I like Stephen Curry, but I thought #7 overall was too high to draft him. Also, I don't think Golden State is a good fit. I'm not sure why all the experts are saying that Curry fits in best with an up-tempo run-n-gun offense like Golden State or the Knicks. To me, Curry is at his best running off screens in the half-court set (like Rip Hamilton). If he plays point guard, I see him as a scoring point guard like Mario Chalmers -- but not a fast breaking PG. Rumors are swarming that Curry may be traded to Phoenix along with several other players in exchange for Amare Stoudemire. I think Phoenix would fit Curry's game better than Golden State. He could play shooting guard and spend some time at the point behind Steve Nash. I hope I'm wrong about this, but I predict that Wayne Ellington (28th pick to Minnesota) will be a better pro that Curry. Ellington was a steal that late in the 1st round and he can flat out shoot. Curry is a better all-around player, but Ellington's shooting and athleticism will make him a solid shooting guard for the next decade. Interestingly, Ellington was Minnesota's only pick (of 5) that isn't a point guard.
Tyreke Evans is a ball hog...but he might end up being the best player in this draft. He was a ballhog in high school, college, and even at the McDonald's All-American game. I don't like the way he plays. Nonetheless, his game translates well at the next level and he is in a good situation in Sacramento where he will be THE MAN from day one. He can run the point surrounded by Kevin Martin, Jason Thompson, and Spence Hawes. They won't be a playoff team for at least 2-3 years, but Evans instantly becomes their best player.
I think Terrence Williams is this year's Josh Howard (in that he is versatile, can defend, and can score when necessary -- not in that he smokes weed on a daily basis). I was really hoping T. Will would fall to my Bobcats at #12 (went to NJ at #11). Williams can defend 3 positions, play 2 positions, and will be a vocal leader in due time. His shooting has improved every year. Gerald Henderson was a nice consolation prize for Charlotte, but I worry about his consistency (or lack thereof).
1) Grizzlies - Hasheem Thabeet (UConn), DeMarre Carroll (Mizzou), and Sam Young (Pitt) - You know what you're getting with Thabeet. Carroll brings energy and defense. Young is an athletic scorer.
2) Spurs - DeJuan Blair (Pitt), Jack McClinton (Miami), and Nando De Colo (France) - I can't believe Blair fell so far. He will fit in nicely with the Spurs. McClinton has unlimited range. I don't know much about the Frenchman, but I trust that the Spurs know what they're doing. I love the Richard Jefferson trade as well.
3) Bucks - Brandon Jennings (Compton via Italy), Jodie Meeks (UK) - Jennings might be the best playmaker in this draft. Meeks probably should've gone back to school, but he can score in bunches and the Bucks need perimeter scoring now that Jefferson is gone.
Shout out to Omri Casspi from Israel -- the 22nd overall pick to the Kings. Hopefully he will be the first NBA player ever from Israel. Mazel tov, Omri!
Once again, these are real questions from actual readers.
Q: What is the age limit on bringing a baseball glove to a pro baseball game?
Dave F., Richmond, VA
Chop Culture: A part of me wants to say there is no age limit, but upon further reflection, it is age 12.The early teen years are meant for rebellion and trying to act cool, and bringing a baseball glove to a game is neither rebellious nor cool.Once you reach high school, if you can’t catch a baseball barehanded, then just get out of the way when a foul ball comes in your direction.
Q: How would you feel about being the executive producer of my new documentary entitled "GP: Gettin’ Worked"? It would be filmed at my Monday night pickup game and would mostly consist of me turning the ball over roughly 10 times, maybe scoring anywhere from 2 to 4 points and being too out of breath to talk to my teammates.
Gram P., Greenville, SC
CC:GP, footage of your Monday night pick-up game could not be any less intriguing than “Kobe: Doin’ Work” so I’m all for it.Your Monday night pick-up game is also as significant to the 2008 playoff picture as the Lakers-Spurs game from late in the 2007-2008 season.I would just ask that you give me some voice-overs in which you point out relatively obvious facets of the game, make sure not to show any compelling off-the-court footage, and talk to your teammates so much that they seem shocked that you are interacting with them at all.
Q: It’s a well-known fact that Billy Mays rules the infomercial world. OxiClean, OrangeGlo, Kaboom!, Mighty Putty...we've bought them all and loved every minute! Recently, salesmen like Vince Shlomi, promoter of ShamWow!, are trying to get their cut of the market. Everyone knows ShamWow! is just a knock-off of May's ZorbEEZ. Shlomi's arrest in SouthBeach after he smacked a ho puts him in on the sideline. Who's next in line to take a run at the king?
