tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-353957252011-11-27T18:16:19.869-05:00My game is like David Lee's -- only effective from 5" and in.Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1601100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-18076803136114333722009-01-07T14:37:00.003-05:002009-01-07T15:00:13.894-05:00

There's a long list of players that have the reputation - usually earned - of being injury-prone. Marcus Camby. Jermaine O'Neal. Yao Ming. T.J. Ford. Some of the guys in my home league call 'em "lepers." (Not me, of course. That would be inappropriate and wrong.) The number one guy on the list is almost certainly Tracy McGrady. No one has ever questioned McGrady's transcendent talent… but fully

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-59687078832215593942009-01-06T15:02:00.000-05:002009-01-07T15:03:36.608-05:00

Basketball being an indoor sport, we don’t often consider the weather as a factor in NBA games. But Mother Nature can have a significant impact on travel schedules – especially this time of year – and especially for teams playing back-to-backs in places like Chicago, Minneapolis and New York.For example: the Rockets will play in Philly on Tuesday and in Boston on Wednesday. Bad weather on Tuesday

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-55270741519864768722008-12-31T11:07:00.002-05:002008-12-31T11:11:48.036-05:00

From: zegers@rotowire.comSubject: Give and GoDate: December 29, 2008 7:06 PM PDTTo: liss@rotowire.com Hope you had a good holiday, Chris. Santa bring you anything good? My favorite present: a pair of tickets for me and my son to go see Xavier vs. Fordham at the Rose Hill Gym. The Rams are terrible this year, and Xavier is in the top 25 – which means my alma mater is probably going to get

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-76422573196175313642008-08-01T17:07:00.004-04:002008-08-01T17:13:23.459-04:00

Maybe there is a bright side to this whole ugly "Oklahoma City" business. It means author and ex-Sonics fan Sherman Alexie can, in good conscience, trade in his Seattle fandom for stock in an up-and-coming team in Portland.Switching to the Lakers, though, was out of the question:From BlazersEdge via Truehoop:I would root for a team composed of Jack the Ripper at the 3, Lee Harvey Oswald at the 2,

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-84533229788618727162008-07-31T13:29:00.004-04:002008-07-31T14:53:34.701-04:00

Well the unofficial list of potential names for the Oklahoma City NBA franchise are public, and for the most part, they are hideous.Let's break 'em down:The WindFirst off, I stand opposed to any and all singular words as team names (with the exception of soccer clubs, because "United" just sounds cool).As if that wasn't enough... know what else is called "The Wind?" The album Warren Zevon wrote

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-76890697627708992862008-07-28T15:41:00.003-04:002008-07-28T16:00:42.907-04:00

ESPN's John Hollinger is reporting that Renaldo Balkman is headed to the Nuggets for a future second-rounder and some spare parts that will get cut before they ever see the inside of the Knicks' practice facility...Two observations:1) While I'm sad to see Renaldo go, let's not go crazy over this. He's a terrible fit for a D'Antoni team... can't shoot from outside of 5" or so, and was going to be

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-39762489875000892002008-06-17T12:11:00.000-04:002008-06-17T12:12:15.660-04:00

Ordinarily, I’m not to keen on rookies as fantasy options. Too often, players come into the NBA needing to learn new positions. Or put on some bulk. Or how to succeed when they can’t get by on size or athleticism alone.That’s especially true of high lottery picks – who often need to adjust to the fact that they’ll lose more games as rookies than they did in their entire college and high school

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-39915330414877774522008-06-17T09:12:00.003-04:002008-06-17T09:16:57.070-04:00

Note to Omar Minaya:There's this thing called the Internet now. Also... there's television. ESPN -- perhaps you've heard of it?I mention this because you seem to think that the shameful, cowardly move of firing your manager at 3:15 AM Eastern -- keeping the news out of the morning editions of the News, Post and Times -- is somehow going to minimize the negative attention you'll receive as a

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-26244272404150415832008-06-13T13:46:00.006-04:002008-06-13T14:04:15.111-04:00

Never thought I'd be linking to People magazine from this site, but here you go:Supermodel Adriana Lima Engaged to Basketball Star.Like the rest of you, I suspect, I find two things deeply troubling about that lead.It was depressing enough when we learned she was dating Jaric in the first place. She didn't need to go and marry the guy."Basketball Star?"C'mon, People. You're part of the same

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-43522532826035090302008-06-11T10:01:00.001-04:002008-12-11T13:30:20.477-05:00

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-85112522411679301282008-06-04T19:43:00.004-04:002008-06-04T20:31:12.265-04:00

From the "I wish I'd thought to write this" file... Christopher Orr of The New Republic applies some of Hillary Clinton's Democratic Primary arguments to the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.A particularly awesome passage:Once you abandon the artificial four-games-to-two framework that the media has tried to impose on the series, a very different picture emerges, with the Celtics leading by a

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-3450073162299998342008-05-21T09:59:00.003-04:002008-12-11T13:30:21.091-05:00

With the Knicks falling to the six spot in the draft, several observers -- like ESPN's Chad Ford -- are calling Italian small forward Danilo Gallinari a good fit for D'Antoni-ball.Seems like a good time to look back at the last Euro drafted to play at 33rd and 7th.If I'm not mistaken, the Knicks still own that guy's draft rights.

