Drop the hate? Not for me, Yes for John Hollinger

Well its been a long time since some Hateraide has been posted, we sincerely apologize for that. I won't waste too much time, and get right into the idiot of the moment; ESPN's John Hollinger.

There he is above, looking about as stupid as his "Chat Sessions" are on ESPN.com. The man posts some of the most idiotic crap I have ever read in my life, not because I don't agree...for once. It is more because he does not seem capable of doing just a little bit of research, or looking at a little bit of historical data before spouting off. His sole purpose as an ESPN writer is to do just that, yet I swear he sits in front of his computer and says, "How can I make someone feel stupid, while being absolutely dead wrong." It is an art Hollinger, you sir have mastered it.

My main bone to pick comes from his dicussion (if you can call it that), this morning about Kobe Bryant, MVP, and the Lakers.

Here is the first question for him;

Lindsay (Trinidad and Tobago): John, I know you are a big PER guy, but Kobe Bryant has been making his teammates better, keeping his play at a high level, leading his team to a terrific record in the west AND beating elite teams without Kwame, Mihm or Odom. No one is doing more with less than KB24. Is Kobe finally deserving of your MVP vote?

John Hollinger: I get questions about Kobe for MVP every week. The fact that his supporting cast is better doesn't necessarily have anything to do with Kobe. (this is more or less the same argument I keep having with Suns fans about Nash in fact). In fact, the two players who came from other teams -- Evans and Radmanovic -- have played worse as Lakers.


Really John, REALLY? So let me get this straight, the former SCRUBS on the Lakers...who couldn't pull a good game together 2 years ago are now only better because of themselves? His teammates who did not get some new magical basketball powers that allowed the SAME coaching staff to craft them better, got no help from KB? The fact of the matter is that the reason these players are better is in large part due to Kobe, his ability to be a mentor, leader, and cultivate confidence in these young guys. Sure they have been working on their game, but you cannot discredit that fact that KB is taking 7 less shots per game, is up 1 ast. per game, and 1 rebound. He is not taking bad shots, he is passing to his team, and giving them the confidence to put the shot up, BECAUSE...the best basketball player on the planet thinks they are capable of making it. How on earth is that not making them better? I know if John Hollinger passed me the ball in a game, I would probably miss the shot, thinking,"He just passed it because he knows nothing about basketball, and probably wouldn't even graze the rim on a good day...ill just chuck one up." Yet, if I was playing with KB and he threw me the rock...welllllllll then I might think, "HOLY crap, Kobe Bean Bryant, the best basketball player in the game today thinks I can hit this shot. Not only that but he pulled in the defense so I could have an open jumper. I gotta put this one down."

I could go on forever with other ways he has mentored and made this Lakers team better, but ill spare you. The bottom line for me is this...if they are going to give Steve Nash all the credit for making Amare, Marion, Bell and Barbosa better...then give it to Kobe for LO,Walton,Turiaf,Parker,Sasha, and Kwame. Nash wins 2 MVP's for passing the ball to some of the better players in the game, of course they are going to score! I could get 15 ast. per game if I had those beasts on my team. How hard is it, he doesn't use any energy on the defensive end...runs down the court and runs into the defense...then gives it to a guy who can make a shot. Ok? So give him credit, fine. BUT, if you do that...you must give Kobe the same credit, even if it is only because NOW his players can hit shots.

Kobe Bryant has done an amazing job this year of turning on and off the jets, scoring when his team needs it, and pulling back when they dont. He isn't forcing shots, he is looking for his team and is winning ball games, even without Odom and Brown on the court! Thats the equivilent of taking Marion and Bell or Amare and Barbosa off the court for the Suns. See what happens to Mr.Canada when you do that.


Another quick show of Mr.Hollingers brilliance...

Mike (Chicago): Ummm... Simply wrong about Evans playing worse as Laker. In fact, he's been a great role player for the Lakers off the bench. People who watch Laker games are always happy with his play. Excited even. Radmonovic... yeah, he's a dissapointment.

John Hollinger: That's only because you saw Sasha Vujacic in that role for two seasons. Up until last night he was a disaster.