Patrick W., Richmond, VA
CC: As Keith Sweat would say, nobooooody!Billy Mays could sell ice to an Eskimo.He is the undisputed king of infomercials.I think sportscaster Gus Johnson would be a great infomercial spokesman.Think about Gus selling ShamWow!: “Rise and fire! He got it!He got the stain!Never buy paper towels again!It holds 12 times its weight in liquid!This is ShamWow!”Anyway, back to Billy Mays – check out this video of Mays being Mays at a McDonald’s drive-thru.
Q: Can you believe Redick vs. Morrison ACTUALLY happened? We're in the midst of an NBA Finals for the ages, no doubt.
Tony R., Baltimore, MD
CC:Adam Morrison was drafted 3rd overall (Bobcats) and J.J. Redick was taken 11th overall (Magic) in the 2006 NBA Draft – I bet both teams wish they could have a do-over.My Bobcats still haven’t recovered from the Morrison pick. Obviously, the Magic have adjusted to the fact that Redick is one-dimensional and currently third on the shooting guard depth chart in Orlando.The Bobcats could have taken Brandon Roy (taken 6th overall) or Rudy Gay (8th) with the 3rd pick in 2006 instead of Morrison, and the Magic could have taken Rajon Rondo (21st), Jordan Farmar (26th), or Ronnie Brewer (14th) with the 11th pick.I guess picking Dwight Howard over Emeka Okafor (not a no-brainer at the time) in the 2004 Draft and signing free-agents like Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis has helped the Magic make up for poor draft picks.But I digress…Redick vs. Morrison – where amazing happens!
Q: “The Real World: Cancun” starts soon and MTV renewed “The Real World” for four more seasons after that.Assuming the show won’t go back to a city it’s already been, what do you think are the top candidates for the next four seasons?
Doodlebug, Worsham, VA
CC: I’d like to see the show stay in the U.S., but there are a few foreign possibilities.Here’s my top 10 cities that have not yet been selected for a coveted Real World season.
10) Nashville: Cast could get a job in music and frequent the plethora of bars.
9) Dallas: Good food, sports, and art.
8) Amsterdam: The only place that could cause more of an international incident than Cancun.
7) Toronto: New York meets Chicago.
6) Phoenix: No longer a desert.
5) Madrid: Ciudad that never sleeps.
4) Montreal: Cultural capital of Canada.
3) Houston: Put a lazy cast in one of the fattest cities in the world.
2) Atlanta: Hosted an Olympics and can’t get a Real World season?
Q: A fast food chain approaches you to design a new menu item. What's your creation and what would you call it?(Mine would be ChickInsanity - a fried chicken patty, topped with chicken salad and an egg.)
Dave F., Richmond, VA
CC: Dave, I think you used the whole chicken except the gizzards in your creation…but it sounds awesome!I have always been a chicken sandwich guy more so than a burger guy.My creation would not be as creative as yours, but I think it might be even more delicious.I would use Chick Fil-a’s chicken patty recipe, reshape it to fit on a Burger King hoagie roll (as used on the long pollo), steal the recipe for Zaxby’s sauce (somewhere between a BBQ and chipotle sauce), and top the sandwich with a few onion rings and bacon.I would call it the Southwestern Long Pollo.I would also make sure the restaurant carried Coke Zero and orange soda as fountain drinks.
Q: If you could bring back ANY fad from any time of your life, what would it be? My vote: slap bracelets.
Michelle K., Columbia, SC
CC:I don’t think I can narrow it down to just one fad so I’ll narrow it down to one outfit.I know you think I’m going to say Henley shirts and Zubaz pants, but that’s too obvious.I would wear L.A. Gear shoes, Jams shorts, a Hypercolor shirt, a Starter jacket, a Swatch watch, get a hi-top fade from my barber, and trade Pokemon cards with my buds (which of course I keep in my Trapper Keeper).
Q: If you could change three rules in the NFL what would you change? (Note: Spotting the Lions six automatic wins at the start of every season isn't allowed.)
Tony R., Baltimore, MD
Q: If you could add one new rule to NFL football what would it be?
Hunter R., Greenville, SC
CC:Great minds think alike.Per Tony’s request, I’ll give you three rule changes I’d like to see:
1) Coaches should not be allowed to call timeouts.Particularly on field goal attempts, only players should be allowed to call a timeout BEFORE the ball is snapped.
2) Overtime should be like college overtime – both teams get the ball at the opponents’ 25 yard line.More scoring means more action.You have to go for two-point conversions starting in the third overtime so games wouldn’t last that much longer than the current system.As it is now, too much rides on a coin toss.
3) This isn’t technically a rule change, but the season should be 18 games long with only two preseason games.There’s no reason an 8-8 team should be in the playoffs and no reason an 11-5 team should be out of the playoffs.Two more regular season games wouldn’t cause too many more injuries than two more preseason games would.