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-2288958732777229662008-05-14T16:20:00.001-04:002008-12-11T13:30:21.330-05:00

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-79137021056665030412008-05-13T11:30:00.004-04:002008-12-11T13:30:21.495-05:00

For the record, I love the Mike D'Antoni hire.Seems to me that the biggest objection has been something along these lines:But his fast-paced system won't work with Stephon and Curry and Randolph!This is true. It's also irrelevant. No offensive system... not Tex Winters' triangle, not John Calipari's dribble-drive, not coach Norman Dale's "four passes before a shot" would be successful with this

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-69773940805301921692008-04-28T13:14:00.001-04:002008-04-28T13:15:14.511-04:00

I enjoy Kenny Smith as much as anyone... but can someone explain to me why he's even being considered for the Knick GM job?

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-86306271823021784892008-04-10T19:05:00.001-04:002008-04-10T19:06:25.274-04:00

I'm really going to miss Stephen A. Smith's radio show on 1050 ESPN Radio here in New York.There, I said it. And I'm not ashamed.

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-10358722581672471652008-04-10T19:03:00.002-04:002008-04-10T19:05:03.238-04:00

For the first 37-and-change minutes of Monday's NCAA championship game, I was planning for this column to be an extended treatise on my man-love of Derrick Rose and some theories on how I could guarantee the Knicks a top-two pick in the upcoming lottery. But my faith was shaken by that last 2:12.Three things, actually, bothered me deeply about that game. The missed free throws, obviously, were

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-56941699668452775012008-04-10T19:01:00.001-04:002008-04-10T19:03:08.867-04:00

In fantasy baseball, there are always a couple of players who have a chance of qualifying at an alternate position and increasing their value tenfold. There’s a chance, however slight, that Brandon Inge will get in enough games to slot in at catcher… The fantasy basketball equivalent: anyone on the Golden State roster. Our latest example: in a game on March 30, swingman Kelenna Azubuike was

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-62729573149754101262008-04-08T13:20:00.001-04:002008-04-08T13:22:07.762-04:00

Dirk Nowitzki's return from injury has been nothing short of amazing. When the diagnosis "high ankle sprain" was announced, most observers assumed Nowitzki would be – at the very least – hobbled for the rest of the regular season. The "two week" estimate for his return was viewed with skepticism – if not outright mockery. But Nowitzki made his surprise return to the lineup a mere 10 days later

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-49164054410350649082008-04-03T13:29:00.002-04:002008-04-03T13:33:55.440-04:00

As the playoff picture becomes more concrete, more teams will be looking to take an extended look at younger players or get the veterans healthy for the postseason. A quick look at the standings may offer hints on where to look for help on the waiver wire.On the top end of the standings, the Celtics have clinched the Atlantic Division and hold a six-game lead over the Pistons for the top spot in

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-47683523144174212192008-04-03T13:17:00.003-04:002008-04-03T13:27:12.750-04:00

Couple of big names made surprise returns to the court last night:Most Dramatic Return: Gilbert Arenas -- no question. Gotta hand it to Agent Zero: dude has a flair for the dramatic. He didn't even take his spot on the bench until five minutes had elapsed in the first quarter, so as not to give away the surprise.The only way he could have improved on his entrance is if he'd come dancing down the

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-64943220992860067012008-04-01T12:19:00.007-04:002008-04-01T12:31:26.309-04:00

"It's amazing that he can still be out on the road."-- Timberwolves coach Randy WittmanIt sure is, coach.I'm distressed to report (thanks to TrueHoop) that the drunk driver who killed Malik Sealy has been arrested for yet another DUI in Minnesota. By my count, this is Souksangouane Phengsene's fourth such arrest.He should be in jail already, having been sentenced to six years in prison after his

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-41136641567010570222008-03-28T10:16:00.002-04:002008-03-28T10:27:10.735-04:00

From: zegers@rotowire.comSubject: Give and GoDate: March 25, 2008 7:50 AM PDTTo: liss@rotowire.comFirst things first -- how are your brackets? Sadly, I had Pittsburgh and Georgetown in the Final Four, so my chances of finishing in the money are very similar to the Knicks' chances of making the playoffs.I stand behind my Georgetown pick... but the Pitt selection, in retrospect, was pretty dumb. If

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-24359364018882370312008-03-27T10:39:00.001-04:002008-03-27T10:40:30.845-04:00

Last week in this space, I wrote about injuries as the main source of useful fantasy players at this point of the season. This week, we’ll put that theory to the test. The Injury: Dirk Nowitzki suffered the dreaded “high ankle” sprain as well as a sprained knee during Sunday’s game. The prognosis: The ankle injury is being called “moderate” while the knee injury is “slight.”Initial estimates

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-62079851925344145202008-03-25T11:09:00.001-04:002008-03-25T11:11:45.164-04:00

Before you read the rest of this column, go put in a waiver claim on Brandon Bass. Hurry. I'll wait. All set? Good. Now then... unless you've been in deep seclusion due to the fact that you had Duke, Georgetown and Pittsburgh in the Final Four, you know that Dirk Nowitzki suffered a "lower leg" injury during Sunday's game. As of Monday afternoon, that Bill Belichick-ian diagnosis has

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-52668231240338374142008-03-20T07:07:00.001-04:002008-03-20T07:08:43.461-04:00