John please, just stop...have you ever watched a Lakers game? Sasha Vuijacic in that role?! What on earth are you talking about? When has Sasha gotten serious minutes at any position off the bench on a regular basis? I cannot recall a season when that happened. Mo Evans is playing great defense, and scoring the ball very well. What is there not to love? He is being touted as one of the best off season pick ups, yet for some reason...that is not good enough for you.


Another goodie here...

Ed, Boston: John, Radmanovic has an injured shooting hand, and which sentenced him to the bench prior to the regular season. His minutes with Kobe have been limited. Are you now blaming Kobe for injuring Radmanovic's hand, or are you going to supply us with another superficial homemade stat to justify your bias?

John Hollinger: The "making teammates better" line of reasoning, despite being one of basketball's sacred cows, is total hogwash. Using Evans and V-Rad was the most expedient way I could point it out in this format with this particular player. I could also have simply pointed out that L.A. is 3-0 when Bryant hasn't played, or that it's unlikely that Bryant was the one who taught Andrew Bynum how to play the post or Luke Walton how to finish. My basic point is that while Bryant is off to another great year, you can't automatically give him bonus points for what his teammates do unless you can connect the dots somehow.

3-0 when Bryant doesnt play? Gee what a great sample size! Are you kidding!? Perhaps he made his teammates better and therefore they know how to win without him? Besides, if the Suns didnt have Nash...would they start losing? Probably not. But if they did, it would be based off the fact that losing a PG can hurt a team much more than any SG, simply based on the fact that they now have no one to run their offense.

Hollinger, bring some better stuff...or go work for FOX.

Are we getting upset?

A couple of games that really shook things up already this season

Oral Roberts 78
(#3) Kansas 71
ESPN RECAP

(#10) Arizona 90
Virginia 93
ESPN Recap

Vermont 77
(#14) Boston College 63
ESPN Recap

(#18) Texas 61
Michigan State 63
ESPN Recap

Here we are, two weeks into college basketball season and already we have some major upsets going on. I'm not going to turn this into a rant against the big programs who lost a game in the preseason. Sure, that sucks for them but I've got a bigger turkey to fry.

You know what really grinds my gears? Preseason rankings. I mean, seriously, it's just ridiculous. Sure I can see where Florida should be ranked #1. National champs, returning everyone, clearly they deserve #1. But in all reality, most other teams in the nation are going to be much different this year than last. Or perhaps last year they were a "pretty good" team with lots of young players who are expected to step up more this year, cough kansas cough cough. Some people have preseason rankings released immediately after they know who is going the NBA draft. Some wait until a week or 2 before the season starts. But they're all wrong. They all end up having bigtime upsets early in the season.

So, why not just wait a few weeks into the season before coming out with rankings? It makes sense, you can't really rank what you don't know and you don't know anything about most of these teams until they've played some games.


*I will tell you why they put out these worthless rankings my GU friend. The reason: TV, $$$ and ESPN. What on earth would they do without being able to say #5 vs. blah blah, #15 vs. who cares, and then when they get the early ranked vs. ranked...ooh boy! Money for them. Plus, like you wrote about...a "ranked" team who may actually suck in reality get beat by a no name, who is actually decent makes news all over.

Pre-Season rankings are almost as stupid as Joe Lunardi's 1st week of the season Bracketology. That is just so stupid, this guy gets REALLY bored during the off months. I bet you he sits in his ESPN office all summer/Fall and plays his own bracket senerios over and over again. PS. He always wins his bracket pool (with himself). -RD

A couple of Old Men

Bob Knight, what the hell are you thinking!? You are one of the most seen coaches in today's college basketball world. You're every move is criticized because of your "unconventional" techniques, so why would you go and do something like slap a kid? You've thrown chairs, kicked your son, and in general been an asshole on the court your entire career. And what a great career it's been. But you lost your job at Indiana when it became too much for them to handle and now you're back at it with Texas Tech.

You claim that it was just a tap to get him to look you in the eye, but I really dont care. I'm sure that was your intention, there's no doubt about that. But in today's society you can't even do that to a player. Can you imagine if a parent did that to their kid at the grocery store? They'd be in trouble immediately with someone stepping in to say something. But you do it and just go out and make excuses. Bob, no one wants to hear it, you hit him, grow up and take responsibility for your actions.

Extra hateraide tonight, it's obvious you're all craving it...