Q: If you had to choose between the two, would you rather be Spencer Pratt's siamese twin or have an ingrown toenail for the rest of your life? (Neither can be removed through surgery). Defend your answer.
Lindsey D., Kawaihae, HI
CC:I’d rather have 10 ingrown toenails for the rest of my life than share a uterus and/or a body with Spencer Pratt.Enjoy that mental image.
Q: I accidently entered www.chopculture.com and the site seemed pretty lame. If the occasion presented itself, what kind of offer would you make for that address?
Hunter R., Greenville, SC
CC: Yeah, I don’t understand that website.It’s just a logo of an 8-ball with a crown – there is no actual website to explore.I can’t tell if that guy is selling something or is just some d-bag with a nickname (like me).Don’t you think the owner would part with the domain name for $100 and the rights to www.chopculture.net?I’ll make an offer.
Q: Disregarding that (a) you're a dude and (b) they are cartoons, I present Shag, Marry, or Kill: Count Chocula, Franken Berry, Boo Berry.
Karen R., West Columbia, SC
CC:Was the Yummy Mummy not available?I would KILL Count Chocula because I hate vampires.I would SHAG Boo Berry because it most resembles a female.That means I have to MARRY Franken Berry.And I’m okay with that.
Chop Culture is going on vacation this week so there won't be a new post this week...BUT please send your sports and pop culture mailbag questions to mjfriedman1@gmail.com so I can post a mailbag when I return. Random and off-the-wall questions are encouraged.
Zubaz produces the most comfortable, stylish athletic pants in the world.The stripe pattern is timeless.Coach Caccetta kept them in business for as long as he could, but they went bankrupt in 1996.As of 2007, Zubaz is back and better than ever.Henleys are next in line to make a comeback.
Spike Lee’s latest joint is “Kobe: Doin’ Work,” a documentary that follows Kobe Bryant’s every move during a regular season game against the Spurs.I was disappointed with the film – it was just not compelling enough for me.There were a few locker room scenes, but it was essentially just Kobe commentating as we watch the highlights of the Lakers-Spurs game (a game in which Manu Ginobili did not play and the Lakers won by 21).While it was interesting to see Kobe interact with his teammates, one couldn’t help but notice that most of his teammates seemed surprised that Kobe was talking to them.It seemed a bit contrived.Don’t get me wrong, Kobe is clearly a smart player.I would argue he is a top 10 player of all-time, but let’s not pretend that he’s such a great teammate.Moreover, I wish Spike would have given us a better look at Kobe’s life off the court.I just didn’t get it.I did appreciate that Bruce Hornsby (shout out to Williamsburg, VA) composed the score for the film.
I bought my first pair of croakies ever today.It’s something I promised myself I would never do.I’ve sported just about every other possible piece of fratty flair, but croakies are something I have openly mocked for years.The purchase was precipitated by the fact that I have lost two pairs of sunglasses within the last six months, both of which fell off the back of my neck.My two solutions were 1) wear sunglasses inside or 2) buy croakies.It was a tough choice.At least my new croakies match my boat shoes.
In my last post, I listed my top 10 sporting events of the summer.I inadvertently left NHL playoffs off the list.Hockey playoffs are a hundred times more interesting than the hockey regular season, but I would still pencil them in a #9 and take the Belmont Stakes off my list.The British Open golf tournament would come in at #11.I like the NBA draft, but I do not consider that a sporting event.Speaking on the NBA, I think I need to move NBA playoffs from #3 to #1.The Cavs-Magic and Lakers-Nuggets series have been unbelievable so far.Although I want to see Kobe against LeBron in the Finals, I have found myself rooting for the Nuggets and the Magic.
I have said this before, but it’s time to say it again: No one gives a shit who Ted from “How I Met Your Mother” marries.I was hoping the writers would stay away from that storyline despite the show’s name.We are four seasons into the series, and the writers are still teasing us with Ted’s romantic liaisons.Bob Saget narrates the show as grown-up Ted – the more Saget talks, the worse the episode becomes.In this year’s season finale, Ted becomes a professor of architecture (he’s totally qualified), and Saget informs us that Ted’s future wife is in the class before the credits roll.Is that supposed to be a cliffhanger?Again I say, who cares?The show’s had a good run and it is still mildly entertaining, but I hope season 5 is the last.
How long before McDonald's gets sued for serving a McCafe that is too hot?
Just in case you think Dixon from “90210” has turned soft, let’s remember him from better days as Michael on “The Wire” – see the clip below.
Summer is right around the corner -- I am excited to think about beaches, dunkaroos, bocce, and the other trappings of summer. I am not, however, too excited about upcoming sporting events. Summer is my favorite season, but it is by far the worst season in the world of sports.