With the NCAA Tournament starting this week, it seems appropriate to kick off this week’s column with a quote from a legend in the college hoops ranks, Mr. Rick Pitino.Larry Bird is not walking through that door, fans. Kevin McHale is not walking through that door, and Robert Parish is not walking through that door.Now, Rick Pitino was addressing what he felt were overly negative Boston fans at

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-56951001163922114652008-03-18T16:49:00.003-04:002008-03-18T17:08:16.337-04:00

The New York Daily News has reporters following Donnie Walsh around like pararazzi chasing a panty-less Britney Spears.He's considering leaving the Pacers, they say... He doesn't like sharing responsibility with Larry Bird... Bird doesn't think the power-sharing arrangement in Indiana is working either.Yadda yadda yadda.And today, via ESPN.com, we have the kicker. Bird isn't sure he'll be back as

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-9450291100213058702008-03-18T11:22:00.003-04:002008-12-11T13:30:21.948-05:00

Selection Sunday has come and gone, and now it's time to get down to business... Here's our breakdown of the 2008 NCAA Tournament, region by region.Story continues on About.com...

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-21855480169069474982008-03-18T11:17:00.003-04:002008-03-18T11:19:02.013-04:00

By one standard, the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky should be the top seed in this year's NCAA Tournament. That standard is academic achievement. According to the report Keeping Score When It Counts: Graduation Rates for 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Teams, released March 17th by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) at the University of Central Florida,

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-40894216136971826472008-03-18T11:14:00.002-04:002008-03-18T11:16:42.940-04:00

The Rockets were so dissatisfied with their point guard position this offseason, it seemed they were very close to bringing guys in off the street for tryouts. Rafer Alston was the most unpopular incumbent this side of George Dubya Bush.Mike James, Steve Francis, rookie Aaron Brooks, Luther Head, and John Lucas III were all considered candidates to take over the spot.A few months later, the

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-32925012528967518292008-03-15T23:50:00.003-04:002008-03-15T23:55:37.054-04:00

Here's a trend that's unlikely to surprise even the most casual observer of the NCAA Tournament: The higher-seeded teams do better. Here's a deeper look at that shocking trend, as well as some others that may assist as you fill out your NCAA brackets: One Seeds in the Final FourHere's another unsurprising factoid. Since 1979 -- the year the NCAA started assigning seeds to tournament teams --

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-91330916433328278792008-03-12T10:02:00.002-04:002008-03-12T10:04:37.551-04:00

Sometimes waiver wire transactions are obvious. When the “Dwyane Wade: out for the year” story hit the Internet, fantasy players everywhere put in claims on Ricky Davis. That’s a no-brainer.But Ricky Davis was already owned in a lot of leagues – the savvy owner knows to dig a bit deeper. Davis had value coming off the bench, right? That means if Davis moves into the starting rotation, the guy

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-13953580218741575492008-03-12T08:59:00.003-04:002008-03-12T09:04:41.579-04:00

From: zegers@rotowire.comSubject: Give and GoDate: March 11, 2008 7:43 AM PDTTo: liss@rotowire.comAs jinxes go, the "Curse of the Zegers" has a ways to go before it catches up to the "Curse of the Bambino" or that of that billy-goat. The Rockets are 6-0 since you accused me of jinxing them in this column. Of course, they're also riding a 19-game winning streak -- the second-longest in NBA history

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-4096304037414746662008-03-11T15:34:00.006-04:002008-12-11T13:30:22.258-05:00

Thank god for Henry Abbott at True Hoop. Without him, I'd probably never see things like this:Of course, I still think the most convincing Dikembe Mutombo impression comes from this guy:

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-68822381098357445892008-03-11T11:02:00.005-04:002008-03-11T11:29:44.404-04:00

Quick note to Bill Simmons, and the guys at Str8Balling, and anyone else making suggestions:Trading David Lee is not an option.Trading David Lee is the last thing the Knicks should do.David Lee is just about the only thing that's right with the Knicks currently...(I say "just about..." because the jury is out on Wilson Chandler, but I'm encouraged.)If I was running the team -- and it seems I have

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-34004195748415238082008-03-11T10:23:00.003-04:002008-03-11T10:26:19.350-04:00

We've hit the point in the season when the status of several key players will be governed by the law of diminishing returns. Why force a player to hobble through 20 more games, when he can get a jump-start on surgery or treatment or rehab and increase the chances he'll be healthy for the start of the 2008-09 campaign? The biggest name to initiate Operation Shutdown so far is Dwyane Wade. (We

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-28467579469517902422008-03-05T19:51:00.002-05:002008-03-05T19:55:16.822-05:00

I could swear I just saw the New York Knicks block two shots...On one possession.One of them by Eddy Curry.Did anyone else see that? Or am I experiencing some sort of fever dream?That's it. I must have malaria.Malaria. In New York. In March. That must be it. That's far more plausible than the Knicks actually playing some defense.

