidence".

Anyhoo, I'll be posting more on the transition. Looks like I'll be letting two 401k accounts sit for a bit. ;-)

Ciao.

Presentations by Rollo

List of presentations I've done that I can recall doing...

October 2008 - PerfCon (Boston,MA)
-Fill The Requirements

September 2007 - Serena Global User Conference (Chicago, IL)

September 2006 - Serena Global User Conference (Las Vegas, NV)
-Testing Web Services with Eclipse TPTP

September 2004 - Serena Global User Conference (San Francisco, CA)