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At the Intersection of Sports and Culture

Photo Credit for Header: Alex Foucre-Stimes

Toney Douglas Falls Victim To Linsanity

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You know who I really feel for this Wednesday morning? Toney Douglas. Not only must Douglas deal with the extra “e” in his first name he must now wrestle with the simple fact that his role as the Knicks young point guard of the future has been usurped for all eternity by Jeremy Lin.

I see Douglas sitting on the Knicks bench, cheering on his teammates with great enthusiasm while wearing a crisp white towel around his neck and a loose fitting Adidas warmup tshirt without an ounce of sweat on it and I think about what could have been. What if he were able to run the high screen and roll with Tyson Chandler and Amare Stoudemire effectively or finish around the basket without care or concern for his body? What if he were able to match the point for point performance of the NBA’s 5th highest all time leading scorer or drill a 3 pointer at the buzzer to lead team his team to their sixth straight victory? What if he went to an Ivy League school or represented the hopes and dreams of the Asian American community as well as the miscast overachievers who spend entire playing careers working for just that one opportunity to show what they can do? What if?

But really, the story here is not about Tony, or Toney, Douglas. It’s all about Linsanity, with a hashtag. Just to make sure everyone understands how #lintoxicating it has become, Boomer & Carton both said this morning that they would not trade Jeremy Lin to the Orlando Magic for Dwight Howard. This is the same Jeremy Lin who less than a week ago was still sleeping on his brother’s couch. Now, thanks to a guaranteed contract and a new pair of custom Hyperfuses, Lin can afford to sublet former Knick David Lee’s posh White Plains high rise. No word as to whether or not Dwight Howard would find Trump Tower City Center up to snuff.

view from the Air Canada Centre courtesy of @YoungStones810

Whitney Houston’s Death Is A Good Time To Celebrate Our National Anthem

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I don’t care if it was prerecorded, Whitney Houston’s “Star Spangled Banner” before Super Bowl XXV in 1991 will always make me want to run through the ivy covered outfield wall at Wrigley Field. And not because I served in the first Gulf War or that “Saving All My Love For You” is my favorite song of all time. Neither is true. No actually it means so much to me because my high school use to play this version before all home basketball games which, not surprisingly, were the pinnacle of my pre lovemaking adolescence and sadly, early adulthood as well.

The pregame starting lineup intros set to the Chicago Bulls theme music where you low five teammates and run over to shake the hand of the opposing head coach was all prelude to the pulse pounding drama of the National Anthem. I can still smell the combination of layer upon layer of wood varnish combined with the sweat from a jersey long since overdue for a cleansing soak. Some members of our team chose to rest their hands in front of their bodies while others preferred the more traditional, patriotic right hand across the chest. I was a hands behind the back guy myself, probably because I saw Michael Jordan do it that way in 1996 during the NBA Finals against Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton, and the rest of the Seattle SuperSonics.

During the Anthem, it was impossible for me to keep my eyes focused on the American flag that hung in the corner of our dimly lit gymnasium, waving elegantly in front of the rock climbing wall we all use to scale during 3rd period PE with our gym teacher who we called “Stinger” which, the more I think about it, was pretty weird considering that he was a 75 year old guy with castor oil in his hair who usually wore what I could have sworn was a one piece maroon track suit made of velour. I would spend the majority of the Star Spangled Banner swaying backing forth on the balls of my feet like I now rock my 1 year old son to sleep, staring at a strip of maple floorboard just inches from the tips of my size 12 Nike Air Forces. I rarely scanned the crowd for fear of making eye contact with either an opponent or family member who could conceivably go on to to say that I was clearly distracted before the game which was the reason I picked up two cheap fouls early in the 1st quarter. The only time I did look towards the stands was when I had a girlfriend, which was very rare, and would glance in her general direction hoping she would reciprocate my sheepish advances. It’s sad that when I think back to girls in the stands during our basketball games I always picture them wearing several layers of fleece. That’s probably because I grew up in New Hampshire and the thermostat in our pre World War, the first one, gymnasium stopped working during the blizzard of ’78. It was either really cold or really hot, like a NYC subway.