As much as I like basketball, the NBA is only interesting when superstars play each other in the Finals. I have casually watched this year's playoffs, but I will really get into them if Kobe and LeBron match up in the Finals. With Yao and KG out with injuries, the NBA is not rooting for Boston or Houston to advance (although I do not buy into conspiracy theories).
Likewise, I am a casual fan of baseball, but unless it's the MLB playoffs I would rather watch a game live (even if it's minor league) than on TV. Having a beer at a baseball game is one of my favorites things to do in the summer, but that has nothing to do with my love of the game.
Several tennis and golf majors take place in the summer, but those events don't excite me as much as football season and college hoops. The Kentucky Derby is the "Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports," but the other two legs of the Triple Crown lack the prestige of the Kentucky Derby. Unless a horse wins the first two legs of the Triple Crown, viewership is way down for the Belmont Stakes. Moreover, the Kentucky Derby is in May -- which technically isn't the summer.
The following is my list of the top 10 sporting events of the summer (I consider the summer to be June through August rather than the official calendar dates and I am not including the World Cup or Summer Olympics):
10) Little League World Series - 11-12 years olds (except in the Dominican) just having fun.
9) Belmont Stakes - Only if the same horse wins Kentucky Derby and Preakness.
8) Nathan's July 4th Hot Dog Eating Contest - The summer is slow so this counts as a sport, Kobayasi vs. Joey Chesnut is one of the best rivalries in any competition.
7) UEFA Champions League Final - Best futbol outside of the World Cup (technically takes place in late May).
6) College World Series - Only time most people care about college baseball.
5) French Open - Nadal has dominated on the red clay recently.
4) MLB - Back in the day, nothing was worse than watching Sportscenter four times in a row with nothing but regular season MLB highlights, but it still makes the top 5. The All-Star Game and Home Run Derby are great mid-summer traditions.
3) NBA Finals - Will move to #1 if it's LeBron vs. Kobe.
2) U.S. Open - Golf's toughest tournament, Tiger always plays well.
1) Wimbledon - Tennis anyone? Borg, Sampras, Federer, all whites, strawberries & cream, rain delays. It's all about tradition and etiquette at the All England Club. I look forward to another Federer-Nadal final.
Much to my dismay, “90210” has already jumped the shark.It has sucked ever since the first few episodes, but it officially jumped when Silver turned crazy.Mischa Barton would have been proud of the scene where Silver threw a wine bottle at Mr. Matthews and told him to “fix it!”Lady, you’re scaring me.Barring an unexpected turnaround, I will never discuss this show on the blog again.
I won't knock it until I try it, but I don't understand the fascination with Twitter. Why do I give a shit what Ashton Kutcher is doing right now? My least favorite part about Facebook is the status updates -- yet updating your status seems to be the ENTIRE premise of Twitter. By the way, the only thing lamer than being on Facebook is not being on Facebook and frequently perusing the site on your spouse's account. You're not fooling anyone.
For my money, the best commercials on TV right now are the talking baby ones from E*TRADE.I love watching this tot flex his golden pipes.
I’m starting to think Greg Paulus doesn’t care about playing college football as much as he wants attention.Greg, it’s an easy decision: go to Syracuse and back to relative mediocrity.Check out this t-shirt that follows Greg’s college football recruiting tour:
“Southland” is the best new show on TV.It rivals any other police drama currently airing.It is impossible to distinguish between Ryan Atwood from “The OC” and Officer Ben Sherman from “Southland” (both played by Ben McKenzie).They are pretty much the same character.I keep waiting for Seth Cohen to pop out of the back of the squad car.
I learned of a great new shot today – the LeBomb James.It is a shot of Crown Royal (LeBron’s nickname is King James) placed in a cup of Red Bull (as in a Jager Bomb).After you drop the shot in the Red Bull and chug, you take three packets of Splenda, pour them in your hands, and “baby powder throw” it into the air like Bron Bron does before games. Am I mistaken or did LeBron steal the baby powder toss from KG, who had previously stolen it from Michael Jordan? I think it's weird that the chalk clap is being touted as LeBron's creation.
I am surprised to see our old friend Saul Hudson (Slash) on American Idol tonight.It is rock week, but come on Slash.I shouldn’t be watching, but you really shouldn’t be a guest mentor on this show.In my book, you’re still a real mentsh!
Colin Cowherd compared Brett Favre (potentially) going to the Vikings to a guy marrying his best friend’s ex-wife.I completely disagree.The Packers and Vikings are rivals, but I have no problem with Favre going to Minnesota.First of all, the Packers didn’t treat Favre with the respect he deserved (although I can’t blame them since he kept changing his mind about retiring).Second, Favre isn’t interested in Minnesota to spite Green Bay – rather, they are just one of the only teams that needs a quarterback.Detroit and TampaBay addressed QB problems in the draft.Most other teams are set at the position.I am tired of all the Favre talk, but deep down I hope he comes back again.