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-6352042032087235572008-03-05T15:43:00.003-05:002008-12-11T13:30:22.491-05:00

Eh, I don't really believe that. Ol' George seems to be a good guy. He's done a lot of charity work. He has little use for Isiah Thomas, which obviously earns him points in my book.I'm just hoping Furious George's lawyer will get into a snit and send me tons of free traffic.Y'know, the way he did when he sent threatening e-mails to the guy behind FireGeorgeKarl.com.For giggles -- or for yet

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-1861490105557443652008-03-05T11:46:00.005-05:002008-03-05T11:53:52.756-05:00

The news of Yao Ming’s season-ending injury broke last week as I was writing this column, so I spent a little time in that piece discussing how the absence of an all-world center would impact the production of Houston’s waiver-available players.Now that we have a few games’ worth of stats to review, let’s take a second look and see who’s stepping up.Each player is listed with his Ultimate Fantasy

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-34997639705119958512008-03-05T11:39:00.004-05:002008-03-05T11:44:47.540-05:00

Caron Butler has been the best player on one of my teams for the better part of this season. So like a lot of fantasy NBA players, I was pretty frustrated by the way the Wizards have handled his latest injury. For those who haven't been keeping close tabs, the updates went something like this:Day 1: Ah, he tweaked his hip. He's day-to-day.Day 2: He's day-to-day.Day 3-10: He's day-to-day.Day 11:

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-62296377295159782982008-03-04T20:35:00.002-05:002008-03-04T20:38:24.036-05:00

In last week's Give and Go column, Chris Liss and I talked about how difficult it is for NBA teams to handle major personnel changes at mid-season. Comfort level and familiarity with teammates is so crucial to success at both ends of the floor – and that really only comes from practice reps. And yet, several teams with title aspirations decided to roll the dice this year and make major changes

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-86767473855886472852008-02-29T09:52:00.003-05:002008-02-29T09:56:12.744-05:00

Exhibit 2,254: The Schmap:This widget creates a map-based view of your favorite team's schedule, free for posting on a blog, homepage, etc.If only we could harness this technology to make the Johnnies' record somehow suck less.

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-36193294612838431062008-02-28T13:36:00.002-05:002008-02-28T13:38:39.206-05:00

The standard NCAA Tournament bracket pool -- along with the weekly football picks and the "Superbowl boxes" -- is part of the holy trinity of American sports gambling. Even casual sports fans will participate in a betting extravaganza that has been estimated at $2.5 billion in wagers -- with only a little over 3 percent of that number handled by legal gambling outlets like the sports books at Las

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-19626087267081584472008-02-27T13:45:00.001-05:002008-02-28T14:08:52.369-05:00

The Rockets' perfect February has suddenly developed some very deep flaws, with the news that Yao Ming will miss the remainder of the season and playoffs due to a stress fracture in his foot.Fantasy owners will want to act quickly and put in a claim on Luis Scola. Scola was a decent pick even before this news – we wrote about his progress in last week's column. With Yao out of the mix, Scola

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-13683288538829747852008-02-27T09:40:00.000-05:002008-02-27T09:41:52.644-05:00

You aren't going to get traded playing like this.

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-28186495540090399392008-02-26T17:41:00.005-05:002008-12-11T13:30:22.944-05:00

I read the funny papers as a means of escape... nothing harshes my morning caffeine buzz like a dose of reality in my comics.This morning's buzzkill came from Darby Conley's strip Get Fuzzy. The panel in this post is the punchline... here's the entire strip.Two observations about this:1) Seriously, dude... if I wanted a harsh dose of reality on my comics page, I'd read Doonesbury. (For my money,

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-14255597709870661832008-02-25T14:04:00.004-05:002008-02-29T10:54:03.381-05:00

As much as we love the trade deadline, it's sort of refreshing to stop dealing in conjecture and start dealing in facts. That said, let's take a look at some of the early returns on last week's flurry of trades. Cleveland: The Cavaliers wasted no time getting new arrivals Ben Wallace, Delonte West, Joe Smith and Wally Szczerbiak involved. Wallace and West started Sunday's game against

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-67735798459481817442008-01-28T10:29:00.000-05:002008-01-28T10:39:32.634-05:00

My loyal readers... all five of you... are probably wondering where I've been for the last couple of weeks. There's no truth to the rumor that Madison Square Garden security "disappeared" me for promoting Fire Isiah T-shirts. I've been publishing columns and blogs on RotoWire on NBA.com, but Three Seconds has been quiet.Too quiet.Directly above this post, you'll see the reason. I'm now covering

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-88108545806741283792008-01-06T11:20:00.000-05:002008-01-06T11:30:05.733-05:00

I have finally figured out James Dolan's master plan.He's not keeping Isiah Thomas as coach out of stubbornness. Or incompetence.No, he's doing it as a way of jump-starting New York's garment industry.The latest "Fire Isiah" T-shirt making the rounds-- hand-made and hand-printed by a graphic artist named Ivan Cash -- is by far the best. It's also the version that has generated the most media

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-90198991376244678312007-12-13T10:52:00.000-05:002007-12-13T10:57:44.658-05:00

About a million years ago... back when fantasy hoops drafts took place in dorm rooms, with beer, and stats were looked up in the USA Today and entered into Excel spreadsheets... I joined a league with a co-owner. His name was Vic Mendoza.I didn't know Vic all that well, but I was told he was a big NBA fan and knew his stuff. And I had some sort of conflict and could only attend the first hour or

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-49443348355559933842007-12-10T21:38:00.001-05:002007-12-10T21:52:13.057-05:00

My grandmother was an enormous Yankee fan... but I don't think she ever saw a late-game comeback. Whenever the Yanks fell behind, she'd turn off the game in disgust.She left most broadcasts before Phil Rizzuto made his nightly dash for the George Washington Bridge.I'm glad I don't take after her in that regard -- with seven minutes left in the game, the Knicks are down eight.(Make that ten...