By the final “Home of Brave” I was ready to pretty do anything my coach asked, which included taking a charge, making my free throws, and, most importantly, not fouling out before halftime. Now here we are, a mere days after Whitney Houston’s tragic death and I have a difficult time remember specific details about any of my actual varsity basketball games. But even today, almost 15 years after I graduated from high school, every time I hear that Anthem I want to stand up, put both my hands behind my back and rock back and forth. I hope that never changes.

view from the Staples Center courtesy of @bgirl123

 

Jeremy Lin Throws A Garden Party Like Only an Ivy Leaguer Can

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 No Melo for 1-2 weeks means much, much more Linsanity. The hesitation right handed dribble around a high screen and roll followed by a bounce pass between defenders leading to an easy layup was a move perfected by our favorite Canadian Steve Nash. Jeremy Lin, while he is no Steve Nash, has shown, for at least the last two games, a similar ability to drive to the basket and set his teammates up for easy scoring opportunities. Embattled head coach Mike D’Antoni will continue to give Lin a shot at being the starting point guard for the New York Knicks as long as the team keeps winning or maybe until a healthy Baron Davis returns to action.

How ironic is it that Lin has a chance to save D’Antoni’s job in New York, a position he earned because of the time he spent with Nash in Phoenix during the halcyon days. The Amare connection makes it all the more real and while this J-Lin Garden party probably won’t continue for much longer, it certainly has made for an exciting New York sports story. Not that there are any shortages of them these days.

 

British Airways Fake Out Spells Doom For New York Knicks

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I break out in a cold sweat every time I hear this story out of the UK about a British Airways flight travelling from Miami to London that mistakenly alerted passengers that the plane was about to crash. Can you even imagine? Not what you want to hear when travelling at 35,000 feet. Granted it was all just a massive fake out but even still, does make you wonder how things like this happen.

My biggest question: what button was the pilot really trying to press when he “accidentally” pushed the one for “we may shortly need to make an emergency landing on water”. What other recordings do pilots have at their disposal? How about “please clear the aisles as my copilot is about to make creepy small talk with a flight attendent before occupying the lavatory” or “look no hands”.

Speaking of planes that may or may not need to make an emergency landing over the Atlantic, what’s going on with the New York Knicks? They are riding a 3 game losing streak all the way to a sub .500 record that, depending on which crazed fan you ask, may or may not spell the merciful end for Mike D’Antoni and his glorious mustache. The team defense has improved but where is all the offense? If it’s not Carmelo hoisting up an egomaniacal number of fade away j’s then it’s the “neophyte” Iman Shumpert taking control of an inexperienced backcourt. Things promise to get better when veteran PG Baron Davis and his lower back return to action in the next few weeks. Until then, Amar’e Stoudemire needs to use those rickety knees of his to take the ball strong to the basket and help keep this Knicks offense above water.

view from MSG on MLK Day courtesy of @jlaox11

Scores of Los Angeles Transplants Flee Lakers for Clippers Bandwagon

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Very rarely do I make a point of watching preseason NBA basketball, especially when it’s going up against a pivotal NFL Week 15 Monday Night Football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Francisco 49ers. However, last night was different because this just wasn’t any other preseason basketball game, this was the Los Angeles Clippers against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Clippers, as you know, just completed a blockbuster trade for all star point guard Chris Paul which occurred after NBA Commissioner David “Big Daddy” Stern threw his considerable weight behind blocking a proposed deal that would have sent the prolific Paul to the Lakers. Now, amidst rumors the Lakers could be on the verge of acquiring Magic center Dwight Howard, the “Battle Los Angeles” has been racheted up several notches as we approach the start of the 2011-12 NBA regular season.

Here a few highlights/impressions from last night’s preseason Clippers/Lakers game live from the Big Office Supply Warehouse.

a – Any victory over the Big Brother Lakers is a big victory for the Red Headed Step Child Clippers. So while most will look at 114-95 as nothing more than the final byproduct of a glorified scrimmage, to me it is the first sign of an earthquake sized paradigm shift in the City of Angels. Fact: the Los Angeles Clippers will be a much more entertaining basketball team to watch than the LA Lakers. I’m guessing a 4/5 seed and a birth into the second round of the Western Conference Playoffs.

b – I’d had no idea that “jeggings” were permitted in the NBA. Whatever gray “layering” Kobe Bryant seems to be wearing over his upper legs/knees it does very little to cover up all the excess mileage on those 33 year old legs.

c – DeAndre Jordan doesn’t need to take a shot outside of the paint, not when he’s 7′ tall and plays a good 4′ over the rim. Did you see his 1st quarter dunk last night? Aggressive. Assertive. It was like something out of NBA Jam. It was so terrifying that I almost felt sorry for Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.

d – When did Caron Butler come to the Clippers? If healthy, he could be the invauluble “glue” guy that holds the team together on both ends of the court.

e – And finally, I know Simmons has already made this observation, but in all seriousness, when did the Los Angeles Lakers turn into the Indiana Pacers? Josh McRoberts? Troy Murphy? They’re a Bobby Plump away from recreating the 1954 Indiana State Championship team.

view from the Staples Center courtesy of @itsChawwnney