Arizona. Every year you say you're going to be the best program on the West Coast, but let's all be honest. When was the last time this was true? It's been several years at the least. Last year you finished 4th, but this year you were supposed to be the best again, at least according to your fans. Well, I disagree. Lute is old and washed up. There was a day when he was one of the best coaches in the country, making the most of the talent he had. But the last few years, he's been loaded with talent as so many kids want to play for a program with a great history and a coach who they think is great. But Lute hasn't done nearly as much with these great players recently, and it's too bad. So Lute, just admit that your career is coming to an end, just retire and call it a great experience. Remember the good times, try to forget the past few years. You have national championships to brag about, so go ahead and forget about how you've failed to make the most of the great talent of Mustafa Shakur, just like Salim Stoudamire, Channing Frye and Hassan Adams before him.

The main thing that is terrible about what is happening at Arizona is the type of players Lute continues to bring together. There is no denying that the talent is always there, and its top notch. The problem is, he cannot seem to build a solid, cohesive unit any longer. It is simply a bunch of egos, who think they are good enough for the NBA right now (we all know they are not). Some may say, so you are saying he should not bring in the best players possible? No. Not at all. What I am saying is that he needs to work on getting the best players, who can become a TEAM. Talent can only take you so far, when Arizona faces a real team in the Pac-10 (UCLA last year), or in the NCAA tournament (pretty much every year), they just cannot hang. It's such a shame, maybe its just the culture there...who knows. When there are buckets that need to be scored down the line, or a final shot to be taken...you cannot have 4 different guys poistioning to do so...even without the coach calling their number.

Lute: go buy yourself some new golfclubs and enjoy your retirement.

Freshman phenoms?

Ohio State's freshman phenom's in their game tonight:
Daequan Cook - 26 minutes, 9 rebounds, 18 points
David Lighty - 25 minutes, 5 points

Texas's great frosh:
Durant - 33 minutes, 13 rebounds, 21 points
Augustin - 35 minutes, 9 assists, 13 points
James - 28 minutes, 6 rebounds 14 points

Kansas:
Darrell Arthur - 23 minutes, 6 rebounds, 12 points

These are the best of the best coming out of high school this year and they're already tearing it up on the court. They've already shown that they're better than many of the upperclassmen on their teams, earning starting positions and filling the score sheet. My problem is this, why NOT let them into the NBA? I'm going to avoid making this into an NBA rant, but many of the best players at that level made the jump from high school to pro. Why are we preventing these guys from doing the same? Who are we to limit their futures, their possibilities. What happens when one of these kids gets hurt and loses his chance to make millions, all because he was forced to go to college. I understand that there are lots of kids who declare and don't succeed but is it our responsibility to protec them? I don't think so. They are adults (18+) and should be able to make these decisions for themselves.

As we all learned with Space Jam (and a little help from R Kelly)
I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can sore
I see me runnin through that open door
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly

So PLEASE, let the Durants, Arthurs and Odens of the world have their shot at running through that open door, we've all SEEN that they can fly.

Wow, really?

Just off the fingertips, oh what could have been


#17 Marquette 76
Hillsdale 66
ESPN Game Report

#18 Connecticut 53
Quinnipiac 46
ESPN Game Report

Alright, I understand that it's early in the season and all teams, even ranked ones, have kinks to work out and chemistry to figure out. But there is NO reason that a top 25 team should only beat a no name, Division 2 school by 10 or less points. This is absolutely unacceptable.

Hillsdale so far this year has lost 73-64 to Cleveland State, and 70-50 to Detroit. They've been picked to finish 5th (out of 6) in their division of their conference (GLIAC - Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, I know you've heard of it) in Division 2.

Quinnipiac is a D1 school from the NEC (NorthEastern Conference). Their schedule so far this year is as follows (per official athletic department website):
10/16 Tryouts Gym 6:30 PM
11/01 vs Molloy (exhibition) W 97-78
11/05 Umass - Lowell (exhibition) W 85-70
So let me get this straight, Connecticut a top tier program year in and year out, top 25 ranked team struggled against a team who's TRYOUTS were less than a month ago? I don't even know what to say. This is horrible. Unacceptable.


And yet, I find myself wishing these teams had won. I love the underdog. I'll pull for them all day, watch them struggle against the powerhouse. Love to see them leave their hearts on the court, knowing that this single game could be the defining moment of their season. This is the opportunity of a lifetime for these young guys, and they were so close to making the most of it.

