Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Here are 9 of the many things we learned this holiday weekend:
Eastern Conference Preview Part 2: ‘The Myths’ – Older Teams Will Struggle and the Indiana Pacers Will Be Good
December 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment
This is the second part of my three-part Eastern Conference preview, “The Men, the Myths, and Legends.”
Part 1 dealt with “the men” – specifically point guards, and even more specifically the ongoing debate about who is better between Rajon Rondo and Derrick Rose (and which type of point guard is “preferred”). Click here to read Part 1.
Part 3 will published something to soon.
As for Part 2, which you are reading right now, we are going to delve into two myths that are being regurgitated time and again by fans and analysts alike as the 2011-12 season gets underway.
On to the Myths of 2012!
Watch a group of Chinese Indiana Pacers fans in the “greatest basketball video” Jon Washburn has “ever seen”
October 5, 2011 By 8 Comments
I just received this text message from our very own Jon Washburn:
please post the video I just tweeted up on MSF…the greatest basketball video I have ever seen.
Whoa.
Coming from Jon, a certified basketball fanatic, saying it’s “the greatest basketball video” he’s “ever seen” is quite high praise. I was thoroughly intrigued to watch the video and am posting it on MSF, so it must be pretty good.
And it is.
Video: Remembering the final moments of Reggie Miller’s career – one of the classiest (and most ironic) send-offs ever
August 11, 2011 By 1 Comment
As I am wont to do, I took a quick peek today at the Reddit sports page while consuming my usual lunch of water and a Healthy Choice frozen meal (pro tip: they’re tastier than you might expect). I saw a title that said “One of the classiest send-offs of all-time” and felt compelled to click.
Said click led me to a YouTube video of Reggie Miller’s final game as an Indiana Pacer. The year was 2005 and the occasion was the East Conference semifinals against the Detroit Pistons — yes, the very same Pistons that the Pacers had their infamous brawl with the year before.
And after watching the video I had two thoughts: 1) this was indeed one of the classiest send-offs of all-time; and 2) there was a great amount of irony in Miller’s final seconds going as these did.
More on #2 in a second. First, enjoy the video:
In Larry We Trust
June 23, 2011 By 2 Comments
I would describe myself as a basketball fan who is from Indiana, and the description must be made in that order.
That means that I love basketball, first and foremost. If the Pacers are good, my life is nearly complete. But when they aren’t, it’s alright, because I still get to enjoy the greatest game on earth.
To be honest, I think this is how most people from Indiana feel.
Classless Chicago Bulls Show Their True Colors
April 27, 2011 By 38 Comments
Most of us, if we were honest, would admit that we hate it when people exaggerate or jump to premature conclusions. There was a guy in my dorm at college who was legendarily awful with this. In fact, we called him “Topper” because no matter how outrageous of a story you had, he would pop in the room with a bigger and better tale just so he could “top” yours.
But of all areas in life, sports is the easiest to do it in. Hyperbole abounds anytime somebody’s favorite team, player, or sport is mentioned.
I don’t believe what I’m about to say qualifies. In fact, I am trying to squash the exaggerated notions about Chicago Bulls, Derrick Rose, and their playoff prospects.
Game 4 loss to Indiana raises needless doubt about Chicago Bulls’ potential
April 25, 2011 By 7 Comments
Sitting in a Lincoln Park bar and watching the Bulls-Pacers game 4, I overheard a guy talking about how the Bulls were choking and that their playoff hopes were over. Too many times during the first round series against the Indiana Pacers I have heard fellow Chicagoans (and certain not-so-surprising sports analysts) talk about how the Bulls are the “same old”, can’t get it done, will never get it done, and so on.
Well Chicago, it’s time to slow down before sounding the alarms.
Lessons learned as Bulls beat Pacers to go up 3-0
April 22, 2011 By 1 Comment
The motto for the Bulls’ first three games of their first sound series has consistently been “A win is a win.” And while that attitude may be enough to squeak by the Pacers with a sweep, it definitely won’t work next round against the Magic or Hawks.
Going into Game 4 and beyond, the Bulls have some lessons to learn.
Preparation won’t be enough to stop Derrick Rose and the Bulls
April 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment
After three quarters of play Saturday afternoon in Chicago, the Indiana Pacers seemed to have the Bulls locked down. Shocking a rowdy stadium and what appeared to be a mismatched series, the Bulls had work to do.
And no one works harder than Derrick Rose.
Bulls-Pacers: A closer look at the first round playoff series
April 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment
While the Chicago Bulls may be the underdog to win it all, the Indiana Pacers are the team looking to prove something in the first round of the NBA playoffs Saturday.
Despite finishing with an overall record of 37-45 (up against the Bulls 62-20), Danny Granger told ESPN not to count out the series just yet.
How Should I Feel About the Pacers Making the Playoffs?
April 8, 2011 By 1 Comment
With Wednesday night’s blowout win over the Wizards, coupled with Charlotte overtime loss to the Magic, the Indiana Pacers clinched the eighth and final Playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Thus ends a five-year Playoff drought—the sort of drought that younger generations of Pacers fans aren’t accustomed to. Between 1990 through 2006 the Pacers made the Playoffs in 16 of 17 seasons.
Now they’re back. We should be excited, right?
Maybe.
The Indiana Pacers FINALLY return to the playoffs!
April 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment
I relocated to central Indiana during the summer of 2006. At that point, the Indiana Pacers were coming off a 41-41 season and a first round playoff exit, but had still made the postseason an astounding 16 of the past 17 years.
Who is the greatest shooter of all-time? Reggie first, then Ray
February 11, 2011 By 5 Comments
When you really love somebody, you tend to overlook that person’s flaws. You know what I’m talking about. Sometimes, you purposefully overlook a girl’s terrible personality just because she is so incredibly hot. Other times, you are so infatuated with them that you are just completely blind to their faults.
Please don’t think that’s what I’m doing here. This is not a blind defense of Reggie Miller.
Am I a die-hard Pacers fan? Yes. Is Reggie Miller my favorite player of all time? Absolutely. Do I think he was the greatest player of all time? Absolutely not.
However, I am firmly convinced of one thing: Reggie Miller is the greatest SHOOTER of all time.
The NBA Morning After: Small Picture Edition
December 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The Morning After is a look at the night that was in the NBA along with other NBA-related fodder.
– In a game that is often very confusing for me, the Milwaukee Bucks put an end to that 12-game winning streak business in Dallas, defeating the Mavs 103-99.
The NBA Morning After: Possibilities Actualized Edition
December 8, 2010 By 1 Comment
The Morning After is a look at the night that was in the NBA along with other NBA-related fodder.
The Miami Heat. Holy shit. Road game in hostile environment? Yup. Opposing team strong in the front-court and point guard positions, Miami’s two biggest weaknesses? Yup. A focused, unrelenting, fast-paced, ice-cold statement win? Yes, yes, yes and yes.
For the first time this season, the Heat played The Game We Were All Waiting For, when everything looked beautiful and terrifying at the same time. Have we finally seen the Dark Passenger?