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-66115076428136706132007-12-10T21:03:00.000-05:002007-12-10T21:14:32.604-05:00

A stat from Mike Breen on the MSG Network -- tonight's game marks the eighth time in twenty games this season that the Knicks have trailed by at least 20 points.It's sort of entertaining listening to Breen and analyst Kenny Smith talk about how the players, and not Thomas, are to blame for the appalling lack of effort on display at the Garden tonight.Um, Ken? Who signed all these guys?Who asked

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-79202293754354354322007-12-10T19:31:00.000-05:002007-12-10T19:54:39.028-05:00

There's a theory that's been circulated recently that the only thing keeping Hawks general manager Billy Knight from getting the axe is the ongoing legal battle between Atlanta management and former partner Steve Belkin.Atlanta can't fire Knight, the theory goes, because doing so would be an open admission that Knight hasn't done a good job -- and Knight's personnel moves (specifically, the

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-58300128719640945192007-12-06T10:24:00.000-05:002007-12-06T13:43:20.916-05:00

The hypocrisy of sportswriters knows no bounds -- this is not news.It was evident when columnists nationwide rushed to defend the authors of Game of Shadows, despite the fact that they'd published a book based on what was, essentially, stolen information.It is evident every time writers file columns complaining about how they are treated by specific players and coaches... as if the fans who pay

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-38680522511024122932007-12-05T13:40:00.000-05:002007-12-06T13:42:48.698-05:00

This week's Give and Go column features a breakdown of possible trade offers for Shawn Marion that have been floated in the RotoWire staff league. Check out the whole discussion between me and RotoWire's managing editor Chris Liss here (subscription required).

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-56902398851585856972007-12-05T13:36:00.000-05:002007-12-06T13:39:30.427-05:00

(Originally published at NBA.com) The axe finally dropped this week on Sixer general manager Billy King. It seems reasonable to expect that this won’t be the only change at the Wachovia Center – and that could mean excellent opportunities for fantasy owners willing to engage in a little speculation. The most obvious candidate to be traded once new team president Ed Stefanski gets settled is

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-92189852241947342892007-12-04T13:33:00.000-05:002007-12-06T13:35:44.395-05:00

(Originally published on RotoWire.com) Fantasy scoring is all about individual achievements... but sometimes, it pays to remember that basketball is a team game. Case in point: Joe Johnson of the Hawks. Johnson is an elite fantasy contributor, due in large part for his ability to knock down the three. But Johnson plays for a very young, inexperienced Atlanta Hawks squad. That can be a

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-59084023449665890102007-11-29T09:51:00.003-05:002008-06-13T14:02:55.386-04:00

The word "fantasy" takes on a whole new context in the basketball blogosphere this week with the news that Marko Jaric is dating Victoria's Secret model/goddess Adriana Lima.This is easily the most impressive accomplishment of Jaric's NBA career.(For more analysis, er, hot pictures, check out Give Me The Rock.)Note to Ms. Lima: the last Victoria's Secret model to run around in public with an NBA

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-45862979156829606652007-11-29T09:48:00.000-05:002007-11-29T09:50:52.285-05:00

An addendum to this week's Working the Wire column... if he's available in your league (and according to the Ultimate Fantasy Commissioner stats, he's available in nearly every league) put in a claim on Juan Carlos Navarro of the Grizzlies.I was actually very high on Navarro, even before training camps opened. He seemed to be landing in an ideal situation -- on a team expected to play an open,

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-88385468780596224832007-11-29T09:30:00.000-05:002007-11-29T09:34:08.553-05:00

(Originally published on RotoWire.com)The NBA lost one of its most entertaining players – and one of fantasy hoops' superstars – when Gilbert Arenas suffered another knee injury last week. Arenas' progress in rehab will be one of the most interesting hoops stories of the next three months or so. Reading between the lines of Arenas blog on NBA.com, we get the vibe that he thinks he was cleared

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-33038678385081566342007-11-28T10:10:00.000-05:002007-11-29T10:14:26.348-05:00

In this week's Give and Go column on RotoWire.com, what starts out as an honest discussion of the progress of this year's NBA rookies turns savage when managing editor Chris Liss launches a savage and unprovoked attack on my team in the NBA.com expert league.For the ugly side of Chris Liss, check out the full article (subscription required).

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-57944986026008813272007-11-28T09:09:00.000-05:002008-12-11T13:30:23.397-05:00

This week's fantasy hoops waiver wire suggestions are live at NBA.com and RotoWire. Here's a preview:Let’s kick off this week with a look at the most-added player in Ultimate Fantasy Commissioner leagues. Grant Hill – PHX [SG, SF]: As Darth Vader said to one of his Imperial lackeys, “I find your lack of faith disturbing.” Yes, Hill’s injury history is as terrifying as a seven-foot space villain

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-39888304215143674332007-11-23T14:03:00.000-05:002007-11-23T14:08:28.603-05:00

This week's waiver wire picks were posted over on NBA.com back on the 21st... I'm just posting them here now after a series of turkey-coma-related delays.The big recommendations of the week are bench players getting extra run due to injuries, including:Stromile SwiftJannero PargoIra NewbleBeno UdrihCheck out all the picks over on NBA.com.