Here's to the underdog!


And yet, a big TISK TISK to the bigger schools, the BETTER teams, and the better players. I don't care how much heart the other team plays with, size and talent are without a doubt on the side of the ranked team. That should be enough to get you comfortably past a team like Hillsdale or Quinnipiac.

SIT DOWN CRAZIES

Yes, you heard me right. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the game. Because that's all you can do in your front row now. The Durham fire marshal is now telling the once feared student group to CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP: "MOVE YOUR ASS" :CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP:" Duke students will no longer be able to stand up during basketball games when sitting in the front row.Ok...so what? I mean its only a few feet back...they can still be an impact on the game. They can still dress up like complete fruitcakes, in costumes that make absolutely no sense what so ever. And according to a very "Ssssssuper" Crazy who was interview on ESPN's Cold Pizza, "He will continue to tent like alwayssssssssssssss!" Well, thank God. I was really worried that this HUGE fiasco might cause them not to tent anymore. Good thing he took up air time on national TV to tell the world, "Hey look Durham fire marshal, you may of made me cry myself to sleep last night, but I will NOT stop tenting!".

Crazies- 1
Fire Marshall- 0

Obviously.

Is CJ Giles gonna have to drag a bitch?

Obviously the answer is yes. It's pretty clear that was his only real option. I mean, she probably told him that the reason he got kicked off the team once already this year was because he is about as stupid as her 5th grade brother (you're right, 5th grade is a bit generous). And obviously that isn't true! RIGHT?!

So we have established he's is a model student, and obviously the KU coaching staff loves him. How could you not like a guy with this type of personality? Keep in mind, you have to be a full blown retard if a HUGE program such as KU cannot even keep you on the team.

In today's culture why shouldn't this kid be given another chance? All he did was "drag her into the hallway where he then 'struck her in the left side of her head by her ear' with his closed fist." No big deal! What the hell is he anyways, a freakin cave man? I mean shit, who really drags people by their feet anymore? That's so 100 BC.

Come on Coach Self, just give the kid ONE more chance. So what if CJ "put himself in a situation in which negative things can happen." He's young! He'll learn! Teach him! Help him to grow as an individual while excelling as an athlete at your university!

Ok. In all seriousness, this was a horrible incident and probably went a little something like... "oh hey, my girlfriend just called, you should leave.... You don't want to leave? ... Do what I say woman ... (Drag woman into hallway and hit her a few times to make sure she gets the point) ... NOW STAY OUT!"

The guy deserves whatever punishment the team and law hands down. I hope he is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I honestly hope he is never given another chance at sports. CJ Giles clearly sucks at life.

Rock Chalk DragnBeat Hawk

"The Haters"

We proudly introduce to you The Haters. We'll start with everyone's beloved Zag:













(On the left, with my hanging Husky)













Center of pic with orange wig

As a Gonzaga Bulldog, I'm used to being hated. Big schools hate us because we're better than them. Little schools hate us because we're better than them. Schools our size hate us, yeah you guessed it, because we're better than them. Full of pride and arrogance, I know my team is better than yours. And I'll straight up say it too. And ya know what? Deep down inside, you know it's true.


Now to the little guy, the man who started it all, the man who has made Los Locos a name no one knows, but every visiting team fears:














The Man and his Cronies


Now, we all know USF isn't the powerhouse of basketball it once was, claiming back to back national titles in 1955-56. But Coach has them back on the right path and this year they will prove it! I bleed green and gold and might do something drastic/insane for my team, nothing is off limits. Im pretty sure that every ref in the WCC is aware that his mother does not love him (ya she told me). LocoNation is growing, and when you come to the house that Russell built, I'll make sure to annoy the hell out of you. Hate us because we are the only WCC team with back to back national championships, I just hate your team because you play for them, or are a fan of them. Don't like what I have to say? That's just because you are wrong.



That's us.

I'll warn you now, everything is fair game. CJ Giles' drag and beat? Yup. UTEP droppin' one to a DII squad? You'd better believe it. Cameron Crazies (and all things Duke)? We wouldn't disappoint. The Yankees? ok, well no, but we do hate them too. You wanna hate on us? Bring it. We can play that game like Linoel Richie, all night long baby.