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-67465726852396025392007-11-15T12:21:00.000-05:002008-12-11T13:30:24.436-05:00

You basically need to be an actuary/ninja/wizard to really understand the ins and outs of the NBA salary cap... which is one of several reasons that there's so much mis-information out there disguised as trade scenarios for Stephon Marbury.I'm not an actuary, a ninja or a wizard... so please bear with me as I try to break this down.The Perception:Steph and Isiah kissed and made up last night

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-31861348183179487842007-11-15T12:11:00.000-05:002007-11-15T12:15:14.946-05:00

On the off chance that you're not completely burned out on idle Stephon Marbury speculation... in this week's Give and Go column on RotoWire (subscription required), managing editor Chris Liss and I discuss whether or not the Knicks are better off without him.Also on the table: which of the other slow starters -- most notably, the Bulls -- have what it takes to get things together? And how good

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-4721025198890820342007-11-15T12:02:00.000-05:002007-11-15T12:09:39.048-05:00

I'm thinking of starting a new career as a professional jinx... it seems to have worked out pretty well for the John Madden Football and Sports Illustrated guys.See, for the second week running, the main guy I featured in my Waiver Wire recommendations immediately got injured. Last week it was Cuttino Mobley. This week? Mardy Collins.As luck would have it, I was watching the game when Collins was

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-81708993324046390772007-11-14T14:35:00.000-05:002007-11-14T14:55:27.392-05:00

Another Marbury post for all you conspiracy theorists out there...The prodigal Knick text-messaged the NY Post, the Stephen A. Smith radio show and probably every other media outlet in New York (but not this blog... dammit, Steph, where's the love?) to say that he's on his way to Los Angeles to re-join the team.If he's back in the starting lineup -- that means whatever dirt he's got is really

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-70681943883614398802007-11-14T10:17:00.001-05:002007-11-14T11:00:13.105-05:00

Stephon Marbury has dished out 6,317 assists in his thirteen-and-change NBA seasons. But it sounds like the next dime he drops could prove to be the most significant.For those who have been living under a rock for the last 24 hours and/or those who get all their sports news from this blog (bless your little hearts) I'll re-set the scene:At some point during the Knicks' charter flight to Phoenix,

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-12296652721845793342007-11-14T10:10:00.000-05:002007-11-14T10:14:07.199-05:00

There's any number of reasons to avoid having certain players on your fantasy team, ranging from "He'll kill my free throw percentage" to "I'm afraid he'll wind up in jail after taking an AK-47 to a nightclub" to "I really don't think he's any good." Here's a new one for you. "That team is just too good." Team success in the NBA doesn't necessarily mean success for fantasy owners. Often,

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-18230077247078376202007-11-14T10:04:00.001-05:002007-11-14T10:10:06.717-05:00

In one of my columns on RotoWire.com this week, I wrote about the reasons for fantasy owners to be wary of players on very good teams. A squad like the Spurs, for example, is going to outclass a lot of opponents and generate big leads... and championship contenders are likely to pull their stars in blowouts and save their legs for the long haul.I'm disappointed to report that Suns coach Mike

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-24705294459825145892007-11-08T10:58:00.001-05:002008-12-11T13:30:25.483-05:00

Obviously, I'm having trouble letting this whole "team names" thing go... it seemed a good time to discuss my very high standards when it comes to naming and mascots.Local/RegionalEncouraged: Names with specific local/regional significance. Colleges are great for this... Tar Heels, Hoosiers, Sooners, Cornhuskers, Longhorns, Buckeyes, just off the top of my head. From the pro ranks, you've got

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-63527548700138683602007-11-08T09:35:00.000-05:002007-11-08T09:47:25.143-05:00

Another note on Kentucky vs. Gardner-Webb... but one that has nothing to do with the game:Gardner-Webb's team mascot is, predictably, the Bulldog. Just like 38 other college teams. 'Course, I shouldn't make fun... Kentucky is one of 25 "Wildcats". C'mon folks -- a little creativity, please.Perhaps this is an extension of the NCAA's ongoing crusade against offensive team nicknames. At some point

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-73837093400325161032007-11-08T09:11:00.000-05:002008-12-11T13:30:25.857-05:00

What's more fun than an enormous upset?Why, an enormous upset by a team that was specifically scheduled to be the whipping-boy of some big-college program, obviously. That was true when the Michigan Wolverines opened their season by losing to Appalachian State, and when Notre Dame lost to Navy last weekend.And though the NCAA hoops season is just days old, it looks like the "season of upsets"

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-73260562463520345342007-11-07T10:29:00.001-05:002007-11-07T10:32:16.582-05:00

This week's "Working the Wire" column is up over on NBA.com. Some of the players we like this week:Cuttino Mobley -- back in the starting lineup, explodes for 33 pointsDeSagana Diop -- nice short-term double-double threat with Dampier outJason Terry -- on the off chance that he was waived in your league when he lost his starting gigFeedback and questions are always welcome.

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-30441236578346472862007-11-07T10:24:00.000-05:002007-11-07T10:28:01.361-05:00

The good news... my weekly upgrades and downgrades column, the NBA Barometer, is now available on Fox Sports.The bad... Fox doesn't have a fantasy basketball page, so the only way to find the article is to hit the main Fox Sports Fantasy page and check the "Headlines" and "Featured Analysis" sections.Or, you can check here. I'll continue to post links as they're available.

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-54457985783048986592007-11-07T10:20:00.001-05:002007-11-07T10:24:36.857-05:00

In this week's Give and Go on Rotowire, managing editor Chris Liss and I compare notes on roster management in NBA leagues. You need to subscribe to Rotowire to read the full column... at least for now. I'm told it will also be published on Fox Sports' fantasy page, but I haven't seen it yet.

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-2424441025549786572007-11-07T10:01:00.000-05:002007-11-07T10:19:18.012-05:00

This week's NBA Barometer is live over on Rotowire. To read the full article, you need to subscribe. Too much? Too soon? The original version of last week's barometer started with an extended discussion of Gilbert Arenas. Talked about the fact that Agent Zero really wasn't fully recovered from offseason knee surgery, that the Wizards had a tough early-season schedule and cautioned owners to

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-18289430971088642322007-11-07T00:42:00.000-05:002008-12-11T13:30:26.994-05:00

OK... so my assessment of Knicks/Nuggets couldn't have been much farther off. That's all right. I'll take the win and live with the embarrassment of having my shortcomings displayed all over teh interwebz.Mea culpas aside... how did the Knicks beat the Nuggets?Renaldo Balkman is improving with every game. In the season opener, after missing most of the preseason with an ankle injury, Balkman

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-72668391466594237422007-11-06T12:29:00.000-05:002008-12-11T13:30:27.522-05:00

Tonight the Denver Nuggets return to Madison Square Garden for the first time since last December's MSG Melee -- and conditions are ripe for an example of running up the score that would make Bill Belichick blush.Well, maybe not Bill Belichick.Let's review the factors leading up to the original fight:George Karl doesn't like Isiah Thomas -- partially because of the way Isiah treated Karl's buddy

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-12426827095760058622007-11-06T07:29:00.000-05:002008-12-11T13:30:27.757-05:00

Found this by accident over at Hotkizzle... this guy is -- or rather, his jacket -- attempting to become a MySpace celebrity based on the sheer blinding power of that atrocious festival of logos.Hey, I'm all for it. It's sort of nice to see something on MySpace that doesn't go something along the lines of "I had to move my naughty pictures to this website because MySpace won't let me post them

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-12833701140981745912007-11-03T10:21:00.000-04:002008-12-11T13:30:28.136-05:00

It's remarkable how much medical lingo sports fans pick up these days... ACL, MRI, rotator cuff, HGH, arthoscopy... all as familiar as the 24-second clock, and easier to explain than the "defensive three seconds" rule.For fans and fantasy owners who want to understand the injuries that players like Mike Bibby and Randy Foye are facing, there's a new column on NBA.com and Rotowire that explains

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-62677627159681970582007-11-03T09:53:00.000-04:002007-11-03T10:10:32.577-04:00

Eddy Curry (18 points, seven boards) and Zach Randolph (21 points, 14 boards) were very productive in the Knicks' opener in Cleveland last night. But there's no way this team is even sniffing the playoffs if they don't do a better job defending the perimeter.Fantasy owners take note: I suspect Boobie Gibson won't be the only guard to set a new career high in points against New York this

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-85167833711612922982007-11-01T10:11:00.000-04:002007-11-03T10:17:44.586-04:00

You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.Bob Dylan, "Subterranean Homesick Blues"This week's edition of the NBA Barometer is up on Rotowire.com (subscription required). Barometer is a weekly column where I track who's hot and who's not in the NBA.Here's a clip from this week's column: Got Bowen'd? In the Spurs' season-opening win over the Blazers, Bruce Bowen did not

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-50090046753732075522007-10-31T22:06:00.000-04:002007-10-31T22:10:45.201-04:00

This week's fantasy hoops column on NBA.com is live... picks for the week include:Orien Greene -- Sacramento's starting point guard while Mike Bibby is outKenyon Martin -- Apparently healthy, finallyMalik Allen -- This year's winner of the "Stats inflated by Jason Kidd" awardPaul Davis -- The Clippers' first big man off the benchFeedback is welcome, as always.

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-40583559666354208312007-10-31T20:27:00.000-04:002008-12-11T13:30:28.402-05:00

I'm watching the game on ESPN tonight, and that kid playing small forward for Syracuse is just great. I think he may have a future in the NBA.The 'cuse can't seem to stop Nowitzki, though.

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-28182372311092205412007-10-30T20:45:00.001-04:002007-11-07T00:30:17.233-05:00

Possibly the best ESPN commercial since Charlie Steiner appeared in war paint...TrueHoop has the complete set. The wax figure of Jeff Van Gundy in the spot with KG, Pierce and Allen looks particularly lifelike.(UPDATE: Apparently these got yanked from YouTube... but are available from ESPN.com directly. Links and embedded file have been updated.)

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-78840932175002301412007-10-29T13:23:00.000-04:002008-12-11T13:30:28.668-05:00

Indiana University hired Kelvin Sampson despite the fact that he was facing NCAA sanctions for making illegal recruiting phone calls while at Oklahoma.Hired him even though he was banned from making any phone calls to recruits.So what happens, now that Sampson's been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, er... on the receiver... for the second time in two years?An assistant is taking the fall,

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-30758092089528792822007-10-29T12:01:00.000-04:002008-12-11T13:30:28.843-05:00

The St. John's basketball program ranks with programs like North Carolina, Kansas, Kentucky and Duke in terms of all-time wins*. But the Red Storm has fallen on hard times of late, bottoming out badly during the tail end of the Mike Jarvis regime with off-court controversies, player transfers, and NCAA sanctions.And lots and lots of losses.The university is taking steps to right the ship and

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-71785697935214882382007-10-29T11:31:00.000-04:002008-12-11T13:30:29.053-05:00

There are more rules governing recruiting of big-time college ballplayers than there are governing what is and isn't allowed in carry-on baggage. And yet, in both cases, people will continue to find loopholes.Here's a recent example, as reported on the ever-informative Redmen.com forum. Because this is a third-hand account and cannot be verified, I'll refer to the players and coaches involved in

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-85413385075927705242007-10-26T10:29:00.000-04:002008-12-11T13:30:29.285-05:00

It appears that gambling among NBA referees is far more widespread... and far less serious... than many had feared.ESPN's Chris Sheridan reports: Stern said an internal review had found that all of the league's 56 referees violated the contractual prohibition against engaging in gambling, with more than half of them admitting to placing wagers in casinos. But Stern said none of the violations

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-15829864810284436682007-10-24T17:46:00.000-04:002007-10-24T17:51:56.219-04:00

Fantasy hoops enthusiasts take note: the first of my weekly columns was published today on NBA.com.Once the season tips off, we'll use the column to find fantasy value from the players sitting on the waiver wire in most leagues... for this preseason installment, we're mostly looking at the guys -- like Portland's Martell Webster and Philly rookie Jason Smith -- who may earn jobs based on strong

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-47933032867953126662007-10-24T14:46:00.000-04:002007-10-24T14:51:32.687-04:00

Here are ten reasons to hate Red Sox fans.We'll be using many of these to explain why we hate Celtics fans later this year, I'm afraid.

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-56356372044406108052007-10-22T11:58:00.001-04:002008-12-11T13:30:29.545-05:00

I'd like to thank the New York Jets for ending their season nice and early... gives me plenty of time to concentrate on hoops...But while we're charting the demise of the J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets, I'd like to ask one question...Please don't take this as heresy, Jets fans, but if Eric Mangini is so freakin' smart, why can't he come up with a defense in which his two big-ticket first-round draft pick

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-77265474892500101372007-10-20T23:14:00.001-04:002007-10-20T23:31:51.093-04:00

A league of guys from one of my former employers drafted the other night, using Yahoo. I'm very pleased with my results. Here's my squad:Monta Ellis (PG/SG)Kobe Bryant (SG)Kevin Durant (SG/SF)Rashard Lewis (SF)David West (PF)Ron Artest (SF)Marcus Camby (C)LaMarcus Aldridge (PF/C)Randy Foye (PG/SG)Andris Biedrins (C)Anthony Parker (SG/SF)Andrew Bynum (C)Chucky Atkins (PG)Not to shabby, eh? I have

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-16244775160523743802007-10-20T22:50:00.000-04:002007-10-20T23:02:36.930-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, over on the NBA.com fantasy blogs, I questioned Allan Houston's judgement for even considering a comeback attempt with the Knicks.I'm all for a comeback -- hell, the NBA could use as many Allan Houstons as possible. But the Knicks, aside from nostalgia and "ease of commute" from his home in Connecticut, were perhaps the worst possible destination. New York already had more

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-43510778368618010652007-10-19T00:10:00.000-04:002007-10-19T00:32:10.229-04:00

Today's stories should be about the new-look Celtics, who pasted New York by 40.Or about Kobe Bryant -- because everyone loves a good trade rumor.Instead, we get a bunch of reminders that several NBA players, coaches and organizations seem to have problems treating women properly.Isiah Thomas and the Knicks were back in the news, asking a judge to reduce the $11.6 million in damages awarded to

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-69444808173879199032007-10-18T12:11:00.000-04:002008-12-11T13:30:29.742-05:00

LL Cool J said it best... "Don't call it a comeback... I've been here for years."Well, maybe not years.And though I haven't been posting much, I've been active writing about basketball -- primarily fantasy basketball -- for NBA.com, Rotowire and Yahoo. (The Yahoo stuff is part of their premium package.) I also had several articles published in NBA.com's fantasy preview magazine, which is

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-33340304524644881722007-07-26T13:38:00.000-04:002007-07-26T21:38:24.459-04:00

NBA refs are fixing games. Michael Vick is going to jail, where Barry Bonds and half the Tour de France will apparently be his cellmates.And yet, the most stunning thing I've read on ESPN.com this week came from a puff piece about The Simpsons.Page 2's Jim Caple did a retrospective on the legendary Homer at the Bat episode. You've seen it, probably more than once... Mr. Burns hires a bunch of

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-89256183188253169392007-07-24T16:51:00.000-04:002007-07-24T17:02:41.538-04:00

Interesting take on the NBA point-shaving case from The Wages of Wins. Their very well-reasoned point: the Black Sox scandal of the 1919 World Series (chronicled in the excellent movie and even better book Eight Men Out) didn't actually hurt baseball attendance any.I'll buy that. But is it really an apt comparison?After all, the public didn't even learn about the Black Sox until the next year. At

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35395725.post-66760016462481734482007-07-23T13:34:00.000-04:002007-07-23T13:35:52.159-04:00

Tremendous work by "calo2006" over on YouTube, cutting together all of Tim Donaghy's most questionable calls from Game 3 of the Spurs/Suns series.

Charlie Zegersnoreply@blogger.com0